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8 Wednesday, October 27, aoio | The Red a Black Running game to play big role against Florida By RACHEL G. BOWERS The Red & Buck Georgia has had just three games In which a running back had a 100- yard day. Two of those performances have come in the Bulldogs’ last two wins both out of Whshaun Ealey. “When you can always go out and run the ball, that’s always a plus," center Ben Jones said. “Time man agement get the defense off the field for more time. I know the defense always loves it when we run the ball and give them a break. It’s just a good feeling. It feels like you can control the game more.” Georgia’s lack of a dominant run ning game through its four-game los ing streak had, in large part, to do with the shuffling around of the offensive line and the unit not click ing on all cylinders. But after finding a solid rotation of big men, the running game seems to be a staple for the remainder of the season, especially with Ealey and running back Caleb King back in the lineup for Saturday’s match-up against Florida. “[Offensive line coach Stacy] Georgia shows a ‘different mentality’ than last season By MITCH BLOMERT The Red & Black The buzz that has followed the men’s basketball team during the off season has made its way into the lock er room. Head coach Mark Fox said Tuesday that the team’s practices, now in their third week, have been positive and more efficient than they were at this point last year. “When you walk into that locker room there’s certainly a different men tality than they had a year ago,” Fox said. “A year ago I’m not sure they believed in themselves and now they believe in themselves and each other.” High expectations have been placed on the Bulldogs this year, as they return four starters, including two who turned down the NBA Draft in the off season to return to the University. Georgia also only has three new players on the team, meaning less time is spent teaching Fox’s system. “With only three guys learning the system we seem to practice more effi ciently,” Fox said. “They just (Unction the way I’d like them to function, and like I think most coaches would want © COLLEGE •' •" ■' ■ •’ ; . v ■:'■•••• .... o . • ' . • • • : ' . o' ■ PICK UP EVERYTHING YOU EVEN THINK YOU MIGHT NEED. BECAUSE YOU’LL NEED IT. FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK Searels has really made a point of us finishing our blocks and going to the whistle,” Jones said. “[Earlier in the season], one person wouldn’t do it on this play, and he’s made a point that all five guys do it. That’s really what’s making us get that extra yards and stuff like that." Fallback Fred Munzenmaier said the backs and the offensive line were fed up with the mediocre ground game, and dug deep to produce the last three games. “I really just think it was just kind of a sense of ownership that our seg ment of backs took just because we hadn’t being seeing the results we wanted and we really believed that we were better than what we were putting out on the field every Saturday," Munzenmaier said. “So I think we really Just kicked it into another gear.” Georgia in good position to beat Gators Georgia has lost to Florida 17 out BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK them to function. I’ve been really pleased with the maturation we’ve made in the locker room.” Team looking for third scorer in early practices There’s little doubt that Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie will spend a majority of the season No. 1 and No. 2 in the scoring column. The question is: Who will be third? The Bulldogs are still looking for the team’s “third scorer,” but have plenty of can didates that could put ■ ’ y*H FOX up the points to claim that title. Fox said that it could vary from night to night, likely among Dustin Ware, Jeremy Price and Gerald Robinson. “There’s more offensive pieces on this team than we had a year ago,” Fox said. “Hopefully we’ll get lots of those guys to make plays for us.” FREE athw,CKif im INItSIHMpMMIIM 33wSS3H © SPORTS of the last 20 meetings between the two teams, but the Gators, who are 4-3 and in the midst of a three-game skid, are in the most vulnerable posi tion for the Bulldogs to attack in recent history. And on top of that, both the Bulldogs and the Gators are unranked heading into the matchup for the first time in 31 years. But that doesn’t take away from the magnitude of the infamous rivalry. “It’s clean, old-fashioned hate between two teams,” linebacker Akeem Dent said. But wide receiver Kris Durham, who will play his final game against the Gators Saturday, said the team Is taking this week as business as usual, despite the fact both teams are still in the hunt for the SEC East. “It doesn’t necessarily carry more weight because it’s one of those things, ‘Yean it is bragging rights,”’ wide receiver Kris Durham said. “It is a rivalry. But you look at it as, ‘OK, this could put us in a good situ ation if we do win the game.’ We have to go in being confident and ready to execute our game plan.” INJURY: Senior to work as analyst ► From Pag* 1 this sport, as people don’t really understand sometimes, is a physical game. As much as it may not look that way, it is. But things happen to people, and you Just have to take what it gives you and learn from it.” In fact, the injury has opened a door for Rhoden she said she’d never thought about before radio. “I had no aspirations to do TV or radio or anything like that, but coach Landers just told me one of our [athletic directors] want ed to talk to me about it,” she said. “I was open for the opportunity, and now I’m going to be commentating for women’s basket ball.” Rhoden said she is “very excited” about getting to do broadcasting work, and that Landers has already given her some tips. “He said that I should start listening [closer] to what commentators are saying during football broadcasts, and how they are wording things.” Rhoden said. “I took it there, and when I’m out there watching practice, I’m just trying to put bits and pieces together to practice for the games.” Even though she no longer takes part in practices with the team, there is no doubt that Rhoden is still a big part of the Lady Bulldogs squad. “She’s a good person, a hard worker. That’s one thing I can say she does she works hard,” teammate Meredith Mitchell said. “I remember coming in as a freshman, STUFF LIKE THIS: HBBHHCZSsSISIZ] HHI L, -Mm it—llll ! • IPS' “ mb je i 4 .joB x J WES SLANKENSM6P | Tu Rid * Buck A Linebacker Akeem Dent said the famous rivalry between Georgia and Florida is ‘dean, old-fashioned hate between the two teams/ she was one of the people I looked up to, especially since she played my position. I could come to her and ask her anything about basketball. She’s just there, and that’s true now, even though she’s not play ing. She’s around. She’s at practice and at events, team meetings.” And Landers could not be more appre ciative of Rhoden being at practice, espe cially when she lends what he calls her “neutral” voice to the proceedings. “She’s at practice everyday and she observes,” Landers said. “She pitches in when she can to be involved. Where I think she’s invaluable is that she’s a very mature person, and she understands what's got to happen for us to be successful, and she’s really that ‘neutral’ voice. She’s not out there as a player, so she doesn’t have ‘player emotions.’ She’s not out there as a coach, so she doesn’t have ‘coach emotions,’ but she can see it and sort it out and help her teammates understand both the good times and the tough times.” And Rhoden agrees that just being around the basketball program is the thing she will look back on most fondly once she has departed the University. “I've been fortunate to be here for four years, four different teams, now going on five, and Just great girls I’ve been able to be around and great relationships I’ve been able to make with the girls, as weil as with the coaches and other members of the Athletic Association,” she said.