Murray bypasses NFL draft to stay at UGA (updated w/ Richt reaction)
Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray ended the speculation Sunday night about whether he’s staying in school or going to the NFL. He’s staying, Murray announced via Twitter.
“Blessed to be the QB for the Dawgs, not ready to leave just yet,” Murray tweeted to his 64,000-plus followers. “Time to get back to work & help lead this team to a championship.”
Murray could not be immediately reached for further comment, and UGA made no official announcement of his decision. (UPDATE: Georgia coach Mark Richt reacted to Murray’s decision in a statement Monday morning: “I’m certainly pleased that after weighing his options Aaron has decided to remain at Georgia for his senior year. His leadership and productivity have been tremendous during what has been an outstanding career. This is great for Aaron and great for Georgia.”)
A three-year starter for the Bulldogs, Murray had been weighing whether to return for his final season of college eligibility or to enter the 2013 NFL draft.
He said previously that the NFL’s underclassmen advisory committee informed him he likely would be a second or third-round pick if he entered the draft.
Murray graduated from UGA last spring with a degree in psychology, and he enrolled in a graduate program in industrial-organizational psychology in the fall.
He is the first quarterback in SEC history to pass for more than 3,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. This past season, he passed for 3,893 yards and 36 touchdowns. In Georgia’s Capital One Bowl victory over Nebraska, he passed for 427 yards and five touchdowns. He leads the nation in pass efficiency rating for the 2012 season, just ahead of Alabama’s AJ McCarron, who plays in the BCS title game Monday night.
Murray has led Georgia to back-to-back SEC Eastern Division titles, although the Bulldogs lost in the SEC Championship game both times.
Murray’s return is a boon for the 2013 Georgia team, which expects to return all but two starters – receivers Tavarres King and Marlon Brown – from an offense that averaged 37.8 points per game.
– Tim Tucker, AJC
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513 comments Add your comment
rhbDAWG1
January 7th, 2013
12:19 pm
Some are holding Murray responsible for losses where the offense scored more than 40 points (USCe in 2011), 30 points (Mich. St. 2011 bowl) and 28 points (AL SEC champ). Seems like someone else should have provided a little help. This is not baseball where a pitcher is “responsible” for wins and losses.
DAWGMan
January 7th, 2013
12:22 pm
I see transfers coming up, especially Christian LeMay…
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
12:25 pm
Murray had 6 turnovers in the 2011 losses to South Carolina and Mich State. And Murray failed to spike the ball at the end of the Alabama game, and had his pass tipped and caught by the wrong player as time expired. Murray had a HUGE negative impact in those 3 games.
Strat Cat Dawg
January 7th, 2013
12:26 pm
(Ignore the trolls)
Records
January 7th, 2013
12:27 pm
ROJO- did you say that the defense won the Nebraska game? I’ll give you FL, but sober up before posting again
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
12:31 pm
Nebraska never did anything after Olgetree forced fumble. They gave up, the team memebers cited that as the turning point. And then when the defense shut down Nebraska for the last part of the game. No I didn’t say it, the Nebraska players said it. But I agree with the players citing Ogletree’s big play, and then the stifling defense after that, as the turning point and key to the game.
Dawgs 73
January 7th, 2013
12:33 pm
@ Rojo- Wow, is all I can say. While I’m just as disappointed that UGA hasn’t won an SEC championship/National Championship, it’s foolish to try to justify an argument for a backup qb over a 3 (soon to be 4) year starter). Not to mention the fact that Aaron Murray has set SEC records (3 consecutive 3,000 + yards, 90 td passes) and led UGA to consecutive SEC east champions.
You have to take the good with the bad, and to say that Murray’s body of work isn’t far better than almost any recent UGA qb (for that matter any SEC qb) is just foolish.
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
12:36 pm
In the 13 games vs teams that finished top 25, Murray only had 1 great game, where he didn’t have a HUGE negative impact, that was Auburn 2010. The defense lost that game.
In the other 12 losses, Murray played a MAJOR ROLE in the loss with poor QB play.
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
12:38 pm
Ignore the bloggies who want Murray to continue to start.
They all wants us to believe 2-11 v teams that finish top 25 is great.
