ATHENS — When Smael Mondon went down with an unspecified lower-body injury prior to Georgia’s game against Auburn, it was very fair to wonder when Georgia might see him play again.
Kirby Smart himself didn’t think the senior inside linebacker would be back for Georgia’s game against Ole Miss. He had already missed four games with the injury.
But there Mondon was, out there playing for Georgia against Ole Miss.
“We weren’t even sure we were going to get Smael back for that game,” Smart said. “He wanted to play. He felt good. He did not practice a lot last week. But the plan was to bring him back practicing this week. And he’s done that. And he’s embraced the leadership role of that room.”
Mondon played 15 snaps in the 28-10 loss for Georgia. Time will tell how long it takes for Mondon to get back to who he was prior to the injury.
But his presence in the middle of the Georgia defense is very much felt.
“Yeah, it was good for the confidence of the other guys and, I think, the depth of our other guys,” Smart said. “You know, we were basically playing three, I guess, and a half inside backers between Jalon (Walker), C.J. (Allen), and Raylen (Wilson), and then Chris Cole was playing some. So, now, kicking him in allows, number one, Jalon maybe to be fresher and play on the edge a little more.”
Even with the missed time, Mondon is still the most experienced member of the inside linebacker room. He started in Georgia’s most recent national championship win and brings a ton of institutional knowledge to the program.
His injury allowed younger players such as Allen, Wilson and Cole to get some much-needed seasoning.
“He’s so positive,” Dylan Fairchild said of Mondon. “Smael’s had a couple of injuries, and it’s easy to let that, get you down and discourage you, and I just think he’s been real positive. Every time I see him, he’s got a smile on his face. He’s just attacked everything at rehab and everything that he’s got to do to get back out there and do what he does.”
Mondon doesn’t have much time to rest and heal before facing a major challenge this weekend. Georgia will take on a Tennessee offense that is led by star running back Dylan Sampson.
The junior leads the SEC in rushing and rushing touchdowns. Given how Tennessee spreads the field with their offense, the Bulldogs will need to be able to win with a lighter box in terms of the defensive front.
“They’re stubborn, man. They’re physical. He is an elite runner,” Smart said. “He’s very patient. He hits small creases. He’s hard to tackle. I mean, you don’t put up how many touchdowns he’s got in the SEC, 20-something? I mean, that’s crazy. In the SEC? The SEC’s the hardest league in the world to run the ball in, because they’ve got the most-sized defensive linemen.”
Smart would go on to compare Sampson to former Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara. There is some question about whether the Volunteers will have quarterback Nico Iamaleava this week as he is currently in concussion protocol. But stopping the run is Georgia’s first priority.
Having Mondon back out there, even in a diminished role at the moment, will only help in that regard.
“Smael’s a resilient person, player,” Walker said. “It was just a great opportunity to see him go out there and actually share his first snap with him. It was just a full-circle moment. Me coming in as a freshman, him being the guy who was starting, and him finally getting back on his feet, getting the opportunity to play. Which is great to see him back out there.”
