Georgia football team loses potential starter for year

Georgia, which very well could be the preseason No. 1 football team in the land come fall, has lost a key defensive player for the season already.

Linebacker Marcus Washington, who started six games for the Bulldogs in 2007, said  he will undergo shoulder surgery and expects to miss the 2008 season.

Washington, a senior, said he will undergo surgery on his left shoulder in the next couple of weeks, with a recovery time estimated at six months.

The 6-foot, 250-pound middle linebacker, listed second on the depth chart behind Dannell Ellerbee, suffered a left shoulder injury on the Bulldogs' last day of practice before spring break, and it will likely cause him to take a redshirt for the upcoming season.

"I think it would be in my best interest to go ahead and get it fixed," Washington said.

Washington played in 11 games last season and started six. He missed two games after his shoulder popped out against Ole Miss, and finished with 40 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

This hurts the Dawgs’ defensive depth, as most reports had Washington either playing as much as a starter or eventually winning the job.

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