Mississippi native Dowdell, 21, transferred to Georgia from Kentucky in the offseason
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NEED TO KNOW
- Georgia running back Dante Dowdell was seriously injured in an ATV accident
- Coach Kirby Smart said the Mississippi native was injured near his home in Picayune
- Dowdell was set to make his mark at Georgia, his fourth school since 2023
Georgia running back Dante Dowdell was seriously injured in an ATV accident, coach Kirby Smart said on Tuesday, July 21.
“He’s injured,” Smart told reporters at SEC Media Days. “We don’t know when his return will be. I don’t know the specifics of it, to be honest with you. It was a recreational vehicle, and he had some serious injuries.”
Dowdell, 21, was involved in the accident near his home in Picayune, Miss. Further details about the accident are not known.
Credit: Jason Mowry/Getty
The running back is being treated at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, which specializes in treatment and rehabilitation of spinal cord and brain injuries, according to ESPN.
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“He’s out of the really tough range, but as far as his complete health and coming all the way back, I don’t know what that looks like in terms of this year,” Smart said.
He continued, “It was serious enough that he’s gone from two hospitals. He’s in our state now, so hoping for a full recovery and trying to respect his family and their feelings and everything.”
Dowdell was set to begin his first year at Georgia after transferring from Kentucky over the offseason. He previously played at Nebraska and Oregon.
At Nebraska in 2024, he ran for 614 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dowdell was expected to back up starter Nate Frazier this season.
“He’s just a tremendous kid [with a] great family,” Smart said about the four-star recruit. “We’re very supportive of them. Our players have been up there to see him. It’s a really tough deal.”
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