Aaron Murray, Favorite To Start As UGA QB In Opener

Murray early No. 1 QB

By Marc Weiszer - marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com

Published Friday, April 23, 2010

Aaron Murray is the favorite to start the season opener against La.-Lafayette on Sept. 4. As most expected, the redshirt freshman from Tampa, Fla., was placed ahead of redshirt junior Logan Gray on the Bulldogs' post-spring depth chart released on Thursday.

"We see Murray ahead of Logan right now, but by no means does that guarantee a starting position in the first ballgame," coach Mark Richt said. "It's just a matter of, on a consistent basis, he performed better than Logan at this point. It's the usual things: accuracy, decision-making, those types of things."

Murray and Gray were part of a three-player quarterback competition this spring that lost a contender on Sunday when Zach Mettenberger, who threw two touchdowns in the G-Day game, was dismissed for violating team rules.

Richt was asked if Murray would have been No. 1 on the depth chart anyway.

"I'm not out to hurt anybody worse than they may have been hurt to this point, but Aaron would have been the No. 1 quarterback," Richt said.

Mettenbeger was arrested March 7 in Remerton in an alcohol-related incident outside a bar during spring break. That had already drawn him a suspension of at least one game.

The three quarterbacks that competed this spring shared practice work, but there had been no pecking order set.

Murray completed 58.9 percent of his passes in three spring scrimmages, throwing for 380 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Gray completed 54.8 percent for 280 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

"If I thought it was enough to just flat-out name a starter right now, I would do that, but at this point, we're not ready to do that," Richt said. "But we feel like (Murray) is definitely the No. 1 guy at this point, and we'll see what happens by the time we start the first game."

Lassiter's Hutson Mason will become the third scholarship quarterback when he joins the team this summer.

"There's no question there will be a greater sense of urgency in the quarterback room to get him prepared," Richt said. "He's got a sense of urgency anyway because I know the kind of young man that he is."

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Murray was rated as the No. 3 quarterback in the nation in the 2009 class by several recruiting services. He had a shaky G-Day, missing on several deep passes and completing 10 of 22 for 96 yards and an interception

"A lot of the throws were not very high-percentage throws," Richt said. "He actually hit a much higher percentage of the deep balls in the other scrimmages and other practices than he did that day. But we must hit a higher percentage of deep balls than he hit in that game."

Gray served as the backup to Joe Cox last season, playing sparingly. He completed 5 of 12 passes for 31 yards with two interceptions, but Richt said that he's more comfortable knowing what to do and how to do it now at the position.

Gray had explored moving to receiver after last season.

"The bottom line for Logan is, I want him to be in the best position to help Georgia win," Richt said. "Whether that's at quarterback or getting some reps at receiver or something, that remains to be seen."

Murray has a winning pedigree, coming back from injury to lead Tampa Plant High to a Florida state championship as a senior.

Now the 19-year old has the inside track to be Georgia's starting quarterback heading into the summer.

"He played on a team that knew how to win and knew what it takes as far as camaraderie and just unity," Richt said. "He's been through that before, and I think if our team will respond to him, I think it will go very well because he knows what it looks like, he knows what it feels like, and he's very eager to do that."

► Notes: Washaun Ealey and Caleb King are considered co-No. 1 tailbacks even though King wasn't listed on the official depth chart released Thursday after missing the latter part of spring practices with a knee injury. ... Vance Cuff has grabbed a No. 1 cornerback spot opposite Brandon Boykin. "Vance might have been the most improved player on the football team during the spring," Richt said. "He just seemed like every day he was making plays, he was gaining confidence." ... Nick Williams joined Baccari Rambo as first-team safeties, but Jakar Hamilton is expected to compete in the preseason for a starting job. ... Sophomore Orson Charles is ahead of 2009 starter Aron White at tight end, but the Bulldogs could rely on more two-tight end sets this year.