Todd Gurley out for remainder of 2014 season with torn ACL
By Brad Rowland
UPDATE: The Georgia football program has confirmed that Todd Gurley suffered a torn ACL. A surgery date is not yet known.
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The worst fears of every Georgia Bulldogs fan were realized on Sunday. Star running back Todd Gurley suffered a visible knee injury during the fourth quarter of a dominant win over Auburn, and just hours later, reports indicate that he has been diagnosed with a torn ACL that will force him to miss the remainder of the 2014 season.
A source confirms to @bmac_120 and @120Sports that MRI exam results show a torn ACL in Todd Gurley's left knee. #uga #sec
— Michael Kim (@michaelkimHD) November 16, 2014
Confirmed ACL tear for Todd Gurley. Terrible news. Was in my top 10 overall.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) November 16, 2014
Gurley, who is also a leading prospect for the 2015 NFL Draft, has been a lightning rod this season, both for his stellar play on the field and a controversial four-game suspension levied by the NCAA. The junior is a powerful and electric runner, as evidenced by the fact that he has gained 911 yards with 9 rushing touchdowns in just 6 games this season, and even amid the emergence of Nick Chubb behind him, the loss of Gurley is significant.
It is probably too early to discuss Todd Gurley’s NFL future at this point, but this injury certainly does not bode well for his positioning at the next level with regard to 2015. It would be a shock if Gurley elected to return to school for his senior season, but visions of a first round selection likely take a hit here, simply because he won’t be able to adequately display his trademark “burst” prior to the draft in late April.
As far as UGA is concerned, this loss is significant on the field, but at the same time, if there is a team equipped to deal with his absence, it is this year’s version of the Dawgs. Nick Chubb eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the season during the win over Auburn, and if Sony Michel can join him in the backfield, that would be an impressive “thunder and lightning” combination for the final two regular season games (against Charleston Southern and Georgia Tech), as well as any post-season play.
This is, unquestionably, brutal news for Todd Gurley and the Bulldogs, but hopefully, he will regain full strength in the knee as soon as possible in an effort to excel long-term at the next level.