ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 30, 1995 TAG: 9601020035
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
SOPHOMORE HINES WARD, Georgia's third starting quarterback this season, leads the Bulldogs to a bowl berth amidst a rash of injuries.
Hines Ward is playing quarterback for Georgia this season, but almost everybody wishes he wasn't.
The sophomore from Rex, Ga., was regarded as a talented tailback or a potential All-SEC wide receiver before the season started. That was with Mike Bobo, or at worst, Brian Smith, throwing to him.
But Bobo and Smith, the Bulldogs' top two quarterbacks, both suffered injuries that cut their seasons short. Ward got the job on potential and his own desire.
``We didn't have any choice,'' said Georgia coach Ray Goff, who was removed from his post after his team's injury-plagued season. ``We didn't have anybody else that we felt like had the ability to give us big-play potential.''
The Bulldogs hated the fact that they were down to their No. 3 guy, but Ward wasn't that bad of an option.
Ward's numbers gave Goff the idea he could do the job. Ward is Georgia's leading passer, third-leading receiver and third-leading rusher. The Bulldogs are 3-3 with Ward as the starter.
``I've seen him shake guys out of their clothes, just leave them with their helmet on,'' said Virginia defensive tackle Todd White.
``I think it's remarkable,'' said Virginia coach George Welsh. ``It's hard to believe he could do that, and they have been able to win with him.''
More remarkable is that Ward has played hurt. X-rays on Oct. 31 revealed a broken right thumb. He had a fractured wrist in August, but played anyway. Two helmet hits in the Oct. 28 Florida game aggravated it.
Bulldogs offensive coordinator Wayne McDuffie said the toughest duty for Ward to perform in recent practices was taking snaps from center. As a result, Virginia may see a lot of Ward in the shotgun formation, partly to avoid the rough impact of an exchange from center.
``He thinks he operates better out of that,'' McDuffie said.
Should Ward spend much of the Peach Bowl in the shotgun, Virginia's defense likely will opt for its 3-4, or ``30'' defense. That was the three-lineman scheme that posed so many problems for Florida State quarterback Danny Kanell.
Although it gave the Cavaliers one less man on the line, it may have helped their pass rush.
``Rick Lantz told me if we don't get to the quarterback with four, why not use three?'' Welsh said.
``When I'm in the 30, I tell myself I've got to do something,'' White said. ``The odds against us are five or six against three. When we have four guys, that mentality's not really there."
Ward has been intercepted just three times in 112 attempts, two of those coming in his first three series of a 31-0 loss to Alabama. Ward said he is not thinking about Virginia's streak of 28 games with at least one interception.
The same can't be said for the Cavaliers.
``He's throwing a lot of middle routes,'' said safety Percy Ellsworth. ``Hopefully he'll serve me up one or two.''
Ward hasn't done that when the pressure is on, a trait that has saved the Bulldogs and put them in the Peach Bowl today.
Against Georgia Tech on Thanksgiving, for example, the Forest Park (Ga.) High School alumnus converted in all of his third-down situations in the second half. Georgia scored two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win 18-17 and get the required sixth victory that made it eligible for a bowl.
``I felt kind of tingly inside,'' Ward said, recalling the game at Georgia Tech here in Atlanta. ``I felt like I had to complete every pass.''
Goff said he figures new Georgia coach Jim Donnan will move Ward back to wide receiver next season. Ward says he won't object, but he won't demand it, either.
``It was always my dream to be a quarterback in college,'' Ward said. ``I'm a quarterback right now.''
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Georgia is 3-3 with sophomore Hines Ward as itsby CNBstarting quarterback. Ward took over when injuries ended the seasons
of starters Mike Bobo and
Brian Smith. color.