Hutson Mason ‘moving up the depth chart rapidly,’ and other notes
Cleaning out the notebook:
- With all the turmoil at Georgia’s quarterback position of late, Mark Richt has been fielding a lot of questions on the speaking circuit about incoming freshman Hutson Mason. “I’m sure he’s very excited about what’s going on,” Richt told a group last week. “He’s been moving up the depth chart rapidly because of what happened with Mr. Mettenberger and Logan Gray probably spending most of his time at wide receiver now.”
Asked the followup question of whether he sees Mason playing or redshirting this year, Richt said: “I don’t know. I want to see what he can do. If we don’t think he’s ready, I’d be more apt to have Logan continue to be our No. 2 and just go from there. I don’t want to say because I have no idea how he’s going to perform until he shows up.”
- Another hot topic, of course, is conference expansion. Richt is on record against it for the SEC, mainly because “I think if you get into what would be a super-conference, you’re just not going to play everybody. I think it would feel like two leagues rather than the Southeastern Conference.”
- Georgia’s baseball season is down to its final series: a visit by Kentucky to Foley Field Thursday through Saturday. The Bulldogs (14-36, 3-22 SEC) will enter the series with a staff earned run average of 8.63, which ranks 283rd among the nation’s 292 Division I teams and is almost two runs per game higher than the previous worst in UGA history (6.80 in 1998). Georgia pitchers have walked 261 batters and thrown 80 wild pitches in 433 innings this season.
- When Georgia’s men’s tennis team rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Florida State 4-3 Sunday, it marked the Bulldogs’ 17th win in 18 NCAA tournament matches since 2007. The victory puts the Dogs in a round-of-16 match against Florida at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, which once again will be the center of college tennis this week. The NCAA Championships, men’s and women’s, begin a 12-day run there on Thursday. The Georgia-Florida match is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday.
- The NCAA softball tournament also is heading to Athens this week, with Georgia -– the No. 6 national seed –- hosting one of the 16 regionals. Other teams in the Athens regional: Florida State, Radford and Elon. Georgia’s opening game in the double-elimination regional is against Elon at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
179 comments Add your comment
Princess
May 17th, 2010
10:40 pm
“There’s a lot of turmoil internally right now that most people are not aware of.”
There may be something to this. I’ve heard some rumors about more coaches leaving. Some rumors about two of the players too, but they’re not named.
Penn
May 17th, 2010
10:43 pm
Hutson gets his teammates jacked up that they play out of their mind good. Hutson got Lassiter off to a 5-1 start, best since 1991. You HAVE to see this 4th down TD pass and catch. One of the most amazing plays, had ESPN talking, check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUA9DaYSVuk&feature=related
?
May 17th, 2010
10:45 pm
It seems the backup QB position is not taken very seriously.
UGA should have a stable of good quarterbacks.
Reminds me of the goofy Ray Goff days.
Not SEC prepared
May 17th, 2010
10:52 pm
The quarterback situation was bad enough last year with Joe Cox.
Now UGA has an untested redshirt freshman and a part-time reciever back-up.
Stinger
May 17th, 2010
10:54 pm
LeMay is the second coming of Quincy Quitter. I mean Carter. Didn’t you guys learn anything. Last year all I heard was Joe Cox never lost a high school game, until the season started. Once the season started it was basically death threats against poor Joe.Moor of the same to follow this year. Lucky to win 6 games this year.
Jeff
May 17th, 2010
10:56 pm
I can see Mason winning the job by game 2 or 3, after Murray throws some int’s or gets injured again, like he always does. I feel great about any of our 3 QB’s: Mason, Gray or even Murray.
Jeff
May 17th, 2010
11:00 pm
Lovin this Mason guy. Let me correct some of you here.
Mason broke the record for passing yards, passing yards in one game, and then broke that record.
And Mason threw for 8 touchdowns in 1 game, not 7, in the playoffs and led his team to the 12-0 start.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school/mason-throws-8-td-207698.html
Jeff
May 17th, 2010
11:07 pm
Mason was the 1st QB in the history of Georgia high school football to throw for more than 4000 yards in 1 season, and he busted 4500.
GT Fan...
May 17th, 2010
11:16 pm
Okay, let’s see … after all the hullabaloo recently we’ve read in the AJC that there’s just 1 QB in GA’s depth chart (Murray) after Burger’s demise & Gray’s position change …. and Mason is just now moving up the depth chart? Who in heck is putting togther the depth chart? Or just how good are the imaginary QBs that are apparently playing in front of him?
GT Fan...
May 17th, 2010
11:18 pm
Stinger … haven’t you seen how GREEN the grass is in UGA’land??
Turner
May 17th, 2010
11:19 pm
Hutson Mason won’t start for Georgia in 2010.
