No distinction between Todd Gurley and Georgia’s other tailbacks
ATHENS — Freshman Todd Gurley has out-gained the other tailbacks two-fold with 167 yards and 3 touchdowns on 15 touches in Georgia’s two scrimmages. But that hasn’t been enough for coaches to anoint him as No. 1 player at the position.
“As far as a clear-cut pecking order, I think we’ll probably come up with one a little bit later on, but not today,” running backs coach Bryan McClendon said after Thursday’s practice. “We have one more scrimmage next week and a few more padded practices to keep progressing. So we still have some time to do some evaluating and guys to get better as well. You don’t want to come up with something and then switching things up next week and create a mess.”
McClendon said after reviewing the video from Wednesday’s scrimmage and watching closely observing Gurley go through 15 preseason practices, he is as excited as everybody else about the 6-foot-1, 218-pound runner. But he is also getting positive feedback from the other three players battling to be the No. 1 tailback: sophomore Ken Malcome, senior Richard Samuel and freshman Keith Marshall.
“You get excited when you see [Gurley] go out and perform,” McClendon said. “He went out there and had a good scrimmage. But he wasn’t the only one. Keith had a good scrimmage and had some good runs. And Ken, stat wise, didn’t have the numbers that those guys did, but he was probably the best one out there yesterday. It’s definitely something you have to go by what you see, but all those guys are working their tails off and pushing each other. It’s exciting to see that now.”
McClendon said he envisions all four players getting carries in the Buffalo game. One of them will have to go first, and the Bulldogs can play it a lot of different ways.
It can start Malcome, who began the preseason in the No. 1 position and has done nothing to fall back;
It can reward the senior Richard Samuel for being willing to return to the position and split time at fullback;
It can go with either one of the freshmen, making one the first rookie to start a season opener since Danny Ware in 2004.
Whatever Georgia does, McClendon thinks it’s merely trivia.
“I definitely think we’ll use four,” he said. “We used three the last couple of years in each game. We’ve played three or four guys before, so I definitely think we can play all four of them.”
Here’s what Georgia’s five tailbacks have done in the two scrimmage. Keep in mind that situations and opportunities with the No. 1 offense vary for each:
- Gurley: 13 carries — 145 yards — 11.2 ypc — 3 TDs
- Malcome: 10-67-6.7ypc-1
- Harton: 14-56-4.0 ypc-0
- Marshall 12-46-3.83 ypc-1
- Samuel 6-40-6.67 ypc-1
Your thoughts?
MORE ON GEORGIA FOOTBALL
- UGA fullback Merritt Hall proves recruiters wrong
- Notebook: Richt more at peace with kicking game after latest outing
- Freshman TB Todd Gurley stars (again) in Georgia’s scrimmage
- Most questions answered as Dogs prepare for 2nd scrimmage
- Notebook: McGowan’s ‘dream comes true’ with scholarship
- Video: Georgia’s biggest surprises, greatest concerns
- It’s back to school for graduate Aaron Murray
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192 comments Add your comment
DrDawg
August 17th, 2012
11:39 am
Let Samuel be the first to touch the ball, but play all four. Richard deserves the honor and should be rewarded for his hard work and leadership. With four horses like this plus a great young fullback, why not run, run, run, and wear out the defenses? We should routinely get over 250-300 yards rushing. Run the danged ball.
CubanDawg
August 17th, 2012
11:40 am
Bud = BC = Thomas Brown = BuLLdog = etc…blah, blah, blah
Loved it when Chip made you look like a lame fool yesterday. Keep up the
idiocy, MORON.
Bud
August 17th, 2012
11:49 am
This team has a West Coast identitiy, trying to beat teams in the SEC.
Until UGA changes its’ identity from passing the ball, to running, it will never win the SEC.
kingdaddy
August 17th, 2012
11:57 am
Start Malcome/Samuel for first series. Gurley/Hall second series. Marshal/Hicks third series. Keep alternating until someone seperates themselves from the pack. It can’t hurt and will keep the Defense from getting any rhythm. Eventually this will show who’s #1. This will also reward Richard and Malcome for all their hard work. We are blessed with RBs this year and may have a couple of really good full-backs also. The only way UGA wins the SECe this year and Richt & Bobo keep their jobs is if we develope our running game this year. If you don’t use them, we will surely lose them…
Bud
August 17th, 2012
11:58 am
8 of the teams UGA plays this year, finished in the top 30 in PASS DEFENSE last year.
