Fan talk: Triple option, Gurshall’s workload, Murray returning for another year, and bowl scenarios
Quarterback Jerick McKinnon leads Georgia Southern's productive rushing attack. (Associated Press)
It won’t be fun for the Georgia players fending off those cut-blocks and it probably won’t be as pretty as many in the Bulldog Nation would like, but Mark Richt’s Bulldogs should emerge from their SEC Cupcake Weekend match against Georgia Southern with a 10th victory and fully up to speed on handling the triple-option offense that they’ll see again next week.
The Eagles bring the Football Championship Subdivision’s leading rushing attack to Athens, averaging 401.2 yards per game on the ground. Southern’s rushing attack is led by quarterback Jerick McKinnon, a former Sprayberry High School star who was the Southern Conference offensive player of the week after beating Howard by running for a career-high 198 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw for two more touchdowns, though he only passed the ball four times in the game. That put McKinnon over 1,000 yards rushing.
So the Eagles are likely to control the ball for a while Between the Hedges and will rack up some yards. Probably a few points, too. They ran for 302 yards and scored 21 points last year against Alabama’s top-rated rushing defense.
But if Todd Grantham’s defense is patient, sticks to its assignments and can avoid key injuries, the Bulldogs’ advantage in terms of size and speed should allow them to keep the Eagles under control. Triple-option offenses also are prone to put the ball on the ground, and GSU has had some trouble with that this season.
On the other side of the line of scrimmage, Aaron Murray, Gurshall, Tavarres King and company should prove too much for an outmanned Southern defense.
It might take the Dawgs a while to pull away — that was the case with Bama last year — but at least they’ll have had a meaningful tune-up for the Governor’s Cup match with the Yellow Jackets.
Now, let’s check some of this week’s Junkyard Mail. …
Should Keith Marshall be getting more carries? (Associated Press)
Brett Miolen writes: [Todd] Gurley and [Keith] Marshall have been great this season and both have shown they can score at anytime from anywhere. Gurley gets the bulk of the work but Marshall has played great despite only getting around 6-10 carries a game. With his ability, do you see any way he can get more involved or get more touches?
While I’m sure he wouldn’t mind a few more carries, Marshall noted this week that thanks to the reduced load this season his body isn’t taking the beating it did in high school, and both he and Gurley are staying fresh. The slightly larger Gurley actually is built more for the heavy load of being an SEC primary back, and it’s hard to argue in favor of taking the ball out of his hands any more, what with him approaching becoming only the second UGA true freshman to break the 1,000-yard mark. Marshall is the more likely of the two to break a really long run of 50-plus yards, as he’s tied for second place nationally in that category with four. Of course, thanks to the Bulldogs’ balanced offense and potent passing attack, neither back is close to getting worn down. Gurley had 11 carries against Auburn and Marshall had eight. And Boo Malcome also usually gets in the mix late in games. “It’s kept them from getting too many carries where a true freshman might really get beat down,” Richt said this week. Bottom line: Gurley and Marshall make a pretty effective tandem with the current splitting of the load.
Aaron Murray is considered likely to return for his senior season at UGA. (Associated Press)
Blake Doster writes: Bill, I just read that Aaron Murray is coming back next year. How does that effect Hutson Mason next year? I thought he redshirted this year to be the starter next year. Please help me understand.
In a related question, Scott Vaughan writes: 1. Aaron Murray — coming back for his last year? 2. If not Aaron, who? I was surprised when they ran out Parker Welch against Auburn, first, rather than [Christian] LeMay. Reading too much into it? Great blog site. Thanks for representing the fan base.
