Aaron Murray hasn’t locked down Georgia’s starting quarterback job for September, but he’ll have it all summer.
Bulldogs coach Mark Richt announced Thursday afternoon that the 6-foot-1, 206-pound redshirt freshman from Tampa will begin August camp ahead of 6-2, 192-pound junior Logan Gray. Those were the only candidates remaining after Richt dismissed redshirt freshman Zach Mettenberger from the program last Sunday.
“We see Murray ahead of Logan right now,” Richt said. “It’s just a matter of, on a consistent basis, he has performed better than Logan at this point. That’s really all there is to it. It’s the usual things like accuracy and decision-making.”
The last redshirt freshman quarterback to win a Southeastern Conference championship was Florida’s Rex Grossman in 2000, but Richt believes Murray is “very equipped” to lead the Bulldogs after guiding Tampa’s Plant High to the Class 4A state title in ’08. Murray was Rivals.com’s No. 3 quarterback in the ’09 signing class behind Matt Barkley of Southern California and Garrett Gilbert of Texas.
Barkley started last season, and Gilbert replaced injured Colt McCoy in the BCS title game against Alabama.
When asked how Mettenberger would have fit into the pecking order had he not been dismissed for actions stemming from his March 7 arrest near Valdosta, Richt said, “Aaron would have been the No. 1 quarterback.” Richt added that getting February signee Hutson Mason ready in preseason camp will be important.
Richt released an entire depth chart Thursday and considers Washaun Ealey and Caleb King co-No. 1 tailbacks, though King missed several spring practices. Senior receiver Kris Durham from Calhoun is listed as the No. 2 split end behind Tavarres King, while redshirt sophomore Ty Frix, also from Calhoun, remains the starting deep snapper.
The No. 1 defense coming out of spring contains just four players with multiple career starts: end Demarcus Dobbs, outside linebacker Justin Houston, inside linebacker Akeem Dent and cornerback Brandon Boykin. Some of the milder surprises as No. 1s include cornerback Vance Cuff, strong safety Nick Williams and inside linebacker Christian Robinson.
“I thought Vance might have been the most improved player on the team this spring,” Richt said. “Every day it seemed he was making plays and gaining confidence.”
Dittmer dismissed
Backup punter Trent Dittmer, a senior walk-on from Cartersville, was dismissed from the program Thursday by Richt as a result of an alcohol-related arrest early Tuesday morning. Dittmer served on the scout team the past two years and never played in a regular-season game.
GEORGIA DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
SE Tavarres King (6-1, 180, So.)
Kris Durham (6-5, 209, Sr.)
LT Clint Boling (6-5, 304, Sr.)
Jonathan Owens (6-4, 294, So.)
LG Cordy Glenn (6-5, 328, Jr.)
Dallas Lee (6-4, 296, Fr.)
C Ben Jones (6-3, 300, Jr.)
Chris Burnette (6-2, 290, Fr.)
RG Chris Davis (6-4, 295, Sr.)
Ben Harden (6-3, 300, Jr.)
RT Josh Davis (6-6, 300, Sr.)
Kolton Houston (6-5, 270, Fr.)
TE Orson Charles (6-3, 230, So.)
Aron White (6-4, 236, Jr.)
QB Aaron Murray (6-1, 206, Fr.)
Logan Gray (6-2, 192, Jr.)
FB Shaun Chapas (6-2, 245, Sr.)
Fred Munzenmaier (6-2, 240, Sr.)
TB Washaun Ealey (5-11, 205, So.)
Caleb King (5-11, 210, Jr.)
FL A.J. Green (6-4, 207, Jr.)
Rantavious Wooten (5-10, 170, So.)
PK Blair Walsh (5-10, 185, Jr.)
Brandon Bogotay (6-3, 200, Jr.)
DEFENSE
DE Abry Jones (6-3, 290, So.)
Brandon Wood (6-1, 286, Sr.)
N DeAngelo Tyson (6-2, 294, Jr.)
Kwame Geathers (6-6, 326, Fr.)
DE Demarcus Dobbs (6-2, 274, Sr.)
Kiante Tripp (6-6, 275, Sr.)
OLB Cornelius Washington (6-4, 248, So.)
Darryl Gamble (6-2, 250, Sr.)
ILB Akeem Dent (6-2, 233, Sr.)
Mike Gilliard (6-2, 200, So.)
ILB Christian Robinson (6-2, 216, So.)
Marcus Dowtin (6-2, 220, Jr.)
OLB Justin Houston (6-3, 259, Jr.)
Reuben Faloughi (6-5, 232, Fr.)
CB Brandon Boykin (5-10, 185, Jr.)
Branden Smith (5-11, 175, So.)
SS Nick Williams (6-2, 219, Jr.)
Quintin Banks (6-2, 213, Sr.)
FS Bacarri Rambo (6-0, 210, So.)
Jakar Hamilton (6-2, 196, Jr.)
CB Vance Cuff (5-11, 177, Sr.)
Sanders Commings (6-2, 214, RSo.)
P Drew Butler (6-2, 203, Jr.)
Blair Walsh (5-10, 185, Jr.)