College players reaping benefits, putting off NFL
The lures of professional football didn't entice these
players and they're being rewarded with great seasons
BY PAUL NEWBERRY
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATHENS, Ga. — David Pollack
kept going back and forth, trying to
decide whether he wanted to play on
Saturdays or Sundays.
The lure of college life was strong.
So was the idea of playing in the
NFL. Finally, Georgia’s star defensive
end came to a decision that seems a
bit out of place in today’s world.
One more year with the Bulldogs.
Sundays could wait.
“That’s the best decision I ever
made,” Pollack said, without a hint of
regret about returning for his senior
season. “And not just for football. For
my life, too.”
He wasn’t alone. Down at
Auburn, star running backs Carnell
Williams and Ronnie Brown, along
with cornerback Carlos Rogers, all
decided to hang around for their
senior years.
Even Pollack’s best friend, Georgia
quarterback David Greene, had a
chance to enter the draft. He never
seriously considered it.
Now, all five of these seniors —
yep, they still have those in college
football — are at the forefront
for one of the biggest Saturdays of
the season.
The No. 8 Bulldogs (8-1) will try to
bolster their hopes of reaching the
Bowl Championship Series when they
travel to Auburn, where the third
ranked Tigers (9-0) are right in the thick
of the national championship race.
It’s the oldest rivalry in the Deep
South, a worthy platform to show all
those underclassmen that staying in
school can pay off — even when there
are no actual dollars involved.
“It’s not just good for us or Georgia
or our conference,” Auburn coach
Tommy Thberville said. “It’s great for
college football to see guys come
back for their senior year and have
success. I think all these guys will
have improved their stature and ma
tured toward the next level with the
way they’ve played.”
No argument there.
Pollack, who had 14 sacks as a
sophomore, dropped off to 7.5 last
season while facing almost constant
double-teaming.
Still, he was told by NFL scouts
that he would be drafted somewhere
in the first round.
It wasn’t enough to lure him away,
and he’ll certainly go higher than he
would have last April. Despite the
continued double-teams, Pollack al
ready has matched his sack total
from a year ago, setting a school
record with 31 in his career.
Plus, he’s caused tremendous
havoc up front, creating space
for his teammates such as Odell
Thurman and Thomas Davis to
make plays. Not surprisingly,
Georgia ranks among the top 15 na
tionally in both points allowed and
total defense.
Along the way, Pollack has gained
a level of maturity that prepared him
for the real world — a world he was
n’t ready to face a year ago.
“I grew up more in the past year
than at any time in my life,” Pollack
said. “I learned to cook more.
I learned to clean more. I can do my
own clothes. I don’t eat fried
foods anymore. It’s just a matter of
growing up.”
For Auburn’s trio, the decision to
stay also worked out just fine.
Start with Williams and Brown,
who have a job-sharing arrangement
that benefits them both. Cadillac
ranks fourth in the Southeastern Con
ference with 862 yards, including
nine touchdowns.
Brown is averaging 7.3 yards
per carry, has scored seven touch
downs and ranks just behind his
teammate in the SEC’s rushing stats
(689 yards).
Rogers, meanwhile, is a semifinal
ist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the
nation’s top defensive back and one
of the leaders for a unit that has sur
rendered just 9.7 points a game —
second fewest in the nation.
By hanging around, they could be
part of one of the greatest seasons in
school history.
“I feel that was one of the best de
cisions I’ve ever made in my life, to
come back to Auburn University,”
Williams said. “Just to be a part of
what we’re doing and the atmos
phere around here and things like
that, I’m very happy with the deci
sion that I’ve made.”
His happiness doesn’t figure to
wane on draft day.
Williams and Brown were both pro
jected as possible second-round picks
if they had left school early.
With the way they’ve played as sen
iors, there’s a chance they’ll be in line
for the really big first-round money.
It’s the same situation for Rogers,
who likely would have gone some
where between the second and
fourth round this past April.
By coming back for another year
of school, he might crack the first
round, too.
