Will Murray flourish or wilt in the spotlight?
Let's go ahead and put the ball in Aaron Murray's hands. (Johnny Crawford / AJC)
I know many UGA fans at this point are tired of talking about the Zach Mettenberger situation, especially since it doesn’t look like we’re going to get the full story about why Mark Richt kicked him off the team any time soon.
There are a lot of rumors circulating, but no one in a position to confirm what happened is talking. Suffice it to say from what we’ve seen of Richt over the years, you have to assume that when additional information about what happened in Remerton reached him, it crossed some boundary that made tacking on a few more games’ suspension not enough punishment. Possibly the head coach found out he’d been lied to.
I do know one thing: Richt wouldn’t throw this kid’s UGA career away lightly. He’s bent over backwards to near-contortionist levels to give players a second chance in the past.
He anguishes over having to deal with wayward players. After the Touchdown Club of Athens meeting last week, I was thanking him for the classy way he’d handled the taxi incident allegations and the sorry saga of Montez Robinson. Richt said he appreciated it and shook his head over the Robinson affair. You always hope that you can turn a kid like that around, but sometimes you can’t, he said with a sad look on his face. “And you wonder why you couldn’t connect with him completely.”
Added Richt: “I really hate that it was so public, too.”
Well, I said, that’s the other side of the coin for big-time college athletes. He agreed. Some, he said, love the spotlight and flourish in it. He was probably thinking of Jeff Owens, David Pollack and others. And then there are those who don’t like the attention at all. “Take A.J. Green,” Richt said. “He doesn’t want anything to do with all that. He just wants to play football.”
Mettenberger, obviously, fell into the group who didn’t handle the spotlight well. And whatever he did, his story is, I think, over at UGA. I’ve heard speculation that maybe he could go away to Georgia Military for a year like Odell Thurman did and then come back to Athens, but I think that’s highly unlikely. Usually when that’s a possibility, Richt says so from the start. Plus, Mettenberger probably would just as soon start over at another program.
So we’re left with Aaron Murray and Logan Gray. Some still hold out hope that Gray the “athlete” will prove to be an SEC-caliber quarterback, and there’s always that possibility, but if he winds up as the Dogs’ starter, I think you’re talking more of a caretaker QB until Murray develops or someone else steps forward. Sort of Joe Cox with less of an arm but more scrambling ability.
No, it’s more than likely that Murray is UGA’s best bet behind center. A year ago, everyone was sky-high on the prospect of him playing quarterback for the Dogs. But the fact that he’s a bit short and has been injury-prone, plus his lackluster showing this spring, has cooled fans’ ardor for him quite a bit.
I’m hopeful, though, that he’ll yet rise to the occasion, as Erk would say. You know he’s a tough competitor just based on the way he came back from a broken leg to lead his high school team to a championship. He showed some really good moves at G-Day but kept overthrowing wide-open receivers. Perhaps the competition with the strong-armed Mettenberger had Murray pressing too hard.
We’ve seen that situation at QB before. Remember how awful D.J. Shockley looked at times when he was battling the cool field general David Greene for playing time? Richt usually built a certain number of guaranteed series into games for Shockley (when he was healthy), but D.J. often looked like he was trying too hard, as in that awful interception he threw against Florida. And when he had to relieve the injured Greene against Tech. (Greene, you’ll recall, had to come back in to save the game.)
Once the job was his, however, Shockley relaxed and became the superb quarterback Richt had always thought he could be.
Perhaps that will be the case with Murray, too. Which makes me think it might be better if Richt and Mike Bobo go ahead and make Murray a clear-cut No. 1 on the suddenly tiny QB depth chart as soon as possible, rather than let the battle go on deep into August. So he can get that monkey off his back and settle down.
The spotlight is on Murray now. Keep your fingers crossed he’s able to handle it.
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331 comments Add your comment
Soulja Boy
April 21st, 2010
2:08 pm
I love my Thug-U!
how2fish
April 21st, 2010
2:36 pm
Soulja Boy and we love you too.
Dawger
April 21st, 2010
2:57 pm
Mett was overrated—Murray was a superstar in high school, the best QB in florida—much better stats than brantley. Look for Murray to take UGA to 10 wins in 2010 and an SEC title in 2011!
Reality
April 21st, 2010
3:18 pm
…and meanwhile another UGA Thug is arrested…at this rate they will not have any player left by September.