1 of the teams UGA plays this year, finished in the top 30 in RUN DEFENSE.
Bobo’s plan?
PASS THE BALL!!!!
VADAWG
August 17th, 2012
12:02 pm
whatever!!!!! this coaching staff decision does not suprise me a bit!!!!!!!!?????!!!!!!
kingdaddy
August 17th, 2012
12:09 pm
Anybody that follows football knows that a passing game is a quick strike offense. This means your Defense will be on the field alot. No wonder we run out of gas in the 2nd half. A running game eats the clock. It keeps the other teams offense off the field and KEEPS OUR DEFENSE FRESHER GOING INTO THE 2nd HALF. The rushing game will win a championship and make your Defense even better. If CMR can’t see that by now, then maybe he’s not going to take us to the next level. With our talent, the only thing holding us back is “COACHING”…
Greg
August 17th, 2012
12:16 pm
Sure are a lot of “Tide” fans in here. Yeah right. They’re all GT fans hiding behind teams like Alabama and LSU because they know that they’ll get laughed out of here talking trash under a GT name.
North Georgia Dawg
August 17th, 2012
12:22 pm
“Sure are a lot of “Tide” fans in here. Yeah right. They’re all GT fans hiding behind teams like Alabama and LSU because they know that they’ll get laughed out of here talking trash under a GT name.”
I’ve been trying to tell people this all the time and it’s the same thing as the LSU fans who came on here when Georgia was about to play them and laughed at UGA. They are too insecure to talk trash with a GT or Florida name.
North Georgia Dawg
August 17th, 2012
12:24 pm
kingdaddy, I think we would have run the ball more last season if our running backs had played better. Maybe with four fresh guys to tote the rock and some good young fullbacks out there, the staff will call more running plays. Murray seems to play better when he has a running game to back him up, because play action is much more effective. (Ex: Auburn game)
@spencaman
August 17th, 2012
12:35 pm
RollTide’s comments are all taken don… guess he got hateful and got booted off the board
kingdaddy
August 17th, 2012
12:38 pm
North Georgia Dawg
If CMB doesn’t use imagination better in the run game, it won’t matter. Most every team in the SEC can stop you from running between the tackles. Bobo used no imagination last year. 2 up the gut, a bomb, then punt! I was so sick watching this over and over. If Bobo doesn’t develope an outside game this year, then I wish him well wherever he goes, but I want more diversity with the running game…
doesn't matter
August 17th, 2012
12:46 pm
Just as when we had Ware, Lumpkin and Brown, two of,which are still NFLers Coach Mike Bobo, or whichever coach parcels playing time won’t have a real plan for playing them. It’ll be one running for six yards, then he’ll get pulled for someone else. This staff proved back then that too many weapons is
too much for them to figure out. I’m a big Richt fan, but facts are facts. They won’t give anyone time to get in the flow of the game, just as they didn’t back then.
Just Saying
August 17th, 2012
12:57 pm
Bud, for the 5th time…..the stats are totally incorrect!!! Keith Marshall averaged 12.4 yards/ carry in the last scrimmage. He had fewer yards, but also fewer carries than Gurley. You can’t say Gurley is better based on a total of only 13 carries in 2 scrimmages…..when his competition (KM) had fewer opportunities and still averaged way over 10 yds/ carry. That totally defies logic…..and you don’t have a clue as to which defense they were facing and what offensive line they were running behind. I’m certain the coaches have to wade through all those factors in making a decision.
DirtyDawg
August 17th, 2012
12:59 pm
Damn we sure got a lot of experts around here. Tell me, does it ever occur to the naysayers to laythehelloff these guys – coaches that is – after all they’re with us not those other guys. Just saw the end of To Kill A Mockingbird again…I’m looking forward to a lot of ‘Hey Boo(s)’ – as in Boo Malcome rather than Boo Radley, but Hey Boo(s) nonetheless.
Stats for the hell of it
August 17th, 2012
1:00 pm
Just throwing this out there but Georgia was #1 in total yards offense in the SEC last year, 3 rd in Average yards per game, 3rd in 3rd down efficiency , 1st in total 1st downs. 5th in rushing offense.
3rd in passing offense. Not saying there isn’t plenty of room for improvement especially with turnovers and a field goal kicker that missed 14 FGs,these stats came a against 6 defenses that ranked in the top 20 nationally., without any consistency at TB.
