ATHENS, Ga. - While Georgia's 41-0 win at Tennessee on Sept. 30 came much easier than expected for the Bulldogs, that afternoon was far from enjoyable for Reggie Carter.
The inside linebacker suffered a concussion during the first half, his second in as many seasons.
"When I got hit at Tennessee, I got up and felt like, 'Man, I can make it to the sideline, where I can actually walk it off,' but I felt myself veering to the right," Carter said this week. "I saw Coach (Kirby) Smart having his hand out and motioning 'Get down.' That's the only thing I could see.
"I just got down."
The 6-foot-1, 230-pound senior from the Atlanta suburb of Snellville missed the rest of the game and sat out Georgia's ensuing victories over Vanderbilt and Missouri. Carter returned to action last Saturday against Florida in Jacksonville, earning the start and tallying four tackles, including one for loss, and he also broke up a pass in the 42-7 triumph.
Carter is expected to start Saturday night when the Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) host South Carolina (6-2, 4-2) in the first game since Georgia was announced as the No. 1 team in this season's first College Football Playoff rankings. Carter will do so without worrying about the risk of playing after multiple concussions.
"I feel good," he said. "I know my body."
Concussions are the latest setback for Carter, who tore his ACL while at South Gwinnett High School. Two years ago, he battled shoulder problems, played in one game, then underwent season-ending surgery.
Carter has played in parts of five seasons for the Bulldogs, compiling 95 career tackles and four tackles for loss.
"He is an incredible kid when you think about it," Smart said. "He has been through some knees and some shoulders. He has been banged up. He has always been a really good player. I can still remember the first time I saw his highlights when he was a ninth- and 10th-grader. He has come a long way.
"He is really a good leader for us. He understands the defense. He knows how to execute it. He is not real emotional. Reggie is a kid who gives you his best each day. It shows how resilient he is to come back from the injuries he has overcome."
Smart described Carter's concussion last season as "mild," and it resulted in him missing last season's 28-14 win over South Carolina. He even made the trip to Columbia and could have played if needed.
This year's concussion was a bit more jarring.
"I put a big sheet over my window and kept my room completely dark," Carter said. "I was just resting. It was rough because you can't really treat it, and they assured me that when I felt good, I could come back and play."
Roquan Smith and Natrez Patrick have been Georgia's starting inside linebackers for most of this season, but Patrick will serve the fourth game of a four-game suspension Saturday night as a result of his arrest last month on marijuana possession. With Carter sidelined, the Bulldogs turned to Juwan Taylor and Monty Rice to play alongside Smith during wins over Vanderbilt and Missouri.
Georgia should be at full strength for next week's game at Auburn, provided everybody stays healthy Saturday, which hasn't been a given with Carter.
So why does he keep coming back?
"My coaches and my teammates," Carter said. "They trust me, and I trust them. Those guys are like family to me, and they motivate me to want to come back and play each and every day.
"I don't want to quit on my family. That doesn't sound right."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.