South Carolina’s Judge Collier Trending Toward Return Ahead of Kentucky Clash
South Carolina starting cornerback Judge Collier is inching closer to a return after missing most of the first four weeks of the season. Collier was back on the practice field Tuesday and is hopeful to rejoin the lineup soon.
On Wednesday night’s first SEC availability report of the week, both Collier and safety DQ Smith were listed as questionable for Saturday’s matchup with Kentucky at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Meanwhile, defensive tackle Gabe Brownlow-Dindy, defensive back Buddy Mack III, and offensive linemen Nolan Hay and Cason Henry were marked as doubtful.
Head coach Shane Beamer offered a brief update during his Tuesday press conference:
“Injury-wise, we’ll have a report for you tomorrow night, nobody that we’d say right now is out,” Beamer said. “It was good to see Judge Collier back at practice today, hopefully he will continue to trend in the right direction, and see where guys are tomorrow night when we release that availability report.”
Collier, along with tight end Mike Smith and safety DQ Smith, missed last weekend’s 29-20 loss to Missouri. Mike Smith was not listed on Wednesday’s report, indicating he’s expected to return.
Defensive coordinator Clayton White confirmed that Collier is making progress but stressed patience:
“He’s still grinding back from the injury, trying to get back in shape,” White said Wednesday. “It’s been a while since he’s played, so we’re definitely trying to make sure he’s in position before we just throw him back out there.”
As for the offensive line, Cason Henry — who returned from an injury against Missouri — was forced out after just one snap with what was reported as a shoulder issue.
The SEC will provide further availability updates on Thursday at around 8 p.m., followed by another Friday and a final report 90 minutes before kickoff. Beamer is also expected to share more insight during his Thursday night call-in show.
This is the second season the SEC has required player availability reports, a system modeled after the NFL. Schools must file reports three days before each football game, with daily updates leading up to game day. Penalties for late or inaccurate reports can range from $25,000 to $100,000 in football, and up to $25,000 in basketball and baseball.
Under the policy, players are designated as available, probable, doubtful, or questionable leading into the weekend. On game day, those designations shift to available, game-time decision, or out.
South Carolina will host Kentucky on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network before heading into its first bye week of the season.
