Bad news out of Athens this holiday weekend as Georgia’s leading rusher junior running back Sony Michel has broken his arm. Michel has already undergone surgery to fix his broken left forearm.

The news was first confirmed by Jason Butt of The Telegraph:

Michel led the Bulldogs in rushing yards in 2015 with 1,136 yards and eight touchdowns gained on the ground and is also the team’s second leading returning receiver after catching 26 passes for 270 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Of course with fellow junior running back Nick Chubb still attempting to return from his serious PCL injury suffered last October, having a healthy Michel in the lineup will be critical for the Bulldogs’ early season success. With question marks surround Georgia’s quarterback position and offensive line heading into the fall, Michel was expected to be the workhorse of the offense to start the season.

Following his successful surgery, the possible timetable for Michel’s return to the field is unknown at this time. Georgia opens the season against defending ACC Coastal division champion North Carolina in Atlanta.

If both Michel and Chubb are not cleared to play in the opener, senior Brendan Douglas or true freshman Elijah Holyfield would be the top two candidates to start at running back for Georgia against the Tarheels.

As for Michel’s recovery time for the season opener, it depends on which bones were broken: