Georgia QB Aaron Murray in line for All-SEC honors as sophomore
Aaron Murray has passed for 14 TDs and 2 interceptions in Georgia's last four games. (UGA photo by Elizabeth Wilson)
ATHENS — Greetings everyone. Sitting here waiting for Georgia to take Woodruff Practice Fields for another SEC Championship workout. I’m working today on story about Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray.
I’ve been taking a look at some of the best UGA quarterbacks of the past and some of the best quarterbacks from around the nation this season to try to get an idea of where Murray might stack up. A consensus preseason All-SEC selection, Murray appears to be the most likely choice for postseason All-SEC quarterback. If so, that’s quite an accomplishment for any quarterback in this league but especially for a sophomore.
I asked Mike Bobo, Georgia’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (and a former UGA quarterbaback himself), where he thought Murray might stack up since he’s been around.
“I still think he’s so young,” Bobo said. “He has a tremendously high ceiling still because there’s a lot that we can improve on each week. He’s still performing at a high level. As far as guys I’ve had here, I don’t want to rank them but I will say he prepares harder than anybody I’ve ever had, hands down. I think that’s why he’s had a lot of success and I think he’ll continue to do that. Where he ranks, where everybody thinks of him as a quarterback here or in the SEC or nationally, that’s yet to be determined. He still has two more years after this year.”
I’ll just share with you some of lists I’m working with. You tell me about the job you think Murray has done, how you think he’ll do against LSU’s daunting defense and maybe where you believe he might stack up this year and in UGA history.
UGA’S TOP 10 SEASONS
Note: There were a couple of seasons where a particular quarterback may have had more yards. But I picked seasons where the TD-to-interception ratio was impressive as well. These are not ranked. They’re listed chronologically. . . .
Year–Player———–Yards—TDs—INTs
2011–Aaron Murray—-2,698—32—10
2010–Aaron Murray—-3,049—24—-8
2009–Joe Cox———–2,584—24—15
2008–Matt Stafford—–3,459—25—10
2005–D.J. Shockley—–2,588—24—5
2004–David Greene—–2,508—20—4
2002–David Greene—–2,924—22—8
1999–Quincy Carter—–2,713—17—6
1997–Mike Bobo———2,751—19—8
1993–Eric Zeier———-3,525—24—15
FIVE OF NATION’S BEST 2011
Player, school, year—- Comp. %–Yards–TDs–INTs
Russell Wilson, Wisconsin, Sr. —72.7–2,692–28–3
Robert Griffin, Baylor, Jr.——-72.6–3,678–34–5
Case Keenum, Houston, Sr.—–73.2–4,726–42–3
Kellen Moore, Boise St., Sr.—–73.1–3,194–38–7
Andrew Luck, Stanford, Sr.—–69.9–3,170–35–9
SEC’S BEST in 2011
Aaron Murray, Georgia, So.—–61.0–2,698–32–10
Tyler Wilson, Arkansas, Jr.—–63.1–3,422–22–6
A.J. McCarron, Alabama, So.—-66.7–2,400–16–5
Jarrett Lee, LSU, Sr.————64.6–1,306–14–3
Connor Shaw, S. Carolina, So.—-65.5–1,218–12–6
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177 comments Add your comment
TampaDawg
November 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
LOL GT Bob, I don’t think you have to worry about that. Days will lock that up I think. Please don’t take this the wrong way though, but with that offense, it’s hard to imagine it helps out much. That being said, if they try to evolve, Days is lights out better than Tevin.
JAWJeRDAWG
November 30th, 2011
5:17 pm
@ Paul Johnson isn’t building anything.
If out O line blocks for him, Aaron Murray’s good enough to beat LSU!
JDawg1785
November 30th, 2011
5:20 pm
Not only is Murray a stellar quarterback, he seems to elevate the level of play of those around him as well. We’re lucky to have a guy like him leading this offense.
CHDawg
November 30th, 2011
5:22 pm
ESPN has a great article on Murray on the college football front page. Sums it up very well. Murray points out that it isn’t about the stats, but about championship wins. I think about how Tebow willed the Gators over Oklahoma when they won the NC, and I have to agree that is the difference between great and the very best. The ability to rise to the occasion, and find a way to win these kind of games makes legends. The article also does a good job of highlighting just how good LSU’s D is, particularly the secondary. Nice phrase, LSU’s secondary is a track team in football uniforms. They didn’t have their best player and they held a very powerful Ark passing attack to just over 200 yds. Worth the read.
kevin
November 30th, 2011
5:22 pm
GT Bob,
The SEC boasts the best defensive conference in the country which accounts for lower QB stats–at least in part. If they played in the Big 12, ACC or some other conference with pathetic defenses, you might have a point. Furthermore, I loved how loved to call it the “SEC LEAST”–that was particularly funny with the East wiped the floor with the likes of Vandy vs. Wake, SC vs. Clemson and UGA vs. GT all on the same day. At least your FSU team beat the Gators. Seriously man, have you ever heard the phrase, “don’t throw stones in glass houses”. Evidently not, since you continue talk trash about teams far better than yours. Have fun licking your own nuts!
