Credit: Mark Bradley
Credit: Mark Bradley
Athens -- These short takes are presented as a companion to the Georgia-Charleston Southern game column, which can be found on myajc . Georgia won 55-9.
1. Given that this has become a Short Takes staple, let's get it out of the way: Nick Chubb is tremendous. Todd Gurley, lost now to knee surgery, was the best back in the nation. Chubb is nearly as good as Gurley, which is to say Chubb is about the best in the nation himself -- and he's a true freshman from Cedartown. He only carried nine times against Charleston Southern, but his second rush went for 83 yards and a touchdown. It was the longest run by a Bulldog since Tim Worley fled 89 yards against Florida in 1985 in a famous 24-3 upset of the nation's No. 1 team. Chubb's 113 yards made him the first back under Mark Richt to break 100 yards in six consecutive games. Think about that. Musa Smith didn't do it. Knowshon Moreno didn't do it. Even Gurley didn't do it. Chubb just did it.
2. Don't look now, but Hutson Mason has become a pretty fair quarterback. For the second time in three games, the fifth-year senior (but first-year starter) threw more touchdown passes (three) than incompletions (two). His first pass, on Georgia's first snap, went to Chris Conley for a touchdown off a lovely play-action fake. His best pass -- a laser of the sort Matthew Stafford used to deliver in this stadium -- produced an even better catch from Conley. It wasn't so long ago that some Georgia fans were calling Mason a weak spot. Today I ask: How many better quarterbacks are there in the SEC at this minute? How many better passers are there? Understand: I'm not saying Mason is better than Mississippi State's Dak Prescott, but as a throwing quarterback, Georgia's man is right up there.
3. Nobody, Mark Richt included, catches more grief from Georgia fans than offensive coordinator Mike Bobo -- who once again has had himself a fine season. The Bulldogs have scored 63 touchdowns in 11 games. The school record is 72, set over 14 games in 2012. This has been accomplished with a new quarterback, with Gurley missing four games to suspension and now gone with a torn ACL and with receivers Jonathon Rumph and Justin Scott-Wesley only now getting healthy. For the second time in three games, Georgia didn't punt. It entered the game leading the SEC in total offense. We can quibble over not giving Gurley the ball on first-and-goal against South Carolina, but we cannot quibble with the overall effect of this raging offense.
About the Author
