QB Hutson Mason considers transfer due to lack of playing time
ATHENS – Georgia backup quarterback Hutson Mason said he is seriously considering transferring due to a lack of playing time behind starter Aaron Murray.
Mason, a sophomore from Marietta, said he would prefer to remain at Georgia — “I love this place even more than I expected,” he said – and would consider taking a redshirt year next season to put a year between him and Murray.
In any case, Mason said he will have to make a decision after the Bulldogs’ season is completed with the Jan. 2 Outback Bowl against Michigan State.
“I’ll just try to sit back and get away from the every day stuff and people telling me what I should do,” Mason said. “I’ll go home after the bowl game and talk to my family and talk to people I look up to. I talked to D.J. Shockley. He’s somebody who has been very valuable to me. I’m just trying to look at it from every angle. I ponder on it a lot and it’s extremely tough.”
Mason (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) signed with Georgia in 2010 after becoming the state high school record holder for passing yards (4,560) and touchdowns (54) as a senior at Lassiter High. But after his second full season with the Bulldogs, he has gotten minimal playing time and then only in mop-up duty.
In two seasons, Mason has appeared in eight games, completing 57 percent of his passes for 356 yards with 3 TDs and no interceptions. His first college play from scrimmage was a TD pass to Logan Gray.
“He’s got an uncanny ability to hit the open receiver,” quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “He has great vision and feel. He has great pocket presence and a very quick release. He throws all the intermediate balls extremely well. The deep ball is something we continue to work on that he’s got to improve on. But his ability to get rid of the ball quickly and spread it out underneath, he does very well.”
Bobo said that the Bulldogs are considering redshirting Mason next season and have current redshirt freshman Christian LeMay and walkons handle the backup duties. But it’s not something they’ve decided on yet.
“It’s something we’re going to talk about after the season,” Bobo said. “I’d rather not get into it now.”
Redshirting is something Mason said he would consider.
“I would. It’s something I’ll have to sit down and talk to Coach Richt about and see how they feel about it,” Mason said. “I don’t think that would be something that they’d be opposed to. I want to stay here. I really do. I want to be here; I want to be at UGA. I love this place more than I expected I would. My goal is to stay here and I want to stay here. I just need to find out whether that allows me to play the most or not.”
Mason probably would have played more by now if he hadn’t been behind one of the most durable quarterbacks in the business. Despite taking numerous shots the last two seasons, Murray has missed only a couple of snaps in any significant, meaningful games.
“You can’t take away from Aaron being that tough,” Mason said with a laugh. “It’s just the way the ball rolls. You see guys have severe injuries when they barely get hit and then you see Aaron take a shot like he did against Auburn, where he did a quadruple flip and landed on his neck. I’m like, ‘he’s got to come out after that.’ But he just gets up and trots back to the huddle.”
Malcome on top of depth chart
Redshirt freshman Ken Malcome is currently running No. 1 at tailback for the Bulldogs. Leading rusher Isaiah Crowell is No. 2 and Brandon Harton is No. 3.
That’s the way it was as of Saturday, at least, as Richard Samuel (ankle) and Carlton Thomas (knee) remained sidelined. Samuel, however, was able to practice in a limited role on Saturday. He is returning for the bowl from Nov. 1 ankle surgery.
“We expect both those other guys back, but it’s hard to have a real full-fledged competition when they’re not getting an reps,” Bobo said. “So Ken and Isaiah and Brandon are the only three we’ve got right now.”
Injury update
Starting right guard Chris Burnette did not at practice Saturday due to an illness, line coach Will Friend said. . . . Middle linebacker Mike Gilliard (ankle) and defensive end DeAngelo Tyson (ankle), both starters, still were not practicing on Saturday. . . . Wide receiver Rantavious Wooten, out since late September with a concussion caused by a car accident, is practicing in a green jersey. He will not play in the bowl, however, to preserve a medical redshirt season.
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542 comments Add your comment
U of Houston class of 97' football
December 17th, 2011
8:02 pm
Mark my words…H. Mason will play at the next level with only one year as a starter. I love UGA but at the end of the day, Mason can’t do enough at this point to get some PT. There’s no way bobo will ever play him over Murray. Once a guys crowned the starting QB and the starter wins games, the guy behind him can outplay him all spring and he’ll never suplant the start
IL Jacket
December 17th, 2011
8:04 pm
Lakedawg, he wouldn’t lose eligibility, he would just have to sit out a year at a FCS school, absent some very limited exceptions. At a FBS school he could play immediately.
Paul in NH
December 17th, 2011
8:06 pm
IL Jacket
You have FCS (formerly Div 1AA) and FBS (formerly Div 1) confused.
