The Future of the RB Position at Georgia Post-Todd Gurley

In what was all but a foregone conclusion, Georgia head coach Mark Richt re-emphasized on Monday his expectation that star running back Todd Gurley, who recently underwent successful surgery on a torn ACL, will declare for the 2015 NFL draft.  According to Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald, Richt took time on his weekly radio show to say he expects Gurley will "still be a very high draft pick in this draft."

Though the draft stock of the injured back is debatable, few were surprised to hear that the junior would be leaving Athens early.  

With the departure of Gurley, here's what Georgia fans can look forward to in the Bulldog backfield.

Nick Chubb

Chubb, currently a true freshman, burst onto the scene in Georgia's season opener with a 47-yard touchdown run against Clemson.  At the time, his 70-yard debut seemed like a crowning achievement given the heavy presence of Gurley.  But as Gurley missed time—first due to a four-game suspension and then to injury—Chubb's Clemson performance became little more than a blip on the radar of his fantastic freshman season.

Since taking over for Gurley in mid-October, Chubb has been the first running back to be called upon in seven consecutive games.  He's made the most of that opportunity and run for 100 or more yards in each contest.  In seven starts, Chubb has averaged more than 177 yards of offense per contest, scored a touchdown in every game and accounted for two or more scores on four occasions.

Needless to say, the future of the tailback position is bright as long as Nick Chubb stays healthy.  

Chubb isn't Todd Gurley.  He's half a step slower, slightly less agile and needs to improve on ball security, but he's a comparable (if not favorable) replacement in several regards.

	Nick Chubb	Todd Gurley	Advantage
Longest 100-Yard-Game Streak	7	4	Chubb
200-Yard Games	1	1	Tie
Career Yards Per Carry	6.9	6.4	Chubb

With Gurley out of the picture, Chubb stands to benefit primarily from repetitions.  Heading into his freshman season, Chubb trailed Gurley and other veterans like Brendan Douglas and Keith Marshall on the depth chart.  Heading into 2015, he will be the unquestioned of the backfield and will only improve with a heavier work load and more attentive coaching.

Sony Michel

Like Chubb, Michel was a highly coveted recruit in the 2014 class.  Similarly, he had moments of absolute brilliance this fall.  His 155-yard performance against Troy in September was highlighted by three touchdowns and just 10 carries.

Though he's been slowed by injury, Michel's explosiveness has not vanished.  He's posted a run in excess of 10 yards in five of his seven games, and he's never failed to break at least one run of eight or more yards in a contest.

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

A viable threat in the passing game as well, Michel took a short pass and raced 33 yards for a touchdown in Georgia's narrow defeat against South Carolina in Week 3.  That versatility will benefit him as he seeks to carve out time alongside Chubb, and don't be surprised if offensive coordinator Mike Bobo finds a way to feature both backs simultaneously as often as possible.

For Michel, the most obvious alteration following Gurley's departure will be playing time, and that could vest itself in a number of ways.  Given his diverse skill set, Michel's impact in 2015 could be just as large as that of Chubb.

Keith Marshall

At this point in time, the tale of Keith Marshall is a rather sad one.  

The more celebrated back in the class of 2012, Marshall arrived in Athens and was expected to be the next in a long line of great Georgia running backs.  That narrative changed when Gurley, also a freshman, broke loose for 100 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries and added a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the season opener against Buffalo.

To be clear, Marshall was also a major contributor on that 2012 team.  He topped the 100-yard threshold three times and broke out with a 164-yard day in a shootout against Tennessee.  He finished his freshman season with 759 rushing yards and a higher yards-per-carry mark than Gurley.

John Bazemore/Associated Press

But even then, Marshall's production was streaky.  He ran for 104 yards on 10 touches against Florida Atlantic, but the week prior to that he turned 12 carries into just 32 yards.  He followed up a stellar performance against the Volunteers with 64 yards over the following three games.  After running for 105 yards against Auburn, he accounted for just 29 yards versus Georgia Southern.  In the SEC Championship Game and the Capital One Bowl, Marshall carried the ball a total of 10 times for just 39 yards.

That inconsistency carried over into Marshall's 2013 campaign.  In the season opener against Clemson, Marshall carried the ball 16 times (then a career high) but racked up just 43 yards.  The following week, he turned nine touches (seven rushes and two receptions) into 112 yards against South Carolina.  And ultimately, his 2013 campaign was cut short with a knee injury.

Nagging injuries in 2014 have Marshall destined for a medical redshirt after appearing in just three games and converting 13 total offensive touches into 19 yards.

Though the tale of the tape has been unkind thus far, Marshall's career is not over.  Even the use of a medical redshirt is a positive sign as it points to Marshall and the coaching staff's belief in a bright future for the junior.  If he can get fully healthy, he still has All-SEC talent, and he knows the Bulldogs' offensive system as well as anyone.  

It's hard to presume greatness for Marshall moving forward, but he's certainly shown flashes of it in the past.  The next two years could be tremendously productive for Marshall and if they are, the Bulldogs will be even more dangerous.

Brendan Douglas

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

The proverbial victory cigar, Douglas is best known for his late-game, clock-eating, punishing runs.  But it's important to remember that Douglas has carried the load for Georgia before.  With Gurley and Marshall sidelined by injuries in 2013, Douglas racked up 204 combined yards of offense on 38 total touches against Tennessee and Missouri.  

And he's remained relevant within the offense this year.  The sophomore from Augusta, Georgia, has racked up 30 or more rushing yards in four of his seven appearances, and his 225 rushing yards, two scores and 4.5 yards-per-carry average are nothing to scoff at.

Though his role is unlikely to change, Douglas could see a few more early-game reps with Gurley out of the picture.

The Field

A.J. Turman, currently a redshirt freshman, has not played in a game since arriving on campus in 2013, but that doesn't mean he can't be a factor.  A now-thinning crowd at the position and a slew of injuries have kept him out of the rotation, but Turman was one of the nation's best running backs in his class, according to 247Sports, and he garnered offers from the likes of Florida State, Miami, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Notre Dame. 

Chris Carson, a JUCO transfer, is committed to join the Bulldogs as part of the 2015 recruiting class.  A 3-star recruit per 247Sports, Carson is also drawing heavy interest from Louisville.  This season, Carson averaged 110.4 rushing yards per game on 7.2 yards per carry while playing at Butler Community College in Kansas.

Turman and Carson may or may not prove to be substantially valuable to an already deep backfield, but they stand to benefit from opportunities with the departure of Gurley, especially given the injury-proneness of Michel and Marshall.

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