UGA Football, Kirby Smart Eager for Branson Robinson's Return | "Certainly Promising"
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ATHENS - UGA Football coach Kirby Smart make a declarative statement about his running backs Thursday: “I think we've got a room of good backs, as talented as we've had.”
Then he added this: “But inexperienced.”
Georgia would be more experienced if Branson Robinson had not suffered a ruptured patella tendon only a few days before the Bulldogs’ opener in 2023. The Mississippi native was coming off scoring two touchdowns in Georgia’s national championship win over TCU. He had a stellar performance against Auburn during his 68-carry season in 2022.
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“He will start practice without limitations, but we will have some load management with him,” Kirby said of Robinson’s return.
Georgia’s talented, but inexperienced running back room includes Florida transfer Trevor Etienne, Roderick Robinson, Cash Jones, Nate Frazier, Dwight Phillips, and Chauncey Bowens.
“I'm excited about the room,” Kirby reiterated.
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But it is Branson Robinson who flashed in 2022. His injury left the Bulldogs scrambling this time a year ago - using Jones and WR Dillon Bell as the Dawgs tried to get healthy and manage what became a two-headed running back attack for much of the season.
“It's not a shock to me that he's able to start and go without limitations,” Kirby said of Robinson. “But the load management's critical because you can't take someone who hasn't done everything and just throw them into everything. We have to be smart about that, but it's certainly promising.”
Robinson and the Bulldogs will have to figure out what has recently been one of the better defenses in the country in the season opener - Clemson.
“(Robinson) was having a really good camp. He looked really good, and I remember thinking: ‘Golly, this guy was getting ready to have a great season - great camp.’ You forget all the things that he missed out on that he didn't get a chance to do that he'll be doing now. I know he's looking forward to it. We're excited to get him out there.”