Nice Try
December 17th, 2011
8:06 pm
@deaddog
When was the last time a big ten team put 50 on anyone from the SEC?
And BTW, if you are going to insult a fan base, might want to spell it correctly……..trailERs, with an e…think you just showed the world your room temperature IQ…..look that up, you’ll need to.
icedawg
December 17th, 2011
8:12 pm
Don’t blame him. He could be a very outstanding qb on any team.
G. Tampa Bedwetter
December 17th, 2011
8:16 pm
If you don’t come from Florida, you have no chance with the “good man” Richt. Georgia football will never be worth a d*** as long as the “god man” liar is head coach. Disney Dogs rejoice while the Dawnation suffers.
Spike 80DF
December 17th, 2011
8:18 pm
Well Aaron Murray sent in his NFL paperwork this year as a sophomore so i think another big stat year and he’s off to the NFL draft. If Mason redshirts next year that could give him 2 years to compete for the starting job with LeMay.
One thing I’ve realized this the way things look now and how they turn out will probably be miles apart.
I bet Mason transfers and then Murray leaves school early leaving us thin at QB, that’s the kind of thing that happens….
edumacated
December 17th, 2011
8:19 pm
Zeke,
That’s an urban legend about the jello names. So is Female….pronounced Fa Ma Ley!
Still funny though.
Hill Dawg
December 17th, 2011
8:22 pm
Sure did have a lot of people on here with diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of the mind. Boring and football ignorant. Some just ignorant.
Bama Boy
December 17th, 2011
8:28 pm
Now I know why Crybaby Crowell went to Uga instead of a real school like BAMA he likes to PARTAY!!!
James
December 17th, 2011
8:31 pm
I knew was coming..But I think he will stay around.
Truth
December 17th, 2011
8:32 pm
@Bama Boy
Like you went to Bama? Right…….
James
December 17th, 2011
8:34 pm
@17% of all GT graduates are millionaires
Then why they all chip in and upgrade that dump of a stadium?
bitter QB
December 17th, 2011
8:35 pm
simple–troll murry toe suckers——he only wins against weak teams
——give mason his due——-bobo loves mason—-richt’s boy from tampa has got his head so far up richt a$$
Truth
December 17th, 2011
8:40 pm
Laughable, the Tech student “athlete”! Some grad rates…
Rationale
December 17th, 2011
8:42 pm
Bobo says Mason needs to work on his deep passes. Wonder what Bobo thinks he needs to do with the one he has playing full time that can’t hit the deep pass?
Champs
December 17th, 2011
8:43 pm
This dawg “want” hunt is obviously Tide Roll. What a loser! Hutson should stay and take the redshirt – that’s my opinion, and I know one could argue it either way. If he does, he gets to start a season for the dawgs; if he does stay and never starts over LeMay, then he knows he wasn’ quite good enough to be an SEC starter anyway. Either way, he is a very good quarterback, and a DGD! The Tide is going to beat LSU for UA’s 14 MNC, but UA is likely to slip for a couple of years. I expect UGA-LSU in next year’s SECCG again. This time the teams will be more evenly matched. Screw Mettenberger!
bitter QB
December 17th, 2011
8:45 pm
georgia losses 2011——-1.boise st——2.south carolina—–3. LSUUUU—–4. mich st????predict a loss
——-facts are in the win–vs—loss——murry barley beat vandy—-please—-fla was nothing to brag about
—————–ALL-BURN—- far from last year—–and on—and on—–murry cant win the big games
————remember last years bowl game—–he lost to central fla—–horrible QB——–not hate-in——just saying
dogdawg
December 17th, 2011
8:47 pm
Mason looked good in every game he has played.Coach Ritch needs to what ever he can to keep him PERIOD.Murray has played good as well,but Mason deserves more playing time as he is a sharp passer with a very quick release.Redshirt him or give him some reps we are gonna need him soon as murray is exploring the NFL,
bitter QB
December 17th, 2011
8:50 pm
mecklenberger was hands down better than murry——trolls review the season and a QB that rolls up 6 tds against
——————————————————new mexico st——————–please——pad your stats—–choke to good compition
Bad Dawg
December 17th, 2011
8:53 pm
Champs, What makes you think LSU and UGA will be evenly matched next year? This is the same team with a mostly new offensive line that will have to gel. Sure UGA will be somewhat better next year but LSU will be as well.
bitter QB
December 17th, 2011
8:53 pm
trolls —did you not review the LSUUUU GAME—-MURRY was horrible in that game —–turnover after turnover
Lee
December 17th, 2011
9:05 pm
This is one area where I find fault with Richt and co. Seems to me you would want to get your backup QB as much game day experience as possible. If I recall correctly, at least one series per game, they used to put Shockley in the game. Paid dividends in the end.
