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Todd Gurley, Georgia’s backs feel like there’s much room to improve

1:05 pm September 13, 2012, by Chip Towers

The Bulldogs and tailback Todd Gurley feel like there is a lot of room to improve in the running game. (UGA photo by Evan Stitchler)

The Bulldogs and tailback Todd Gurley feel like there is a lot of room to improve in the running game. (UGA photo by Evan Stitchler)

ATHENS — You may have noticed Georgia has been tossing the ball around a good bit. And that’s just in the running game.

The Bulldogs this season are utilizing the toss — or lateral — more often when they run the football. And unlike in past years, when that usually meant an outside running play, Georgia is doing it when it intends to carry the ball between the tackles.

That’s no accident. It’s a wrinkle the Bulldogs picked up from LSU, which utilized that tactic to great effect last year.

“It’s basically the old-school power,” Georgia coach Mark Richt explained. “We’ve handed it off over the years; most everybody in the country still hands it off. [But] LSU has been a team that’s tossed it like that and you could see the benefit of it on film when we watched LSU do it.”

Richt said the advantage of it is two-fold. One, it actually utilizes the quarterback as a blocker or even just a shield from back-side pursuit. It’s also “softens up” the linebackers, who normally read the toss as an outside play and simply get out to the perimeter as fast as they can. Now they need to be more careful to mind their inside gaps.

Of course, the down side of it is you’re unable to utilize a play-fake and ball security can be an issue. The Bulldogs fumbled the ball three times this past Saturday against Missouri, including on their very first play from scrimmage when freshman tailback Todd Gurley mishandled a toss from quarterback Aaron Murray.

“I made a mistake,” said Gurley who led the Bulldogs in rushing with 65 yards on 10 carries but lost five on that play. “I just need to look the ball in. I need to to catch the ball next time we’re in that play and get my eyes up.”

Murray was talking this week about “the four-headed monster” Georgia has at the tailback position in Gurley, Ken Malcome, Keith Marshall and Richard Samuel. The Bulldogs have been effective in running the football. They’re averaging 170 yards per game and have scored four touchdowns in two games. But that’s seventh among SEC teams and they’re sixth in yards per carry (4.6). So there is much room for improvement.

“We have to get better,” Richt said. “We missed some opportunities this last game maybe more than game one as far as hitting it in the right spot. We missed some good blocking more than a couple of times and it wasn’t just one guy. I think all of the backs probably a run or two that could have gained some more yards. . . . There were some inside runs that some of the guys missed where it was blocked a little better than where they ran. We need to be more consistent.”

Richt said a lot of it could be blamed on youth in the backfield and on the line. They will improve rapidly the more they play.

“Like I told the staff, we won the game, it was a great victory, it was a good fourth quarter win for us, but we have a lot of room to improve and that’s a good thing,” Richt said. “That’s our job as coaches to keep teaching and training and trying to get us to be consistent in what we do.”

Gurley, the 6-foot-1, 218-pound freshman from North Carolina, is slated to start for the second straight week. He’s currently tied for the SEC lead in scoring at 12 points per game and is fourth in rushing with an 82-5-yard average.

Gurley believes as a group Georgia’s tailbacks have much more to offer because of their depth.

“We’re competitive,” he said. “We take pride in that. Most of the time, teams come out running, so we try to be the ones to set that spark.”

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81 comments Add your comment

LOYAL DAWG

September 13th, 2012
4:57 pm

Anyone who understands football should know the following…1)Theus CAN play but he’s a true freshman. He’s actually did fine considering he’s trying to get a quick set on a bad ankle with crowd noise at Mizzou, 2)We have a great offense that is averaging 40+ and hasn’t hit its stride yet, 3) We have a great defense holding people to 22 ppg with 4 good to great players missing, 4) Coach Richt doesn’t need to change a darn thing. This team just needs to continue to improve week by week. We don’t have to look like the best team in week 3, we just need to win and continue to get better doing so. Trust me, we are fine Dawg Fans.

Dawg Haus

September 13th, 2012
4:58 pm

I think he’s an equal-opportunity thrower, Altamaha.

Joey

September 13th, 2012
5:06 pm

Um, joe j, Theus has a sprained ankle, but due to the thinness on the O-line, he decided to gut it out. I expect a 300+ lb guy is limited when he has a sprained ankle. He is 18 yrs old and has already played two games, and we won them both. Not many freshman linemen start for anybody.

AD, I like Marshall too. He finds seams like maybe Knowshon (or CJ Spiller ?) and it’s just a matter of getting comfortable and he’s gonna have an impact on this season.

AltamahaDawg

September 13th, 2012
5:06 pm

That’s all you can ask of a fan.

I-DOG

September 13th, 2012
5:11 pm

Altamaha:

A little early to be celebrating total offense or defense stats. Hope that continues, but we have to realize that the defense gave the offense the ball with some pretty amazing field position last week especially in the 4th quarter and a few tims in the 1st half. Once at the one yard line.

