Georgia Football: 5 Reasons the Bulldogs Will Lead the Nation in Rushing in 2013

One of the reasons the Georgia Bulldogs were so efficient on offense is they were able to have balance when it comes to running and throwing the football.

Before the season, everyone knew that the passing game would be just fine because of the return of quarterback Aaron Murray.

But running backs Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley burst onto the scene and made the Bulldogs a legitimate national championship contender.

The Bulldogs finished with 184 rushing yards per game, which put them fourth in the SEC and 42nd in the country.

But next year, those numbers should be better. In fact, the Bulldogs have a chance to lead the nation rushing.

Here's why.

No. 5: Ball Control

The Bulldogs proved that they can score from anywhere on the field at any given point of a ballgame. But the thing that would make this offense even better is keeping the ball away from the opponent.

When it comes to time of possession, the Bulldogs are near the bottom of the conference, only averaging 28 minutes per game.

That should change next season. If Georgia wants to beat a team like Alabama or LSU in the SEC title game, they will have to play keep away, and they have the ability to do that with the backs that they have carrying the ball.

No. 4: Offensive Line

The Bulldogs' offensive line was a work in progress as the season began, but really played well towards the end of the year.

There's also a chance all five starters will be back next season, which is never a bad thing.

Having experience on the offensive line is key to having a strong running game, and when you put that together to go along with strong running backs and a veteran quarterback, the running game will never be a weak point for any offense.

No. 3: Aaron Murray

If Aaron Murray does return, that will give the run game a huge boost.

Teams have to respect and defend the pass because Murray can pick apart almost any secondary in the SEC.

That should give the running backs more opportunities to have more yards, especially if the Bulldogs are in passing formations but run the ball to spread the defense out.

Murray is as experienced as they come and he, along with offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, know when it's a good time to make a big throw or let his running backs pound it consistently.

No. 2: Keith Marshall

Marshall was great spelling Gurley, rushing for 723 yards and eight touchdowns, which puts him in the top 15 in the conference in both categories.

What's scary is he's only scratched the surface in terms of how good he can be.

Marshall got a lot of his big runs because he was just faster than everyone on the field.

Once he learns how to see the field and hit the hole, there's no telling what numbers he will put up in the next two years.

No. 1: Todd Gurley

There has not been a true freshman that has made an impact like Gurley has in the last 30 years in Athens.

Had it not been for Johnny Manziel, Gurley would have led the SEC in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

His combination of size, speed and strength is rare, and like Marshall, we are only seeing a glimpse of how good he can really be.

His focus, drive and determination makes him different than all the other running backs on the roster, as well as the rest of the running backs in the SEC.

Despite how good Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon are for Alabama, and as efficient as Georgia Tech is running the triple option, Gurley will still be the main reason the Bulldogs lead the nation in rushing next year.