ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia senior Marlon Brown became the second Bulldogs receiver to suffer a season-ending knee injury this season when he injured his anterior cruciate ligament in Saturday's 37-10 win against Ole Miss.
"Marlon unfortunately has an ACL injury that will need surgery, so his career at Georgia is over. But we're going to be expecting a full recovery," Georgia coach Mark Richt said of Brown, who had three catches for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Rebels. "That's just an injury that people recover from well and we know he'll go continue on to his pro career because I think he was well on his way to having that happen for him.
"We're very sad and sorry that happened for Marlon and for Georgia, too. But he'll recover. He'll do fine. It's just a hard thing to swallow right now."
Ole Miss safety Trae Elston twisted Brown's left knee after dragging him to the ground at the end of Brown's 30-yard catch and run to the Ole Miss 35 in the third quarter. Brown immediately grabbed his knee and Georgia's training staff checked him out before taking him to the trainer's table.
While he sat on the table, several teammates, coaches and team chaplain Thomas Settles visited Brown to pat him on the back and offer words of encouragement and prayers -- a sign of the season-ending possibilities in play. Sure enough, Richt confirmed during his Sunday evening teleconference that Brown's college career is over.
Georgia later issued a news release saying that an MRI on Saturday night confirmed the injury and that Brown will undergo surgery at a to-be-determined date. UGA director of sports medicine Ron Courson anticipates a full recovery following rehabilitation.
"Marlon's a man now," Richt said. "He's not a boy anymore, he's a man and he understands it's part of life. He'll do what he's got to do to rehab and get well."
Brown was tied for the team lead with 27 catches and was second with 469 receiving yards and four touchdown catches at the time of the injury.
Sophomore Michael Bennett had been leading the team in catches and receiving yards last month when he tore his ACL during a Tuesday practice leading up to the South Carolina game. Bennett and Brown were two of Georgia's biggest, most physical receivers, so it will be difficult for the Bulldogs to replace that aspect of their games.
"There's still guys that can do it, but Marlon and Michael were two outstanding football players," Richt said. "At the time of the injuries, they're both leading the team in receptions and they actually have a nice physicality to them, as well, to that position."
Richt said he feels OK with the top of the Bulldogs' receiving depth chart -- particularly with leading receiver Tavarres King and Malcolm Mitchell -- while he said others like Rantavious Wooten, Chris Conley and possibly Justin Scott-Wesley and Rhett McGowan could see increased playing time.
Richt said he is not interested in playing true freshman Blake Tibbs, who remains on pace to redshirt.
"Guys will probably just get more opportunities that were getting maybe few opportunities but still playing," Richt said. "And guys that weren't playing will maybe get to get in there and get some reps and keep everybody fresh."
Georgia, ranked 5th by the AP, plays at Auburn on Saturday night.