UGA football Peach Bowl injury updates on Ladd McConkey, Warren McClendon & AD Mitchell

ATLANTA — Warren McClendon and Ladd McConkey weren’t spotted at practice on Wednesday when the media was allotted 15 minutes of viewing, but there they were at Peach Bowl Media Day Thursday morning.

Each with their own table which signified their prominent roles on the Bulldogs.

For 45 minutes, that meant plenty of questions for their status of Saturday’s game against Ohio State in the national semifinal.

Not that either was offering much. They were well-coached.

Here's what McClendon, Georgia’s starting right tackle, had to say on how an MCL injury sustained against LSU in the SEC championship game on Dec. 3 is affecting his status for the game.

“I can’t answer that,” he said. “Coach (Kirby) Smart’s gotta answer that.”

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It was more of the same from McConkey, who leads all wide receivers in catches with 51 catches for 675 yards and 5 touchdowns, but left the LSU win knee tendonitis.

“All of those questions about injuries have go to go to Coach Smart,” McConkey said. “He deals with all that and that’s just our team rules."

Smart early in his time with the media was asked about McClendon and McConkey and his answer was pretty much what he’s said in the lead-up to the game when asked if he had an update.

“Yeah,” he said. “Hopeful to get both of them out there and hopeful both of them can play.”

Offensive line coach Stacy Searels was asked what his plans are for right tackle and if McClendon would be available.

“We’re not commenting on any injuries,” he said. “The good thing is we’ve got a lot of good offensive linemen in that room. They’ve always played hard."

Amarius Mims, who is in Georgia’s rotation at tackle, would start if McClendon can’t go. He played a career-high 57 snaps against LSU.

“I have a full amount of trust in Mims,” McClendon said. “He’s come in and worked hard and being one of the older players, I’ve got to see him grow up and become one of the students of the game.”

Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said he doesn’t notice much difference whether it’s McClendon or Mims on the line. Mims is actually graded higher by Pro Football Focus at 73.3 with McClendon at 72.4.

“They’re all pretty athletic,” Sawyer said. “Watching film, you don’t really see a dropoff in athleticism when comes in for another. I think they’re all super athletic guys, really long guys, too. It’s going to be a good battle. I think our D-line likes this challenge. They’re probably the most athletic offensive line we’ve played all year. The way they use them, they get them out in space a lot whether it’s screens or stretches or tosses.”

As for Georgia wide receiver AD Mitchell, he’s had four weeks between games after playing much more against LSU after being sidelined for much of the year with a high ankle sprain and then a sprained thumb.

“I’m feeling great,” said Mitchell, a sophomore who was considered the top playmaker at wide receiver entering the season but whose last catch came in week two against Samford and has played in just two games since. “I’m ready to play.

Wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon was asked if Mitchell’s snaps will be limited. He played 15 snaps against LSU.

“We’ll see,” he said. “He’s been full go. He hasn’t been on a pitch count in practice so I wouldn’t imagine him being on much of one in a game.”

Said Mitchell: “Let’s find out on Saturday.”

Ohio State leading rusher Mian Williams (834 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns) wasn’t at Ohio State’s Media Day right before Georgia, but he’s been dealing with a stomach bug, coach Ryan Day said. He did practice later Thursday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“We'll just kind of take it as we go,” Day said.

TreVeyon Henderson, the team’s top returning rusher entering the season and second with 604 rushing yards this season, is out after foot surgery. Williams has battled ankle and knee injuries during the season.

The Buckeyes have had different guys lead the way in rushing depending on the week.

Dallan Hayden, a freshman from Memphis, led the Buckeyes with 146 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries against Maryland on Nov. 19, but Arizona State transfer Chip Trayam was the top rusher in the loss to Michigan with 83 yards on 14 carries.

“The one thing is we've kind of been working through that all season, and the good news is our guys have responded well to it, and some guys have stepped up,” Day said. “So this is not something new, and certainly when Tre wasn't available, we had to go down the road of a surgery for him… And then from there, okay, so now where do we go, and all these guys have been preparing hard, and we have some good options going into this game.”

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia football injury updates on Ladd McConkey, Warren McClendon