Georgia’s Todd Gurley scoffs at comparisons to Trent Richardson
ATHENS – Nobody is sure yet what Georgia has in tailback Todd Gurley. The freshman from Tarboro, N.C., has been the Bulldogs’ leading rusher in their first two scrimmages and has impressed coaches and teammates with his size and speed during preseason camp.
But if nothing else, it’s becoming clear that Gurley is well-grounded. He just laughed this week when he was informed that senior safety Shawn Williams compared him to Alabama’s Trent Richardson.
“I think he probably compared me to him because I wear No. 3 and I have dreads like Trent Richardson,” Gurley told reporters after practice Monday. “I have a long, long, long way to go to be like Trent Richardson. But, I mean , just for a starting senior here and one of the key leaders on the team to call me that, that’s big. I’ll just take that and keep working with it. That’s a nice compliment there.”
It certainly is. Richardson rushed for 3,130 yards and 35 touchdowns at Alabama, including 1,679 this past season as he led the Crimson Tide to the national championship. Richardson was picked No. 3 in the 2012 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.
The physical comparisons between Gurley and Richardson go beyond their hairstyles, however. Richardson is 5-foot-11, 220 pounds. Gurley is 6-1, 218. And both have exceptional speed for their size. Gurley ran track for Team USA in Europe in 2011 and advanced to the semifinals in the 110-meter hurdles at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France.
Georgia coaches are saying they currently have four No. 1s at tailback heading into the Sept. 1 season opener against Buffalo. Gurley and fellow freshman Keith Marshall is in that group, so either become the first freshman to start an opener for the Bulldogs since Danny Ware in 2004.
“I haven’t really even thought of that,” Gurley said. “I really haven’t. Man, that would be great just to start in the SEC as a true freshman at any position. But I haven’t really thought about starting. I’m just trying to get everything down.”
Sophomore Ken Malcome gets the majority of snaps with the No. 1 unit and senior Richard Samuel reps with the ones as well.
SEPARATED AT BIRTH?
Richardson
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291 comments Add your comment
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2012
3:07 pm
Todd Gurley even scoffs impressively.
Big Crimson 75
August 21st, 2012
3:08 pm
bham — I see the names. I know Kelvin Sigler’s primary occupation @ Bama is to smooth things over in Prichard, Al!!
Home to Vigor & Blount HS. Home to Darius Philon — enough said!!
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
3:18 pm
Growing-up, we used to fish the “slews” off the Altamaha. I’ve stood on the banks, scared to move on the slick clay banks that angled towards the swirling red, brown water that would just pull you under then spit your up on another bank for the gators to play with. One scary river, no doubt…
bham dawg
August 21st, 2012
3:20 pm
I wish he would cut whatever is growing out of his head. looks like the dude on the simpsons. what happended to the freshman having to cut their hair?
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2012
3:21 pm
Must have been way further north than I am, if there was clay banks.
DawginLex
August 21st, 2012
3:24 pm
Can’t believe we are Bobo bashing again while Bobo sits in the booth and calls the same plays we have been running for 11 years.
It’s all about execution
And you do know we score a lot more and have better stats offensively now than we did 7 or 8 years ago.
Because we could win 20-14 then because of our defense.
Geez
USA today editor
August 21st, 2012
3:28 pm
Ga fans are so delusional, the kids sounds humble but the ignorance level by some UGA fans placing at Richardson’s level and he has not lined up against the Big Boys in a game yet.
Go to USA Today and read about coaches not winning the big games yet. Richt is in the list.
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 21st, 2012
3:30 pm
DiLex you mean the plays that Bobo learned from Richt that Richt brought from FSU?
truth
August 21st, 2012
3:30 pm
Gurley is more like Richard Samuel Part 2, not Trent Richardson. You Georgia people make me laugh. You fools get all excited every year about your team , then week 2 South Carolina smacks you guys around, then in week 8 Vandy gives you a run for your money. You guys are the 6th best team ever year in the SEC. You guys dont make the SEC the SEC. Florida , Alabama , LSU, Auburn uphold the tradition, you guys suck.
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 21st, 2012
3:31 pm
DiLex i think we see BOBO on the sidelines a lot not in the booth all the time.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2012
3:34 pm
Will be there a chart on how many gratuitous random Georgia Insults a guy can fit in 5 lines of pointlessness?
pbt dawg fan
August 21st, 2012
3:36 pm
Truth
please don’t throw Auburn ahead of UGA, Check the scores UGA vs Auburn the last 5 OUT of 6 years
WDE
August 21st, 2012
3:38 pm
When is this new blog format going to go into effect anyone know?
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
3:39 pm
Alt.,
The Woolly Swamps @ Jesup. Shot many cotton-mouths back then. The river there was deep and swift and not much chance to make it if you fell in. You were lucky if you caught a branch but the water was awesome. Great fishings in the slews and surrounding lakes though. Good family summertimes. Just keep your kids from the river bank…
bham dawg
August 21st, 2012
3:42 pm
@Twinkie… no he will be in the booth.
