National media loves this Dawg — why don’t all UGA fans?
Sporting News ranks Aaron Murray one of the top 25 college players in the country. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Matt Hayes of the Sporting News released his annual post-spring ranking of the top 25 players in college football, and two Georgia Bulldogs made the list, which was topped by Southern Cal quarterback Matt Barkley.
The first Dawg making the top 25 won’t surprise anyone: Jarvis Jones, who picked up an award as the nation’s top linebacker at the G-Day game, was ranked No. 5 on the list. The breakdown: “Disruptive edge rusher, sure tackler, defensive leader. The perfect combination.” And Hayes quotes an NFL scout as saying Jones is “the prototypical 3-4 outside linebacker. A top five [overall] guy.”
The other UGA player on the list? Aaron Murray, who some UGA fans don’t even think is the best quarterback on the team!
Hayes’ breakdown on Murray: “A fiery, tough competitor with good NFL measurables who has improved every season. Can he lead the Dawgs to a big season?” And an NFL scout says: “He still makes too many poor decisions, and his accuracy is a big question. But you love his moxie and intangibles.”
Hayes and the scout pretty well sum up the upside and downside of Murray, who was the subject of a heated fan Junkyard Mail discussion over the weekend that spilled over onto local sports talk radio in Atlanta Tuesday.
Why the disconnect between the way national sports media see Murray and the grumbling he inspires among some Georgia fans?
Part of it, I think, is the natural tendency of fans to complain about starting quarterbacks (ditto offensive coordinators/playcallers). I remember fans griping about Matt Stafford’s decision-making. And as rock-solid and successful as David Greene was, there was a minor QB controversy for a while early in his tenure, sparked by supporters of D.J Shockley, who thought he ought to get more playing time or be the starter. Remember?
I believe my friend Steve put his finger on it Tuesday when he said he thought the way No. 11 ended the season — with an error-filled implosion in the Dawgs’ bowl game against Michigan State — left a lingering dissatisfaction among fans. The what-have-you-done-for-me-lately syndrome.
But, as Steve said, Murray is still the best quarterback Mark Richt has. And, as Sporting News sees it, one of the best in the nation.
Like I said in Saturday’s Blawg, I think Murray has a lot of areas in which he needs to improve. But I don’t have any doubt he’s Richt’s best choice to lead the Bulldogs right now.
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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461 comments Add your comment
ARdawg
April 25th, 2012
4:32 pm
Snake Plisskin
You’re feeding the trolls.
Homerville, you are making my hometown look bad. Lighten up and seek reality
Business model
April 25th, 2012
4:32 pm
The AJC would be better served with the introduction of a blog writer with a more anti-Georgia bias. It is apparent to anyone that there are far more readers of the AJC who do not support UGA athletics, who are from another part of the country and aren’t buying the big-hat, no cattle model of football supported by the homer base. The number of anti-UGA bloggers always outnumber the pro-UGA bloggers. Homers have poisoned the well. Sad but true.
bham dawg
April 25th, 2012
4:34 pm
Dawg Haus… I’m with you man its just hard to ignore the ignorance on here sometimes. On another note 247 had signee update today on Todd Gurley. Said he is at 220lbs and in great shape. Can’t wait to see what he can do. Wouldn’t be surprised if he got a RS though considering the depth.
@UGAKev… i was very concerned with the online before spring but i honestly think this group is going to surprise some people this year. Kolton Houston’s eligibility is crucial. Coaches seems very optimistic that he will be cleared before the season however.
@homerville
April 25th, 2012
4:35 pm
If a forida player would’ve failed a drug test for the first time before the Georgia game he wouldn’t have been suspended , since Florida doesn’t suspend on the 1st failed test it wouldn’t have been mentioned. and your timeline is wrong but don’t let facts get in the way.
Mark Park
April 25th, 2012
4:35 pm
Great post, business model. You should come on here more often. The big hat – no cattle line was brilliant. A perfect representation of the UGA fanbase.
