Mykel Williams departed Georgia’s Week 1 victory against Clemson and may miss the Bulldogs’ Week 2 matchup with Tennessee Tech due to a Grade 2 ankle injury, according to his diagnosis. Williams is a defensive lineman who was named to the second team of the SEC.
Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann’s defense completely dominated Clemson in Georgia’s 34-3 Week 1 victory, holding the Tigers to just 188 total yards, including a mere 46 yards on the ground, despite missing several key defensive linemen. As Georgia prepares for its Week 2 matchup against Tennessee Tech, Smart may have the opportunity to further assess his defensive line depth, with Mykel Williams listed as questionable.
Williams, who managed to generate two pressures on Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik before exiting with a lower-body injury, was diagnosed with a Grade 2 ankle sprain following an MRI on Monday. Smart informed reporters that the injury is “stable” and that Williams is “week-to-week.”
Although Williams’ availability for the non-conference game this week is uncertain, the injury does not pose a long-term concern for Georgia or its head coach. If Williams is unable to play, he will join fellow defensive lineman Jordan Hall, who is recovering from a stress fracture in his tibia, on the sidelines.
In Week 1, Georgia was also missing South Carolina transfer Xzavier McLeod, who has been dealing with an oblique injury since fall camp. Warren Brinson, who battled an Achilles injury during camp, started the game against Clemson but was later removed. Smart described Brinson’s injury as “some type of contusion.”
With Hall and McLeod unavailable, and Williams and Brinson exiting the game, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins led Georgia’s defensive line with 45 snaps. Nazir Stackhouse played 33 snaps, Christen Miller 29, and Damon Wilson Jr. contributed 21 snaps, primarily at edge.
True freshman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, standing at 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds, made his collegiate debut, playing 13 snaps and generating one pressure. Jonah-Ajonye could see increased playing time in Williams’ absence, gaining valuable experience against Tennessee Tech. Looking ahead to Week 3, Georgia will travel to Lexington to face former Georgia quarterback Brock Vandagriff.
Even if Williams and Brinson are sidelined for the next two games, Georgia’s defense should remain solid. It might be in Kirby Smart’s best interest to rest both players, especially with a Week 4 bye before a crucial trip to Tuscaloosa.
Leave a Reply