59bulldawg
August 17th, 2012
1:08 pm
I understand the need to be sensitive to upper classmen but they need to understand that the BEST back starts. And if it’s Gurley or Marshall then so be it! Doing it any other way is opening a Pandora’s box of trouble! Hopefully Richt understands that if he wants to hang around a few more years.
Ghost
August 17th, 2012
1:11 pm
Anyone that bases their opinion on who is the best RB on stats from a controlled scrimmage they didn’t attend or spring game obviously has never participated in one and is looking for a reason to bash the coaches or the program.
DawgByte
August 17th, 2012
1:22 pm
My hope is that one guy emerges amongst this group. RB by committee does not allow an individual to get in the rhythm of the game. You need a workhorse and then spell them when the time is right. My guess is that by the third game the two freshmen will have established themselves as 1 and 2. The other guys can come in the 4th Qtr. and pound opposing D’s and grind out the clock.
Vampire Bill
August 17th, 2012
1:28 pm
Start Richard as CMR is big on Loyalty. Play others often and win the freakin game
59bulldawg
August 17th, 2012
1:38 pm
Ghost@1:11 – If that was directed at me go back and re-read my post. I don’t think I annointed anybody. I just made a general statement and anyone who thinks that is “bashing” coaches or the program is really reaching.
Here we Go
August 17th, 2012
1:51 pm
Kingdaddy—Your comment at 11:57 is right on!!! Show some loyalty and than find the best of the rest.Should be settled on who is number 1 by the Vandy game.
Best player
August 17th, 2012
2:02 pm
Play the best player. Not too complicated.
FanstasyDawg
August 17th, 2012
2:05 pm
Gurly is an explosive back and big Sam a 249 pound punishing back.
Oversigning
August 17th, 2012
2:48 pm
I see that the dawgs are oversigning again. What was that? They are looking to sign 34??? UGA needs to be invesigated for this oversigning nonsense.
AltamahaDawg
August 17th, 2012
2:53 pm
When did loyalty EVER over-ride best option when Richt determined who played or started?
CHDawg
August 17th, 2012
2:53 pm
I am very excited about Samuel working in as FB, say 3rd down in particular. Samuel and any of the other TBs on the field at the same time should be interesting. Better have some fast LBs to keep track of them.
LHarding Dawg
August 17th, 2012
2:56 pm
Its apparently clear this person “oversigning” is an idiot that knows nothing about SEC signing rules.
59bulldawg
August 17th, 2012
3:15 pm
He’s just trying to stir the pot! LOL! Must be boring in Alabama!
Ghost
August 17th, 2012
3:25 pm
59 Dawg, Nope not directed at you hadn’t read your post when I posted.Iwas just saying noone should read too much into a controlled scrimmage. I am all for putting the best players on the field, be it a freshman or a senior.Not saying it wouldn’t be nice to see Samuels or Malcome step up and give these young ones time to get there feet wet, but I am very large on winning whether it be with upper class-men or freshmen.That being said I think from what I have “seen” Gurley and Marshall are both physically ready to play.
59bulldawg
August 17th, 2012
3:35 pm
Well I didn’t know! My bad! Yeah I really like Samuels too and I really hope Malcome’s days of sulking are behind him. But it’s hard not to be impressed with Gurley and Marshall. I just hope whoever starts, the rest won’t get an attitude. As long as Bobo uses a running game, there should be plenty of carries for everybody. This team has the potential to be really special!
LHarding Dawg
August 17th, 2012
3:36 pm
I personally think that there is not much drop off from any of the backs. I would think that Boo and Samuel would have the pass blocking down better than the two young backs. I’m ready to see Samuel start the games with the other backs getting plenty of playing time. It’s a long season, they will all be tired by the end of it.
slydog
August 17th, 2012
3:44 pm
the amazing thing is, even though he is playing mostly against the 3rd string, he just got there two months ago and is acting like he owns the place. He will be a future star running back in the SEC for the next 3 years. Barring injury, of course
kingdaddy
August 17th, 2012
4:38 pm
We should not be worried about the running backs. They are good and will produce behind our new line for years to come, but I am uneasy about whether Coach Bobo will utilize these talented RBs to the best of THEIR ABILITY? 2 up the gut by Carlton Thomas and a bomb, then punt, will not win us a big game this year! (Carlton Thomas never stood a chance!) Without an outside game this year, we will not beat S.C., FLA. OR AUBURN. A stout Defensive line will stop last years running game, but THIS YEARS RUNNING GAME CAN BE DIFFERENT. Only with an OUTSIDE RUNNING GAME will we get where we want to be this year. If CMR wants to win a big game, he has to change philosophies. Run first, eat clock, no turn-overs—DEFENSE. I’m not saying no more passing, I’m saying less passing, more running. LAST YEAR, OUR PASSING GAME ALMOST DESTROYED OUR DEFENSE BY KEEPING THEM ON THE FIELD TOO LONG. Bobo is the key…
Tampa Gator
August 17th, 2012
4:42 pm
Georgia is an irrelevant team in the SEC East. All you Dawg fans getting excited about practice is hilarious. Gators will win the east this year and regain their dominance over the Bull pups!
