The education of Georgia’s starting quarterback continues
ATHENS – Georgia coach Mark Richt commented after Wednesday’s scrimmage in Sanford Stadium that Aaron Murray “could have made a better decision” on a couple of occasions.
One such occasion sprung to mind for Murray: “a screen where I should have just thrown it out of bounds and instead I tried to scramble and got sacked.”
The education of Georgia’s starting quarterback continues.
“He’s still learning. He’s still a freshman,” Richt said. “It wasn’t really bad, but there were a couple of times where he could have made a better decision. I’m just thankful we got into those situations and it happened today. Hopefully, the point will be driven home a little bit better because it was more of a real situation. Hopefully, he’ll learn from it.”
Richt went to some lengths to make the closed-to-the-media scrimmage as real as possible –- a pregame coin toss, SEC officials, etc. –- and Murray admitted he “had a little jitters” beforehand.
“Whenever you go into Sanford Stadium,” he said, “your jitters are going to be running a little more than when you’re just out on the practice field.”
Even if, as he noted, there are “93,000 less [people in the stands] than there’s going to be in a week and a half.”
Murray felt he shook off the jitters and made progress as he and team inched closer to the Sept. 4 season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette.
“The main thing is . . . I’m feeling more comfortable,” Murray said. “I feel like I definitely took a little step forward today.
“I feel like I’m making my reads better. I know where I’m going with the ball. … I feel like my knowledge is getting better. I just got to make the throws and the right plays.”
He completed 9 of 17 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown (to A.J. Green) in one half of action against basically Georgia’s scout team. He threw no interceptions.
Georgia’s offense continued to work without two starting linemen, center Ben Jones (knee) and left guard Cordy Glenn (mono). Both are expected back next week.
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Richt said the scrimmage produced no “earth-shattering” developments that will alter the depth chart. It did reveal where the assistant coaches will be stationed on game days.
Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and defensive line coach Rodney Garner will be at field level, while inside linebackers coach Warren Belin and secondary coach Scott Lakatos will be upstairs in the coaches’ box. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, who moved from the box to the sideline midway through last season, will remain on the field, as will offensive line coach Stacy Searels and running backs coach Bryan McClendon. Receivers coach Tony Ball and tight ends coach John Lilly will be in the box.
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For stats and more details on Wednesday’s scrimmage, please click here.
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Links to other UGA news:
Offensive lineman Owens’ career is over.
Will UGA extend sellout streak into 10th season?
Georgia athletics in a construction zone.
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263 comments Add your comment
Gatorbait 17-3
August 26th, 2010
9:54 am
All time hater
Now be nice to ole Lex
DX107
August 26th, 2010
9:54 am
1 TD in a half of the game against scout teamer’s – scares me to death.
Brandon Spikes
August 26th, 2010
9:55 am
dawgster I sure wish that Logan played more last year.
blah blah blah
August 26th, 2010
9:56 am
so let me see if i understand
so, ugag is starting the season with a rs-freshman qb
with zero college game experience, poor practice stats, and lots of uncertainties and doubts
and the back-up qb is a highly over-rated true freshman
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-hahahahahahahahahahahaha
D1Alum
August 26th, 2010
9:57 am
You people that are really concerned with a players stats in practice kill me. You guys obviously never played football before.
blah blah blah
August 26th, 2010
9:57 am
But UGA will still beat Tech!
DawginLex
August 26th, 2010
9:58 am
Here comes the “be nice” lecture from gatobait as expected. I can read you like a book.
Hater is a gay nancy boy who dreams of humping something other than a blow up doll.
Gatorbait 17-3
August 26th, 2010
9:58 am
I like Dudes!
All time hater
August 26th, 2010
9:58 am
I was until as you say, he starts throwing out names 17-3. UGA will struggle in the first game and get walloped in Columbia. 7-5 at best and maybe even 6-6 this year. Poor McGarrity will be forced to make some serious choices after this season.
