ATHENS — The pats on the back from fans around campus have already begun, and calls from friends and family have been steady since the announcement, but Aaron Murray isn’t claiming victory in Georgia’s quarterback battle just yet.

Murray was slotted atop the Bulldogs’ post-spring depth chart when it was released Thursday, but he said he’s not taking anything for granted, and even those closest to him are offering reminders that the starting job has yet to be won.

“They have pretty much the same feelings that I do, that it’s just one step and it’s not a done deal,” Murray said. “I have to still keep working. I’m No. 1 after the spring, I’m not No. 1 for the season.”

While head coach Mark Richt said Murray had earned his spot atop the depth chart with an impressive spring, the competition got a bit thinner with the dismissal of fellow redshirt freshman Zach Mettenberger last week.

Murray said the news came as a surprise to him, but he remains optimistic about Mettenberger’s future going forward.

“When I got the news, I was definitely pretty upset and hurt for him because I know how hard he’s worked and he’s really busted his (butt) all season making sure he’s improved on his fundamentals and things coaches really wanted him to work on,” Murray said. “It’s definitely hard, I know it’s hard on him, but he has a bright future.”

Murray said he met with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo last week and was informed that he would be Georgia’s No. 1 quarterback entering fall camp, but the discussions of the depth chart didn’t last long. Of more pressing concerns, Murray said, was the task of taking over the leadership of the offense this spring.

Bobo provided Murray with a list of personal goals to work on this summer and offered suggestions on how to rally his teammates and lead voluntary offseason workouts.

“It was mostly things he wanted me to do this summer with the team, 7-on-7, film study with the linemen and receivers, and just stuff to get ready for the season,” Murray said.

That’s all part of Murray’s plan for the next few months, which he said will be crucial in moving him from unproven redshirt freshman into a player the rest of his veteran offense sees as a leader.

“I’ll have those other guys on the team looking at me, and so I’ve got to work hard and I’ve got to go out there and prove myself to these guys,” Murray said. “I’ve got to prove to those guys I’m willing to go out there and work my butt off each day, go in there and watch the extra film, do the extra drills and prove to them that even though I’m young, I’m willing to work hard and make sure I know everything and I’m not going to let them down when the season comes.”

Murray said he already has plans to arrange voluntary workouts with the receivers and defense at least twice a week beginning in June, then up the practice sessions to three or four times per week as fall camp nears. He said he has also earmarked time to sit in on film study with the offensive line, and his top priority for the spring is to not only master his own position, but to gain a better understanding of what the rest of the offense is doing, too.

“I think you have to know what all 11 guys are doing on offense, what their jobs are, and I want to know what they’re doing, and be able to be that leader and be that quarterback to make sure everyone’s on the right page in the huddle,” Murray said.

Of course, the hard work this offseason will be as much about calming Murray’s own concerns as it will be about endearing himself to his teammates.

While the Bulldogs have already seen much of Murray’s leadership skills, he said he’s still likely to have at least a modest set of nerves when that first game arrives.

So Murray has put the pressure on himself to establish a comfort level with the offense between now and then that he hopes will make his transition into the starting role – should he nail the job down by September – as smooth as possible.

“This summer, I need to make sure I know all my fundamentals are down pat, watch a lot of film, I know what I’m doing out there, my reads, hopefully that will take over in the end,” Murray said. “Just me being more comfortable will help with that little bit of nerves those first few games.”