Cox finds motivation in 'Media Days' questions

By Tim Tucker

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

After four years in the background, Joe Cox stepped comfortably into the limelight Thursday.

Georgia’s fifth-year senior quarterback, who has started only one game since high school, got the star treatment at the SEC’s preseason “Media Days” event, answering countless questions about himself and his team.

“I’ve had a good time with it,” Cox said as he headed to one final radio interview. “I’ve been comfortable with it. I’ve just tried to be myself.”

The worst question he heard?

“A guy said he wanted to talk about the perception that our offense is going to be so much worse,” Cox said. “He asked me, ‘What is the probability of that happening?’

“I started laughing. I just said, ‘We can get worse, or we can get better. Obviously, we’ll try to get better.’ ”

No question seemed to faze him.

He was asked about a recent Alabama newspaper column that said Georgia coach Mark Richt is close to being on the “hot seat” with fans.

“I think it’s a joke,” Cox said. “With his history and a 10-win season [last year], just the talk of it really bothers our team.”

And his reaction to a recent Arkansas newspaper article that ranked him No. 12 — last — among the SEC’s starting quarterbacks?

“Yeah, it’ll motivate you, but I’m probably one of the quarterbacks with the least amount of playing experience. If I had to [compare] all the guys in the conference based on who’s played, I wouldn’t put myself up very high.”

The day was Cox’s introduction to the SEC media, some of which expressed puzzlement about Georgia’s supreme confidence in a guy who has played so little.

Richt tried to explain: “When it comes to quarterback play, in my opinion, you need to have an accurate passer, need to have a great decision-maker, need to have a young man who can handle the pressure of the job, and need a guy who can lead. Joe really personifies all of those characteristics.”

Defensive tackle Jeff Owens, the other Georgia player meeting the media Thursday, was asked to compare Cox to Matthew Stafford as a leader.

“I think Joe is a more vocal leader than Matt,” Owens said. “Both are great guys, but Joe is more vocal. He’s the type of guy who leads by example and the type of guy who gets on you if you go wrong.”

Cox acknowledged he’s more vocal than Stafford, “but that’s not a good thing or a bad thing,” he said. “Matthew was a great leader, but the distinction is the team. I don’t think he had enough help. This year, a lot more guys have stepped up as leaders as well.”

Stafford was 27-7 as Georgia’s starting quarterback, en route to unfathomable wealth as the NFL’s top draft pick. Cox is 1-0, his only start producing a victory at Ole Miss in 2006. And Cox, unlike Stafford, won’t have Knowshon Moreno to run the ball or Mohamed Massaquoi to catch it.

So Cox pretty much knew, when he arrived at the Wynfrey Hotel in suit and tie at 7:45 a.m. Thursday, what the theme of the day would be.

“I figure a lot of questions will be about how we’re going to come back this year after losing so many guys, about everybody’s expectations,” Cox said.

And later, to one such question, he answered: “With people telling you, ‘You won’t be as good,’ you turn it around and use it on the field and in the locker room. When someone says you can’t do something, it motivates you and you better yourself. We preached about that a lot this off-season.

“Our expectations haven’t changed. We know a lot of people are overlooking us. And that’s probably the best thing for us.”