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December 12, 2013

Aaron Murray deserved better

Back in July, I suggested we fans create a Murray for Heisman campaign. My reasoning was simple, UGA wasn't going to, and I thought he deserved it.  Paul thought we could launch one if we were undefeated post-LSU, which I privately agreed with him. And thought we would.

But we didn't. Two SEC QBs are going to New York. Both had similar numbers, but didn't have to deal with the injuries to key offensive skill positions that Murray did. Also, an SEC running back, who is doing so on the back of a (very impressive) one game showing is going. And all of their schools did something to promote those players, particularly Auburn, which litterally blanked the voters with emails in the three days after the SEC Championship Game.

UGA? Nah. Not our scene. And it is absolutely terrible that we didn't do it.

The money shot? I'll let Bernie rant:
And yet it was some South Carolina sports writer from Charleston that had to beat the drum for Aaron Murray. Embarrassing.
By the by, read the rest of his post. It is a perfectly worded expose on why UGA athletics takes the attitude it does, and why there is no downside to the campaign in the first place.

TD
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-Doug's take at Hey Jenny Slater

3 comments:

ToonDawg said...

And I don't believe that Murray's record breaking passing yards achievement was announced during the App State game. At least I didn't hear it.

We've announced new records over the PA in the past, so I'm not sure why we didn't do it for one of the top QBs in Georgia history.

paulwesterdawg said...

1. You don't need a Heisman campaign to win it anymore. ESPN just decides you're going to win. Johnny Football and Cam Newton both lacked Heisman campaigns of any substance until the final few weeks of the season. JFF won the Heisman on the field against Bama. Cam won it on the field as well.


2. Claude Felton has run 2 or 3 Heisman campaigns. He knows what he's doing.


3. There was no way in hell that Aaron Murray was winning the Heisman after we lost to Vandy. In fact, I don't think anyone in history has won the Heisman or attended the Heisman banquet after losing to Vandy. So what's the point of the spend.


4. You're assuming that Murray wanted a Heisman campaign. I was told that Murray didn't want his record announced in the Appy State game.


5. If Gurley had stayed Healthy, I'm not sure he wouldn't have been a Heisman candidate. He was our best player. Not Aaron. If he stays healthy, we probably go 11-1.


You mention Auburn blanketing the voters. That's because Trey Mason is the best player on the #2 team in college football who had a Heisman moment in a winning game. Aaron's Heisman moment came in a loss to Auburn.


I have many complaints with the AD. This ain't one of 'em.


What's the downside? What's the upside? He never had a shot.

TylerDawgden said...

I just think it points to a deeper issue, as I noted. Win or not, if we are creating and driving the narrative, he's got a shot of being invited. And ESPN doesn't make this stuff up. They pick from guys they are interested in promoting. They get the information on those guys from the media information the schools send to production assistants in Bristol.

I don't think anyone but Winston has a shot, but five other guys, and their programs, are on display for a week on ESPN and in the media. That alone is worth the spend.

When you add in the message to recruits that UGA won't back the SEC all time [pick a passing record], and the implications that has both in terms of positive and negative recruiting, I just think it is always worth the effort for a deserving candidate. And Aaron Murray is a deserving candidate. Even if he has no shot at winning, he deserves to be in the discussion as much as Tre Mason, Johnny Manziel, or AJ McCarron.

 
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