ATHENS – Isiah Canion was brought in from the transfer portal to be a difference-maker for the Georgia wide receiver room.
Instead, he’s appeared in three games while totaling just three receptions on the season.
Canion exited Georgia’s SEC opener against Arkansas with a right knee injury.
He has not suited up for Georgia since.
“He’s definitely been present,” wide receiver Talyn Taylor said of Canion. “Even though he’s not on the field right now, he’s definitely, like, he’s definitely in our minds with his voice. He’s talking to us, being a leader, he’s not just being distant, away from everybody else. He’s a part of this team, part of this program, he wants to buy in. So just seeing him coming back, and just hoping he comes back as soon as possible, it’s just good seeing that.”
That quote from Taylor doesn’t inspire confidence he’ll be suiting up for Saturday’s game between Georgia and Florida in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Canion played in the building last season for Georgia Tech, where he had four receptions for 54 yards.
To replace Canion in the lineup, Georgia turned to Thomas Blackshear. But he too picked up an injury, as he hurt his collarbone in Georgia’s win over Vanderbilt.
Those two injuries have left Georgia thin at the wide receiver position.
Yet it hasn’t seemed to make much of an impact for what was Georgia’s most questioned position group heading into the season.
Taylor leads the team in receptions with 19. He’s looked every bit like a former 5-star wide receiver, most notably in Georgia’s win over Oklahoma.
“I feel like the season’s been great,” Taylor said. “I feel like I’ve been controlling what I can control. Just making sure I focus on what I can do in the facility, out of facility, watching training, getting into film. Making sure that I’m doing all the things that I need to do to make sure my season goes the way that I want it to go.”
Taylor’s second-year leap was somewhat expected. But perhaps the biggest reason the Georgia wide receiver room has exceeded expectations to this point is thanks to the emergence of freshman Craig Dandridge.
The freshman from Memphis, Tennessee, leads Georgia in receiving yards with 310.
This isn’t the first time that a true freshman wide receiver has emerged quickly for Georgia, as George Pickens comes to mind in that regard.
But few had Dandridge as the first-year receiver to make the biggest impact, even after a stellar career at Cambridge High School.
“Craig has been doing great ever since he came in, you know, as a mid-year, he’s been handling his business like a grown man,” Taylor said. “He’s just been coming in and doing what he does.”
Add in London Humphreys having touchdown receptions in each of Georgia’s most recent games and the Bulldogs clearly have a well-rounded wide receiver room.
Even if it’s currently incomplete.
“It’s hard sometimes if you’re someone who’s banged up to be up there and on the sideline helping guys, whether it’s practice, whatever it is,” Humphreys said of Canion. “So he’s done a great job keeping a good attitude and helping the young guys, too.”
As for when Georgia might get Canion back from his lingering injury, the SEC will provide an updated availability report on Wednesday. Canion was ruled out prior to Georgia’s game against Auburn and the wide receiver has not suited up since the Arkansas game.
Against a Florida defense that has at times been leaky this season, the Bulldogs have a group of wide receivers they can trust.
And in the event Canion does return, it should provide an even bigger boost to a Georgia offense that will need to put up points in the closing stretch of the season.
“We definitely proved that we’re dogs, we’re a dog receiver group,” Taylor said.