Head-scratcher: Aaron Murray has been great, yet UGA is 5-6
The good news: This quarterback is a real keeper. (AP photo)
Had you told me on Sept. 3 that the Ides of November would find Georgia under .500, I’d have had two thoughts. The first: “Ain’t no way.” (For the record, I picked the Bulldogs to finish 9-3.) The second: “If there is a way, it’ll be because Aaron Murray isn’t ready.”
And that’s what makes Georgia being 5-6 so confounding. More than simply being ready, Aaron Murray has been good bordering on great. A redshirt freshman, he’s already the third-best quarterback in the SEC, and the league’s best is Cam Newton, the finest player among collegians, and its second-best is the splendid passer Ryan Mallett. Murray is 15th nationally in passing efficiency. (Newton and Mallett are second and fourth, respectively.)
Heck, we can make a compelling case that Murray has been the best freshman quarterback in Bulldog annals, and those annals are inscribed with the deeds of some fairly fine frosh.
- Aaron Murray, 2010: 173 completions in 285 attempts; a completion percentage of 60.7; 21 touchdowns against six interceptions; 2,580 yards passing.
- Matthew Stafford, 2006: 135 completions in 256 attempts; a completion percentage of 52.7; seven touchdowns against 13 interceptions; 1,749 yards passing.
- David Greene, 2001: 192 completions in 324 attempts; a completion percentage of 59.3; 17 touchdowns against nine interceptions; 2,789 yards passing.
- Quincy Carter, 1998: 176 completions in 290 attempts; a completion percentage of 60.7; 12 touchdowns against nine interceptions; 2,484 yards passing.
- Eric Zeier, 1991: 159 completions in 286 attempts; a completion percentage of 55.6; seven touchdowns against four interceptions; 1,984 yards passing.
(We should stipulate that Zeier and Stafford didn’t begin their freshman seasons as the No. 1 quarterback. Both, however, played in the season opener – Zeier as the No. 2 behind Greg Talley, Stafford as No. 3 behind Joe Tereshinski III and Joe Cox — and both became No. 1 for good in October of those respective years.)
OK, those are the numbers. Murray already has the best completion percentage (tied with Carter), the second-fewest interceptions behind Zeier and the most touchdowns, and he’s within reach of Greene’s school record for passing yardage by a freshman. But here’s the weird part:
The Bulldogs were 9-3 in both Zeier’s and Carter’s freshman seasons, 8-4 in Greene’s, 9-4 in Stafford’s. How is it possible that a team returning every offensive starter save the quarterback could see that new quarterback perform so ably — and still be 5-6? (And of those six losses, only the Florida game, in which Murray threw half of his total of six interceptions, could be debited to the quarterback — and it must be noted that even on his worst day Murray led the rally that forced overtime.)
Not much about this Georgia season has made sense, but this part makes the least. The one offensive variable has come up trumps, and still the team enters its final scheduled game needing to win to become bowl-eligible.
Here’s how addled I am: I’m tempted to say, “Put Murray on Florida and the Gators would have won the SEC East,” or, “Put Murray on South Carolina and the Gamecocks would be 9-1, not 7-3″ … and then I realize the team he’s on finished behind those two. Maybe you can make some sense of it. Obviously I can’t.
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384 comments Add your comment
Phil
November 17th, 2010
1:55 pm
virginia dog,
It is unbelievable that Richt recruited Cam Newton as a tight end. Yet Florida recruited him as a quarterback. Richt said something on the call in show this week to the effect of they recruit players that fit the system. So I guess he thought Cam didn’t fit our system as a QB.
Well, in that case you modify the system to accomodate a player like Newton. Florida certainly saw the potential in him, but our brain dead recruiting team did not.
Good point about Moreno. We settled on Brandon Smith and let Greg Reid go to Florida State. Big mistake there. If we don’t get Crowell, some heads need to roll over that one getting away.
mcdaviddawg
November 17th, 2010
1:56 pm
Coaching, coaching, coaching. What a lousy effort by Richt.
megan
November 17th, 2010
2:01 pm
It is all coaching… Mark Richt needs to right this ship and now!
SOUTHGADAWG88
November 17th, 2010
2:02 pm
S&C?I haven’t seen anyone we played this year markedly bigger,stronger and faster so I doubt that is the problem.
