After Tuesday’s UGA football practice, Head Coach Kirby Smart gave an update on several players returning from injury including wide receiver Lawrence Cager, cornerback Tyson Campbell, wide receiver Demetris Robertson, and defense lineman Travon Walker.
“Got some guys back, so that was helpful,” said Smart. “…(Lawrence) Cager has been out there practicing, Tyson (Campbell) has been out there practicing, Travon (Walker) has been out there practicing.”
Kirby said that Cager and Campbell were cleared to practice and to play but that didn’t mean they were ready to play.
”They’ve (Lawernce Cager and Tyson Campbell) been cleared to play, but we’ve got to find out if they’re ready to play,” said Smart. “If they’re practicing, they’re cleared. Cleared doesn’t say, ‘that guy’s ready to play.’ “
The decision on whether or not Cager or Campbell is ready to play and will play was likely made after Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practice.
“And that’ll be determined by how they practice, and what they’re able to do and not do, what kind of shape they are, how much they can sustain,” said Kirby. “Those are all important factors that we have to factor in to how much they play, and if they’re able to play.”
But quarterback Jake Fromm and cornerback Eric Stokes seemed pretty positive on what Cager has done in practice.
On Tuesday, Stokes said Cager looked like his old self: “Oh man! He’s looking basically like his old self,” said Stokes on Tuesday. “(Lawrence) Cager is back to his self. He’s giving you great routes… everything you want in him.”
And during his Wednesday post-practice interview, Fromm dropped a pretty big hint saying: “It will be huge for the offense to have him back. He’s another big guy, another big target right there on the outside. He brings a lot of juice to the offense. He is a big-time guy.”
While there are question marks regarding whether or not Cager and Campbell will be able to play on Saturday, junior wideout Demetris Robertson appears good to go.
“Yeah, he’s (Demetris Robertson) been fine. He had the hamstring, I forget what game that was. That was, seems like an eternity ago now, but the games he’s been back, he’s been fine,” said Kirby on Tuesday. “We monitor his yardages and make sure he hits certain numbers and get him real loose before he starts, but he hasn’t had any other problems.”
Robertson practiced for and played in the South Carolina and Kentucky games and he was practicing with the team during the media viewing period during the bye week.
As mentioned earlier, freshman defensive lineman Travon Walker was cleared and back at practice this week. Walker played in the Bulldogs’ first five games but injured his wrist versus Tennessee. He underwent minor surgery to repair the injury and has missed the last two games. As Smart stated in regards to Cager and Campbell; although he has been cleared to play, whether or not Walker is ready to play will be determined in how he performs in practice.
Offensive lineman Justin Shaffer is still out with a sprained neck he suffered in the South Carolin game, and redshirt freshman Tommy Bush is also still recovering from a sports hernia.
Ending the injury report on a positive note, junior offensive lineman Solomon Kindley stated that he was close to 100% on Monday. Kindley has been battling and playing through a sprained ankle he injured during the Notre Dame game back on September 21st.
“I’m almost to 100%. I’m getting treatment before practice, after practice,” said Kindly. “So, hopefully, I’ll be almost close to 100% come Saturday.”