HOOVER Ala. – In 22 years, the Southeastern Conference media preseason poll has only predicated the correct conference champion four times.
After only receiving 19 out of 293 votes to win the conference in 2014, Georgia coach Mark Richt had one word to describe the trend of unpredictability: Good.
“Now that I think of it, that’s good. I don’t really care where we’re picked,” Richt said. “I think the one year [UGA won the SEC championship], 2005, we were picked fourth or fifth in the East.”
Richt and his players spoke Thursday about their upcoming season at the 2014 SEC Media Days in Hoover Ala. The Bulldogs are coming off a 2013 season that was riddled with injuries and ended in a disappointing 8-5 record.
UGA’s best chance to win comes in the backfield with junior running back Todd Gurley, who averaged 98.9 yards a game last season in an injury-ridden 2013. Gurley is fully healthy now, and is one of the early favorites for the Doak Walker and Heisman Trophy awards.
Gurley, however, will have to rely on an offensive line that will have to replace three starters from last season. The Tarboro, N.C. native said he has seen good things in the new starters, and has confidence in their development.
The Bulldogs will have to replace Aaron Murray, one of the most prolific quarterbacks in school history. That replacement will be senior Hutson Mason, who started the final two games last season when Murray got injured and led UGA to a 41-34 victory against rival Georgia Tech.
Richt made comparisons to 2005, when then-senior D.J. Shockley took over for another UGA legend, David Greene. Shockley was named first-team All-SEC that season and led the team to their second SEC championship since 1982.
With Hutson’s knowledge of the offensive system, Richt said nothing changes for the team.
“I think its Hutson being there, us knowing Hutson is the guy, the team knowing Hutson’s the guy, Hutson knowing how everything works, you know,” Richt said. “Hutson has been in our system obviously going into his fifth year. So there’s been no change in our system.”
The defense comes off a season in which they ranked 11th in the SEC in scoring offense but bring back eight of their starters. Leaders on the team include senior linebacker Ramik Wilson and senior cornerback Damian Swann, who earned first and second team preseason SEC honors, respectively.
The biggest difference came with the hiring of new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt. Pruitt was Florida State’s defensive coordinator when they won the national championship last season, and was the defensive backs coach at Alabama from 2010 to 2012.
Wilson said the change when Pruitt came in was immediate, and the defense is now more conditioned than ever.
“He told our strength coaches we needed to run more,” Wilson said. “This is the most we’ve ever ran this season. They’re running us and it’s going to pay off. Everybody is in shape, nobody is bending over, so we are ready for the up-tempo teams.”
UGA’s schedule is tough from the beginning, with games at home against Clemson and at South Carolina to start the season. Wilson has painful memories about the last time the Bullgogs traveled to Colombia, where the Gamecocks beat them 35-7 in 2012.
But Richt’s leadership is not questioned within the team, no matter the past losses or preseason polls. His players have a trust in him in ways that go far beyond the playing field.
“A lot of people can look at many things when it comes to football,” said senior defensive back Chris Conley. “For a lot of people its winning games and its winning championships. Coach Richt looks at those things and the character of the men playing for him. I think that’s one of the huge things about Georgia football.”