The Offense?The team has put up 30+ 6 straight games.This could be the highest scoring UGA team in years with a freshman QB to boot.. so the Bobo angle is not the problem.
The Defense?Bingo…I know folks will point to Saban’s 1st year at Bama blah blah but there is something everybody seems to overlook…Saban recruited monster classes in 08 and 09…look at the studs he signed on defense.If Grantham has that kind of success in recruiting then look for similar results on the field.
One thing to note…Grantham and Richt don’t seem to be on the same page as for as what we need at NT.Richt went on and on about how he thought Kwame would be a vital cog in this D because of his size…he’s still talking about “Getting that Big NT who could command double-teams..Yet Grantham says that’s not the type of NT he needs for his system and he didn’t play Kwame much this year and we haven’t really pursued that kind of kid this recruiting cycle either.Sounds like there is a difference of opinion there.I dunno MT.Cody transformed Saban’s D…they weren’t as good before he came and aren’t as good this year without him.Richt might have a point…something to watch moving forward.
Ginger
November 17th, 2010
2:03 pm
Murray has done well in his first year. He has missed some passes& and some open receivers all along–that still shows the redshirt Freshman status. He did not secure the ball on a fumble at midfield in the Florida game…..But overall–he has done well for first year player.
The defense is allowing too many points….we are still learning 3-4 …learning how to line up….learning what the assignments are…..we have given up some easy TD’s….We need a true dominating nosetackle…..feel we need to get a JUCO guy at nose with some experience. Houston is a great pass rusher, but we need others that can sack the QB…..We need some dominating hard hitting corners and safeties….Florida has the best pair of safeties in the Nation and they were tough hard hitters who were in positions to make plays….The defense has also dropped several interceptions…..Right now…UGA is not good enough to overcome mistakes and missed opportunties…I think that we are getting there though and have great hope–particularly if we recruit the right players.
The offense does need to breakaway speed at running back….Our backs are good…but not take it to the house threats….Durham and Green are great…but we need more threats at receiver…We need to sign Mitchell from Valdosta and Crowell from Columbus….Come on men and sign with UGA…You will have a great QB in Murray….
patrick
November 17th, 2010
2:03 pm
Hey stupid….our Defe nse is ranked 24th in the nation…..3rd in the SEC. LAST YEAr it was 89th.
.
Grantham is doing great considering he is using recruits of a 4-3 in a 3-4 defense…..shut up morons
SOUTHGADAWG88
November 17th, 2010
2:05 pm
Bradley why are my posts being gobbled up?
Murray is as good as he is going to get
November 17th, 2010
2:06 pm
patrick, Grantham is a choking blowhard. His lousy leadership let a lousy offense like Florida’s put up 31 points in regulation. The fat ba$tard is only good at giving choke signs.
Bigboy
November 17th, 2010
2:08 pm
The defense is giving up 31pts a game in these 6 losses…to hell with some fluffy stats..take away the 3 cupcakes and Vandy and they would have horrible numbers.The 3rd down conversion rate is over 65%…that’s ridiculous!
Josh
November 17th, 2010
2:09 pm
Georgia has lost 2-3 games due to Murray. Florida, he threw 3 int’s, and had a 32 yard fumble.Colorado–handed the ball off to King when a defender was in King’s grill resulting in a fumble, shold have tiucked it and ran as a broken play–King was clobbered the instant he touched the ball. Murray’s inexperience resulted in Ark & SC stacking 8 in the box and drillung the run, 2 more losses there. Murray also threw to Durham who got clocked–who’s lungs got bruised–you need body bags when Murray’s throwing passes–he often makes poor reads and doesn’t protect his WR’s. He had no timing in games 2-4, missed wide open WR’s for TD’s. His timing was off in the Florida game, as he didn’t complete a single pass in the first quarter.
Georgia has lost 2-3 games due to the new 3-4 defense. Grantham’s trying to run the new scheme defense with the wrong body types.
Saban suffered his frist year at Alabama with installing the 3-4, went 7-6, just like Richt’s going to do.
