- Joined
- May 30, 2014
- Messages
- 585
- Name
- Roger
Link: http://www.dawgsports.com/2015/4/24/8489451/the-man-the-myth-todd-gurley
The Man. The Myth. Todd Gurley.
By Harrison Martin on Apr 24, 2015, 10:09a 21
On August 3, 1994 a boy was born in the city of Baltimore to Darlene Simmons and Todd Gerome Gurley. A couple years later this boy would move with his mother and siblings to the small, seemingly forgotten, town of Tarboro, NC. This boy would go on to excel in football, track, and basketball at Tarboro High School. He was a star running back, rushing for over 2,600 yards and 38 touchdowns his senior year. He led Tarboro high school to a state championship and was named the North Carolina Associated Press player of the year that same season. So what? There are plenty of All-state high school athletes that graduate from school and continue on with seemingly normal, insignificant lives. Well, this one was different. This one was special. His name? Todd Gurley.
Surprisingly, Todd Gurley wasn’t a very highly sought after recruit coming out of high school. He wasn't that big (at that time), he didn't appear to be that fast (although he was), and he was from a very small town that didn’t get much if any media attention. Gurley was the 222nd ranked RB in the country and 10th ranked player in the state of North Carolina according to ESPN. Yes, he received about 20 offers from BCS schools. But, he only received a couple offers from the major powers including Georgia, Clemson, and Auburn. He was just another pretty good athlete from a small town, who kept a low profile and didn’t bother with the media. Here comes the real shocker. Todd wasn’t even Georgia’s first choice that year. Keith Marshall, the 5th ranked player in the country and top running back, was. Coincidentally, Marshall was one of the main reasons Gurley decided to come to Georgia. They were good friends, both hoping to play with and room with each other in college. So, when Gurley committed and signed with UGA he was seen by most fans as a pleasant, surprise addition to the recruiting class.
Gurley arrived on UGA’s campus in June of 2012 as a fairly unknown, low profile recruit. All the talk among the Georgia faithful, surrounding the running back position, that offseason was centered around Isiah Crowell and Keith Marshall. Crowell, a former 5 star and number 1 running back in the country as a recruit, was coming off a decent freshman season in which he had just won SEC Freshman of the Year Award. Marshall, who was the top ranked running back and no.5 ranked player in the country as well as a 4.0 student, was seen as the next great RB at UGA. Both Marshall and Crowell had been the top ranked RB’s in their respective recruiting classes and expectations for each that season were through the roof. Then fall camp started and the legend of Todd Gurley began. Rumors started trickling out of Georgia’s practices that this quiet; seemingly unknown ‘kid’ from Tarboro was something ‘special’. Players from Georgia’s defense were raving about him and were even comparing him to Trent Richardson, which at the time was quite the compliment (oh how things have changed since). As camp continued to progress and the season crept closer and closer it began to become evident that this freshman, Todd Gurley, was going to be asked to carry a significant portion of the load at tailback.
Georgia opened the 2012 season on September 1 in Sanford Stadium against Buffalo. Todd Gurley scored touchdowns on 2 of his first 3 touches, including a dazzling 100 yard kickoff return. Gurley finished that game with 8 carries for 100 yards and 3TD’s. The legend grew. Gurley continued this success throughout the season with stellar performances against teams such as Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Auburn. But, the game that really put Gurley on the map and was the most heroic performance of his career; (in my opinion) was the 2012 SEC Championship game. Georgia faced the defending national champions and number 1 defense in the country, Alabama. A spot in the national championship game (Let’s be honest this was the national championship, Notre Dame’s a joke) was on the line and Gurley showed up on the biggest stage. He rushed for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns and earned every yard. It was a performance that I will never forget. The Legend really grew that night in Atlanta. Gurley would go on to have a phenomenal freshman campaign in which he ran for 1,385 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was the second Georgia freshman to ever rush for 1,000 yards. Guess who the first was. Herschel Walker.
