College football running back Dante Dowdell, who transferred from Kentucky to Georgia this offseason, has been hospitalized with serious injuries.
The college football running back was involved in a serious ATV accident. Dowdell, who rushed for 560 yards and three touchdowns last season, is being treated for his serious injuries at an Atlanta area hospital.
Dowdell was injured in an accident near his home in Picayune, Mississippi.
"He's injured," Smart said at SEC Media Days. "We don't know when his return will be. I don't know the specifics of it, to be honest with you. It was a recreational vehicle, and he had some serious injuries."
The Georgia Bulldogs running back is being treated at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Smart told ESPN. The medical center specializes in treatment and rehabilitation, including spinal cord and brain injuries.
The transfer running back is believed to be through the worst of things, injury-wise, though his status for the 2026 season is unclear.
"He's out of the really tough range, but as far as his complete health and coming all the way back, I don't know what that looks like in terms of this year," Smart said.
"He's just a tremendous kid [with a] great family," Smart said. "We're very supportive of them. Our players have been up there to see him. It's a really tough deal."
Georgia is expected to be among the top contenders in the SEC in 2026.