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.
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
542 comments Add your comment
1 4 GT
December 17th, 2011
10:41 pm
Seems like congratulations are in order for the University of Georgia for great news as related in a front page story in today’s AJC. From reading the story, it seems as though UGA has played a leading role in developing a vaccine that shows much promise as a potential cure for at least some forms of cancer. I hope you all read the news story. I give credit to the paper and the reporter covering this momentous news. Of course, as with all of this type of medical research, it may well be another 10 years before the treatment is marketed. UGA was very smart is getting a patent in the schools name–much $$$ to be derived from this. CONGRATULATIONS UGA AND THE OTHER INSTITUTIONS LISTED IN THE STORY AND THE RESEARCHERS INVOLVED IN THE WORK!!
Dawg48
December 17th, 2011
10:42 pm
Chris
If you get to know ( smart enough to know )
He really is the guy that the DOS EQUIS commercials are talking about.
The most interesting man in the world!
Chris
December 17th, 2011
10:44 pm
murray defintley has to improve his ball security and accuracy but he is a great qb.
haha sorry for my grammar errors i thought it was a blog not my exam (thank goodness those are over). Oh and on “Murray’s got to hit him right there” I dont think there should be a ’s. What a shame you should have better grammar on these blogs jack bull
Chris
December 17th, 2011
10:46 pm
Wow!!! a gt fan appreciating uga academics! i’m impressed! i didn’t hear about that story thats great news
A person SMART enough to know......
December 17th, 2011
10:48 pm
48 yes I did GSU on the web and some of the NoLa Bowl too. Dallas is winning and I hate that.
I love jen Anniston as My star, also Cote de Pablo from NCIS, and Abby from NCIS too. Those are 3 on my IF EVER LIST. Christie Brinkley is still #1 from when i was 13. The #5 rotates to the Hottie of the month.
A person SMART enough to know......
December 17th, 2011
10:52 pm
48 but I don’t do Mexican beer just Mexican ……in fishnets. LOL
Dawg48
December 17th, 2011
10:54 pm
Smart
You are crazy….
I could not watch the bowl game on the blue turf…..something about it , it hurts my eyes!
I would hate to watch that team from Oregon that has the red turf! It would be horrible!
IL Jacket
December 17th, 2011
10:56 pm
Paul in NH, thanks for the correction.
Dawg48
December 17th, 2011
10:56 pm
Smart
I think it would be best for you to not go to el paso!
Lol
Dawg4
December 17th, 2011
10:57 pm
We could be recruiting more Offensive linemen instead of having two or more QBs sitting on the bench. It will catch up with Rich sooner or later like it did after Shockley left…No experience.
Dawg48
December 17th, 2011
10:58 pm
The dawns are playing B ball on sports south!
Dawg48
December 17th, 2011
10:59 pm
Sorry……the dawgs are playing B ball on sports south.
damn good dawg that larry!
December 17th, 2011
11:02 pm
Mett was KICKED OFF the team For messing with the cheerleader, putting his up thier skirts and stuff
Hutson Mason really means.....
December 17th, 2011
11:04 pm
I would rather sit on the bench at UGA than start for GT.
funny...
December 17th, 2011
11:06 pm
Hutson is a good kid.
If his heart isn’t in Athens then I wish him the best. Hutson, we’d love you to stay!
Once a Dawgs, always a Dawg.
Murray may just go pro next year and Hutson could get two years!! LeMay is good but Hutson is special good. Look up his Georgia High School passing records at Lassiter.
funny...
December 17th, 2011
11:07 pm
I’ll say this though..
You can’t say Hutson without UT.
Kid loves some UT Vols.
OkieDawg
December 17th, 2011
11:13 pm
You can’t say Da’Rick without d-i-c-k. Why would he ever go to UT and throw a pass to Rogers?
tass
December 17th, 2011
11:15 pm
Mason is taller and better… Bobo blows it again.
MurfDawg
December 17th, 2011
11:17 pm
It is hard to argue with Murray’s results this year. He won 10 games, had great stats (only behind Tyler Wilson at Ark). But there is something about Murray that just doesn’t have the “wow” factor. Maybe it is because he has stretches where he goes 0-9, 0-5 and then goes 5-5and 6-6. In the big games, USC, fl and LSU he was very shaky. I know LSU makes every qb look shaky, but the USC and fl games were games where he made mistake after mistake and then made a couple of great plays. How many pick sixes has he thrown this year? I don’t think he has that good of arm. Mason has a better arm but not the experience. who would do better next year? Maybe with more seasoned receivers Murray will be better.
Steve O.
