COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: Bulldogs trying to stay healthy, react to No. 19 preseason ranking; FSU star RB Thompson to miss entire season?

ATHENS — Georgia coach Mark Richt just wants to keep his Bulldogs healthy with the season opener against Boise State less than two weeks away.

Richt, whose injury list included star freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell before Crowell returned this weekend looking better than ever, is pleased the team finished its second preseason scrimmage this past week with no new major ailments.

“We did have a little cramping going on from the heat afterwards with (starting center) Ben Jones,” Richt said. “It’s nothing too serious.”

Crowell had a strained groin and backup tailback Richard Samuel a strained quadriceps. Both missed Wednesday’s scrimmage at Sanford Stadium, but Crowell came back Saturday at full speed and turned a few heads.

“It was a competition day, and Isaiah wanted to be a part of it, and he contributed,” said Richt.

Richt added that — barring another injury — Crowell will be ready to go Sept. 3 against the Broncos.

But Crowell is just one of the key players the Bulldogs expect to contribute right away who have been bitten by the injury bug so far in fall practice.

ATHENS