Scout.com: Sallee Blog: Georgia In A Gray Area

Sallee Blog: Georgia In A Gray Area

Georgia quarterback Logan Gray

By Barrett Sallee

CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Apr 26, 2010

The Georgia Bulldogs are awaiting the decision of quarterback Logan Gray, who is considering transferring from the Bulldogs. CFN SEC columnist Barrett Sallee takes a look at the possible ramifications.

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Last week Georgia head coach Mark Richt made noise with the unexpected dismissal of redshirt freshman quarterback Zach Mettenberger. This week, it's a quarterback controversy of another kind.

Over the weekend, John Kincade, co-host of Buck & Kincade on WCNN 680 The Fan in Atlanta, Ga., posted a rumor on Twitter stating that another quarterback may be departing Athens.

Monday morning, that rumor proved to be more than just Internet speculation.

Quarterback Logan Gray met with Georgia head coach Mark Richt Monday morning to discuss his future. While no decision has been reached, the two discussed the possibility of Gray transferring.

According to Georgia associate athletics director Claude Felton, Gray is still a Bulldog, but he is “weighing his options for the remainder of his football career.”

Last week, head coach Mark Richt announced that redshirt freshman Aaron Murray would be the No. 1 quarterback heading into summer workouts.

Gray, a junior from Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Mo., was a four-star recruit in 2007 accoring to Scout.com. He was 5-for-12 for 31 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions in four games at quarterback in 2009. He also saw limited duty as a punt returner, returning 16 punts for 72 yards.

The possibility of losing Gray puts Georgia in a very precarious position. Murray may be the best option, but having Gray on the roster provides Georgia with a lot of insurance. Sure, Gray hasn't played a lot, but he is the only Bulldog quarterback that has taken an SEC snap. That experience is very valuable, whether Gray is starting or backing up Murray.

The long-term ramifications of Gray transferring could be even worse for the Bulldogs. If he transfers, that would leave the Bulldogs with one quarterback on their roster until freshman Hutson Mason arrives on campus later this summer.

Mason is a three-star recruit from Lassiter High School in Marietta, Ga. He would almost certainly have to serve as the backup for the Bulldogs this season. The problem is that both Murray and Mason intend to start at quarterback for Georgia. If Gray transfers, it will likely force both of them to play as part of the freshman class in 2010. Last time I checked, there's only one football allowed on the field at a time. Do you think that the loser of that quarterback battle will ride the pine all four years? I don't think so.

On the surface, a backup quarterback transferring wouldn't earn headlines. As a matter of fact, it might not even earn a story at all. But for Georgia, Gray's decision could carry huge ramifications in 2010 and beyond.

Paul Blake better get that arm ready, because the Bulldogs are very close to holding open football tryouts, Necessary Roughness-style.

Barrett Sallee covers the SEC for www.CollegeFootballNews.com. He can be reached at barrettsallee@gmail.com, or on Twitter at @BarrettSallee