I think the OL will be OK against everyone on our regular season schedule and continue to get better. I love seeing Brown become the player at WR that we all hoped he could be and of course the emergence of Gurley as a potential superstar is also exciting.

I also like K. Marshall and think he will break some of these 3 yard runs up the middle. There were a couple that he could have bounced outside after a yard or 2 and gotten 10-12, but his vision will improve.

I agree with you that 2nd and 2 is a great time to throw the deep ball, but I see us throwing deep more on 3rd and 5 or 6 more often or on first down. Maybe I’m seeing what I want to see (or rather don’t want to see)??

We seem to be a throw, throw, throw and then run it team to me at this point. Again, maybe bias on my part. Would much rather see 40 handoffs and 30 drop backs in most games than the opposite that we saw against Missouri. Obviously, the win is the most important thing, but think we have a chance to beat everyone on our schedule if we develop a little more of a “running” attitude on offense.

1st and goal at the 2 and two straight passes spoke volumes to me. I know it was just one series and we scored a touchdown, but I am concerned that we won’t run the ball as much as we could/should this year.

Joey

September 13th, 2012
5:11 pm

Hey, GoDawgs, come back . . .

AltamahaDawg

September 13th, 2012
5:11 pm

full disclosure: I like everyone of them, so

But yes, you can tell he has just not found it yet, but will/can. He is more in need of the reps right now IMO than worrying about how many times Gurley touches the ball.

rhbDAWG1

September 13th, 2012
5:12 pm

Dawg Haus = Very well said.
Joe Jenkins – Good reply – sorry my first two replies were rude.

Joey

September 13th, 2012
5:18 pm

I-Dog, watching what our D was doing in the second half (”amazing field position”) vs Mizzou, giving the offense the 1st and goals, and short fields, I was reminded that it was exactly how LSU scored tons of points last season.

When we get our other future NFL players back in a couple weeks, we should get even more opportunities like that. Rambo and Ogletree both are playmakers.

AltamahaDawg

September 13th, 2012
5:18 pm

I-dog I was quoting YARDS. Those are productions numbers. Not circumstantial numbers. The defense gift wrapping presents is great, but THAT would be more if I had mentioned we were #1 in the SEC in scoring, which I didn’t. But yea, we are.

But no, I wasnt celebrating any great feats after just 2 weeks. Just saying………..we can’t be ALL that bad at (fill in the blank complaints I was reading) when we are rushing for more yrds than the “rushing”guy, and passing for more yrds than the “passing” guy.

AltamahaDawg

September 13th, 2012
5:21 pm

No I don;t think we have the running game down pat yeat. Obviously. BUT we are also 7 TDs, I FG, IN 9 trips insude the RZ. So if we can do that…..we will worry all the way to the Dome.

joe jenkins

September 13th, 2012
5:21 pm

I just hope all the pieces come together before we hit the meat of the sec schedule…but the most easy schedule….in the CMR era…. I just hope the thinness on the o-line and and underacheiving defense doesn’t keep us from winning it all. would be a damn shame not to with an easy schedule like ours

Joey

September 13th, 2012
5:29 pm

Exactly. I like them all too.

Amazing, but Gurley is already in a comfort zone when he gets the ball in his hands.

He almost broke another KO return Sat night.

KBP

September 13th, 2012
5:38 pm

Joe Jenkins at 2:33pm,

It’s been two games and you declare that our defense is underachieving and we are missing 4 starters, wow? Ogletree plays the run much better than he does the pass. Rambo and Cummings are good against the run also and their return will help our defense a lot. With everyone back, I’ll take our defense over Bama’s because they are weaker in the secondary than we are. All of the national pundits are giving them way too much credit defensively because of Saban’s reputation. Our receivers are fast and can actually run routes and I hope we make it to the SEC CG and play them. If Denard Robinson was an accurate passer, Michigan had a chance to consistently make plays against Bama’s secondary. You may be right about Theus but two games and one of which was on a bad ankle is not enough evidence. I have to think if he was blocking Jarvis Jones and Cornelius Washington every day in practice better than any other O- lineman we have, then give him time to adjust to SEC football. Gurley can improve his vision as a runner as well as his open field elusiveness (just a small stutter-step and he would have scored on that long run against Mizzou), now whether or not he does improve is another story, but he surely can.

I-DOG

September 13th, 2012
5:38 pm

Alt:

Sorry, I thought you were talking scoring. There are a lot of great things that the Dawgs are doing so far. It is just my nature to point out some things that I am concerned about.

There aren’t many seasons that you go into with a soft schedule that has cupcakes at just the right times, an experienced QB, playmakers at at WR and RB and an offense line that is coming along (and a schedule that allows that to happen). All the while having 9-10 NFL prospects on D.

