Does Georgia have edge on Florida? Yes — Aaron Murray
Aaron Murray can quiet a lot of critics if he leads Georgia past Florida. (AP photo)
ATHENS – Have you heard? The Georgia quarterback can’t play in big games. He can’t beat great teams. He melts in big moments. He is 0-4 against top 10 teams, 2-8 against ranked teams. He lost to South Carolina. Twice. He’s no David Greene, no D.J. Shockley and he sure ain’t no Buck Belue.
This is how the story about Aaron Murray gets spun. Not that he has thrown 75 touchdown passes in 2½ years, or that he threw for over 400 yards the week after his father had cancer surgery, or that Georgia has won six games this season not in spite of its quarterback but because of him — because the six wins certainly can’t be attributed to special teams or the soft-as-nougat defense (paraphrasing Shawn Williams).
Here is the problem with “the book” on Murray. It’s short-sighted. It’s the cheap-and-easy pop that goes an inch deep instead of Butts-Mehre-wide. The 0-4 and 2-8 records technically are accurate. But that’s a program statement. Since 2008 – two seasons before Murray started a game — Georgia is 1-9 against top 10 teams and 6-14 against top 25s. Does Murray get blamed for that, too, or is that on coach Mark Richt and his staff?
We do this with quarterbacks. They’re the lightning rods. They’re the can’t-win-the-big-game guys until schleps like John Elway or Peyton Manning win Super Bowls, and then we move on to the next guy. We look at a guy like Murray leading four second-half touchdown drives in the loud, zoo-like surroundings at Missouri and think, “OK, that was impressive.” But then Missouri devolves into an 0-4 conference newbie and we think, “OK, that wasn’t a big deal.”
This week it’s Florida. Murray was asked the inevitable question of trying to win the big game. He responded appropriately: “I just ignore it. I’m not playing Florida myself.”
I imagine his psychology degree and post-graduate work has enabled him to remove the emotion from the process in matters like this.
On Florida again: “You can’t go in there stressed. I have to be positive in my thoughts and let her rip. Sometimes, maybe I try to be too perfect or too cautious, thinking about not throwing an interception. My goal this week is to trust my abilities, trust my preparation and just go out there and let it rip.”
Georgia has only one edge over Florida. It’s at quarterback and nowhere else.
Murray is better than Jeff Driskel. He has thrown for more yards (1,914 to 929) and more touchdowns (16 to 8). But Driskel doesn’t play on a team that has underachieved relative to its perceived talent level. He has benefited from the Gators having a great defense. The Gators physically beat two highly ranked teams, LSU and South Carolina, so nobody is questioning their quarterback’s leadership or resolve.
Murray is not the same kid who looked unnerved in Jacksonville two years ago. He was intercepted on the Dogs’ first play, committed two more turnovers in the second quarter that led to Florida touchdowns and threw third interception (fourth turnover) in overtime, enabling the Gators to win 34-31.
“He was just a young quarterback who made some freshman mistakes,” senior Marlon Brown said. “But he’s overcome that.”
Last season’s meeting was better but still not great. He completed only 15 of 39 and had an early interception, but he threw a pair of fourth-down touchdown passes and led the Bulldogs to a 24-20 win.
“People ask do you get a little nervous for Florida? I’m not nervous. Since that first year, once the game gets going I don’t worry about all the extra stuff any more.”
He has evolved as a leader, fortunately in a less combustible way than Shawn Williams (who might’ve been on target when he labeled his team’s defense “soft” but he effectively threw teammates under the bus when he mandated lineup changes).
Murray has taken a more cerebral approach in his leadership than Williams. His graduate work in industrial-organizational psychology led him to study the qualities of NFL quarterbacks like Tom Brady. For one project, he surveyed teammates and coaches on where they believed he fell short as a leader. Their feedback: Murray needed to be more vocal. So he has been this season, without cutting off anybody at the knees.
“In some instances I need to be more demanding and vocal,” he said. “I have to make sure guys are accountable.”
He was beat up physically and emotionally recently. Georgia had lost to South Carolina. His house was egged by lunatics. His father underwent surgery. He even got a speeding ticket driving back to Athens from Florida following the bye week. But he tried to stay upbeat publicly.
