Fan talk: G-Day surprises and the Aaron Murray ‘conspiracy’ theories
Ricky Lowe runs for a surprise touchdown during the G-Day game. (Johnny Crawford / AJC)
Let’s jump right into a sampling of recent Junkyard Mail …
Ken Crow writes: Bill, I really enjoy the Blawg and your down-the-middle approach to fandom. You’re not afraid to criticize when you think it’s warranted, but you remain supportive of Coach Richt and the program and don’t continually harp on the negatives. I also appreciate your obvious love for the school and your hometown of Athens. I really wanted to get to the Classic City for G-Day this year but wasn’t able to because of some family stuff. I enjoyed your report from the game and was encouraged by what you said about the quarterbacks, running backs and defense. So who surprised you most at G-Day?
Thanks, Ken. While I thought Jay Rome’s long touchdown catch-run was the highlight of the day, it wasn’t particularly surprising, as I’d expected him to do well. And I was pleasantly surprised by the play of the starting offensive line. But I think the biggest surprise for me probably was the play of linebacker Ramik Wilson, who led the Red team defense with seven tackles (two for loss) and an interception that he returned 19 yards. And, of course, there was the play where Reuben Faloughi knocked the ball away from Black QB Parker Welch and unheralded senior defensive lineman Ricky Lowe grabbed the ball in midair and ran it back 62 yards for a touchdown, probably the highlight of his playing career at UGA. Those are the moments that make G-Day games fun.
Ed from Avondale Estates writes: So I’ve heard [Isaiah] Crowell has grown up and looks great, [Keith] Marshall is the real deal and Boo Malcome had a great spring. I’ve even gotten the position-of-the-day updates on Richard Samuel. Why no [Todd] Gurley updates? I have high hopes for that kid and he’s gotten no spring press. What’s the word?
The word is he’s still in high school. Gurley was not one of the UGA signees who enrolled early this year. But the coaches are very high on his potential and while he’ll start out preseason camp in August behind all the other tailbacks, I have a feeling his talent will show pretty quickly. Perhaps even enough for him to avoid taking a redshirt season in a crowded tailback corps.
Richard Hong writes: I wish someone would write an article that would explain why the QB position is not a wide open competition to see who should be the starter for this year. Sorry, but my untrained eyes just don’t see why people think [Aaron] Murray is such a good QB. He throws a lot of interceptions, makes a lot of bad decisions, can’t get out of the pocket when he needs to, fumbles when he does run and CANNOT throw the ball on the run. So please, would someone tell me what I’m not seeing?
On a similar note, Michael Jones writes: I like Aaron Murray but I am concerned with his accuracy and his trend of turning the ball over in big games that absolutely kill the Dawgs. Have you heard of outside the box training for Murray to get him to be more accurate and protecting the football? He got us to the SEC Championship game, I just want to see him make the next step.
There's a reason national sports media are high on Aaron Murray. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
I know there’s a segment of Bulldogs fandom that’s very down on Murray and convinced that Mark Richt and Mike Bobo are blindly letting him hold on to the starting quarterback’s job despite the obvious talents of backups Hutson Mason and Christian LeMay. Some folks even believe there’s some sort of “conspiracy” to keep Murray in a job he doesn’t deserve. I suppose some fans are remembering how Jim Donnan fell in love with Quincy Carter and ran off all his other quarterbacks. But this situation is nothing like that one. There’s a reason Murray made some All-SEC teams and is routinely cited by national sports media as one of the best QBs in the conference. He was the SEC’s No. 2 passer, throwing for 3,149 yards and 35 touchdowns a season ago. He ranked second in passing yards per game, second in total offense and fourth in passing efficiency. Of the returning quarterbacks in FBS football, only Southern Cal’s Matt Barkley threw for more touchdowns (37) in 2011 than Murray. Yes, Murray threw too many interceptions last season and had a couple of very costly fumbles. Richt himself has noted Murray needs to do a better job of taking care of the football. But as I wrote when we discussed Murray in January, the argument can be made that his tendency to fumble or throw a pick 6 at the worst possible time might be at least in part attributable to the sketchy protection he was getting from Georgia’s erratic offensive line and, in the last couple of games, the lack of a consistent running attack. This year he’ll again open the season behind a questionable OL, but he should have a much more potent, consistent group of running backs, which Bobo has said he thinks will make Murray a better quarterback. And sheer experience should help Murray make better on-field decisions and improve his ball security. He’s a good on-field leader and showed in last year’s Florida game that he can make big-time throws in tough situations, especially those two fourth-down touchdowns. I know, the knock on him is that he’s yet to beat a really good team. And I’ll agree that Mason and LeMay both show a lot of potential. But, frankly, from what I’ve seen so far, neither one is ready yet to supplant Murray.
