Aaron Murray is your SEC offensive player of the week.
And this wasn’t a case of stat padding – he was clutch and his team needed every bit of his effort.
- Bloviation for the Dawgnation
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“We remember the Sugar Bowl, I think it my junior year of high school, we let Alabama beat us twice,” Brinson said of a team that also lost to the Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship game. “We’re not letting Alabama beat us twice. In the Sugar Bowl in 2018, they… thought they should have been in the playoffs and lost to Texas.” -- AB-H, 12/27/23
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Get The Picture · Bloviation for the Dawgnation
Get The Picture 
Outstanding effort, and execution. He put the team on his back and was clutch all night. I was concerned about how much pressure he was under all night. He may have to use his legs more this week as the heat will be higher. Kentucky sold out to stop the run so I feel we should have thrown it even more, was pleased to see us pass from inside our ten. If we had done that against TN it would have worked well too. Florida doesn’t have many weaknesses on defense but the secondary is the most vulnerable unit so if we can get AM some time we can move the ball, and yes, that is a big if. May need to look at Boo and RS4 to help block.
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He won despite his team
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He won despite the fans.
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LOL
Us fans were really slacking off in Columbia, weren’t we?
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+1. Yeah, the lack of fan support is a constant distraction to our football team and staff and is likely the chief cause of poor uninspired play, especially for big games. Shame on us.
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It’s my fault, guys. As everyone knows, the ability of our defense to keep one of the league’s worst rushing offenses from rattling off 200+ hinges upon how supportive I’m being from my couch here in North Carolina. I’m sure, had I just been a little more positive Saturday evening, we would’ve blown Kentucky out.
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Exhibit “A” is this thread.
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I am curious why teams think that shutting down our run game is a good strategy. I think AM has shown time and time again that he is able to win w/o a running game, last year being a great example. Frustrating to watch our running backs get stuffed, but I guess more oppty for AM to shine. Don’t know why he gets so little love in the Dawg nation. I just want to give him a big hug.
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Because shutting down the run game of any team is a good starting strategy for a defense. In terms of pass defense, Kentucky is severely limited in terms of personnel and experience–starting 3 freshman and 1 sophomore (they have 6 freshman in their two-deep). Hard to devise a scheme to cover up that. If you got the plain truth, I bet you the Kentucky staff was delighted with their team’s performance considering how their year has gone. Just last week, they were down 42-0 in the 2nd quarter. Our inability to run says more about our OL problems than Kentucky’s selling out to stop it.
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I would do the same. The offensive line hasn’t proven themselves capable of protecting Murray and Bobo has proven that sometimes he’ll willingly run into a brick wall. One example would be how at Kentucky we ran it 3 times to start the second half despite having like 7 times as many passing yards as rushing yards.
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+1
That’s what I would do. Gamble that Bobo won’t stick with what’s working.
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Aaron Murray was wonderful but gets no respect from our fanbase. It is a shame.
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Obviously Mett would be better.
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No doubt that Murray is a DGD. He always has been.
I also feel he gets too much blame for our offensive meltdowns in big games. Not many QBs can be successful behind iffy o-lines and without a real running game.
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And set records at the same time. Too many people forget he is our Moses, leading us out of the wilderness. His trick this week? Parting the orange and blue sea.
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It is a shame. And I can tell you that he’s an extremely hard worker, who stays out of trouble downtown and devotes tons of time studying the game.
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AM was impressive against UK. UGA won b/c of outstanding quarterback play.
However, the biggest criticism against AM has not been that he lacks talent or that he is incapable of carving up an inferior opponent. It has been his play in big games against tough defenses. While this was an impressive game, I’m still more impressed w/ AM pulling out a victory against UF last year.
I don’t care how ugly the win is: if UGA beats UF this weekend, it will put a lot of doubts to rest about Murray. If UGA beats UF, it will be largely because AM managed the game well enough to win; it really doesn’t matter how sexy his stats are. He can throw interceptions, but they can’t be the sort that put us in terrible field position or result in a pick-6. He can throw for only 50% completion, but he can’t overlook guys when they are open. He must not fumble, and he must get rid of the ball when he needs to. Throw it out of bounds, and avoid sacks. If we have any chance of winning, he’s got to have his best game as a manager of the offense.