December 17th, 2011
11:22 pm
Mason deserves some playing time now…..he may be better than Murray, but we will never know unless Richt and Bobo give him a chance……give the kid a chance…
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 17th, 2011
11:25 pm
Houston ‘97, and whoever wants to buy fools gold-
Yeah Mason will go pro after one year of playing? Ok, lets stop being juvenile here. The young man go on to do great things but hell if he has shown that type of talent his ass would be playing. Simple as that. As bad as Richt needed to win this year and starting 0-2 if he thought Mason was the man to right the ship then his tail would have been in the game.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 17th, 2011
11:29 pm
Yeah AM looked shakey leading a team that scored 42 points against USC. Also if the line blocked Clowney a couple of times and the damn punt team stopped a DL from running a fake punt in for a TD we arent even talking about that crap. Please AM stood in the pocket all day against a stout USC DL when UGA OL was beginning to come together. Then the LSU game? Give me a QB that lit up that defense with two All American CB?
Bad Dawg
December 17th, 2011
11:30 pm
Where’s his wins vs. ranked teams? If you say GT or Auburn well… I have nothing left to say.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 17th, 2011
11:33 pm
Whats Cordy Glenns versus ranked teams?
A person SMART enough to know......
December 17th, 2011
11:35 pm
MASON would SMOKE Murray if given the same chance. Murray has stats against CRAPY teams. MURRAY hasn’t done ANYTHING against ANYBODY but MASON was never given the chance. Murray is in the job because Richt and Bobo were too STUPID to play Murray more during the COX year. Yes Murray would have lost a year but he would have gained so much more. The coaches would know better that he isn’t the GOD of the SEC. Mason should have been playing more in the CC, NMS, UK, GT and LSU game. the Dawgs were not going to beat LSU and Mason could have learned a lot.
thwg
December 17th, 2011
11:40 pm
duh? the kid was an idiot to go to UGA to begin with. Same thing is going to happen to Marshall and/or Crowell. Only so much room on a depth chart. It’s one thing to be 2nd/3rd string at Bama or LSU and winning NC’s. But to be 2nd/3rd in an irrelavent program like UGA is suicide. These kids who go to UGA and throw away their careers are fools, are are getting paid very well by Randy Gardner, the former ‘runner’ at Auburn back in the day. These kids need to go someplace they can play, or if willing to be 2nd+ on the depth chart, should go to a top 10 program instead of a program that played 5 teams with a winning record, but still only finished 2-3 against the 5. Can you say mediocre.
A person SMART enough to know......
December 17th, 2011
11:40 pm
Lowcountry………….You are Drunk on the Kool-Aid. Mason was never given the chance. Garcia was the man at USC but Shaw has done pretty well when he was allowed to play more. Richt was a bench QB and he will not do that because he doesn’t want to hurt a kids feelings. Richt still thinks he could have won a MNC at Miami if he was allowed to play instead of Jim Kelly.
DanTheDawgfan
December 17th, 2011
11:42 pm
Where’s the Georgia Southern guy that comes on here and talks carp bout how GS is the football power in the state?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 17th, 2011
11:44 pm
Again 0-2 start in a make or break year. If Mason was the guy who could have righted the ship his tail would have been playing. He didn’t they won 10 straight games to get to the SEC Title game. Enough said. Again the backup QB is th emost popular player on the team. Let him leave he would never beat out Lemay anyway. Good luck to him and you are a moron.
Bad Dawg
December 17th, 2011
11:44 pm
Cordy has protected Murray fairly well this year Low Country Bulldawg. He is not even a true left tackle and the young man has done a heck of a job. Aaron Murray has not beaten a single quality opponent in 2 years as a starter. He was given the job after Mettenberger was dismissed and now with two other quarterbacks on the roster that could be just as good, they won’t even open the quarterback competition. I say open the competition to get the best qb in the game. The other guys deserve a shot too they have been working hard as well.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 17th, 2011
11:48 pm
Bad Dawg-
You miss the point. You single out AM but last I check football is a team game. It takes blocking,tackling,running and passing. So AM is the sole reason this team has not beat a “highly” ranked team? Make QB-1 the scapegoat, wouldnt be the first fanbase to do it. Just follow in the lines of many.
Bad Dawg
December 17th, 2011
11:50 pm
thwg, Your’e the worst type of scum to criticize a young man for following his heart. He darn sure did not want to play for the yellow jackets fool. Trust me Georgia Tech should just be worried about making it out of El Paso safely. I would say UGA is second tier, now Georgia Tech that is a mediocre football program.
Happy Holidays and Go Dawgs!
jack bull
December 17th, 2011
11:52 pm
More name calling, huh? Nice!
