Short takes: Murray, defense and angry Auburn fans
Aaron Murray has eight touchdowns and no interceptions in last nine quarters. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
If you missed it, here’s a link to my column on Georgia’s SEC East-clinching win over Auburn Saturday night.
And here are my three “short takes” on the game.
Former Georgia and Falcons defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder didn't even look happy before the game. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
1. Aaron Murray is just fine: Murray took a beating from some Georgia fans after horrible games against South Carolina and Florida but he has rebounded nicely. He completed his first 10 passes against Auburn (two for touchdowns) and threw for three scores and 208 yards in three quarters before being lifted. In the last nine quarters, going back to the fourth quarter of the Florida game, Murray is 44 for 60 for 675 yards, eight touchdowns and zero interceptions. Offensive coordinator Mime Bobo said Murray had been too “cautious,” adding: “I said, ‘Son, you know what’s going on. You’re one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Cut it loose. If you make a turnover being aggressive, that’s OK.’”
Jarvis Jones levels Auburn quarterback Jonathan Wallace. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
2. Defense gives Georgia a chance against Alabama. Auburn is one of the weakest offensive teams around, but there’s little question Georgia’s defense is finally playing up to the level that was expected before the season. The Bulldogs have allowed just one touchdown (along with four field goals) in the last three games. The missed tackles and missed assignments, partly the result of injuries and early season suspensions, aren’t an issue right now. Add to that the Alabama offense has not been overpowering in the last two games against LSU and Texas A&M. If Georgia’s defense can play at the same level against Alabama in the SEC title game as it has against Florida, Ole Miss and Auburn, it has a very good chance to pull an upset.
This Auburn fan found a lot of room to spread out. (AP photo)
3. Auburn fans are so done with this season. In 23 years of living in Atlanta, I’ve never seen a home crowd for a major college football team — let alone a team that won a national championship just two years ago — bolt from a game so quickly. Jordan-Hare Stadium was full for kickoff, certainly a positive for a winless SEC team. But boos started to rain down in the second quarter when Georgia built its lead to 21-0, then 28-0. When Keith Marshall ran 62 yards for a score to make it 38-0 in the third quiarter, it was like somebody yelled, “Fire,” in the stadium and thousands of fans streamed out. Georgia had more fans in the stadium than Auburn in the fourth quarter. That might be the worst sign of all for coach Gene Chizik.
It was a night to celebrate for Georgia players and fans. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
– By Jeff Schultz
It’s Sunday — time to catch up on your reading
– Georgia wins SEC East — and suddenly looks like threat to Alabama
– Weekend Predictions: Post election, this time it’s all red — Dogs, Falcons win
– Richt coaching through pain, needs hip surgery ( and you’ll never guess why)
– Falcons’ Dirk Koetter may be candidate at Kentucky
– Falcons (8-0) just keep winning — and has anybody noticed?
– Koetter, big reason for Falcons’ success, has been drawing plays since age 8
– Radakovich’s exit illustrates disparity between Tech and Georgia
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336 comments Add your comment
MaconDog
November 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
mark this down—Ga will beat alabama. Their secondary is weak and murray will light them up. Jarvis will be sacking mccarron so much, he’ll be crying in the 3rd quarter! Dogs roll 30-16
After further review
November 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
Well, it’s good to see that the south’s oldest rivalry is still as heated as ever. Auburn is having a terrible season, so I would have been totally shocked if UGA didn’t beat them. It will be interesting to see how you do in the SEC Championship game against Alabama. I hope you will win that game, and enjoy the BCS Bowl bid that it brings.
Note to AJ (or should I say Thomas Brown), however: being a one-loss SEC champion does not automatically punch your ticket to the BCS Championship game. I know that recent history suggests that, but it simply isn’t true if there are three undefeated schools ahead of you who are automatic BCS qualifiers. Sorry to burst your bubble. The best argument UGA would have had for that would have been that they knocked off Florida when they were number 2 and Alabama in the SEC Championship game when they were number 1. Unfortunately, that won’t happen now, as Alabama will fall in the BCS standings, and the bounce from beating number 1 the last week of the season simply won’t happen. And your comment that UGA will beat Alabama even more easily that Texas A&M did because you have a mobile quarterback in Aaron Murray tells me that you are either blind or ignorant. “Johnny Football” is a very gifted athlete, and he showed that against Alabama yesterday. He has, potentially, three years after this year to play. If he continues to develop, he will be a much better quarterback than Murray by the time he’s a senior.
After further review
November 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
Well, it’s good to see that the south’s oldest rivalry is still as heated as ever. Auburn is having a terrible season, so I would have been totally shocked if UGA didn’t beat them. It will be interesting to see how you do in the SEC Championship game against Alabama. I hope you will win that game, and enjoy the BCS Bowl bid that it brings.
