Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama: Cooper made the biggest play of the game for Alabama when he caught AJ McCarron’s 45-yard go-ahead touchdown pass with just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter. The play was largely effective due to Alabama’s ability to really run it down Georgia’s throats all night. Cooper caught seven passes for 127 yards and one touchdown, averaging 18.1 yards per catch. He plays like a veteran, and he’s built like a veteran. But the true freshman has really emerged throughout the season as McCarron’s go-to receiver in the clutch, and the big play receiver on the Tide’s offense. Cooper is the Tide’s biggest play-making receiver since Julio Jones.

Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia: I’ve said it all season: Todd Gurley is the best running back in the SEC as a freshman. You give me one back in the SEC to choose from, and I’m taking Gurley. Usually freshmen hit a wall somewhere about midway through the season, but Gurley is one of the exceptions. He delivered one of his best performances all season against Bama’s defense, and he did it by running straight into the teeth of the defense. Gurley’s yards after contact have to be one of the best averages in all of college football. He’s the total package at running back. Gurley rushed 23 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns, leading the charge for the Bulldogs’ offense.

Jay Rome, TE, Georgia: The sight of Jay Rome making plays at tight end is encouraging for Bulldogs fans. Rome has all the athletic ability in the world, but even his coaches have criticized him for not practicing hard and maximizing his ability. However, we saw a glimpse of what we’ll see for a few years on Saturday with his 19-yard touchdown reception for the first score of the game. That was the only pass he caught all night.

TJ Yeldon, RB, Alabama: Much like Gurley, TJ Yeldon saved his best for last, too. You can certainly make a case for Yeldon to have an edge against Gurley, as Yeldon is able to stay fresher than Gurley throughout the course of a game and a season because he splits carries with Eddie Lacy. Yeldon has the uncanny knack, power, footwork, explosiveness and speed to be an elite running back, not only the SEC, but at the next level, too. Yeldon rushed 25 times for 153 yards and one touchdown in Atlanta.

Other Impact Freshmen:

Jordan Jenkins, DE, Georgia: Jordan Jenkins is the next Jarvis Jones. You just don’t know Jenkins yet because he’s a freshman. But he’s a true hybrid outside linebacker or defensive end that Todd Grantham’s defense needs in the next several years. He’s a strong player, and he’s going to be massive for the Bulldogs in the coming years.

Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia: Marshall has had a huge impact throughout the season, rushing for 723 yards, but he was nearly invisible against Alabama. Why? Gurley is the perfect power back against a tough, physical Alabama defense. The game just got to a point where Gurley was much more important than Marshall. It happens in some football games, and the SEC Championship just took a turn in that direction. Marshall only carried two times for three yards. Nonetheless, you can’t understate how important Marshall has been for this club over the long haul.

John Theus, OL, Georgia: Theus has started all 13 games for Georgia at right tackle as a true freshman, and he’s only going to get better. He had a ton of hype coming in as a blue chip recruit, and he’s certainly lived up to it. Theus will be a staple on Georgia’s line for the next few years.

Photo Credit:  Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The former top QB prospect from Tampa, Florida, sets out on a quest this weekend to win his first elusive SEC Championship in 2012.

Murray has had great individual years statistics-wise for his career. He’s thrown for over 3,000 yards in his first two years, along with 59 touchdowns and 22 INTs.

Many are quick to critique Murray for his sometimes quick-to-scramble mentality, but he’s criticized much more because he hasn’t won big games in the past and hasn’t fared well against ranked opponents – just 2-7.

There was an interesting analysis on Murray recently over at Macon.com dissecting his play against ranked opponents.

Here are his stats from that study:

2010
No. 24 South Carolina: 14-21, 192 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks, six rushes for minus-15 yards
No. 12. Arkansas: 15-27, 243 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 6 sacks, 14 rushes for nine yards (1 TD)
No. 2 Auburn: 15-28, 273 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks, six rushes for minus-4 yards

2011
No. 5 Boise State: 16-29, 236 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 6 sacks, seven rushes for minus-33 yards
No. 12 South Carolina: 19-29, 248 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 4 sacks, six rushes for 19 yards
No. 24 Auburn: 14-18, 224 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 3 sacks, nine rushes for 21 yards
No. 17 Georgia Tech: 19-29, 252 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 1 sack, eight rushes for 11 yards
No. 1 LSU: 16-40, 163 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 4 sacks, eight rushes for minus-five yards
No. 12 Michigan State: 20-32, 288 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 4 sacks, eight rushes for minus-13 yards

Murray’s stats vs. ranked teams (nine games): 148-253 (.584), 2,119 yards (235.4 per game), 17 TD, 9 INT, 34 sacks, 72 rushes for minus-10 yards, 1 rushing TD

Murray’s stats vs. unranked teams (18 games): 299-492 (.607), 4,079 (226.6), 42 TD, 13 INT, 22 sacks, 102 rushes for 288 yards, 5 TD

Murray certainly was guilty of some crucial mistakes against South Carolina and Michigan State last season.

