After Boise State, Murray foresaw Georgia in SEC title game
Aaron Murray brings something to Georgia's offense far more important than statistics. (Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@ajc.com)
ATHENS – Several weeks ago, when Georgia was looking like Liberty Bowl bait and Mark Richt was waiting for that first thrown rock through his office window, Aaron Murray did something rather unexpected. He prophesied an SEC championship game for the Bulldogs.
We can’t be certain if this should be attributed to Murray’s unwavering confidence or the fact that he had just been hit in the head 37 times by Boise State. But the sophomore quarterback walked out of the Georgia locker room after the Bulldogs had just laid a 35-21 egg against Boise State at the Georgia Dome to open the season, met up with his former high school coach and uttered these words: “Coach, we’re going to the SEC championship.”
At that point, Robert Weiner, Murray’s coach at Plant High School resisted temptations to alert medical personnel who might still in the Georgia Dome. He had seen this side of Murray before, like when the quarterback was sprawled on the field with an apparent broken ankle during his senior season at Plant and he told Weiner, “Get me ready for the second half.” (Didn’t happen. But Murray made it back from a four-month injury in seven weeks, in time for the playoffs.)
So how did Weiner respond to Murray’s comment?
“I just said, ‘Alright, Aaron,’” he said, laughing. “I wasn’t too sure. But I’ve seen what Aaron can do. With most people, you blow off a comment like that as blind optimism. But Aaron started going through the rest of the schedule with specifics on each game. He said, ‘You’re coming back here to the Georgia Dome at the end of the year to see us.’ I guess he was prophetic.”
Murray said he felt confident because he saw talent and heart. “We just weren’t ready for that game yet,” he said.
When asked about his prediction, he said, “Based on how we played that game, I would’ve thought I was crazy, too.”
One 10-game winning streak later, Bellevue is firmly in the rearview mirror.
The Bulldogs are 13-point underdogs to unbeaten LSU in Saturday’s SEC championship game. Murray is the X-factor. He has been great lately and he will have to be great against LSU because there’s no guarantee of a decent running attack with the hobbled Isaiah Crowell.
But his strength is his calm demeanor. At 0-2, the house was burning down and Murray was brushing the ashes off his jersey. All Georgia players get credit for not caving early, but the quarterback is the one in the middle of the huddle.
“I understand that even though I’m only a sophomore, there are players who are looking at me,” Murray said. “When you play the quarterback position you have to stay even-tempered.”
Weiner, who drilled that into him, said, “I never doubt two things about Aaron: His will to win and his ability to mobilize the people around him.”
That’s how football teams win 10 straight after losing two. The Dogs didn’t suddenly become faster or stronger. But they grew up and found ways to win. Murray battled some consistency problems earlier this season but leadership and resolve never were problems.
Said Richt, “If things are going rough and your quarterback spits the bit, you’re in big trouble. But if you can stand in a gap and stay strong and keep fighting, your quarterback can pull you out of a bad situation. Nobody questions Aaron’s toughness, mentally or physically. No one questions his dedication. He’s got everybody’s respect.”
Murray is likely to be a four-year starter. By the time he leaves Athens, he’ll likely own every career passing mark at the school. But he said earlier this week, “Championships [are] all that matters. My goal is to win a few while I’m here, and my first one, my first opportunity, is this weekend.”
The odds are long. But the odds were long on Georgia getting here. To most people, anyway.
By Jeff Schultz
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446 comments Add your comment
Facts about Trent
November 29th, 2011
9:28 pm
Trent R. has a child and he will turn pro the day after Alabama plays their bowl game.
Alabama is just about done and when Nick bolts soon, it will be another 20 years before the next guy comes along.
Alabama is toast.
Delbert D.
November 29th, 2011
9:30 pm
Sam – You are on the wrong blog again. The Georgia coaches might see that.
Jimmy Crack
November 29th, 2011
9:30 pm
My guess is that Aaron swallows the bit during the National Anthem and passes it during halftime enough to pull it out in the end.
FSU fan
November 29th, 2011
9:31 pm
BS
GeauxTiger
November 29th, 2011
9:31 pm
@ The Future – I don’t know where you get your info from. LSU will be losing the 2 QBs but not the tons you refer to. They are young and deep. With Mettenberger at QB LSU is better next year. Kinda scary ain’t it?
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(Richt fan for life)
November 29th, 2011
9:33 pm
@Orange 11: As dumb as Miles is even he wouldn’t waste a year of Mettenberger’s eligibility.
