In retrospect, maybe we should have seen it coming.
It’s not like the 2013 season hasn’t already been a cruel bitch on the injury front. And stuff like this was just inviting the football gods to intervene.
Still, something seems extraordinarily wrong about timing what may be a college career-ending injury on senior night.
But then, in the second quarter of that game, he suffered a left knee injury, after which the UGA medical staff sent him to St. Mary’s Hospital for an MRI. Though the results of that test are pending, it would seem Murray’s shot at playing another game as a Bulldog now appears to be serious doubt.
“He got hurt on the [28-yard] run,” Bobo said. “He said he was fine and wanted to go. I tried to put Hutson [Mason] in, basically [Murray] wouldn’t let me. He said I’m fine, I’m playing. I said I need to see you moving around out there and he moved around pretty good.”
Handed a comfy 28-10 lead, backup quarterback Hutson Mason filled in for Murray and performed admirably, going 13-for-19 as a passer for 189 yards and a touchdown.
But even Mason admitted that his feelings on the entire situation were difficult to pinpoint: his happiness at the chance to play had been inevitably bogged down by the sadness of seeing a senior go down on senior night.
“It’s like a fairy-tale gone wrong for Murray,” Mason said. “You hate for something to end like that on senior night at home at the end of the season. You know, he’s about to start training for the draft. It’s very tough because I know how hard he works. I’ll call him, see how he’s doing. Right now I’m just waiting to hear what the injury is, will I be playing next week.”
Indeed, the sight of the team’s emotional leader – its Cal Ripken-esque worker at the quarterback position – painfully wincing all the way way into the locker was an unsettling sight for those present at Sanford Stadium. The exit cast an undeniable shadow on an otherwise joyful night for the UGA football team that became difficult for even head coach Mark Richt to shake off.
“It’s just sickening. I really had a hard time enjoying the rest of the game,” Richt said. “It just was hard to have a lot of fun. I’m glad we won and I’m glad we played the way we did but it’s just a crummy feeling right now when you think about what Aaron’s going through.”
I suppose it could have been crueler. Murray did get his fourth 3,000 passing yardage season before he was lost for the night. And Mason certainly stepped in and played credibly in relief. But you can’t help but feel that Aaron Murray’s deserved better than what this season’s doled out to him.
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UPDATE: He’s done at Georgia.
Hope this doesn’t negatively impact his pro chances much. He’s a tough kid who’s overcome serious injury before, so he’s got that going for him.
Everyone on the team has deserved better than fate has doled out this season. But as we know, deserve’s got nothing to do with it.
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Everything’s going to be fine. It may not seem like it now….but all will be well with our DAWGS. As always…..
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I officially have PTSD now.
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Aren’t the Irish born with that disorder?
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Aaron Murrey…”He determined to be, not seem, the best”.
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My heart hurts for him and the others on this team that have suffered dashed hopes and damaged dreams.
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Screw this heartless bitch of a season.
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A blessed player. At times football has been cruel to a player who gave so much to it. Puzzled why he was not pulled by CMR. Bobo should have had medical staff check him out. Everybody watching knew he was hurt and should come out until resolved. Then Bobo put him into bad play calling situation…just run the ball.
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I read Bobo’s explanation and can appreciate the position he was in but I have to agree with Will on this. The greatest QB in UGA history got hurt and didn’t want to leave the game (what player ever really does) but sometimes the coach has to take charge and make a difficult decision. Bobo didn’t do that, left the kid in and now there may be serious consequences. Georgia was up by 18 over an obviously over-matched foe. Bobo should have taken Murray out of the game. This situation reminds me somewhat of when Tebow was left in the game when Florida had a comfortable lead (24 points as I recall) against another hapless Kentucky team midway through the 3rd quarter. Meyer should have taken him out but, trying to run up the score, left Tebow in–and the GPOOE got blindsided by a UK DE and knocked unconscious. We on this blog were all over Meyer about that one. But now that the shoe is on the other foot most of us don’t make a peep.
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I assumed it wasn’t as serious as it turned out to be since he was still in the game. After merely twisting it snapped the ACL, I thought it was pretty irresponsible of them to leave him in. I know he wanted to play, but the coaches have to override players for their own good sometimes.
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I thought EXACTLY the same thing when it was clear he was gimped up after the run. When a kid — especially one that’s proven he can be too damn tough for his own good in the past — is clearly hurt and “tells you” he’s staying in, you tell HIM “No, son, you’re gonna sit your ass down for a series. Now shut the hell up and go do it before I bench your ass for the rest of this game.”
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This is particularly true when the plan was to insert Mason into the game anyway. Mason just would have gotten in the game a little earlier.
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Everything I come up with has “fuck” in it somewhere.
Let’s…all of us…get ready for Tech…for Aaron. Beating Tech would be a tribute Aaron Murray would understand.
It has been a privilege to watch him play…the best college quarterback I have seen since Pat Sullivan. Murray epitomizes all that is good about the game.
To have had him at all is a blessing. To have had him four years is a miracle.
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I wanted Murray to play in the Georgia-Georgia Tech game because historicall that is one of the most storied rivalry games in all of college football and how many UGA QBs can say that they beat Tech 4 straight years? How many QBs from any school can say they beat their primary in-state rival 4 straight years? Now it looks like he will miss out on that.
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I looked and the only UGA QBs I could find who beat Tech 4 straight years were David Greene and Eric Zeier.