For 2012, however, the interceptions must decline and the completion percentage has to increase from 59.1 last season to around 63 to 64 percent. Thirty five touchdown passes a year ago will be tough to duplicate but very attainable.

You look at Georgia’s schedule this season, and it’s very favorable once again. The Bulldogs do not have to play Alabama, LSU or Arkansas and really only make three road trips (four if you count Jacksonville against Florida).

Murray has a cast of weapons at his disposal in Tavarres King, Michael Bennett, Malcolm Mitchell, with underachiever Marlon Brown emerging in fall camp.

Obviously the one notable receiver who will be absent this season is Orson Charles. Arthur Lynch and Jay Rome will have to combine to fill Charles’ production at tight end (45 receptions, 574 yards and five TDs). Charles and Murray played high school ball together. So they had a rather good connection and a comfort with each other.

In addition, UGA will use a running back by committee between Todd Gurley, Keith Marshall, Ken Malcome and Richard Samuel. I like this group, and there is more than adequate talent between the four to make this a balanced offense.

But we keep coming back to the two biggest questions on offense: the offensive line and Mike Bobo. Replacing three starters and starting a true freshman at tackle will be a work in progress. Hopefully this group can pull it all together and gel rather quickly. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, too, needs to take more chances in his play calls, because he’s just been too vanilla throughout the last couple of years.

Saturday is the day Murray is set to begin his championship quest, and it starts against Buffalo. It’s a mild tuneup before making the trip to Columbia, Missouri, to take on SEC-newcomer Mizzou in the first conference game and road trip of the season. Circle this game, because it will be a defining moment for this team, good or bad.

It’s put up or shut up time for Murray at Georgia.

Mark Richt hears the rumors around Athens. He undoubtedly feels the pressure. He knows what will happen if the 2011 season is anything like 2010. However, if you listen to Richt speak he sounds as cool as his always perfect spray tan. On signing day, Richt stared all of his critics in the eye and did not blink. It would have been easy for the Bulldogs to fall off the recruiting map in 2011. Granted, they just finished their second straight disappointing season, capped off by a loss to UCF in the Liberty Bowl. Yet Richt did not let this faze him.

Richt went out on the recruiting trail and sold what only the best salesmen can sell: a dream. He successfully convinced the nation’s top recruits that if they came to the University of Georgia they would be part of a “dream team.” The coaches and recruits believe this dream team will be the class to bring the Bulldogs back to greatness. Whether they do or not remains to be seen. On paper, it’s hard to deny their promising future. The star studded class is ranked 5th by Rivals and 6th by Scout, sporting two 5 star players and eleven 4 star players. Coach Richt summed up his feelings on the dream team: “I just came with the idea that this is my Dream Team. This is Georgia’s Dream Team, to where we literally had names and pictures targeted that we would shoot for and we nailed it pretty good. We didn’t get them all, but we came pretty darn close and I certainly think the dream team came true today.” Richt further believes that this class has the potential to be the best that he has ever recruited, but he wants Georgia fans to tamper expectations for their immediate impact.

Nevertheless, many of these signees should be able to come in and contribute immediately for the Bulldogs. Mark Richt said that he wouldn’t be surprised if heralded running back Isaiah Crowell scored a touchdown on the first drive against Boise State in September. The nation’s top defensive end prospect, Ray Drew, should make an immediate impact on the defensive front for the bulldogs as well.

What shouldn’t be disregarded by bulldog fans is that this is the first time that the team has been able to recruit to fit the needs of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defensive scheme. In a 4-3, defensive lineman and linebackers are built more for speed than size. In a 3-4 scheme the defensive lineman need to be much bigger in order to protect the linebackers. The linebackers are utilized to get most of the pressure on the quarterback and stuff the run. Linebackers do not drop into coverage as much in a 3-4 scheme. Coach Richt stressed the importance of recruiting the proper types of athletes to play this scheme, and he believes that they did just that. As you’ll see below, this recruiting class is star studded with defensive players.

