Aaron Murray’s expectations for Georgia, JT Daniels being ‘the dude,’ SEC picks, more

Aaron Murray lays out his expectations for JT Daniels and Georgia, SEC predictions, the dawn of the NIL era and the pros and cons of College Football Playoff expansion.

Former Georgia quarterback and the SEC’s all-time touchdown leader, Aaron Murray, has high hopes for his alma mater in their quest of winning their first national title since 1980.

Murray was in attendance at this week’s SEC Media Days where he took time to promote the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominees. Murray was on the 2012 AFCA Good Works Team and knows the significance this honor is for the football players who are recognized for their work in their communities.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” Murray said of the AFCA nominees. “They’ve done such a tremendous job of just helping out in the community. And the one difference between when I was in this group in 2012, compared to now it’s just their ability to get their message out. I think that’s the key because there are so many guys including myself, who work with whether it’s kids with disabilities. Obviously, we saw a huge number of guys last year working with relief for COVID. Guys working with racial injustice and their ability to use social media to spread the message. When you are partnered with Allstate and partnered with AFCA it allows you to spread your message and reach more people. So for me, I worked a lot with extra special people. ESP is an organization based in Athens, Georgia, and its kids with physical disabilities.”

Beginning with 109 nominees, the final roster will be trimmed to 23 award recipients with 11 from the FBS and 11 from the FCS Division I, II and D-III levels and one honorary head coach.

The 2021 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominees can be viewed here.

In addition to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Murray gave his thoughts on a wide-ranging set of topics from the SEC and college football.

Schmidt: The NIL era is upon us in college football, how do you think this will change the future of the sport?

Murray: Athletes just need to be authentic to who they are. I think that’s what companies want to see. They want it to be real, how does our brand match up with your brand? And if you’re someone that likes to fish or play video games or whatever it is, how can we match up with you? So I think first of all these kids need to continue to be authentic with who they are what they like and not. I think Kirby [Smart] said a couple of days ago, don’t just be thirsty for any deal. I think it’s great for the kids. They have to be smart about it. They make sure that they are still student-athletes first and you’re there to get a degree, you’re there to get an education and then you’re there to play football. So as long as that doesn’t get in the way, I’m open to kids making money-making deals.

Schmidt: Some are skeptical there could be a downside to athletes being paid. Do you anticipate anything negative coming from NIL deals?

Murray: The problem is if someone’s asking you to do an interview, or an autograph signing, or whatever it is, on a Thursday, night after practice, and you’re like, ‘man, I really should get to sleep, I should probably get to the training table to get some therapy,’ whatever it may be. And you’re not doing that instead of going out there and trying to make a few bucks. That’s when it’s gonna hinder your performance on the field. So they just need to make sure what is important first, and this is all just side money and side hustle. And if I can make a few bucks on the side, especially in the offseason, yeah, go for it, but just make sure it doesn’t hinder you with your performance in the classroom and on the football field.

Schmidt: Could there be some locker room acrimony if a player is jealous of a quarterback like Bryce Young at Alabama making a reported seven-figures?

Murray: No, I think people have been trying to play that up like oh, there’s gonna be anger inside the locker where guys are upset because they’re not making money. If you watch the NFL and you watch commercials going on right now, who’s on the commercials? Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers. It’s starting receivers, running backs, they understand that certain positions are going to get more recognition so they’re gonna get money. Guys are not stupid. They know what a SEC starting quarterback is going to make. I would just say for those starting quarterbacks, make sure you take care of your linemen. Every Christmas and holiday season NFL quarterbacks they’re buying 60-inch TVs, they’re buying them toys and things to take care of the big guys.

Schmidt: What are your expectations for JT Daniels and Georgia this season?

Murray: Just consistency. Go back last year, obviously no spring, summer was limited and in fall camp it was Jamie Newman who was the quarterback and then everyone thought Jamie was going to be the dude. Jamie transfers and JT’s still coming back from his ACL injury so he wasn’t getting all the reps. For the first seven, eight weeks of the season he was a scout team quarterback so he’s getting no reps with the starting receivers. The fact that he’s able to go out there and do what he did, those last five games was actually pretty incredible. So I think for him, there’s a sense of, Hey, I’m the dude. So the fact that he’s had a spring, a full fall camp to work with the ones, I think there’s a chance to really open up a lot more spread things out of 11 personnel and push the ball vertically down the field.

Schmidt: After Clemson, Georgia has a pretty clear path to Atlanta with the talent they have and the schedule they face.

Murray: When you look at Georgia’s schedule, I’m not gonna say it’s a cupcake, but after Clemson which will be a tough battle, I don’t know who the second-best team is in the SEC East. You can make a case for Kentucky, for Missouri and obviously Florida. Arkansas and Auburn from the West, Arkansas got better but they don’t have the talent Georgia has and Auburn with their new coaches, I just don’t know. I think it’s a really pretty clear path for them to get to Atlanta if they stay healthy and focused.

Schmidt: Who do you think Georgia would meet in a potential SEC Championship Game?

Murray: I mean, as of right now, Alabama, it’s always hard to go against those guys. What saw from Bryce Young in high school and in the spring game, I think the kid is super talented. I think he fits well with what they’re trying to do. I think it’s Alabama but LSU will be right there and Texas A&M will be right there as the third-best team in the SEC West.

Schmidt: Who wins LSU’s quarterback competition?

Murray: I’m a big fan of Max Johnson. I think the kid is uber-talented. I like Myles Brennan, I think that’s a great healthy quarterback competition. But for me, I think it’s Max Johnson’s job.

Schmidt: Who is the best quarterback in the SEC?

Murray: I think Ole Miss can make some noise because they have Matt Corrall who I think is the best quarterback in the SEC heading into the 2021 season. He just needs to take care of the ball a little better than he did a year ago.

Schmidt: Are you a fan of the proposed 12-team College Football Playoff?

Murray: You know, I was always a purist. I loved it at four, but I’ve covered a lot of Group of Five teams early in my broadcasting career and I got to really appreciate teams like Cincinnati, Boise State and others. I just really want those guys to get an opportunity to play in the playoffs. So I totally changed my mind to maybe eight sounds good but no, I don’t think there are 12 teams with a realistic chance to win a national championship. But yeah, I’ve grown to say, hey, let’s expand this thing.

About the 2021 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team

For more than a decade, Allstate has partnered with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) to protect the sport and shine a light on student-athletes whose remarkable stories too often go unnoticed. The Good Works Team honors collegiate football players whose charitable involvement, community service contributions and academic dedication stand out among the 55,000+ student-athletes participating in the sport. 109 student-athletes with stories of exemplary community service, academic dedication, and impact on and off the field were nominated by sports information directors from across the nation. To be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing. The final roster of 22 award recipients and one honorary head coach will be announced in September.

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