The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bulldogs’ workouts will be adjusted
Smart details plan, aid from sports medicine, as players plan return.
ATHENS — Does Kirby Smart have concerns about Georgia football players returning to campus next week? Yes, lots of them.
That was only one of several takeaways from a 26-minute Zoom video conference Smart held with reporters Thursday morning from the Butts-Mehre football complex. The SEC last week gave the go-ahead for league members to allow their players back on campuses to participate in voluntary workouts starting June 8. But the process of bringing in those players is already well underway, with a litany of screening and testing procedures, as well as cleaning and disinfecting protocols being put in place.
Smart said players will begin trickling back into town over the next week, and each will have a complete medical workup before being allowed to join the team for those workouts, which will also come with a long list of guidelines and precautions.
“It’s not going to be normal,” Smart emphasized. “It’s going to be completely different. And a lot of it is because of our state. We’re going to adhere to the policies of our state.”
Smart said players essentially are “coming back on their own” and that they are not required to participate if they’re not comfortable. He didn’t have an exact number yet, but said he’s not aware of any players that wouldn’t be participating.
Georgia has 87 players on scholarship, including 25 freshman signees and two graduate transfers.
“We’ve been in communication with our players,” Smart said. “We have Zoom meetings with them football-wise eight hours each week. A lot of that time is spent not just on X’s and O’s, but on information. … We’re anticipating everybody coming back on a voluntary basis. We don’t have anything to indicate that’s not the case.”
The players will be required to clear a medical screening and a physical off campus, then will
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