Georgia likely without key defensive player again

ATHENS — It doesn’t look like Natrez Patrick will be playing for Georgia on Saturday, and that could potentially be a big loss.

Patrick, the sophomore inside linebacker, was not going through warm-ups with the first or second team prior to Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech. If Patrick can’t play, it will be a third straight game without the man who was Georgia’s second-leading tackler before injurying his shoulder during the Kentucky game.

Georgia did well without him in wins over Auburn and Louisiana-Lafayette, with Reggie Carter starting in his place, and others subbing in at inside linebacker.

But Patrick would have been a help against the triple-option. His first career start was last year at Georgia Tech, and he had two tackles-for-loss and a sack. He started eight of nine games before his injury.

Roquan Smith and Carter were the first teamers during Georgia’s warm-ups. The second-teamers were sophomores Rashad Roundtree and Juwan Taylor.