Dawgs 73
January 7th, 2013
12:40 pm
@ Rojo – Again, you have to look at the ENTIRE body of work and not just the negatives. We all can see that Murray has a “gunslinger’s mentality” when it comes to his qb play, but you can’t place all the blame on him. We all want UGA to win every game and play for a NC every year, but that’s not realistic.
All you can do is hope that you are in the discussion at the end of each season.
BzNuts
January 7th, 2013
12:42 pm
This is huge for the Dawgs and all those who believe that the good guys don’t finish last. I have the utmost respect for Murray and Richt. Not just what they bring to the field but how they carry themselves as human beings. I know there are a lot of “fans” who want to throw these guys under the bus anytime there is the slightest wrinkle in the system but I would rather be 5 yards short of a national championship than hold a crystal ball led by some A-Hole (Spurrier) or an abusive psychopath (Muschamp). Character lives @ UGA.
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
12:43 pm
Sorry you feel that Murray’s #14 SEC ranking in accuracy vs ranked teams is far better than any SEC QB. It’s far WORSE than any SEC QB.
Sorry you feel that Hutson Mason’s HIGHER PASSING EFFICIENCY ratings in any public game: pre season, season, and post season, means Murray is better. Sorry you disagree with teammates, and coaches, who all say Mason could step on the field and start right now.
Your feelings are incorrect.
GJ
January 7th, 2013
12:45 pm
Hudson will get plenty of action a la DJ from a few years ago. And he deserves it.
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
12:49 pm
Who said I blamed Murray for all 13 losses against teams that finished top 25? I just said Auburn 2010 wasn’t Murray’s fault.
But I did say Murray didn’t play great in the other 12 losses, and he had a MAJOR NEGATIVE IMPACT in the other 12 losses against teams that finished in the top 25.
And I did say, in the only 2 WINS against teams that finished in the top 25, the DEFENSE played great against Florida forcing 6 turnovers especially Jarvis Jones, and then against Nebraska, the Nebraska players cited Ogletree forcing a late game changing turnover as to why they lost, that play broke their will.
kerryb
January 7th, 2013
12:53 pm
All the stupid people that come on UGA blogs crack me up. You have a QB returning that has set almost every passing record in the SEC, a QB that Archie Manning says will go down as the greatest QB at UGA since Fran Tarkington and you want a guy who has never started a game to get a shot over him. It’s a good thing the morons on here are not the coach.
BzNuts
January 7th, 2013
12:54 pm
RoJo obviously went to Bush’s school of “fuzzy logic” Comparing these #s is apples and oranges to say the least.
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
12:54 pm
Richt has never allowed Hutson Mason to throw more than 30 passes per SEASON, and he never will as long as Murray is there.
Why? Richt knows Mason will put up better numbers (Hutson always outperforms Murray in passing efficiency head to head), and will create a QB controversy.
Disgusted Dawg
January 7th, 2013
12:55 pm
We will have a better defense next year, so this is great news!
just the truth
January 7th, 2013
12:57 pm
I’m a Tech fan but I’d like to congratulate Murray for his achievements at UGA. He’s the epitome of a true student/athlete and is the type who all Universities should strive to receive. Not just the pure athlete.
Ty
January 7th, 2013
12:57 pm
Take heed to what Steve Spurrier said this year. “Georgia scores real fast”. With our young and inexperienced defense next year the offense needs to be ball controling and help keep the defense off the field and fresh. Compare the time of possession of the offenses of the great defenses of the past. Quick scores puts the defense back on the field to quickly especially in the September heat of the battle. The games that the Ga defense looked bad were the ones the offense had a lower time of possession. I am not saying do not score when you can just control the ball and the clock to keep the defense fresh. Spurrier was right when we played SC.
Tom Stubits
January 7th, 2013
12:59 pm
Great news for Aaron, the University, and the Georgia Bulldogs. Mr. Murray you will not regret your decision. I am proud of you. These are the greatest moments of your life…enjoy them. And thank you very much for staying. Enjoy these “moments,” they go fast!
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
12:59 pm
A better defense in 2013 without starters like Ogletree, Rambo, Jones, Jenkins, Commings, Williams, Smith, Robinson, Geathers, Abry Jones, etc? Really? I don’t think so.
