Richt says Grantham probably not proud of choke incident

Todd Grantham’s choke sign at the end of the Florida game came up during Mark Richt’s weekly news conference. Richt was aware of the brouhaha around his defensive coordinator.

“I’ll just say that emotions run high and people do things that they probably wish they wouldn’t do,” Richt said. “I think that was what was being communicated. I don’t think he’s necessarily proud of it. We're just gonna learn from it and move on.”

Quarterback Aaron Murray was also asked about it. He said he hadn’t heard about it until an hour before the press conference, but after being apprised didn’t believe it was anything to get worked up about.

“It’s not like he charged the field at the kicker and tried to do something to him,” Murray said. “I don’t think it’s too big of a deal. I think people are making too much of a deal about it. Emotions run high. … It was nothing dangerous or illegal or stupid or anything like that, so I don’t see the big deal about it.”

Plus, that’s just Grantham, a fiery kind of guy, according to Murray.

"I mean during the game this past week, he was getting me pumped up, getting me going, saying , ‘Get in the end zone.’ I love coach Grantham," Murray said. "He has some fire to him. I think the guys love it, I love it personally. He’s yelling and going crazy, it gets me pumped up to see him getting after a defense and getting them ready to go. That’s his mentality and I think it’s awesome.”

A few other notes from Tuesday’s availability:

- Senior receiver Kris Durham will sit out the Idaho State game with a bruised lung, according to Richt.

But Durham shook off the significance of the injury.

“I’m fine. I mean I don’t hurt or anything,” Durham said.

Durham coughed up blood on the sideline after the hit. (He held onto the ball for the catch.)

“I’ve never coughed up blood before, but it’s what happens," he said. "I felt fine. It doesn’t really hurt me to play or anything. I’m gonna continue to play.”

- Richt said he was not going to use the Idaho State game to play any younger players.

“No. My focus is to win these games. Play the best players,” he said. “If they’re freshmen that’s good too.”