Todd Gurley didn’t make the trip to Missouri with Georgia, but he met the Bulldogs when they got off the buses for Saturday’s game.
Gurley wasn’t physically there. He was digitally present inside Amarlo Herrera’s phone. Gurley, who watched the game on television from his apartment back from Athens, made a FaceTime call to the team via Herrera’s phone. A dozen or so players gathered to see him and hear what he had to say.
“He was just telling us he loves us, wishes he could be there and just to go out there and play hard,” junior outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins said. “He just wanted to tell everybody good luck and wish everybody a good game.”
Jenkins said the call came just as the Bulldogs got off the team buses at Faurot Field. Gurley, the Bulldogs’ star tailback is indefinitely suspended while UGA and the NCAA investigate allegations that he accepted improper benefits from memorabilia dealers.
Jenkins said Gurley reached out to coaches and players earlier in the week via broadcast text on Friday. The team learned before practice on Thursday that it would be without him for Saturday’s game against Missouri. The Bulldogs won 34-0.
“He was trying to get all his stuff situated,” Jenkins said. “He told everybody that he’s got love for us.”
As for the circumstances that landed Gurley in hot water with the NCAA, Jenkins said he’s not really upset with Gurley as much as he his the man who turned him into UGA.
“It really jacks me up,” Jenkins said. “My idea on the whole thing, the guy set it up. He’s the one who approached Todd. And then he’s going to report him in because he’s mad about something. That guy screwed himself. He’s not going to be able to run a business in Georgia.”