Thanks, Scott. To answer Blake first, Murray has not said he’s definitely coming back to UGA for his senior year, but most observers figure he will since he’ll get to polish his game, enhance his NFL prospects and probably break Danny Wuerffel’s career SEC record for touchdown passes. Murray currently is in fifth place with 83, and the record is 114. By the end of this season, Murray stands a good chance of passing Tim Tebow, Chris Leak and Peyton Manning for second place. As for Mason, the reason he’s taking a redshirt this season is to give him a year of separation from Murray. That way, even if Murray returns for his senior season, Mason could have a year as Georgia’s starter after that. As for Welch playing ahead of LeMay, Georgia’s coaching staff has indicated that’s because he has exhibited a firmer grasp of the offensive playbook than LeMay.
James Ernest Nobles writes: Bill, no one has addressed the possibility of Auburn beating Alabama in the Iron Bowl and knocking them out of the SEC championship game. While the odds are against this happening, there is always the possibility. In that case wouldn’t Texas A&M go to Atlanta and play Georgia for the SEC championship?
If you saw Auburn play against the Dogs, you know the odds of them beating Bama are extremely long. But stranger things have happened in rivalry games, so let’s run with that scenario for a moment. If Alabama were to lose to Auburn and Texas A&M and LSU both were to win out, the SEC West would be a three-way tie. If that happened, LSU would play in the SEC Championship game because the Tigers and Aggies would have 5-1 divisional records, while the Tide would have a 4-2 SEC West record and LSU beat the Aggies head-to-head, giving them the ultimate tie-breaker.
Reagan Mabry writes: Bill, there is a lot of football to be played yet before the BCS championship game is determined and anything can happen in the next three weeks. My question is this, has Mark Richt learned anything from the 2002, 2005 and 2007 seasons that style points do actually count? I think he needs to have the offense score as many points as possible the next two weeks and not let up. Then UGA could close up a little in the BCS points to be in position as the best one loss team if any team loses. I know this is not Mark Richt’s style but could end up hurting UGA again by just doing enough to win. I think Mark Richt should have been on ESPN and every media outlet possible in 02, 05 and 07 doing PR work stating UGA’s claim to be in the NC game. Saban did his PR work right last year and just hope Mark Richt has learned something if he gets his team in that position again.
If you’re expecting Richt to suddenly morph into one of those coaches who keeps throwing touchdown passes deep into the fourth quarter to run up the score, it’s not likely to happen. But your point about coaches who play the PR game to sell their team’s position is well taken. If Georgia does win out and beat Alabama in the SEC Championship game, a spot in the BCS national title game still would not be assured, even if two of the three undefeated teams ahead of the Dogs were to suffer a loss. The only thing that would be guaranteed for Georgia would be a spot in the BCS. So some politicking by Richt along the lines of Nick Saban and Les Miles definitely would seem in order. On the other hand, if Georgia loses to Bama, it’s highly unlikely the Dogs would get the SEC’s second spot in the BCS no matter what Richt did. And while most predictions are that the Dogs would wind up in either the Capitol One or Outback in that case, some bowl observers think that if they’re the SEC championship game loser they could fall as far as Atlanta’s Chick-fil-A Bowl, however unfair that might seem. It all has to do with bowl committee preferences for home-state teams, higher rankings and traveling fan bases. On the brighter side, both of ESPN’s bowl prognosticators, Mark Schlabach and Brad Edwards, see Georgia beating Alabama in the SEC game and then meeting Clemson in the Sugar Bowl.
Do you have something you want to discuss concerning the current football season or UGA athletics in general? Got a question you want the Junkyard Blawg to tackle? If so, send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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137 comments Add your comment
Pulpwud Smiff
November 16th, 2012
4:16 pm
Dwag fans will be elated to know that Shreveport now has a 24/7 bowling alley. And the bar next door has added a dartboard and indoor plumbing.
It doesn’t get any better than that for dwags, does it!
Neutral
November 16th, 2012
4:30 pm
Hornblowermg = clueless
LogicalUS
November 16th, 2012
4:36 pm
Where does anybody think Murray is going? The arena league?
Did he finally get over the Clowney nightmares?
Discount DoubleDawg
November 16th, 2012
5:24 pm
Logical- are you saying you believe that Murray will not get drafted in the NFL?