All time hater
August 26th, 2010
9:59 am
It’s sad lexxie that a gay boy brings your wife more pleasure than you do.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2010
10:00 am
My wife would not give you the time of day nancy boy.
how is your blow up doll collection going?
figured out all the “parts”?
You better get back to class boy, the recess bell is about to ring.
Vince
August 26th, 2010
10:02 am
Looks like All time hater/Gator Bait 17-3/DawginLex (coud they all be the same person?) is back using a bunch of fake names, talking to himself, so I’m out.
All time hater
August 26th, 2010
10:03 am
she give me the time because she said she had trouble finding yours elton.
Not Disappointed
August 26th, 2010
10:04 am
It’s never as bad as you think dawg. I give Coach Richt credit for being a smart man.
Ramblin Wreck!
dawgster
August 26th, 2010
10:05 am
Todd, i understand your thought process in your comments but i don’t beleive that the Coaches here are or the players are getting any false sense of security…Its a controlled scrimmage that gives the coaches things to look at and make adjustments, such as blocking, route running, alignments, decision making, and thats just to name a few things they work on…I truly don’t believe the players or coaches think that their performance against the scout team is anything like the real thing on game day against the Bama’s and gators, or other SEC teams…surely as a coach you understand that….This type of scrimmage is done throughtout the football world…The Scout teams just try to mimick what the upcoming foe does on offense and defense…Again, i don’t think you have to worry about any false sense of how good your are or not, its just to put them into game-like situations, thats all it is…
dbc
August 26th, 2010
10:05 am
Hopefully an improved D means the offense won’t have the added pressure of having to come back from behind. Not that I’m defending Cox, but last year they were always pressing because they were behind in the score. Sometimes it worked out well (see Arky) sometimes not (see FLA). Plus the D was always on the field so they were tired out by the 4th quarter. If the D can hold teams to under 17 points, we’ll have a chance in every game. The key is to get a lead and hold it.
blah blah blah
August 26th, 2010
10:06 am
you can just smell the fear ugag fans have over the upcoming season.
most teams will load the box and make murray beat them.
a regular serving of gritz blitz and murray will fold.
face it ugag fans, youre gonna get drilled in columbia.
unles murray is the next doug flutie,
dawgs will be 1-3 heading to colorado.
by then, ugag fans wont have anything to woof woof about
Otto
August 26th, 2010
10:08 am
George, Since Bobo became OC in ‘06, the QBs have tossed atleast 10 INTs a years.
Murray looked less than a amazing and tossed a terrible looking INT in the spring game.
Stafford has looked decent in the NFL maybe even good since he is at Detroit. Scouts have said he was one of the most NFL ready QBs directly out of college. So why did he struggle with INTs and could not produce clock killing drives against top teams? Maybe the plays and strategy were not in the playbook or gameplan?
I hope CMR sitting in on QB meetings can turn this around.
All time hater
August 26th, 2010
10:08 am
I love blow up dolls!
blah blah blah
August 26th, 2010
10:09 am
But once again UGA will still beat Tech at the end of the season.
Dale
August 26th, 2010
10:09 am
DestinDawg, you are so right! Just manage the game! Just like any backup QB, Mason will be the most popular guy on the team. It would be the same with Murray, if the roles were reversed. Go Dawgs!
LMAO
August 26th, 2010
10:10 am
The two most popular people on any college campus are the sluttiest cheerleader and the second string quarterback. Murray will be fine.
Mobile Dawg
August 26th, 2010
10:10 am
Since when is strategy, i.e. “game planning” not part of coaching George? If CMR protects his young QB and allows him to come along slowly we will be OK. Great Coaches play to their strengths and protect their weaknesses. There should be very few surprises in our offensive game plan this year, especially early. We should utilize our strengths, be patient, and good things will happen.
My fear is we will see the same coaching style, poor offensive game planning, lack of patience with the running game, and CMR’s love for the big play. These things will get our young QB in trouble early and often.
If this is bashing our coaching staff so be it. That’s been a major part of our problem throughout the Richt years. If Richt were as good a coach as some of you think we would have possibly two MNC’s under our belt during his years.
