Smart ‘confident’ star DL Williams can go vs

• Mark Schlabach, ESPN

  • Senior Citizen WriterSep 23, 2024, 01:55 PM ET Close Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football
  • Graduate of the University of Georgia

Georgia coach Kirby Smart said he’s hopeful the No. 2 Bulldogs will have back a few hurt protective linemen for Saturday night’s SEC showdown at No. 4 Alabama.Smart stated hurt defensive take on Warren Brinson, who missed the past 2 games with an Achilles tendon injury, practiced last week and ought to be all set to go.Star defensive end Mykel Williams, who hasn’t played given that hurting his left ankle in a 34-3 success versus Clemson in the opener, had the ability to run recently.”I’m confident,”Smart stated of Williams throughout a press conference on Monday.”We’ll see. He didn’t do much last week. He got a lot of rehabilitation Friday and Saturday and had the ability to run Friday and Saturday, which is positive. However he hasn’t been out to practice today and we’ll see how today goes. “Editor’s Picks 1 Associated Williams, 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, is ranked the No. 2 possibility offered for the 2025 NFL draft by ESPN analyst Field Yates. Only Tennessee edge rush James Pearce Jr.

is ranked higher.Last season, Williams was voted second-team All-SEC by the league’s coaches after leading the Bulldogs with 4.5 sacks. He was called a freshman All-American in 2022. Brinson, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound senior,

had 21 deals with, 3 tackles for loss and 2 sacks last season.According to Smart, sophomore protective lineman Jordan Hall, who has yet to play this season after undergoing surgery to repair tibia stress fractures in both his legs, is close to returning too.”We’re enthusiastic to get Jordan Hall back, “Smart stated.

“[ He] has actually been working very hard, tirelessly, doing rehabilitation and busting his butt all weekend.”Saturday night’s game will be the first time Smart will face new Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer, who took the task when famous coach Nick Saban retired on Jan. 10. Smart was on Saban’s personnel for 9 seasons, from 2008 to 2015, before delegating take control of his alma mater’s football program.”[ Saban] recruited a lot of them and they’re great players,”Smart stated.”I believe anytime you go against a really good group that’s a powerhouse in college football, it’s a challenge. I actually look at it like this is a hell of an opportunity for our kids, our program on a national stage. “We have actually been on the national stage a lot, specifically in the last three or four years. It’s the factor kids want to come to Georgia. They say,’I want to play in games like that.’We’re going to have more of them after this.”