BG
December 17th, 2011
9:09 pm
I hope Mason stays and takes a redshirt.
TreDog
December 17th, 2011
9:10 pm
Hutson Mason needs to look at Richt’s ACTIONS INSTEAD OF rICHT’S PROMISES.
ASK lOGAN gRAY if Richt keeps his promises.
Doesn’t matter is Mason beats Murray again in the Spring, after all, Mettenbergwer & Gray beat Murray over Spring 2 seaSONS Ago, ansd Mason beat him this year. It doesn’t matter, there is no QB comeptition, it’s Murray’s job, regardless of who wins Spring competition, or how bad Murray plays in big games (0-7 vs. ranked teams).
Bama Boy
December 17th, 2011
9:12 pm
@truth you speak with forked tongue!lmao
Columbus
December 17th, 2011
9:14 pm
Tampa: You mean leaving like your saving grace offensive coordinator?! LOL. UH OH! Another thing: It is going to be a LONG 4-5 -6 years for you Florida and UT fans! It is the time of the Dogs from Athens baby! SC is ahead of the hass-been Gators! Battle it out with UT for 3rd OK? OH excuse me AND VANDY and Missouri!
The Dawg has turned!
Richt will steer him in the right direction. We have a lot of great QB’s and another one coming in Ramsey who is Stafford-like and possibly the #1 QB in HS on the planet. He will be a freshman in 2013 since he is still a junior in HS. Look for him to start in 2015 for sure after a redshirt. Unless Lemay or Mason doesnt pan out and/or have transferred. Then 2014.
It is going to be very interesting. Murray: Will he stay or go after 2012? If he goes that would open up 2 years for Mason and 3 years for Lemay What will Mason do? Transfer, redshirt leaving 2013 & 2014 or play in 2012 if Murray goes down? He must be thinking what if I redhirt AND Murray leaves early? What will Lemay do if Mason redshirts leaving him & Mason with equal eligibility? THEN will Ramsey have to sit for 2 seasons until 2015? He will likely be THE #1 QB in the nation out of HS in 2013. It will all work out but it will be interesting to see how it plays out!
david
December 17th, 2011
9:15 pm
play mason duh
cmac22
December 17th, 2011
9:15 pm
Why not open the QB spot to competition? UGA needs a QB that can throw the deep ball & win BIG games!! Based on what Murray has done in two years, he is not the one!
St Simons - we're on Island time
December 17th, 2011
9:16 pm
He ought to be starting. I agree with him.
One thing’s for sure, booboo will screw this up
danny
December 17th, 2011
9:19 pm
I will always contend that David Greene starting over DJ Shockley, cost us a National Championship. DJ was clearly the best player to lead us there.
jvillebil
December 17th, 2011
9:19 pm
If I were Mason I would transfer. I would find a coach that needs a passing QB that would almost certainly guarantee a start and go for it. If he transfered to another FBS school I would make sure the QB was a senior with the backup being a senior if possible. Or transfer to a top FCS school and play immediately. My nephew signed a college basketball scholarship about 10 years ago and was starting to see good playing time as a freshman. Then sprained and ankle late in the season. The next year they brought in one of the top freshmen in the south and he suddenly couldn’t break the starting lineup, and it looked like it might be his senior year before he could. He transfer to a smaller school being an immediate starter and played in the national tournament back to back years making it to the final 8 then final 4. He said being in the game is a lot more fun than sitting onthe bench at any level.
Like I said, Mason has too much talent, if he were my son, we’d be finding another school. I wish he would stay, but Murray is on pace to break all Georgia’s passing records and Bobo isn’t going to let anything get in the way of his legacy of coaching the all time passing leader at Georgia.
Chris
December 17th, 2011
9:26 pm
Here’s a good isaiah crowell interview i just read .I reccomend it:
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/12/17/1861745/isaiah-crowell-i-need-to-be-more.html
jvillebil
December 17th, 2011
9:29 pm
thanks Chris, I hope he means what he said.
tripwire
December 17th, 2011
9:32 pm
Murray comes off to me as having a little attitude. He is a decent QB but nothing close to other UGA QBs.Mason can easily get the long ball going,his quick release and size is also a plus.You have to admit the schedule was soft in 2011.There was no real reason he could not have gotten more reps.
