Richt says QB decision imminent

[DKW 86 7,419]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/u...818ganotes.html

Richt says QB decision imminent

By CARTER STRICKLAND

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/18/06

Athens — Somebody sound the trumpets.

After months of anticipation, debate and competition, Georgia should have a starting quarterback by the end of the weekend, coach Mark Richt said Thursday night.

As for the four players competing for the job, there are still a few breath-holding hours left. Friday's scrimmage presents what appears to be the last chance to pass or fail for Joe Tereshinski, Blake Barnes, Joe Cox and Matthew Stafford.

"This is what it all comes down to, it seems like, because they have got to start making decisions," Tereshinski said. "It is time to start preparing for that first game."

It seems somebody already has taken the lead. Since the first week of camp, Richt said he has had his "suspicions" about who the winner will be, though he's still not sharing specifics.

"We don't have it nailed down," Richt said. "[After Friday's scrimmage] we hope to have confirmation of what we think. If somebody really plays wildly good or bad, it could deter what we are thinking.

"It's a big day still because it is very close."

The players seem to understand just how big.

"The pressure is turned up on this," Barnes said.

That's because time is of the essence. While the Sept. 2 opener against Western Kentucky doesn't have anyone too worried, the time has come to implement a game plan and let the offense rally behind a leader.

All camp, Tereshinski has been the leader in the huddle. But he hasn't pulled way ahead of his competition. If he doesn't do anything to harm his chances, today could be that day.

"It's big, it's big," Richt said. "But I am not going to base a decision off just this one day."

While a decision about a clear-cut pecking order might be established, just how that plays out has not been decided.

"How do you handle it?" Richt asked. "Do you go [with] one guy and just go? Do you try to play two? Do you try to play three? [Have] we even thought about rolling four? I doubt we would do that."

Richt said the plan is to evaluate things Sunday, then "get it going Monday."

"We will be able to say who is starting, for sure," he said. "And we will be able to say who is likely to get an opportunity besides the starter if that is what we are going to do. I don't know how many games it will go before we really settle in and say, 'This is the guy.' "

All four quarterbacks will get equal number of snaps with the No. 1 offense Friday and, as in last weekend's scrimmage, will be called on to run 10 nearly identical plays.

Bulldogs await first AP ranking Friday

Georgia, which is No. 14 in the USA Today preseason coaches poll, will find out at 6 p.m. Friday where it's ranked in the first Associated Press Top 25. The AP poll no longer counts as part of the BCS standings.

Snapper, holder positions unfilled

Georgia went through a special teams practice Thursday at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs are still looking to solidify their snapper and holder positions. They're set at punter (Gordon Ely-Kelso) and kicker (Brandon Coutu).