Obviously, defense must show up and at least put together a respectable performance. If Jarvis Jones is healed up, that’ll make a huge difference. When he’s not there, our defense isn’t there (See UK, Fla. Atl.)
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… and after getting sacked 3x and pressured often, the first thing he did in his post-game interview was credit his offensive line. Class act.
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The pass protection was weak, but the line really struggled to open anything for Gurshall. I’m interested to see if the game plan changes against UF to give these guys some help.
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I think that if Florida sells out to stop the run (like many teams we face) we should throw it around until they back off. Should be a classic “pass to set up the run” game.
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Absolutely.
Except I expect UF to copy the Carolina game plan and press our receivers in the hope that the UF front can disrupt Murray’s timing.
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Ahhh…but then Bobo will immediately adjust with quick slants, FB counters, and screens, just like he did in the….uh….what game was that….?
Seriously, without Bennett as a crutch, the slant to King/Marlon and using Lynch/Rome in curl patterns the way so many NFL qb’s lean on their TE’s is going to be key. Murray has to have throwing lanes to be successful with downfield passes, and I don’t know that this OL can do that against the gator DL.
Oh to see Hicks or Hall carry just a few FB counter-traps and bring back memories of Pulpwood!
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Yes, this could be the week that we break out our special secret weapon that we’ve been keeping under wraps for a few years now–a successfully completed screen pass to one of our RBs. Amazing what just showing that play will do to slow down an ultra aggressive, sack hungry defensive front. LSU ran it against Carolina a few times right where Clowney had vacated for big gains. Slowed him down the rest of the night.
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Maybe we can borrow Zook’s offensive game plan against us a few years ago…
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And UF ate USCe alive with its version of that same scheme, leaving Clowney to turn and pick up his proverbial hat. I say the Dawgs turn those tables right around on ’em. But methinks this crop of OL is immobile enough to give the coaches pause in implementing the screen game. You have FR Theus on one end and big, bulky Gates on the other, perhaps not the recipe for swing passes out into the flat.
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I’d love to see passing to open up the run this week rather than the other way around. I mean throw it 40-50+ times then when you do run they couldn’t possibly be expecting it and those freshman can make something big happen cause the box isn’t loaded. Quick passes all night so the rush can’t get there, take some shots deep, then just run it whenever the opportunity is there. Challenge their secondary. Its not what we’re used to seeing, but it seems like what this year’s team may be best at, and maybe a way to beat a defense who’s got our line clearly out-manned.
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Just so long as Marlon has decided to do some catching again this week.
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AM and the offense won the game, defense tried to give it away, see you in JAX!
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It was the thuggish behavior of the defense that sickened me Saturday night. All of the smack talk and late hits and throwing guys down on the ground after having them out of bounds. It was just sickening to watch. Congratulations to Murray. He will have his work sure enough cut out for him this weekend.
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We really didn’t see this early in the season so I was also disappointed with the “old” trash talking theme returning Saturday night. You aren’t manly when you hit someone late, or belittle them after a big hit….that is childish. We can ill afford to give the fator offense any 15 yard bumps in field position.
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GATA Aaron!
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Aaron Murray is really good.
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If Arby Jones, starting DE, is out, and Jarvis Jones, starting LB, is out, what will Grantham do with the 3-4 and his personnel package? With those two players out for Georgia it will be very hard to stop Florida from running the ball with their sets. Do not think Drew, Smith, Washington, and the nose, Jenkins or Geathers, can stop the gators from moving the chains.
Florida has a huge advantage on the LOS. They will clearly outman and out play the Dawgs defense along the line.
Would Grantham work more of a 4-3 to put more muscle and power on the line of scrimmage? If Florida gets their linemen on the linebackers a good deal of the time in the first half, it will get ugly in the second half. I think what hurts Georiga’s D is it still does not have the personnel for the 3-4 package. Use the 3-4 and walk the LBs in the gaps will be risking moving the chains a lot and some big running plays.
The only chance the Dawgs have is to control the chains, the field, the game clock and the score board with their O line. If the Dawgs rush for over 300 yards I give them a shot. Run and produce the rushing yards like they did against Carolina and Kentucky will not even come close. Do not think the passing game will be there against the Gators. At least Murray had a game against a Wildcat team loaded with very young, inexperienced secondary. Will not see that in Florida.
