Hurtin’

One reason for some guarded optimism going into Georgia’s opener is that, for once, the Dawgs haven’t been bitten too badly by the injury bug – Coates’ ACL being the one bad item, although he’s at one of the deepest positions on the team – unlike several other SEC teams that are already looking at fallout from injuries to key starters.

• Alabama’s lost NT Brian Motley to a broken ankle. That’s a big loss at a key position for a team with little depth there.
• ‘Bama plays Arkansas early. There was some hope that WR Marcus Monk would be back for Arky by that game, but that’s not looking so good right now.
• At South Carolina, S Emanuel Cook has gone from the weapons charge pan into the appendectomy fire.
• And Florida’s lost captain and OT Phil Trautwein to a stress fracture in his foot. That one ain’t good for the Gators, as they’re shifting bodies all over the place and looking like they may start a true freshman on the OL now. Sound familiar?

As the saying goes, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

(h/t Best of the SEC Blogs and AOL FanHouse)