Bobby Hebert
November 29th, 2011
9:35 pm
JAJA gone kick dem over-rated Tigers arse. 34-17
Bad Dawg
November 29th, 2011
9:36 pm
The future is now SEC,
That has got be one of the dumbest posts I have ever read. If anything LSU will be better next year (check their roster it is full of fresh and soph contributing this year). Alabama will not be going anywhere as long as Saban is there. Tenn and Florida should be much improved as they are two of the youngest teams in college football. Yes UGA will improve as well but it will hinge on their new oline gelling. Do not forget S. Car and Ark as well and maybe even Vandy.
5150 UOAD
November 29th, 2011
9:37 pm
What makes anybody think Saban will go to the NFL?
He is making enough money and he gets to Draft his own team at Bama. he will not get that in the NFL. I think he learned his lesson in the NFL. He is in a very comfortable position right now. WHY would he leave?
Burma Shave
November 29th, 2011
9:38 pm
LSU will rule the day
Their players are so smart
Dawgs will always lose
Because they have no heart
BURMA SHAVE
GeauxTiger
November 29th, 2011
9:38 pm
Miles is so dumb he’s on the verge of winning his second BCS title. How many does Brainiac Richt have?
Delbert D.
November 29th, 2011
9:39 pm
At least Les was smart enough to let his starting QB enter the game in the last 3 minutes to get some snaps on Saturday.
Bobby Hebert
November 29th, 2011
9:40 pm
Vandy could kick LSU arse but LSU’s schedule was too weak.
Delbert D.
November 29th, 2011
9:42 pm
Brainiac – “As dumb as Miles is even he wouldn’t waste a year of Mettenberger’s eligibility.” Mettenberger has played in 5 games this year.
Let's see...
November 29th, 2011
9:42 pm
@the future is now in the SEC. you mean the future is maybe challenging for the east again next year and the year after that. you mention that LSU is losing two QBs. Two decent QBs at best is what they are losing. that being said, Mettenberger is 3rd string over there and with UGA he was neck and neck with Murray to start. LSU RELOADS next year. That was supposed to be their year, not this year. All RBs returns all but one DB returns. They stack their staff with bonafide SEC coaches and coach ‘em up over there. There is a vast difference in philosophy between what LSU is doing and what UGA is trying to do. It would behoove UGA to try and duplicate what they do over there. Lock your borders down recruiting wise and get some real coaches up in there. Maybe in a couple of years you can challenge for an SEC ’ship. The country has little respect for the UGA program. You’ll get Houston in the Sugar Bowl. Like they did you when they put you up against Hawaii. Now, good luck Saturday. Hope your boys do good and no one on either side gets hurt.
Dwayne
November 29th, 2011
9:45 pm
it was mettenberger in the library with a hammer
Jeff Schultz
November 29th, 2011
9:46 pm
Truedawg — The system makes no sense. But it is what it is. There is no BCS rule that says only conference champions are eligible, therefore they are completely separate entities. I don’t like it, nobody likes it.
Orange11
November 29th, 2011
9:48 pm
“@ The Future – I don’t know where you get your info from. LSU will be losing the 2 QBs but not the tons you refer to. They are young and deep. With Mettenberger at QB LSU is better next year. Kinda scary ain’t it?”
Yes, it is.
phil
November 29th, 2011
9:48 pm
Fire FG…
Football Guy
November 29th, 2011
9:51 pm
B.S. The lame puppies got extremely lucky this year twice by having the EASIEST schedule ever in NCAA history and when Lattimore got injured for the year.
Bobby Hebert
November 29th, 2011
9:56 pm
“The system makes no sense. But it is what it is.” Sounds like the goverment talking at you only SCHULTZ LEFT OUT THE “SO BEND OVER AND TAKE IT” part.
Anybody that follows the math knows the BCS computer is rigged to produce the results the talking heads at the networks want. The media acts like little school girls at Bieber concert when they talk about Alabama and half of them probably have not even watched a game other than the greatest hyped boring bowl of all time being LSU/Alabama.
5150 UOSD The Richard Head
November 29th, 2011
9:57 pm
I’m such a tek loser. I have no life. Hech, I even believe I’m gay.
5150 UOAD The Richard Head
November 29th, 2011
10:00 pm
I’m so frustrated over my gayness that I even messed up my name.
Just curious
November 29th, 2011
10:00 pm
Really hope UGA wins the SEC Championship, if only to hush the Auburn diehards and the AJC sports writers. If they don’t, we really need to be thrilled that UGA showed the AJC sports writers just how good UGA can be. You AJC writers are just biased against UGA, no matter how nice you are trying to be now.
Just curious
November 29th, 2011
10:01 pm
Oh, don’t you just love the BCS rankings where UGA dropped after handily whipping another BCS team?? Go figure…
5150 UOAD
November 29th, 2011
10:03 pm
Just Curious………….I guess you need thicker skin. The AJC writers are a lot nicer than the NY, Philly, and Chicago Sports writers. Get over it. You don’t like what they say then don’t read it.
