A tale of two units, part one

As you probably know, Georgia is sixth nationally in total offense, averaging 554 yards per game.  And that’s come against three top ten teams on the early schedule.  One of the big reasons for the high level of play has to be the unit’s experience, led by its fifth-year senior quarterback.  Aaron Murray and his receivers have an obvious chemistry that comes from a mutual level of comfort and confidence that routes are going to be run correctly and throws are going to be where the receivers are/will be.

It starts with Murray.

“He’s actually just as comfortable as he is with Justin (Scott-Wesley), as he is with Michael (Bennett), and he’s getting that way with Reggie Davis too, to where he’s able to take chances, and knows that nine times out of 10 his receiver’s gonna come down with the ball and make a play,” Conley said. “It really speaks not only to him studying the defense but taking the time to build chemistry with his receivers, whether that be working on stuff after practice with them, or something as simple as sitting down to talk with them about a game plan.”

It’s also a testament to how quickly Murray has learned to go through his reads. Conley said he thinks Murray is going to his second and third reads, but he does so quickly enough that it seems like the first option.

“Sometimes it’s just his mental clock and knowing the matchups across the field,” Conley said. He knows the types of receivers he has where, what type of attributes are and who they’re going up against. He knows which side of the field he’s gonna work, and he can snap to the receiver, knowing the matchup.”

When the line play is there and the running game is doing what the running game is expected to do, Murray’s going to have options when he throws and he’s shown that he knows how to take advantage of that.  He’s hitting better than 68% of his pass attempts and he’s already had two games when his passer rating has exceeded 200.  Georgia’s ninth in the country in passing, but only has one receiver in the top 100 in yardage.  Depth and spreading the wealth has been the story.

Three different players have led the team in receiving yards during the first four games. Six different Bulldogs players already have more than 100 yards receiving. Murray threw four touchdown passes in the 44-41 win over LSU, and three different receivers caught them.

Junior Chris Conley, one of four players who has between 11-15 catches this year…

Talent combined with experience adds up to high production.  That’s been Georgia’s story on offense so far.