Georgia senior fullback Quayvon Hicks to miss bowl game

Georgia senior fullback Quayvon Hicks, who has 23 career rushes and 12 career receptions in 50 career games, will not play in Saturday's TaxSlayer Bowl due to a leg injury.
Georgia senior fullback Quayvon Hicks, who has 23 career rushes and 12 career receptions in 50 career games, will not play in Saturday's TaxSlayer Bowl due to a leg injury.

Georgia senior Quayvon Hicks, a former walk-on who played fullback and tight end for the Bulldogs, is having his college career end one game too soon.

The 6-foot-2, 251-pounder with 50 career games played has had a leg injury and arrived this week in Jacksonville on crutches. The Bulldogs face Penn State in the TaxSlayer Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

"Quayvon is not going to play," Georgia interim coach Bryan McClendon told reporters Monday before the Bulldogs held their first of four morning practices this week at the University of North Florida. "Any time you see a guy who goes through this, it's tough to see. He still has a lot to look forward to as he moves on both on and off the field, but you do hate seeing stuff like that happen."

McClendon also said that freshman safety Johnathan Abram, who made four starts this year, did not make the bowl trip due to personal reasons and that freshman receiver Shaquery Wilson, who played in just two games, is ineligible for academic reasons. McClendon announced back in Athens that junior tailback Brendan Douglas (wrist) and junior inside linebacker Tim Kimbrough (suspension) would not be playing.

The Bulldogs worked out in helmets, shoulder pads and shorts in preparation for Saturday, which could become a 10th win this season and a 40th triumph for the senior class.

Hicks is part of that group, having arrived in 2012 and quickly earning a scholarship after playing on special teams in 12 of 14 games. His most productive game was the 2013 opener at Clemson, when he had a 37-yard run and a 38-yard reception as a fullback in a 38-35 loss to the Tigers.

Six of his 12 career starts were during the 2014 season, when he was used as a fullback and a tight end.

"Wherever they put me on the field, I don't care," Hicks said before the 2014 season. "I pride myself on being able to eat whatever is on the plate."

Hicks started three of 12 games this season as a fullback and occasionally practiced at tailback after Nick Chubb damaged knee ligaments at Tennessee. Sony Michel and Keith Marshall will be Georgia's top two tailbacks against the Nittany Lions, but McClendon said Monday that redshirt sophomore A.J. Turman could play as well.

Turman had 26 carries for 126 yards in April's G-Day game but has yet to play this season.

Sophomore Christian Payne and redshirt sophomore Glenn Welch will be Georgia's top two fullbacks in the absence of Hicks. Payne and Welch both played in a majority of games this season but have yet to start.

Monday's gathering with reporters was also the first time McClendon has spoken publicly since being named the co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach under new South Carolina coach Will Muschamp. McClendon will begin working for the Gamecocks as soon as Saturday's game is done.

McClendon was a Georgia receiver from 2002 to 2005 and spent two seasons as a graduate assistant with the Bulldogs before joining the full-time staff in 2009.

"The South Carolina stuff is going to come after this game," McClendon said. "Right now, that's how I'm approaching it."

McClendon said there were discussions with new Georgia head coach Kirby Smart about remaining on staff before adding, "You've got to do what's best for your family."

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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