Georgia is heading to the College Football Playoffs, but they will do so without their Ray Guy Award finalist punter, Brett Thorson. The junior from Melbourne, Australia, part of the ProKick program, sustained a knee injury during Georgia’s victory over Texas on Saturday night while covering one of his punts. Thorson injured his left leg while chasing Texas returner Silas Bolden on a 26-yard return in the third quarter. He was carted off the field and later returned to the sidelines using crutches.
Thorson, along with Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, underwent an MRI on Sunday morning. On Monday, Georgia released an official statement providing an update on both players, confirming that Thorson “sustained a knee injury to his non-kicking leg,” which will require season-ending surgery. No further details on the nature of the injury were disclosed.
“Carson and Brett are both fierce competitors and extremely hard workers,” said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. “I’m confident they will approach their rehab with the same determination they show in their daily routines. We will be here to support them every step of the way.”
With Thorson unavailable, Georgia turned to Duke graduate transfer Charlie Ham for the only punt attempt of the game after Thorson’s injury. This resulted in a fake punt on 4th & 5 from the UGA 30-yard line, where offensive lineman Drew Bobo flipped the ball to Arian Smith for a 9-yard gain and a first down. In addition to Ham, Georgia has freshman Drew Miller, the nation’s top punter from the Class of 2024, and walk-on junior Noah Jones available for the position.
When asked about the backup options, head coach Kirby Smart confirmed that Miller would be the primary punter moving forward, including for the College Football Playoffs on January 1st in New Orleans.
“Drew (Miller), that’s the kid we signed last year. He would be our punter, and we think he’s really talented. He does a great job,” Smart said. “He’s worked really hard to get the opportunity, and he punts every day in practice. He’s a very highly recruited kid who we’ve got a lot of confidence in.”
On the season, Thorson has punted 42 times for 1,998 yards, averaging 47.57 yards per punt. Just five of those 42 punts resulted in touchbacks, while 22 were downed inside the 20-yard line.
Earlier this season, Thorson gained attention off the field when a video went viral on Georgia Football’s social media, showing him making a touchdown-saving tackle against Tennessee. The Australian punter explained that the idea came from his head coach, who saw it as a fun way to convey a message to the team while highlighting Thorson’s personality.
“He’s just a funny guy. The players really enjoy him and like him,” Smart said when asked about Thorson and the video. “We thought it was a good opportunity for him to take advantage of what he did. We’ve struggled with tackling for some reason. We haven’t tackled well, so we’re looking for any answer we can find. We wanted to emphasize to the team that he made the tackle.”
While the video was well-received, Thorson himself doesn’t view the tackle as one of his proudest moments. He acknowledged that the need for him to make the stop signified a breakdown in coverage, which began with his punt and ended with him making the play.
“Because we had a punt return, it’s definitely a strange thing to celebrate. I think the video is taken lightheartedly, but obviously, it’s not a good thing,” Thorson said, reflecting on the tackle in terms of his career accomplishments. “I do feel a bit strange about it. Obviously, the touchdown two and a half years ago is probably a bit more significant. But yeah, it’s been our second biggest return since I’ve been here, so it’s not something I’m proud of. But I probably owed the boys after two and a half years of work, so I was glad I could help out just once.”
Between the touchdown allowed against Mississippi State over two years ago and the long return against Tennessee, Georgia had permitted just five returns for a total of -4 yards. The Bulldogs went the entire 2023 season without allowing a return, and Thorson’s 72 consecutive punts during that stretch never resulted in a return for positive yardage.
Out of Thorson’s 76 punts during this period, 40 were either fair caught, downed, or went out of bounds at or inside the 20-yard line, including 17 at or inside the 10. His average punt distance was 45.9 yards, with only six resulting in touchbacks, demonstrating that there’s much more to Thorson’s game than just his tackling ability.
“I think everything that goes into it—starting with the coaching and the game plan. They give us a good look during the week and come up with a solid plan based on who we’re playing,” Thorson said. “Then it starts with the snap. I can’t punt the ball without a good snap, and this year Beau’s been exceptional. And then there’s the protection and coverage. With Arian, Dom, and the rest of the team, they’ve been elite. I can’t take too much credit because without these other pieces, none of it would happen. It’s been about two and a half years, and it’s been a team effort—different guys, different protection, and different looks. It’s not just a punting thing.”
Georgia will face the winner of the Notre Dame vs. Indiana matchup, the seventh and tenth seeded teams respectively, in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, set for an 8:45 p.m. ET kickoff on New Year’s Day in New Orleans.
