SEC Media Days 2014: Conley, Gurley, Wilson talk about UGA in 2014

During Georgia’s session at SEC Media Days, head coach Mark Richt brought along three key players who would field questions about the team and the upcoming season.

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Wide receiver Chris Conley, running back Todd Gurley and linebacker Ramik Wilson were on hand and answered an array of questions from the media, covering everything from new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt to Conley’s offseason film project.

The trio of players was dressed to the nines (complete with bow ties) and were all seemingly eager to get to fall camp with their teammates.

One of the questions that Conley took was on the return of his injured teammates Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley, two of the key ingredients in the Georgia passing attack.

“Its great, the fact that those guys are back, ” Conley stated. “It’s a huge relief for me, the fact that those guys are there to make plays, they’re people that the defense has to account for. The fact that we have them back because it gives us more weapons and opens the playbook”

“Huston [Mason] needs to have the confidence in the people he’s throwing to. Every quarterback does, ” Conley continued on his returning teammates. “The fact that Hutson is working with new guys, and some of these guys are working with Hutson for the first time, it’s important to build those relationships.”

Conley was then asked about his offseason film project, Star Wars: Retribution, which was released earlier in July. “It was received well by people,” Conley said. “They kinda like it. We’re working on some more projects before football season starts and we’ll continue them afterwards.”

Moving on to running back Todd Gurley, who wasn’t nearly as comfortable behind the microphone as Conley, the question came up about his vocal leadership with team, having been one of the more quiet leaders his first two seasons.

“I’ve gotten a lot better this summer, you know,” Gurley softly spoke into the mic. “I speak up a lot, and just try to help my teammates out, cause workouts are tough. I can be hurting myself, but to look to my right and my left and see my teammates hurting, I see its not all about me so I have to speak my mind and just help them get better. Just pick them up and encourage them.”

When asked about the second game of the season with South Carolina, and how it could potentially affect the standings in the SEC East, Gurley made sure we knew where his head was.

“Yeah I’m looking forward to it. But, it’s the second game of the season,” Gurley said. “So I’m not really worried about them, I’m worried about Clemson.”

“There’s no doubt in my mind we should win every game” – Ramik Wilson

Gurlley was then asked if there was a back in the NFL that he would compare himself to, or if he had a favorite NFL running back.

“I mean, I wish I could be like Jamaal Charles,” Gurley said with a slight grin. “I wish I could be like A.P., I wish I could be like all those guys. My favorite running back is actually C.J. Spiller.”, saying that he had always grown up a fan of Spiller and liked how explosive he was.

Gurley also took credit from the bow tie idea, saying the other two players “probably stole the idea from me”.

In speaking with linebacker Ramik Wilson, he was asked about coach Richt and his time here at Georgia.

“He does a great job. I mean, he only asks us to play our hardest and do the best we can,” Wilson said of Richt. “Ever since I’ve been here we always had a winning season, but no SEC Championship. I think this is the year we do it. There’s no doubt in my mind we should win every game. We just gotta put the work in, and stay injury free, and just buy into what these coaches are trying to do.”

When asked about the playoff system and if it would help or hurt Georgia this season, Wilson responded, “Oh I’m all for the playoff system. But at the end of the day, we just gotta win every game, and take one game at a time and we’ll get what we want, and that’s a championship ring.”

The questions then came about new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, and how the he and the rest of the defense were doing with the change.

“[It’s changed] a lot. I mean, a lot of people care more, a lot of people give more effort, and a lot of people want to be great,” Wilson said of the new attitude on defense. “We want to go down in history. Coach Pruitt pushes us, he’s not going to take nothing less than the best out of you. If you can’t give him your best, you’re not gonna play. He made that clear. He’s gonna play the best eleven guys. No matter walk-on or not, you’re gonna play.”

Wilson was asked if this was a leaner, faster defense under Pruitt’s coaching philosophy.

“Yeah that’s true” he said. “Everybody’s in shape now. We’re running. Everybody makes their times. Everybody’s in the best shape of their life. We’re just ready for camp.”

So there you have it. Three of Georgia’s big guns seem to have the same positive outlook that coach Richt had displayed earlier in the day.

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