CHDawg
November 30th, 2011
5:25 pm
Tampa, I think the thing people miss is that it is very, very hard to shut GT down on the ground. They don’t really need Washington to throw except in that rare situation of when they get behind and can’t light the pinball machine on the ground. Just doesn’t happen much. Tech is a good team, and that is mostly because of their awesome running offense.
DawginLex
November 30th, 2011
5:26 pm
Ever growing TROLL list of disappearing TROLLS
Add yellow fuzz
For the rest of the list go to http://www.UGAhaterTROLLScanbiteme.net
david
November 30th, 2011
5:32 pm
gtboob– ever heard of Cam Newton?
UVA
November 30th, 2011
5:32 pm
CHDawg
November 30th, 2011
5:25 pm
“Tampa, I think the thing people miss is that it is very, very hard to shut GT down on the ground.”
Ya think so? Really?
GTBob
November 30th, 2011
5:33 pm
That being said, if they try to evolve, Days is lights out better than Tevin.
I think most Tech fans will be disappointed if Vad Lee is not the QB next season. Days will probably end up moving to another position like Sims did.
Miami
November 30th, 2011
5:34 pm
We didn’t have much of a problem with that. Especially considering the fact that we have a lousy ACC defense.
Bad Dawg
November 30th, 2011
5:34 pm
True GTBob, with the departure of Cam Newton and Ryan Mallett to the NFL the SEC certainly does not have that Heisman trophy candidate or Danny Obrien award winner but I honestly can not see teams changing to a pass heavy attack as it is taxing on your defense for your offense to score quickly (see Oregon and Arkansas). Not to mention Knile Davis (SEC’s leading rusher last year), Michael Dyer, Trent Richardson, Marcus Lattimore at RB (All future 1st round picks at RB) you might as well ride them until the wheels fall off. Also the SEC’s offensive coordinator are more old school in their approach to their gameplan it seems. Play great defense, emphasize fundamentals, win the turnover battle, establish the running game, sound special teams play, and wear your opponent out. This is how LSU and Alabama can score 40 plus point without the most high powered offenses.
ARdawg
November 30th, 2011
5:36 pm
GT Bob
I know you said it, you know you said it and that is enough for me. Sorry guy, I’m old but, I’m not too old to remember
NewnanDawg
November 30th, 2011
5:40 pm
Ahem, to everybody who’s saying that Aaron Murray isn’t all that great, if you look at the stats you’ll see that he has merely 3 less TD’s than Andrew Luck and only 1 more INT on the season and Luck is supposed to be the next first overall pick in the NFL draft. Aaron Murray is a SOPHOMORE. If he people try to say he isn’t a good quarterback after that, then they’re still sore after he lit up the Auburn/Georgia Tech defense.
run up my stats vs teams not 1 of which is ranked in any poll
November 30th, 2011
5:40 pm
My point has ALWAYS been the same.
Mark Richt has won 3 games vs teams who finished in the top 10 all 11 years. Les Miles has won 9 vs teams who finished in the top 10 his 7 seasons, and he has another game against such a team to reach possibly 10 in 7 years.
Mark Richt has also had 17 unexplainable losses to teams, none of the 17 of whom would have ended up top 25 had they not beat him his 11 years, and of those 17, 10 still did not end up in the top 25 even after they beat him.
Aaron Murray consistently inconsistent, went 0-5 last season vs teams who ended up in the top 25. He only played 2 this year and sits at 0-2 who end this season in the top 25. Clearly, he is fixing to be 0-3, making him 0-8 vs teams who end the season in the top 25 in his two seasons to-date. He plays in a run conference and has a pass-happy offense. He is deplorable as a runner, and yet nothing there in Chip’s stats to discuss how collegiate quarterbacks do in items such as fumbles, average rush yards and number of carries stolen from the running backs.
I played defensive back. I would prefer to play against Aaron Murray. The reason ? He loses if the game is a game everyone knows is against a team who will end up top 25. If you thought Auburn was going to end the season in the top 25, you lied about what you said about Auburn all season long and all Summer. I was here. Auburn is no good is what you said, repeatedly, and only. Georgia tek, the same. Still today, it is all you can do to talk about Georgia tek only, and how sorry they are.