Devon Wade writes: Bill, I am a former Tucker Tiger and if you know anything about Ga. high school football you will know that Tucker High School has been a UGA pipeline for several years now. It is most definitely Dawg Country. However, when I graduated high school I landed at a small liberal arts college right outside of Columbia, Mo. (right in the middle of Tiger Country). My roommate during my entire time in college is a die-hard Mizzou fan, and of course I am a Dawg through and through. We have always joked around about whose team would win if the two ever faced. Well lo and behold the semester AFTER we graduate they become division rivals and I know he has been salivating with the recent suspensions of key players going into that game in Columbia (which I will be at with him). I am still confident that between now and then CMR can get some players to fill in the holes in the secondary and I think our front seven can get enough pressure to make [Mizzou quarterback James] Franklin more uncomfortable than he has ever been. I believe our defense is still more talented than theirs even without several starters. Should I have reason to still be confident that we can pick up the W in Columbia minus key players? Appreciate your consideration. Big fan of the Blawg.
Thanks. I tend to agree with you, Devon. While Georgia won’t enter the game against Missouri at full-strength, I think the Dogs’ defensive front seven will be formidable. And from what I saw last year of Mizzou’s defense, I don’t believe it’s yet SEC-ready.
Richard Judy writes: Enjoyed your comment about my hero, Fred Birchmore. I am a ’73 UGA grad, and just after graduating I hiked the Appalachian Trail from Maine back to Georgia. Fred and [son] Danny read an article I wrote in the old AJC Sunday Magazine and asked me to counsel them on their upcoming Georgia to Maine AT thru-hike. I was invited into the Birchmore home and quickly discovered what special people these were. Fred and Danny needed no advice from me, but they made me feel like a real friend. A few years back, when my daughter was a J-school student at UGA, she contacted Fred about doing a story for the old UGAzine publication. He treated her like royalty and said very kind things to her about her old man. Fred was a class act, the kind of man who deserved a century of high-quality living.
Thanks, Richard. You’re right that the Birchmores are a very special family and Athens and UGA are both much better off for them having been there.
Got something on your mind concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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739 comments Add your comment
alpharetta alice
April 22nd, 2012
10:25 am
fred dawg, once donnan’s recruits left, so did the toughness.
Duncan
April 22nd, 2012
10:59 am
Mason’s just not that good. I don’t know what you people have been smoking, but I’ve actually paid attention to the last 2 G-Day games. You think Murray is turnover prone? You haven’t seen anything, yet.
DawgByte
April 22nd, 2012
11:04 am
Hutson Mason is the real deal. He knows what to do when he’s pressured and is a very accurate passer. Murray is also very good. Murray needs to work on his weaknesses. UGA fans should not worry about the QB position. Murray will start, but if he should go down we have a very capable back-up in Hutson Mason.
DAWG65
April 22nd, 2012
11:07 am
Face it. DASWG Nation is stuck with a has been head coach, a never was nor ever will be effective offensive coordinator and a mediocre future in SEC football.
NC Tarheels and UGA very similar
April 22nd, 2012
11:27 am
UGA man here, class of 71 & 73. UGA and the ADM. leadership have always desired to be the mirro image of North Carolina U. They even compete to this day as to who was first with their school. UGA was first with the actual Royal land grant Charter but NC laid bricks and mortor first. Fine. Oh well …………
Now, Dr. Knapp and even Dr. Davidson had this instiable desire to be a replication of UNC. Look at our football programs ………….FULL of talented kids and full of promise but it does not work out year after year, regardless of the Head Coach. They have had stellar HCs and so has UGA. It is what it is.
UGA Basketball is not comparable to even UNC Ashville but we are trying. No, to win the MNC in football takes the entire organization to have that insatiable hunger, that thirst for the “prestige that it brings to the school”, although I do think most of the “prestige” is imagined ………….look at Auburn, or UT or LSU, or Alabama …………….still considered football factories and NOT bastions of academic prowess. College is about academics, folks.
I love my GAWGA Dogs but THIS is really what UGA is all about NOWADAYS …………………..growing our ACADEMICS and not MNCs. I for one, applaud that. UGA is very competitive for quality students in pre med, law, pharmacology, bidness, education, vet sciences, etc.
