Long time to go, but Gurley in Heisman focus

photo Georgia junior tailback Todd Gurley put his early stamp on the Heisman Trophy race with this 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in an opening rout of Clemson.

There is a lot of time between now and the Heisman Trophy ceremony in mid-December, but Georgia junior tailback Todd Gurley is compiling a nice highlight package should he get an invitation.

Gurley returned a kickoff 100 yards in the 45-21 rout of Clemson to open the season, and he also shredded the Tigers on touchdown runs of 23, 18 and 51 yards. He could not match 293 all-purpose yards in last week's 38-35 loss at South Carolina, but he did rush for 131 with a Heisman-type highlight late in the third quarter.

With the Bulldogs facing a third-and-16 at South Carolina's 45-yard line, Gurley headed left, saw no room to run and reversed field for a 17-yard pickup and a first down.

"I just knew we needed the first down," Gurley said, "and I wanted to do everything in my will to get it. I saw the back side open, and I just ran."

Said quarterback Hutson Mason: "That's all on him and his ability to make a play."

Should Gurley continue to rack up the yards -- the 6-foot-1, 232-pounder from Tarboro, N.C., is averaging 9.4 yards a carry -- and the dazzling highlights, he could become Georgia's first serious Heisman candidate of the 14-year Mark Richt era. The Bulldogs had not produced a top-10 finisher in the Heisman balloting under Richt until 2012, when outside linebacker Jarvis Jones finished 10th.

Georgia's last top-five Heisman finisher was tailback Garrison Hearst, who placed third behind Miami quarterback Gino Torretta and San Diego State tailback Marshall Faulk in 1992. Bulldogs quarterback Eric Zeier finished 10th in 1993 in seventh in 1994, and cornerback Champ Bailey finished seventh in '98.

Claude Felton became Georgia's media relations director for athletics in 1979, a year before legendary tailback Herschel Walker arrived. Walker finished third in the 1980 Heisman balloting, second in 1981 and first in '82. In that era, Felton and other sports information directors sent out mailings to promote their players for the Heisman and other season-ending awards.

The Bulldogs won the national championship in Walker's freshman season, but Georgia's first television appearance in 1980 occurred in the eighth game, a 13-10 win over South Carolina. All 26 games in which Gurley has played for the Bulldogs have been televised, with 21 on the national level, three regionally and two on Atlanta's WSB.

"The games will have the most impact, as well as the highlights that are shown on ESPN and CBS and everywhere else," Felton said, "but I wouldn't rule out something that we might think of doing down the road. We'll just have to see what things look like a month from now. What is our team record? There are a lot of things that would come into play."

Gurley recognized the importance of Georgia's record in the Heisman landscape before this season kicked off, pointing out, "There is no way you can be on an 8-5 team and win that award." The Bulldogs were 8-5 last season.

One website that conducts a weekly poll of 10 anonymous Heisman voters revealed that Gurley is currently second behind Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill is third, followed by Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and Alabama receiver Amari Cooper.

For now, Gurley will continue to draw the attention of opposing coaches, with Troy's Larry Blakeney next in line. Blakeney took the Trojans to Athens in 2007, when the Bulldogs had Knowshon Moreno.

"I really think Knowshon Moreno has proved his worth as an NFLer," Blakeney said, "but this guy reminds me more of the guy nobody will ever forget at Georgia, with that being Herschel."

Blakeney has reason for concern given Gurley's gargantuan start to the season, just like South Carolina's Steve Spurrier has reason for relief.

"He's one of the best in the country, no question about that," Spurrier said, "but we're not going to play him anymore."

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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