1- He’s got to learn the playbook and Murray has 2 Springs and a season on Mason
2- Mason won’t be able to compete with Aaron Murray—–he’ll get blown off the field
3- Mason a true freshman, and you can’t go up against SEC defenses with a true freshman as your QB—-their decision making won’t be good enough
4- Hutson won’t be able to build a strong enough bond with teammates in a few months like Murray has
5- Hutson’s not as mobile as Murray
6- Georgia coaches go off of High School rankings not on the field performance
7- He won’t be as accurate as Murray—–no way.
8- His arm isn’t as strong as Murray’s—-he can’t get the ball as deep.
9- He has a rep as being a bit of a gunslinger, and he won’t be able to resist trying to be a hero, instead of making the smarter play
Bulldog
May 17th, 2010
11:19 pm
So, Princess, care to elaborate?
I’m all for a shakeup in Athens. It’s been stale and underachieving for a while. I think a good bit was revealed with Grantham & Co. coming in and seeing their reactions to the players they inherited. I hope Richt gets off his ’seniority’ trip and plays the guys who deserve it, not just because they’ve been in “the system” the longest. Makes one wonder what “the system” is and if it’s really working.
hunker down
May 17th, 2010
11:21 pm
Not a whole lot of room to move for Hutson than up.
Bulldog
May 17th, 2010
11:26 pm
Jeff, seriously? Mason starting after game three?
What’s all the love about? Especially since the kid isn’t even on campus and probably hasn’t even been to orientation.
Stinger
May 17th, 2010
11:28 pm
The only difference between our baseball team and your team is the 4 is in front of the 1 on our wins and just the opposite on your wins.
GT 41 wins UGA 14
Stinger
May 17th, 2010
11:33 pm
GT FAN, yeah the grass is much greener in UGA La La Land. Is Quincy going to be the mentor of LeMay?
Big D Dawg
May 17th, 2010
11:36 pm
all you dim wits giving lemay the job while he’s still in high school??? He hasn’t even played his senior year yet!! you guys are fools and tools!
Jeff
May 17th, 2010
11:39 pm
The 2 SEC games for Georgia in Spetember will be brutal. Murray has two big problems with those 2 games: a) injury prone b) throws too many interceptions–poor decision making–just doesn’t think fast enough when you bring pressure–he panics. Murray will either get hurt trying to scramble against a couple of vicious SEC defenses, or he’ll get picked 3x in a game. Mason could also just school Murray in the summer public games or reps in the early fall games. There’s really no one in front of Mason ecept Murray, since Logan moved to receiver. Either way, Mason will play early in the season.
What to love about Mason’s game? He owns some of the most impressive records a QB can own in the state of Georgia. The guy completes passes at almost 80%, you just don’t see that. 8 TD’s and 500 yards passing in a play-off game? Mason has trained for years with some excellent coaches, he’s even worked with the coach who trained Tom Brady. Over 50 td passes in one season at a school like Lassiter–with less than spectacular talent around him? Also has great character–volunteers a lot, takes mission trips, the kind of guy players like to follow. His upside is bigger than Murray’s. Mason’s coming in under the radar, Murray will have a hard time living up to great expectations. Nobody expects Mason to even challenge Murray.
Bulldog
May 17th, 2010
11:49 pm
Mason’s single glaring problem is that he’s never once practiced as a UGA player.
You’re assuming too much that he’s going to ’school’ Murray this summer. He won’t be throwing against or running from high school students. It’s an entirely different league and his stats won’t translate. Nothing against Mason, best of luck to the guy, but it’s just the truth.
ButlerDawg
May 17th, 2010
11:53 pm
Is Willie Martinez coaching the Dawg’s Pitching Staff?
Jeff
May 18th, 2010
12:07 am
Murray’s the type of guy, like Stafford, who knows he’s all that, so he’s relying on his talent/hype/rankings too much. Mason doesn’t come with all that baggage–he’ll just manage a game, and not make the stupid mistakes.
Bulldog
May 18th, 2010
12:08 am
Here’s what Chip Lindsey, Mason’s former head coach at Lassiter said:
“That being said, I don’t know if anyone can jump from high school to Division I football these days. Will he be prepared mentally, with coach [offensive coordinator Mike] Bobo and the other folks coaching him? Yeah, I think he will. But there are things high school players have to get better at — the speed of the game, the bigger guys — and that just doesn’t happen overnight.”