Goooooooooooooooooooooo Dogs.
kingdaddy
April 22nd, 2012
11:34 am
You posters who constantly criticize Arron Murray, should stand back in that pocket for just one series of plays and then question that young mans ability. I’ll bet you criticize everything your wife, or boss, or even your family does too, but I’m sure you do it behind their back just to show yourfriends what a big man you are. Murray is ten times the man you are and it shames me that anyone wiyh Dawg in their blog name could be so stupid. Your football I.Q. could not be LOWER…
Dawg Goneit
April 22nd, 2012
11:35 am
NC Tarheels and UGA very similar
Yep. Both are mediocre.
kingdaddy
April 22nd, 2012
11:39 am
With not wiyh
alpharetta alice
April 22nd, 2012
11:45 am
I love my GAWGA Dogs but THIS is really what UGA is all about NOWADAYS …………………..growing our ACADEMICS and not MNCs. I for one, applaud that. UGA is very competitive for quality students in pre med, law, pharmacology, bidness, education, vet sciences, etc.
says the guy who knows there will be no titles at uga..i applaud his candor and wish more dawg fans would follow suit…
kingdaddy
April 22nd, 2012
11:46 am
Bill
One thing that worries me is the Special Teams play or should I say lack of play . This was not addressed in the G-day game and should be of major concern. Whats your take on this very important subject???
alpharetta alice
April 22nd, 2012
11:48 am
kingdaddy, tha preacha man ain’t worried bout no speshul teams..that stuff takes care of itself…
Senor Coughee
April 22nd, 2012
11:53 am
@ Billkingisatroll
April 21st, 2012
12:09 pm
The only thing wide in Missouri are the women. I’ve been there and they are super fat.
——————————————————————-
Billkingisatroll, This may be true at your inbread family reunion. However, most Missouri girls don’ fit into that category.
SSIgator
April 22nd, 2012
12:26 pm
“G-Day surprises and the Aaron Murray ‘conspiracy’ theories”
And the Mayan calendar says that the world will end December of 2012. Guess UGA will never win another NC if that is correct, but then again, what would it matter anyway?
GATA
April 22nd, 2012
12:36 pm
Due to lack of a solid running game, Murrray has had to shoulder most, if not all, of the offensive production. Very few qb’s can handle that. And while I think he is one of the top SEC qb’s, I would like to see Mason and Lemay get a shot. Open up the competition, get them in some games and see what happens. Might even loosen up Murray and get him playing better. But it won’t matter who is taking snaps if the O-line and running game don’t dominate.
ala dawg
April 22nd, 2012
12:55 pm
carter was an erattic dope head and was given the job after just two weeks of fall prac one of the qbs that left became the starter at auburn another started at either texas or ok this dumb dec was one of the major factors in donnan getting fired why is it that the second st, qb is always better than the starter ? 95 % of schools in the country would love to have murray as there starter.
alpharetta alice
April 22nd, 2012
1:00 pm
hey ala dawg, what year did you graduate from Georgia? Your writing style gave you away.
meteor mounter
April 22nd, 2012
1:03 pm
yall think ole Les in red stick would trade Zach Mett for Murray?…doubt it…
Brainiac(Dawg for life/Richt fan for life)
April 22nd, 2012
1:03 pm
Bill:
I was very thrilled that you put the UGA QB situation into perspective and said things that needed saying.
As you know I can be pretty blunt at times so I’m just going to cut to the chase and say that I personally feel that anyone over 15-16 years old and in their right mind would refrain from most of the criticism of CMR about playing Murray while he has much better QBs in stock. Leadership qualities are not always obvious to those evaluating a player but as you described, Murray is one of the top QBs in the country and is NOT to blame for the 4 losses UGA rang up last year as some fools like to contend. It is the blame of all 22 starters and Special teamers. Blaming Murray for not beating certain teams is approx. the same as blaming those losses on Jarvis Jones, Ben Jones, Malcomb Mitchell, Tavares King, etc.
To think in those terms means that CMR and other coaches are willing to seriously hurt the teams chances of winning which would impact the job security of those coaches and those that believe that are simply members of The Single Digit IQ Club.
Great article
meteor mounter
April 22nd, 2012
1:06 pm
As you know I can be pretty blunt at times
blunt, sometimes…an irrational, foolish simpleton….always
steven a smith
April 22nd, 2012
1:08 pm
“Great Post On Aaron SCRUB Murray”
Tim
April 21st, 2012
4:58 pm
Murray is an average quarterback who chokes in big games. He looks good against inferior talent, whoopee. It is wrong not to have competition. The Ole Ball Coach would manage this differently and better.
Could not agree moore!!!!
