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♦ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2006 8B % jj jHj|9| | apaEfc gH HH|fl ’ * j j^HTf ENI/(#ary Harmon Sob Davidson lines up his shot at the opening day of shuffle board competion during the Golden Olympics held this past week. The competition was held at the Mclntyre Room at the Rec Department in Warner Robins. —’ I— Susan Hubbard shoots for her first score. Joe T. will start against Tennessee ATHENS - As Georgia senior Joe Tereshinski worked to fast track his return from a high ankle sprain, coach Mark Richt spotted him in the training room one day rehabbing and offered him a pat on the back for encouragement. Richt on Tuesday gave Tereshinski something that he really wanted. He announced that, barring a setback, Tereshinski will return as starting quarter back on Saturday against No. 13 Tennessee. “We need some more lead ership on offense,” Richt said. “Our quarterbacks, for being young, have handled things pretty well. To be that confident leader, it’s tough to do that when you’re really just feeling your way. Joe is very confident and knows exactly what to do and guys will respond to his leader ship I’m sure.” Freshman Matthew Stafford, who started the first two games in Tereshinski’s absence before redshirt freshman Joe Cox got a start, will be the back up. Richt hopes Stafford can play a first-half series. Georgia has slipped to 89th in the nation in scoring offense and 90th in pass ing offense after Tereshinski was sidelined the last three games “Joe T is not going to come in and rescue them with his physical abilities, but I think maybe his personality and temperament will be a bene fit,” said ESPN analyst Todd Blackledge, who will work Saturday’s game. Georgia may “rally around,” Tereshinski’s leadership and steady play, Blackledge said. Richt needed only Monday’s practice to make his decision. “He moved well,” Richt said. “That was the thing I was looking at the most. You’d think he might be a little rusty with his passing accuracy but he was very accurate, very sharp, very focused. He was very busi ness-like.” Richt sticking with Massaquoi A group of Georgia receiv ers had wrapped up their postpractice work catch ing high-speed balls from the JUGS machine Monday evening, but Mohamed Massaquoi lingered. “You’re here for a reason,” Massaquoi said. “You just work harder and come back next week and hope for better results.” Ayearago, Massaquoi made it look so easy as a NOTEBOOK By MARC WEISZER Morris News Service freshman when he led all Georgia receivers with 38 catches for 505 yards and caught two touchdowns. One of the most sure handed receivers last sea son, Massaquoi has strug gled with drops this season. He had two against Colorado and at least one against Ole Miss, but Richt isn’t giving up on Massaquoi, who has five catches for 70 yards. “We’re putting Mohamed as our No. 1 receiver,” Richt said. “We think Mo has had a couple of bumps in the road for Mo. That’s the one thing that separated Mohamed from everybody last year is he would snatch that ball. He’s had more than a couple of drops, but we think he gives us the best chance.” Massaquoi said remaining a starter keeps his confi dence up. “A player like me, my teammates are depending on me and you thrive off of that,” he said. “There are so many guys out here working for you, you want to repay the favor.” Massaquoi is not tossing and turning at night trying to figure out what’s gone wrong. “You really can’t do that,” Massaquoi said. “You’ll just beat yourself Golden shuffle ENI/Oary Harmon to death.” Richt estimated that Georgia dropped at least five passes against Ole Miss. By Georgia’s count, the Bulldogs have 14 drops this year. “We just have to get our comfort level back and get back to doing what we’re used to doing, having fun,” Massaquoi said. Georgia zeroes in on another top rusher Tennessee redshirt fresh man LaMarcus Coker rushed for 125 yards against Memphis, his second straight 100-yard game. That could be bad news on the heels of Ole Miss junior tailback BenJarvus Green- Ellis rushing for a career high 135 rushing yards on 24 carries against Georgia. A good chunk of those yards came on runs up the middle, where Danny Verdun Wheeler was filling in for Jarvis Jackson, who was slowed by a foot injury. “I think Danny Verdun understood what to do pretty much, but when it came to the moment of truth, the human equation - linebacker versus running back - we didn’t knock him back, he knocked us back,” Richt said. Linebackers coach John Jancek said that Jackson “looked pret ty crisp,” Tuesday as the starting middle linebacker. Verdun Wheeler, now on the second team, said he missed too many tackles. “If we play like we did last week, it’s going to be ugly for us,” defensive tackle Ray Gant said. This and that Offensive tackle Michael Turner, who has missed the past three games with an ankle injury, was held out of 11-on-ll drills Tuesday but worked against the scout team. If he doesn’t suffer any setbacks, Richt said Georgia could use a three-tackle rota tion Saturday. Saturday’s game is tentatively set for 7:52 p.m. but could start as late at 7:57 p.m. depending on the preceding Michigan State-Michigan game. SPORTS p- - —rrrjt Jan Collier lets her first shot go. Chi Chi O’Leary lines up her first shot. Pollsters rankle Georgia Tech ATLANTA - Georgia Tech football coach Chan Gailey has been known to poke fun at media members over polls, projected finishes and preseason awards. “I don’t have much confi dence in what you all think,” Gailey said in August after his team was picked to fin ish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division. Yet the sportswriters were the only pollsters to rank Gailey’s Yellow Jackets ahead of the team they just beat, Virginia Tech, in this week’s national rankings. The Jackets went on the road and decisively defeat ed Virginia Tech, 38-27, on Saturday. Georgia Tech is No. 18 in The Associated Press poll, three spots ahead of the Hokies. The coaches, meanwhile, have Georgia Tech two plac es behind Virginia Tech in their top-25 and the voters in the Harris Poll put the Hokies one spot in front. Harris voters include media members and former coach es, administrators and play ers. The Harris Poll and the coaches rankings are used in the formula that produc es the Bowl Championship Series standings. The BCS Perry High School Football ittM) *2525* The Patriot KH The Right Station For News, Talk & Sports are teaming up. Listen to Brian Nash, Chris Kirby, and michael Felix for all of Perry High's football play by play action on 103.9. Pregame starts at 7:30 standings play a role in determining bowl slots. “The only comment I can make is one that will get me in trouble,” said Gailey of the situation. Gailey refused to credit AP voters for their collective intelligence. Asked Tuesday if sportswriters might be smart voters after all, the coach offered no comment while trying - and failing - to suppress a smile. Some of the Yellow Jacket players were per plexed by the rank ings. “I don’t know how you explain that, but I guess that’s just the coaches NOTEBOOK By ADAM VAN BRIMMER Morris News Service poll,” line backer Gary Guyton said. “I guess at the end, every thing will pan out.” GAILEY WARNS OF TERRAPINS COMING OUT OF SHELLS: Maryland visits Georgia Tech at 3:30 p.m. Saturday as arguably the least impressive 3-1 team in the country. The Terps have yet to score more than 27 HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL ENl'Gary Harmon ENI Gary Harmon points this season despite games against William & Mary, a Division I-AA team. Middle Tennessee State and Florida International. Georgia Tech’s Gailey sees potential in the Terrapins, though, particularly with them coming off their bye week. “You look at their skill level on tape and you can see where there is poten tial,” Gailey said. “You’re nervous that it’s going to happen this week. They’re potentially a very good foot ball team.” Maryland has struggled with turnovers, with 11 giveaways in four games. But quarterback Sam Hollenbach is a second-year player, and he has complet ed 10 or more passes to four different receivers. The defense is young, athletic and unlike any the Jackets have faced this year in its scheme. Wide receiv er James Johnson recog nizes something else in the Terrapins: A drive to prove themselves against a ranked team, much like the Jackets did last week going into the Virginia Tech game. “They have to prove they are good too,” Johnson said.