ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Tennessee bid a fond farewell to Georgia quarterback David Greene on Saturday. They also got a glimpse of his successor.

D.J. Shockley only played two series in the Bulldogs' 19-14 loss to the Vols, but that was enough to indicate the Bulldogs might not be suffering for a quarterback after losing Greene.

Shockley completed four of six passes for 46 yards, ran once for 13 yards and completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Fred Gibson for the Bulldogs' first touchdown.

It's not surprising what Shockley did. It is surprising that he's still doing it at Georgia.

The former consensus high school All-American is in his fourth year at Georgia and has never started a -game. Instead, he has served as a backup to fourth-year starter Greene.

Shockley's decision to stay at Georgia is the road less traveled. It's more common for a highly touted quarterback to transfer than sit on the bench for several years.

Yet Shockley seems content with his decision.

"I'm happy (at Georgia)," he said last week. "I'm playing — maybe not as much as I want — but I'm on a winning team. It's great being around these guys.

"Sometimes when you transfer, you can't be sure what you're going to get when you go there.

"I didn't know if I went somewhere else if I would start. It might look good but it could change when you go there."

Shockley signed with Georgia a year after Greene enrolled and was redshirted when Greene started as a redshirt freshman in 2001. So if Shockley had transferred to a Division I-A school after his first year, he wouldn't have played football for two years.

Location also was a factor in Shockley's decision to stay at Georgia. He played high school football in the Atlanta area.

"Being here in Georgia, I'm still around my family," Shockley said. "People will come around and console you when you're down.

"When you have people who can come around and see you, rather than call you on the phone, it's a lot better."

Coach Mark Richt's commitment to Shockley has contributed to his contentment.

Even as a redshirt freshman, Shockley managed meaningful series in the biggest of games. For his career, he has completed 51 of 95 passes for 672 yards and has run 59 times for 280 yards.

Georgia's success also has made it easier for Shockley. The Bulldogs won two division championships and an SEC title the first two years he played.

Next season, Shockley likely will step into a good situation as Greene's replacement.

There are no seniors in Georgia's offense line — although junior guard Max Jean-Gilles likely will go pro early — and freshman running backs Danny Ware and Thomas Brown both have shown promise. Moreover, Georgia's defense should return seven starters even if safety Thomas Davis and linebacker Odell Thurman turn pro after their junior seasons.

It couldn't have worked out better for the Bulldogs, who redshirted Greene as a freshman. If Greene had played as a freshman and demonstrated his potential, Shockley probably would have gone elsewhere.

"If (the competition) is a year in front of you, it's kind of hard," Shockley said. "With them playing and getting experience, it would be harder (for a quarterback coming in a year later).

"Even if I had wanted to go to that school, I probably wouldn't have."

When Shockley signed with the Bulldogs, no one realized how good Greene was.

He was an all-state player in Georgia but not an All-American. Yet he will end his career as one of the few four-year starting quarterbacks in SEC history.

And then, finally, Shockley will get his chance.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adams@knews.com.