posted in yesterdays' ABH. CMR makes some rather insightful comments that would lead one to believe that the QB situation isn't as clear cut as many believe........
By Marc Weiszer | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | Story
updated at 11:24 PM on Wednesday, July 26, 2006
HOOVER, Ala. - With Georgia's four starting quarterback candidates
back in Athens, senior center Nick Jones was smack dab in the line of
fire Wednesday at SEC Media Days.
As the Bulldogs offensive player representative, Jones was left to
answer the biggest question surrounding Georgia heading into the new
season: Who will be the starting quarterback?
With more than 700 registered media members at the Wynfrey Hotel for
an event that is the unofficial kickoff of the SEC season, Jones
quickly discovered there were probably 700 ways to have the same
question posed to him again and again.
"They always try to put it differently, but it's basically the same
question," Jones said. " 'Who's it going to be? Who do you like? Who
are you most comfortable with?' I even had some guy ask me, 'Who has
the softest hands?' I'm like, 'Come on, man!' "
Georgia coach Mark Richt fielded a half-dozen quarterback questions in
his more than half an hour with print reporters in this Birmingham suburb.
He tried to shoot down the most prevalent perception that the race is
between fifth-year senior and Athens native Joe Tereshinski and hot
shot freshman Matthew Stafford to succeed D.J. Shockley.
"A lot of people are trying to make it a two-horse race between Joe T
and Stafford, but there's more in that race than those two," said Richt.
Georgia's most recent depth chart is the same as it was before spring
practices with the quarterbacks ordered by seniority: Tereshinski,
redshirt sophomore Blake Barnes, redshirt freshman Joe Cox and
Stafford, who was the standout at the position in the spring game.
Richt said he wasn't looking to make changes to the pecking order in
the spring, but that will change after preseason practices begin on
Aug. 5.
"We're going to narrow it down I would say relatively soon in
practice," Richt said. "As of right now, I see it as a pretty tight
race. I hope there's some things that happen on the field that will be
obvious to me and the staff, that we need to move in a certain direction."
Richt would like to have a starter about a week before Georgia opens
the season against Western Kentucky on Sept. 2.
"We've got to get it down to two at least before the first game,"
Richt said. "I'll say this, it may be three games into the season and
we may let No. 3 have a shot, I don't know. It just depends how
quickly someone can prove that he should be the one."
Richt said the top concern for him is that his quarterback "won't give
the game away" with his decision making.
"In the beginning, we're looking for a guy to manage the whole
situation, and then ultimately we want a guy that can make a
difference and win some of the big games that we'll play in," Richt said.
Richt described Tereshinski as an "old school guy" who understands the
system. Barnes is an "outstanding passer" who Richt said was hard to
evaluate this spring because of knee and thumb injuries. Cox is a
"fiery competitor" who coaches and players say is accurate despite
throwing four interceptions in the spring game. Stafford has a
"tremendous arm" but is still learning a system in which quarterbacks
make checks at the line of scrimmage.
"That's his biggest downfall right now," Richt said. "We just can't
play a guy based on potential right now. I don't want to look at our
seniors and say, 'Hey, we're going to play Joe Cox or Stafford because
we're going to get them ready for the future.' No, we're not going to
do that. We're going to try to win this year."
Some question whether Georgia can win like it's become accustomed to
if Tereshinski is the quarterback.
Tereshinski turned 23 on Sunday. Winning the starting job would be
bigger than any birthday gift he could get.
"I really don't know who it's going to be," Jones said. "It ain't like
I'm lying. We'll feel comfortable with Joe T being our starter. He's
earned the right to be the starter, but it's whoever coach decides
it's going to be. I feel comfortable with any of them at quarterback."
Actually, Jones and defensive end Quentin Moses prodded Richt on the
flight from Athens for some inside skinny on who would win the job.
"People are going to be curious about it, I'm even curious about it,"
Moses said. "He basically gave us the same answer that everybody's
getting. It's pretty much wide open right now."
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 072706
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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