Kirby Smart Announces Major Blow for Gunner Stockton Despite a Positive Injury Update on OLs

The Georgia Bulldogs head coach, Kirby Smart, got a favorable first game against Marshall, and, as expected, came out with a 45-7 win. Gunner Stockton clicked and completed 14 of his 24 passes and rushed for 73 yards, showcasing his dual-threat prowess. While the WR unit, a disappointment last season, started strong with Zachariah Branch putting in a solid performance. Despite that, the O-line lost two key players through injury, and despite some optimism about the two players’ comebacks. Kirby Smart has come out with another bad news for Stockton.

Georgia’s O-line lost four starters from its 2024 campaign, and yet the unit looked well-oiled and ready against Marshall. Georgia amassed a total of 288 all-purpose yards enabled by the O-line, and the unit’s ability to block for Gunner Stockton was well executed. Yet, before the game ended, the freshman right guard, Juan Gaston Jr., suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter, and later redshirt junior right tackle Earnest Greene III was sidelined due to lower-body stiffness. And now, Kirby Smart has come out with the injury news of his ace running back.

Kirby Smart, in his pre-game press conference, talked about the past and present injury issues of the running back, Roderick Robinson, and gave a timeline of the RB’s return. “Yeah, he’s dealing with a little bit of a hamstring. And he was going to try to go uh Saturday if he could, and it was one of those deals that we didn’t want to press it once we got out ahead, and he’s continuing to rehab, get better, come off of his, you know, he had an ankle surgery as well and get comfortable with that,” said Kirby Smart.

Robinson didn’t make the field on Saturday against Marshall and is dealing with a hamstring injury. Moreover, injuries have been common for the running back, which led to the running back missing significant game time last year. Not just that, the player, in just his freshman season in 2023, suffered an ankle injury after playing 5 games and accumulating 196 rushing yards. Then the major injury issues came last year, leading Robinson to undergo surgery.

Robinson underwent surgery for a turf toe injury before the 2024 season, which significantly limited his participation. Due to the injury, the running back missed 11 initial games, with Smart at the time describing his recovery being “week to week.” Robinson did make a comeback against Georgia Tech on November 30th, recording four carries for three yards and two receptions. Moreover, the player also appeared against Texas.

Despite the Texas game, the injury issues didn’t leave him entirely. And now, with Georgia having opened their season, the recovery process seems too slow for Robinson. For instance, Robinson’s injury issues resurfaced during practice leading up to the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame on January 1, 2025. The RB suffered another lower-body injury, later specified as a broken ankle, requiring another surgical intervention. That said, not all injuries are concerning for the Georgia head coach.  

Kirby Smart outlines the timeline of return for the two OLs, giving an update on Daylen Everette’s injury

During Georgia’s second 13-yard touchdown drive by Stockton in the first quarter, Gaston Jr. was seen being attended by the medical staff. However, he did walk off the field by himself, signifying some optimism at the time. A five-star true freshman, Gatson Jr.’s recovery is crucial for the Dawgs since the O-line already is lacking talent after the 2024 departures. However, the road to recovery may not be too long for the OLs.

“Daylen Everette is dealing with an ankle injury and seems to be doing well. He was able to run and do some things yesterday, and should be able to crank it back up today and do more … Juan and EG, we’re hopeful to get both of those guys back this week. Only time will tell,” said Kirby Smart, relaying some optimism. Notably, Georgia was also without their starting CB, Daylen Everette, against Marshall, even though the senior CB did dress up for the game.

All in all, the Marshall game was a stepping stone for Gunner Stockton under the center as he totaled 4 touchdowns, 2 in the ground game and another 2 through passing. ESPN also gave the QB an impressive 99.1 QB rating, which goes on to show what the QB is capable of. Of course, his prowess against elite defenses remains to be seen. But Kirby Smart surely would have a plan for all the uncertainties.