Note to AJ (or should I say Thomas Brown), however: being a one-loss SEC champion does not automatically punch your ticket to the BCS Championship game. I know that recent history suggests that, but it simply isn’t true if there are three undefeated schools ahead of you who are automatic BCS qualifiers. Sorry to burst your bubble. The best argument UGA would have had for that would have been that they knocked off Florida when they were number 2 and Alabama in the SEC Championship game when they were number 1. Unfortunately, that won’t happen now, as Alabama will fall in the BCS standings, and the bounce from beating number 1 the last week of the season simply won’t happen. And your comment that UGA will beat Alabama even more easily that Texas A&M did because you have a mobile quarterback in Aaron Murray tells me that you are either blind or ignorant. “Johnny Football” is a very gifted athlete, and he showed that against Alabama yesterday. He has, potentially, three years after this year to play. If he continues to develop, he will be a much better quarterback than Murray by the time he’s a senior.
AU forever a little brother
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
Thanks, tom. Please post more funny stuff.
Bad Dawg
November 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
tom,
What did you write in the Texas A&M blogs before Alabama bot beat by them? The same crap you’re talking now? Thought so…
Words are cheap, aren’t they?
Bad Dawg
November 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
*got…I can’t type…
7576DAWG
November 11th, 2012
4:19 pm
That is what aggravates me the most. The SEC will settle it on the field between the fourth and fifth place teams. No argument or complaints.
Not so with Oregon, Kansas State and especially Notre Dame. The only way they will get by the SEC is to not play them. The SEC doesn’t want to avoid any team. Match Notre Dame, Kansas State and Oregon with any of the top 6 SEC teams. Then if you win I can live with that.
What make you nearly throw up is when you see a third ranked team like Notre Dame beat in OT a 4-6 Pittsburgh and beat a 2-8 Boston College team only 20 to 6. Notre Dame should be beating these two teams 40 or more point this late in the season if they deserved a number 3 ranking.
tom
November 11th, 2012
4:21 pm
Kingdaddy. I’m an auburn fan idiot so it pains me to say it. I also know my football though. Bama was not exposed last two games. Everyone knows sabans weakness is mobile qbs and that’s because his teams are coached well with a nose for the football. When he plays a mobile qb or misdirection offenses that’s how you beat them. I can assure you richt will be watching the texas am film over lsu film. In case you forgot, lsu beat texas am and florida. Bama faced two good teams last two weeks and finally paid for it. But make no mistake, alabama will have no problem with uga offense. You have nothing he doesn’t know how to stop. Bama by 20 all day. They will get to murray and run it down your throats. Watch.
GeoffDawg
November 11th, 2012
4:22 pm
tom’s funny. Can’t put two cogent thoughts together to save his life, but still…funny.
kingdaddy
November 11th, 2012
4:24 pm
Nikki
why do you even care? You want to start trolling in here too? A 9-1 UGA team wins a game 38-0, and Ga.Tech Nerds who have won like 3 or 4 games all year, want to “throwdown” on the Dawgs and trash our win. A lot of us aren’t good at turning the other cheek, so if it bothers you too much, I would suggest you change channels or hang around for a couple of laughs…
Beast from the East
November 11th, 2012
4:26 pm
7576DAWG,
Oregon will have to play a title game in the PAC12. KSU will not because of the defections of several teams. Hardly their fault. ND, I agree with you. They have looked less than impressive, but so has UF. Heck, UGA was lucky to escape UK which is one of the worst teams in the country and they have already fired their coach. How about getting 44 hung on them by a terrible Tennessee team? Point is, wins and losses is all that matters.
GeoffDawg
November 11th, 2012
4:26 pm
Um,tom…Florida beat LSU. Yes, you know your football.
Kirby Dumb
November 11th, 2012
4:27 pm
Well..I think my name says it all!
tom
November 11th, 2012
4:29 pm
Oh yeah you guys are talking great. Hey punk geoff you just going to keep ignorning which team had more personal fouls in 2010. That’s what I thought. Sounds like I’m the only one talking football in here.
kingdaddy
November 11th, 2012
4:29 pm
Tom
I knew you were an idiot, but not an Auburn fan-idiot. Thanks for the clarification…
GeoffDawg
November 11th, 2012
4:32 pm
A little sensitive tommy?
