Kirby Smart said Wednesday that Ladd McConkey is continuing to make good progress on his road to recovery.

McConkey is dealing with a back injury that dates back to last season, and he has not suited up for Georgia yet this season.

But Smart has liked the progress McConkey has made and said that the junior receiver is doing everything right, taking each step as it comes.

“He’s looked really good, it’s been a walk before you run, run before you sprint and then sprint and then you get contact, kind of in stages with that,” Smart said during the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday. “It’s one of those things that we don’t know what’s going to cause it to frustrate him or bother him and he has to trust it and he’s doing exactly what the doctors have told him and the experts have told him. We’ve had several specialists meet with him. He’s coming back, he’s getting faster each day in terms of ramping up, and then conditioning is a factor as well. We expect it to be hot and he hasn’t played a lot, so there may be a role for him in what he does.”

McConkey was a key part of the Bulldogs’ national championship-winning offense last season, recording 762 yards and 7 touchdowns on the season. He had a pair of touchdowns in the national championship against TCU.

Georgia has managed without McConkey so far this season, but will certainly want him back in action before some tough games in late October and November.

This week, the Bulldogs face off against Auburn as they look to stay undefeated.