Georgia defensive lineman out ‘a little while’ with injury

ATHENS — At the area it needs it the least, Georgia has incurred an injury, though it doesn’t look it will last until the season opener.

Georgia nose tackle John Atkins hyper-extended his knee earlier this week in practice, head coach Kirby Smart said.  Smart categorized Atkins as “day-to-day”, but indicated he will not practice this weekend.

“He’ll be back. But he’s out for a little while. That’s tough at a position that we’re already thin at,” Smart said.

Georgia is already set to be without defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter, who will be suspended at least the first two games of the season. Freshman defensive tackle Julian Rochester could also be suspended, depending on the outcome of the BB gun charges from the spring. And the team lost defensive end Chauncey Rivers in the spring, when he was dismissed after a third marijuana arrest.

But Atkins, who started a couple games last year and has worked with the first team this year, shouldn’t lose much traction because of his experience, Smart said.