ARdawg
April 25th, 2012
4:38 pm
bham dawg
It would appear CMR got a wake up call on the redshirting featured backs with Knowshon. What’s the use in a RS if they’re bolting after the Junior year. At least I hope he has. RS has been well over utilized at Georgia mush to the detriment
Dawg Haus
April 25th, 2012
4:39 pm
Good news, bham dawg! The backfield is shaping up nicely. I hope Samuel goes out with a bang this year. Sounds like it’s safe to say that Gurley will get the RS this year. Do you see Marshall coming right in and contributing? I’m really curious to see how he fits in.
bham dawg
April 25th, 2012
4:43 pm
@Business Model… the trolls drive this site. if you take away the pro uga articles the trolls would troll else where. I’m guessing you are not a successful business man because your business model would be the death of the ajc.
bham dawg
April 25th, 2012
4:49 pm
@ARdawg… i agree with you but with gurley coming in late he will not have the playbook down and at best he is going to be 4th on the depth chart. But you never know.
@Dawg Haus… Marshall is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. I think we have to get the ball in his hands at least 10 times a game. I would like to see us use him kind of like auburn has used ontario mccaleb. He is definitely not an every down back at this point. I think we might see him in the return game as well.
Braiden
April 25th, 2012
4:50 pm
He’s the best quarterback on our team yet he’s the most inconsistent one. He’s good but has a problem with accuracy when we play a higher level of teams (LSU). Some compare him to Matthew Stafford and he doesn’t have half the talent! Yea and he’s only 6 foot 1
bham dawg
April 25th, 2012
4:51 pm
@Still@theKool-aidBAR… ask Erving Walker. Wait that was a taco. SSIgator in 3….2….1….
AltamahaDawg
April 25th, 2012
4:53 pm
most inconsistant QB on th team compared to whom?
Dawg Haus
April 25th, 2012
4:54 pm
Agreed, bham dawg. I wouldn’t mind seeing him get some passes like Harton got in the G-Day game.
Limeydawg
April 25th, 2012
5:00 pm
Murray is a gamer. He deserves our respect, Dawgs. Like one of the OP said, [sic] would YOU like to be playing against Murray? I’m guessing not. Give AM his due. He’s ready for one hell of a season. Go Dawgs.
bham dawg
April 25th, 2012
5:01 pm
absolutely… for some reason we didn’t throw to the backs much last year. don’t know if it was a lack of knowledge at the posistion for crowell but everything i read about him talks about how well he can run routes and catch out of the backfield but we didn’t utilize that last year. I think crowell will line up in the slot a lot this year with boo in the backfield.
ARdawg
April 25th, 2012
5:04 pm
Murray has been consistent if nothing else. Not necessarily in a good way. He consistently makes a few bonehead mistakes. I think, largely because CMB keeps him too constricted to the called play. Hopefully this year they’ll turn him loose. He is the best we have IMHO, and I believe at some point he’ll show greatness
AltamahaDawg
April 25th, 2012
5:07 pm
I believe if Richt had the Moreno decision to make, given the facts at the time, he would do exactly the same thing. RB’s bolting after thier sophomore year (not his Junior) is the extremely rare exception, and shouldn’t be a factor, and wasn’t in that case either. Moreno was not ready to play at that level as a True Freshman, ( if we can believe every single report from anybody remotely involved) , and would have been behind 3 future NFL RBs that year.
If anything leaving after thier Junior year,which is becomeing expected, MAKES the case of RS Moreno, or a RB. 3 more productive year vs 2 productive years and a wasted 20 carry TF year.
Unless he is needed. Sometimes thats the case.
As far as learning a lesson from that, 2 of the RB in front of him played as TF. It had always been situational before and after Moreno.
Dawg Haus
April 25th, 2012
5:09 pm
ARdawg, Murray has a set of wheels on him. I’d love to see him take off running more often.