John Galt
November 16th, 2012
5:29 pm
Have you people considered how good our offense will be, with the entire O-line back with a year under their belt, Murray and Gurshall and Ogletree in the backfield. Rome at TE and Mitchell, Bennett, Conley, etc.,etc.,etc. at WR?
Despite graduation and early departures, the D will be loaded with skill as well (I see J Jordan becoming a star.) Despite a more challenging schedule the future looks bright for the Dawgs-
cmac22
November 16th, 2012
5:30 pm
Murry coming back for one more season? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Will we have to go another year of not winning a big game??? (Beating Florida this year would have counted if Murray had actually done something to win the game instead of doing everything he could to lose it!!). It would be best for the DAWGS if Murray moved on & someone is given the chance to play!
Joey
November 16th, 2012
5:37 pm
DawgFaitful: “Richt is 2-2 Vs. Nick Saban. 1-1 when he was at LSU and 1-1 since he’s been at Bama.”
****************************************************
One thing worse than a know-it-all, is a lazy-know-it-all.
Saban beat Richt’s Dawgs 2 times in ‘03. I’ll leave it to you to look up the rest . . .
Joey
November 16th, 2012
5:41 pm
Hey Pulpwood Idiot,
I think your team has been to Shreveport since UGA has.
Think before you type, if possible . . .
Justin
November 16th, 2012
7:15 pm
In light of he fact that Murray submitted his name to the NFL Advisory Committee after LAST season and graduated shortly thereafter, I would be shocked if he returned for his senior year.
With the perspective we have as…well, as people who are not Aaron Murray, not constantly being marinated in praise for our own greatness, it’s easy for us to see that he’d benefit greatly from a fourth year at UGA.
But based on his actions up to this point, it seems evident that he’s planning to leave after this season, along with Jarvis Jones (who really IS ready to make the NFL jump) and probably a couple of other underclassmen who think they’re more ready than they are.
KF
November 16th, 2012
8:35 pm
Best get some rest Dawgs. You are going to need it chasing the Eagles all over the field tomorrow!!
NCDawg
November 16th, 2012
9:01 pm
Just a reminder to evreyone on the “we should have played Mason more” bent. It is fact that the backup QB is always the most popular player on a team. There is nothing that says that Hutson Mason will be a better QB than Aaron Murray to this point. Yes, I would have liked for him to have gotten more game experience but last year Coach Richt was coaching for his job. No lead was safe except in a couple of games. With a redshirt being the goal, nothing short of taking Murray off the field on a stretcher would get Mason in a game this year. So it is all a moot point.
CMR and Coach Bobo are excellent QB coaches. If you doubt this go look at what the Detroit Lions head coach said about Matthew Stafford before his rookie season. He said that Stafford was the best prepared rookie QB he’d ever seen. These guys DO know what they are doing.
Murray’s issue is not coaching or talent. It is trying too hard. He presses in big games. This is all mental… no amount of coaching can change it. He has to do it himself or he needs to get a sports shrink to help him get past it. John Smoltz was his own worst enemy until he saw Dr. Jack Llewellyn. My Dad had it pegged almost a full year before Smoltz decided to see Llewellyn. He needs to learn the fine art of chilling.
Look how many times he has said he had trouble sleeping the week of a big game. He needs to quiet his mind. This is why he wrecks lesser opponents… he doesn’t psyche himself out.
Last year he was lighting up LSU until late in the first half… then he came out tight in the 3rd quarter and the rest is history. Same thing happened against Michigan St. What he needs to do is meditate before the game and at half time. He needs calm. Watch how loose he is against Ga Southern. Hopefully he will chill before the SEC championship game and see that he can be the same QB against Bama as he is vs Aubburn. And yes, it is just that simple.
