Georgia running back Sony Michel suffered a broken left forearm on Sunday and underwent successful surgery Monday at Athens Regional Medical Center, the program has confirmed. The Bulldogs stated only that Michel hurt the arm in “an accident,” but the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the injury came while the tailback rode an ATV.
Michel is expected to make a full-recovery, but his early-season availability is unknown at this time. Georgia opens its season opposite North Carolina at the Georgia Dome two months from yesterday.
Michel’s injury is the latest at a position that has been full of them of late. Todd Gurley missed most of his final season in red and black with a knee injury and Nick Chubb was lost for the 2015 season midway through the year with an ACL injury of his own.
Chubb still has not been cleared to return to action, so Michel’s injury could mean the Bulldogs call on senior Brendan Douglas, redshirt freshman Tae Crowder or a pair of true freshmen to carry the load for Kirby Smart‘s team.
Michel led the club last season with 219 carries for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns while also finishing third on the squad with 26 grabs for 270 yards and three scores.