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Belue would be on the list if he hadn’t been hurt in ’79. Otherwise, there aren’t many Georgia QBs who played for four years, and fewer who played those at a time when Georgia consistently beat the shit out of Tech.
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Belue also didn’t start in ’78, Jeff Pyburn did.
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Right, but he played significant time in the game and deserves more credit for the win than Pyburn.
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[“Belue also didn’t start in ’78, Jeff Pyburn did.”]
Right. But Belue finished it. 🙂
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Well, Amp Arnold did.
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+1. 🙂
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I hope he can take the first snap vs GT….then turn it over to Mason.
4-0 vs the Bugs baby!
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+1. That would keep the starting streak alive and at least arguably he can say he started all 4 years of Clean Old Fashioned Hate when UGA beat Tech 4 straight.
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Think every QB in SEC East has been injured now. Better rep 3 for GT who has 2 weeks to get ready. Big drop off with a 5 year player and virtually a 5 minute player. Mason now has to really strap it on. One thing to start a game at 0-0 and comfortably up at home against a very bad team.
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No mas, indeed. Please, no more. Aaron’s gotta be feeling like Job about now. Stay strong, man.
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Shocked it didn’t happen on the first play from scrimmage to screw him out of his 3000 yard season. What a shitty deal for the kid. Loved to watch him play. We will look back on him very fondly in the future.
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Another kick in the balls is that Murray would have shredded UK’s and Tech’s defenses for big numbers. He probably would have torched Tech for 400 yards. (kicks puppy down flight of stairs)
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I wanted to see how many TDs he would throw. 8 didn’t seem out of the question.
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That is all.
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I’m afraid to ask, “Things can’t get any worse … can they?” Because I know they can.
What a heartless bitch of a season.
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Auburn Tiger here. That kid is tough as nails, and the best QB I have ever seen play for UGA at Jordan Hare Staium, and I have seen them all since 1969. Damn, just Damn.
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Thanks for that, Tiger. Good luck next week.
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Do what you can to mess up little Nicky and his boys this week! Love to see an upset. Sorry BD, but you can’t be the NCFChampions forever.
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But what about covering the spread, Joy?
And, no, I’ll not forget that post last year, even if you don’t even remember posting it.
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Hey now….I do remember what I posted. It was a text from my daughter. Had nothing to do with my feelings. Just wanted to keep things lively !
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That’s some genuine class right there. Thank you. Beat the damn Tide Saturday. I’m tired of hearing about them.
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Somehow, in a season during which we’ve beaten Florida, South Carolina, LSU, and Tennessee, all I want is for it to be over. As a fan, I usually dread the thought of several months without football. But if I’m ever going to bring myself to watch this shit again, I’ll need at least several months away from it, just to try to forget this feeling.
God bless, Aaron Murray. You were one damn good Dawg. And you’ll likely go down as my favorite Georgia QB of all time.
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I agree with you sentiments sans the season being over. I dread the end of football season; the offseason sucks. I actually love watching us play bowl games. I do wish players took it more seriously.
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“Somehow, in a season during which we’ve beaten Florida, South Carolina, LSU, and Tennessee, all I want is for it to be over.” It seems strange, but somehow I feel just the same way.
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And but for a weird tip to the Auburn receiver UGA would have beaten Auburn this year, too. Strange season, this.
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Look at how this team has dealt with all the injuries vs the way that bunch in Gainesville has dealt with theirs.
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True. As much as this season has been a son of a bitch, Georgia’s still only a couple of plays from being 7-1 in the conference with a legitimate shot to get to the SEC title game. Of course, those couple of plays are part of why this season has been such a son of a bitch.
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And, as predicted, Tech fans are classy about the situation. Time to renew your hate for Tech
http://www.dawgsports.com/2013/11/23/5138852/aaron-murray-injured-georgia-tech-fans-respond-predictably
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I hate this as much as I can possibly hate anything. Murray is special and has earned a spot way way way up on the list of all-time DGD’s. I pray for his speedy recovery and, as you said, that it will not negatively impact his NFL opportunity.
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! 😦
I don’t even care about this for the GaTech and bowl games. We should crush Tech even with Mason, and god knows what will happen in the bowl game.
I am absolutely, brutally saddened that this had to happen to Murray.
Not only because of the pain and suffering involved in the injury, the surgery, etc. but I really, really hope this doesn’t negatively impact his draft status. 😦
Get well, Mr. Murray.
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Hey, question here: why wasn’t that KY defender called for a penalty? Not only had the ball left Murray’s hand, he was standing there admiring the catch. Unnecessary roughness, roughing the passer, personal foul, etc.
Why no flag mr. zebra?
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Well duh! Because it was Murray. Check your SEC rule book, Section G, PWG. This is a standard permissible foul. You’ll also find references under the “Decisions” addendum, Ibid 2010 – Auburn and “Wagers, Penn”
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So true never is a late hit called against Aaron unbelievable that is still going on. Prayers for his healing. I hope his draft stick is not affected.
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Each new rule created was supposed to “protect the players safety”. In the SEC, each new rule is used to control the outcome of the game. It was clear from the start Aaron was fair game would not be protected by the new rules. Our leadership needs to finally step up or Mason’s fate will be the same.
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When it happened I figured, “Well, the guy initiated contact as Murray was throwing the ball, so I can see them letting it go.” Then they called the “unnecessary roughness” on Swann when he brought the guy to the ground out of bounds after initiating contact on the field of play and got pissed off once again at shitty, inconsistent officiating.
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