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gainesvilletimes.com
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
No. 6 Dogs back on track
Georgia ready for SEC East showdown vs. No. 11 Wildcats
BY PAUL NEWBERRY
Associated Press
ATHENS - With an
ugly loss firmly in the rear
view mirror, No. 6 Georgia
is back on track for all its
major goals.
First up, the Southeastern
Conference East.
In a decisive showdown
that hardly anyone saw
Georgia at
Kentucky
When: 3:30 p.m.
Saturday
TV: CBS
coming at the beginning
of the season, the division
race will come down to Sat
urday’s game between the
Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 SEC) and
No. 11 Kentucky (7-1,5-1).
That’s right, Kentucky, a
basketball-obsessed school
where football has always
played second fiddle.
Not this week.
“The whole program,
everybody involved, knows
what’s at stake,” Georgia
defensive back Tyrique
McGhee said. “A great SEC
opponent like this in Ken
tucky, with an explosive
offense and playing well on
defense, everybody knows
what has to be done and
what we’ve got to do this
week.”
Even with identical
records and the Wildcats
having the edge of playing at
home, Georgia opened as a
12-point favorite.
Clearly, the oddsmakers
■ Please see GEORGIA, 2B
JOSHUA L. JONES I Associated Press
Georgia wide receiver Wyatt Payne (84) celebrates with
Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm (11) after getting a win
against Florida on Saturday, Oct. 27, in Jacksonville, Fla.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL I Player of the Week
NFL
Locked in for victory
SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
Riverside Military Academy’s Isaac Teasley looks for running room as he gets a block from teammate Justin Eagen, left, on
Lakeview Academy’s Joecarl Gradidge as he carries the ball for the Eagles during a 2016 game at Jock Horner Field.
QB Teasley dazzles in Riverside Military’s upset of Commerce
BY NATHAN BERG
nberg@gainesvilletimes.com
Riverside Military Academy quar
terback Isaac Teasley has the type of
versatility most coaches look for at
the position. Teasley, now in his senior
year, is an elite athlete on the track and
basketball court.
His growth as a passer this season
has been a sight to see.
All of that came together Friday, as
Teasley led the Eagles to a 20-19 upset
over Commerce on the road, scoring
three total touchdowns along the way.
The win has Riverside Military playoff
bound, according to head coach Nick
Garrett, which would be the program’s
first postseason berth since 2009. Teas-
ley’s performance — 12 of 16 passing
for 226 yards and two touchdowns, plus
a rushing score — was good enough to
make him this week’s Times Player of
the Week.
“Isaac, for whatever reason, he
locked it in like I’ve never seen him
lock it in before,” Garrett said. “... He
threw it well. He handed it off well. He
ran when he needed to. He was like
John Stockton, and the rest of our team
on offense was Karl Malone.”
It was the type of performance that
both Garrett and Teasley himself have
seen coming in his development as a
quarterback.
“I feel like I’ve grown to be 200 per
cent better from the day that Coach
Garrett came in, listening to the stuff
he does, working on Saturdays when
I have a chance,” Teasley said. “He’s
made me a better player definitely.”
More specifically, Teasley said that
prior to this season, he had always seen
himself as an athlete first and a passer
second. Now, things are moving in the
other direction.
Through film study and fully buy
ing into Garrett’s offensive philosophy,
Teasley said he’s learned ways to use
his athleticism other than tucking and
running if his first read isn’t open.
“You can’t always look to scramble,
use your feet to get out because you
know you’re fast,” Teasley said. “Some
times, sit in the pocket and take that
extra second. Take the hit and com
plete the long pass rather than scram
bling just to get 10. And I think that’s
done a lot this year. And it shows in the
numbers.”
It’s hard to argue with Teasley’s
assessment, no matter which numbers
you’re looking at.
For one, he’s already passed for
more yards this season than his previ
ous two, despite having one regular sea
son game remaining and at least one
playoff matchup after that. But beyond
that, the team has been winning.
The Eagles are 5-4 with a chance
to compete for their best regular sea
son finish in a decade with a win over
Prince Avenue Christian this Friday
night. Even with a loss, the team will be
.500 for the first time since 2013.
Meanwhile, the offense is averaging
nearly 30 points a game over the last
five contests after topping 30 just twice
in 2017, and Teasley has been a major
part of the increased scoring output.
“He (shows) pretty much a glimpse
almost every single game, where you
could say it necessarily wasn’t the
most ideal play call, (but) he creates
something that I haven’t taught,” Gar
rett said
“And I don’t think you could get that
from just any quarterback. It has to be
a special individual. ”
Teasley’s growth has also shown in
ways outside of increased statistical
production. He is an exceptional stu
dent and active contributor in commu
nity service according to Garrett — his
off field versatility mirroring the many
talents he brings to the table on Friday
nights.
Teasley has also worked his way into
a leadership position among his team
mates. It’s a role that’s expected of
quarterbacks and seniors, one Teasley
has taken on with enthusiasm.