ARdawg
April 25th, 2012
5:13 pm
Altamaha
Rarely is a true freshman ready to play. When they are it’s the raw talent and ability that overrides the lack of knowledge of the playbook and the system. Your scenario makes sense and is generally adhered to. The problem with it is that some true freshman with the ability perform better in a game than at practice and protecting the RS status will keep a coach from knowing if they can or can’t
ARdawg
April 25th, 2012
5:17 pm
Dawg Haus
He did in his first 4-5 games in his first year. He didn’t hesitate. I was tickled to death with him, still am. It would appear they pulled the reigns on him. Almost as if, don’t run unless you have open field. I’d much rather see him try to run than force something into double or triple coverage which he has been known to do
Business model
April 25th, 2012
5:20 pm
@bham dawg: The idea would be a winner. One day a week, have an article written by one of the many “trolls” as you call them, and open up the floodgates. At that point, the “homers” would then become the “trolls”. You could do a guest blogger every week until you find the one who fits. Guys like GTBob, evil empire, Red Jello, Game Change; I don’t mean to leave anyone out, but it would be a blast. Honestly, how many times can the Georgia fans cover and re-shape the truth to fit their twisted view of UGA’s football program. And the subject matter is vast..like..”Is the 1980 Bulldog football schedule the weakest of an NCAA champion in history?”…legit question. And there are hundreds more….Nah, on second thought, it’s more fun trashing you guys without the headaches of writing a blog. A solid idea though.
bham dawg
April 25th, 2012
5:23 pm
you just have to laugh sometimes
bham dawg
April 25th, 2012
5:30 pm
@ARdawg… i agree with you that murray his freshman year was playing more on instincts. now that the game has slowed down and he knows where his recievers are going to be the coaches want thim to stick in the pocket more. also, they need to teach him how to carry the ball when running and slide when he is about to take a lick.
AltamahaDawg
April 25th, 2012
5:39 pm
Well, I guess in the abstract. I don’t really see what that has to do with the actual situation with Moreno, though.
You stated that Richt had learned his lesson from that specific situation. As in, it was a mistake and he’d not do it that way in the future. I am pointing out, that it was NOT a mistake. It was the right call given that situation. And he already had shown prior he would play TF if need be, so RS was not just the status quo.
As I heard it from my grape vine (FWIW), He was not in shape during camp in 2006 as a TF, developed more with the scout team, got in shape, and by the Oct of his RS year they all knew what he would do in 2007.
Are you saying the lessoned learned was that there is a rare chance that he might have proven he was ready in live action despite not showing any signs of that in camp, and maybe he would have surprised all of them and got 3 dozen carries as a freshman, as opposed to 1 dozen?
Now you be the coach……would you trade that chance for what he would have done in 2009? He said it was a very close decision as to stay, that would have been the norm. I would guess a lot of people would now question if it would have been better for him had he done so.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 25th, 2012
5:39 pm
PLEASE 35:55minute MURRAY run. RUN a lot. Run Murray Run.
Nick
April 25th, 2012
5:44 pm
I have supported him since day one and continue to do so. He will be a great QB at some point in his college career.
kerryb
April 25th, 2012
5:47 pm
I think one of the things you have to look at is that Aaron Murray was sacked 32 times last year. In comparison Andrew Luck was sacked only 11 times. With that big a difference Luck threw 37 TD passes and Murray had 35 TD’s. Murray also threw only 4 more INT’s than Luck who threw 10 and Murray threw 14. Luck had 3,517 yards passing and Murray had 3,149. So, if Murray had as clean a pocket protection as Luck I wonder what he could do.
Being a die hard UGA fan I can tell you why Murray has not gotten the love of the fan base. Because the fan base is mostly a bunch of whiney, fickle, fair weathered, pessimistic lot of fans that can only remember what they saw in the last game and never can see the big picture. I guarantee you that every team in the SEC would take Aaron Murray as their QB. I bet Florida wishes that he would have gone to his home state team.
kerryb
April 25th, 2012
5:53 pm
What I am waiting to see is what Murray is going to do with a big time stable of running backs behind him to take some of the pressure off. The first 2 years he did not have a solid backfield behind him. He does now. Last years offense was more of a spread offense because of no solid FB in the backfield. Now if they can use Samuel as a FB (along with the Freshman Hicks) we can go back to the Pro style play action offense that Richt usually runs and Murray will be even better.
AltamahaDawg
April 25th, 2012
5:55 pm
OK. In the abstract suppose. You are saying that a generic Freshmen might surprise everybody and leapfrog proven know quantities on the team, thus ended the believe that the logical use of a RS is wise anymore.
