ATHENS — Georgia senior cornerback Malkom Parrish still has a chance to play in the season opener, though it will take a quick recovery, coach Kirby Smart indicated on Saturday.

Two sources told DawgNation on Thursday that Parrish had foot surgery and would be out at least two weeks. Smart confirmed the news after practice Saturday.

“He’s got a small broken bone in his foot. We think he could be back in the next 2-4 weeks,” Smart said, adding: “We don’t know how long it’s going to be.”

Parrish has started 25 games over the previous two years, and is one of the best pure tacklers on Georgia’s defense. He was the seventh-leading tackler last season, with 49, despite his size (5-10, 185 pounds).

Georgia opens against Appalachian State in two weeks. In Parrish’s absence, Aaron Davis has moved to the left cornerback spot, with J.R. Reed moving to the star, and a freshman was at safety on Saturday. 

“It’s not doomsday,” Smart said when asked the effect of Parrish’s injury, but then added: “We could sit around and cry and whine about it. But it’s not a position we’re real deep at right now. It’s not a great situation but that’s what football is, guys. In football, you’re going to have injuries and you have to overcome them.

“We’re very fortunate to have a guy who has played a lot of football here in Aaron Davis, a guy in Tyrqiue McGhee who worked really hard at that position last year. We’ve been working Tyrique McGhee there all along. Everyone is talking about Tyrique at star. We’ve been working Tyrique at corner because we felt like he was the next corner should we get somebody injured. So Tyrique, Aaron Davis, Ameer Speed, William Poole, Eric Stokes, all those guys, will be battling it out.”