Saint Simons
April 21st, 2010
3:19 pm
hahahahahahahahaha
Watched in high school
April 21st, 2010
3:48 pm
Mett was terrible in high school. He would have been terrible at uga. He is a div 2 qb. I watched him in high school many times. An SEC caliber QB goes to the play offs his senior year and goes far. This is a good thing. Uga should not even wasted a scholarship in this guy. I glad that he messed him self up so that we didnt have to watch sub par play from him.
dawgwalker
April 21st, 2010
3:59 pm
dawgnation, there must be some gator fans in here . They just can’t stand it that Mr strong arm Murray choose to be a dawg . thanks Aaron
Bulldog59
April 21st, 2010
4:01 pm
Back to Bill’s question, will Murray flourish or wilt? If spring scrimmages and the G-Day game are any indication, we have our answer unfortunately. Hopefully, we’ll see some improvement when practices resume in the summer. Otherwise, hope the running game is awesome and the D improves in a hurry, then hold on until 2011. If Murray can’t lead us, Christian Lemay could beat him out as a true freshman in 2011. He hasn’t committed yet, but should soon.
Dawg National
April 21st, 2010
4:32 pm
After a few games of seasoning, Murray will turn into the best QB in the SEC–bank on it! Brantley played against weak competition in high school, Murray played big time ball against the best. It will show up in the SEC. GA upsets Fla in Jax, ruining florida’s season!
AltamahaDawg
April 21st, 2010
5:09 pm
HOW in the HELL do you folks conclude that Murray is injury prone? For heavens sake folks, Stop saying that like it’s some widely accepted fact. Every football player would be “injury prone” by these standards.
If anything his recovery said more about his fitness than the fact that somebody rolled on his leg and broke a human bone. And how many balls has he throw in the past year vs before last year? Wouldnt prone to tendenitus be more of an Issue NOW more so than then?
Met, and Brantley and the Div 2 snobs...
April 21st, 2010
5:20 pm
Met probably improved more than any QB on the team. He was still at least a year away from being able to run a team, but he really did improve.
Don’t know why everyone doesn’t think Brantley will be good. Just because someone went to a Div 2 school sure didn’t bother you when you were after Christian Green the wide receiver from Div 2 Tampa Catholic. TC had another Div 1 prospect Chad Green (no relation) who was recruited by every elite football team in the country. Div 2 schools in Florida are pretty good. JAX Boles, Madison County to name two have provided many Div 1 colleges with players. Brantley will do all right this year, and he’ll just better as the season goes on. Let’s see, he had a full ride to Texas and Florida who both won NC’s or played for NC last year.
lauritsen
April 21st, 2010
5:25 pm
all ofyou who have said negative comments about georgia deciding murray you probly havnt heard about the kid. because if you look at his high school stats. hes a freak i knew he would start from day 1. im only 12 and i know this
delaGATOR
April 21st, 2010
5:43 pm
Murray is really only 5′10′; This 6′1 is fantasy!!!
GaDawg
April 21st, 2010
5:44 pm
Hey, did anyone happen to notice that in the G-Day game the dawgs were wearin’ real silver britches?
No! I’m not out of touch with reality; I’m just in a state of denial.
Savannahstang66
April 21st, 2010
5:59 pm
While I agree somewhat with the added pressure of competing during spring for the starting spot is a big weight, won’t playing an SEC schedule create the same pressure situation. I’m on board and ready for this year and believe it will be a good one. Let’s move on support those who are there and give the positive energy back that we’ve felt with the hiring of the new staff and addition of new players. Go Dawgs!
Judd
April 21st, 2010
6:01 pm
It’s really back to square 1. Whoever does the best from now until game 1, will get the start. Then, if they don’t do well quickly, the #2 guy will replace them.
Richt almost never loses to Ark or S. Carolina, S. Carolina’s running game is weak, and Ark defense is weak, so we’ll get through those 2 games.
It won’t be a problem because we’ll have a good solid QB by Oct. 30 for the 9th game. Might be Hutson Mason or Logan Gray, but we will be in better shape than last year by then and should be 8-0 when we play Florida. The SEC really doesn’t have any QB’s better than Murray if you look at Spring accuracy. McElroy had a bad spring, so did Brantley, so did everybody else.
The "Real" Mark Richt
April 21st, 2010
6:35 pm
I’m pretty sure he will do fine this year!!
Go Dawgs!!