Excuse me. He has a game vs LSU coming. He plays QB. Let’s judge his game Saturday if you like. Then, see what podunk college we get in what podunk bowl game again this year, like some team who lost to Northwestern a 6-6 squad.
Or, we can take your word for it, that the best wins he has in his career came in the last 2 games vs Auburn and Georgia tek NEITHER OF WHOM ARE RANKED BY ANYONE TODAY – the day you write about them now trying to weasel your way to saying they are great. If they are great, why are they not ranked ? Why will they not be ranked this season when it is over ?
David Greene was great you told me because he won the games as the starting quarterback. Like the wins were all his. Aaron Murray you have a completely different set of stats you want to discuss.
All the while, I am quite consistent.
How did you do against the teams who ended up top 10 ?
How did you do against the teams who ended up top 25 ?
Lose any games to any team who would not have been even top 25 without their win over us ? In other words, if they ended up # 23 with a win over us, they are NOT top 25 without the win. 17 of those in Mark Richt’s 11 years. And, Mark Richt has played Aaron Murray every play of every game.
The jury is not out on Aaron Murray. He has not gotten the job done. If he starts getting the job done, wake me up.
If Aaron Murray were really any good as a Quarterback, since he has been here since the Michigan State Bowl Game practices in 2008, he would be on the NFL Draft Board right now today, and they would be talking about him with the other names you see above by Chip Towers nationally.
Instead, we have 2 more years after this season to watch him play. Last year he was our best player and there was not a 2nd best player. This year, he has overthrown and thrown behind and continued to fumble and throw interceptions and get sacked and run the ball 1 yard per carry, and squeak by horrid opponents, while continuing his trend of having not beat yet a single team who ended up in the top 25.
CHDawg
November 30th, 2011
5:45 pm
UVA, I guess your sarcasm indicates you don’t think GT’s running game is that good? UGA stopped them and may have made it look easy to a novice like yourself, but UGA is a top five D UVA. The relatively weak ACC probably makes that a truer statement. At any rate, the point is that passing skills are a pretty low priority compared to ball handling and running skills at Tech. How’s that, sweetie?
Been Around
November 30th, 2011
5:47 pm
I’ve been on these blogs all season long and most of what I’ve heard from the Dawg fans is that Murray is too short, too inconsistent and that they’d really like to see the backup play.
Now that he’s “winning” the LSU game, he’s suddenly everybody’s hero. What happens if he stops “winning” next Saturday?
Dalton Dawg
November 30th, 2011
5:50 pm
Hey GT BOB!
I heard through the grapevine that Vad Lee is seriously considering tranferring. Whats your take on this and since your so knowledgeable on GT give me your view?
UVA
November 30th, 2011
5:50 pm
My only point, CHA CHA DAWG, is that the University of Virginia certainly had no problem stopping the Tech running game. Neither did Miami. Maybe your #5 SEC Defense ain’t quite all that it’s cracked up to be?
kral
November 30th, 2011
6:00 pm
VA did you stop vt
kral
November 30th, 2011
6:02 pm
one game here one game there….best we have done yet..shut down AU…hard time with VANDY ask WF
UVA
November 30th, 2011
6:07 pm
We are an historic institution of academia, but we don’t have a great football program. My only point was that GA Tech doesn’t either.
kb
November 30th, 2011
6:08 pm
Is this a football or a Lacrosse blog, why would anyone from UVA be involved in a football discussion.?
bethlehemdawg
November 30th, 2011
6:09 pm
if Murray is so bad, why are his splits against ap ranked team as good or better than any other category
kral
November 30th, 2011
6:12 pm
can’t argue there…but GT and VA have some sports history to be proud of…but as a academia remember a small sample can lead to a bad diagnosis
Orange11
November 30th, 2011
6:15 pm
“Georgia QB Aaron Murray in line for All-SEC honors as sophomore”
Quit drinking the Koolaid. I haven’t seen him single handedly win a game yet but I have seen him single handedly lose a few.
kral
November 30th, 2011
6:15 pm
enjoyed your win against fsu…thought you endured
UVA
November 30th, 2011
6:15 pm
I’m just reading this blog until Squidbillies comes on. I love me some Appalachian folk humor. Hard to beat Georgia football for that!
Bad Dawg
November 30th, 2011
6:17 pm
Orangle11 I would like to ask who do you think is the best qb in the SEC. I am not exactly sold on Murray either as an elite qb but I am hard pressed to find any others to put into a conversation except Tyler Wilson.
Say Whut
November 30th, 2011
6:23 pm
Aaron Murray is the All-SEC QB. One reason the numbers get gaudier every year is the numbers– as in the number of games played. 13, 14 a year helps.
