ATHENS — Kirby Smart said he’s still hopeful that Georgia nose tackle Jordan Davis can play against Florida on Saturday, even if it would require his fractured elbow to be placed in a brace.
“Jordan [Davis] is going to be day-to-day,” Smart said on his Monday Zoom press conference call. “Jordan has a chance to be able to play, and we are hopeful he’s able to play. It is his elbow, his injury.
“We’re hopeful to be able to get him in a brace and don’t know if he’ll be able to play or not.”
Smart’s comments on the preseason All-SEC nose tackle are in contrast to reports earlier on Monday stating Davis will not play against Florida in the 3:30 p.m. game on Saturday.
The Gators have played one game in the last three weeks and looked sharp in their 41-17 win over Missouri last Saturday.
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Smart ran down a list of different Georgia players who have either missed time or were knocked out of the 14-3 win at Kentucky on Saturday.
All-American safety Richard LeCounte, Smart confirmed, is out after crashing a motorcycle on Halloween Night.
LeCounte, Smart said, was moved from an intensive care unit to a regular room on Monday.
Smart said junior Christopher Smith (5-11, 180), who replaced Cine in the Kentucky game and LeCounte in the Auburn game, is the next man up.
“Chris has played a lot for us, (when) Richard came out of the one game for targeting, and then he came in and played for Lewis the other day,” Smart said. “We feel like Chris has gotten a lot of experience. Chris works really hard in practice and he is ready to play. Tyrique Stevenson has worked back there, [Latavious] Brini has worked back there. We’ve had Major Burns work back there, so that’s what it looks like at safety.”
Other Georgia players and what Smart said about their injuries:
DT Julian Rochester: Smart confirmed that Rochester, a fifth-year senior and starter at the position who left the Kentucky game with an apparent ACL injury, “is out” likely for the season.
Freshmen Jalen Carter, Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson will all get more snaps, Smart indicated on Saturday.
“Naz got to play, he’s been working really hard on the scout team, I got to watch and see how he played, and Warren Brinson played more,” Smart said. “We’ve got to get some help in there.”
MLB Quay Walker, who left the Kentucky game with a neck injury, “is going to be fine, we think he is going be able to play.”
Walker started at Kentucky in place of senior captain Monty Rice, who has been limited by a foot injury.
SS Lewis Cine: Of Cine, who left the UK game with a sprained ankle, Smart said, “Lewis, we think is going to be fine.”
OL Ben Cleveland: Cleveland was limited in the second half and left the stadium limping Saturday. Smart said, “Ben should be fine.”
WR George Pickens: Pickens (pectoral) Smart said, is continue to rehab after not traveling to Lexington. Smart said he’s “hopeful” Pickens can play.
RB-KR Kenny McIntosh: McIntosh (knee), Smart said, is also continuing to rehab this week. The head coach including him in the same “hopeful to play” analysis as Pickens.
DB Tyrique Stevenson: Stevenson, who left the game with an undisclosed injury, “is fine,” Smart said.
WR Matt Landers: The junior receiver, who suffered a shoulder injury against Tennessee, “should be able to go” against Florida, Smart said.