Hammerin Hank
April 21st, 2010
7:40 pm
Dawger/Patrick dont you ever give up? First you liked Murray, then you threw him under the bus because you liked Mett, now you are back in love with Murray. Go back to bed with your little puppy loser.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1158327737&ref=name
Judd
April 21st, 2010
7:41 pm
I hope Richt learns from his mistakes, and lets 2 QB’s get lots of experience this season, so 2011 will not be in the s ame place as UGA is right now.
The schedule is quite easy in 2010, Richt has an excellent record against everyone on the schedule except Florida. And anytime he has a 100 yard rusher and wins the to battle, he beats Florida. Florida and Bama and Auburn have really tough schedules. So we have a chance at 14-0, as hard as that is to believe. I think we can’t be worse at the QB than we were in 2009. Hard to imagine 40 fumbles and interceptions and only getting 1 takeaway per game.
I’d like to see Georgia run well, hold scoring to under 20, and win the turnover margin in each game. That will really take the pressure off the QB.
Hammerin Hank
April 21st, 2010
7:42 pm
Judd now you are changing it from Patrick.
Judd
April 21st, 2010
7:52 pm
Bill-
Please ban whoever keeps positng someone’s facebook page, or acting like Mark Richt, they are violating your blog rules, and we don’t need their posts.
Reality
April 21st, 2010
9:05 pm
At the rate I troll the UGA blogs I won’t lose my virginity until 2017.
Ray GOOF
April 21st, 2010
9:14 pm
And they thought I had issues!
hind tit
April 21st, 2010
11:05 pm
am i wrong or was stafford only six two.
The Big Day! | Atlanta Falcons: Bird Cage
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[...] Bill King Looks at UGA’s QB Aaron Murray [...]
BuLLdawg
April 22nd, 2010
2:29 am
If you don’t know what happened by now, that is your own fault for posting instead of reading.
If anyone is going to criticize Coach Richt over dismissal, they are wrong.
If anyone is going to support ZM, they are very wrong.
http://theugablog.blogspot.com/2010/04/things-still-are-not-adding-up.html?showComment=1271776133039#c4673469138288678146
You can also read about on 680 The fan, and while that is a media guy writing it, he has 3 sources.
Or you can read about it first hand. They all say exactly the same details.
Before anyone makes any statements in support of ZM, or statements about Coach Richt in this, you should stop posting and start reading. This is not done. It isn’t. And, you can quit with your if he did it. And, you can quit with your I am not going to say what is reported. There is a lady who is owed an apology. How can you post that the drunk punter last night at 2:30 am who punted 3 punts in the G-Day Game should be arrested for battery and defend defenders of ZM, or say that those who say Coach Richt should have told you the facts are correct on that either.
The punter should not have hit the man in the face.
The Quarterback needs a lesson in how to treat a lady.
Compare these 2 to the Defensive End who picked the little student up and slammed her repeatedly to the floor of McWhorter Hall.
I am sorry those are 3 criminals. You hit a person in the face at 2:30 am last night, drunk. You beat up a girl again a week ago. You clearly for all to see treated a lady the way no one does a month and a half ago. Coach Richt will kick all 3 off the team, and this just since the beginning of Spring Practice. There is no difference in what the Defensive End did and what the Quarterback did, none. This just makes me cry. And, don’t give me this, this is what happens at every other school B.S. Not 93 times in the 9-year Coach Richt Era. Maybe gets drunk at 2:30 am and hit a man in the face; but it cannot happen to beat up a little girl student at The University of Georgia or go to Remerton and do this to a little Sorority lady student there. There is nothing more vile than this by the Defensive End or the Quarterback. Equivalent. The Sorority said they want the Quarterback to get all he deserves.
If they are not taught this at home, then I know someone who just did Coach Richt.
FORTY ONE POINTS to your seventeen points
April 22nd, 2010
7:47 am
Doesn’t matter what he does. 41-17.
ATL XMAN
April 22nd, 2010
10:08 am
bulldawg…run a report on fla and then tech on how many have been arrested in that same time period. your a joke…
Aaron Murray
April 22nd, 2010
10:33 am
I know I didn’t look really good at the G-day game. But coach said I looked alot like Joe Cox so I must be getting better. Sure my throws were weak and I would have been sacked a half dozen times ( they wouldn’t let those boys touch me ) but that doesn’t matter. AltamahaDawg knows how good I am….he’s a expert. After I fail in the fall and they need a new coach I hope AltamahaDawg gets the call. He knows talent when he sees it!
Stinger
April 22nd, 2010
8:11 pm
Get off Bulldawg’s back. He is the only one on this site that has any common sense. The rest of you are just plain stupid.
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