PMS
April 22nd, 2012
1:09 pm
“Murray’s td to int ratio was 1 td to 2 int’s on his own 0-20″ one of the stupidest comments made here. If you take every QB that ever played and compared 0-20 of his side of the field of course there will be a higher INT to TD ratio………there just arent that many plays designed or even executed that allow an 80 yard TD…….jesus man use ur brain
PMS
April 22nd, 2012
1:11 pm
Every QB would be considered a failure if you use that stat
steven a smith
April 22nd, 2012
1:11 pm
Aaron Murray Lost to an inferior University of Central Florida Knights 2 yrs ago. Dude threw a big time pick in that game and nothing has changed with him. he went to the Matt Ryan Quarterbacking CAMP.
evil empire
April 22nd, 2012
1:16 pm
even better than i expected!…a homer massacre…yes!
Tweezer
April 22nd, 2012
1:21 pm
Looks like the GA Bulldogs will be the national champs – again! Ho hum. Year in and year out if we don’t finish # 1 we finish in the top 5! We are a true powerhouse football program. We are feared and respected around the league and the nation and it’s all due to our genius head coach and his uber genius offensive coordinator. It’s a great day to be a Georgia Bulldog. All together now: We’re #1! We’re #1! We’re #1!
typical dawg fan
April 22nd, 2012
1:23 pm
you got that right tweezer.
Dawg One
April 22nd, 2012
1:25 pm
Frankly, I’m pretty fed up with all of the Richt apologists with their lame whining that all schools have the same problems with their athletes. That’s utter baloney. UGA has so many athletes arrested and suspended or dismissed outright because Mark Richt recruits low class dummies with no intelligence, no moral code, no sense of teamwork, and a “me first” attitude that’s like a cancer to the team.
Ludvig von Kreutxvagen
April 22nd, 2012
1:31 pm
We shold only recruit student athletes from two parent households with upper middle-class incomes. An upper 10 percentile SAT/ACT test score should also be a pre-requesite. Good education is being wasted on bad students.
Ludvig von Kreutxvagen
April 22nd, 2012
1:46 pm
Also, I would offer NO scholorships to athletes who have children out of wedlock. The number of athletes on scholorship who have one or more children under state financial care is unacceptable. To ignore this type of behaviour is a sign of acceptance.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
April 22nd, 2012
1:57 pm
The conspiracy is that CMR has made a mockery to this program, and has all the boosters convinced to continue the check writing with no chances of that crystal trophy.
QDog
April 22nd, 2012
2:51 pm
Why fans feel Murray has been entitled and hasn’t earned his starting position?
Lost 2 Spring’s to other UGA QB’s (Mettenberger, Mason). Went 0-9 vs ranked teams, 4-10 vs winning teams, 0-1 in conference Championships, 0-2 in Bowl games. 12 of 16 wins were against losing teams. Finished 440th in interceptions. Finished 440th in sacks. Finished 72nd in accuracy. 75% of td’s/70% of yards were compiled against unranked teams.
Why Mark Richt thinks Murray has earned his starting position?
45 td’s, 4000 yards passing, against UNRANKED teams in two seasons
Neutral
April 22nd, 2012
3:19 pm
Hey guys…….did Murray lose those games or did our entire team? I agree he has made some big mistakes, but most of them were set up by teammates like: receivers turning the wrong way, missed blocks, etc. Let’s give him a break and focus on the team.
VoltMan
April 22nd, 2012
3:59 pm
Look folks, face the music, if Murray went 0-5 against ranked teams in 2010, with the most experienced offensive line in the country, 3 running backs who averaged over 5 yards per carry, and AJ Green and Charles, then he’s not ever going to win the big games. At some point, there’s just no one else left to hold responsible than the leader, the QB.
Nursing home dawg
April 22nd, 2012
4:09 pm
well thats just crazy talk! crazy talk I tell ya!!!
fishook dawg
April 22nd, 2012
4:11 pm
I agree with gadawgs. Mason and or Lemay could put up the same type numbers Murray does if they were ever given a fair chance. CMR supposely makes every guy on the team compete for starting positions, but gives the QB job to Murray reguardless of how he plays in games or practice. Why is that? Probably because CMR & Bobo were both QB’s and they think Murray studies the game more like they did. Studying don’t win games, execution does. Murray stays in till the 4th quarter against the cupcakes to pat his stats. I don’t care if he throws 50 TD passes, I care about wins. The one thing you can put in cement about Murray is that he’ll turn the ball over in every game if left in there long enough.
Neutral
April 22nd, 2012
4:23 pm
I agree we need to give the other QBs more playing time, but if we were playing Florida tomorrow…..who would you start?
Neutral
April 22nd, 2012
4:29 pm
@Voltman
Was Murray a freshman in 2010?
And what about Ricky Lowe?
