Tight end Bruce Figgins might have one more chance to play this season before he undergoes season ending surgery on an injured shoulder.

“Figgins wants to [play],” head coach Mark Richt said. “He’s allowed to play one more game. Technically he could play one more game, and he’s trying to play against Tennessee. And we’re not counting him out.”

Figgins, who hasn’t played much this season, could still apply for a medical redshirt even if he plays against Tennessee. Richt said NCAA rules state that a player who can’t play due to medical reasons can apply for the redshirt as long as he hasn’t played more than 30 percent of the first half of the season.

The Tennessee game is the last opportunity Figgins to play and still get a redshirt.

Tight ends coach John Lilly said this open date is good for Figgins to see if it would be in his best interest to play against Tennessee.

“This is a great time for Bruce to have an open date because it buys him a little time to see how much strength he can get back,” Lilly said. “I think he feels pretty good for the state that he’s in so we’ll have to see what happens with this game and beyond.”

Once Figgins can’t play, Georgia might be down to two tight ends – redshirt freshman Aron White and Kiante Tripp, who moved over from the offensive line – for at least two weeks and possibly longer depending on the severity of starting tight end Tripp Chandler’s injured shoulder.

White, who’s lighter and more of a receiving threat at tight end at 229 pounds, said his new role came on pretty quick once Chandler went down against Alabama.

“It definitely rushed up on me but I’m trying to keep a level head,” White said. “I know this offense and coach Lilly has done a great job of getting everyone right for this year . We just have to make the best out of a situation where we are kind of thin right now.”

With Tripp, who upped his weight to 294 pounds this offseason to play tackle, blocking isn’t a big concern at the tight end position. But Richt said Tripp has done well so far in the receiving game.

“He’s actually ran some decent routes and he’s catching the ball pretty good,” Richt said.

However, Richt added he doesn’t want to commit to dropping Tripp’s weight to 260, or an ideal tight end weight range, because the coaching staff may move Tripp back to the offensive line if Chandler comes back sooner than expected.

Richt also said any more losses on the offensive line might relocate Tripp there as well.

“One injury might pull him back, depending on who it is,” Richt said.

Injury sidelines senior receiver

Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi was not dressed in pads in practice Tuesday due to a chest injury.

Richt said Massaquoi should be better by the end of the week and is expected to play against Tennessee.

Golf team finishes third in tourney

The No. 3 men’s golf team lived up to its ranking Tuesday with a third place finish at the Ping/Golfweek Preview hosted by Inverness Golf Club in Toledo, Ohio, site of the 2009 NCAA Championships. Georgia finished 18 shots behind the tournament champions Oklahoma State and only two shots behind Tennessee.

The Dogs also fared well individually as Adam Mitchell and Hudson Swafford both finished in the top 20 at 10th and 16th, respectively.

Oklahoma State’s Morgan Hoffman won the individual title, finishing 6-under par for the tournament.

The Dogs’ next tournament will be the Brickyard Championship in Macon.

- Jason Butt and Nick Parker