Newcomer Javon Wims catching on with Georgia

ATHENS, Ga. - Through the first eight games of Georgia's football season, junior receiver Javon Wims had seven catches for 60 yards.

Given that somewhat tepid total, Wims registered what certainly qualifies as a breakout performance during last Saturday's 27-24 win at Kentucky. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder had five receptions for 90 yards, including a 51-yard catch that matched Isaiah McKenzie's reception in the opener against North Carolina as the longest this year against a Bowl Subdivision opponent.

"It felt good to go up there and have my number called that many times to help my team win," Wims said. "It felt really good."

Wims did not play in the opener and didn't make his first catch until the fourth game, which was the 45-14 loss at Ole Miss. His 132 receiving yards in the past three games are the most on the team, giving Georgia freshman quarterback Jacob Eason the options of going to McKenzie, Wims or Terry Godwin, with freshman tight end Isaac Nauta being a consistent target as well.

Although Wims erupted Saturday from a statistical standpoint, coach Kirby Smart has seen a steady improvement.

"He had a really good off week before the Florida game, and he worked hard to play well in the Florida game," Smart said. "He didn't get a lot of opportunities, but he's a kid that we've got confidence in, and he's gaining trust. He and Jacob are gaining a rapport with each other that helps, and that will only grow over time."

Wims had a unique journey from his home in Miami to the Southeastern Conference, playing the 2014 season at Belhaven University, an NAIA school in Jackson, Miss. He had just seven receptions for 55 yards, but he began to grow in size and ability and spent last season at Hinds (Miss.) Community College.

After catching 47 passes for 779 yards and nine touchdowns, Wims was a consensus top-five receiver nationally among junior colleges and signed with Georgia after receiving scholarship offers from the likes of Miami and Oklahoma. He believes his year at Hinds was very beneficial both on and off the field.

"It was pretty much the same thing every day - wake up, go to school and practice," he said. "It was tough, and the biggest thing I learned in that process was patience. I came in this year and didn't play early, and the patience I learned from there, I think, helped me out a lot."

Eason has brought a strong arm to Georgia's offensive attack, but the Bulldogs have had many more misfires than connections on deep throws this season. Several of Eason's deep throws have resulted in pass-interference penalties, including one against UNC that helped turn a 24-14 deficit into an eventual 33-24 triumph, but the Bulldogs are hoping the 51-yarder to Wims will have some company this weekend when they host No. 8 Auburn.

"When we run the ball, teams are going to tend to stack the box, and sometimes you have to keep them honest by throwing it," Wims said. "I have a job I have to do, which is to run a route as fast as I can, because I know his time is limited back there. We just had to establish that timing and that trust with each other."

Said Smart: "It's been a work in progress for him to gain confidence and trust in the system and know what's going on. He's gotten better each week."

Pettway update

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn held his weekly news conference Tuesday and gave an update on redshirt sophomore tailback Kamryn Pettway. The SEC's leading rusher with 1,106 yards pulled a muscle in his leg late in last week's 23-16 win over Vanderbilt.

"We're not ruling out Pettway yet," Malzahn said. "We wouldn't be surprised if he plays."

Odds and ends

The Bulldogs worked out Tuesday for a little more than two hours.... Smart said in a news conference after the workout that sophomore defensive tackle Trenton Thompson (hip) is fine, sophomore inside linebacker Natrez Patrick (shoulder) would be fine by Saturday and sophomore defensive tackle DaQuan Hawkins-Muckle (ankle) remains day-to-day.

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