Todd Gurley described it as a “no-brainer” to partner with the school that helped make him a household name.

From 2012-14, Gurley ran roughshod over opponents at Georgia, totaling 3,285 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns. Now that he’s back in the area as a member of the Atlanta Falcons, Gurley’s M.A.D.E. Foundation has linked up with Georgia to forge connections with the school, students and alumni.

One of the areas Gurley’s foundation is already assisting with is to help provide internet access for underprivileged youth across Athens. The foundation is assisting in raising money for the Dawgs for Pups program so that students across Athens-Clarke County, who otherwise don't, have access to high-speed internet as they learn from home during the virtual semester. Georgia has since announced a total of $40,000 has been donated through its fundraising arms.

Lacking high-speed internet is a problem affecting many Americans as an Federal Communications Commission report estimates 21 million are without proper broadband access at home. However, the company BroadbandNow estimates that number is actually 42 million, with rural and low-income areas at greater risk to be without access.

Gurley, along with UGA, wants to help bridge that gap locally for those families in the community who do not have access to high-speed internet.

“We’re providing internet to students in the (kindergarten) all the way to eighth (grade),” Gurley said. “Just being able to do that, to get back to Athens, talk to athletes there, do stuff in the community. (It’s going) back to the college where everything started for me. To be able to have that partnership with them, to be involved playing in Georgia, and to do stuff on and off the field, that’s why I feel like it’s a difference maker for me. Football is football, it’s going to take care of itself. It’s trying to make sure a younger generation is taken care of and getting educated as well.”

Gurley has often called Athens his “second home” after attending the university. He said he’d wanted to get involved with some sort of community project with UGA and Athens for a while. Joining the Falcons created the perfect opportunity to finally get such an initiative off the ground.

In addition, Gurley will sponsor activities on and off campus and will serve as a “mentor and featured speaker for student-athletes on topics such as social justice, creating value beyond sport, financial literacy and entrepreneurship,” according to a recent press release.

“It’s definitely something I’ve always wanted to do,” Gurley said. “I just wanted to think outside the box. … Just trying to do something a little different. Not just doing a one-off appearance here or there. It’s making a commitment on both ends. Giving my time back and having Georgia have a commitment as well.”

Gurley is more than ready to assist in the community now that he’s back. He’s also ready to prove he’s still the same kind of football player who wowed Georgia fans over the course of his three years before going on to win the 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.

But Gurley is coming off a season where he ran for a career-low 857 yards in Los Angeles. The Rams, which signed him to a lucrative contract -- $60 million over four years with $45 million guaranteed -- in 2018, released Gurley this past offseason. The Falcons signed Gurley to a one-year contract to help bolster a rushing attack that ranked 30th in the NFL at 85.1 yards per game.

Not once did a Falcons running back run for 100 yards last year. Told that statistic and how he can help the Falcons in this department, Gurley laughed and reminded the reporter of his struggles in Los Angeles a year ago.

“I didn’t have 100 yards (in a game) last year either,” Gurley said with a smile. “I don’t know why they got me either, huh?”

Gurley has dealt with a sore knee over the past two years, which became problematic during the Rams’ Super Bowl run during the 2018 season. That stated, Gurley did play in 15 games in 2019, although his lack of production led many to believe the injury set him back. While the injury question will follow until proven otherwise, it should be noted that Pro Football Focus ranked the Rams’ offensive line 31st in the NFL. Not only did Gurley find it tough to churn out yards, so did Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson as no member of the Rams' backfield hit 4 yards per carry.

During the preseason, Gurley has drawn rave reviews from his new teammates, who will hope the 2020 campaign is a resurgence for the former UGA great.

“He looks amazing,” receiver Julio Jones said. “He always had it, I feel like. It’s putting it together, prioritizing what he needs to do to be at his best when it’s time to go. He already knows that. As far as what I’ve seen out here at practice, he looks amazing. In the scrimmage, he looked amazing.”

While the Falcons haven’t played a game yet, quarterback Matt Ryan said Gurley has brought a spark to the offense.

“There’s just an energy level that you feel from him when it’s time to go,” Ryan said. “The great players that I’ve been around in my career have that ability to do it. You see it. You feel it. He gives off that kind of vibe when you’re around him. Certainly, that felt like the case in our scrimmages when we were down at the stadium.

“You could feel his intensity. It’s hard to describe, but you know it when you’re around it. I’ve been around some great players to know what that looks like, and he certainly has that.”

Gurley couldn’t be happier to be back in the state where he played college ball, while helping out the university and community in the process. The only bittersweet feeling is that the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the Falcons to not allow fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the time being, meaning there won’t be the otherwise expected UGA No. 3 jerseys in the stands -- to go with the new Falcons’ No. 21 replicas.

Georgia fans who are excited to see him play in Atlanta will surely tune in Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. to see him take on the Seahawks, a team he played quite often as a member of the Rams in the NFC West.

And Gurley is ready for this new chapter in a familiar place.

“I feel good. I can’t complain,” Gurley said. “I had a great plan like I’ve always had over the last couple of years, to be able to have some off days here but also get some practice in. I’m feeling good, ready to go Sunday.”