Aaron Murray calls Georgia football a 'sleeping giant'

The Georgia football team has been on an absolute roll over the last several years, proving right a prophecy from Nick Saban that Georgia’s sleeping giant might awake under coach Kirby Smart.

Sure enough.

Following back-to-back national titles, Georgia is once again one of the favorites to win it all again in 2023 as Smart’s dynasty continues to strengthen.

“This is why when Kirby took the job back in ’16, Nick Saban said it, man: Georgia is a sleeping giant,” former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “You get the full experience and treatment when you come to the University of Georgia, which is why I think Kirby’s got this thing going in a direction where I don’t see it slowing anytime soon.”

There are just so many factors working in Georgia’s favor. For one, the area itself is a very rich recruiting ground.

The Bulldogs have routinely produced top recruiting class after top recruiting class under smart, and the Georgia sleeping giant is asleep no more. The juggernaut has fully arrived.

“There’s no real in-state threat. Georgia Tech‘s not a threat, we can all be real about that one,” Murray explained. “If you’re a kid worth his salt here in the state of Georgia and is a big-time recruit, you probably grew up a Georgia fan and you probably want to go to Georgia. So if Kirby comes in his helicopter and flies on the 50-yard line of your high school field and says, ‘Hey, here’s your offer from the University of Georgia,’ nine out of 10 times you’re probably going to take it.”

That’s not to say there aren’t other programs that can compete with Georgia. But few are likely to be able to outright dominate against Georgia, given the talent pool.

“Alabama still recruits at a high level, but obviously you do have Auburn there that may contend,” Murray said. “And I would say the talent is not as good in the state of Alabama as it is in Georgia. Obviously Florida, you’ve got Florida State, you have Miami, you’ve got everyone and their brother that wants to go to Florida to recruit. LSU‘s kind of in the same path. I would say Louisiana, those kids who grew up in Louisiana want to go to LSU, which is why I think Brian Kelly is in a great spot to obviously have success Year 1 and then continue to have success there in Baton Rouge.”

Of course none of that is at all prohibitive to Georgia having high level success. Smart has brought a whole bunch of that to Athens, Ga.

Murray broke down exactly why Georgia is a sleeping giant no more, becoming such an attractive option for so many quality high school recruits.

“Georgia’s in a unique spot,” he said. “They’re probably top three, four when it comes to high school talent and they don’t have the competition to really compete in state to really get these recruits. Kirby’s in a great spot, and I also tell a lot of people this. When it comes to a checklist of when Kirby’s selling Georgia to mom, dad, grandma, grandpa or the recruit, facilities, top five in the country.

“When it comes to campus life, downtown life, kind of enjoying yourself, for those that have ever been to Athens, Ga., it is absolutely incredible. You look at all ratings for college experiences, it’s one of the top ones out there. Academics it’s No. 3 in the SEC behind Florida and Vanderbilt. You’re an hour away from Atlanta, Ga., one of the biggest markets here in the southeast. NIL opportunities are through the roof as well. So you check off every single box. Oh, now you win championships and you’ve got championship trophies and Kirby’s putting guys in the first round just as well as Nick Saban is. You get the full experience at Georgia.”