Former Georgia football running back Nick Chubb went viral on Monday when a tweet made the circles of him squatting an ungodly amount of weight. The barbell bent across his neck as it had six giant weights on each side.
It was estimated at 540 pounds. He did two reps just eight months after major knee surgery.
Todd Gurley joined the SEC This Morning set from Dallas Tuesday morning a couple hours before Kirby Smart was to take the stage at SEC Media Days.
When asked if he saw the video, Gurley had just one reaction: “I’m not surprised.”
Gurley, whose 3,285 yards rushing in three seasons at Georgia rank fourth behind Herschel Walker (5,259), Chubb (4,769) and Sony Michel (3,638), said he wasn’t big on maxing out his squat numbers like his running back counterpart.
“I never used to go more than like 315 (pounds),” Gurley said. “I’m not crushing my back like that.”
Georgia football still stakes claim to ‘Running Back U’
The fact that Chubb, Gurley and Michel were on the same squad in 2014 is remarkable, and further accentuated Georgia football’s claim of being RBU.
With the likes of Garrison Hearst, Lars Tate, Knowshon Moreno, D’Andre Swift and a host of others coming through the program, Georgia’s backfield has been loaded seemingly every year.
“It’s definitely a great feeling,” Gurley said. “To be honest with you, growing up I wasn’t really familiar with Georgia running backs. Obviously going there and seeing the tradition, and becoming a part of that tradition, with guys like Sony and Swift and (James) Cook and Zeus (Zamir White) and Chubb, the list just keeps going on. It’s just a proud feeling, to be honest…There’s so many, I don’t want to leave people out. It’s a great feeling, I can’t lie.”
Todd Gurley believes in Kirby Smart
In a time when offenses have changed from pure ground-and-pound, it will be interesting to see how Florida football transfer Trevor Etienne will be used after compiling nearly 1,500 yards rushing in two seasons with the Gators.
Gurley isn’t too concerned about Etienne keeping up the RBU tradition, as he trusts Georgia’s coaching staff.
“Honestly, I just believe in Kirby,” said Gurley, who played three seasons under former Georgia coach Mark Richt. “As a former Georgia player, but also a fan, but whatever he does I approve of it. He’s got us the championships and honestly, I’m just happy with the whole program and how it’s going.”
Todd Gurley on Georgia football vs. Florida football in Jacksonville
Gurley is in favor of keeping the Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville, saying it was his favorite rivalry game that Georgia played.
“I used to get chills coming over that bridge and I think I’d listen to the same song every year,” Gurley said. “It was a great feeling. I went last year as a fan. To be able to see it and all the tailgating going on, it was a good feeling. But I was always worried for the safety of the fans. People just take this stuff a little too far.”
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Former Georgia running back Todd Gurley talks UGA as ‘RBU’ and Nick Chubb
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