Eddie
August 26th, 2010
10:11 am
You should bring back ol roy barnes for qb. His commercials say no on the job training necessary! He would be such a good qb and guvna.
blah blah blah
August 26th, 2010
10:13 am
ugag will be under .500 by mid-season.
after another loss to the gators seals it for ugag’s season,
aj green will just “mail it in”
Dawgs rude awakening
August 26th, 2010
10:14 am
Murray stats @ SC
7-23 56 yards 3 INTS
Ark
8-24 67 yards 2 INTS
OUCH. Don’t pretend it won’t happen. I know the delusional dawg base always wears rose colored glasses. We were told Joe Cox was going to step right in and right the ship! In 4 weeks the yelps for bobo’s ouster will be comical.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2010
10:14 am
Mobile,
I’m wondering if we should fire Bobo and bring in a new OC and run the spread option. either that or teach him how to run it.
Look at our QB’s:
Murray
Mason
Lemay
All ran the spread in high school.
Just a thought???
blah blah blah
August 26th, 2010
10:15 am
bobo will be gone at year-end. book it
DawginLex
August 26th, 2010
10:17 am
I love blow up boys.
Greg
August 26th, 2010
10:17 am
Dawgs rude awakening/blah blah blah/Eddie/Otto/All Time Hater (might just be the same person–sure looks like to could be–notice the times of the posts).
1 guy, on a blog, responding to self, for endless hours.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2010
10:18 am
nice try hater. Nancy boy hiding behind a computer.
AltamahaDawg
August 26th, 2010
10:20 am
“Murray should be more mature” (as a RS freshman). More mature than what? Than to not read every situation exactly right every time? Than to try to run around the end and make a play, when he should have just thrown the ball away? Every QB in the league makes those kind of mistakes from time to time. I’m not speculating about his maturity, but where in that article was that in question. Richt said he made some mistake and could have read it better, stands to learn from those so that he can improve his game. Is that not true of every film from every game on every saturday?
how2fish
August 26th, 2010
10:20 am
blah blah blah no one listens to anyone who ends with Book It . You just can’t get any more 4th grade.
WonderDawg
August 26th, 2010
10:22 am
Otto, after the UT game last year, when Bobo’s offense scored a whopping 3 points, he told a reporter, “I like Bobo’s playcalling.”
Nothing will change until Richt gets a new OC.
hobnailboot
August 26th, 2010
10:23 am
I think that by the end of the season Murray should be playing very well. We all have to be patient with him as he has no real live game experience. It’s crucial that we are physical and run the ball well. We cannot give up on the run game if it does not go well the first series as has happened in the past. Screens and safer passes to the tightend in my opinion would help in getting him comfortable before we ask too much too early of this kid. He does seem nervous at this point but so would I. Hopefully we get alot of turnovers and big plays from the likes of A.J., Wooten and Smith.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2010
10:24 am
altamaha,
I think it is obvious more than ever that this team is going to play close to the vest. I was hoping Murray could air it out some but it doesn’t appear he is confident enough to do it.
I can see the 1st game being more important than any of us thought. If he can come out and throw for 300 yards with2 td’s and no picks, it could do him a world of good confidence wise.
I still see the SC game as 14-7 or 14-10. Our D is going to have to rule the day.
blah blah blah
August 26th, 2010
10:24 am
now this is funny
ugag fans derided the spread offense was a gimmick when meyers brought to florida
and now ugag fans are starting to endorse it? wow
so much for that gimmick pro-style offense bobo’s been running
dawgster
August 26th, 2010
10:24 am
D1Alum…agree with you totally…these guys that are caught up in the statistics from a “darn” scrimmage obviously know little about football…I hate to say that, but why would you be so up or down because of stats from a controlled scrimmage, not only the fact that all of your starters were not on the field and whether you guys know it or not, and i say not, being on the “scout team doesn”t mean you don’t have any talent and that you don’t know how to play the game..These guys work their rear-end off too and would like nothing better than to outshine a starter…Scout teams and walk-ons are an extremely important part of any football program..Of course you guys that know little of football wouldn’t have a clue…
DawginLex
August 26th, 2010
10:26 am
blah blah moron,
Part of coaching is coaching players to their strengths. In basketball, if you have a big team, you get the ball in the post.
