ATHENS — Georgia will showcase Sony Michel a lot more against Missouri on Saturday. The Bulldogs intended to utilize the junior tailback much more this past Saturday.

Last year’s leading rusher played for the first time this season against Nicholls State this past Saturday. But he played only five plays, rushing three times for five yards and catching two passes for a total of five yards.

“He was going to be a part of last week’s (game plan); it just didn’t get to fruition,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Some of the plays we had weren’t set u[ for what they were doing defensively, which was a little bit different than what we had seen before. But, yeah, Sony will be a big part of all special teams, a running back. Everything he can do he’s clear to do we want him too start playing a bigger role.”

Michel led the Bulldogs 1,161 yards rushing last season, most of them coming in the seven games after Nick Chubb went down with a season-ending knee injury. He also returns kickoffs and has been on punt and punt-return units the past, the latter as a gunner.

One of Georgia’s most effective offensive formations before Chubb’s injury last season was with Michel lining up in the slot or in a split backfield.

“He’s done a lot of that in the practices leading up until now; it was just a matter of getting him cleared,” Smart said. “So it won’t be like it’s the first time he’s done it. He’ll just be a guy that’s doing it more and more now, and we’re happy to have him.”

Michel, a 5-foot-11, 222-pound junior, broke both bones in his left forearm in an ATV accident on July 3 outside of Atlanta. He entered the season with 1,947 total yards and 17 touchdowns in his career.