It appears that Sony Michel could make his 2016 debut in Georgia's home opener against Nicholls on Saturday. Sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to Dawgs247 that the junior running back has been cleared by doctors for contact and shed his black, non-contact jersey the past two days for a red one, allowing him to participate in practice in full.

Bulldog head coach Kirby Smart has maintained that Michel will play when cleared by the medical professionals.

"Sony, again, will be up to the doctors," Smart told reporters in his Monday press conference. "It’s a matter of when they’ll clear him. When he gets cleared he’ll be able to play.”

There's always the chance that the UGA staff will elect to hold him out against the FCS opponent, but persons with knowledge of the situation informed Dawgs247 that Michel is planning to play and that his family is coming up from South Florida to watch the game.

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Michel was injured in an incident involving an all-terrain vehicle on July 3 and underwent surgery to repair an open fracture of his left forearm on July 4. Since that time he has rehabilitated the injury and gradually increased his workload during practice. For the past few weeks he has been practicing with a light wrap on his left arm and doing everything with his teammates except receiving contact.

The 5-foot-11, 222-pound ball carrier is UGA's leading rusher from a year ago when he carried the ball 219 times for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns.

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