Richt advises uneasy fans: Just watch Aaron Murray’s tape
Most people who follow Georgia football had figured since the end of last season that Aaron Murray probably would be the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback in 2010. What no one figured, of course, was that his competition would dissipate as it has.
But with Zach Mettenberger dismissed from the team and Logan Gray shifting part-time to wide receiver, Murray seems suddenly solidly entrenched as the Dogs’ 2010 quarterback.
“We’re thinner at QB than we expected to be at this time,” coach Mark Richt told a Bulldog Club gathering this week, “but if you want to feel good about it, just go back on the Internet and do a little search on Aaron Murray and watch Aaron’s high school tape. And I think you’ll get just as excited as you were the day he . . . committed to Georgia.”
Murray in spring practice, watched by Mike Bobo (AJC photo/Brant Sanderlin)
(If you want to heed Richt’s advice, by the way, you can find plenty video of Murray’s high school days on YouTube.)
Richt has said that Murray, a redshirt freshman, would have been No. 1 on the post-spring depth chart even if Mettenberger had not been kicked off the team, and Gray’s desire to play wide receiver seems to speak volumes about how he saw the chances of surpassing Murray at quarterback this summer.
In high school in Tampa, Murray was a Parade Magazine All-American and MVP of the prestigious Elite 11 camp for the nation’s top quarterback prospects. But fresher on Georgia fans’ minds is his underwhelming performance in the G-Day spring game.
Richt seemed to be trying to ease those concerns during the Bulldog Club meeting at the Walnut Creek Shooting Preserve near Macon this week.
“His skill set -– you would take Aaron Murray every single year that you are recruiting a quarterback,” Richt said. “He’s got a very quick release. He’s an accurate passer. I know in the G-Day game he wasn’t super-accurate, but you got to admit we threw a lot of very low-percentage balls that day. He’s an accurate passer.”
Murray will be the only newcomer on an offense that returns starters at the other 10 positions. He’ll have the luxury of an experienced line, two talented tailbacks and one of the nation’s top wide receivers.
Murray “is to the point, in my opinion, where he just needs to play,” Richt said in an interview. “The biggest thing for him is to understand that you don’t have to do anything spectacular. You don’t have to put the team on your shoulders. You’re not required to carry this football team. You’re required to do your job. And part of your job is to not try to be a hero.
“My biggest thing is: Don’t turn a bad play into a catastrophe. If it’s a bad play, throw it away, take a sack, whatever you got to do.. . . Let’s not be flippant or casual with that ball.”.
Georgia committed 28 turnovers (17 interceptions thrown and 11 fumbles lost) last season and had an atrocious turnover ratio of minus-16 (28 lost, 12 gained). Richt calls turnover ratio the most important statistic in football.
“If we just turn that around, we win a minimum of 10 and probably 11 games [last season],” he said. “So we got to get better at that.”
That will require forcing more opponent turnovers, which is up to Todd Grantham’s defense, and protecting the ball better on offense, which starts with Aaron Murray.
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254 comments Add your comment
Delusional Dawg
May 16th, 2010
5:04 pm
If Murray is 6′ then I’m 9′11″…….
76-Dawg
May 16th, 2010
5:09 pm
Most of the reel on Murray’s showed him hitting bomb’s, which want be available near as much in college ball . I hope he can pick out receiver’s and throw over the middle. Also the number one thing that need’s improvement is Uga’s screen pass which arguably was the worst in college football.
AltamahaDawg
May 16th, 2010
5:13 pm
9′11″ and a fan of what school?
POSER
May 16th, 2010
5:14 pm
I think BuLLdawg is really Saint Simmons in disguise.
Delbert D.
May 16th, 2010
5:16 pm
Still looking for advice on which blog we should read…
patrick
May 16th, 2010
5:18 pm
the ACC good?????
.
Ummm didnt the worst team for UGA in 11 years beat the best team for GT (the ACC champ)?
trey
May 16th, 2010
5:22 pm
Gooooo Iowa hawkeyes: 24
Taliban: 14
Orange Bowl score
LMAOOOOOO
Only a retard would actually try to brag about the orange bowl their team got WHIPPED in. ROTFL
It’s going to be a good year for the dawgs. Maybe 2 or 3 losses at the most.
The 2011 class is incredibly awesome thus far and it’s not even full yet.
Shane
May 16th, 2010
5:32 pm
Plays the avg teams well but can’t matchup physically with Fla, Bama, LSU and other elite SEC teams.
