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DEL.ICIO.USShockley fully prepared to prove his doubters wrong
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
Athens � D.J. Shockley has played in 26 collegiate games, and not once has he gone to the sideline knowing the next series would be his, too. Anyone tempted to cite instances of Shockley looking shaky � against Florida in 2002, against LSU in 2003, against Georgia Tech last season � should stop and ask: Given the unwieldy circumstances under which he was deployed, could he have been expected to look composed?
“It kind of hurt me [as a quarterback],� Shockley said Friday, meeting the media after Georgia’s first practice of this transitional season. “I tried to do [in those widely scattered series] more than I had to.�
Forget that skittish showing against Tech. Forget everything you’ve seen the last three seasons. Shockley will be fine. He’s a terrific talent and an exemplary human being. About Donald Eugene Shockley, all you need to know is this: Without benefit of starting a game, he has become a team leader. “It’s kind of unique,� he said, addressing that peculiar status. “It’s kind of an honor that people respect you even though you’re not starting.�
D.J. Shockley had trouble sleeping Thursday night, and no wonder. After four years of waiting, he was about to open practice as Georgia’s No. 1 quarterback. (“I never figured it would take this long,� he conceded.) It wasn’t his fault that he happened along at almost the exact same time as David Greene, and it’s to Shockley’s credit that he’s still here after Greene has gone. Not many players of such portfolio � USA Today All-American, Parade All-American � would have stuck around. Almost none would have served such a protracted apprenticeship without becoming an absolute pain.
“He could easily have blown it off and said, ‘I don’t want to play anymore; I don’t want to be in school,’ â€? said Leonard Pope, the burgeoning tight end. “But he waited and waited, and now it’s his time.â€?
Georgia fans may be apprehensive about their quarterback. Georgia coaches are not. “The people who see him day in and day out are really excited,� said Mark Richt, who knows something about quarterbacks. “You get to the point where you can’t really improve until you play in a game, and he’s been past that point for maybe two years.�
As Richt discovered, there was no way to use Greene and Shockley without doing a disservice to both. The few fleeting chances Shockley was granted didn’t really whet appetites, let alone satisfy them. Asked his fondest personal memory as a Bulldog, Shockley mentioned a game against Kentucky in 2002, and even that sounded hollow. As we know, everybody looks good against Kentucky.
But now he gets to try and look good against everybody, and he’s about to remind everyone why signing D.J. Shockley was such a big deal in the first place. He runs well enough to lend a further dimension to Richt’s finesse-y offense, and he throws better than outsiders have reason to believe. Said Shockley: “People are going to see us sit back and throw the ball out of the pocket � that’s going to be the biggest surprise of the year.�
He could have transferred to Maryland and become a starter a year ago, but he stayed because he wanted to be Georgia’s quarterback. He bided his time and did his due diligence – “There’s never been a game I wasn’t prepared for,� Shockley said � and the fruits of such uncommon perseverance are about to show. Georgia fans needn’t worry about D.J. Shockley because Georgia fans haven’t yet seen the real D.J. Shockley.
He can’t go back and become the impact freshman he once dreamed of being, but D.J. Shockley can still make a sudden splash as a senior. Said Pope, intending no pun: “He’s going to shock the world.�
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Mark Bradley, UGA / SEC
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By PHIL FORTSON
August 16, 2005 09:21 AM | Link to this
FEAR AND GREED. DAVID GREENE WAS STEADY, BUT NOT GREAT.THAT IS WHY THE GEORGIA TEAMS HE QUARTERBACKED COULD BE GOOD BUT NEVER GREAT.RICHT IS JUST LIKE ALL OF US. HE WAS TOO AFRAID TO GO WITH THE BETTER(UNPROVEN) ATHELETE. HE WENT WITH THE SAFE BET. AFTER ALL ONLY CLEMSON FIRES A COACH THAT GOES 9-2. NOW I KNOW DJ WILL MAKE HIS ERRORS, BUT HE CAN BE GREAT,(SOMETHING DAVID GREENE COULD NEVER BE) AND THIS GREATNESS IS GOING TO SURPRISE THE UGA FAITHFULL AND THE REST OF THE LEAGUE.