“Fake it ’til you make it, I guess,” he said. “Especially as the quarterback, I have to make sure I have a high energy level. Running around, screaming and yelling and having fun, making sure guys see that I’m ready to go.”
It’s opportunity week. Georgia can take control in the SEC East. Murray can put to rest criticism about big-game performances. Quarterbacks are defined by games like this, fair or unfair. Here’s Murray’s chance to rewrite “the book.”
By Jeff Schultz
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412 comments Add your comment
Thomas Brown
October 24th, 2012
3:55 pm
Now, I admit we don’t coach them. And, I will admit the fault is not all the quarterbacks’ fault. It’s the coaches’ fault for not ever getting another quarterback ready. Not since 2004 which was 9 seasons’ ago has this coaching staff prepared a back-up QB. It’s the coaches’ fault that he is all we have. 66 scholarship recruits plus 1 transfer-in of 107 signed to play here. And, we have 6 quarterbacks including the one committed saying he is still coming in next season. None ever get a single snap. What we have seen is that we don’t know how to prepare a back-up QB. Do, them, like they did Mark Richt when he was a back-up QB. Which is nothing. Ignore them. Tell them lies if they come talk to the coach. Only Coach Don Shockley forced Mark Richt to make Don a promise if he didn’t transfer his son out of here, he would accept redshirting his son. Other than that, all the 6 quarterbacks around here get, is lies. And, we get Aaron Murray. None of them are ready. That’s coaching. Good Lord the score was 35 to nothing and he had a horrid game. Steve Spurrier emptied his bench at 10:45 mark left in the game. Mark Richt ? Listless. Do nothing. Leaves little Aaron Murray in the game and still it took until 1:55 to score a meaningless touchdown. That is coaching. That’s not Aaron Murray’s fault. I would have sat him down when he told me he had not slept in 2 nights prior. Just like I would have Joe Cox vs Okie State chronic shoulder flu horrible game. Every coach would.
You would have to be a coach making $ 3 million dollars for a cushy job when the fanbase you can control by simply telling them, oh we had a good year 2011. Only that type of coach would not yank those 2 in those specific circumstances. Every other coach has their livelihood on the line. Not here. Not us. Not Mark Richt. He does not care. That’s your fault as fans.
I’ve done my part.
Has 1 of you say thank you ?
Has 1 of you said, I said so ?
No.
Corn Dawg
October 24th, 2012
3:57 pm
I’ve never understood why anyone thinks that Aaron Murray is a serviceable QB. Matt Stafford, I understood. Murray has never been anything but a bad joke with a cream-puff schedule to pad his stats. He won’t even warm a bench in the NFL.
Flat Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
October 24th, 2012
3:57 pm
I have my Endzone Dancing shoes on
I just finished off some Kryptonite Kool-aid
Ive just read Energy Vampires
I had another FUN Practice
I finished the drill
The car commercial just wrapped up
I just changed my Uniform
Now its time for the DREAM TEAM 1 and 2 to go out and………………..
DawgsLetdown
October 24th, 2012
4:17 pm
Dawgs choke in big games and this will be no different. Coaches again will lack abilities to call the right game plan: CMR won’t take charge when the OC or DC game plan is failing. The 3-4 Defense can’t stop Gator running game but Grantham will do it anyway.
Murray will again do turnovers under pressure.
greg
October 24th, 2012
4:20 pm
Don’t let facts get in the way of a good article, but UGA has an advantage at WR as well. Still think we lose as the defense is soft as a babies bottom, but still…
CDAWG
October 24th, 2012
4:26 pm
I just found this on a Florida Blog.
“• While watching film to prepare for their next game, the Gators identify opposing players who do not hold the football high and tight. They are known as “violators.”
Cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy, who forced a fumble of South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw on the game’s first play last week, said the Gamecocks had several. He said they are still studying the Bulldogs, but already have found a couple targets.
“Their running backs,” he said.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/24/3064235/gators-oc-brent-pease-calls-jarvis.html#storylink=cpy
Joey
October 24th, 2012
4:27 pm
I’m hoping, but I ain’t believing.
Mark Richt cannot beat a team with equal talent.
Corn Dawg
October 24th, 2012
4:28 pm
The only advantage that UGA has in this game is the statistical improbability of losing to Florida every single time they play them. Having backed into a win last year due to Florida’s starting QB being injured, even that minute statistical advantage is not as strong as it could be.