LeMay I or LeMay I not
May 18th, 2010
12:14 am
Whats amazing is that UGA always struggles with the college team of mediocrity in USC east. UGA just cant shake those pesky yard birds. I guess ole UGA’s glory days are long gone 30 years and counting………
RED DOG 77
May 18th, 2010
12:28 am
Other than the “no miss” recruits that come along very seldom, these kids are called “prospects” by the coaches recruiting them !!!! I could go on so long it would bore all of us about the kids who vitually came into the college game under the radar, trotted onto the field, and became All- Americans. Hutson Mason is an interesting case, he had great High School numbers, has the size and a pretty good arm[ from what I hear] Those of you who say he will never play a down at UGA apparently have not followed college football very long !!!………….Recruiting “season” is pretty interesting, and I might add exciting at times, but good greif people ! it won’t be that long before September comes, and is gone and we are back to recruiting once again !!! Enjoy the recruiting “season”, but lighten up a little bit, it’s all good, as they say, after all we are talking about our beloved Georgia BULLDOGS !!!!………..And it would appear, the GEEEEOOOORRRGIA BULLDOGS are putting together a “DREAM TEAM ” with the 2011 class !!! SIC’ ‘EM WOOF……WOOF……..WOOF……..WOOF !!!!!!!!!!
Jeff
May 18th, 2010
12:48 am
Here’s the rest of the quote form Mason’s ex-coach that someone left out:
His High School Coach ACTUALLY said something quite positive when asked if Murray could play right away:
-if anyone can do it, he’s one who could.
-if I had to go through that situation, he’d be the one to do it with.
Jeff
May 18th, 2010
12:49 am
Oops, that’s Mason’s high school coach quotes above, not Murray, from ajc article a few days ago.
Jeff
May 18th, 2010
12:53 am
Buck Belue thinks Mason’s ready to go.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/uga/view-point-is-hutson-509185.html
Why can't UGA win?
May 18th, 2010
1:52 am
With all that SEC money, those great recruits, that great coach, that great campus and that big stadium…why can’t UGA win consistently? The answer is laziness. Lazy fans, lazy students, lazy players, lazy academics…
UGA is like an overfed baby that sleeps all day…fat, dumb, and happy.
No one does more with less than the dawgs.
UGA: the only school that can use “research” money from the state to renovate their basketball facilities…
Jen
May 18th, 2010
5:10 am
Mason should be a solid back up qb and I am more at ease knowing he’s there …just in case.
Murray is the man, was the man…all along.
If he wasn’t at UGA, he would be playing against us @ Fla.
People forget or don’t know Murray was hurt last year and that’s the reason he did not replace Cox.
Murray IS THE MAN!!!!!
reallygroovy7777
May 18th, 2010
6:06 am
reading some of this gives me a major headache hears the deal hes coming not transferring and the season will start unless GOD COMES., and thats not going to happen so.TECH fans get over yourserlves yr team is pathetic.
Bulldog
May 18th, 2010
6:21 am
Buck Belue also thought Willie Martinez didn’t deserve the heat he was getting last year.
Buck is the ultimate UGA cheerleader and the eternal optimist. Sometimes I think all he gets paid for is to say good things about UGA players.
Ricky
May 18th, 2010
7:01 am
Can’t we bring back Joe Cox………………?
Columbus Dawg
May 18th, 2010
7:05 am
Almost everyone I have ever known named Jeff has been pretty stupid.
Cobb Dawg
May 18th, 2010
7:45 am
I watched Mason @ Lassiter and trust me, he is “good” but not “great”. He will be a so-so SEC BACK-UP QB and I would not be surprised to see him transfer after a couple years of riding the pine. Christian LeMay is the real deal and will easily surpass Mason @ UGA. All you fans are getting caught up because Mason had 1 good game and threw several TD’s. As I remember, he got shut down in a lot more games than not. Why do you think no schools were even looking at him until the very end?
Mike
May 18th, 2010
7:48 am
The D said: “..Washaun did the same thing, didn’t get that much hype..”
Are you kidding? Washaun got a tremendous amount of hype throughout the entire region. He was a Parade All-American, SuperPrep All-American, PrepStar All-American, and was the number 9 RB in the country. EVERYBODY expected him to do great things! I just hope he gets better every day. As for Hutson Mason, I believe he is an underrated 3-star QB. He has a great arm and great mobility. As he builds muscle mass, he’ll only become more potent. His height, or lack there of, is something he has no control over. But he makes up for that in other areas. He should be a fine quarterback for the Bulldogs.
Ricky
May 18th, 2010
7:54 am
Hutson seems to throw quite a bit into a crowd, I just wonder how he will fair once the defensive back talent gets better.
Jeff
May 18th, 2010
7:55 am
Oh, I forgot to mention…. I’m Hutson’s dad.
Bank Walker, Texas Ranger
May 18th, 2010
8:14 am
Washaun one of the best in the SEC? wow, and how bout some false advertisisng here, Mason moving up the depth chart. Lets see there are 3 scholarship QB’s and he is 3rd? So he has moved past the walk on’s, great job.
