For better or worse, Shockley to lead Georgia

"I ask him all the time, 'Are you ready to lead us?' " Anderson said Thursday.

"And he says, 'Are you ready to be led?' "

For better or worse, the Bulldogs are Shockley's team to lead in 2005.

After three years of waiting in David Greene's considerable shadow, the senior quarterback finally gets his chance to take the reins.

"A couple of years ago,'' said Anderson, "he had a chance to transfer but he stayed and he never complained. The only thing he did was work even harder.

"I'm glad he's in a position now where he has a chance to shock the world.''

If Georgia somehow finishes atop the SEC East this year it would shock the world. The Bulldogs are 34-6 over the past three years under coach Mark Richt, but this year's theme is replacing a bunch of departed studs.

Greene only passed for more yards than any quarterback in SEC history. He only threw more touchdown passes than any quarterback in Georgia history. He only quarterbacked more victories than any player in NCAA history.

David Pollack was only a three-time All-America defensive end who won four different national defensive player of the year awards in 2004.

Greene and Pollack, in short, would join Heisman Trophy winners Herschel Walker and Frank Sinkwich on Georgia football's Mount Rushmore.

They are the headline absentees in 2005 but the Bulldogs also lost four more of their top playmakers: linebacker Odell Thurman; safety Thomas Davis; receivers Fred Gibson and Reggie Brown.

Furthermore, acclaimed defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder left.

Richt conceded at SEC football media days Thursday that the potential repercussions of Georgia's lost manpower are worrisome. But he's quick to emphasize what the Bulldogs have coming back.

At the top of the list is Shockley, whom Richt calls "probably the most respected guy we have on the team.''

Shockley has never started a game but he's played in 26 and not just mop-up time. Richt was insistent on getting his No. 2 quarterback meaningful work.

The bad news is that over the past two years Shockley has completed only 43 percent of his pass attempts. The good news is that he's mobile and, unlike Greene, will make defenses respect his ability to scramble.

"He knows he can play the game,'' Richt said. "He doesn't know if he will play the game like he wants to play. You just don't ever know that.

"But we're very confident that once he settles down into his normal game, I think we're all going to be very pleased.''

As for replacing Pollack, the Bulldogs are talking up Quentin Moses and returning starter Will Thompson.

Tony Taylor, a starter in 2003 coming back from a knee injury, replaces Thurman at middle linebacker.

"He's like a mastermind of defense,'' Anderson said of Taylor.

Free safety Greg Blue is an All-SEC candidate but the Bulldogs will surely miss the hard-hitting Davis at strong safety.

Still, Richt is optimistic someone will rise to the occasion. Pollack, he points out, was a back-up nose tackle before he moved to end and exploded into a monster. Davis, likewise, was once a lightweight linebacker moved to safety out of desperation. Now he's an NFL first-round draft choice.

"Hopefully,'' Richt said, "we've got some guys now waiting in the wings to take up the slack.''