College football

Lumpkin's return adds depth to Bulldog tailbacks

ATHENS, Ga. - Kregg Lumpkin was Georgia's No. 1 tailback when he suffered a knee injury on the first day of practice in 2004.

Now, after missing the 2004 season and working his way back up the depth chart this year, Lumpkin feels like a No. 1 back again.

Entering the season, the Bulldogs' depth at tailback was thought to be perhaps the team's greatest strength with Thomas Brown, Danny Ware and Lumpkin.

There was an expectation that the three backs, with star tight end Leonard Pope, would lead the offense while new starting quarterback D.J. Shockley established the passing game with new receivers.

Instead, Shockley played like an all-star from the first game, when he passed for five touchdowns and also led the team with 85 yards rushing and another score against Boise State.

The result has been strong balance in the offense for No. 8 Georgia, which plays West Virginia in the Jan. 2 Sugar Bowl in Atlanta.

"We're probably the only team in the country to have four different guys lead the team in rushing," said backs coach Kirby Smart.

Shockley and each of the three tailbacks rushed for more than 250 yards. Georgia ranks third in the Southeastern Conference in total yards, rushing and passing.

"We're just proud of the fact that everybody is contributing," said Georgia coach Mark Richt. "You want to spread it around enough so the other coach can't just hone in on one part of your game."

Ware is second on the team with 486 yards rushing, followed by Lumpkin's 268 yards, including 112 yards in the last two regular season games.

"I didn't get impatient," Lumpkin said. "I just told myself to stay focused, stay patient and wait your turn. And when you do get out there, make the most of your opportunities."

OU HIRES HEUPEL: Former quarterback Josh Heupel is returning to Oklahoma - to coach the Sooners' quarterbacks. The quarterback who led OU to the 2000 national championship was hired Thursday to replace Chuck Long, who left to become head coach at San Diego State.

LEINART HONORED: USC quarterback Matt Leinart, who returned for senior season to try to lead the top-ranked Trojans to a third straight national championship, is the Sporting News' sportsman of the year.

MAGNOLIA CLASSIC: Steven Jyles passed for 80 yards and a touchdown and ran for 31 yards to lead the White to a 19-7 victory over the Red in the All-Star game held in Jackson, Miss. The White team, which consisted of Division I-A seniors whose teams either didn't qualify for or already played in bowl games, needed a late defensive stop to defeat their Red counterparts from Division I-AA, II and III and other schools.

DANIELS SHOOTS FOR BOWL TRIFECTA: When it comes to bowl games, Georgia Tech's P.J. Daniels is the man opposing teams must watch. In the Yellow Jackets' last two bowl games, Daniels has rushed for 426 yards with six touchdowns, and Tech won by a combined score of 103-24.

Tech hopes Daniels, a senior, can provide one more Bowl boost when the No. 24 Yellow Jackets play Utah in the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco on Thursday.

TELEVISION DEALS: Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Hawaii on Thursday announced a new deal with ESPN Regional Television to remain the title sponsor of the Hawaii Bowl through 2009. The agreement includes the addition of a team from the Pac-10 to play a Western Athletic Conference team next year and in 2008. A Conference-USA team will face a WAC team in 2007 and '08.

[Last modified December 25, 2005, 00:48:03]