Georgia coach Kirby Smart stopped short of pronouncing Tyson Campbell good to go for Saturday's game against Florida, but all signs point to starting cornerback being available.
Whether Campbell plays or not, the Bulldogs are going to be as healthy as they have been since the opening week when the two teams meet in a Top 10 matchup in Jacksonville.
Smart said Campbell, who has been out since the third game with a turf-toe injury, practiced full speed all but one day this past week. Meanwhile, senior receiver Lawrence Cager has been cleared to play against the Gators. The graduate transfer from Miami was the Bulldogs' leading pass-catcher before being sidelined with a separated shoulder in the loss to South Carolina.
Georgia also welcomed back freshman defensive lineman Travon Walker. The 5-star signee out of Thomaston had played in the first five games before injuring a wrist, which required surgery.
“Some were recovered over the weekend, some were able to go (last week) before we broke,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Monday. “We hope to continue to get some guys back healthy.”
Campbell's return could be especially helpful for the Bulldogs. They will be facing “as deep a group of wide receivers as I've seen anywhere from top to bottom,” Smart said. “They’ve got six, seven, eight guys playing wide receiver that are really good players, and an elite tight end, one of the best in the country.”
“[Campbell] practiced last week,” Smart said. "We had to back him down a little bit Thursday, but he was able to practice a couple days last week. ... We'll see where he is at today.”
Likewise, Cager's return could help a Georgia offense that has missed some of its explosiveness in recent weeks. Cager was quarterback Jake Fromm's No. 1 target before aggravating a shoulder injury in the rain-soaked loss to South Carolina. The 6-foot-5 wideout has 19 catches for 245 yards and three touchdowns, second to freshman George Pickens' 23 catches for 318 yards and two scores. More importantly, the Bulldogs often sought out Cager on critical downs.
"He was able to run routes and do some stuff Thursday, and we thought he looked good doing that,” Smart said. “So we're expecting to hopefully get him back, but I won't know more until we see practice today.”
Florida, which is also coming off a bye, has welcomed back three of its best players for the Georgia game. Defensive ends Jonathan Greenard and Jabari Zuniga and wide receiver Kadarius Toney all have been cleared to play.
Greenard and Zuniga pair to create one of the most dynamic pass-rushing tandems in the nation, as the two have combined for seven sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 39 quarterback pressures this season. Toney is considered the Gator's best vertical threat.
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