1- Loss of AJ Green for 4 games cost Georgia
2- Aaron Murray’s inexperience costs Georgia
3- New scheme withoutprsonell to run it cost Georgia
No one had Gergia pre-season #1, or even in the pre-season top 10, I had them goign 4-8 in 2010, so I’m plased they’ll go 7-6.
Phil
November 17th, 2010
2:10 pm
I agree, Grantham is a punk and is an embarassment to UGA. Richt only hired him because everybody else he wanted turned him down. Richt was desperate when he hired Grantham.
Josh
November 17th, 2010
2:15 pm
Murray played poorly in the 4th quarter against Auburn, his timing is bad, he’s often good, when it doesn’t matter, and bad when it does. Heoverthrows, underthrows, throws interceptions, a lot too.
But he’s a freshman.
Cmpare Mettenberger’s stats to see how Georgia could have been 11-0 right now. Mett’s 36 td’s, 3 int’s, 11-0 as a starter, playing for the National Championsip. Mett’s been offered by Alabama and LSU. Richt made the wrong decision going with Murray over Mett.
RT
November 17th, 2010
2:15 pm
Georgia is 5-6 because their opponents have performed better. Player ratings and statistics don’t mean a thing if you get outplayed and outscored. Reality is a @*&$^%*!
Josh
November 17th, 2010
2:17 pm
Grantham’s D has given up 22.1 points a game, Saban’s D gave up 22.7 in Saban’s 1st year putting in the 3-4 at Alabama.
Grantham’s OLB’S have outplayed Saan’s, leads the SEC in sacks and tfl’s.
Grantham’s D is #24 in the nation in total defense.
Murray is as good as he is going to get
November 17th, 2010
2:20 pm
Josh Patrick, at least you are posting with some clarity today.
Mett
November 17th, 2010
2:24 pm
I am coming back to haunt Jawja next year.
Astropig
November 17th, 2010
2:24 pm
2011 schedule
OOC: louisville,Coastal Carolina, New Mexico State at GT
SEC: SC,MSU,KY,AU-at home Vandy,UT,Ole Miss-Away Florida in J’ville
Next years sked has 5 wins baked in: CC , New Mexico State ,Vandy , Kentucky ,Ole Miss
Probable Losses : Florida , SC , MSU
Toss Ups – Louisville , Tenn, AU,Tech
That means that the season (and Mark Richt’s tenure) is really going to be decided against these toss up teams.7-5 means that he’s gone. 8-4 (depending on the 4) probably means sayanora. I believe that it will take 9 wins to keep his job and that looks like a tall order,but attainable. Richt can take a lot of the pressure off of his regime by starting off with a win against Louisville.Lose that one,and it will be really hard to get to nine wins against this schedule.Tennessee has found the bottom and will get better from here,so teh Dawgs had better bring their “A” game. Auburn will be a wild card. Lots of “ifs”. IF their is some smoking gun in the Cam Newton story,IF Newton is back (unlikely), IF the Tigers win the NC…Hard to tell this far out.Tech is a rivalry game. It will be a knife fight no matter what.
Of course ,its an eternity until next season,but its fun to play “what if?”
Tom in ATL
November 17th, 2010
2:25 pm
If Georgia is half as bad as you people are making out – why Did Florida and Auburn both Celebrate like its 1999 when they won? They don’t make a big deal out of it when they whip Vanderbilt. The media may want to jump on Georgia for being a bad team – and the bottomline results – win and losses – certainly is bad – but go ask the guys who just played them – they were in a war and were happy to come out on top. UGA is not far off from being what they usually are – a solid top 20 team who occasionally rises above that level and goes top 10.
Bottom Line
November 17th, 2010
2:26 pm
Murray is a better QB as a freshman, but does not have the tailback/ running back that the others did. That is the difference in the record, IMO.
RedandBlack
November 17th, 2010
2:28 pm
The offense is not consistent. Second and five to go in red zone last Saturday at Auburn after a Caleb King five yard run. The offense then tries two pass plays (incomplete) and then Georgia kicks a field goal. That is where Georgia lost the game. It should have been four down territory to get a first down, and get closer to the end zone for an eventual tying touchdown. Bye, bye Bobo. Hello, new Offensive Coordinator. Go Dogs!!
