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2B ♦ THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2006 Joe T. earned hard nose rep Before Georgia’s Joe Tereshinski gets his first start at quarterback in Sanford Stadium, he already has earned a reputation as a hard-nosed, tough player. The fifth-year senior never has shied away from colli sions and would be about the last guy expected to slide away from trouble on the run. That will probably have to change beginning Saturday against Western Kentucky if Tereshinski wants to last the whole season in the lineup. Where D.J. Shockley was an elu sive runner, Tereshinski is apt to try to barrel over a tackier. NOTEBOOK By MARC WEISZER Morris News Service “Joe’s a more physical runner which is not nec essarily a good thing at the quarterback position,” coach Mark Richt said. “A guy that might want to physically take people on you don’t last very long when you do that.” Tereshinski rushed for 37 yards in his start against Florida last year, including a 20-yard gain. He said he rushed for more than 100 yards in a game when he played at Athens Academy. “I don’t think I’ve ever slid before,” Tereshinski said. “I might have run out of bounds once or twice but that was probably to stop the clock so I didn’t get tackled in bounds.” Richt said design quarterback runs are in the cards for Smoltz, GM are ‘homeboys’ again ATLANTA - A sit-down meeting Tuesday after noon served to settle what ever tension was present between Braves veteran John Smoltz and general manager John Schuerholz. That was the message from the pair of Johns after Smoltz’s comments Monday in an Atlanta newspaper initially ruffled the 65-year old GM’s feathers. Schuerholz called Smoltz in Tuesday to talk about it, and he obliged. Schuerholz wouldn’t delve into specifics other than to repeatedly say the conversation was “good” or “very good.” Smoltz described it as “casual and professional.” Smoltz wondered aloud in a Monday column in the Atlanta Journal- Constitution why the Braves had not already exercised his $8 million option for the 2007 season in which Smoltz will turn 40 years old. It’s Schuerholz’s custom ary decision to wait until a season’s close before addressing issues such as contracts for the upcoming season. “It’s ordinarily the way we operate,” Schuerholz said, adding that it isn’t a slight, even toward the team’s most tenured player. “No, I wouldn’t think so. Especially when you haVe regard for the guy like we have.” CLEATS / BOBBLEMEAP | LIKE TME FREMCM Pat FINALLY J SOCCER PLAYER WMO \ CAME IM TME / MEAP BUTTEP TME Mail- GOY IM TUE^ /Idtr At?F WMAT APE YOU 11 pwp, j Tereshinski, who probably runs a 4.6 or 4.7 40. “If it’s first-and-10 and you’re running just to gain a couple of yards, go down, why not?,” Tereshinski said. “We’ll play another down and stay healthy. At the same time if it’s for the ballgame and it’s third-and -2 and you have to get to those chains, by all means I’m lowering my shoulder.” BROWN THE MAN AT TAILBACK, KICKOFF RETURNER: With Thomas Brown back deep, Richt sounds confident that Georgia’s three-year malaise on kickoff returns could be coming to an end. “I think our kickoff return team will definitely go up in the charts,” Richt said. Georgia’s 19.46 yards per return ranked 82nd in the nation last season and Georgia was 112th in 2004 and 100th in 2003. Georgia is going to one man deep on kickoff returns, something it used some late last season. “We just want who we think is our best returner in there right now and we think Thomas is that guy,” Richt said. Richt said that Brown will get the most carries among the tailbacks but that Kregg Lumpkin and Danny Ware can expect first half carries as well. Brown isn’t con cerned about risking injury on kickoff returns. “I’m not really every wor ried about taking a shot and getting knocked out,” he said. “I’m going to go out there and attack it full speed.” Schuerholz had already elaborated, without being asked, about the organiza tion’s reverence for Smoltz, who is 12-6 with a 3.36 ERA this season. He’s 6-0 with a 2.11 ERA and 51 strikeouts to three walks in his past six home starts. “I’ve always had a world of respect for John. That’s not going to change,” Schuerholz said. “I thought that way before the quote unquote article, and I feel that way now.” At one point in the column, the 5*9% NOTEBOOK R. Travis Haney Morris News Service middle-aged Smoltz candid ly referred to Schuerholz as the “homeboy upstairs.” “That comment, as you guys all well know, wasn’t meant in that fashion at all,” Smoltz said. “That probably shouldn’t have been in there at all.” Schuerholz got a kick out of it, in the end, referring to himself as “H. 8.” “That could mean a lot of things, I guess,” he quipped. Between this and an epi sode earlier in the year in which Smoltz said he’d be open to the idea of a trade, Smoltz said Tuesday he’s learned a lesson about being too honest with some of his answers to reporters. For one, he said he won’t TMAT'S> RI6MT. AMP IMSTEAP OF \ ?