Gurley is the key for Georgia against South Carolina
Todd Gurley was the best player on the field two weeks ago in Georgia’s season opener against Clemson.
The Bulldogs also had the two best coaches on the field that night in Mike Bobo and Jeremy Pruitt as Georgia’s coordinators totally outcoached their Clemson counterparts.
That proved to be a dynamic combination for the Bulldogs, and if it comes together again Saturday at South Carolina, Georgia could be in really good shape (to be honest, that’s true of every game this season).
Pruitt was terrific in his first game as Georgia’s defensive coordinator, especially in the second half as the Bulldogs dominated play after the break. Bobo’s offensive game plan worked to perfection as Gurley was saved a bit for the second half and then was almost unstoppable in the final two quarters as Clemson’s defenders ran out of gas.
That formula will add up to a lot of wins this season, and it could add up to a Heisman Trophy for Gurley.
The junior running back had the kind of game against Clemson on a national stage that kicks off a Heisman campaign. He is that talented, and if the Bulldogs play the rest of the season like they did against Clemson, he will have a good enough team around him and be in enough big games to showcase his talent several more times in the national spotlight.
But the key for Gurley, as it has been throughout his career, is to stay healthy. Last year proved just how important he is to this team as it struggled without him even with standout quarterback Aaron Murray running the show. The Bulldogs’ offense sputtered throughout the season and just wasn’t the same without Gurley.
Current quarterback Hutson Mason isn’t in Murray’s league, but the senior signal-caller could do some things Murray couldn’t do -- namely win an SEC title -- if Gurley can stay healthy. Mason is a nice college quarterback, but he doesn’t have Murray’s skill set, and we don’t know if Mason can win a big game if called upon to do so.
He might get that chance Saturday if South Carolina stacks the box and tries to slow down Gurley. That would seem to be a wise game plan for the Gamecocks’ defense or any defense facing the Bulldogs and Gurley.
But Gurley is good enough that a game plan focused on him might not be enough to slow him down anyway. Clemson has a solid defense, after all, and there’s a good chance the Tigers were focused on Gurley. Yet, he still gashed them in the in second half, and that has to be a scary thought for opponents.
If Gurley stays healthy and remains in the lineup, that’s what opponents will have to worry about and what Georgia fans will be able to look forward to the rest of the season.
Contact Daniel Shirley at 744-4227 or dshirley@macon.com
This story was originally published September 12, 2014 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Gurley is the key for Georgia against South Carolina ."