Season-ending surgery to repair a torn tendon in his lower left leg appears increasingly likely for Georgia Tech safety Fred Holton, according to a report in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

After tearing his posterior tibialis tendon during the preseason, Holton, along with coaches and trainers, was hopeful he would be able to play for the Yellow Jackets this year. But after missing seven games, and with a recovery that has been slower than expected, Holton has been told by Georgia Tech trainers that surgery "certainly is a possibility [and] probably a probability."

"I know he's frustrated," coach Paul Johnson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "We are, too. We thought he'd be back for the first game and now it's halfway through the season."

Holton, who logged significant playing time as a true freshman in 2010, sat out all of last season with an achilles injury. The 6'1", 210-pound sophomore earned a redshirt in 2011 while he was sidelined. With another significant injury this season, though, Holton would likely be eligible to apply for a medical hardship waiver and have six years to complete four seasons.