After a stellar freshman season most people believed that Gurley would continue to progress and would have an even better season as a Sophomore. He was a preseason All-American and expectations were sky high. Well, in the words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast my friends." Gurley had a pretty good Sophomore season (when he played), but overall was nagged by hamstring and ankle injuries that limited him all year. That 2013 season turned out to be a huge disappoint for Georgia and Gurley.
Going into the 2014 season expectations for Todd Gurley could not have been much larger. He was a Heisman trophy candidate, preseason All-American, and undisputed leader of Georgia’s team. Gurley started off the season with a bang, running all over and around Clemson’s defense, which finished number 1 in the country at the end of the season. Todd rushed for 198 yards on 15 carries with 3 TD’s and even returned a kickoff for a touchdown. He looked like the Heisman trophy front runner and anyone who didn’t know the name Todd Gurley, before that night, did afterwards. Gurley, who had lost about 10 LB’s in the offseason, was in the best shape of his life and looked unstoppable. After 6 games into the season he was the leader in ESPN’s Heisman straw poll and it seemed as if all that hard work paid off. Everything seemed to be finally falling into place for Todd Gurley. Then it happened.
On October 10th, the very next day after Gurley was named the leader for the Heisman, Georgia announced he was suspended indefinitely. Gurley ended up admitting to signing autographs for money and was suspended 4 games, effectively derailing his Heisman campaign along with Georgia’s national championship aspirations. One would imagine that all this controversy would’ve tarnished Gurley’s image and caused Georgia fans to turn against him in anger. But, strangely it had the opposite effect. People viewed Gurley as a victim and as a result his popularity spread and increased. For weeks his status remained a mystery and it became a daily saga/story all across Georgia and the SEC. #FreeGurley, #3’sUp, and many other hashtags were trending on twitter, a shrine was created outside Sanford stadium for him, Free Gurley shirts were made, and even Johnny Manziel tweeted his support. And the man that ratted him out, Brian Allen, became public enemy number 1. Gurley became an almost mystical figure and the Legend continued to grow.
The Georgia-Auburn game or "the return of Gurley" as many people labeled it was the most anticipated game in Sanford stadium since the Alabama blackout game (I’m not gonna talk about that for obvious reasons). Because of the way the game ended the season before and because Todd Gurley was finally coming back it was the most talked about event all week. Georgia even released a hype video entitled "the Return" featuring Gurley to get everyone all riled up. And on Gurley’s very first touch of the game he took a kickoff 105 yards all the way to the house for a touchdown. The play ended up getting called back on a BS penalty, but it was still the most legendary thing I have ever seen on the football field. Gurley continued to run for 138 yards and a touchdown and "The Return" appeared to be the magical night everyone thought it would be. Well, some stories are just too good to be true. With UGA up big late in the 4th quarter Gurley received a handoff and tried to cut up field, tearing his ACL in the process. Gurley’s magical 2014 season had just turned into a nightmare.
Gurley’s career at Georgia was over, but the impact he had off it will last forever in the SEC and state of Georgia. Gurley was the most loved football player since Herschel Walker. He was a full blown superstar and was treated as such his whole career at UGA. Yes, People loved him for his athletic ability, but there was something about his swagger and personality that drew people in as well. With the long dreadlocks and flashy clothing his presence was unmistakable wherever he happened to be. He was constantly surrounded by people asking for pictures, offering to buy him drinks, etc. At one Georgia basketball game he even stood up in the aisle by his seat and took pictures with fans for a good 30 minutes without one complaint. He wasn’t just a ‘special’ athlete; he was a ‘special’ person.
For some reason it appears as if things never really were able to go Todd’s way after his freshman season. He was injured his sophomore year, and his junior year turned into one of the greatest "what could’ve been" stories of all time. The "great ones" always seem to have demons and issues that they have to overcome. Herschel had his, Randy Moss had his, Michael Irvin had his, and even ESPN’s Chris Carter had some. But, what separates the legends from the "has been’s" and "never was’s" is how they responded to the controversy and overcome their demons. I believe Todd will persevere and will be one of the greatest NFL players ever. He possesses that rare, once in a decade combination of speed and power that is reminiscent of Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson. The Legend of Todd Gurley isn’t over, it has just begun.
