When Keith Marshall, the talented running back out of Millbrook High School in Raleigh, N.C. decided to attend the University of Georgia this past off season, his decision was met with much fanfare.

Around the same time, another running back from North Carolina chose the Dawgs:  Todd Gurley.  His verbal commitment was not noticed as much. 

I had read the press on Marshall, and had even watched some of game clips on the speedster.  Needless to say, I was impressed.

Then I turned by attention to Gurley.  I watched some of the footage of his performance in the annual Shrine Bowl game between stars of North and South Carolina.  And I remember saying, wow!

When I arrived at the radio booth at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, my field glasses searched out Gurley.  Here he stood tall and strong, even bigger than Richard Samuel.  And I remember saying:  wow!

There was no question he was going to be great college runner, and Saturday was his first step in that direction as Gurley rushed for 100 yards and scored three touchdowns in a 45-23 win over Buffalo in the opener of the 2012 season at Sanford Stadium.  Gurley second touchdown is the one the UGA crowd will remember the most, as he returned a kick for 100 yards for a score.

“That electrified the fans and electrified me too,” said Coach Mark Richt after the game.  “That was fun to watch.  You need a guy with bravery to hit it up in their full speed, the ability to break some arm tackles and the speed to take it to the house.  I think he will be a good return man.”

You think?

Gurley has a chance to be much more than a good return man; he has a chance to be a great offensive weapon.  When asked if he and Marshall were nervous in their first college game, he kind of shrugged it off.  “We really didn’t get nervous,” he said.  “Everything came so fast we didn’t have time to get nervous.  We got up and the next thing you know, we are out there.  I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be.”

Even though Gurley won back to back state titles in football while at Tarboro, the fact that he played at a small 2-A school outside of Rocky Mount kept him somewhat of a secret.  He never got the ink like the kids from the big cities:  Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and Greensboro.

But now the word is out.   And it’s something that does not surprise his teammates.

“Y'all have heard the hype all camp, very scrimmage,” said quarterback Aaron Murray.  “He’s an extremely talented running back.  Big kid, fast kid, and a hard worker.  That’s why he has put himself in a position to play right now. It’s how much he has worked on the playbook, in the weight room and on the practice field.”

It’s going to be an exciting year for the UGA rushing game.