ATHENS — Georgia football coach Kirby Smart updated where things stand with Bulldogs injuries following Tuesday’s practice.
Freshman defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye is recovering from lower extremity surgery that will sideline him the rest of the season, Smart said.
Jonah-Ajonye played in four games this season, making him eligible for a redshirt. Coming to Athens, he was five-star defensive lineman out of Texas in the 2024 class.
Running back Branson Robinson has been out since the Mississippi State game with an MCL injury. Senior inside linebacker Smael Mondon has also been out with a lower leg injury.
“I mean, I don’t know a timeline on either one of those guys,” Smart said. “So when you say closer, I mean, they’re closer, because they’re closer than they were yesterday. But I don’t know how close they are. I don’t know what it looks like for them in terms of when they’re able to come back.”
Tate Ratledge and Jordan Hall were both able to dress out against Texas. Ratledge has missed the last four games, while Hall has yet to play in a game this season.
“Both have ramped up in terms of reps. Tate took quite a bit yesterday, took quite a bit -- I don’t know how many he took today, but I know it’s more than yesterday ‘cause we had more available,” Smart said. “But we’re trying to be smart in terms of his volume. And Jordan’s done more. He still has moments where it bothers him, but I thought yesterday was Jordan’s best day yet. And I think that three-day off really helped him. I’ll have to watch today and see how he was. I don’t really remember.”
On Monday, Smart said that Ratledge was “raring to go” and was wanting to play against Florida.
With Ratledge out, Micah Morris has started at guard. Hall’s potential return would add further depth to the defensive line, which has been reliant on Naz Stackhouse, Christen Miller and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins this season.
Smart has not provided an update on whether the Bulldogs will have Dan Jackson and Joenel Aguero back for Saturday’s game after they were ejected for targeting. If the SEC does not overturn their penalties, Jackson and Aguero will miss the first half. KJ Bolden and JaCorey Thomas would start in their place.
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