You do realize we are 6-2 over the last 8 against Bama and LSU. Id say we match up fine.
TBags
May 16th, 2010
8:43 pm
The only thing that Murray is likely to have a year from now are a few bad press clippings.
And maybe a rap sheet with the Athens police.
Sir Dog A Lot
May 16th, 2010
8:56 pm
For those of you that didn’t know, Colt McCoy said of Murray he was one of the most impressive players he’s ever seen.
Rivals.com, experts on young football talent, compares Aaron Murray to Dree Brees, here’s that article:
http://uga.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=800299
Sir Dog A Lot
May 16th, 2010
8:58 pm
There’s some nift video highlighz of Drew Brees, just so you know what Georgia has to look forward to in Aaron Murray, take a look at this highlight video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4ruh-ujts0&feature=related
Sir Dog A Lot
May 16th, 2010
9:03 pm
A National analyst compares Aaron Murray more to Stafford, then to Drew Brees, here’s what he had to say about Murray being like Matthew Stafford:
http://uga.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=800299
I’m not sure Colt McCoy is right that Murray’s the most impressive ever, or the Rivals expert who compared him to Drew Brees, or the National analyst who compared him more to Stafford, all 3 are cool things to hear.
Sir Dog A Lot
May 16th, 2010
9:08 pm
Here’s da vid on Matthew Stafford so U can see what u gettin’ in Murrau if he turns out like National Analyst say and is like Stafford, killer vid of Matt Stafford:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVEN74CAHqk&feature=related
LSWho?
May 16th, 2010
9:23 pm
I understand the comments about how UGA has been surpassed by Florida and Bama…that’s pretty obvious. I’m less sure how people consistently write that they’ve been surpassed by LSU.
Since 2005 UGA had annihilated LSU 3 straight times before the 2009 game, and LSU had to score in the final minute to win that one. Yes, the Tigers won national titles in ‘03 & ‘07, but overall they have not “surpassed” UGA by any means. Since Nick Saban left I would argue that the Dawgs have been slightly better than LSU, including the 2007 season.
BuLLdawg
May 16th, 2010
9:26 pm
If we match up fine with SEC East teams, then why are we 38-14 the last 4 years, good for # 19 in the nation and 10-10 vs SEC East teams the last 4 years ?
Oh, yeah, I really love that.
Go Dawgs, way to go.
With # 9 in SEC football Graduation Rates in the latest NCAA release 2010.
And, with 39 Arrests / Suspensions in the last 3 years.
1-3 vs the vols the last 4 years
1-3 vs Florida the last 4 years
Oh, yeah, we really match up fine.
21 fumbles a year the last 4 years
14 interceptions a year the last 4 years
# 96 NCAA in Penalties every year the last 4 years
I have to be a Georgia tek fan if I don’t love that crap.
Stinger
May 16th, 2010
9:38 pm
Ahhhh, ha, ha, ha, ha! You just got swept again. Fifty loses is a real possibility.
Stinger
May 16th, 2010
9:44 pm
Murray will have more passes batted back in his face than he will complete. LMFAO.
BuLLdawg
May 16th, 2010
9:52 pm
He won’t lose to Georgia tek.
Delusional Dawg
May 16th, 2010
9:59 pm
Who is this person who keeps quoting Colt McCoy saying that Murray is this and that? And why is Colt McCoy all the sudden this great authority on future college QBs?? Are we really supposed to be impressed by what Colt McCoy says about Aaron Murray or anyone else for that matter??? I don’t think so!
Delusional Dawg
May 16th, 2010
10:08 pm
And the Drew Bees comparisons? Really? That’s awfully presumptive for a guy whose never taken a live college snap. You’re really going to compare him to Brees based on high school exploits? Thats awfully asinine. That shows me that someone doesn’t have a clue, whether it’s a writer or a fan who would believe such crap.
Ace
May 16th, 2010
10:27 pm
Trying to get the program back on track with a 5′8” injury prone QB. This is how you end up out of the top 25 like last year. It will be a few years in the dumps.
Luv My Dawgs
May 16th, 2010
10:52 pm
My man Shrinky Dink is goin to save coach Richt’s job. Pummel them aweful gators. And, cause the South to rise again. OBTW, my cousin’s short and he reminds me of Drew Brees 2
AltamahaDawg
May 16th, 2010
11:02 pm
One thing Colt McCoy was an expert on is that he knew what school he supported and not ashamed to admit it like Delusional. Ashamed of your own college team, and obsessed with somebody else’s……… Very fitting name.
Flo-Ri-Duh!