Beast from the East
November 11th, 2012
4:32 pm
tom
November 11th, 2012
4:21 pm
Kingdaddy. I’m an auburn fan idiot so it pains me to say it. I also know my football though. Bama was not exposed last two games. Everyone knows sabans weakness is mobile qbs and that’s because his teams are coached well with a nose for the football. When he plays a mobile qb or misdirection offenses that’s how you beat them. I can assure you richt will be watching the texas am film over lsu film. In case you forgot, lsu beat texas am and florida. Bama faced two good teams last two weeks and finally paid for it. But make no mistake, alabama will have no problem with uga offense. You have nothing he doesn’t know how to stop. Bama by 20 all day. They will get to murray and run it down your throats. Watch.
—————–
I could have sworn I watched my Gators run it right down LSU’s throats for 176 yards, dominating the TOP for over 37 minutes with 22 first downs while holding their offense to 2 field goals. Maybe I was dreaming and you are correct that LSU beat UF.
Steve Spurrier
November 11th, 2012
4:33 pm
Maybe I’m just not whining hard enough.
tom
November 11th, 2012
4:35 pm
That was a typo I forgot to finish a sentence. I’m aware florida beat lsu. I can’t believe you guys think you have a chance after beating one ranked team in three years. Ha.
GeoffDawg
November 11th, 2012
4:39 pm
So tom makes excuses for what happens on the field and for what happens when he tries to trash talk. At least he’s consistent.
tom
November 11th, 2012
4:41 pm
So geoff ignores questions that don’t fit his lame wussy agenda or match his stupid you tube videos made by 14 year olds.
kingdaddy
November 11th, 2012
4:42 pm
Tom
you still stand behind your statement @4:21 that LSU beat UF. “In case you forgot, LSU beat Texas A&M and Florida.” Gee, tom, I guess I must have forgotten what year that happened. Did it happen in the same year, or was it like in different years? . When did LSU beat Florida & T A&M?
What did you say the UGA/BAMA score was going to be Nostre-dumazz, lol…
tom
November 11th, 2012
4:47 pm
Kingdaddy you type slow. I’m aware of my mistake and explained it. I watch all sec games.
Bama 37
Uga 16
Bad Dawg
November 11th, 2012
4:48 pm
Bama got beat by a team they were supposed to handle. At home. No amount of spin removes that fact. They are now ranked behind UGA by the coaches. That tells me that lots of people not only believe that the Dawgs can beat the Tide, they don’t even view that outcome as an upset. We’ll see, if Alabama makes it to the SECCG.
felix the cat
November 11th, 2012
4:48 pm
Where’s Scam Newton when you need him!
GeoffDawg
November 11th, 2012
4:49 pm
Ha ha ha…ok tom, since your deductive reasoning skills are apparently in a stage of arrested development, I’ll explain it to you as if you were a small, slow child.
That’s the whole point of the video. The dirty play by Auburn that was celebrated by the coaching staff including Chizik was by and large ignored by the refs. That was the point that Richt made to the officials at the end of the game. When the refs don’t make an effort to control the game by calling those fouls, the players get frustrated and things can go downhill quickly.
I would’ve thought that that was an obvious takeaway but I suppose I gave you too much credit. As hard as that may be to believe.
kingdaddy
November 11th, 2012
4:52 pm
Nostre-tomazz
no self-respecting Auburn fan takes a butt-whipping like you, to defend Bama. Admit you’re a Nerd and we will let you leave the blog peacefully. Otherwise, you will wish your trailer was two stories tall so you can end your miserable troll life quickly. I recommend a belly-flop…
tom
November 11th, 2012
4:54 pm
Bad dawg no it doesn’t. It tells me the voters have to put bama under uga because their loss was more recent. If bama was ahead of uga today people like yourself would be whining in winder. They also don’t want bama too high because they don’t want them backing their way in again. Texas am is better than anyone uga has played in 3 years. That’s a good team.
Pitbull
November 11th, 2012
4:56 pm
My favorite Aubarn joke:
What are the 3 most common lies told by Aubarn fans?
3. My double wide is paid for.
2. I didn’t know she’s my sister.
1. Honest officer, I was just helping the pig get over the fence.
kingdaddy
November 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
Tom , yes I lost nine fingers and two thumbs to a lawyer in my last divorce.
Are you a piano player, because you’re already a penis…
tom
November 11th, 2012
5:01 pm
Ok geoff just shut up from here on. Now its the refs fault. Just seriously shut your mouth. Uga had more personal fouls in that game and maybe if they didn’t jump on our logo in pregame it wouldn’t have been so heated. I’m willing to take some of the responsibility admitting some of the hits were late but apparently uga has golden halos, or is it red panties? Your inability to take any responsibility for that game trumps anything else you have to say.
Kingdaddy what pounding am I taking? I’m here talking football and all my points are just ignored. I’m posting valid criticisms and analysis of all these teams and your only contribution is that I’m stupid. Tell me why bama can lose to uga.