kingdaddy
August 17th, 2012
4:43 pm
And yes I know Carlton Thomas isn’t playing! I wish him the best, he was a DGD…
tuckerdawg
August 17th, 2012
4:43 pm
You guys are too funny. How about we not call our coaches into question based on two SCRIMMAGES that none of us saw!! I hope Gurley is the man but he doesn’t have a single collegiate carry yet so let’s pull back on the reins and hold off on giving him the Heisman just yet.
TMC DAWG
August 17th, 2012
4:45 pm
I have said all along, its the coaching i am the most scared of. you have to play your best players. I would love to see one of the rbs tell his replacement to go back to the sideline. I have been a dawg all my life. If a guy is getting the job done, whoever it is you leave him alone. Also RUNNING the football great DEFENSE an limiting the turnovers, with a great kicking game wins CHAMPIONSHIPS. Ask coach Dooley. ACC mentality does not work in thr SEC.
Tampa Gator Hater
August 17th, 2012
4:49 pm
Tampa, Please go grab your rubber nose, oversized shoes, and makeup and stop trolling Bulldog blog sites! No true football fan cares to hear any of the baloney that you continuously strew on a daily basis. Does Tampa not have a newspaper with a Gator blog where you can share your masterful insights and observations about college football?
kingdaddy
August 17th, 2012
4:51 pm
Tamp
You’re FOS…Why come in here and try to start something? You’re ol lady just make you clean your room? You normally make a little sense, you must have been at The Tiki Hut a little too long. Go take a nap, then try it again. Next time, try to make sense. It sounded like you think UF will win the East this year after the pitiful year you had last year, lol…
Tampa Gator
August 17th, 2012
5:01 pm
Kingdaddy……
An imposter runs freely using my name on the AJC these days…..judge what you read by level of intelligence of the post. For exampe, check 4:42 and the “Tampa Gator Hater”: at 4:49…..one in the same.
Tampa Gator
August 17th, 2012
5:02 pm
…..so….Kingdaddy…..it would be “he” “she” or “it” that is……FOS…..as you say.
Tampa Gator
August 17th, 2012
5:04 pm
…..and Kingdaddy…..
I think the Gators have an excellent shot at winning the East this year…..as does South Carolina, Georgia, and maybe even the Vols. The Gators are preparing well.
Dog fan
August 17th, 2012
5:06 pm
Enter your comments here
Dog fan
August 17th, 2012
5:06 pm
Tampa, Are you a conspiracy theorist?
jj
August 17th, 2012
5:08 pm
the register at the Dublin Holiday Inn read like a who’s who of college coaching when Hershel was being recruited.
Tampa Gator
August 17th, 2012
5:13 pm
Dog fan….
Not interested in such things. I have not been coming on very lately…or in the near future for that matter…so let the imposter run free. I probably will be back more during the season…..but I will check in occasionally….as today….to see what person is posting nonsense using my posting name……..would it be you by chance? If so, don’t forget to put away your toys afterwards.
The Factor
August 17th, 2012
5:17 pm
@Tampa Gator,
Do u really think we care about your thoughts? I skip your posts all the time except for the last one. I know you never went to UF, but you act like u played there. What a tool… get lost.
dmr
August 17th, 2012
6:00 pm
4-back rotation will work if handled properly. Gurley and Marshall are freshmen and not ready to handle the whole load. Samuel is a bruiser. Malcome can run between the tackles. And keeping people fresh will be a big deal.
Bernie Matt
August 17th, 2012
6:01 pm
I’ll say it just one more time for all the slow rednecks. UGA’s offensive coach’s are idiots (and that includes CMR). If these freshman are performing this great and Malcomb has stepped his game up, then why in the world is Samuel not being allowed to practice 100% at FB. There’s a fishy smell coming out of Athens and I think all the RB’s their recruiting this year including the Henry kid can smell it.