Georgia Bulldogs QB Aaron Murray diagnosed with torn ACL; will miss rest of 2013 season

Nov 2, 2013; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray (11) runs out of the pocket against the Florida Gators during the second quarter at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

During Georgia’s dominant win against Kentucky on Saturday night, there was a black cloud hanging over the entirety of the second half, as star quarterback Aaron Murray went down in a heap with a left leg injury. Now, we have clarity on the situation, and the news is disastrous for both Murray and Bulldog fans.

When Murray went down, a torn ACL seemed to be the immediate assumption for most people, and unfortunately, that is what transpired. Surgery has been reportedly scheduled for Tuesday, but this will obviously keep him off the field for both the Georgia Tech match-up and the ensuing bowl game, while putting him in a tough position in preparation for the NFL combine.

Murray has been a fixture of the program for the past 4 seasons, becoming the all-time SEC leader in passing yardage (13,166) and passing touchdowns (121) while being the only QB in conference history (and one of few in the entire country) to surpass 3,000 yards passing in each of his four seasons. Those numbers clearly the impact the type of high-end player that Murray has been, and while the NFL hasn’t exactly been drooling over him due to his limited size (listed at 6-foot-1), he is certainly on track for a professional career.

The senior quarterback never made the legitimate run at the Heisman Trophy that many (including myself) predicted, but his record was still quite strong. As a starter, Murray went 3-1 against arch rival Florida, and he is currently 3-0 against cross-state rival Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs will take the field without him on Saturday, but they’ll be looking to keep that “perfect” mark in the state’s biggest rivalry in tact.

While I would fall short of the word “tragedy” in this case (to reserve it for life and death issues), Murray’s loss is a mighty one. The entire UGA community is set to rally around him, however, and that was evident from two Tweets from Murray on Sunday morning.

We wish the best for Murray moving forward, and while the Bulldogs will still have a great chance at victory with Hutson Mason under center, it certainly won’t be the same.