May 16th, 2010
11:22 pm
Teresa wasn’t your name Tom last year… that sex change hasn’t done much for you. To refresh your memory (altered by your hormone imbalance) Murray received scholarship offers from Bama, LSU, Florida, Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State, Tennessee, etc., etc, etc., – if he is so talent challenged I guess everyone is wrong but you girlie boy!
Sir Dog A Lot
May 16th, 2010
11:34 pm
Nike Camp had some nice things to say about Aaron Murray in this video:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/video/recruiting-football/Gainesville-NIKE-Camp-Aaron-Murray-30565
Sir Dog A Lot
May 16th, 2010
11:38 pm
ESPN had a nice write up after Murray won the most competitive QB cmpetitionin the country at the Elite 11 Camp, winning BOTH the MVP Elite 11 award AND the Elite 11 LEADER award.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=3504655
David Granger
May 16th, 2010
11:39 pm
Yeah, and Richt told us all last spring about how much faith everyone had in Joe Cox. I think Aaron Murray is going to do fine…but he should NOT have been awarded the “starting QB” position yet…that shouldn’t have happened till next Fall, even if we KNEW it. And Mark Richt should shut his damn mouth. Just like last year with Joe Cox, it sounds too much like “whistling past the graveyard”.
Sir Dog A Lot
May 16th, 2010
11:41 pm
Aaron Murray AND AJ Green BOTH made ESPN’S 100 top players to watch list for 2010.
Note:
Murray is a red-shirt freshman and still comes in #55 on this list.
http://espn.go.com/blog/sportscenter/post/_/id/34810/joe-schads-2010-top-100-college-football-players-to-watch
Sir Dog A Lot
May 16th, 2010
11:50 pm
A lot of people are picking Murray to be great:
Colt McCoy
ESPN
Nike
Elite 11
Rivals
Scout
Mark Richt
That’s a lot of people that know a lot about football.
yogi B
May 17th, 2010
2:28 am
Florida will always have the advantage if we always play them at their home field
BuLLdawg
May 17th, 2010
4:54 am
Aaron Murray is number 58 on that list. There are 26 quarterbacks listed AHEAD of Aaron Murray.
AJ Green is on the list.
So, too, are 8 Alabama players
7 Florida players
QB for Arkansas our opponent this year, Ryan Mallett is listed # 1
I will tell you this that if he goes into Columbia in week 2 at night and loses, Coach Richt will have a
LOSING RECORD the last 5 years at 10-11 vs SEC East.
How’s that ?
cseay
May 17th, 2010
4:54 am
Coach Richt is encouraging fans to view Murrays high school films. What’s next, watch my offenses when I was at FSU? Knock, Knock Dawg fans, does that tell you something? Richt is feeling the heat and it’s only going to get hottter after this season. Strap in Dawg Nation, Whuff, Whuff!
cseay
May 17th, 2010
4:57 am
“Florida will always have the advantage if we always play them at their home field.”
Hey Yogi, is wasn’t Florida’s home field when Dooley was whipping our butts ever year, it was Athens South, remember? Maybe you don’t.
BuLLdawg
May 17th, 2010
5:37 am
Quarterback Rating Leaders – QualifiedRK PLAYER TEAM ATT COMP PCT YDS YDS/A LONG TD INT SACK RATE YDS/G
1 Drew Brees, QB NOR 514 363 70.6 4388 8.54 75 34 11 20 109.6 293
2 Brett Favre, QB MIN 531 363 68.4 4202 7.91 63 33 7 34 107.2 263
3 Philip Rivers, QB SDG 486 317 65.2 4254 8.75 81 28 9 25 104.4 266
4 Aaron Rodgers, QB GNB 541 350 64.7 4434 8.20 83 30 7 50 103.2 277
5 Ben Roethlisberger, QB PIT 506 337 66.6 4328 8.55 60 26 12 50 100.5 289
6 Peyton Manning, QB IND 571 393 68.8 4500 7.88 80 33 16 10 99.9 281
7 Matt Schaub, QB HOU 583 396 67.9 4770 8.18 72 29 15 25 98.6 298
8 Tony Romo, QB DAL 550 347 63.1 4483 8.15 80 26 9 34 97.6 280
9 Tom Brady, QB NWE 565 371 65.7 4398 7.78 81 28 13 16 96.2 275
10 Kurt Warner, QB ARI 513 339 66.1 3753 7.32 45 26 14 24 93.2 250