Dimwit Dawg
May 18th, 2010
8:18 am
I can’t get his name right. Is it Mason Hutson or Hutson Mason? Either way, who in the “F” would give their child a first name like that? Honey…its a baby boy. Shall we name him Jimmy, Bobby, or Tommy? No I have a better idea…..Hutson! Wow….I never ever thought of that name and certainly no one else has either. Hutson it is!!!!!
how2fish
May 18th, 2010
8:24 am
Ok the kid comes in and competes, then next year LeMay comes in and competes and guess what we have 3 QB’s that right now we have NO clue how good they are until real bullets are flying. Anyone telling you that is one will or won’t play is a moron, this is the SEC not the ACC and QB’s get hit and hurt often. So having 3 QB’s to field as needed has to be better than having 1 or 2.
Those games meant nothing to Paul Johnson
May 18th, 2010
8:35 am
“What has Georgia done since 1980?”, a classic quote , from a classic Coach….guess we’ll see in 2010
Ronnie
May 18th, 2010
8:36 am
It’s kind of sad to see all the Dawg fans getting so excited this year (just
like the year before, the year before that, etc.). How long is it going to
take for UGA fans to realize that UGA is simply no longer relevant in the
SEC? In the national picture, UGA isn’t even a blip on the radar, and hasn’t
been since the preseason #1 ranking two years ago.
Sit back and be grateful for the seven or eight wins you’ll get every year.
Coaching genius Mark Richt may take you to 10-2 or even 11-1 occasionally,
but Florida will still win the SEC, meaning no BCS bowls and no top 15 final
ranking. Most years, UGA will be very lucky to finish in the top 25, and
only after a big bowl win over a nobody opponent.
It’s a different world now, and Dawg fans, like FSU and Ole Miss fans, need
to adjust their expectations downward to reflect reality.
Unfortunately nothing is going to change until UGA changes its mediocre
coaching. That’s where the difference is, and that’s why everyone outside
Bulldog Nation just laughs at Dawg fans getting so excited year after year
about what a great recruiting class UGA gets. It doesn’t matter how many
blue chip high school plays go to UGA, they simply don’t get the coaching
they would get at Florida or Alabama, to name two schools whose programs are
far ahead of UGA. And that’s not going to change as long as Mark Richt is in
Athens.
Get your heads out of the sand and face reality. And mediocrity and
irrelevance.
Joe
May 18th, 2010
8:38 am
Instead of watching Murray highlights, I went back and watched highlights of Joe Cox in HS to make sure I didnt miss anything- since coach Richt seemed to feel so good this time last year about Joe…..
tech to join the SEC?
May 18th, 2010
8:39 am
don’t think so folks….they enjoying qualifying for bowls with a weak ACC schedule….doubt they want to risk ever getting back to a bowl by having to play 7 SEC teams a year….heck they can’t even beat Georgia..much less Florida, Tennessee, Alabama , Lsu , South Carolina, Ole Miss….etc…is Iowa in the SEC..laughing my f***** Arse off!!!!!!
Justa like a Ronnie sang
May 18th, 2010
8:41 am
hey RONNIE are you the same little flagboy nerd that sang “be my little Baby”, or was that “be my little bumble bee” , see ya in athens buggo
how2fish
May 18th, 2010
8:42 am
Ronnie your a moron,I’d be watching very carefully how CUM does when he gets out of rehab before I threw too many rocks at CMR. Fear motivates your comments.you know that the Gators have had a better class of player for much of the last decade and that is coming to an end. Bama, Auburn and UGA are loading up with players like Murray that CUM really wanted..writing is on the wall..maybe not this year but soon..Bama is ahead of you now and the gap for UGA, LSU and auburn is closing..
Big Play Ray
May 18th, 2010
9:20 am
Some of these people act as if what you’ve done in high school games don’t matter. If it doesn’t matter, why are they here, on a blog, saying it doesn’t matter? Hilarious.
Tech Sting
May 18th, 2010
9:28 am
Mason will be the starting QB after 2-3 games—mark it down. Murray doesn’t have it.
Big Play Ray
May 18th, 2010
9:32 am
Mason threw for over 8200 yards and 85 TD’s in 2 years at a school that didn’t have a rich football history. Led Lassiter to 1st regional championship in school history. We need guys who do stuff at their school that break through mental barriers.
Mason set state records for: passing yards (4500+), TD’s (54), Best game yards (550+)
Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year, AJC’s Offensive Player of the Year, MaxPrep’s All-Decade Team, #22 ranked QB by ESPN, Top 7 QB as Parade All-American
Big Play Gay Ray
May 18th, 2010
9:36 am
Did I also mention that I have a man-crush on Hutson Mason? When he puts on that UGA hat he looks just like Charlie Brown and that sooooooooo excites me!