My-Guy
November 16th, 2012
9:09 pm
SEC QBs that were playing against next year or possibly (depending on outcomes of the season)
Alabama- AJ McCarron- Junior
Florida- Dreff Driskel- Sophomore
South Carolina- Connor Shaw- Junior
Tennessee- Tyler Bray- Junior
Texas A&M- Johnny Manziel- Dangerous True Freshmen
LSU- Zach Mettenberger- Junior
etc…
ATTENTION EVERYBODY!!! Notice how over 75% of these teams have junior QBs that will be returning next year for their senior year! Aaron Murray is also a *JUNIOR* for Georgia, and we’ll need him next year, WE NEED HIM!!!! With our killer schedule next year, you got to be kidding me. Why would you people think of taking Aaron Murray out. Without Aaron Murray next year, we’ll be shutdown for good. With next year being the FINAL year of the BCS. We need Aaron Murray badly, with the expierenced Bennett, Mitchell, & Gurshall next year we’ll be unstoppable!
Strat Cat Dawg
November 16th, 2012
10:30 pm
Stay in the moment- the only game that matters is Georgia Southern. Take are of business and it’s all good
Strat Cat Dawg
November 16th, 2012
10:31 pm
***care***
Outer Banks Dawg
November 16th, 2012
10:34 pm
Agree with My – Guy 100%. Murray will be better in his final year because he will be more comfortable, better prepared. He’s going to be working on footwork, technique, arm strength, and reading the defense to prepare for the NFL combine. He knows he needs to get better and he is working on it as we speak.
If we get our O line right so we can run the horses and protect Murray, we can be tough. That’s what’s starting to gel now. I believe our defense will reload pretty well next year too.
Lets beat these high school teams and get ready for the dome.
Ps. Coach Richt has been preparing the team in full pads all week for Georgia Southern. I like it. I think he wants them conditioned to play Bama. Think about it. Prepare for the option, and get conditioned and tough for the next 3 weeks. This team has shown tremendous growth. I’m proud of all of them. They are working hard and doing the right things.
DawgFaithful
November 17th, 2012
12:54 am
Joey,
I don’t need to look it up deuche. So he’s 2-3 vs Saban. I forgot about 1. So what. The point is you said Richt can’t beat Saban and he’s done it twice. Don’t be an jackass. Stop making stupid posts and I won’t have to call you out.
Bad Dawg
November 17th, 2012
2:58 am
If the ACC places two teams in BCS bowls, the current set-up’s loss of credibility will be complete.
Bad Dawg
November 17th, 2012
3:07 am
I’m sure, Pulpwood, that you’re trying to insult UGA by calling them the ‘dwags’. Problem is, ‘dwag’ is a nonsensical word that only holds meaning to you (if anyone). Insults are ineffective when nobody knows what you’re talking about.
Joey
November 17th, 2012
7:50 am
My correction on your erroneous post was MY FIRST COMMENT on this story, dummy. I haven’t posted anything about Richt vs Saban.
Wrong again.
Do you ever get anything right, Dawgfaithful?
joe jenkins
November 17th, 2012
9:26 am
Dawgfaithful….listen bro!! It’s never a bad thing to have has many as weapons as we can at wr….king and mitchell are good..the rest couldn’t even start at vandy…we miss brown and bennett…and it will really show against bama
NCDawg
November 17th, 2012
9:34 am
Ok boys… no need to toss around childish insults over a statistical inaccuracy. Yes, Richt is 2-3 vs Saban… but so is everyone else or worse. The only SEC coach with a winning record against Saban was Tommy Tuberville. He got fired. So I guess beating Saban is not the benchmark we thought it was.
I was reading an article from 2008… the week before the 2nd Blackout… the Bama debacle… and it stated that at that point Richt had won 9 straight games against ranked opponents. So the trend we all talk about… the being unable to beat ranked teams… began that week. So what happened? Did CMR, as so many have suggested, just stop caring about winning? Did he suddenly become a poor coach? Did he forget how to win? This is where perspective comes into play folks. Before that game he had won 9 straight against ranked opponents. Something happened and I’m not sure what but it was internal to the program.