“Looking back on it, I’m glad I did
it,” Brown said. “Some of the things
we’ve done this season, I’m glad I
didn’t miss any of it. I’m looking for
ward to the future, too.”
Ahh, the future. When the seas
on ends, another group of NFL
wannabes — including Georgia’s
Davis and Thurman — will have
to decide: stay in school or go to
the pros?
Even though it worked out for
Pollack, he doesn’t expect his path
to become a trend. Some players
face financial hardships at home,
making it hard for them to turn
down a paycheck.
Bowling Green's Omar Jacobs
surprising leader in pass TDs
The Falcon's signal caller this year leads the MAC
in passer rating and the nation in passing touchdowns
BY JOHN SEEWER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Bowl
ing Green quarterback Omar Jacobs
gets some ribbing from his teammates
when he misses badly on a pass.
Luckily for him, it doesn’t happen
very often.
Jacobs leads the nation with 27
touchdown passes and ranks fourth in
passing efficiency — a stellar debut for
a player with a tough act to follow. The
sophomore took over for Josh Harris,
a three-year starter who ended a
record-breaking career with Bowling
Green in the Motor City Bowl last year.
“I’ll throw a bad ball and it’s like,
‘Josh would have made that throw,”’
Jacobs said. “I just laugh at them and
keep going.”
The Falcons’ offense hasn’t missed
a beat this season, averaging 42
points and 492 yards.
Now Jacobs looks like the next in
a line of stellar quarterbacks from
the Mid-American Conference that
r
includes Harris, NFL starters Byron
Leftwich and Chad Pennington, and
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Ben
Roethlisberger.
Jacobs has completed 70 percent
of his passes and thrown only two in
terceptions for the Falcons (7-2 over
all, 5-1 MAC), going into Saturday’s
matchup with Marshall.
His 170.1 passer rating tops that of
the MAC’S better known quarter
backs, Bruce Gradkowski of Toledo
and Charlie Frye of Akron. Jacobs is
also ahead of big names such as Cali
fornia’s Aaron Rodgers, Oklahoma’s
Jason White and USC’s Matt Leinart.
What impresses his teammates
and coaches most, though, is his
poise and confidence.
“I never really get rattled,” Jacobs
said. “You never see me yelling or
showing a lot of emotion on the field. ”
Bowling Green coach Gregg Bran
don knew Jacobs would be just fine
after the first series of the season
opener at No. 2 Oklahoma.
“I couldn’t even hear anybody in the
headset, and Omar was out there like
it’s just another day,” Brandon said.
Jacobs threw for two touchdowns
in the 40-24 loss. Afterward, Bran
don told his team, “We found our
quarterback. ”
His first touchdown pass came
when he scrambled after his protec
tion broke down and threw over a de
fender to Charles Sharon.
“It was an amazing play that a first
year starter against Oklahoma wasn’t
supposed to make,” wide receiver Cole
Magner said. “From that point on, I
knew we had something special. ”
Scott Mruczkowski, a senior center
and the team’s lead jokester, said Ja
cobs has more poise than anyone
he’s been around.
“He’s such a great student of the
game,” Mruczkowski said. “He knows
where his receivers are going to be in
certain coverages. That’s what sepa
rates him right now from other quarter
backs in the league and in the country. ”
Another key to his breakout season
is the surrounding cast. The senior
dominated offensive line has allowed
just seven sacks all season, and he has
a quintet of experienced receivers.
“I don’t have any kids. A lot
of guys in college have kids,” Pollack
said. “And I was blessed. My parents
aren’t hurting for money. I’m sure if
my parents were in dire need of
money, I probably would have left.”
Davis has a son who turns one
next month and is leaning toward the
NFL, though he will certainly listen
to any advice Pollack has to offer
about staying in school.
“Guys have things in their life
they need to accomplish, they need
to handle,” Davis said. “I’m a differ
ent person. My situation is totally
different.”
In other words, let’s enjoy this
while we can.
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