Sony Michel shows more progress (but not a lot)

ATHENS — It’s already obvious that, barring a setback, one of Georgia’s star tailbacks will be available for the season opener. Now the other one is at least taking more small steps in the right direction.

Sony Michel was taking handoffs and tosses in pre-scrimmage drills on Saturday, and without – during that drill – a brace or a cast on his left arm, which he broke last month. Michel was working with the second team, and wearing a black non-contact jersey. (He had been in a regular red jersey during practice the previous two weeks.)

But afterwards head coach Kirby Smart indicated that Michel didn’t participate in the scrimmage, and downplayed Michel taking those pre-scrimmage snaps.

“That was just knowing that he was not going to be a part of the scrimmage,” Smart said of. “It wasn’t a next step or anything like that.”

Nick Chubb was of course with the first team. Smart said Wednesday that Chubb’s amount of snaps in the scrimmage would be determined before Saturday. Chubb is looking good to go as he returns from knee surgery, though Smart has yet to put a timetable on either tailback’s return.

A few other notes from the media viewing period, which occurred prior to the start of the scrimmage:

• At quarterback, Greyson Lambert was with the first team, Brice Ramsey the second team, and Jacob Eason the third team. But all that likely means is that they ordered the quarterbacks by seniority. Each was supposed to have four practices as the first-team quarterback over the first two weeks, and Saturday was Day 13. Smart has said the quarterback’s performances would lead to a decision on how snaps are divvied up going forward.
• Offensive tackle Tyler Catalina was back working with the second team at left tackle.
• Nose tackle John Atkins was back in uniform but did not have his helmet on during drills. Atkins missed about a week with a hyper-extended knee.
• At inside linebacker, there didn’t appear to be any obvious new faces after the transfer of Tim Kimbrough. Junior Shaun McGee and senior Johnny O’Neal were with the inside linebackers, as they apparently have been the first two weeks. Sophomore Natrez Patrick, expected to be one of the two starters, was in uniform but on the side during a drill. He’s been dealing with a quad injury. Sophomore Juwan Taylor was also on the side and not wearing a helmet. He hasn’t had a previously known injury.