ATHENS — Georgia’s Ladd McConkey and Warren McClendon still aren’t practicing, and their status for the matchup against No. 4 Ohio State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl remains undecided.
That was the word from coach Kirby Smart, who provided updates on the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs during a news conference at the Butts-Mehre football complex Wednesday. Georgia returned to the practice field Wednesday in preparation for its Dec. 31 matchup against the Buckeyes in their College Football Playoff semifinal.
“I don’t know when exactly we’re going to get those guys back,” Smart said. “I don’t know that. They’re not practicing with us right now. They’re conditioning; they’re moving around. But they’re not practicing just yet, but we’re still 16, 17 days out.”
Smart said the Bulldogs have been practicing for several days now, but primarily on conditioning and self-analysis. He said freshman outside linebacker Marvin Jones has been able to practice with the team.
McConkey, a 6-foot, 185-pound sophomore slotback, aggravated a right knee injury late in the second quarter of Georgia’s 50-30 win over LSU in the SEC Championship game Dec. 3 and did not return. He is the Bulldogs’ second-leading receiver, with 51 catches for 675 yards and five touchdowns. He also has two touchdowns on 93 yards rushing. Smart said McConkey has been dealing with tendinitis in his right knee all season.
McClendon, a 6-4, 300-pound junior, also went out with a first-half knee injury against LSU. Smart said after the game that McClendon sprained a medial collateral ligament. McClendon has the longest starting streak of any Georgia player with 37 consecutive starts at right tackle.
The Bulldogs have exceptional backups at both positions. Senior Kearis Jackson has played in 53 games and started 14 over the past five seasons. Amarius Mims, a 6-7, 330-pound sophomore, already splits time with McClendon at right tackle and with Broderick Jones at left tackle and has played in all 13 games this season and 21 games the past two seasons with the Bulldogs.