Jim Tavegia
November 17th, 2010
2:57 pm
It is easy to figure when you have a poor defense. The defensive dawgs are awful…there is no other way to put it. There is a reason the D coordinator never stays anywhere too long. He won’t be long here either.
ignition
November 17th, 2010
3:04 pm
Why don’t you go as Hard on Mark Richts Sorry Coaching as you do Paul Hewitts…????
At least Paul actually coached his team to a National Championship..
dawgforlife
November 17th, 2010
3:08 pm
This year the state of Ga is loaded with high school prospects…it is more loaded than it has been in recent memory…we cannot afford a coaching house cleaning right now…we need to hold the coarse..because, if we don’t, other schools will be beating us with our own states players. We cannot afford to disrupt this years recruiting
Virginia DAWG
November 17th, 2010
3:09 pm
Well even more confounding is the improvement in turnover ratio, reducttion in penalties and much better defensive stats. The real issue is the timing of some critical mistakes. Fumbled away the Colorado game, fumbled an opportunity at USC that could have changed the complexion of the game, interception to UF, and the pass breakdown to Arkansas. Auburn (possibly SC) was the only loss that we just got outplayed. BTW, those two teams are playing for the SECC.
robdawg
November 17th, 2010
3:10 pm
Aaron Murray has not been the dawgs problem this year. Poor offensive play calling and a porous D have doomed the dawgs to mediocracy. We have been outcoached in at least 4 losses this year.
Arkansas – we have the ball with 1 & half minutes to go in the game with a first down at midfield with an all american kicker. We should win this game 90% of the time. Pick up 15 yards & the game is over. Worst case – run out the clock and go to overtime. No way we should lose this game.
Miss St – completely outcoached from start to finish. This team runs a high school offense with mediocre talent.
Colorado – again from the start we are out coached by a loser coach who has already been cannned. Does anyone think this team has talent close to what we have.
Florida- after not using AJ for the whole game, allegedly he was double teamed. Every great receiver gets double teamed. That doesn’t mean you do not throw them the ball. Jerry Rice, Reggie Wayne, Michael Irvin were double teamed their whole carreers but their coaches still had enuff imagination to get them the ball. That’s what great coaches do. The last two minutes of the Florida game was the worst excuse of coaching in UGA history. First, from our own 5 yard line, BOZO decides to throw the ball from our end zone. Rather than run out the clock & let’s get to Overtime. The ball almost gets picked & Murray almost gets sacked in the end zone. We end up punting to Florida & giving them another chance from midfield. Amazingly the D holds and Florida punts with 5 seconds on the clock. A midget league volunteer coach would know better than to try and field a punt at this time. But we put Branden Smith back on the goal line to catch the ball as the whole florida team is running at him full speed. Rather than just getting out of the way, he tries to catch the ball near our goal line & fumbles. Common sense tells you to let the punt go & lets go to OT. Then in OT, we do what BOZO does best. Pass on first down, run on 2nd down. Go back and check this year. This happens about 80% of the time. Then on third down, we throw into a crowd. With an all american licker and Florida with their punter kicking, no way we should lose in OT.
We have been outcoached for several years now and the results prove it. We continue to lose to teams with much less talent. This happened in the Donnan era. This happened often in the goff era. Now it is happening under CMR. It is time for changes. Murray will be better next year but without changes in coaching we are doomed to mediocracy. We will continue to lose to Florida. This rivalry has become a joke. There are great coaches available that would give anything to be a UGA. Enuff is enuff.
Chuck
November 17th, 2010
3:18 pm
Let me help you out, Mark. The problem is two-fold: Conditioning and Discipline.
Georgia is not a well-conditioned team this year. They have wore down in games, got pushed around by stronger offensive and defensive lines, and they couldn’t finish games in the fourth quarter. That goes back to off-season workouts and the Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Georgia was also not a disciplined team. Too many off-season arrests followed by ridiculous penalties, a poor job of ball security and blown assignments. Disciplined teams don’t make those mistakes.
