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'Dogs' fate lies with bookends

Sporting News, The, August 17, 1998 by Mark Schlabach

Remember when Georgia was known as "Tailback U.?" Herschel Walker, Rodney Hampton and Garrison Hearst all took their turns at one of the most ennobled positions in college football.

Now, as Bulldogs coach Jim Donnan begins his third season at Georgia, the offense might resemble Student Body Left--as in, what's left?

Gone are quarterback Mike Bobo, the Southeastern Conference's top-rated passer in 1997, explosive tailback Robert Edwards and versatile wide receiver Hines Ward, who nearly etched his way into the record books by becoming the first player in NCAA history to record 1,000 career yards each in rushing, passing and receiving.

Those three helped spur Georgia to one of the nation's biggest turnarounds in 1997--a 10-2 record, a No. 10 ranking and a victory over Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl.

"There's been a lot of focus on the class that we lost," Bulldogs offensive tackle Matt Stinchcomb says. "You can see why. It (had) the key offensive components. But despite outside perceptions, we've got guys who've got plenty of ability and talent. It's not like the well is dry."

Donnan will reconstruct his offense around two bookend tackles: Stinchcomb and fellow senior Chris Terry, perhaps the SEC's most underrated player.

"I'd say there might be a better tackle in the country, but I don't believe there's two better tackles on one team," Donnan says.

Stinchcomb (6-6, 291), an All-American candidate from Lilburn, Ga., was rated the third-best tackle eligible for next spring's NFL draft by National Football Scouting, Inc., one of two services used by pro clubs. Wisconsin's Aaron Gibson, rated the second-best senior available for the draft, and Florida's Zach Piller were the only tackles rated ahead of Stinchcomb.

"Stinchcomb epitomizes the student-athlete more than anyone in the country," Donnan says. "You're talking about a lineman who has played guard and center, and one that was both an AU-American by the coaches and an Academic All-American."

Though Gibson and Piller are both recognized for their overpowering strength, Stinchcomb, who has a 3.94 GPA in business, says he uses polished technique and intelligence to dominate opponents.

"I'd say my upper-body strength is subpar," Stinchcomb says. "I'm not going to annihilate a guy off the line and drive him 10 yards back. But I've got long arms, so that helps."

Stinchcomb also could be helped this season by his younger brother, freshman Jon, a Parade All-American tackle at Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview High last season. After nearly recovering from a knee injury, Jon Stinchcomb is expected to play both guard and tackle as a true freshman.

While Matt Stinchcomb is attempting to become Georgia's first consensus All-American since Hearst in '92, some 'Dogs' insiders believe Terry could move past him in the draft with a solid senior season.

"He's pretty underrated," Stinchcomb says, "especially if you take into account that he's only been doing this for a year."

For two years at Georgia, Terry, a 6-5, 285-pounder from Jacksonville, was a little-used defensive end who some insiders believed didn't have a tough-enough mentality for defense. He was often the odd man out in a Bulldogs defensive front that included current NFL players Jason Ferguson, Jermaine Smith and Phillip Daniels.

"I had played behind some pretty good players on defense," Terry says. "I thought my time was going to come there. But when coach Donnan came to Georgia, he told me he thought I could be a better offensive tackle because of my height and size. Obviously, he was fight."

Behind Stinchcomb and Terry, Georgia rushed for almost 170 yards per game in '97, second-best in the SEC and the program's highest average in five years.

"With those two tackles, we really feel like we'll be able to run the football," Donnan says. "And with an inexperienced quarterback, that's going to be a must."