ESPN.com - No. 7: Georgia

ESPN.com: ESPNMagazine

Tuesday, August 20, 2002
Updated: August 22, 2:05 PM ET
No. 7: Georgia

By By Gene Wojciechowski

His two young QBs were a combined 6-for-30 in the spring game. His RBs can't stay healthy. His schedule has few gimmes. And none of that stops coach Mark Richt from saying his Bulldogs can make a run at their first SEC championship since 1982. After that, who knows? "We've got a chance," says Richt, now in his second year in Athens after a long stay as Florida State's offensive coordinator.

They've got a chance because the offensive line is to die for & because Terrence Edwards and Fred Gibson might be the best pair of wideouts this side of Austin, Texas & because the special teams are, well, special & and because you'd have to look long and hard to find two better young QBs on one team than last year's SEC Freshman of the Year David Greene and redshirt freshman D.J. Shockley.


	Gibson has the best hands this side of Austin.

Georgia was a respectable 17th in scoring defense and, for the first time in four seasons, has the same defensive coordinator (Brian VanGorder). But DE Charles Grant and safety Terreal Bierria left early for the NFL, and Richt worries about depth. An injury to a key guy and the Bulldogs are in trouble.

But at least they don't have to worry about Richt suffering any more rookie coach brain cramps. Georgia was outscored in the second half in all four of its losses. If the Dawgs stay healthy, they are going to score. And win.

HOT WIRE

Gibson's nickname might as well be The Lord's Prayer, because that's what a lot of opposing DBs must be reciting to themselves when they line up across from him. One SEC head coach calls the 6'4", 180-pound sophomore "the most exciting player in the conference." Last season's numbers back him up: 23.4 yards per catch, five 100-yard games, 6 TDs and a 26.8-yard average on kickoff returns.

TRIP WIRE

Splitting the QB job often backfires, but Richt is determined to play both Greene and the mobile Shockley: "Both could be great -- not good, great -- college football players." Greene and Shockley have reps as team guys, but rotating QBs can divide an offense and derail an entire season.

WIRE TAP

"They lost a bunch of guys on defense, but they have good talent there. And they've got great offensive skill players, which will take the pressure off the defense early. Four returning starters on the offensive line is key. But saying they'll play both quarterbacks? I don't know. I gotta believe that was done primarily to keep Shockley from transferring."

BRISTOL WIRE

Bill Curry: "Mark Richt is the real deal. The entire coaching staff returns, along with 15 starters. A national power is growing in Athens -- fast."

The ESPN Power 16
1	Oklahoma	9	Colorado
2	Florida State	10	Washington State
3	Miami	11	Washington
4	Texas	12	Oregon
5	Tennessee	13	Nebraska
6	Florida	14	Michigan State
7	Georgia	15	Virginia Tech
8	Ohio State	16	LSU

This article appears in the September 2 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

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