Georgia safety Richard LeCounte has been released from the hospital after being involved in a traffic accident Saturday night, coach Kirby Smart said.
Smart said Wednesday that LeCounte was in Georgia’s training room Tuesday receiving treatment. LeCounte, who has started 33 games for Georgia, was riding a dirt bike when it struck a vehicle that was attempting to make a left turn, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department said in a statement Sunday. After hitting the vehicle, LeCounte’s dirt bike went into oncoming traffic and struck another car.
He was initially in intensive care before being moved to a regular room on Sunday. Sources told ESPN’s Mark Schlabach that LeCounte is expected to miss at least a few weeks after suffering a shoulder injury and several cuts and bruises. His injuries will not require surgery.
LeCounte leads Georgia with three interceptions and four pass breakups this season. The senior recorded three forced fumbles and four interceptions in 2019, including two in Georgia’s Sugar Bowl win over Baylor. LeCounte has 176 tackles, eight interceptions and four forced fumbles in his career.
“He’s a fantastic football player,” Florida coach Dan Mullen said. “Everybody’s a little worried about that. I’m glad he’s safe and going to recover and healthy, and it’s not as severe as I heard it could have been.”
Georgia had several other key defenders injured in last week’s win at Kentucky. Smart said starting defensive lineman Jordan Davis is “day-to-day” with an elbow injury, but should have some type of role in Saturday’s game against No. 10 Florida in Jacksonville. Defensive lineman Julian Rochester, who started the last two games suffered a season-ending ACL tear against Kentucky.
Smart earlier this week said starting safety Lewis Cine (ankle), inside linebacker Quay Walker (undisclosed) should be fine for the Florida game.