Aaron Murray got a ton of playing time for the second game in a row, and his football team won its second game in a row.
Coincidence? We think not.
The former UGA quarterback completed 27 of 43 passes for 306 yards and one touchdown to lead the Atlanta Legends to a 23-20 win over Memphis on Sunday. The Legends play in a league that considered to be like the minor leagues for the NFL.
There were plenty of UGA fans at Sunday’s game, as they chanted his name several times. Murray was asked after the game if he heard the chants.
“There’s just so much going on.” Murray said. “I’ve got (our coaches) screaming in my ears with the play. I’m talking to the offensive linemen, making sure we’re all on the same page. The fans are great, though. I thought we had a great turnout. Lots of energy, especially when you’ve got the Atlanta United going on at the same time – with their first home game. I’m like ‘Man, we’re competing against those dudes right now (for fans).’ I’ve been to a bunch of those games, and I know how much they sell out.”
Sunday’s game was hyped up because it was a showdown between two UGA quarterbacks who battled for the No. 1 job for the Bulldogs before the 2010 season. Memphis’ quarterback was Zach Mettenberger, who was dismissed from UGA after getting into some off-the-field trouble; he later starred for LSU.
On Sunday, Mettenberger completed 9 of 17 passes for 181 yards and one interception. He also faced Murray while he was at LSU in the 2013 season, with UGA-led Murray helping the Bulldogs to a narrow 44-41 win.
Despite essentially being the first-round pick for the Legends, he was beat out in the preseason by Matt Simms. Murray only got his first significant playing time last week after Sims left the game with an undisclosed injury. Murray took advantage of the opportunity, guiding the Legends to their first win of the season after an 0-3 start. Make that two wins in a row for Murray after Sunday.
“It feels great,” Murray said. “Anytime you win a ballgame, it’s awesome – especially at home. You’ve got win these games. You’ve got to defense your home turf. And for us, we put ourselves in a hole. An 0-3 record is not how you want to start the season … we know we’ve got to win. Only two teams out of the East (division) are going to make it (to the playoffs). We’re No. 3 right now. In our minds, we feel like we’ve got to win out. Right now, we’re moving in the right direction.”