The Man. The Myth. Todd Gurley.
By Harrison Martin on Apr 24, 2015, 10:09a 21
On August 3, 1994 a boy was born in the city of Baltimore to Darlene Simmons and Todd Gerome Gurley. A couple years later this boy would move with his mother and siblings to the small, seemingly forgotten, town of Tarboro, NC. This boy would go on to excel in football, track, and basketball at Tarboro High School. He was a star running back, rushing for over 2,600 yards and 38 touchdowns his senior year. He led Tarboro high school to a state championship and was named the North Carolina Associated Press player of the year that same season. So what? There are plenty of All-state high school athletes that graduate from school and continue on with seemingly normal, insignificant lives. Well, this one was different. This one was special. His name? Todd Gurley.
Surprisingly, Todd Gurley wasn’t a very highly sought after recruit coming out of high school. He wasn't that big (at that time), he didn't appear to be that fast (although he was), and he was from a very small town that didn’t get much if any media attention. Gurley was the 222nd ranked RB in the country and 10th ranked player in the state of North Carolina according to ESPN. Yes, he received about 20 offers from BCS schools. But, he only received a couple offers from the major powers including Georgia, Clemson, and Auburn. He was just another pretty good athlete from a small town, who kept a low profile and didn’t bother with the media. Here comes the real shocker. Todd wasn’t even Georgia’s first choice that year. Keith Marshall, the 5th ranked player in the country and top running back, was. Coincidentally, Marshall was one of the main reasons Gurley decided to come to Georgia. They were good friends, both hoping to play with and room with each other in college. So, when Gurley committed and signed with UGA he was seen by most fans as a pleasant, surprise addition to the recruiting class.
Gurley arrived on UGA’s campus in June of 2012 as a fairly unknown, low profile recruit. All the talk among the Georgia faithful, surrounding the running back position, that offseason was centered around Isiah Crowell and Keith Marshall. Crowell, a former 5 star and number 1 running back in the country as a recruit, was coming off a decent freshman season in which he had just won SEC Freshman of the Year Award. Marshall, who was the top ranked running back and no.5 ranked player in the country as well as a 4.0 student, was seen as the next great RB at UGA. Both Marshall and Crowell had been the top ranked RB’s in their respective recruiting classes and expectations for each that season were through the roof. Then fall camp started and the legend of Todd Gurley began. Rumors started trickling out of Georgia’s practices that this quiet; seemingly unknown ‘kid’ from Tarboro was something ‘special’. Players from Georgia’s defense were raving about him and were even comparing him to Trent Richardson, which at the time was quite the compliment (oh how things have changed since). As camp continued to progress and the season crept closer and closer it began to become evident that this freshman, Todd Gurley, was going to be asked to carry a significant portion of the load at tailback.
Georgia opened the 2012 season on September 1 in Sanford Stadium against Buffalo. Todd Gurley scored touchdowns on 2 of his first 3 touches, including a dazzling 100 yard kickoff return. Gurley finished that game with 8 carries for 100 yards and 3TD’s. The legend grew. Gurley continued this success throughout the season with stellar performances against teams such as Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Auburn. But, the game that really put Gurley on the map and was the most heroic performance of his career; (in my opinion) was the 2012 SEC Championship game. Georgia faced the defending national champions and number 1 defense in the country, Alabama. A spot in the national championship game (Let’s be honest this was the national championship, Notre Dame’s a joke) was on the line and Gurley showed up on the biggest stage. He rushed for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns and earned every yard. It was a performance that I will never forget. The Legend really grew that night in Atlanta. Gurley would go on to have a phenomenal freshman campaign in which he ran for 1,385 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was the second Georgia freshman to ever rush for 1,000 yards. Guess who the first was. Herschel Walker.
After a stellar freshman season most people believed that Gurley would continue to progress and would have an even better season as a Sophomore. He was a preseason All-American and expectations were sky high. Well, in the words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast my friends." Gurley had a pretty good Sophomore season (when he played), but overall was nagged by hamstring and ankle injuries that limited him all year. That 2013 season turned out to be a huge disappoint for Georgia and Gurley.