@DawginLex… i just think uga can do better than bobo at offensive coordinator. sometimes when you don’t have the lineman to run the pro-set he likes to run its best to throw in some twists but he is too stubborn and still tries to run off tackle when it isn’t working. no creativity what so ever he relies on our guys beating their guys and lately we have gotten shoved around by the good teams.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2012
3:43 pm
new format? You mean “you guys suck” is not the highest quality of sports chatter there is?
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
3:43 pm
Truth wouldn’t know the truth if it bit him…
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 21st, 2012
3:47 pm
pbt dawg fan
August 21st, 2012
3:36 pm
Truth
please don’t throw Auburn ahead of UGA, Check the scores UGA vs Auburn the last 5 OUT of 6 years
———————————————–
You want to go History on one comment and the last few games on another comment.
Auburn and UGA History are Equal.
You cry History to So Carolina & Gator fans and then go Richt’s history against Bama pre-Saban.
Decide.
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
3:55 pm
Bamaboy
Unlike you, I can at least say I’ve been out of my county, lol. Welcome back to a real blog loser or truth or whatever name with boy your simple mind can come up with, loser…
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
4:00 pm
What’s the matter boy, you miss being on the UGA blog to talk about UGA football. Your schoolbus just get you home???
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 21st, 2012
4:02 pm
KingDaddy………..County? You have been out of the COUNTRY and some(no names) haven’t been out of the Trailer Park. LOL
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
4:03 pm
I’d like to see you “floating” in that damn river. Better take your water-wings gator-bait…
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
4:07 pm
Twink
I actually knew a friend who hadn’t been out of Sevier Co. in Tn. Great guy in his 30s. Was just happy in the mountains. We got him drunk and he woke-up in Myrtle Beach. He forgave us, lol…
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2012
4:11 pm
Why prozac?
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
4:13 pm
Bboy
Just because life dealt you a bad hand, don’t be mad at everyone that actually lives life. You’re sad and pathetic at the same time. Try watching the Discovery channel or maybe even the travel channel instead of Disney for a change, lol…
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
4:18 pm
Alt,
he insulted a great river through sheer ignorance. He’s probably never been on a Mountain or ever seen the ocean. His world revolves around Bammer Futball, lol. Mother Nature will cull bamaboy out of the herd, lmaoff…
Jay
August 21st, 2012
4:18 pm
I wouldn’t put too much stock in a guy whos last name is girly.
bham dawg
August 21st, 2012
4:24 pm
@TG1UNO: If one more person Call me Trent Richardson again
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
4:26 pm
Bamerboy
don’t jump off a building or do anything rash cause I hurt your feelings. It’s probably not gonna hurt you very much jumping off a single-wide trailer, lol…Try playing in the same road your schoolbus runs on. I’m sure you’re bus driver would love to get you in her sights! Hey, when did they put in speedbumps? Anybody see that “dingleberry” bamerboy???
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 21st, 2012
4:26 pm
Gurley the next Richardson.
Seems like we heard this last year when dogs fans were saying that Crowell was the next Lattimore.
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 21st, 2012
4:27 pm
Kingdaddy……..our church has a fund for Sevierville Children’s Home. The choir and mission department money oes to those children. Our church goes there to spend weekends mentoring and we help fund a summer vacation for the kids too.
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 21st, 2012
4:30 pm
KingDaddy if Bama boy lives in Alabama then jumping off a building wouldn’t hurt more than falling out of a Deer Stand. he is probably so FAT he would bounce 3 or 4 times.
pbt dawg fan
August 21st, 2012
4:30 pm
Y
pbt dawg fan
August 21st, 2012
4:33 pm
I drop my fried
Where in my comment did i mention anything about South Carolina, Florida, or Alabama.. I ‘ll deccide just for you. Let’s just do the Richt years.
dawgfan
August 21st, 2012
4:36 pm
“Can’t believe we are Bobo bashing again while Bobo sits in the booth and calls the same plays we have been running for 11 years.”
I disagree. I think the offense has changed substantially since Bobo took over. When Richt was in charge we were known for ball control and actually had some semblance of a running game. We could actually grind out tough yards when needed. David Greene didn’t light the stat sheet on fire but he also didn’t put our defense in horrific positions with turnovers because Richt was letting him zip the ball over the field like it was a damn flag football game. It was more about winning the damn game than putting up flashy stats, which leads me to my next point…..
“And you do know we score a lot more and have better stats offensively now than we did 7 or 8 years ago.”
Who gives a flying crap? If I want flashy stats I’ll go root for some sissy team out west or Georgia Tech. I want wins and championships. Bobo cannot get it done against the best teams. That is not an opinion. That is not “hating.” That is a FACT. So maybe we’re putting up some big numbers against the New Mexico State’s and Georgia Tech’s of the world? Whoopdeefreakingdoo!!! How’d we look against LSU last year? What about Boise State? Those were both top 5 teams and Bobo was completely outclassed, which leads me to my next point….
