Former Nebraska running back Dante Dowdell was seriously injured in an ATV accident near his home of Picayune, Miss. Dowdell, who had transferred to Georgia for his final year of eligibility after playing last season at Kentucky, is being treated at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a medical facility that specializes in treatment and rehabilitation, including spinal cord and brain injuries.
Dowdell’s injury was made public Tuesday by Georgia coach Kirby Smart at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Fla. Dowdell ran for 560 yards and three touchdowns for Kentucky last year, after rushing for 614 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Cornhuskers in 2024. Dowdell was expected to be one of the top backup running backs for the Bulldogs behind returning starter Nate Frazier. Smart did not specify Dowdell’s injury, nor did he give a timetable for his possible return to football activities.
“He’s injured,” Smart said. “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.”