I am saying that the Actual Player was not in SEC playing shape, surprised nobody with his abilities when it was time, and it was never the status quo to RS running back before him anyway.
I’m just not getting the wake up call from that.
So lets make You the coach now. Would you trade his production in 2009, on the chance that he “might” have defied everything he had shown in camp, and got several dozen more carries as a freshman?
BTW, coach. You got an almost certain case where a true freshman will be taking over as the QB back there . Does that scream burn a 4th string RB year of eligibility at ya?
Kyle
April 25th, 2012
6:10 pm
Well Bill, let’s see…perhaps it has something to do with the fact he has cost us big games with his turnovers and poor decision making…..perhaps it is the fact he has yet to be a “good”team……maybe it has to do with the fact he keeps making the same mistakes…..hummm….ya think??????????
Kyle
April 25th, 2012
6:11 pm
beat a good team……
Bob
April 25th, 2012
6:13 pm
I think Jarvis is the best LB in NCAA football and will excell in the NFL. I think Murray is an over-hyped, mistake-prone, under-sized, and not very smart underachiever. He should have gone to Central Fla. HUtson Mason is a real. SEC calibre QB.
Kyle
April 25th, 2012
6:16 pm
Murray plays all season….9-3 at best…likely 8-4……….Hopefully he will implode at Missouri like he did with Sparty and we can salvage the season (after being the laughingstock of the SEC to lose to new guys Missouri) with that being the only loss……
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 25th, 2012
6:22 pm
kerryb…….great post…………BUT………BOBO is still going to PLAY CALL FART. I said if MURRAY is High in the Heisman Poll by the 7th game that is not good for UGa. UGa should be ahead and RUNNING the Ball in ALL of the first 7 games but maybe USCe. If Murray is Passing a lot against USCe then he will LOSE.
Texas Dawg
April 25th, 2012
6:29 pm
The national media likes his numbers! I’m a die hard dawg fan and I could care less about 4000 yards passing against weak teams. To this point…..and I hope AM proves me wrong the next two years……..HE has not got it done against better teams……UGA fans expect wins against the likes of UCF and MS in bowls….stop with the excuses!!!! He has not beat a a ranked team 0-9….PLEASE Prove me wrong next year and go 12-0………..you want to know why some UGA fans think what they it’s cuase he blows the big games…..the last two years…….hope he goes undefeated the next two…..go dawgs!
Texas Dawg
April 25th, 2012
6:31 pm
First 3 games our back-up QBs should get alot of playing time….no more padding numbers against weak teams for AM
kerryb
April 25th, 2012
6:37 pm
I remember all of the know-it-all UGA fans that were saying the same kind of things about Matt Stafford that they are saying about Murray. I remember Matt Stafford thinking too much of his arm that he would launch a ball into triple coverage only to get intercepted. I don’t remember fans saying the completely stupid things about Stafford that they do about Murray. Why would any good QB want to come to UGA when if they make a mistake the stupid fan base is going to start their crap about them? Why would Brice Ramsey want to come to that? In the three years Stafford was here did he deliver anything? No. But I never heard things like, “he can never win the big game” about him.
Dawg4life
April 25th, 2012
6:38 pm
Well, anybody that can’t see the potential in Murray obviously doesn’t have a football bone in his/her body… The kid was a sophomore last year and threw for the 2nd most td’s of any QB returning next year behind Barkley. Everybody always wants to blame the qb, but UGA had no kind of running game last year. Lets revisit this topic after this season. It will be his junior year, and he should start putting all together now. The kid is lightyears ahead of where Stafford was when he was a junior.
Dawg4life
April 25th, 2012
6:38 pm
When Stafford was a sophomore… Sorry
kerryb
April 25th, 2012
6:40 pm
At least Murray has gotten his team to an SEC championship game. Stafford never did.
