The Gurley Effect - Updated 9/12

9/12- Updated to reflect 2014. I left the OP basically how it was in May including the stuff about Hutson. Although my main point is about Gurley.


I see all these folks on here predicting our season next year and saying 4 maybe even 5 losses. References to last year's UT, missouri, hell vandy games get brought up. Trap games with Arky and frickin Kentucky? Folks..I don't think yall quite grasp how important Gurley is to this team. He could legitimately be the best player in America. So let's look at what UGA has done when Gurley plays for at least a quarter of a game:

2012: 12-2
2013: 8-3
2014: 1-0

So that's 21-5 total. Let's look closer.

2012 losses:

SC- No way around it, we got whooped. Everybody on our team sucked. Nothing really to say. Loss here is pinned on everybody.
Bama- 122 yards and 2 TDs against the best defense in America. Nobody else on their schedule punished that defense like Gurley did. If our D didn't give up 350 yards rushing we're national champs. Loss pinned on defense.

2013 losses:

CU- Todd didn't play a full game, but still played most of it. 154 yards and 2 TDs. Anytime you score 35 you should win. Loss pinned on defense and a costly ST miscue.
AU- 158 APY and a touchdown. Was still slightly less than 100% but he was good enough. We were winning with 1 minute left. I think we know who to pin this on.
NU- 183 APY and a touchdown. Pretty crappy game all the way around, but again he did his part.

So what's my point? My point is that in the 5 losses we've had that Todd has played in, there is only ONE that you can say "Gurley really didn't help us out much. He definitely could have done more" that being SC '12. 1 game, out of 26 played, that Todd did not do his part and carry his weight.



I'll also add somewhat of a hybrid point here regarding Mason. People want to compare him to Joe Cox...so let's put Todd Gurley on that 09 team and see what we get. We went 7-5 regular season, I'll skip the 8 wins and look at the 5 losses.

OSU- It was a 10-17 game midway through the 4th (before the refs threw an indescribably bad PF on reshad jones and OSU scored again). Our leading rusher had 87 yards. If I'm not mistaken he also lost a fumble (could have branden smith, not positive). Knowing that it was a 1 TD game with about 8 minutes left to go, does anyone really think we would have been the same in that game with Gurley in the backfield instead of Samuel? Call this a wash if you must, but you could easily turn this into a win.
LSU- Our 2 leading rushers COMBINED for 44 yards and 0 touchdowns. Despite that, we were winning with 1 minute left. This is a win with Gurley.
UT- we got shellacked, gurley wouldnt' have made much difference
UF- same. They were simply much better than us.
UK- leading rusher had 77 yards and 0 TDs. Ealey also had a critical fumble. We were winning in the 4th, tied late, and lost by 7 late. You can't tell me Todd wouldn't have made the difference.

So even with Joe Cox and our crappy 09 defense, you're talking about 7-5 regular season turning into 10-2 with Gurley. Let that sink in.


I don't know how Mason will turn out. I have no idea really based on very limited information. But what I DO know, for certain, is what we have in Gurley. And as long as he is lining up in the backfield and is even 90% healthy, I like our chances against anyone we play this year.