Orange11
November 30th, 2011
6:24 pm
Jefferson, Shaw, McCarron
kral
November 30th, 2011
6:30 pm
sguidbillies..you mean..academia or condescending and arrogant
Mad Dog One
November 30th, 2011
6:31 pm
gt bob how many acc qb’s were in the top five? Murray could be in that company but isn’t yet. Just for sh@#’s and giggles how many qb’s has turkey neck sent to the nfl that play’s gb? Hope UGA jives LSU their best game if so we have a chaace to wil. Main thing is you have to make it to the game to win the game. Whether we have beaten any team that the DA with way to many words in his name to enter WE ARE PLAYING FOR THE SEC TITLE so STFU. As always GO DOGS &GATA.
Mad Dog One
November 30th, 2011
6:32 pm
Should have been QB.
UVA
November 30th, 2011
6:32 pm
Ahem… We invented arrogance. For us, it is an art form.
SEC_Fan
November 30th, 2011
6:34 pm
A.J. McCarron is the most underrated quarterback in CFB this year. All he does is win games. Boring…
kral
November 30th, 2011
6:35 pm
gosh knows i put a Q for a G ..dang but…no buttes…unless uva looks in the mirror…you AMurray’s qualify even more..
kral
November 30th, 2011
6:40 pm
that makes you proud va …live it
kral
November 30th, 2011
6:59 pm
run up my blog…5:40 WAY to long…can I argue with what you said..no ..was it impressive…no…think about it…COME ON MAN….where would we be without him…1 of about 45-50 that play in a game…you probably believe in the bcs…toothfairy.. santa claus
CHDawg
November 30th, 2011
7:05 pm
UVA, why not just say what you mean in the first place? The esoteric and sarcastic responses will produce a similar reply. Looking at the season’s stats, Virginia has a good run defense at number 36 out of 120, so it doesn’t surprise me that they held Tech to under 300 on the ground.
kral
November 30th, 2011
7:10 pm
think about it..Fla…Aub…and other colleges recruit some of the best hs players around them..and nation wide,,,nobody beats a slouch…some are better than others …but on a given night anything can happen…go DAWGS
Joshua
November 30th, 2011
7:11 pm
@ SEC_Fan”A.J. McCarron is the most underrated quarterback in CFB this year. All he does is win games.”- correction all A.J. McCarron does manage the game and hands the ball off left or right to Trent Richardson. He has thrown 16 TDs all year long….Aaron Murray threw 16 TDs in all in the span of one month. McCarron is the Buck Belue of Alabama.
CHDawg
November 30th, 2011
7:14 pm
One more point UVA: I watched both UGA/Auburn, and Bama/Auburn and we beat them a lot more soundly than Bama did. That one comparison doesn’t mean Georgia is better than Alabama, though. Auburn could have been flat in Athens, and sharper at home. Bama is their big rival, so they may have played them better. Tech played UVA in your stadium, and they played us at home. Tech hates UGA and buys their players expensive jewelry when they beat us. You are a player for Tech, and you are thinking about the bling CPJ is going to buy you if you beat UGA, who do you play harder?
Joshua
November 30th, 2011
7:20 pm
Mark my word….Aaron Murray will start the season next year as 2012 Heisman Contender. He will finish with 3,200 yds 35 TDs. Sam Bradford finished his 2007 season before winning the Heisman in 2008 with 3,000 yds 36 TDs.
Sam
November 30th, 2011
7:20 pm
Amazing video of a high school senior from Columbia TN who kicks the ball dead straight 75-80 yards in the air. He was successful on 54 of 54 attempts this season….100%. Now he needs a college team. Wants to go to Georgia Tech!!!
Watch for yourself…it is unreal!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_JKwgwFY3g
SEC_Fan
November 30th, 2011
7:21 pm
Joshua,
I don’t know Buck Belue, but I know that you haven’t watched Alabama play this year.
Oh, the jealousy
November 30th, 2011
7:27 pm
1. Dogs win 10 straight
2. Dogs in SEC championship game
3. Aaron Murray soon to be raking in many All SEC QB honors.
I’m loving it.
Preston
November 30th, 2011
7:44 pm
We can’t help it if we knock them out of the top 25 punks! We just win. Let the pollsters do their jobs and we’ll do ours! lol you guys are pathetic with your hate for UGA. The RESPECT is always there though. That’s why you’re here. LOSERS!
Humble Dawg
November 30th, 2011
7:50 pm
Proverbs 16:18
01HAWK
November 30th, 2011
7:51 pm
Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III is the best QB in the country. Luck is not.