Dawgs 73
January 7th, 2013
12:59 pm
@ Rojo- You can spend all day arguing about a backup qb’s “HIGHER PASSING EFFICIENCY” b.s., but you can’t judge Mason’s performance on 8 games (most of them in mop up duty). It’s not to say that Mason won’t be a great qb, but please have some common sense and stop with the back up argument.
BzNuts
January 7th, 2013
1:00 pm
So Rojo, you are collecting your data from the practice field? Are you really out there watching and assessing? Or, are you simply collecting data from his garbage time?
DAWG82
January 7th, 2013
1:01 pm
ROJO has never put a pad on in his life. Hides behind a computer screen only to be a nerd of a troll.
Jimmy
January 7th, 2013
1:02 pm
Has Mason really done anything to make some of you crazy people think he should battle Murray for starting job? Just curious!!!
Dawgs 73
January 7th, 2013
1:02 pm
@ kerryb – Just so you know, when you say “All the stupid people that come on UGA blogs crack me up”, you are also implicating yourself.
hornblowermg
January 7th, 2013
1:15 pm
murray did not bypass the nfl, the nfl bypassed murray. Hutson Mason has received the most raw deal that I have ever heard. richt will play his politics and claim “game experience starts”, and the best qb at georgia will not play. i am ashamed to have ever supported georgia.
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
1:15 pm
Has Aaron Murray done ANYTHING against teams that finish top 25 to make you people think he DESERVES to continue to be ENTITLED to start as QB at UGA? A 2-11 record vs. teams that finish top 25. #90 in accuracy vs. ranked teams. 0-2 in SEC Championship games. Cant’ get much worse than Murray has been there.
7576DAWG
January 7th, 2013
1:17 pm
RoJo
Why do you want to blame Murray for every one of those losses to top 25 teams. Wins are a team effort just like loses. For example I remember at least two and there was probably more top 25 losses that was because we had an All American kicker who lost his confidence and couldn’t make easy field goal kicks. Then in 2012 made the Pro Bowl he was so good in his first year in the Pro’s.
The first year that Murray was Quarterback Grantham had just changed the Defense to the 3-4 . I guess that didn’t have anything to do with any of those losses.
Murray has improved every year and is one of the best Quarterback’s in college football.
Someone compared Murray staying to Barkley at Southern Cal in 2012. Big mistake for Barkley because there was no way with the Scholarship restrictions that Southern Cal has because of NCAA penalties that they were going to be able to finish with less than 4 losses let alone the National Championship. Even Alabama needs Depth to be able to compete.
Murray has gotten better every year and if he can do better in 2013 he will probably come close if not win the Heisman.
Dawgs 73
January 7th, 2013
1:19 pm
@ Rojo – “0-2 in SEC Championship games”…Wow, last time I checked you have to win games in order to be in the SEC championship game. Just stop being stupid.
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
1:20 pm
Where am I collecting my data on Mason? From 3 types of public games: Spring games, regular season, and post season, Mason ALWAYS has a BETTER PASS EFFICIENCY than Murray, head to head.
Anytime, anywhere, doesn’t matter.
Also, the players and coaches at Georgia all say Mason is ready to start, some like Bennett say Mason could start ANYWHERE. Some defensive players say they see NO DROP when Mason is practicing, you have to cover every break the same as you do with Murray. Mason also won Spring MVP.
dawg fan
January 7th, 2013
1:21 pm
Are you blind rolo ? Really ? lets see, what was Nebraskas pass def rated ? umm, did he not lead uga to within one play to being in the national championship game ? Been in the sec championship game twice lately. Oh yeah, he leads the nation in passing effiency, all the while being in such a weak division, the SEC ! Wow I can’t imagine why they would want this guy.
Kingsx7
January 7th, 2013
1:22 pm
JUS T WIN BABY !!!!!!!!!!!!
WDE
January 7th, 2013
1:24 pm
Rojo your a asshat of the first water…replace the winner of back to back SEC East titles with the winner of the Spring MVP award??? ….and of all those “better” SEC QB’s show me one that has back to back conference titles to their credit …
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
1:26 pm
Murray is NOT No 1 in passing efficiency vs ranked team, he’s No 45. He’s LAST in the SEC in accuracy against ranked teams, No 14. He’s 0-2 in the SEC Championships. He’s 1-2 in Bowl games and had 8 turnovers in those 3 games. He’s thrown tons of interceptions, and gets sacked 2-3x more often than Cox or Stafford did.
