Stafford, Moreno have big decisions ahead

Knowshon Moreno is not a professional football player yet but he acted like one after Saturday’s loss to Georgia Tech.

A reporter asked what would be his process for deciding whether to go pro. Instead of answering, Moreno did his best impression of the Dallas Cowboys’ Terrell Owens. He acted like he couldn’t see or hear the reporter and looked around to others for another question.

Pressed on the issue, Moreno allowed that he’d consult “coaches and family,” but added, “I’m not thinking about that.”

You can bet the pros are thinking about him. While the Bulldogs lost, Moreno put together a fairly impressive game — 168 total yards on 21 touches and his 16th touchdown of the season.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford also rolled up some huge numbers. He threw for a career-high 407 yards and five TDs on 24-0f-39 passing. But he had a very costly interception that Tech’s Morgan Burnett returned for a touchdown.

“I don’t care,” Stafford said of his career day. “It’s all about wins. That’s the way I’ve been from the start and that’s the way I’ll be the rest of my life. Quarterbacks are judged by wins and we didn’t get it done today.”

Stafford took responsibility for Georgia’s anemic third quarter. The Bulldogs managed 35 yards and three first downs.

“That’s on me,” he said. “I’ve got to get first downs when we need them and get us moving. We needed to give our defense a rest and I was killing them by missing guys and not executing.”

Georgia coach Mark Richt didn’t think that was fair. “Matthew’s one heck of a football player. He played well.”

Richt also acknowledged Saturday could have been both the last game in Sanford Stadium for Stafford and Moreno.

“I think for those guys it’s going to be a hard decision period because I think they are very talented young men and I would imagine both of them have a pretty bright future playing football for a while,” Richt said. “I know Matthew had some goals besides making it to the NFL. I’m sure Knowshon did, too. These guys wanted to win championships. …

“They’ll have to do some soul-searching and decide, ‘Do I want college to end right now?’ But I think they’ve done a pretty good job of focusing on the here and now.”

Stafford was cordial while discussing the issue.

“I’ve just got to talk to some people and figure out what’s best,” he said. “I really don’t know. I’ve thought that little about it. That’s a question better asked later.”