What I am getting at is this: Everybody forgets that it was once normal for UGA to beat ranked teams. Did the opponents suddenly get better? Probably not. I was dismayed by the trend just as everyone else was/is but I was also willing to see if the staff could right the ship. I openly called for the staff to be fired if they lost to UF. They did not. They beat UF at their own game. Everyone feared a let down against Auburn… they did not. Why? The PLAYERS, the guys who actually play the games, woke up and smelled the coffee. They started doing what they were coached to do and played with heart. Why? Was it getting insulted? Partially. Most of it was realizing that they had no one to blame but themselves for being embarrassed by SC. They didn’t do what they were being COACHED to do and they lost badly. They half assed it against Kentucky and almost got embarrassed. Then a trusted team leader applied 2×4 to their collective noggins. Then they woke up. The coaches will say it is their responsibility but the truth is that after a certain point it is all upon the players.
Did Saban suddenly become a poor coach last week? No. The players came out flat… despite being told all week that they would be in trouble if they did. And they got ambushed by a hungrier team. They expected to be able to just beat A&M… they did not hear that from their coaches folks. The PLAYERS made up their own minds that they could give partial effort and still win. And they found out differently.
CMR purged the bad apples last year and in the off season. They eliminated themselves. A coach cannot make a team jell… they can only create the environment. Sometimes it happens quickly, sometimes it takes a while. Our guys needed the 2×4. Now we will see what kind of team we really have because the light came on.
Joey
November 17th, 2012
9:42 am
Joe, Chris Conley could start for any team in the country and that’s a fact. It was our almost embarrassing WR depth keeping him on the sideline.
Keep an eye on him the last 4 games, because he will be the one who doesn’t see double coverage, and may have some huge games.
JSW is also hugely talented, and would be playing for most anybody (Urban Myer, Chip Kelly, etc) who love players with world-class speed, and design plays to get them the ball in space. He would get 6-8 touches a game playing for those guys – hopeully he learns that vast playbook (sarcasm) in time to make some plays at UGA someday.
NCDawg
November 17th, 2012
9:46 am
Joe… are you still moaning about our WR’s? Yes, it would be great to have Brown and Bennett but we don’t. Are the replacements as good? We won’t know until they actually play. Conley did just fine last week. We will have to replace Brown anyway. We will get Bennett back next year. We aren’t doomed because of the injuries dude. It is inconvenient. And maybe it will turn out to be a blessing in the long run. Maybe the experience will dampen the loss of King and Brown next year. But no matter how you slice it… we will just have to deal with it. Pessimism is a self fulfilling prophecy. Being realistic is not all doom and gloom… it is balance. Things could actually end up being better. You never know.
NCDawg
November 17th, 2012
9:57 am
Joey- actually the playbook is huge… and perhaps it’s too big. I think it could be purged and freshened up a bit myself. The actual number of plays is far too large for the limited practice time these guys have. I also think execution is hampered by having too much going on. The team runs the plays they execute well in practice. If you throw too much at them then the mistakes pile up and those plays don’t get called in the games. Maybe the starting point needs to shift. Maybe go to page 27 instead of page 5 for the starting point. Start them out with some plays deeper in the playbook and let them chew on those for a few weeks. I guarantee we don’t use even half of the playbook. Maybe the half we use needs to change?
DawgFaithful
November 17th, 2012
10:39 am
Joe,
If you don’t think Wooten and Conley wouldn’t start at Vandy then you’re a bigger idiot than I thought. Do you know anything about Vandy’s roster? They would instantly be the 2nd and 3rd best receivers behind Matthews. Vandy would love to get there hands on that kind of talent.
Keep making deuchey posts about WR depth if it makes you feel good. I’m just trying to help you out. It doesn’t seem like anyone is in agreement with you here. Again We’ve got 4 proven WR’s. You post this crap every day and its a moot point bro. Ever thought about finding a new soap box to ride on here?