Mock Depth Chart using only Georgia’s Class of 2011 Signees

OFFENSE

• QB: Christian LeMay, Matthews, NC: 4 star prospect
• RB: Isaiah Crowell, Columbus, GA: 5 star prospect
• RB:
• OL: David Andrews, Norcross, GA
• OL: Watts Dantzler, Dalton, GA
• OL: Zach DeBell, Tarpon Springs, FL
• OL: Hunter Long, Eads, TN
• OL: Nathan Theus, Jacksonville, FL
• TE: Jay Rome, Valdosta, GA: 4 star prospect
• WR: Chris Conley, Dallas, GA
• WR: Justin Scott-Wesley, Camilla, GA: 4 star prospect
• WR: Sanford Seay, Leesburg, GA

DEFENSE

• DT: Chris Mayes, Griffin, GA: 4 star prospect
• DE: Sterling Bailey, Gainesville, GA: 4 star prospect
• DE: Ray Drew, Thomasville, GA: 5 star prospect
• LB: Amarlo Herrera, College Park, GA: 4 star prospect
• LB: Kent Turene, Lauderdale Lakes, FL
• LB: Ramik Wilson, Tampa, FL: 4 star prospect
• LB:
• DB: Quintavious Harrow, Columbus, GA
• DB: Malcolm Mitchell, Valdosta, GA: 4 star prospect
• DB: Corey Moore, Griffin, GA: 4 star prosepct
• DB: Damian Swann, Atlanta, GA: 4 star prospect

Additional Signees:*

• ATH: Devin Bowman, Rossville, GA
• ATH: Nick Marshall, Rochelle, GA: 4 star prospect
• ATH: Chris Sanders, Tucker, GA
• OL: Xzavier Ward, Moultrie, GA

*Note: the signees spot on the depth chart is not indicative of who the better prospects are. This depth chart was simply made for the purposes of seeing how the class was balanced position by position. Some positions on the depth chart are left open because there were not enough recruits to fill those spots. Others, like OL had more than 5.

Early in January it looked as if Richt’s Dream Team may never happen.  At the Under Armour All America Game, two big instate guys verbally committed elsewhere.  Defensive End Xzavier Dickson committed to Alabama, and super athlete Quan Bray committed to Auburn.  The very next day, it seemed that with the loss of Bray, Georgia had to quickly offer wide receiver Sanford Seay.  Seay committed on the spot, and the Dawgs were losing momentum fast.

There is one recruit that all Georgia fans feel like they have to get.  Isaiah Crowell is the lone recruit that will decide if this is a Dream Team or not.  Crowell is considered by many to be the best running back in the nation, and UGA desperately needs him in Athens.  The three main Georgia running backs this past season only accounted for 1500 yds rushing.  Many think that Crowell could get that by himself.  However, things with Crowell got a little shaky last week.  Crowell visited Alabama last weekend, and reports were flying around that instead of him being a UGA lean, Crowell was now 50/50 between Georgia and Alabama.  Richt then quickly offered Crowell’s teammate, and best friend, Quintavious Harrow.  Harrow committed to Georgia this week, and it might just pay off for the Dawgs.

Then everything changed for UGA on Thursday.  Valdosta, GA teammates Jay Rome and Malcolm Mitchell were set to announce on Thursday night, and they both had just visited Alabama with Crowell.  Just about everyone thought that Rome would go to Georgia, and Mitchell would commit to the Tide.  However, in a shock to the recruiting world, Rome and Mitchell both committed to Georgia, and Richt went from recruiting zero to recruiting hero overnight.

Now Georgia has a chance to close really strong this recruiting season.  Georgia currently has 21 verbal commitments right now, but they have to close with defensive end Ray Drew and Isaiah Crowell for the Dream Team to be a reality.  Drew is the #1 defensive end in the nation, and he will announce where he will play his college ball on Jan. 28^th.  Crowell will probably wait until National Signing Day to tell the world where he is going.

I think Ray Drew will go to Georgia, but Crowell is a bit of a wild card.  Crowell is visiting Athens this weekend, and I think they will tell him that he is going to be the starter the day he steps on campus.  Right now Georgia has a ton of momentum, and they have Crowell’s best friend committed.  I think right now Crowell will probably be in Athens this fall.  I really believe that Georgia has the one thing to offer that Bama does not.  Georgia can offer immediate playing time, and at Alabama, Crowell will be behind Trent Richardson if not a few other backs.

Things can change in a few weeks, but right now Georgia’s class is shaping up really nice.  So let’s hear it Georgia fans, what do you think about this year’s class?

