Getty ImagesThere have already been plenty of underclassmen declaring for the NFL Draft, and there will undoubtedly be many more as the deadline for said declarations draws near. However, one of the biggest names in college football will be staying in college football.
Via his Twitter account, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray confirmed that he would be returning for one more year with the Bulldogs.
Blessed to be the QB for the Dawgs, not ready to leave just yet. Time to get back to work & help lead this team to a championship #GoDawgs
— Aaron Murray (@aaronmurray11) January 7, 2013
The redshirt junior had previously been mum about what his future intentions would be after the season. Murray later stated his draft grade placed him as a second or third-round pick.
Georgia came thisclose to beating Alabama in the SEC championship game last month and ended the 2012-13 season with a Capital One Bowl win over Nebraska. Murray finished the year with the best quarterback rating in the country (174.8), throwing for nearly 3,900 yards and 36 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions. His career as a three-year starter includes 10,091 passing yards and 95 passing touchdowns.
Even if he left today, Murray would already be regarded as one of the best quarterbacks to pass through the program.
The knock on Murray has been his inability to win the big games. Although his reasons for returning to Athens are his and his alone, he will nevertheless have an opportunity to debunk that criticism once and for all.
Glad he’s returning.
This is very good news for UGA. He might very well end up breaking even more SEC passing records, and I would say, he is the last piece of the puzzle for UGA’s high powered offense for next year.
Mark Richt just put his Aaron Murray voo doo doll back in his sock drawer. Seriously though all jokes aside I’m happy for bulldogs fans. I’m not a Georgia fan but I love to see dudes from my hometown succeed.
Not a UGA fan, but seems like a good move on Murray. Usually the guys who go 3rd round or so end up on the bench (exception would be Russell Wilson). If he lights it up his senior year, he could end up moving up into a first round pick and potential starter opportunity.
Did his tweet come from the future? It’s not January 7th yet.
I know alot of UGA fans are glad, and truthfully as a LSU fan, I am also. He treasures his education and this time he has with his teammates but his stock in the pros should go up next season as well, maybe even a starting position by that time with all the continued attrition of and discontent with QBs throughout the NFL.
This will hopefully be a win-win situation for all concerned.
Smart kid. God only knows what kind of situation would be waiting for him in the NFL with so many teams in disarray and desperate for a QB. Next year he’ll have a better chance of being drafted by a team that at least has had a head coach in place for more than five minutes.
The SEC is going to be QB conference next season with Murray, McCarron, and Mettenberger all in the mix.
As a Gator fan, the news doesn’t exactly thrill me
but I am happy for the Georgia fans and for Murray himself. And for Coach Richt. Classy guy. Hope they make the most of it next season. They should be in the hunt for a national title for sure.
Good luck tonight, ‘Bama. Keep the streak of titles going guys. Seven straight? No conference will ever duplicate that. Let the thumbs downs and the hate begin…