Jim S.
October 24th, 2012
4:38 pm
Aaron Murray has been a very good quarterback for UGA. I expect the team to pull it together this week and play their best game thus far. I’m hopeful that both Aaron and the Bulldog team will put some of this criticism behind them with a big win Saturday! Go Dawgs!
Corn Dawg
October 24th, 2012
4:51 pm
AJ McCarron is, without a doubt, the best quarterback in the SEC. He might well be the best quarterback in all of CFB, but he gets no credit. Because he plays for a team with a capable offensive line, talented receivers and a stable of running backs that would make any HC jealous, he is considered by many talking heads in the sports media to be little more than a “game manager”.
Nothing could be further from the truth. While Alabama might well be able to win most of their games based only upon their defensive prowess, AJ has quietly been playing the best football in the nation. He doesn’t care about not getting all the attention. He’s a team player. A characteristic which only makes him that much better, in my book.
Put the lime in the coconut and shake it all around...
October 24th, 2012
4:54 pm
Well lets see if Georgia go’s fast as french fries at Mcdonalds and Punts…..Big Mac attack will grill us next and score a happy meal….Then we be whopperd fast as Onion rings…..and final score Big Mac 49 to 17 over Bulldogs and Murray will be behind counters gettin orders after season……who going to draft a QB who can’t win vs teams like Boise state and LSU are South carolina …. Greene never lost to South Carolina in his 4 years here/////…Not sure but i hope we can cause if gators win they east champs play in SEC championship we not..and alabama will be in that game winner be goin for chance win Natl championship again…..and yes alabama can repeat also so there!
what of it?
October 24th, 2012
4:56 pm
Schultz – you can’t talk about 75 TD passes without the 28 INT’s. Also his quarterback rating falls off a cliff when he plays against ranked teams. That suggests he doesn’t perform against the big teams.
Corn Dawg
October 24th, 2012
4:58 pm
@what of it?
Who needs stats? If you’ve watched him play, then you already know all you need to know.
Nerd News
October 24th, 2012
5:19 pm
Bad news for all you nerd bloggers and supposed earning power after college…..looks like your inability to make friends of the human form will prevent you from earning what your more popular classmates will earn.
http://gma.yahoo.com/bad-news-nerds-popular-kids-higher-paid-adults-154315409–abc-news-money.html
PonGT
October 24th, 2012
5:20 pm
Once again, you overlooked the main ingredient to UGA’s inability to win the “BIG” games. The problem is the inability to make adjustments as the game goes along. Florida’s OC will make adjustments as the game proceeds, especially at halftime. UGA’s OC makes no adjustments, just abandons whatever has been working and throws bomb after bomb after bomb …. resulting, more often than not, in 3 and out for the offense, putting the soft playing and tired defense on the field late in the fourth quarter. Is it any wonder that Murray has that ‘deer in the headlights’ look?
GFY
October 24th, 2012
5:22 pm
Corn Hole…..back over to the Bammer blog….if there is anyone in Alabammer that can read….
Corn Dawg
October 24th, 2012
5:26 pm
Truth hurts, eh?
Festus
October 24th, 2012
5:33 pm
I have no idea what’s going to happen. That’s why I’m watching the game. But I’d rather watch a Texas steel cage match between the Florida coach Mushy and UGA’s Defensive Coordinator/Associate Head Coach Chaz Bono. South Carolina gave the game to Florida and UGA gave the game to South Carolina. But it could just be Super Coach Mark Cool Shades Richt has Mushy no. Time will tell.
Corn Dawg
October 24th, 2012
5:37 pm
I’ll watch it, but I don’t really expect to be surprised.
MT
October 24th, 2012
5:48 pm
Thomas Brown
Dude you preaching to the choir, I have been ready for Richt to go for years,however Im not gonna be like
some Vols fans were a few years back pulling against their own team just so Phat Phil would get fired.
I just think we shouldn’t run down our team,defense, Aaron Murray etc.the guys playing the game.If and when Richt does get fired some of these same guys will still be around.Also like to say, I don’t hate Mark Richt, I just don’t agree with his approach to coaching.
jerry
October 24th, 2012
5:49 pm
Could there be another “run Lindsey run” Great Fluke in the making? And then another Great Fluke in the Georgia Dome? And then another Great Fluke for #1? And then another generation of delusional Georgia fans?
