Count former Georgia Bulldogs assistant coach John Lilly among the legions anxious to see how Todd Gurley fares as the newest member of the Atlanta Falcons.

“I haven't talked with him, but I know he’s got to be excited. And I’m sure beyond that, I'd think that Falcons fans and Georgia fans beyond that would be excited to have him back there,” said Lilly, now the tight ends coach at North Carolina.

“Obviously, everything he did, he made so many great memories there for so many of us, a lot of people, and all that,” he continued. “I’m sure the anticipation of him coming back would generate a whole heck of a lot excitement.”

No doubt the Falcons hope all of that is true.

Atlanta signed the former first-round pick to a one-year contract Friday after the six-year vet was released by the Rams on Thursday.

According to published reports, the contract is worth $6 million.

Although it remains unclear how effective Gurley will be in light of his history of knee injuries, Lilly, who coached for the Rams in 2016 and last year served as the tight ends coach at Cleveland, knows his former player will give it all he’s got.

“Without getting into specifics, when you’re not in the building, it’s hard to say how he’ll do. But I know he’s a heck of a competitor, a heck of a teammate,” Lilly said. “I think they will get everything he’s got, and surely, like any player when they change teams, particularly in a situation like that, they’re motivated and driven to prove something.”

In five seasons with the Rams, Gurley has accounted for 7,770 total yards, including 5,665 rushing yards and 72 touchdowns, following a Bulldog career that saw him finish second in career rushing yards with 3,285.

Gurley’s Bulldog career obviously had its ups and downs.

After being suspended for four games in 2014 for accepting cash from a sports memorabilia deal, the Tarboro, N.C. native returned later that year against Auburn, only to tear his ACL.

Gurley would turn pro at the end of the year.

Ironically, it’s that game against the Tigers that Lilly remembers the most. On the game’s very first play, Gurley received the opening kickoff and ran it back 105 yards for an apparent score, only to have the run wiped out by a penalty.

Nevertheless, recalling the play still causes Lilly to smile.

“All week long, we were like, 'Hey, this guy can kick it deep; we’ll take our shots if we get it, but we may get touchbacks all night,' ” Lilly said. “I remember Tony (Ball) talking before that, just reminding Todd that whatever the rule was for that game, like hey, it a long night, you don’t have to run it out if it's not a good kick to hit it with.”

But Gurley was having none of that. His mind was already made up.

“I sent him out there, and Tony asked, 'Well, you think they’re ready?' He said, 'Is Todd good with the plan?' I was like, yeah, but he’s bringing this one out no matter how deep it is,” Lilly said. “We said all the right things, but he had that look in his eye, you knew he was going to run it out. He did for a touchdown, but it got called back. Still, it set the tone for the night.”

The game also marked the last time Bulldog fans saw Gurley and Nick Chubb on the field at the same time. Gurley would rush for 138 yards on a season-best 29 carries that night, with Chubb rushing for 144 yards and two scores.

Gurley would injure his knee with five minutes left to play. It would be his last play in a Bulldog uniform.

“Obviously, with what he did, it was a shame what happened at the end of the game, but he’s overcome that and had a heck of a career to this point. And I don’t think he’s done,” Lilly said.

He also said Gurley played hurt in Athens more than people might recall.

“In 2013 against Florida, Todd had a heck of a day, and he was hurt. Later that year, he was hurt, picked up a couple of bad pounds, and he couldn’t practice the same way he could throughout the year. But against Georgia Tech, when we went to overtime, we ran five plays and he carried it every time, 50 yards rushing and two touchdowns,” Lilly said. “You weren’t giving it to anybody else in those types of situations.”