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300 yards rushing?!? You won’t see that unless we happen to bring Alabama’s offensive line down to Jacksonville. We’ll be lucky to have half of that. You’re right about what we will face from their secondary though–Murray’s going to have to be very accurate and willing to throw it into tighter coverage. If he holds the ball waiting for guys to be as open as they were last week, he’ll be tasting a lot of Everbank turf.
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UGA probably will bring a 4 man front more often than not. I don’t think we’re going to be seeing too much of a base set. At the least, our passrushing OLB will be playing up on the line more.
From watching UF, if they have an Achilles’ heel in their passing game, I think it’s that Driskel is a little too unwieldy w/ his dropbacks. They don’t appear very controlled. In some games, it looks like he’s dropping back 1 or 2 steps too many. If we can bring some sort of pass rush, keep contain, and if John Jenkins can collapse the middle like he’s capable of doing, our guys could make life hell for Driskel. Given our play this season, those are all big “ifs.” However, given our play LAST season, we’re definitely capable.
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Did you see how many players Kentucky and Joker Phillips had on their roster from Georgia? Did you see the players even South Carolina had from Georiga? I was shocked at how many Middle Tennessee had when they drilled Tech before Groh was cut. [Have to give Johnson some credit for making a major change in mid season. Some coaches have guts!]
And now the number 3 team in the BCS, Kansas State. Well they have three. And a very good rush DE from Folkston in Davis Adams. He is a starter. They beat Oklahoma. And now some question if ND can beat OU. Last time CMR faced OU was in a bowl and he was shut out. KSU has two other kids, one from Atlanta and another from Cario. Penn State has a QB from Cairo.
I bring this up because of roster numbers, the Dream Team, and why everybody not only seems to out coach us, but to out recruit us. That in light of how much the blogs devote every year to the “beasts” we recruit.
I watched a youtube clip of the UGA vs UF game of 1985. That was the year the Gators were ranked #1. Dawgs rushed for over three hundred. Watch that clip and tell that that 17th ranked Dawgs team would not run over this current D. The first thing I notice about the team is the blocking and how physical they were. Then check out the size, speed, strength of the FB and RBs. Who was the S&C coach at that time.
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You think UK has outrecruited Georgia? Will, you’re out of your damned mind.
Do I need to remind you that UK hasn’t won a conference game and probably won’t this season? Or that the Cats lost to Georgia Saturday night?
It’s one thing to be a pessimist. It’s another to be totally bonkers about it.
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Lots of teams have players from Georgia because there are lots of players in Georgia. UGA can sign around 25 players a year. That’s it. If Georgia high schools produce 150 FBS football players, UGA obviously can’t sign all of them.
I can understand being upset because UF, or Bama, and South Carolina are poaching players from Georgia. We’re usually going after the same players they are. But complaining that UK, Ga Tech, Kansas State, and MTSU are taking our recruits away? No they aren’t.
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Just take a minute and watch two freshman running backs.
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Great call, SJ III, this was exactly what I was thinking about driving to work this morning. GATA in J’ville…
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HT “Bubba in Pensacola”
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My complaint is why are our numbers down. And they have been down. I understand we can sign only so many like everyone else. Another complaint or concern is are we getting the best or are they going out of state. Kansas State and South Carolina have good rush DEs. Where are Granthams in the 3-4? How many players from the Dream Team were dropped? How many who go to other programs are dropped?
Plus tell me how many yards the D has give up in the last three SEC games, UT at home, USC on the road, and UK on the road after an off week. Based on the D performance in the last 3 SEC games, the secondary issues going into the season, the suspensions, and lack of numbers I question the quality of our recruiting.
With out question the state of Georgia is one of the top 3 in the nation for recruits. Even Spurrier sees that. I would think if the Dawgs got their share of the best then CMR would not have the record he has against top teams, against USC, against UF, and the latter two challenging for the SEC East.
But it could be coaching, since his D is loaded with juniors and seniors? But based on play in the last 3 SEC games maybe they do not have the players or depth [roster mangagement].
Dropping games is one thing, but the level of play is another. The level of play is an indicator of coaching and quality depth. What is the roster depth at QB. Depth on the D line. I think they can do a better job of recruiting for positions.