Delbert D.
November 29th, 2011
10:04 pm
Why do they rig it such that the top 10 teams in terms of schedule strength are all 10 members of the Big 12?
Pitbull
November 29th, 2011
10:05 pm
Ok, I’m eating my words too! But don’t forget. Our schedule was very easy. Also Bobo is calling better plays after Richt got on his ass at Tenn. for being to conservative in the second half! If we had not put the pressure on Richt about Wee Willy, we would still be losing or Richt would have been fired by now. Being a nice guy is his Achilles heel!
Delbert D.
November 29th, 2011
10:07 pm
The Big 12’s 10 members played 9 conference games, and a total of 6 FCS teams among the 10.
Dr. Phil
November 29th, 2011
10:07 pm
Murray is certainly the best in the SEC this year.
5150 UOAD
November 29th, 2011
10:09 pm
The BEST WHAT dr. phil?
Delbert D.
November 29th, 2011
10:09 pm
That is, 6 FCS games among the 10 teams. 4 teams played only BCS teams.
5150 UOAD
November 29th, 2011
10:10 pm
Delbert Bama, UGA, and Tech didn’t play only BCS teams.
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
10:12 pm
The best QB!
5150 UOAD
November 29th, 2011
10:14 pm
48 not sure that is true but since Dr. Phil thinks so it must be. LOL
Drewski
November 29th, 2011
10:15 pm
DAWGS on top. Win out for MUNSON.
UGA Rebuild
November 29th, 2011
10:16 pm
Duh!!!! SEC East the weakest in years. Anytime USC comes into the picture you know it’s a down year. Murray trying to duplicate Tebow’s call with UF when they lost to TN but went on to win the National Championship. Sorry Murray, you have Iittle chance of winning the SEC and ZERO chance of winning any NC. UGA is the biggest joke in D-1 football.
Bad Dawg
November 29th, 2011
10:16 pm
Interesting fact here: in five seasons when Mark Richt played a quarterback starting for the first time, Georgia went 41-23 (.640), with one 10-win season. That would have been senior D.J. Shockley, who played regularly in previous years behind David Greene, leading the Dawgs to a 10-3 record and the SEC title. In the six seasons in which Richt has had a returning starter at quarterback, the Dawgs are 65-13 (.833) with one SEC title and four SEC East championships.
Any thoughts ?
Drewski
November 29th, 2011
10:18 pm
Tebow lost to the Ole Miss Rebels that year, not the Vols. You’re a bigger joke…
TRUEDAWG
November 29th, 2011
10:19 pm
My only regret to this yrs. season is the Boise game. I would love to see a BCS (Sugar Bowl) rematch of that one (Now)! As for True SEC East Champs we gave USC a head start LOL and they couldn’t get the job done! I do BELIEVE that the DAWGS can and WILL win this weekend!!!GOOOOOO DAWG!!!! CAN’T WAIT ‘TIL NEXT SEASON!
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
10:19 pm
Uga rebuild
Do you mind posting your team before you comment please!
It’s only fair.
Delbert D.
November 29th, 2011
10:21 pm
Yeah, I muddled that up. 4 Big 12 teams played only FBS out-of-conference games. The other 6 teams played 1 FCS OOC game each.
5150 UOAD
November 29th, 2011
10:23 pm
48………..Why does it matter what team another poster cheers for? It they are making salient points who they are a fan of makes no difference.
UGA Rebuild
November 29th, 2011
10:23 pm
Bobby Hebert: Alabama/LSU most hyped boring bowl ever? I guess you can’t appreciate talent. That game was watched by more people than all the UGA games this season combined and I’ll bet you the rematch draws 5x more. Keep pimping your mediocre UGA teams while an SEC team claims another National Championship.
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
10:24 pm
Just read today’s practice reports….
Tyson still is not practicing today don’t look likes he will play Saturday.
Let’s all give #50 from GT a big thank you for that!
5150 UOAD
November 29th, 2011
10:27 pm
#50 is jay Finch
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
10:27 pm
Cause most troll
Delbert D.
November 29th, 2011
10:27 pm
@Bad Dawg – “Any thoughts ?”
Don’t ever start a season with a QB who doesn’t have at least 1 start in the previous season?
UGA Rebuild
November 29th, 2011
10:28 pm
Drewski- and your last National Championship was………1980 (including your last appearance in a title game). Even GT has you beat there. Sir, you are the joke.
Dawg48
November 29th, 2011
10:29 pm
Lol
Thanks jay finch!