Eighth in a series previewing SEC football teams
LITTLE ROCK — Georgia is breaking in a new starting quarterback for the second year in a row, and this time it’s a redshirt freshman instead of a fifth-year senior.
Aaron Murray, the Bulldogs’ scout team quarterback as a true freshman last season while he redshirted, has been promoted to the starting job as Georgia looks to rebound from an 8-5 record, the worst in Mark Richt’s nine seasons as coach.
Murray, who at Tampa Plant High School threw 84 touchdown passes and was a Parade All-American, is taking over for Joe Cox.
Cox waited four seasons to get his chance to start for Georgia, then had an up and-down 2009 season with 24 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions.
The Bulldogs are hoping for more consistency from Murray and expressed confidence in his ability to lead the offense even though he has yet to take a snap in a regular-season college game.
“From day one, I saw it in Aaron. He was preparing like he was the starter,” said A.J. Green, Georgia’s junior All-SEC wide receiver. “Whenever that time was approaching, he was going to have the best opportunity to compete, put us in the place to win a lot of games.”
Green said he has spent a lot of time this summer working with Murray on the passing game.
“He always texts me, ‘Come out and let’s throw, get that chemistry down,’ and we work on some routes that I have trouble running or he has throwing,” Green said. “He’s well above his age [19]. ... He’s a leader. As young ashe is, I really look up to the way he carries himself on and off the field.”
Richt said the Bulldogs don’t want to limit their offense, but they also have to be careful as Murray grows into his starting role.
“We have to manage him,” Richt said. “We have to help understand that he does have a strong core of people around him and he doesn’t have to make a spectacular play every time the ball is snapped.
“He needs to do his job. He needs to put the ball on the money.
“When the protection is there, when the route is there, put it on them. If the protection isn’t there, let’s throw the ball away, let’s check down, let’s take a sack if you have to.”
Georgia returns starters at all other 10 positions on offense and has its top five rushers back and three of its top four receivers.
“Obviously, the experience we’ve got will be huge for Aaron early in the season,” Bulldogs senior fullback Shaun Chapas said. “We’ve got 10 guys surrounding him who have been in the fire.
“But Aaron’s got command of that huddle. We believe in him, and I know he believes in himself. He’s one of the hardest workers we’ve got. He loves to prepare, which is great.
“Mentally, his ability to know the game is very good. Physically, he’s got all the tools.”
Murray enrolled at Georgia in January 2009, so he’s been through two spring practices as well as last season’s work.
“He understands our system well,” Richt said. “You get him in the meeting room, get him on the board, ask him anything.”
Murray might know the answers in a meeting room setting, but Richt said he and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo have to be careful and “not get enamored” with their young quarterback’s knowledge.
“We can’t expect him to be able to answer the question quite so well when he’s on the field getting chased by a bunch of 300-pound defensive linemen,” Richt said. “He’s got to live the experience of being that quarterback.
“We’ve got to be careful to go at his pace. If we do that, we’ll be OK.”
NEXT: Auburn
Sports, Pages 17 on 07/29/2010