Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray paid his dues last season as a redshirt freshman, showing some bright moments against the likes of Tennessee while being smacked around by the likes of Auburn in Georgia's 6-7 season. His teammate at Georgia and during their senior year in high school together, tight end Orson Charles, believes he's now seeing the Murray he knew in high school that won and won big. According to a story in Tuesday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

"He's having more fun," Charles said. "He's more relaxed. I feel like the game is starting to slow down for him. He's calling the defenses out, getting the ball out, making his reads. He's just being Aaron."

Arkansas was able to survive Murray last year in Athens, 31-24, but not before the Hogs let a two-touchdown lead get away in the fourth quarter at the hand of Murray. And, as the AJC notes, Murray had a big season as a redshirt freshman, one that has made him the odds-on favorite for All-SEC quarterback.

Murray was impressive. Georgia averaged 32.1 points per game – fourth among SEC teams – and the quarterback wrapped up his first year with the second-best pass efficiency rating in school history (154.48) and No. 2 all-time in the SEC for total offense by a freshman (3,216 yards).

"Aaron was trained in a way that created some habits that really helped him protect the ball, helped him make some good decisions and be a great ball-handler, all those things you want a quarterback to do," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "He did a super job. Now he's had a season to live through it and I think all those great habits are going to serve him well the rest of his career."

The Bulldogs also stumbled to their first losing record in 15 seasons, and Murray has the scars to show for it. He has two prominent reminders on his chin. One, he said, is from Auburn's Nick Fairley; the other from "somebody from Arkansas."

That "somebody," as we all know over in Arkansas, is All-SEC defensive end Jake Bequette, who put a helmet thumping on Murray for a big fourth-quarter sack that let the Hogs get the ball back before their quick, game-winning drive in the final minute.

So, note to Aaron Murray: While Jake Bequette is no Nick Fairley, you can be thankful you'll only see him again if the two teams both make the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

NOLA MOTIVATES LSU: The last two times New Orleans has served as the host city for the BCS National Championship Game, LSU has found its way about 80 miles down Interstate 10 to the Superdome to win the national title — in the 2003 season the Tigers stifled Oklahoma's high-scoring offense to win 21-14, and in 2007 the Tigers outraced Ohio State 38-24.

Rest assured the Tigers know where this year's national championship game will be played: New Orleans.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune's Jim Kleinpeter caught up with Tigers  offensive lineman T-Bob Herbert to get his thoughts on a possible Tiger return to the Superdome.

"When you go there and see the atmosphere and what an honor it is to be in that game, it motivates you more," said Hebert, who was redshirting in 2007 when LSU beat Ohio State for the crown at the Superdome. "We're excited, and that's our goal every year, obviously. We'll play our hardest, and if everything works out, that's where we want to end up.