WP Profile on Joe T III

At Georgia, a Hike in Tradition
Backup QB Is the Latest Tereshinski to Suit Up for Bulldogs

By Mark Schlabach
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 25, 2005; E03



ATHENS, Ga., Oct. 24 -- Joe Tereshinski III's grandfather, father
and uncle played football at the University of Georgia, so he knows
how much the annual border game against the University of Florida
means to the Bulldog Nation.

Tereshinski, a third-generation Georgia letterman, thought he might
one day get a chance to start at quarterback against the Gators, but
he never imagined it would be Saturday at Alltel Stadium in
Jacksonville, Fla., where the No. 4 Bulldogs will try to stay
undefeated and in contention for a Southeastern Conference title and
possibly a national championship.

Georgia starting quarterback D.J. Shockley, the SEC's highest-rated
passer, sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in
last week's 23-20 victory over Arkansas and isn't expected back
until the Nov. 12 game against Auburn. If Georgia wins Saturday, it
will clinch the SEC East title and earn a spot in the Dec. 3 SEC
championship game at Atlanta's Georgia Dome.

Georgia Coach Mark Richt said it is up to Tereshinski's teammates to
help him keep the Bulldogs undefeated.

"Everything we have been doing is certainly not too hard for him to
comprehend," Richt said of Tereshinski, who has thrown 23 passes in
seven games this season. "What is going to be important is how
everybody else plays around him. If you protect him, he will have a
chance to find some [receivers]. If we give him some type of running
attack, it will help him."

Tereshinski, who played at nearby Athens Academy and whose father,
Joe Tereshinski Jr., is a strength and conditioning coach and video
coordinator for the Bulldogs, seemed born to play here. "It's a
dream come true," Tereshinski said Monday, after going through his
first practice as the starter. "Every kid dreams about growing up
and wearing the red hat, especially when you grow up in Athens. This
is the game where we can clinch the East, and we want to do it now
rather than later. This is a game we want to win, and we want to
stay undefeated."

Georgia quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo said Shockley has a stronger
arm and runs better than Tereshinski. But Bobo said Tereshinski, who
has a 4.0 grade-point average and is a double major in finance and
risk management, is confident enough to get the job done against No.
16 Florida, which has beaten Georgia in 13 of the past 15 games.

"Joe T. is a smart guy and he's going to prepare and he's going to
be ready to play," Bobo said. "We've just got to get him to relax
and not feel like he's got to make things happen for us to win. It's
a big game. When you walk up in the stadium, you can tell it's a
special environment."

Tereshinski could have attended Harvard on an academic scholarship,
and he talked to coaches from Auburn and Stanford about playing
football at those schools. But there was never very much doubt about
where Tereshinski would attend college. His grandfather, Joe
Tereshinski Sr., was an all-SEC choice for the Bulldogs in 1947 and
played defensive end for the Washington Redskins from 1947 to 1954.

Tereshinski's father was born in the District and played football at
St. John's College High and was an All-Met selection in 1970 and
1971. He played center at Georgia and was a team captain on the 1976
team that won the SEC championship and lost to Pittsburgh, 27-3, in
the Sugar Bowl. Tereshinski's uncle, Wally, was a starting tight end
on the 1976 Bulldogs team.

So when it came time to make a college choice, Joe Tereshinski III
knew he wasn't leaving home. His younger brother, John, is the first
Tereshinski to leave the Bulldogs' litter -- he is a sophomore tight
end at Wake Forest.

"We've got all the confidence in the world in Joe," flanker Sean
Bailey said. "He's been out here a long time. He knows it's his time
to shine and he's going to make the most of his opportunity."

© 2005 The Washington Post Company



GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!