/'C, rA , F \ BOBBIN UP AMP POWM, MIE MEAP - f POLL” \ lA I BOBBLEUEOP POU.t V ~v I— tTl k-U — 1— £M (c) 2006 Bifl Hinds. Dist by Universal Press Syndicate pj|} < S ’ <0 ■6 w * 3 :• a a l CD S o L. o' VERDUN WHEELER TO START, MILLER WILL GET SNAPS: senior Danny Verdun Wheeler has supplanted junior Brandon Miller as starting strong side linebacker but both players should get plenty of snaps Saturday. “I’m supposed to get a couple of snaps at weak side linebacker,” Verdun Wheeler said. “I’ll start out at (strongside) and you never know what can hap pen. I stay ready.” Miller has also worked at weakside linebacker this preseason and said he’s even gotten some snaps at middle line backer. Miller started 10 games on the strong side last season. “I’m never going to say it doesn’t matter because it matters,” Miller said about the starting job. “I’m always going to be a com petitive guy.” PUTTING A POSITIVE SPIN ON HILLTOPPERS: Puttinga positive spin on Hilltoppers - Western Kentucky rides a four-game losing streak into Saturday’s game dating back to last season, drop ping games to Southern Illinois, Northern lowa, Youngstown State and Florida International. “We’re playing a team that not long ago has won a national championship at the I-AA level and is used to winning,” Richt said refer ring to the school’s 2002 national title. “I’ve said it many times I’d rather play a Division I team that doesn’t know how to win as compared to a I-AA team that does.” be discussing his contract status anymore. “I’m just going to deal with the known,” Smoltz said. “The known is what you know and what I know. Everything else will be han dled in a private manner, and I respect that.” And he won’t be speak ing on behalf of others, Schuerholz in particular. “He certainly doesn’t tell me how to pitch,” said Smoltz, the 1996 Cy Young winner and possible Hall of Famer. “That’s where you have to stay professional.” DAVIES READY: After six minor league rehab starts to ensure his surgical ly repaired groin was fully healed, manager Bobby Cox said he thinks Kyle Davies will be ready to start one of Saturday’s doubleheader games in Philadelphia. With Triple-A Richmond, Davies threw eight score less innings Sunday against Norfolk, the Mets’ Class AAA farm club. The young right-hander allowed four hits, struck out five and threw 95 pitches. “He wanted to go nine (innings),” Cox said. “He had enough to do it.” The 22-year-old Davies, out since May, had been effective in his past two rehab starts, going seven strong innings each time. Davies has said repeat edly that trusting the leg to push off would be the final test. SPORTS Tech pass rush gives rise to hope against Irish By ADAM VAN BRIMMER Morris News Service ATLANTA - Georgia Tech proponents cite one partic ular piece of evidence for their optimism going into Saturday’s season opener against Notre Dame. The Yellow Jackets’ pass rush. The Jackets ability to pressure the quarterback keyed wins against Auburn and Miami last season. They forced Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox to throw four interceptions and sacked Miami’s Kyle Wright seven times. There is a flaw in that theory: Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn is a three-year starter and Heisman Trophy candi date, not a first-year starter like Cox and Wright were a year ago. No matter, said Georgia Tech defensive end Adamm Oliver. “It doesn’t matter what year he is or how experi ence he is, when he gets hit, we’re hitting him the same way,” Oliver said. “It doesn’t matter if he’s a freshman or a senior, he’s going to get hit. And he’s going to start thinking about us hit ting him and not about the receivers downfield.” Jackets eyeing ND since bowl ATLANTA - One topic made Georgia Tech’s flight home following the Emerald Bowl loss last December tol erable. Notre Dame. The Yellow Jackets open the 2006 season against the Irish at 8 p.m. Saturday in Bobby Dodd Stadium. The game is their first since losing 38-10 to Utah in the Emerald Bowl at San Francisco’s SBC Park. “Our attitude around here is always to forget about the last play and focus on the next play, and the next play is the kickoff of the Notre Dame game,” defen sive tackle Joe Anoai said. “We’ve been thinking about it a lot since.” The Irish have been on other players’ minds even longer. Calvin Johnson, the All-American wide receiver, heard about the game as well as next fall’s rematch in South Bend, Ind. - soon after he arrived on campus two years ago. And that pre-dated Notre Dame’s football resurgence. The Irish finished 9-3 last season under first-year head coach Charlie Weis and come into Saturday’s game ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, No. 3 in the USA Today coaches’ poll. The game is considered the biggest of college football’s opening weekend. It will be televised nationally at 8 p.m. by ABC, and ESPN’s “College Game Day” will air from the Georgia Tech campus at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. “It’s a pretty big stage,” linebacker KaMichael Hall said. “It’s a great opportuni ty to go out there and show The Original Solunar Tables, By Mrs. Richard Alden Knight Release week of Aug. 27-Sept. 3. 