Many thought (even me) that Mitchell would pick Alabama, as Rome and Mitchell had just visited Alabama this past weekend.  Even in the face of a lot of rumors, Richt managed to play his cards right, and was able to keep both these guys in-state.

Rome’s Commitment is a big boost of momentum for Georgia.  Richt has a few guys out there to land to make this an elite class, and whether he does or not could decide how good next season will be for Georgia.

It seems odd that both players from the same team are not announcing together, which usually indicates they will go to different teams.  I could be totally wrong, but I think Rome goes to UGA and Mitchell rolls with the Tide.  Either way, I will have an update on Thursday night.

Probably the most interesting recruit of the weekend is Nickolas Brassell, because it seems that Brassell may be close to a decision.  This week some information came out that, Alabama commitment, Daryl Collins has been wavering in his decision, and Nick Saban has a policy of if you shop then we shop.  Now it looks as though Collins may decide at any time to commit to another school, and Brassell might be the guy that Saban wants to fill that spot.

After this weekend, I expect the Tide to pick up one commitment.  I think it may be Brassell, but there could be a surprise.  Of course, don’t expect Clowney or Crowell to decide until National Signing Day.

Included in the visitors will be three of the Top 50 players in the Nation and five Rivals Top 100 prospects. Needless to say, UGA is pulling out all the stops to land this group of immediate difference makers.

Some of the most desired from Georgia:

Ray Drew (DE) – Army Team All-American. Headed to NYC on Sunday for part of the Army Player of the Year awards.

Jay Rome (TE) – Under Armor All-American has been to a top target for UGA from the start.

Damian Swann (DE) – Army All-American. Would be a great catch for UGA’s Defensive Backfield.

Xzavier Dickson (OLB) – Under Armor All-American is a top LB prospect. Needed for the 3-4 Defense.

Malcolm Mitchell (ATH) – Under Armor All-American. Could pay WR or DB.

Quan Bray (ATH) – Under Armor All-American. Can line up at RB, QB in the Wildcat or in the slot as a dangerous WR. Excellent in the open field, big time kick return skills player.

Nationally recruited:

Jeoffery Pagan (Asheville, NC)- one of the most elite DE’s in the country. 6’4” 275 lbs. is using his first official visit on the Dawgs. Could be a big time addition to a top defensive class.

Top 5 Already Committed:

1. (DE) Sterling Bailey – 6’5” 260 lbs from East Hall/Gainesville, Ga.  Big frame in an athletic body make Bailey a rivals Top 100 player. Could play either as a DE or outside LB in the 3-4 defense.
2. (QB) Christian Lemay – 6’2” 200 lbs from Butler/Matthews, NC. Pro-style QB who should fit into the UGA offense very well.  Another Rivals Top 100 player.
3. (WR) Justin Scott-Wesley – 6’1” 210lbs from Mitchell County/Camilla, GA. Big, Physical receiver who should match up well with DB’s in the SEC.
4. (OL) Zach Debell – 6’7” 265 lbs from Tarpon Springs/Tarpon Springs, Fl. Big kid who will need to fill out in order to compete at the SEC level. Good get out of Florida to fill OL needs.
5. (S) Corey Moore – 6’1” 195 lbs. from Griffin/Griffin, Ga. Large safety or smaller LB who can support the run. Punishing hitter, very athletic.

Other Big Recruits Still Left:

1. (RB) Isaiah Crowell – 5’11” 210 lbs from Carver/Columbus, Ga. Was considered strong UGA lean but, lately has brought Alabama up in his visit schedule.  He has the size, strength and speed to be an every down back in college. Soft hands so he would help the passing game as well. If he can learn blocking schemes he should see significant playing time as a freshman.
2. (NT) Jonathan Jenkins – Gulf Coast Community College. Big Nose tackle who can come right in and start in the new 3-4 defense. He is the big body needed up front in the trenches to free up the LB’s to make plays.
3. (ATH) Quan Bray – 5’11” 178 lbs from Troup/LaGrange, GA. Mainly plays on the Offensive side of the ball. He can pretty much play anywhere on the field except QB or TE. Says he wants to be recruited as an Off player.
4. (TE) Jay Rome – 6’5” 255 lbs from Valdosta/Valdosta, GA. Big, athletic player who needs to work on upper body strength. Very hard to tackle once he heads up field. Could be Aaron Murrays’ new target right away.
5. (DE) Jeoffery Pagan – 6’4” 272 lbs from Ashville/Ashville, NC. Long limbed DE with a thick upper body. Bit new to Defense which may lead to redshirt but his best football is in front of him.