Tommy Thigpen couldn’t pick just one.
When asked for an abbreviated scouting report on Georgia junior running back and Heisman Trophy hopeful Todd Gurley, the Tennessee linebackers coach gave not one, but two compliments.
“It’s the power and the speed that goes with it,” Thigpen said. “They are looking a lot of times to isolate a corner. Him one-on-one with a defensive back is a mismatch. You see guys try to take angles, and he outruns their angles.
“Guys try to come in and hit him low, but he is very strong on the lower extremities of his body.”
Such talk has been the norm this week as Gurley and company look to make it four straight home wins over the Volunteers on Saturday. The junior running back missed last year’s contest against UT with an ankle injury, but Gurley has made an appearance in every match so far this season.
In just three games, the Tarboro, North Carolina, native has scampered for 404 and four touchdowns — all while averaging just short of a first down per carry.
Although Gurley unquestionably spearheads Mark Richt’s offense, the Georgia running attack– which is generally considered to run four deep but will be without senior Keith Marshall thanks to a leg injury– has a bevy of additional working parts.
“When you think of the University of Georgia, you think of their stable at running backs and it is a stable,” Tennessee head coach Butch Jones said. “Very talented, very physical. Gurley, (Sony) Michel, (Nick) Chubb, Marshall — they all bring a different element to their backfield.”
Despite accounting for 64 percent of Georgia’s total yards this season, the Bulldogs’ ground assault is far from the only weapon that Richt and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo have to choose from.
With opponents heavily gearing up for the run, there have been ample opportunities for success in the play-action offense — which senior quarterback Hutson Mason has exploited on countless occasions this year.
Jones said eye discipline–reading the keys and being able to play the ball in the air, is a solution for halting UGA’s play-action success.
“They do a great job with the fade stop and the back shoulder throws, not only in the red zone but to the open field as well when you’re in press-man coverage,” Jones said. “So they do a lot of things that really challenge your discipline.”
While Gurley’s game-changing abilities headline the Georgia offense, an equally promising player resides on defense in the form of senior Ramik Wilson. Currently, the 6-foot-2, 237-pound linebacker, who garnered a collection of All-SEC honors in his decorated Georgia tenure, ranks second on the team with 23 tackles — four for loss.
Wilson is also no stranger to riveting performances against the Bulldogs’ orange-clad SEC East rival. In last year’s bout with the Vols, the Tampa native racked up a game-high 15 takedowns, one quarterback hurry and a two-yard sack during Georgia’s 37-34 overtime win.
“He is extremely active, and he will be one of the best linebackers we face all year,” Jones said. “They have an inordinate amount of depth on the defensive front and even entirely on their defense. They have different starting lineups, which I think is a byproduct of them trying to create a competitive nature.”