Corn Dawg
October 24th, 2012
5:51 pm
Phil Fulmer was only fired because ticket sales were down. Fans only control these decisions to the extent that such decisions are always made based upon the perceived ROI.
Corn Dawg
October 24th, 2012
5:54 pm
jerry
October 24th, 2012
5:49 pm
Could there be another “run Lindsey run” Great Fluke in the making?
Give it up man. Larry Munson is no longer with us. These ain’t your Daddy’s Dawgs.
jerry
October 24th, 2012
6:01 pm
Derek Dooley on his quarterback. Can you imagine Richt on Murray?
“If he’s loose with the ball, he’s coming out of the game and we’re going to play (Justin) Worley,” Dooley said. “I told him that. He’s too loose with the football, and he’s been too loose. That’s the way it is. You can’t win; we can’t beat these teams turning the ball over. There’s going to be inevitable turnovers in a game. When there is one, make them have made a great play to get it, not serve it up to them, which is what we do.”
“I was very disappointed, and I told him that,” Dooley said. “… He’s the quarterback, and there’s a level of responsibility you have to the team, to the fans and to the media. If you don’t like it, don’t play quarterback. … That’s the first time we’ve ever had a guy, I think, do that. That’s unacceptable in our program. Man up — that’s what you have to do.”
Dum-Bass
October 24th, 2012
6:06 pm
Dang, I usually give JS good grades and lots of credibility for his columns but this one floored me. I’m thinking JS was on the Ancestry website and discovered he is sitting in Murrays’ family tree. This sounded almost like a dad defending a son, or a brother taking up for a brother. Now, I have seen Jeff Driskel play in two games and he is dang good. I was more impressed by him than I am Murray, that’s for sure. Unless the Gators have a major meltdown, I don’t see them losing to the DAWGS. Not even close.
Eugene Pritchett
October 24th, 2012
6:14 pm
If murray is the advantage, Ga. is in deep trouble.
JB at home
October 24th, 2012
6:21 pm
Boy ,it’s all the net that Gruden to Tenn is a done deal. Probably wishful thinking
villedog
October 24th, 2012
6:25 pm
You have got to be kidding me, Aaron is awful when he get pressure put on him. He either can’t run or, that is no UGA like to have a running quarter back.
Albert Murphy
October 24th, 2012
6:37 pm
Jeff Driskel has more wins against ranked opponents in his first six starts (3), than Aaron Murray has in in three seaons (2). Just saying.
villedog
October 24th, 2012
6:46 pm
You have got to be kidding me, Aaron is awful when he get pressure put on him. He either can’t run, or maybe that is not the Georgia way to have a running quarter back.
Big Crimson 75
October 24th, 2012
7:02 pm
Corn Dawg
4:51
AJ McCarron is, without a doubt, the best quarterback in the SEC. He might well be the best quarterback in all of CFB
——-
Corn — excellent stuff.
I made this exact point before the season started.
Of course, dwag-ville laughed & ridiculed me for it.
Comparing AJ McCarron & Aaron Murray is like comparing Joe Montana & Mark Malone.
Erk Russell's Dog
October 24th, 2012
7:24 pm
In a rarity the Dogs will play the #2 team in BCS and 3 weeks later play the #2 team in FCS Ga .Southern . The only other team left on schedule with an above.500 record.Hope the Dogs can at least garner a split.
Shorty
October 24th, 2012
7:37 pm
aaron’s too short to be playing in the SEC — he gets a lot of balls tipped by big d-linemen and he can’t see the receivers running short routes.
MackDaddy
October 24th, 2012
7:44 pm
eVERUBODY ON DIS PAGE, ALL DA SAME DUDE, BLOGGIN UNDER DIFF NAMES. DUH.
BOY, YOU AIN’T ALL DAT SMART IS U?
YA THINK IF YA SLAM UGA, WITH 1000 FAKE NAMES
WE ALL BELIEVE YA?
NAH BOY. DON’T WORK LIKE DAT.
SHORTY = ERK RUSSELL – BIG CRIMSON AND SO ON
ALL THE SAME DUDE.
WE ONTO YA BRO.
Spumoni
October 24th, 2012
7:49 pm
Sammy (2nd post on this blog) …..