All told, the coaches didn’t push the players hard enough, and there is no fear of retribution if they don’t produce in the weight room or off the field or on the field.
fdawg
November 17th, 2010
3:21 pm
Yeah Phil. It would have been a great idea to get Newton. I thought we wanted to clean up our image, not recruit another lawbreaker.
fdawg
November 17th, 2010
3:32 pm
Tom in Atlanta is right. Georgia’s having a bad season because let’s face it, we’re not a great football team. We’re just a solid team that’s steeped in football tradition. So everybody wants us to be great, but let’s face it we’re not. The best we can hope for is a 10 win season and maybe a miracle against our biggest rivals.
Don’t believe me? Just go back and look at our records over the last 20 years.
Still don’t believe me? How many National titles have the other powers in the SEC won this century?
I’m not saying fire a coach if he doesn’t win a Title every three years, but come on! The continual weaknesses are obvious. We recruit from the same talent pool that every other team recruits from. Yet our players never seem to develop past average.
I don’t see it getting better any time in the near future.
Brent
November 17th, 2010
3:36 pm
Mark-
How in the world did you have Georgia at 9-3 this year? Seen their schedule?
Auburn, MSU, SC, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ga Tech, road game against Colorado
Most experts said Georgia would really stuggle this year due to the new staff, defensive scheme, QB inexperience, 3 losses to the NFL at DL, schedule, etc.
Georgia might finish 5-7, 6-7, or 7-6, about right where they should have finished.
Brent
November 17th, 2010
3:37 pm
Josh-
I agree with your post, great sutff.
Derrick
November 17th, 2010
3:38 pm
Agree Josh, best post I’ve read in years. Thanks for spending the time with us.
Scottie
November 17th, 2010
3:39 pm
Josh, you should get your own tv or radio show, just deep insight, never heard that stuff before, on point.
Josh
November 17th, 2010
3:40 pm
thanks guys, really appreciate it. No, no, I’m not some kind of genius. Just using my common sense. Yes, I do intend to have my own radio talk show, in the works. Have a great afternoon gentleman.
Dawg H8R
November 17th, 2010
3:41 pm
Mark Bradley: I’m a supporter of yours, so why did my lunchtime rant not
get posted.”Hey South Carolina” uses the phrase “nob-gobbling behind a 7-11 dumpster” and it gets posted. WTF?! Seriously, WTF?!
Seriously, WTF?!
Bennie
November 17th, 2010
3:44 pm
Brent,
Good point about the 3 DL gone to NFL, boy did Georgia miss those. Mark Schlarback said that all summer, but I didn’t think he was right. He was dead on. Against Auburn, and SC, Georgia’s run D got busted up. Miss those big experienced DL.
Char
November 17th, 2010
3:49 pm
AJ’s suspenion threw the whole year off. McGarity stinks, should have got that reduced to 2 games. Once Georgia was at 1-4, to finish up 7-6 with a 5-2 run, pretty good, considering where Georgia was at after the first 5 games.
GTSTEVE
November 17th, 2010
4:06 pm
UGA cant stop the run for sure. They were exposed against Auburn and they will probably get exposed again against GT even with their 2nd string qb. If A.J. wasn’t a thug then they may have won a game or two more. Overall their offense is good but tech and uga’s defenses are not built to run that 3-4 defense right now.
robodawg
November 17th, 2010
4:07 pm
What are his stats in our losses? Against the three best defenses we faced (S Carolina, Miss St, Florida) he was okay; against Florida, his nerves showed early and his mistakes were extremely costly. When the game has been on the line he either has not been asked to get it done (i.e., we turned to our running game instead, which failed us), or he has simply not gotten it done (overtime interception tops the cake).
He’s looked like a great freshman, but still a freshman.
Our inconsistent blocking and running game hasn’t helped him out. Nor have the chunks of yards we give up on defense.
Greg
November 17th, 2010
4:08 pm
to gauge Georgia you need to be realisitic.
It’s year one in the 3-4 defense for goodness sakes.
Saban went 7-6 in 2007 in his 1st year wiht the 3-4 at Alabama.
georgia, if they beat Tech, and win the Bowl will finish at 7-6 too.
That’s actually excellent for year 1 folks, it’s all a process, but there needs to be MAJOR improvement in year 2. No excuses.
