Georgia Football: How Bulldogs Offense Must Respond Without Todd Gurley

The Georgia Bulldogs' pivotal game against Missouri—and the rest of their remaining slate—got a little more difficult on Thursday evening when the university announced the indefinite suspension of star running back Todd Gurley.

Now, Georgia's offense, which to date has depended heavily on a stout running game, is left to reorganize while the junior Heisman Trophy candidate is removed from play.  Though the length of his suspension remains to be seen, the potential impact is both known and feared.

Without Gurley, the Bulldog offense will be without the SEC's leading rusher and one of the most versatile weapons in the country.  Over the course of his career, Gurley has rushed for over 3,100 yards, returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and accounted for 611 receiving yards.  Just last week he completed a 50-yard pass against Vanderbilt.

Player	Position	Total Offense	Touchdowns Scored
Todd Gurley	Running Back	826	9
Sony Michel	Running Back	297	4
Nick Chubb	Running Back	255	3
Chris Conley	Wide Receiver	200	2
Michael Bennett	Wide Receiver	147	2

Georgia must respond offensively with a quick-striking passing attack and creative use of personnel.

Get the Ball Out

Though quarterback Hutson Mason has drawn the ire of a portion of the Georgia faithful as of late, the fifth-year senior has not justified that overt negativity.  To be sure, Mason is quite a departure from record-setting quarterback Aaron Murray, but given his lack of in-game experience and the rise of Gurley, that much should be expected—at least statistically.

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Nonetheless, Mason has performed adequately within offensive coordinator Mike Bobo's system.  Case in point:  In five starts this season he has completed more than 68 percent of his passes.  With Gurley out, that statistic matters more so than any other.  After all, a diminished ground attack will necessitate more passing but not necessarily deeper passing, which has been a shortcoming for Mason this year.

If Georgia can get star wide receivers Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley back from injury and fully functional, this passing attack could still be formidable—with or without Gurley.  The key will be getting the ball out quickly and letting receivers go to work.

Mitchell is certainly capable of making plays in space, and sure-handed targets like Michael Bennett and Chris Conley have always excelled in the short- to mid-range passing game.  An emphasis on getting the ball to elusive threats like speedsters Isaiah McKenzie and Reggie Davis could also benefit the Dawgs.

Bobo knows his weapons, and he knows his quarterback.  Mason is not going to win games with slow developing play-action bombs or deep back-shoulder fades.  But he can have success with precisely timed patterns that eat up eight or 10 yards at a time.

Get Creative 

One could argue that this season has been Bobo's most creative as a play-caller, and that's not a bad thing.  Already Mason and two other passers (Brice Ramsey and Faton Bauta) have received playing time.  Ramsey has even played select situations early in games.  

Bobo must recognize the three passers' unique skill sets and utilize them accordingly.  Mason is the most experienced and the most knowledgeable of the playbook.  Ramsey has the biggest arm.  Bauta is the most capable as a runner.  All three of those components will prove valuable at some point and could create an advantage for Georgia.

Getting athletes involved in a variety of ways should also be paramount.  Though he's currently out with injury, Sony Michel was a tremendous threat in the passing game.  Conversely, McKenzie has been a threat in the running game from his wide receiver spot.  With the best athlete on the team out, getting the ball into the hands of the most explosive remaining playmakers must take precedent.

And of course, the talented remaining running backs should not be forgotten.  Brendan Douglas was stellar as a true freshman last season when Gurley and Keith Marshall were out with injury.  True freshman Nick Chubb has already impressed this season.  

Perhaps the most creative use of these talents is an overly stacked backfield with tight end Jeb Blazevich as an extra blocker and fullback Quayvon Hicks paving the way.  Though such a formation is a far cry from innovative, it is somewhat abnormal relative to today's spread-out offensive formations.

Against a team like Missouri, which boasts a host of explosive outside pass-rushers, churning out yardage up the middle could be a potent antidote.

David Goldman/Associated Press

Todd Gurley was the best player on Georgia's football team; that much is indisputable.  But that's a credit to Gurley, not necessarily an indictment of his teammates.

Of Gurley's suspension, Richt told GeorgiaDogs.com that he was "disappointed," and to an extent he spoke for the entire team, the university and Bulldog Nation.

But there's a difference between being down and being out.  Which descriptor most accurately defines Georgia's offense remains to be seen.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.