Kirby Smart, Georgia Suffer Unfortunate Setback Weeks Before Season

Fall camp continues to challenge the Georgia Bulldogs' health ahead of the 2024 college football season, now less than four weeks away.

Injuries have mounted, especially on the defensive line. Returning starter Warren Brinson has been limited with an achilles strain, while sophomore Jordan Hall has been out with a leg stress fracture that required surgery.

Head coach Kirby Smart shared more unfortunate news regarding Hall on Tuesday, confirming that the former five-star recruit had suffered the same injury in the opposite leg. It will require surgery and the timetable for his return is unknown.

Smart remained confident that Georgia will get Hall back in the lineup at some point, which could stretch past the season opener versus Clemson on Aug. 31.

“He’s on a good timeline,” Smart said. “It’s not a long-term deal. He actually knows what to expect.”

Hall appeared in 10 games as a true freshman last season. With the NFL departure of Zion Logue, Hall was expected to be a larger piece of Georgia's defensive front in 2024. The Bulldogs will have to reassess the group to be prepared to take on the No. 14 Tigers in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Georgia does return super-senior Nazir Stackhouse and redshirt sophomore Christen Miller. Brinson and Hall's absence puts more pressure on the rotational pieces that were expected to take on new roles like South Carolina transfer Xzavir McLeod and redshirt freshman Jamaal Jarrett. True freshmen Justin Thomas and Nasir Johnson may also get looks as fall camp continues.

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