Bad Dawg
November 11th, 2012
5:02 pm
Rationalizations are excuses, tom. Keep it up…
GeoffDawg
November 11th, 2012
5:05 pm
tom, you make me laugh. Like I said before…you’re a funny guy.
tom
November 11th, 2012
5:05 pm
Wow pitbull you are so creative. You come up with those yourself. I see how you spell auburn with an a for barn. That’s funny. Coming from a school that proudly spells dogs with dawgs to give it the southern twang. All from a guy named pitbull. Who is the redneck again?
kingdaddy
November 11th, 2012
5:09 pm
Actually tom, I never said you were stupid, but I really don’t think you can tell the future. That kinda makes you well, less smart ol wise one. I don’t know know how old you are, but you should know better than to call scores by now. Have you ever gotten one right, lol. Nevermind, I really don’t care…Good luck with your guessing game there tom…
tom
November 11th, 2012
5:09 pm
Great comeback geoff. Keep ignoring.
2012alum
November 11th, 2012
5:09 pm
How bout we just ignore the dumbass posters from both sides? We won this year. The series is tied. If Auburn fans have anything bad to say, let them say it. They know the score as well as we do.
Under The Bleachers
November 11th, 2012
5:10 pm
Murray has not seen but one really decent defense (UF) and he struggled.
The Defense is good but get gashed a lot.
Auburn is worse than a dumpster fire, they are a HazMat Disaster and Everyone should stay miles away until the NCAA and SEC give the “All Clear” signal which may be a while.
the UGA formerly known as RUSS
November 11th, 2012
5:11 pm
Auburn needs Daniel Webster to get their soul back from the devil……and did anyone notice how much Van Gorder is starting to look like Uncle Rico.
tom
November 11th, 2012
5:13 pm
Kingdaddy using your logic we should just shut down vegas. And heck what’s the point of sports blogs. I’m fully aware uga could possibly win the game and I’m certainly not saying its a fact. I’m saying based on what I have seen this year and the previous two years from alabama and uga, bama will win. I think the line will be bama -8 and they will win even bigger. Sue me.
GeoffDawg
November 11th, 2012
5:17 pm
They serve their purpose tom. They’ve obviously gotten under your skin…
Under The Bleachers
November 11th, 2012
5:18 pm
Johnny football Manziel is already the best quarterback in the league. Better than them all, as a college quarterback, not NFL caliber but he is much better than Murray, McCarron, Mett, for what he can do to an opposing teams defense. On top of that the players around him are much much better today than they were in weeks 2 3 4 or 5!
Bad Dawg
November 11th, 2012
5:18 pm
I’ll tell you why Bama can lose to UGA, tom. Because the Tide is fallible. I’m not saying that they WILL lose, but they most certainly can be beaten by the Dawgs. Again, I bet you didn’t think A&M would beat the Tide, did you? Yet it happened nonetheless. A Texas A&M team that lost to LSU and UF beat Alabama.
You go on wearing the rose-colored glasses, tom. I’ll wait for the Georgia-Alabama game to be played (if that comes to pass) and see what happens. It’s bound to be better than reading your tortured logic and repetitive excuses.
Under The Bleachers
November 11th, 2012
5:20 pm
King daddy is still trying to sell his worthless, invalid points. Too funny.
tom
November 11th, 2012
5:22 pm
Ha. Geoff don’t flatter yourself. I’m talking to everyone in here, not just you. You are just one little footnote to this conversation. You have made no valid pointsd and haven’t talked one ounce of football. What I’ve learned from you is that you don’t like auburn because of the 2010 team. Its noted, even though proven moot.
kingdaddy
November 11th, 2012
5:24 pm
Tom
I’m a veteran, I don’t believe in censorship. Go ahead and prognosticate if it pleases you. I’m just messing with you. I don’t know that it’s not going to be 37-16. That’s one of the differences between us, you act like future things are absolute and I know “SHIZ HAPPENES”!!!
GeoffDawg
November 11th, 2012
5:26 pm
Uh huh, uh huh. Very convincing tom.
kingdaddy
November 11th, 2012
5:26 pm
Bleachers
The only way you could have an original thought was if someone else put it there, lol…
tom
November 11th, 2012
5:28 pm
Bad dawg I didn’t think the tide would lose but I did think it was going to be a very dangerous and trap game for them. Texas am had played very well on the road and I already explained sabans weakness is fast paced spread misdirection and mobile qb, which uga has none of. You will see. When they just line up and play bama will beat uga.
GeoffDawg
November 11th, 2012
5:33 pm
tom, would you explain how playing the fifteenth ranked team in the country would be a trap? I’m curious, because as you keep telling us, you know your football.