If you have 3 QB’s who are comfortable with the spread system, run it instead of forcing them to learn a pro style offense.
Mobile Dawg
August 26th, 2010
10:27 am
Lex, I don’t have the answer to that. CMR’s coaching philosophy is basically different than mine would be. Don’t get me wrong, I love a big play, but I like the “ball control” style of offense. I just think over the long term it works better. I like seeing their defense worn out midway through the 3rd quarter.
Like I said yesterday in a post, you game plan depending on who your opponent is. Limit your mistakes, let the other guys beat themselves if they will.
It’s not my job, nor will you ever see me post anything close to “fire the coach” . I do believe that McGarity will be more hands on than Evans was when he’s sees the obvious problems we have dealt with the last few years. Long term I think that may be good for Richt, and us.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 26th, 2010
10:29 am
Otto, sure Stafford threw a few INT’s but so did all the other rookie QB’s. Those other rookie QB’s were in better situations too. Stafford has a couple of more weapons at WR this year and some help at the running game. He has looked pretty dang good in the preseason. Here’s to hoping that the Lions can win 4 games this year.
Gatorbait, I don’t expect Murray to set the world on fire this year. He will win some games for us as well probably lose some games with rookie mistakes. My point is that McElroy didn’t have a lot of game time until last year and he adjusted well. I wasn’t sure how long McElroy had been at Bama that’s why I asked the question. Regarding Brantley I guess we will all see how he does under the gun. Even Stafford and Tebow had rough rookies seasons in the SEC.
blah blah blah
August 26th, 2010
10:29 am
the SC game as 14-7 or 14-10 ???????????????
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa–hahahahahahahaha
spurrier is going to light ugag up, for sure
try
usc 41
ugag 19
its gonna be a disaster for richt
AltamahaDawg
August 26th, 2010
10:31 am
Richt has run the ball 60% of the time just like the rest of the league. When that’s an option. Anybody saying we passed the ball early last year just because the coaches were somehow in love with the idea, and not the belief that winning (or trying to) is better than losing despite the obvious fact to anyone watching that they were completely ineffective running the ball, might want to reconsider.
Timbo
August 26th, 2010
10:33 am
“Took a step forward.” Wow… doesn’t sound very confident to me.
gdawginkalamazoo
August 26th, 2010
10:36 am
Altadawg, I know that I should be more mature at times. At least that’s what my wife tells me. IMO maturity is overrated.
Dangerous
August 26th, 2010
10:36 am
dawgster quit rewarding mediocrity. Saban spent 1 yr with his mistake, Major Applewhite, and realized that kid was in over his head. Richt should do the same with Bobo.
Millie in Winder
August 26th, 2010
10:36 am
Buried under all the hoopla is the inescapable fact that Murray is a second-rate QB who will be getting bench splinters after the SC game. He’s simply not an SEC-caliber player.
Richt should be on the phone begging Zach to come back. The situation is that dire.
blah blah blah
August 26th, 2010
10:38 am
after game 1 vs ulala, murray will ok
after a nightmare beatdown in columbia, murray will be very shaky
richt will then have no choice but to burn mason’s rs
ark might just score 50+ on ugag
then, the wheels will start to come off for the rest of the season
Shankit
August 26th, 2010
10:38 am
The turnover ratio in the Dawg’s major games will
be the deterimining factor as to who wins.
Florida used to be good for at least a couple of
turnovers with Erk’s defense, and that usually meant
the difference. Hopefully, with the new 3-4 and a lot
of blitzes, turnovers will now revert to our favor, provided
Murray does his job in managing the game.
WonderDawg
August 26th, 2010
10:39 am
gdawginkalamazoo, you just can’t compare Bama’s situation at QB last year with our’s this season. Bobo wasn’t calling the plays for McElroy.