I want to see the Dawgs win every game they are supposed to win and maybe the one or two that are pickeps or close 3 points lines (FL and SC).

I’d actually like to see us score lots of touchdowns this week (for obvious reasons), but also so that our kicker can get some confidence with his extra points. They may be important as the season goes on and it is an adventure at this point. Would love to see him try 6-7 extra points this Saturday and maybe make em all.

joe jenkins

September 13th, 2012
5:50 pm

@ KBP….I hope you are about the defense being good once they come back….I’m pleased with the offense except for the o-line….gurley and marshall have the potential to be greater than the duo of rodney hampton and tim worley. when murray is given time he can be deadly. I just hope the defense can pitch a shutout on one of the weakest teams in College football.

Joey

September 13th, 2012
6:01 pm

KPB, I agree. Remember when Ogletree got back last season from his broken foot?

He was EVERYWHERE vs UF, and the rest of the games. You could see the difference in every game: UF, Auburn, Tech – even LSU and MSU. It wasn’t the fault of the D that the offense and special teams blew those games.

At any rate, the D is deeper this season and I think we are better equiped to handle the 4th quarter this year.

If Bobo can get Murray to play at a high level, for the whole game, we will be in good shape.

Maybe hypnosis?

KBP

September 13th, 2012
6:22 pm

Joey, Bobo should have Gurley and the other backs line up in the “I” and run our pro style offense. Murray is very good off of play action when the safety’s and backers are closer to the line. Not so much when we are in the shotgun/spread as the safety’s and backers are not as close to the line and take away the intermediate passing lanes(10-20 yds). In my opinion, running from that formation works best when you have a dominant O-line because you typically do not have a lead blocker who can pick up any penetration form the defense. LSU and Bama rarely run from the spread/shotgun formation. They believe in their backs and their O-line and they play like it.

Sautee Dawg

September 13th, 2012
6:50 pm

According to the UGA game program, theres not but 3 pounds difference in Marshall and Gurley. Running backs will be just fine.
Need to clean up those penalties before the meat of the SEC gets here. It could be the difference between a W or an L.
6 of the penalties UGA had against Mizzou came from freshmen Theus and Gurley, They’ll get better as they get more playing time. Not to worry.
Russ should get the gameball Saturday against FAU.
UGA NINE!!!

AltamahaDawg

September 13th, 2012
9:02 pm

I’m with you I-dog

Just Saying

September 13th, 2012
9:02 pm

I sincerely believe Marshall will have his much anticipated “break-out” game Saturday…..probably a 100+ yard game.

Bitter troll

September 13th, 2012
10:33 pm

Sorry trolls and their horrible comments—just do this richt

just do this bo bo—-just do that richt—just do that grantham

—you trolls dont have a clue—leave the coaching to

the three amigoes—–richt bobo grantham

———-trolls stink—-bamma stinks—-the little used car salesman

—AKA–saban—he stinks———–dawgs rule

blackandwhitestripes

September 14th, 2012
5:47 am

Who are they going to improve against, DeVry university this Saturday? Now this game will be a real test of skill.

GT = 10 time loser to Mark Richt

September 14th, 2012
7:03 am

Hope CMR is listening to all these coaches on this blog.

Murray will eventually cost us

September 14th, 2012
10:20 am

Aaron Murray is or should be too mature and seasoned to be up tight for SEC games. The guy studies films and he knows what they are trying to do with our O and how the D will try to stop him. With this knowledge, there ought to be by now, some maturity and game day confidence. He is in his FOURTH SEASON !!

Murray will choke it up for one or two big games, like vs SC and UT and Florida and it will cost UGA. He is a choke artist and yes, he has major talent. His stats do speak for him. Stats however, are not Ws. His mistakes and slow starts are a huge negative on his slate, however.

We shall see. We shall see.

Go Dogs.
UGA class of 71 & 73

Newman

September 14th, 2012
10:24 am

Here’s to hoping the Dogs put on another Gurley Show this weekend. He still needs 20 touches!

Destin Dawg

September 14th, 2012
10:34 am

saving Gurley and Marshall ( just Frosh. ) for SEC games starting with Vandy and Tenn. !! bring ‘em all up slowly.. don’t wear ‘em out !!

schmeckdawg

September 14th, 2012
10:46 am

UGA Insider

September 13th, 2012
3:00 pm
I told you guys this summer UGA would try a power running game. Told you guys that Bobo had been installing the Pittsburgh offense. Told you guys Hines had been hanging around with Bobo for weeks. Nobody ever listens until it happens.

Does anyone else have any questions at this point?

***********************************************************************************************

Yeah as a matter of fact. In regards to Kolton Houston, tell me how in the hell ANY drug if only taken once 2.5 years ago can still be in your system?

SmyrnaGuy

September 14th, 2012
10:22 pm

I agree Murray will cost us somewhere along the way. He’s not playing like what one would expect from a 3rd year starter of his pedigree.

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