DawgFaithful
November 17th, 2012
10:43 am
Joey,
I’m sorry buddy. I got one deuche confused with another deuche. Please forgive me. Have a nice gameday. Gooo Dawgs! Sic Em! Hoooo hoop hoooo
Joey
November 17th, 2012
10:56 am
I was just being a little sarcastic, NCDawg. Our O has been pretty good this season and I have few complaints – maybe we get a little too conservative in tight games?
Of course, that may be the result of Bobo/Richt not trusting Murray so much in big games, with the way he gets so amped up.
DawgFaithful, I’m not a “deuche.” And I actually thought you were a Techie in disguise with the mispelling of your posting name (DawgFaitful), so apologies for the “lazy know it all” remark. They do it on here incessantly.
Go Dawgs!.
dawgfan
November 17th, 2012
11:04 am
I would hope what Richt learned from 2002, 2005 and 2007 is that every GAME counts. Until we stop having these brainfart no show games every year we will never win a National title. Its going to cost us again this year too. Even if we win out and two of the three undefeated drop a game, why does everyone feel so entitled to a spot in the BCS title game? We got blown out by 4 freaking touchdowns because we were completely unprepared for that game. I think a one loss Oregon, KSU or Notre Dame would have a pretty legitimate gripe that we are not BCS title material because of that. There is just no excuse for us to get beat like that. I think any team in the nation would have lost to South Carolina that night, but a championship calibre team wouldn’t have lost by 4 touchdowns.
Thanks
Joey
November 17th, 2012
11:31 am
We will know in three weeks what the SC game cost us, dawgfan. But we know right now we would be sitting on the “catbird seat” if we were 10-0.
If we don’t beat Bama, though, SC didn’t mean anything anyway.
Beat Bama, we at least go to the Sugar Bowl. Lose, and it’s Tampa or Atlanta time . . .
NCDawg
November 17th, 2012
11:32 am
A point to make here… the brain fart games that we so despise are unfortunately the norm for college football. As a Dawg fan I am praying for a couple of teams to have brain fart games right now. It happens every year it seems and this year is no different. How many of you thought A&M could go into Tuscaloosa and beat the Tide? Oh no… Saban, the greatest coach ever! wouldn’t ever let that happen. Well, guess what? It did. The key is to not do it late in the season. Oregon has laid an egg virtually every season they have been in contention. Oklahoma has done it. It is more the normal than being able to plow through and go undefeated.
Just saying.
Thomas
November 17th, 2012
11:57 am
PAC 10 teams do not play the same caliber players as in the SEC, that gives me a sense that Oregon is Overrated and do not deserve the poll rank they have.
dawgfan
November 17th, 2012
12:43 pm
NCDawg, 4 touchdown losses are not the norm for programs loaded with NFL talent and all the resources in the world. You’re in la la land there pal.
L AD
November 17th, 2012
12:54 pm
Bill outstanding article! I hope Murray comes back, and i hope you would consider doing a piece on these guys at some point, the JoJa Boys, these two guys up north who do their own broadcast. It’s worth a listen, cuz they are FUN to listen to http://www.JoJaBoys.com
NCDawg
November 17th, 2012
1:31 pm
dawgfan… I didn’t say they were. I said that brain farts happen every year, even to the best teams. A loss is a loss, whether by 1 point or 4 TD’s. The Dawgs will gladly accept a brain fart from Oregon, K-State or Notre Dame. My guess is at least one will go down.
AltamahaDawg
November 17th, 2012
4:52 pm
Coach Bobo just rushed for over 1000 yards, and passed for a school record in TDs. Great Job.
Joey
November 17th, 2012
5:17 pm
I bet he’s tired!!
Bobo has done a good job this season, and most of last season.
I wouldn’t mind a bit for Bobo being our next head coach, when Richt retires, I predict will be at the end of this season, if UGA wins the SEC.
AltamahaDawg
November 18th, 2012
8:56 am
Not to mention Bobo has been catching the ball really well this season. He’s a better blocker than we thought too.