Going into the 2014 season expectations for Todd Gurley could not have been much larger. He was a Heisman trophy candidate, preseason All-American, and undisputed leader of Georgia’s team. Gurley started off the season with a bang, running all over and around Clemson’s defense, which finished number 1 in the country at the end of the season. Todd rushed for 198 yards on 15 carries with 3 TD’s and even returned a kickoff for a touchdown. He looked like the Heisman trophy front runner and anyone who didn’t know the name Todd Gurley, before that night, did afterwards. Gurley, who had lost about 10 LB’s in the offseason, was in the best shape of his life and looked unstoppable. After 6 games into the season he was the leader in ESPN’s Heisman straw poll and it seemed as if all that hard work paid off. Everything seemed to be finally falling into place for Todd Gurley. Then it happened.
On October 10th, the very next day after Gurley was named the leader for the Heisman, Georgia announced he was suspended indefinitely. Gurley ended up admitting to signing autographs for money and was suspended 4 games, effectively derailing his Heisman campaign along with Georgia’s national championship aspirations. One would imagine that all this controversy would’ve tarnished Gurley’s image and caused Georgia fans to turn against him in anger. But, strangely it had the opposite effect. People viewed Gurley as a victim and as a result his popularity spread and increased. For weeks his status remained a mystery and it became a daily saga/story all across Georgia and the SEC. #FreeGurley, #3’sUp, and many other hashtags were trending on twitter, a shrine was created outside Sanford stadium for him, Free Gurley shirts were made, and even Johnny Manziel tweeted his support. And the man that ratted him out, Brian Allen, became public enemy number 1. Gurley became an almost mystical figure and the Legend continued to grow.
The Georgia-Auburn game or "the return of Gurley" as many people labeled it was the most anticipated game in Sanford stadium since the Alabama blackout game (I’m not gonna talk about that for obvious reasons). Because of the way the game ended the season before and because Todd Gurley was finally coming back it was the most talked about event all week. Georgia even released a hype video entitled "the Return" featuring Gurley to get everyone all riled up. And on Gurley’s very first touch of the game he took a kickoff 105 yards all the way to the house for a touchdown. The play ended up getting called back on a BS penalty, but it was still the most legendary thing I have ever seen on the football field. Gurley continued to run for 138 yards and a touchdown and "The Return" appeared to be the magical night everyone thought it would be. Well, some stories are just too good to be true. With UGA up big late in the 4th quarter Gurley received a handoff and tried to cut up field, tearing his ACL in the process. Gurley’s magical 2014 season had just turned into a nightmare.
Gurley’s career at Georgia was over, but the impact he had off it will last forever in the SEC and state of Georgia. Gurley was the most loved football player since Herschel Walker. He was a full blown superstar and was treated as such his whole career at UGA. Yes, People loved him for his athletic ability, but there was something about his swagger and personality that drew people in as well. With the long dreadlocks and flashy clothing his presence was unmistakable wherever he happened to be. He was constantly surrounded by people asking for pictures, offering to buy him drinks, etc. At one Georgia basketball game he even stood up in the aisle by his seat and took pictures with fans for a good 30 minutes without one complaint. He wasn’t just a ‘special’ athlete; he was a ‘special’ person.
For some reason it appears as if things never really were able to go Todd’s way after his freshman season. He was injured his sophomore year, and his junior year turned into one of the greatest "what could’ve been" stories of all time. The "great ones" always seem to have demons and issues that they have to overcome. Herschel had his, Randy Moss had his, Michael Irvin had his, and even ESPN’s Chris Carter had some. But, what separates the legends from the "has been’s" and "never was’s" is how they responded to the controversy and overcome their demons. I believe Todd will persevere and will be one of the greatest NFL players ever. He possesses that rare, once in a decade combination of speed and power that is reminiscent of Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson. The Legend of Todd Gurley isn’t over, it has just begun.