“This is my third year as a starting
quarterback, but I think it’s my first
year as an actual leader,” Teasley said.
“Coach Garrett taught me in these two
years just to be vocal. I thought that you
could always just lead from the front,
but sometimes it’s more about being
vocal and just telling everybody you
need to step up and stop going through
the motions.”
Everything seems to be com
ing together for Teasley in his final
year with Riverside Military. Having
already received multiple scholar
ship offers for football, according to
Garrett, Teasley has the opportunity
to play any of three sports at the colle
giate level.
And while he’s certainly grown dur
ing his time with the Eagles, Garrett
said he’s far from hitting his absolute
peak as a signal caller.
Quinn not
expecting any
trade activity
before deadline
BY CHARLES ODUM
Associated Press
Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn isn’t expecting
moves before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
More than that, Quinn says he sees no need for
the resurgent Falcons to seek help from a trade.
The Falcons (3-4) return from their bye week
looking to continue momentum from two straight
wins as they prepare to play at Washington (5-2) on
Sunday.
“We really feel this team, where we’re at and
how we can go and attack from here, we have the
right men to do that,” Quinn said after Monday’s
practice when asked about the trade deadline.
That’s a strong vote of confidence from the coach
of a team with six starters on injured reserve —
including both safeties and both offensive guards.
Quinn said he and general manager Thomas
Dimitroff have discussed inquiries from other
teams but haven’t found a trade to pursue. “Not at
this point,” he said.
Quinn and Dimitroff have been kept busy this
season adjusting to the growing
list of players lost with injuries.
The latest challenge comes on
the offensive line.
Right guard Brandon Fusco
suffered a broken right ankle in
Atlanta’s win over the New York
Giants on Oct. 22 and was placed
on injured reserve last week.
Fusco joined left guard Andy
Levitre on IR. Levitre suffered a
season-ending triceps injury in a
Week 2 win over Carolina.
Wes Schweitzer has filled in for Levitre. Another
veteran with starting experience, Ben Garland, will
move up this week to replace Fusco at right guard.
Garland will face an immediate challenge
against a Redskins defense that sacked Giants quar
terback Eli Manning seven times in Sunday’s 20-13
win.
“I was very impressed with the stoutness of
their inside three guys,” Quinn said, naming nose
tackle Daron Payne and defensive ends Matt Ioan-
nidis and Jonathan Allen. Ioannidis had 2 y 2 sacks
against the Giants.
Garland, who started three
games last season, has experience
at both guard spots and even has
seen spot duty at defensive tackle.
“I’m confident playing left
(guard),” Garland said. “I’m
confident playing right. Cen
ter. It doesn’t matter. Tight end,
fullback. Put me anywhere. I’m
ready to go.”
The Falcons added depth to the line by signing
Rees Odhiambo and Austin Pasztor during their
bye week. Pasztor, who can play either tackle posi
tion, played in seven games with Atlanta in 2017.
Odhiambo, who will learn the offense while play
ing left guard, spent the last four weeks on the Colts
practice squad.
Fusco is Atlanta’s sixth player to be placed on IR
this season, joining Levitre, safeties Keanu Neal
and Ricardo Allen, linebacker Deion Jones and
running back Devonta Freeman. Jones, who must
sit out at least two more games, and Freeman could
return later this season.
The bye week provided Quinn the rare opportu
nity to open a practice week without having to dis
cuss a new injury. Instead, the news was positive.
Placekicker Matt Bryant, who missed the Giants
game with a hamstring injury, has not been ruled
out for this week. More will be known about Bry
ant’s status later in the week. Giorgio Tavecchio
was the only placekicker on the field in the portion
of Monday’s practice open to reporters.
I Falcons at Redskins
When: 1 p.m. Sunday
TV: Fox
Garland
i
Quinn
MLS
Despite Sunday loss, Atlanta United focused on what’s ahead: MLS playoffs
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta United manager
Gerardo Martino stressed that
there can’t be a hangover from
Sunday’s disappointing 4-1 loss
at Toronto when his team starts
the playoffs on Nov. 4.
“Something new is starting,”
he said. “It has nothing to do
with the regular season and
what ended today. This season,
putting aside the game tonight,
we did very well but now we
have to focus on the playoffs.
We have to try to make sure
that what took place in the last
90 minutes doesn’t have an
effect on our performance.”
Atlanta United’s opponent in
the Eastern Conference semifi
nal has yet to be decided. It will
be the remaining team, third-
seeded NYCFC, fourth-seeded
D.C. United, or fifth-seeded
Columbus, with the highest
seed after the knockout games
are played on Wednesday and
Thursday.
What is known is that Atlanta
United must re-discover the
mojo that carried it to 69 points
and within 90 minutes of win
ning the Supporters’ Shield,
which would have been its first
trophy.
Outside of 45 minutes at
Colorado, it’s been weeks since
Atlanta United has played well.
That slow decline culminated
with the horrible performance
against Toronto, an almost fit
ting bookend to the 4-0 loss at
Houston that started the season
■ Please see UNITED, 2B
Martino