April 22nd, 2012
4:30 pm
I’ll use the same logic most of the j*cksniffers use here. Ricky Lowe is obviously the best player UGA has on defense. There must be a conspiracy to keep him on the bench.
VoltMan
April 22nd, 2012
4:45 pm
The next time we play a ranked team, who do you want at QB? Murray, who is 0 & 9 against ranked teams, or anyone else? I’ll take anyone else.
Thing about Mason & Lemay is they HATE TO LOSE.
Murray has no problem with losing, he’s 0-9, it’s all he knows, and all he ever does in those kind of games.
You need a guy who’s a competitor, who brings it.
CHDawg
April 22nd, 2012
4:54 pm
I have one thing to say: thank the Lord Georgia has a coaching staff! If the team was run by some of these fans and pretend fans from bitter rivals, we’d lose ‘em all.
Don't wake up in a roadside ditch like Bobby P, get DirecTV
April 22nd, 2012
4:54 pm
“I’ll use the same logic most of the j*cksniffers use here. Ricky Lowe is obviously the best player UGA has on defense. There must be a conspiracy to keep him on the bench.”
Great analogy…Murray is the best QB we have hands down. Go buy your LSU shirt if you want to pull for another QB or buy Mason’s family a faster computer so they can post more bogus responses. The Bulldog Nation doesn’t need fans like you.
DawgVoiceofReason
April 22nd, 2012
4:57 pm
Any thoughts on why attendance was so low at the G-Day game? I didn’t make it due to family obligations. On TV, they implied that there were 30 or 40 thousand there. NOT A CHANCE. The AJC indicated about 10,000. Based on what I saw on TV, that sounds about right, although there could have been as many as 15-20 thousand. Where is the support for our Dawgs?
Game Changer
April 22nd, 2012
5:00 pm
lets say murray gets hurt second game and Richt has Mason red shirted and home in athens. I am here to tell you that Lemay is no where near ready although he would be somewhat of an improvement over Murray anyhow. Mark Richt is an idiot of a coach and a BS artest
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 22nd, 2012
5:11 pm
It seems that TECH had about as many fans as UGa did at their Spring Game. How does that happen. LOL
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 22nd, 2012
5:12 pm
Actually is seems TECH had MORE fans at their Spring Game.
Texas Dawg
April 22nd, 2012
5:20 pm
For all you Dawg fans……..I’m a die hard dog fan……………….I hope Murry proves me wrong the next two years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT THE NUMBERS DON:T LIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Murray’s record is 4-10 against winning teams, and 0-9 against ranked teams. Murray is also 0-1 in conference championships and 0-2 in Bowl games. 12 of Murray’s 16 wins were against teams with losing records.
HE UP TO THIS POINT……………AND I COULD CARE LESS IF HE THROWS FOR 4000 YARDS AGAINST WEAK TEAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAS NOT GOT IT DONE WHEN IT COUNTED MOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Texas Dawg
April 22nd, 2012
5:22 pm
WE need to get our other QB some time in real games this year.
Maxwell the chihuahua hunter
April 22nd, 2012
5:23 pm
I read Arkansas had 45K at their game…yet another program UGA has fallen behind…Missy State had 22k…TAMU and Missouri aren’t MTSU and Troy; these are big time programs looking to play with the big boys. UGA better step up quickly. You have been piggy-backing off of the success of your SEC bretheren. Well, you aren’t Bama, LSU, or Florida. Lately you aren’t even SCe. The fall has been slow but steady since 2007. Welcome to mediocrity, boys.
a country boy can survive
April 22nd, 2012
5:31 pm
Maxwell, today UGA is probably the 6th or 7th best program in the SEC. Behind LSU, Arkansas, Bama, Florida, SoCar, Auburn…AND THATS THE TRUTH.
Thomas Brown
April 22nd, 2012
6:04 pm
21-35 Boise State : 7 carries minus 33 yards, 1 interception, 16 of 29 passing 2 TD, 6 Sacks
42-45 South Carolina : 6 carries 11 yards, 2 Fumbles, 1 interception, 19 of 29 passing 4 TD, 2 Sacks
10-42 LSU : 8 carries minus 5 yards, 1 Fumble, 2 interceptions, 16 of 40 passing 1 TD, 4 Sacks
30-33 Michigan State : 8 carries minus 13 yards, 1 Fumble, 2 interceptions, 20 of 32 passing 2 TD, 4 Sacks
103-155 Totals in 4 Losses : 29 carries minus 40 yards, 4 Fumbles, 6 interceptions, 71 of 130 Passing 9 TD, 16 Sacks, opponent’s QB Far Better all 4 games (and 11 games to-date opponent’s QB Far Better than Aaron Murray)