IDK … are you a nuetral, knowledgeable CFB fan or just a UGA fan?
Spumoni
October 24th, 2012
7:52 pm
If UF’s still got some gas in the tank, and they are prepared & ready, UGA might be screaming my name just like Jackie Moon did when he was wrestling that bear!
Spumoni! Spumoni! …. and Richt will on the sidelines saying, “no Spumoni, you’ve gotta go at least 1 qtr.”
AJ
October 24th, 2012
7:54 pm
sPUMONI = bULLDAWG = tHOMAS bROWN
BUSTED!
AJ
October 24th, 2012
7:56 pm
SPUMONI = THOMAS BROWN = BULLDAWG
ALL THE SAME GUY HERE ON THIS BLOG
HE THINKS IF HE POSTS 1,000,000 NEGATIVE POSTS
UGA WILL IWN THE GAMWE
DUDE AIN’T ALL DER
AJ
October 24th, 2012
7:58 pm
lET ME SAVE tHOMAS bROWN = sPUMONI AND ALL HIS FAKE NAMES SOME TIME:
HERE’S HIS DRIVEL POINTS:
UGA STINKS
UGA SHOULD BE RANKED LAST IN THE NCAA
UGA IS TERRIBLE ON OFFENSE,D EFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS, AND COACHES SHOULD BE FIRED
FLORIDA IS GREAT EVERYWHERE AND HAS NO WEAKNESS AND WILL WIN 100 TO 0.
THERE.
Erk Russell's Dog
October 24th, 2012
8:04 pm
@Mack Daddy
I have been on these pages for years,So up yours Jobooto.
MackDaddy
October 24th, 2012
8:05 pm
ERK = BULLDAWG
ALL DA SAME DUDE
BUSTED!!
MackDaddy
October 24th, 2012
8:06 pm
DUDE, YA 2 OBVIOUS
ALL YA POSTS SOUND DA SAME
YA HATE UGA
WE KNOW
WHY SAY IT 1000 TIMES A DAY?
DID IT HELP UGA BEAT SOUTH CAROLINA?
NO
YOU AINT’ ALL DER
MackDaddy
October 24th, 2012
8:08 pm
HEY UGA PLAYERS
IGNORE ALL THESE NEGATIVE COMMENTS
ALL THE SAME GUY
USING A BUNCH OF FAKE NAMES
MackDaddy
October 24th, 2012
8:10 pm
HEY BULLDAWG = THOMAS BROWN = SPUMONI = ERK’S DOG
IF UGA IS SO BAD
WHY ISN’T FLORIDA FAVORED BY 35?
YOU AIN’T TOO BRIGHT BOY
MackDaddy
October 24th, 2012
8:12 pm
I BEEN A SEESON TICKET HOLDER SINCE 1842
BIG BULLDOG FAN
BUT WE CAN’T BEAT GATORZ???
SOUND LIKE BULLDAWG = THOMAS BROWN TO ME?
MackDaddy
October 24th, 2012
8:14 pm
MARK RICHT CAN’T COACH
AARON MURRAY TOO SHORT
DEFENSE IS HORRIBLE
LOST TO SOUTH CAROLINA
ALL YA GOT BULLDAWG = SPMUONI = ERK = THOMAS BROWN
ALL DA SAME DUDE
SAME DRIVEL
Erk Russell's Dog
October 24th, 2012
8:16 pm
@Mackdaddy
I am UGA class of 1981; what year did you graduate ? Have been a UGA fan since before your dumb ass was born. But I don’t drink the Kool Aide like you and your kindergarten class.
sHOTHOLIC
October 24th, 2012
8:17 pm
great posting there macdaddy
glad someone finally said it.
that dude has been banned form every other blog
but he spends a dozen hours a day here
with his negative drivel
using fake names
ALL THE SAME GUY!!
sHOTHOLIC
October 24th, 2012
8:18 pm
erk = bulldawg = thomas brown
all the same guy using fake name
yeah sure ya did
you ain’t never graduated or succeeded at anything bro
that’s why ya spwend 12 hours bloggin a day
sHOTHOLIC
October 24th, 2012
8:20 pm
here’s the mind of bulldawg -= thomsas brown
“ok, if i post 1000 negative posts per day about uga, uga will win the game because they won’t be overconfident’
genius there.