Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

8/9/2011 at 2:50pm

Image by Mark Wagner

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray remembers "somebody" from Arkansas put a hard hit on him near the end of last year's loss to the Razorbacks. That "somebody" was all-SEC defensive end Jake Bequette.

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray paid his dues last season as a redshirt freshman, showing some bright moments against the likes of Tennessee while being smacked around by the likes of Auburn in Georgia's 6-7 season. His teammate at Georgia and during their senior year in high school together, tight end Orson Charles, believes he's now seeing the Murray he knew in high school that won and won big. According to a story in Tuesday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

"He's having more fun," Charles said. "He's more relaxed. I feel like the game is starting to slow down for him. He's calling the defenses out, getting the ball out, making his reads. He's just being Aaron."

Arkansas was able to survive Murray last year in Athens, 31-24, but not before the Hogs let a two-touchdown lead get away in the fourth quarter at the hand of Murray. And, as the AJC notes, Murray had a big season as a redshirt freshman, one that has made him the odds-on favorite for All-SEC quarterback.

Murray was impressive. Georgia averaged 32.1 points per game – fourth among SEC teams – and the quarterback wrapped up his first year with the second-best pass efficiency rating in school history (154.48) and No. 2 all-time in the SEC for total offense by a freshman (3,216 yards).

"Aaron was trained in a way that created some habits that really helped him protect the ball, helped him make some good decisions and be a great ball-handler, all those things you want a quarterback to do," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "He did a super job. Now he's had a season to live through it and I think all those great habits are going to serve him well the rest of his career."

The Bulldogs also stumbled to their first losing record in 15 seasons, and Murray has the scars to show for it. He has two prominent reminders on his chin. One, he said, is from Auburn's Nick Fairley; the other from "somebody from Arkansas."

That "somebody," as we all know over in Arkansas, is All-SEC defensive end Jake Bequette, who put a helmet thumping on Murray for a big fourth-quarter sack that let the Hogs get the ball back before their quick, game-winning drive in the final minute.

So, note to Aaron Murray: While Jake Bequette is no Nick Fairley, you can be thankful you'll only see him again if the two teams both make the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

NOLA MOTIVATES LSU: The last two times New Orleans has served as the host city for the BCS National Championship Game, LSU has found its way about 80 miles down Interstate 10 to the Superdome to win the national title — in the 2003 season the Tigers stifled Oklahoma's high-scoring offense to win 21-14, and in 2007 the Tigers outraced Ohio State 38-24.

Rest assured the Tigers know where this year's national championship game will be played: New Orleans.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune's Jim Kleinpeter caught up with Tigers  offensive lineman T-Bob Herbert to get his thoughts on a possible Tiger return to the Superdome.

"When you go there and see the atmosphere and what an honor it is to be in that game, it motivates you more," said Hebert, who was redshirting in 2007 when LSU beat Ohio State for the crown at the Superdome. "We're excited, and that's our goal every year, obviously. We'll play our hardest, and if everything works out, that's where we want to end up.

"We can use that memory to motivate us in camp. When it's hot and you're dying and you don't want to keep going, it gives you an extra boost of energy."

Of course, opening the season on Sept. 3 against Oregon, which played in last year's national title game against Auburn, ought to be plenty of motivation in the preseason heat as well.

LSU's tough schedule also includes a road trip to West Virginia and a conference clash in Tuscaloosa against Alabama. The Tigers also venture into Starkville against the much-improved Mississippi State program, which came within a failed quarterback sneak in the final seconds two years ago from upsetting LSU there. LSU has six games away from Tiger Stadium this fall.

Kleinpeter also interviewed former Tiger running back Justin Vincent, who was a freshman star the night LSU upended Oklahoma but whose star burned brightest that night in his LSU career. The Tigers benefited from a decided home-field advantage in both title games. Kleinpeter writes:

Freshman running back Justin Vincent, the MVP of the BCS title game against Oklahoma, provided a spark that got the crowd into it early. He bolted 64 yards to help set up LSU's first score after an exchange of turnovers.

"You couldn't ask for anything better. The first play said it all," Vincent said. "That was the loudest I heard any stadium -- ever. It was deafening. After that we knew the game was ours to lose. It was definitely to our advantage the rest of the game."

FRAZIER MAKING BID AT AUBURN: Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn is giving freshman quarterback Kiehl Frazier a crash course in the Tigers' offense, the Birmingham News reports. Auburn's returning quarterbacks to replace Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton are the hardly heralded Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley, so everyone around Auburn has been expecting five-star recruit Frazier to figure in the race.

According to the Birmingham News through al.com:

"We're giving him quite a few reps with that young group, and it's good for him," Malzahn said. "Each day you can see him understanding the process better -- the communications that happens before the play, and then executing the play. I'm real proud of him."

Malzahn didn't give a timetable on when he would name his starter, however.

"As soon as possible, we'd like to name a starter. At the same time, there's a process you've got to go through," he said. "We've got so many young guys, so many inexperienced guys, it's kind of like the spring: We've got to get to a point where we feel very good about everything around them to properly evaluate them. We're trying to give all three of them reps. Hopefully, we can figure that out in the near future."

Malzahn said "all three are throwing the ball well right now."

MONEY-RAISING MOOD AT OXFORD: The Memphis Commercial Appeal's Geoff Calkins has a column illustrating Ole Miss' plans to raise $150 million just one season removed from going 4-8 on the football field. Houston Nutt has to start beating Mississippi State again, and football has to win just to help Ole Miss basketball, which needs to use some of that money to build a basketball arena.

Ole Miss announces its plans to the world Tuesday night.

Calkins writes:

So Mississippi State put up billboards at the state borders, glorying in its victories. Ole Miss fans started studying the details of Nutt's $6 million buyout clause.

Yes, $6 million. In my next life, I want Jimmy Sexton to represent me. But what does it say that Nutt's buyout clause even became an issue? And can tonight's ceremony do anything but crank up the pressure on the head football coach?

Understand, Ole Miss doesn't sell out every game as it is. Capacity of Vaught-Hemingway is 60,580. Last year, Ole Miss averaged 55,898. The year before, it was 55,767. When completed, the expansion will boost stadium capacity over 70,000.

Is it possible that the athletic department forgot to consult the math department about its plan?

Calkins breaks down the schedule and Ole Miss' chances for winning big enough to keep fans' pocketbooks open. Winning will excite the fanbase, but Calkins wonders if 5-7 isn't a possibility.

And...

Can 5-7 raise $150 million? And with $150 million hanging in the balance, what's a little $6 million buyout between friends?

Tagged: Houston Nutt, Ole Miss Rebels, Auburn Tigers, Kiehl Frazier, Gus Malzahn, LSU Tigers, Georgia Bulldogs, Aaron Murray, Southeastern Conference, Orson Charles, Jim Kleinpeter, Birmingham News, Al.com, New Orleans Times-Picayune, memphis commercial appeal, Geoff Calkins, T-Bob Hebert