Georgia football injury report: offensive leader sidelined by knee injury

ATHENS, Ga. — The Georgia football receiving corps has been questioned in the offseason, and it will open fall drills on Friday without its most experienced target.

Senior Terry Godwin has what Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart described as a “minor issue with his left knee” and will be held out of drills on Friday.

Godwin has stepped up and become a key leader for Georgia football in the offseason, so his mere presence carries great weight in the receivers room.

That might be why Smart did everything he could to downplay the knee injury, which the head coach did not detail to the extent of revealing its potential for surgical status.

“It’s small, it’s minor, (and) he’ll be limited, but I know you guys will make a big deal out of it,” Smart said, even though no one had asked about injuries or followed up on Godwin’s status.

“He’s fine, he just won’t be able to do indy and some things today. We’re going to hold him out of that.”

Godwin appeared at SEC Media Days in Atlanta last month and did not appear to be limping, nor did he make mention of any sort of injury.

“He understands the game, and his leadership in that room with wideouts has been tremendous for us,” Smart said of Godwin’s importance to the team.

Smart did not provide a timetable for Godwin’s return.

Injury report

Smart went down an injury report during his opening press conference before the start of fall camp on Friday.

The head coach knew everyone was wanting to know about quarterback Jake Fromm, whose most recent lake injury involved a fractured bone in his left hand suffered last month.

• “Jake (Fromm), he’s healing really well (and) he’ll have a splint out when he’s out there, but it’s just a precautionary splint,’ Smart said. “He’ll be able to do everything we need him to do.”

Smart turned his attention to sophomore linebacker Jaden Hunter next, a 6-foot-2, 228-pound player from Westlake High School.

• “Jaden Hunter has a little bit of a hamstring, so he’ll be a little limited,” Smart said. “You’ll see him out there. He’ll work, but he’s not going to be able to do everything 100 percent, and we hope to get him back soon and have him work with us.”

• Zamir White has been cleared for all activity but will wear a knee brace, Smart said.

• Smart reiterated that freshman linebacker Azeez Ojulari underwent offseason (knee) surgery, but “he’s been cleared for everything but contact.”

Ojulari, from Marietta High School, suffered his ACL injury on Nov. 24.

• Freshman defensive back Divaad Wilson, who suffered a torn ACL in spring drills after enrolling early, “will work into practice as the season progresses,” Smart said. “He’s a really competitive guy and wants to jump out there and do everything he can.”

• Smart said sophomore defensive back Deangelo Gibbs “is fully cleared with his shoulder, so he’ll be able to do everything.”