Dawg4life
April 25th, 2012
6:57 pm
And I will go ahead and post it because someone is going to question it, so here it is:
Stafford (Sophomore yr 2007)- 55.7% comp./ 2523 yds/ 7.3 yds per att./ 19 tds/ 10 ints
Murray (Sophomore yr 2011)- 59.1% comp./ 3149 yds/ 7.8 yds per att./ 35 tds/ 14 ints
The numbers don’t lie folks. Murray doesn’t play the games by himself, so all this “he hasn’t beaten a top 25 team” talk is nonsense. UGA hasn’t beaten a top 25 team while he has been qb.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 25th, 2012
6:58 pm
kerryb……….True
Dwag4life…..Crap in one hand and place POTENTIAL in the other and see which one fills up faster.
I am ALL TECH and you gys know it, BUT MURRAY should have been in some of the COX games to get him in BIG GAMES. It would make him a True Junior this year but he would be better I THINK. You burned the 8-4 Cox year by not playing MURRAY. I don’t think Murray would have EVER had a 6-7 year if he played some games behind COX. I feel the same about GT not playing a QB more during Nesbitt’s senior year. Washington was NOT READY to come in the VIP game and LEAD the team.
Texas Dawg
April 25th, 2012
7:09 pm
@dawg4life…….got ya team sport and all……..but this is the thing……..Murry for whatever excuse we make has been directly responsible for several…….several key turnovers in the bigger games….that cost us those games………yea….yea…yea…only a soph…….excuse…the tru soph for alabama in the nc lead his team to the win when lsu shut down bamas running game………THE REASON SOME UGA FANS LIKE MYSELF talk about 0-9 against ranked teams is cuase we want our DAWGS to not only beat teams like Buffalo……..but also teams like LSU………I HOPE Murry proves us wrong next year and leads the dawds to a 12-0 record GO DAWGS!!!!!!
Neutral
April 25th, 2012
7:37 pm
GTBob
I didn’t avoid your question…..just had to teach a class. Yes indeed, I have sold over 285,000 copies at Tech and similar schools. Can’t tell you more because I’m enjoying the royalties too much. Hint, I went to undergrad at UGa and grad school at Clemson and MIT. I’ll explains TD to int. Ratios later so you will understand why Murray’s total yardage is not the most important issue.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
April 25th, 2012
7:44 pm
Neutral………….you should HAVE the GUTS to PROMOTE your PRODUCT. I & many think you are a Blog Billionaire until you produce FACT to back up your claims.
LagDawg
April 25th, 2012
7:57 pm
Murray is fine. It’s not his fault that he doesn’t have a OC that can call the right play when needed. It’s not his fault that he doesn’t have a QB coach that can help him not keep making the same dumb misstakes and it’s not his fault that his HC and OC can’t recruit top OL to protect him. Once those problems are solved, maybe UGA can then win a NC. It was reported that the offensive staff spent a day with Gruden but, the entire summer would have been better. There does not seem to be a commitment to improve the offensive coaching staff and until that happens the same problems will continue.
CrayonTan
April 25th, 2012
8:00 pm
Let’s say, hypothetically, we can grant Murray in 2012:
1) 3 receivers as good as Durham, AJ Green, and Charles at tight end
2) 2 running backs that average over 5 yards per carry
3) the most experienced offensive line in the nation
Wouldn’t that be great?
No, we tried that in 2010, Murray went 6 wins, 7 losses with all the above.
Neutral
April 25th, 2012
8:04 pm
Kool-aid,
Not a billionaire…..not even close, but yes a millionaire. Have multiple textbooks and can’t risk losing tens of thousands by telling you more. I enjoy the $$$, especially when it is coming from Tech students. Have a good night…..I’m signing-off and watching American Idol. Great talent this year…..kinda like the Dawgs.
Neutral
April 25th, 2012
8:15 pm
Crayon tan,
I was signing-off and forgot to respond to your 8:00 comments. You just made my entire point. The reasons Murray slipped off on his stats in 2011 are:
- rookie receivers
-no running backs
-lousy OL
Thanks again for clarifying what Murray had to deal with last year. No wonder the SEC coaches (best coaches in the nation…no doubt) voted Murray the 2nd best in the SEC behind a QB who would have gone in the 1st round this year if he had left Arkansas early. You da man!!!
Neutral
April 25th, 2012
8:19 pm
Don’t forget, Murray was a redshirt freshman in 2010…..and the team had a terrible attitude which was resolved by CMR and staff. Your comparisons suck and you obviously don’t have a clue.