Georgia quarterback JT Daniels is dealing with a lat muscle injury ahead of Saturday’s top-10 showdown against No. 8 Arkansas at Sanford Stadium, Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said during a teleconference on Wednesday.
Daniels, who ranks eighth in the FBS in total QBR (87.6) through four games, is expected to start for No. 2 Georgia and play against the Razorbacks (12 p.m. ET/ESPN and ESPN App).
Earlier this season, Daniels didn’t play in a 56-7 win against UAB because of an oblique injury. Backup Stetson Bennett started for the Bulldogs, with five touchdowns on 10-for-12 passing. Daniels played only the first quarter of last week’s 62-0 victory at Vanderbilt, and Bennett and third-stringer Carson Beck finished the game.
“His oblique is fine; he’s been having a little bit of a lat issue,” Smart said. “It bothered him some last week, and it bothered him some this week. But he’s done a good job, he’s sharp, watches all his tape, gets his reps and he does a good job, so we’re hoping he can stay that way.”
The latissimus dorsi muscles, commonly known as lats, are the V-shaped muscles that connect the arms to the vertebrae column.
The Bulldogs are hoping to have back tight end Darnell Washington and safety Tykee Smith, who were sidelined with foot injuries in the first four games.