Bennie
November 17th, 2010
4:10 pm
I acutally think losing the 3 DL’s to the NFL, hurt Georgia more than anythng this year. Look at the way MSU, SC, & Auburn ran the ball, didn’t happen like that last year with those big DL’s. That’s a lot of experience to lose right up the heart of the D.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 17th, 2010
4:11 pm
I can tell you why Mark Bradley
A coach who has 55 seconds left in the half tied up with the #2 team in the nation has a time out left but instead chooses to run and then take a knee
And you wonder why we are 5-6 come on Bradley
George
November 17th, 2010
4:14 pm
I hope Georgia Tech beats Georgia. Then Georgia won’t go to a bowl. Will finish 5-7.
Then 8-4 will look like a big improvement in 2011, and 10-2 in 2012 will be another year of improvement.
Hope Georgia loses, and finally has at least 1, losing seaosn under Richt.
Saban has a 6-7 or 7-6 year often, it’s a rebuilding year, it resets expectations so a coach can have some time to improve.
All these years of going 13-1, 10-3, 9-4, or as bad as 8-5, have built up unrealitic expectations that Richt can’t meet every year. It’s not sustainable. No one is that good and wins that many games, consistently, that long without ever having a single bad season.
oldguy
November 17th, 2010
4:16 pm
I would not say that Murray has been great. He lacks the ability to throw over the middle off the play action. While that aspect has improved over the last few weeks it was a glaring flaw in our offensive scheme through he first 5 or 6 games. Our offense has got to be able to put the ball over the middle to the tight ends and backs on the screen. It just has not happened. In fact, I will go so far as to say that if LeMay can deliver the ball over the middle with greater efficiency that Murray could be a back up next year.
George
November 17th, 2010
4:24 pm
Richt’s strategy has been bad. Sometimes you throw a year and play the young guys, knowing you’ll lose a lot of games that year. Saban’s gone 6-7, or 7-6, 6 times, even in 2007 at Alabama. Richt’s been so focused on winning at least 8 games, that he’s made some poor strategic moves (like going with Cox over murray last season). Worked in the short term, but when 2011 rolled around, cox was gone, and Murray had to start, with no experience. I hope Richt will learn to think strategically, do what’s best for Georgia IN THE LONG TERM. It’s not selling out. It’s “The Saban Plan”. Look at Urban Meyer, he either goes 13 wins or 9, no in-between. He’s either playing for the Championship, or rebuilding.
George
November 17th, 2010
4:26 pm
i don’t like Georgia’s scheudling in 2010. You play cream puffs in non-conference games, and 7 home games. Do what Florida does. Georgia played 5 top 25 teams, not enough home games, not enough cream puff games, and plays Florida every year, in Florida, always an away game.
Heath
November 17th, 2010
4:32 pm
Murray is going to end up like one of those sad Vanderbilt standouts. He’ll post good numbers for four years on a team that goes nowhere. Since Richt won a couple of SEC titles, he’s apparently earned the right to drive the program into the ground completely.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 17th, 2010
4:53 pm
2-8 vs FL
I could care less about his 10 wins crap
I will take plenty of 6-7 7-6 8-5 seasons like we had under Dooley or what Saban has done if it will deliever championship runs, beat downs to FL, or just the oportunity to play in SEC championship game win or lose.
Frankly Im tired of year after year hoping FL will lose out so we have the oportunity to maybe play in the SEC championship game
Sorry people but at my job results like we have had, get you fired, not a pay raise that makes you the 6th highest paid coach in CFB especially with the caliber of talent we have had
Jason
November 17th, 2010
4:54 pm
It is because the defense gave up big plays in some of the games we were close in and the fact that our running backs and O-line were garbage this year. Ealey and King have the potential to each be a 1,000 yd rusher, but neither did anything great this year. In fact, Ealey lost UGA two games this year and King a third. That is the difference.
bitter clarke county shariff
November 17th, 2010
5:06 pm
im awaitin yaaaw fo that next f— up from goega football team, been a couple of weeks yaaaw, im tired of being nice yaaaw, im alookin foo a goege boy yaaaw, hahahahahah loosers 5-6, dont blame me i just enforce the law yaaaw, need to get back in the paper yaaaw, coach donnan been paying me well yaaaw, hahahaha will run that fla boy off yaaaaw, hahahahahah
kral
November 17th, 2010
5:14 pm
Finally you write something I could enjoy reading..If I had known what AM would have done this season,I would have bet some money on winning the east