From some of his statements, it's clear that he is still bothered by how everything turned out (6-7 overall record, losing to Central Florida in the bowl game, etc.), but you also get a sense that's he's feeling good about Georgia's potential in 2011—if everyone is one the same page.
He says his biggest goal this summer is to "...work on my timing with my receivers. We’ve got a lot of new guys out there...but not a lot of guys with experience."
That's not exactly news to those who follow the team closely. With the departure of A.J. Green, junior Tavarres King steps into the role of Georgia's No. 1 receiver and, with only 47 receptions in his three year career, he's a No. 1 of a different collar. By contrast, Chad Bumphis of Mississippi State had 44 receptions in 2010, as a sophomore, on a team that ran the ball nearly three times as much as it passed.
So, to say that King has a bit more work to do in the experience department is an understatement.
That said, last season was his most productive one to date (27 receptions, 504 yards, and three touchdowns) so there is reason to be optimistic that the transition will go well.
As for Murray's options beyond King, there is no denying that Orson Charles is that guy. Richt has been vocal about Charles' place in the offense and he hasn't been shy about calling the tight end his "best receiver". So, look for him to get a lot of reps this summer in anticipation of his increased role.
One thing is certain, Murray won't be sneaking up on defenses this season and he knows it. He took one heck of a beating last year, thanks in large part to an offensive line that didn't seem to play consistently, and he's added a few more pounds to his frame (about 10 to be exact) in order to "...be able to endure a bit of the punishment". Although, most fans will be hoping that he won't see the turf nearly as much in 2011 as he did in 2010 (25).
On the other hand, from an armchair point of view, many are just hoping to see Murray stay focused for all four quarters.
Murray, admittedly, had some mental lapses in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of games last year and that often led to negative lulls in the offense. But, with a year under his belt, perhaps he will be able to correct those inconsistencies and play more evenly across the board.
Overall, Murray looks to be confident that a lot of the mistakes of 2010 can be forgotten in 2011, if the team does what it's supposed to do on the field—play well every second, of every down, of every game.Said Murray,
"...Every week is going to be to the end, it’s going to come down to the fourth quarter. That was our biggest problem last year, just not finishing off games. Maybe three or four plays every game you go back and change and our season is completely different. So, just come in with a mindset that it’s going to be a long year and you are going to have to mentally prepare yourself for 13-to-14 games and you have to mentally prepare yourself that you are going to play every play of every one of those games."
His statement echos a common sentiment that has been heard a good bit around Butts-Mehre this off-season—from Joe Tereshinski Sr. to coach Mark Richt—the hard line is Georgia just didn't finish games last season and that played the biggest role in a most every one of their losses.
If that is the case, Georgia's players are doing all they can to not make those same mistakes twice, especially with jobs and reputations so firmly on the line, and that motivation is hopeful to continue this summer when the new class comes to town.