By Buffalo Chip
August 16, 2005 10:59 AM | Link to this
Greene was very good, but doesn’t have great talent. He overachieved as many of Richt’s QB’s have, but don’t think he didn’t deserve the starters role. Remember the catastrophic offensive line he played and won behind for two years that is just now coming into it’s own (for all Jim Donnan’s great recruiting classes, how he went two years without an offensive lineman is beyond me). DJ not only hasn’t proven himself, he repeatedly showed he couldn’t handle the pressure. There were many instances in the past few years where the struggling offense was his to take, but he couldn’t handle it. Granted, he didn’t get all the 1st team reps in practice and missed a lot of time with injuries, but any back up QB has to battle through that. Don’t blame Richt for playing the more complete, more composed QB. I just hope DJ is ready. His time has come, and he should have the comfort and time to settle in. I truly hope he’s this year’s Jason Campbell—awesome talent that explodes in his senior year and gets him drafted. His patience has earned him that.
By frank
August 16, 2005 11:08 AM | Link to this
Shockley may indeed turn out to be a great QB… but you are wrong about David Greene. I have been going to GA games since 1964. Greene is the best QB in Ga history. His stats prove that if nothing else. Look at his come from behind victories as well as his road record. If Theron Sapp’s jersey is retired then so should Greene’s. Sapp broke an eight year drought to Tech. Greene broke a 20 year drought of Championships. Have you forgotten who is the winningest QB in NCAA history?!
By stephen
August 16, 2005 12:46 PM | Link to this
Here we are, just a few weeks before UGA’s 1st game of the ‘05 season. I went out on a limb last year and disagreed with most that Georgia would go undefeated and/or play for the National Championship. I said all along that this would be UGA’s year(or at least one of them). When you have a team that with so much public talent, it’s almost as if some of the players expect the ‘big name/ guys to win the games. It’s kind of like the Atlanta Braves. It’s amazing how well those guys start hitting when they loose a few of their star pitchers. My point is UGA will come together this year, players will step up. Shockley is better than most people think, UGA’s is ‘almost’ under the radar this year by most, they have a mature Off.line,3 great RB’s, talented FB,awesome TE,talented WR’s,great kicking game and a great Defence. Everybody overlooked Tennessee in ‘98 after Peyton Manning left. Then Tee Martin ‘shocked’ the Nation. It’s UGA’s turn. The foundation is laid.
By Donald
August 16, 2005 01:28 PM | Link to this
Gator fan here. I cant believe David Greene started at Georgia all those years over D.J. D.J. has a cannon for an arm and super speed. Should sound similar to another quarterback who is starting for another team in Georgia. As for his playmaking skills. How could they develop on one series a game. If D.J. had started from a redshirt freshman, Georgia would have been in the national championship last year. As mentioned previously David Greene was a qb who would not loose games. Surrounded with that talent any servicable quaterback would do. And how can you say greene was the best qb at uga ever with Fran Tarkenton, Buck Belue, Eric Zeir, and Mike Bobo being alumni. That would be like me saying Rex Grossman was the best qb ever at Florida. Greene just benefited from talent and good coaching. He was the Tom Brady of college football. Go Gators.
By I don't like this new blog!
August 16, 2005 08:38 PM | Link to this
Ok, whas up w/ the new format? I know I am getting old when I start to hate change…but I digress. Cannot beleive I agree w/ a Gator fan but it is what it is. The only exception is lumping Bobo in w/ great QB’s. Mike Bobo was a good QB not great. DJ will benefit from a great offensive line(does anyone else have NCAA ‘06, all 5 starters were 1st team All-Americans my first year), a great tightend, talented recievers and a three headed monster at tailback.GO DAWGS!!!!!
And did I mention I hate this new format?
By marc lucier
August 18, 2005 03:21 PM | Link to this
DJ looks great on NCAA 06 which is, as we know, all that really matters…..at least for a couple more weeks!