Auburn DC: 'Autograph guy' only one to stop Todd Gurley

AUBURN – Todd Gurley will return to the field for Georgia on Saturday and it's up to Auburn to try and spoil the comeback of the former Heisman favorite.

Prior to his four-game suspension by the NCAA for accepting more than $3,000 in cash for his autograph over the past two years, Gurley was leading the SEC with 154.6 rushing yards per game through the first six weeks of the season.

After facing three straight potent passing attacks Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson has to figure out a way to stop Gurley, widely considered the best running back in the country.

"Nobody's stopped him and some of them slowed him down a little bit," Johnson said. "The only guy that stopped him was the autograph guy."

Gurley had 25 carries for 163 yards and two touchdowns against Vanderbilt in his last action on Oct. 3 in his fourth 100-yard performance in five games. He practiced during his suspension and there's not much concern in Athens about him being rusty.

"We think he's definitely got fresh legs," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "I think he stayed in really good condition during the time that he wasn't playing. I don't think you forget how to play football in five weeks or forget how to run the ball the way he runs it and the way he pass protects and catches the ball out of the backfield and all that. I think it'll come back to him pretty quick.

"We're glad he's back and we're looking forward to seeing him play. I'll be glad to have this thing over with, no doubt."

Not that Auburn's secondary wants to see much of Gurley, but cornerback Jonathon Mincy knows it's going to take more than one guy to bring him down.

"(We) have to swarm on him," Mincy said. "One person gets there, the rest of the team's got to fly around."

Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC) hardly struggled running the ball without Gurley as Nick Chubb burst on the scene with four straight outings of over 140 yards.

Chubb, a 5-foot-10 228 pound freshman, is third in the SEC with 895 yards and seven touchdowns, with 671 yards and five scores coming during the last four games.

"They've got two backs that can start for anybody," Johnson said. "They're both playing extremely – Chubb's played extremely well in Gurley's absence. … With those two guys rotating and staying fresh, it'll be really a big-time challenge and that's of course where it's all got to start."

Richt wouldn't say if Gurley was returning as the starter, thought he, Chubb and Sony Michel are all expected to see the field against Auburn (7-2, 4-2).

But Gurley will be the focus, and not just for his play as a runner.

He made plenty of plays as a receiver last season, with 37 catches for 441 yards and six touchdowns, and this year (11 receptions for 53 yards) and as a kick returner, including a 100-yard return touchdown against Clemson this season.

"Gurley's like a time bomb," Johnson said. "When is he going to get that 95-yard kickoff? When is he going to hit that 40-yard run? When is he going to catch that 35-yard screen pass? You got to be exactly right on him every time because he's going either going to break the physical tackle or he's going to outrun the space tackle.

"He's a specimen."