Against top 25 teams, why should Murray keep starting?
WDE
January 7th, 2013
1:29 pm
Rojo two reasons … both of his SEC East titles now tell me who has more in the last two years….
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
1:30 pm
Love the way Mason has led the team to go-ahead td’s at the end of the last 2 Spring games. So much poise. So refreshing from the more panic prone–forget to spike—throw to wrong receiver at end of game Murray.
Mason is so refreshing.
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
1:35 pm
Some here are happy with Murray’s 2011 SEC Championship performance in the 42-10 loss where Murray finished with 40% completions, 3 turnovers, and a loss.
Some here are happy with Murray’s 2012 SEC Championship performance in the 32-28 loss where Murray finished with 54% completions, 1 turnover, forgot to spike, had his last pass tipped and threw to the wrong reciever, and a loss.
0-2, 0 wins, 2 losses.
Why should Aaron Murray continue to start?
WDE
January 7th, 2013
1:37 pm
Rojo love the way Murray has won back to back SEC East titles its getting darn near habit forming like beating Tech another thing he is really good at….
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
1:39 pm
Murray didn’t win the East title, the defense won the Florida game.
dawg fan
January 7th, 2013
1:40 pm
I think we have a “war eagle fan ” in disguise on here ( ROJO). Murray is back and that’s that !
Moist Dawg
January 7th, 2013
1:40 pm
Rojo , you are an idiot. What a disgrace.
My sources tell me that mason is just not all that good.
The best part of this is the timeing. What a great way to distract nick Satan while he’s trying to prepare for his game, now he has to worry about Murray coming back. It was a smart move.
Thank god I don’t live in Miami, it must be like the Beverly hillbillies have invaded this week.
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
1:44 pm
Murray’s record against teams that finishes top 25:
2010 0-5
2011 0-4 (How did Murray “win the East title”)
2012 1-2 (Murray played terrible in the Florida game–3 turnovers– but the defense forced 6 turnovers, how did Murray “win the East title)
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
1:48 pm
BOTH ESPN NFL Scouts Kiper & McShay say Murray isn’t a top qb.
ESPN Joyner called Aaron Murray the “most overrated player in college football”.
Whose sources to trust, mine, or your anonymous sources?
Tide/Dawg
January 7th, 2013
1:50 pm
Rojo…..I think you like Mason. Maybe you should save all of your crap until after spring practice and see if Mason can emerge as the No. 1, QB. Venting about is not going to get him the job and it doesn’t do any good….except for your own gratification. Murray is good, Mason is unknown. Spring practice is not live game experience. We’ll see what Richt thinks.
Mrs. Ammons
January 7th, 2013
1:56 pm
So GLAD. My Husband told me and it’s definitely the best news I’ve heard all day. No…just waiting until next season! Saturday’s aren’t much fun when the Dawg’s aren’t whoopin some tail!! Awesome choice Aaron, Mason will learn a lot from you! GO DAWGS!
RoJo
January 7th, 2013
1:59 pm
Mason will win Spring IF HE CHOOSES TO STAY INSTEAD OF TRANSFER, against Murray, he always does, but why should he, because it won’t matter. Richt didn’t grant Mason the starting job after statistically beating Murray in the 3 Spring public scrimmages in 2011 or 2012 so he won’t in 2013.
I’m going with McShay & Kiper’s & Joyner’s assessment of Aaron Murray instead of yours.
rhino
January 7th, 2013
2:04 pm
I think ROJO has a man crush on somebody!
Tide/Dawg
January 7th, 2013
2:10 pm
When the coaches’ jobs depend on what players they play…I think you can count on them playing the best players. What do you think Rojo?? You’ve got all of the statistics, let’s hear it!! I think you need a little more information than “Mason was a geat High School QB” and “Mason played great in the Spring Game” One player doesn’t win a game or they wouldn’t put 22 players on the field.
What is a “Moist Dawg” anyway??? Sounds like somebody who is all wet.