Jim
December 17th, 2011
9:33 pm
Hudson take a good long look in the mirror and if you see Joe Cox looking back you’ll know it’s time to leave. Could it be that Richt never saw anything but the bench that so many QBs waste away on the bench at UGA? It’s funny that we want depth with game experience in all positions but QB. I hope you playing time in the bowl game. Reading the Michigan papers it looks as they feel a major key to winning is to get to Murray. They say when he is pressured this footwork is bad and he starts missing open receivers by at least 5 yards.
bubba4dawgs
December 17th, 2011
9:36 pm
I don’t agree that Murray is NFL caliber QB this year or even the next. He still has a lot to learn and for now, I’m glad he’s a DAWG!! I believe he’d get crunched in the NFL. The Pros are looking for guys like Rothlesberger who can see the whole field. I do not foresee Murray being a starter in the NFL. Anyway, GO DAWGS!!!
PLEASE KEEP RICHT UGA
December 17th, 2011
9:47 pm
SHOULDA LET MARK WREAK(RICHT) GO TO TEXAS A&M
Jim
December 17th, 2011
9:48 pm
Start Mason in the bowl game and play him the 1st quarter. Put Murray in the second Quarter and the better of the two plays the second half.
J.Lee should have told Miles to kiss off when he got in to take a knee on the last play of the SEC championship game. What a slap in the face!
TampaGator
December 17th, 2011
9:49 pm
Columbus….and others…..
Sitting here watching the Florida state championship game between Mirimar and Plant, and Tracy Howard (5 star corner) intercepted a ball early in the game and got up after being tackled….and guess what…..he did the Gator chomp. It looks like 5-star Mr. Howard will be joining Mr. Brian Poole, another 5-star corner, in this year’s recruiting class…….and join Macus Robertson (all SEC freshman this year at CB)…..to make up an outstanding Gator defensive backfield for years.
Nelson Agalhor…..5-star WR…..is on his way as well…..along with Colin Thompson, Matt Taylor, and Latroy Pittman……to form a great receiving corp for Jacoby Brissett or Jeff Driskell for years to come as well…….with Matt Jones doing the power running…..Jassmen Dunker and Chris Humprhries coming to join the OL.
…..all joining a current roster that is 70 percent very talented freshmen and sophs.
Yep….no hope for the Gators in the future…….the Gators are loaded and very talented…..just very young. Enjoy while you can…..it won’t last long.
SugarHillDawg
December 17th, 2011
9:49 pm
I don’t blame the kid at all. He’s capable of being a starter in the SEC! Heck of and arm and very accurate.
Chris
December 17th, 2011
9:53 pm
bubba4dawgs i agree murray won’t leave early even next year cuz of his size. Plus he needs to continue to improve on his accuracy and his ball security. other than those two things he is a great player and leader. I’m grateful to have him. He will stay to his senior season and go down as probably the best or atleast one of the best qbs we have ever had. i’m not sure how he will be in the pros i say a back up
TampaGator
December 17th, 2011
9:54 pm
Mason……I hear Central Florida is looking for a QB……heck, you can go down to Orlando and go play your ex-teammates in the Liberty Bowl in a couple of years.
Dawg48
December 17th, 2011
9:55 pm
Breaking news!!!
6 Florida players and 3 coaches are missing!
Last seen driving north toward Ohio!
Jim
December 17th, 2011
9:55 pm
Is the ink dry yet. Contract extention talk is just talk just as playing time for back up QBs. Be good and you mite get to play as a senior unless we sign someone better. Yep just like a rich kid who throws perfectly good toys away when the new ones come along. After the bowl game is over UGA could tell Richt hang around and we’ll talk about again next year. Think that shoe would fit?
Chris
December 17th, 2011
9:56 pm
TampaGator
yall defintley have a great recruiting class. Who said florida was going to be terrible? Yall will probably be bad again next year cuz of the qb situtation and yalll will be incredibly young. Sadly florida will always be good cuz they always have talent. Nelson agholor might not be going to florida his recruitment is wide open but he has mentioned uga i dont think he will come here. I’ve seen his highlight film he is a heck of a player
TampaGator
December 17th, 2011
9:57 pm
Just having some fun with that last post……everyone knows Georgia won’t be in the Liberty Bowl in two years. They will obviously return to the Outback Bowl to get revenge on Michigan State in 2014.
jvillebil
December 17th, 2011
9:57 pm
Dawg48, Now that was funny!
Chris
December 17th, 2011
9:58 pm
I dont see hudson ever playing. Murray will play until he is a senior. And lemay is a great talent.i would transfer
Dawg48
December 17th, 2011
10:00 pm
Tampa gator
I saw the other day that some one said you have been sick, I hope all is well with you.