2006 AM PM Date Day Minor Major Minor Major 6/27 Su 8:40 2:25 9:00 2:45 8/28 M 9:20 3:10 9:45 3:30 8/29 T 10:05 3:55 10:35 4:20 8/30 W 10:55 4:45 11:20 5:05 8/31 Th 11:45 5:35 0 6:00 9/1 F 12:15 6:15 12:25 6:55 9/2 S 1:10 7:15 1:25 7:45 9/3 Su 2:00 8:10 2:20 8:40 © 2006 by King Features Syndicate. Inc Hearing scheduled for Thursday, September 14, 2006 at 6:30 pm before the City of Centerville Board of Zoning Appeals. The public hearing Thursday September 19, 2006 at 6:00 pm before the Mayor and Council. Meeting will be held at the Centerville Municipal Building, 300 E. Church Street, Centerville, GA on the following (2 properties: 1) Lot 3-H, 207 Pembroke Point- Land Lot 86 of the Fifth Land District of Houston County, Georgia being known as Lot 3, B ock H, Brentwood Subdivision at Grove , Eagle Springs, Centerville, GA. 2) Lot 14-A, 106 Fairfax Ct- Land Lot 86 of the Fifth Land District of Houston County, Georgia being known as Lot 14A, Block H Brentwood Subdivision at Grove Pointe, Eagle Springs, Centerville, Ga. Quinn avoided contact last season, his first in new coach Charlie Weis’ offense. He was sacked just 21 times in 12 games. But Notre Dame did grad uate two starting offensive linemen, both on the right side -- Oliver’s side. Oliver recorded three sacks a year ago, as did defensive tackle Joe Anoai, who lined up next to Oliver. The Irish won’t have to contend with Georgia Tech sack master Eric Henderson on the other side. Henderson, who recorded 25 sacks in his career, exhausted his eligi bility last season. His suc cessor, Darrell Robertson, is experienced, though. He made four starts last year and Henderson mentored him the last two seasons. “Eric took me under his wing and showed me tech niques and his tricks to the game,” Robertson said. “I have added a few of my own. Hopefully, I will be success ful.” He, Oliver and the rest of Georgia Tech’s front seven will need to be, particular ly considering the Yellow Jackets’ inexperienced sec ondary. The Jackets will fea ture three new starters at defensive back four when they go to their nickel pack age. what type of defense we have, what type of offense, special teams, and our team as a whole. This is a great opportunity for this Georgia Tech team.” RETURN MEN SET: Pat Clark will return punts Saturday night against the Irish while Rashaun Grant and Chris Dunlap will return kickoffs. Clark worked as the punt returner last year and aver aged 6.4 yards per return. NOTE BOOK By ADAM VAN BRIMMER Morris News Service none stood out. “The best guy is the guy who will play,” head coach Chan Gailey said. Grant, the second-string Great Deals Free AD for items under SSO Call 987-1823 for details Momian fisilg TIRED of someone always looking over your shoulder? Enioy the freedom and independence of becoming an over-the-road driver at Schneider National • Company-provided COL training for qualified candidates • $33.500-$60,500 aotwiarvor Mjwwct » Low-cost medical and dental insurance Variance Hearing HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL Defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta will scheme to help his secondary as well. His reputation is for blitz ing from several positions, including cornerback and safety. And Oliver considers the concerns over the secondary exaggerated anyway. “They’re really not all that young. They’re a good secondary and their going to surprise some people,” Oliver said. “We’re going to get to the quarterback regardless of who’s behind us. But if we don’t, I feel confident that our second ary is going to get the job done.” Tenuta acknowledges the challenge ahead even so. Notre Dame features two standout wide receivers - Jeff Samardzija and Rhema Mcßnight - who will get open if given enough time. Samardzija caught 77 passes for 1,249 yards a year ago while McKnight is the speed receiver. He averaged 13.8 yards a catch before suffering a season-ending injury in the second game of 2005. “They got weapons and they do run an outstanding offense,” Tenuta said. “And their trigger man - Quinn - is an excellent football player.” tailback, returned 11 kick offs last season. He averaged 22.6 yards a return. Dunlap, the team’s third wide receiv er, also returned kicks last year. He averaged 19 yards on three returns. JOHNSON OUT, PEEK DOUBTFUL FOR SATURDAY: Defensive end Michael Johnson will not play against Notre Dame and could be out several weeks with an undisclosed injury, Gailey said Tuesday. Johnson reaggravated an injury in his return to prac tice Saturday. He had missed the previous two weeks of preseason practice. He is the Yellow Jackets’ third defen sive end and a key compo nent in the defense’s ability to put pressure on the quar terback. Backup tight end Colin Peek got hurt in Tuesday’s practice and is doubtful to play against the Irish, Gailey said. The coach said Peek’s injury could linger for a couple week as well. The Jackets auditioned other return men this spring and in the preseason because of Clark’s new duties at defensive back, but Char-Broiled Sizzling Steaks KttsifAr 1*75 Exit 136 • 987*6877 36471 WARNER ROBINS SUPPLY We Rent! 612 Ball Si, Perry. GA 987-2334 Apply Online at schneiderjobs.com Or call 1-800-44-PRIDE [l-800-447-74331 SCHNEIDER . S/SBMKMSBX77XiT*I^J rotrtaww 01 PERRY |OOO3/673