Richard LeCounte was the first commitment Georgia coach Kirby Smart landed once he became the head coach in Athens, and this week has a chance to be his final home game at Sanford Stadium.

But LeCounte has been out since he suffered a motorcycle accident following the Kentucky game about a month ago. This week will be a special one for he and Smart as LeCounte is an integral part of the Georgia defense, and they have a long history that dates back to early in LeCounte’s recruitment.

Smart updated the status of LeCounte and DL Jordan Davis, who has also missed time with an elbow injury.

“I’m hopeful on both those guys, I’m hopeful to get them back,” Smart said. “There’s a chance that Richard could get back. I don’t know how realistic it is for this week. But he is doing more, he’s running now and he’s with us, he’s back into things. There’s a chance he could get out there and play by this week, and hopeful that Jordan can as well.”

Last week, Smart said that Davis was ahead of LeCounte in his chances to return.

Smart recalled LeCounte visiting Alabama as an eighth or ninth grader when he came with Raekwon McMillan.

“The personality was just so infectious, the whole time I recruited Raekwon I got to know Richard,” Smart said. “That relationship carried over when I got the job here and he was one of the first to jump on board and think the guy’s been so loyal to Georgia in an era when that’s not normal. … He committed early, he was a great player, he stayed an extra year, his senior year and he loves the University of Georgia.”