Do not think UK out recruited us? But what they had outplayed us. And we do not have the youth and injury issues they have. Many, including me, think we were lucky to come out with a win. And for other SEC teams to drill UK, what happened in Lexington. They did not have a week off and came of the road. After what happened in Columbia. My take, road games are difficult without players. Columbia, Lexington, and JAX [UF has a history of top rankings, but UK never has, but…USC goes on the road back to back with top teams and recruits, but LSU was close for awhile, but in Gainesville it got ugly in a hurry.
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Nuts, the state of Georgia is NOT the number three state in producing D1 talent. Texas, California, Florida, and Ohio are ahead, and only one of those (Ohio) is surrounded on all sides by other states with short distance drives to other college towns.
As pointed out earlier, UGA can only sign less than 25 per year, and we always sign a few from other states. It is closer to Auburn, FSU, Clemson, FU, Bama, SC, and UT than Athens for many of these players. How the hell do you stop all that? And don’t forget, many players don’t mind getting on a plane to LA, South Bend, Baton Rouge, or Norman if that is their preference. The UGA fanbase isn’t exactly a welcoming sight to those who read message boards and listen to talk radio to see/hear thoughts of fans like you. For the those on the fence, you never know what will turn them off but you can bet they aren’t enamored with the bleak picture painted by many of the genius UGA fans who say we will never win championships, or that the staff cannot develop talent, or the staff should all be fired. Who cares how many decide to go elsewhere? We cannot take them all, but we should support those we do get by not trashing their effort. Anyone who thinks they don’t want to win, or that the staff doesn’t want the best for them and the program are simply brain dead.
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+1.
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You want rush DE’s? Have you heard of Jarvis Jones? He ain’t bad. And we are getting some of the best kids in the state. But, as Macallanlover pointed out, we go out of state too. We stole Theus away from some Fla teams. We got Gurshall out of NC. Surely you don’t want us to ignore kids like that in favor of some more 3-star kids from Stone Mountain, right?
Yes, we’ve lost some kids. Every program does. LSU lost Mathieu when the NCAA ruled he couldn’t play anymore. How many kids has Richt lost because they were no longer eligible due to NCAA mandatory conduct penalties? None that I know of. Do you want to loosen up our rules so that kids like Rambo and Ogletree don’t get suspended and kids like Crowell can stay on the team?
As for depth, the Senator posted that South Carolina, with greater depth than us, has played the same number of scholarship players that we have. So that depth is only helping them in case of some injuries. So far, we’ve been lucky and not lost any starters beyond Bennett, where we have good depth.
You want to know about depth at QB? Hutson Mason is second string. And we are redshirting him. If Murray went down for an injury, we could burn Mason’s redshirt and play him. I don’t expect he’ll be as good as Murray, but Murray is a very good QB. Mason would probably be better than LSU’s QB.
I disagree that UK outplayed us. We won. We outplayed them. I agree that we played a bad game. Our level of play would not have won against a team much better than UK. But we outplayed UK. And do you know why we outplayed them? Because we have better players. Our players can bring their C- game and beat UK’s A game.
There are valid criticisms to level against the Bulldogs. And even valid criticisms in recruiting, such as roster management and chronic undersigning. But the level of talent, and not recruiting adequately in Georgia are not valid.
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AM will win against FU if he is not handcuffed by BOBO’s play calling.
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I like your optimism. But I don’t know if we have the defense to do it.
If we score a TD on 75% of our drives, and UF scores on 100% of their drives, we lose. I think UF’s defense may be good enough to limit our offense beyond what our defense is capable of limiting their offense to.
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Notwithstanding all the skepticism about the team in general, much of it warranted, I feel like the young man took a step forward Saturday night.
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UGA offense/passing won the UK game despite attempt of BOBO to have a balanced game again and again despite knowing what the defense is giving. Thank you for the guts of AM.
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We will miss the game my husband’s father unexpectedly passed away today in OK. Y’all yell loud for me.
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Sorry to hear it. Of all the reasons to miss the cocktail party, that one sucks as much as any and more than most.
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Sorry Debby, you are a DGD. I hope the Dawgs find a way to send some good news to you in a bad week. Travel safely.
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