RK PLAYER TEAM ATT COMP PCT YDS YDS/A LONG TD INT SACK RATE YDS/G
11 Eli Manning, QB NYG 509 317 62.3 4021 7.90 74 27 14 30 93.1 251
12 Donovan McNabb, QB PHI 443 267 60.3 3553 8.02 60 22 10 35 92.9 254
13 Joe Flacco, QB BAL 499 315 63.1 3613 7.24 72 21 12 36 88.9 226
14 Kyle Orton, QB DEN 541 336 62.1 3802 7.03 87 21 12 29 86.8 238
15 Jason Campbell, QB WAS 507 327 64.5 3618 7.14 84 20 15 43 86.4 226
16 Carson Palmer, QB CIN 466 282 60.5 3094 6.64 73 21 13 26 83.6 193
17 David Garrard, QB JAC 516 314 60.9 3597 6.97 63 15 10 42 83.5 225
18 Vince Young, QB TEN 259 152 58.7 1879 7.26 66 10 7 9 82.8 157
19 Alex Smith, QB SFO 372 225 60.5 2350 6.32 73 18 12 22 81.5 214
20 Matt Ryan, QB ATL 451 263 58.3 2916 6.47 90 22 14 19 80.9 208
RK PLAYER TEAM ATT COMP PCT YDS YDS/A LONG TD INT SACK RATE YDS/G
21 Jay Cutler, QB CHI 555 336 60.5 3666 6.61 71 27 26 35 76.8 229
22 Chad Henne, QB MIA 451 274 60.8 2878 6.38 67 12 14 26 75.2 206
23 Matt Hasselbeck, QB SEA 488 293 60.0 3029 6.21 53 17 17 32 75.1 216
24 Marc Bulger, QB STL 247 140 56.7 1469 5.95 50 5 6 14 70.7 163
25 Matt Cassel, QB KAN 493 271 55.0 2924 5.93 61 16 16 42 69.9 195
26 Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB BUF 227 127 55.9 1422 6.26 98 9 10 21 69.7 142
27 Brady Quinn, QB CLE 256 136 53.1 1339 5.23 59 8 7 19 67.2 134
28 Mark Sanchez, QB NYJ 364 196 53.8 2444 6.71 65 12 20 26 63.0 163
29 Matthew Stafford, QB DET 377 201 53.3 2267 6.01 75 13 20 24 61.0 227
The worst QB Rating in the NFL.
Knowshon Moreno, pick # 12 in the first round by a poor Denver NFL team, dealt with a very bad offensive line and rushed for 947 yards with 4 fumbles the same number of fumbles that Beanie Wells had.
213 yards receiving on 28 catches for Knowshon Moreno.
247 carries is not a lot of carries for a team who isn’t very good. That is half the total of carries a featured back might get and at least 5 carries a game fewer than he should have had.
Knowshon Moreno certainly put a great block on Keith Brooking, and there were several other outstanding blocks Knowshon Moreno highlighted his opening season in NFL games.
22 years old, Knowshon Moreno, to me, plays on a poor team with no offensive linemen, a questionable quarterback, and in a poor offensive scheme who should have handed him the ball more and should have also thrown to him more as well.
Tim Tebow, now of course, they took too. That was this season. So, maybe Tim Tebow can be put in there to block for Knowshon Moreno. That would work out very well, since that is the position I see Tim Tebow being anyway.
Knowshon gets the most yards after contact of any running back. Getting him free is what Denver’s problem is.
Here are some of the total number of running plays where Kyle Orton handed the ball off to Knowshon Moreno.
8 carries
10 carries
5 carries
10 carries
9 carries
That is 5 games where Knowshon averaged only 8 caries a game.
They threw to him less than twice a game.
Why take a player with the pick # 12 overall and not even make him the featured back ?
Those are certainly not featured back touches he was given.
BuLLdawg
May 17th, 2010
6:01 am
“Bulldog Nation has had some pretty deflating letdowns the last couple years”
by
RED DOG 77
May 17th, 2010 12:37 am
http://blogs.ajc.com/junkyard-blawg/2010/05/15/which-september-game-looks-toughest-for-the-dogs/comment-page-2/#comment-83515
david
May 17th, 2010
6:52 am
I hate to bust the bubble of expectations…but seems like we heard the same thing about Joe Cox and how great he was in HS. Earth to UGA….doesnt matter how great the kid was in HS….it hasnt translated to college for most of our QBs….Stafford (ok, all about himself), Joe Cox…..David Greene wasnt that “great” in hs but look what he did for us……nuff said.
