This isn’t how the story is supposed to go.
As little boys we grow up in a culture that teaches us that
the hero always prevails, gets the girl, and saves the kitty cat from the
burning building while overcoming impossible odds. I have never felt so lied to
as I do this morning.
Aaron Murray was the hero before he even showed up in
Athens. The first time I heard about Aaron Murray was in 2008. He was an early
commit to Georgia (already a good guy), but he had broken his leg during his
senior season at Plant High School in Tampa, Florida. Cue hero music. Murray rehabbed
and made it back from his broken leg in about 8 weeks, just in time for the
state playoffs. He started for his team and lead them to a state title. This
was going to be Georgia’s next quarterback.
After graduating high school early, he enrolled at Georgia
in January of 2009. He took a red shirt in the 2009 season, preparing to be the
starting quarterback in 2010. During spring practice in 2010 there were rumors
that Murray might get beat out for the starting job by Mark Richt’s secretary’s
son, but after a fateful trip to South Georgia, Zach Mettenberger was off the
team, and Aaron Murray was going to get his chance.
Murray spent his freshman year running for his life on a
mediocre team. AJ Greene missed the first four games of the season because of a
NCAA suspension, and the young quarterback wasn’t ready to do it all by
himself. Georgia suffered its first losing season since the mid 90’s in 2010,
and of course there were people that wanted to blame the quarterback. All
Murray had done was set every freshman passing record.
As a sophomore, Murray played spectacularly at home against
South Carolina, only to see Georgia lose 45-42 because of terrible special
teams. Murray then led Georgia to 10 straight victories. This is where the
Murray detractors start with their lunacy. They will tell you that Georgia didn’t
play anyone in 2011. The schedule was so easy anyone could have won 10
straight. In this season alone we have seen Tennessee beat South Carolina, Ole
Miss beat LSU, Utah beat Stanford, West Virginia beat Oklahoma State, and
Georgia Southern beat Florida (J).
Winning college football games isn’t easy when you are playing on the road even
against average teams. I wonder how Murray’s legacy would have been different
if Georgia’s receivers would have caught some passes early in the SEC title
game against LSU? With a bigger lead at half time, would Georgia been able to
hold on to win? The comment you hear about 2011 is that Georgia played four
good teams and lost to all of them. That might be true, but Murray played well
in the South Carolina game and the bowl game against Michigan State. Georgia lost
the bowl game because our kicker missed a field goal that would have won the
game in overtime.
As a mature junior, Murray got off to a hot start and so did
the Dawgs. Nothing went right last year in Columbia, but there was nothing
right about what happened to Aaron after the game. Murray returned home to see
his house vandalized by angry Georgia fans. Those fans must have missed the
game while they were out buying eggs and toilet paper, because there is no way
you can place that loss on Aaron. Aaron played poorly, just like everyone else.
Georgia missed chances on defense to change the game, and the offensive line
played as bad as possible against a very good South Carolina defense. Murray
found out soon after the Carolina game that his father had throat cancer. The
cherry on top. Murray responded by leading Georgia through the rest of their
schedule, including a second straight victory over Florida, and back to the SEC
title game. Everyone knows what happens next, so let’s just skip it.
Murray returned for his senior season to win a title. He had
already set most of the Georgia passing records, but he hadn’t brought a title
to Athens. This is where the hero is supposed to be rewarded for his efforts.
Murray has done everything you could ask a player to do. He graduated in the
middle of his junior year and started working on a graduate degree. He has
never gotten in trouble off the field. He regularly gives his time to local
charities, including Extra Special People, where he spends time special needs
children. I’m not nominating the man for sainthood; I’m just saying that in
2013 he has been an amazing player that we can be proud of both on and off the
field.
The hero needs adversity so the loss to Clemson to begin the
season was ok. Murray was spectacular against South Carolina and he willed
Georgia to a win against LSU. When the injuries began to pile up against
Tennessee, Murray managed to pull his team over the finish line and secure a
victory in overtime. You could see Murray’s disappointment at the end of the Vanderbilt
game, the story hadn’t gone the way it was supposed to go.
The Auburn game was a microcosm of Murray’s career. Georgia
was down early when the offensive line wasn’t playing well and the defense was
having trouble stopping Auburn. Down big in the fourth quarter, Murray leads an
improbable comeback, capping it off by diving into the end zone head first,
determined to get the lead. Then, with Murray watching on the sidelines, the
Hail Mary gives Auburn the lead again. Murray is distraught at first. Then he
leads Georgia right back down the field and gives the Dawgs a chance to win the
game.
Last night started out perfectly. The Georgia fans finally
showed their appreciation for the best statistical quarterback in SEC history.
Murray, with tears in his eyes, probably feeling justified, Murray lifted his
helmet up to acknowledge the crowd’s applause. Then the show started. Murray
threw four touchdown passes in the first half, and then, just before half time,
he stayed down after a hit. Well, he stayed down for a second. Murray got up
and winced as two guys helped him limp off the field for the final time.
There will be time later to talk about how this impacts the
final two games of this season, and how it might impact next season, but for
now, let’s just hope we haven’t seen the last of Aaron Murray in a Georgia
uniform.
Murray didn’t get the hero ending, but he should always have
our respect and appreciation. I hope he can rehab from his injury and show the
NFL scouts that he is a leader that deserves a chance. I also hope that Georgia
fans finally give him the credit he deserves. Aaron Murray isn’t a hero, he’s
just our quarterback.
In the end though, he was the quarterback that the Bulldog
Nation needed, but maybe not the quarterback we deserved.
Thanks Aaron.
GO DAWGS!
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