16-10 record. 65% completion one week, 40% the next. If you’re happy with that, so be it. There’s no point debating it.
wins-by-a-link
December 17th, 2011
11:53 pm
Mason has a nice touch on his passes, I think he throws a more catchable ball than Murray who sometimes throws too hard and is often inaccurate on long throws, Coach Richt does not like to make changes once he has made a decision, But you would think he would give Mason more playing time in case Murray was injured, If Mason wants more playing time he may well have to transfer or wind up competing with Lemay who may be the best QB at Georgia.
dawgenuff
December 17th, 2011
11:54 pm
John Theus will have Murray’s back next year! Bring on Clowney! You won’t see anyone sneaking up to spear [ ala Fairley] Murray in the back! Those days are over!
Bad Dawg
December 17th, 2011
11:55 pm
I get what you are saying. There’s plenty of blame to go around. Its the coaching mostly but I think Murray was handed the job and the others were never given a real shot to compete. Why not open up competition?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 17th, 2011
11:57 pm
Out of a RS Sophomore. I will take that and I think the young man is only going to grow further. Sorry if you guys a stuck sucking on the leftovers of Alabama and LSU but out of 120 teams in NCAA football only 1 team will claim #1. AM has time on his side. Also note he represents the University on and off the field in a stellar manor. Please dont even say that doesnt matter bc when a athlete in this city slips up we are ready to toss him to the curb after singing his praises, see IC….
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 18th, 2011
12:01 am
Easy to say he had it handed to him when you have no idea how it would have turned out. Mett screwed up now AM has to defend critics bc he didnt go to Valdosta and grope a girl? Yeah that seems about right…
Illinois Good Neighbor
December 18th, 2011
12:08 am
1 4 GT at 10:41 pm:
Cancer research is more important than this recreational blog, I’m sure we all agree.
Strangely enough, the comments on HM’s article about leaving have been understanding and insightful with many wishing him the best. I expected many “don’t let the door hit you in the butt” type comments. But, as one put it, “give the kid meaningful playing time in the bowl game and shut us all up about who is the right qb”. Jeez, Georgia puts 2 years of work into HM, try him before MAKING HM make a tough decision that may not be best for HM or Georgia!!! Someone !! Anyone!! Talk some sense into this Born Again coaches heart!! It’s business isn’t it? Is it fair to not give Murray a possible wake up call!! If Aaron survives as #1 it will be better for AM than this doubt!! Also, has Christian Lemay’s work ethic been enough to prepare him for his on field opportunity yet? Is he putting on weight? Is he learning the playbook?
I remember reading that early in HM’s senior year at Lassiter, that HM’s first offer was in the Big Ten to Iowa Hawkeyes. I quess a friend of his, a TE at Iowa got him noticed by their coaches. Interesting, that if he would have left his beloved State of Georgia for Iowa, he would probably have been their starting QB this past season. Now that is if he would have progressed as well with training under Iowa’s QB coach. Iowa fans think there is need for a coaching change at that position….so who know’s how the woulda, coulda, shoulda’s work out?
Be fair to Murray, the kid hears the doubt, give HM a chance in the final bowl game.
Coon-Dawg
December 18th, 2011
12:10 am
Phuch Le` Duch … DJ was not better than David Green ! … You’ve lost your mind ! … The Pro’s don’t count, only college !
A person SMART enough to know......
December 18th, 2011
12:21 am
Q.Carter started more NFL games than DJ, Greene, or Zeier and we know Q. Carter is dumber than Reggie Ball.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 18th, 2011
12:23 am
Because he had a owner dumber than him, Jerry Jones. You got to come with better material.
A person SMART enough to know......
December 18th, 2011
12:33 am
Low……………the BIG TUNA was the one that placed Q as the starting QB not JJ.
Bad Dawg
December 18th, 2011
12:33 am
Correction, no one is dumber than Reggie Ball. except for that coach who started him all those years.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 18th, 2011
12:36 am
So was JJ still the owner? Just making sure my point was valid and your attempted correction was irrelevant.
A person SMART enough to know......
December 18th, 2011
12:37 am
Bad Dawg Reggie couldn’t beat UGA but he did what UGA couldn’t. He went Undefeated against Auburn when Auburn was a top 10 team. He never lost to Cadillac & Campbell.
A person SMART enough to know......
December 18th, 2011
12:37 am
& Brown too
A person SMART enough to know......
December 18th, 2011
12:40 am
Low…………….JJ didn’t make the lineups when the Tuna was running the show. the more JJ tried is the reason TUNA left. JJ didn’t start Carter anymore than Smith started BART.
big joe
December 18th, 2011
12:43 am
not to diss the kid…but I thought his stats in high school were a little inflated…the game i saw him play…..350 + yards of passing, but many of the yards came from a 3 yd pass and 30-40 yds of YAC…anyhoo….best of luck what ever he decides…college football–regardless of the level is still a tough nut to crack.
A person SMART enough to know......
December 18th, 2011
12:45 am
Mason is like Schub behind Vick. He is good enough to play in the SEC and Win too bad Bozo and Christ Richt treated him wrong.