AltamahaDawg
May 17th, 2010
7:21 am
David, what is nuff said? What was your point? Do Not recruit great HS QB’s. Or that we have better luck when we do start Freshman Qb’s?
Notso Fast
May 17th, 2010
8:11 am
Coach Richt still doesn’t understand that it’s not how you look in practice or what color uniform you wear on game day. Can you beat Florida with Murray????
Rita
May 17th, 2010
8:16 am
Murray will lose the job as starter at or before halftime in the second game.
He’s not very good. Richt’s smokescreen is obscuring the fact that he is too slow to run and too inaccurate to pass. Gray or Mason will be the UGA QB this year unless they both get arrested and suspended, which is a very real possibility.
UGABasketball
May 17th, 2010
8:31 am
Dream Lover where are you… to make my dreams come true…..looks like another Tebow.
Dogs are 3-14 vs. Gators this school year | UGA sports blog
May 17th, 2010
10:08 am
[...] And if you’re looking for something more upbeat: Watch Aaron Murray’s tape, Mark Richt advises uneasy fans. [...]
1Baddawg
May 17th, 2010
11:20 am
I’m getting sick and tired of Richt and all you guys slobbering over Aaron “Michael Jackson” Murray. CMR stated he is an accurate passer, and in the G-Day game they really didn’t throw very many high percentage passes. Bull. The passes to A.J. Green weren’t low percentage passes. The first was a normal down and out, 2nd was a deeper same route and the 3rd was a post route that Green was open by 10/15 yards from anyone and Murray threw it 10 yards over his head. He couldn’t hit his butt with both hands much less be claimed an “accurate passer”. CMR says go watch his high school videos. Give me a break. He is not in high school anymore, he’s in D-1 and right now hasn’t showed the public anything. He is only an average quarterback.
Tech Sting
May 17th, 2010
11:34 am
GA–a second tier SEC program—very simple. It’s Bama — Florida, then the next tier, then a third tier. Ga needs to change their coaching and recruiting style to compete with the big dogs.
2010: Ga loses 4 games—but maybe richt can come up with some neat motivational trick to get the team “fired up” like a blackout or an endzone taunting dance!!! He’s a master, you know.
damngooddawg!
May 17th, 2010
11:35 am
Freddie. Been there/done that! Oh…you meant that Richt won’t ever win the division and play in the SEC championship or play in a BCS bowl again….Now I get it.
Kirk
May 17th, 2010
11:40 am
Murray finished the 3 spring games with a 58% accuracy, same as Alabama’s McElroy, and Florida’s Brantley, over their 3 Spring games. If Murray can keep hanging with Alabama, Georgia will be fine.
how2fish
May 17th, 2010
12:13 pm
Tech Sting UGA will again stomp a mudhole in the Bugs…and CMR will again outcoach the Wattle Neck Goon…hell last year he had WNG so nuts the fooled tried to PASS…”what are you stupid? “.
how2fish
May 17th, 2010
12:20 pm
Should have read “the fool tried to pass”..
Kirk
May 17th, 2010
12:33 pm
I’m more interested in td to int ratio than passing accuracy–who cares if you’re 65% accurate, but the other 35% ends up with 17 int’s? In High School, Murray had a 7+ td to int ratio, 51 td’s, 7 int’s. If he can get a 4+ td to int ratio, for example, 16 tds, and 4 int’s, Georgia will have a great year. If he starts throwing too many int’s, look for Hutson Mason to win the job–Mason is more accurate than Murray–completed 73% of his passes his Senior year in High School, AND Mason had a 5+ td to int ratio. By the Florida game, Georgia will have a very capable and efficient QB with a strong td to int ratio. Logan Gray is another potential starter at QB. Georgia has 3 solid guys, 2 Elite 11 QB’s and a Parade All-American, and Georgia just needs 1 out of 3 to turn into something special.
David
May 17th, 2010
1:00 pm
Richt is weak at risk management–too many offensive giveaways, too many penalities, too many risks. He either doesn’t have a risk management plan, or his plans don’t work. You should NEVER allow a QB to CONTINUE playing QB, when that QB shows disregard for risk. Joe Cox like risk-taking was Georgia’s downfall, and what worries fans, is Murray threw more int’s per passes ratio than Joe Cox, and Murray threw more int’s than td’s over the 3 Spring scrimmages. I’m not sure what kind of message that sends to the other QB’s, when the QB with the WORST td to int ratio over the 3 Spring games, gets named the #1 starter.
AltamahaDawg
May 17th, 2010
2:00 pm
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