“Because we could win 20-14 then because of our defense.”
Defense is no longer an excuse for Mike Bobo. We had a very good defense last year. We were not able to keep up with Boise State offensively. The offense was a complete no show in the second half against LSU. The running game against Mich State in the bowl game was an absolute freaking embarassment to the game of football. Defense is not an excuse anymore. We had a good defense in 2007. We missed out on a shot at a championship because of Mike Bobo’s offense against South Carolina and Tennessee that year. Those two losses were completely on Mike Bobo. He is not a championship caliber offensive coordinator.
You can continue to make excuses for him and I’ll continue to wait patiently until we have an offensive coordinator that knows what he’s doing and can win us championships.
Thanks.
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
4:38 pm
Finer
Who on this blog said that? Carlton Thomas would have looked like Trent behind Bama’s Oline. I could run behind that line. How would Trent have done running behind a much lesser Oline? He was a good back, but give his line credit. I’m sure he gave them credit. I’m proud he won it, but he may not have won it at a different school. Anyway not many Dawg fans claim Gurley is Trent. Gurley may be better, but that’s yet to be seen. I doubt Gurley will be a bust…
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2012
4:43 pm
The pond would probably suit him well.
CHDawg
August 21st, 2012
4:44 pm
Well, I don’t think it was just the 3, Todd, because Williams could have said you remind him of Ealey. I do appreciate the humility–it does come before honor; I have it on the highest authority! BTW, no disrespect intended to Ealey.
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 21st, 2012
4:45 pm
pbt dawg fan
August 21st, 2012
4:33 pm
I drop my fried
Where in my comment did i mention anything about South Carolina, Florida, or Alabama..
========================================
You didn’t but you went resent history to prove your point but you go HISTORY to try to prove your point against So Carolina. You use the FACTS that suit your argument when needed.
441North
August 21st, 2012
4:51 pm
I CAN’T FREAKIN’ WAIT
Glory between the Hedges
August 21st, 2012
4:52 pm
Gurley is more like Richard Samuel Part 2, not Trent Richardson. You Georgia people make me laugh. You fools get all excited every year about your team , then week 2 South Carolina smacks you guys around, then in week 8 Vandy gives you a run for your money. You guys are the 6th best team ever year in the SEC. You guys dont make the SEC the SEC. Florida , Alabama , LSU, Auburn uphold the tradition, you guys suck.
This comment might be one of the most idiotic 12 year old statements, I have ever read on an AJC blog. South Carolina smacks us around????…please check the season series between those teams and check the score of last seasons game that UGA gave away to them. The sixth best team ever in the SEC??? Auburn???? HAHAHAHAHA! That made me laugh. The country didn’t realize Florida had a football team until the 1990’s. Come on now, you are either a little kid or your just plain out stupid. Georgia fans have every right to get excited about their team every season. Its called being a fan. Whos fans don’t get excited over their team?? You make yourself look like the dumb@## with comments like that.
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
4:52 pm
Twink
Wonderful orginazation. Pretty sure it was started by one of the church’s I attened up there. Don’t hold that against them, lol. I wanted my boys in church, so I started going back for the kids sake. Now I’m kinggran-daddy…Thanks for all you do for everyone (trolling aside) your heart is in the right place. Now if we could get you to pull your head out…just kidding my friend. People really have a hard time keeping the “hate” tamped down on these sites. We should have one common goal and that is to fix our country so our kids are not mindless drones that have to be told what to do, with little to look forward to as a job. What good will an education do them if they aren’t any jobs to go to???
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 21st, 2012
4:55 pm
KingDaddy….you a Church of God or maybe a Church of Christ?
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
5:00 pm
TS Issac heading for our area earlly next week…
Glory between the Hedges
August 21st, 2012
5:01 pm
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 21st, 2012
4:26 pm
Gurley the next Richardson.
Seems like we heard this last year when dogs fans were saying that Crowell was the next Lattimore.
Yeah well Crowell was pretty darn good considering the yards he got in limited time. Who knows what he would of done if he didn’t get in trouble. He worked hard in the offseason to be better with his conditioning and all. He just should of remembered to work to be better off the field. Gurley and Marshall will be good because they have the talent and the work ethic. . I personally thought Gurley was going to be the better freshmen months ago. He just has the physical gifts. only time will tell.
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
5:01 pm
Early not earlly. Happy fingers…
kingdaddy
August 21st, 2012
5:03 pm
COG
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2012
5:07 pm
Actually what we were hearing last year this time was that you were head over heels in a man crush over Alshon Jeffreys, finer.
Tampa Gator
August 21st, 2012
5:14 pm
Gurley will spend three progressively outstsanding years making a “name” for himself at Georgia…… and will then go on to have a good NFL career as well. Matt Jones (who is also having an outstanding camp for the Gators) will do the same in college and the pros. Both are going to become big names in the SEC very soon.
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 21st, 2012
5:14 pm
COG so is my family. Me? not as great as I should be but believe in the Love of Christ and the Judgement of God.