D. J. Shockley
Donald Eugene "D.J." Shockley is the starting quarterback for the University of Georgia football team. He is known for his remarkable knowledge of the game and his blinding speed while running the ball. He is listed at 6'1, 205 lbs., and he wears the number 3. The 2005 season is D.J.'s senior season.
High School and Early College Career
Born (March 23, 1983) and raised in the Atlanta, Georgia area, Shockley played high school football at North Clayton High. His father, Don Shockley, was his team's head coach. As a senior, he threw for 1,861 yards and 11 touchdowns, as well as rushing for 864 yards and eight more TDs. He was a highly recruited QB earning various national acolades: 2000 USA Today All-USA Second Team, 2000 Parade Magazine All-America Team, SUPERPREP Elite 50, All-America, and ranked as the top QB in the country, The AtlantaJournal-Constitution Super Southern 100, Top 50 in Georgia, Marvelous Metro Eleven and Class AAAAA All-State Quarterback, 2000 Georgia Sports Writers Association Class AAAAA All-State Quarterback.
UGA's new incoming coach in 2001, Mark Richt, made Shockley a priority recruit, and he is generally regarded as Richt's first official recruit at Georgia. Richt ultimately chose redshirt freshman David Greene to be the starting quarterback for the Bulldogs in 2001, while Shockley was redshirted. Greene went on to set the NCAA record for wins as a starting quarterback in a career. But over the course of those 4 years, Shockley did see some playing time in a modified dual-quarterback system.
In 2002, playing in parts of 10 games, Shockley completed 32 of 52 passes (61.5%) for 615 yards with 5 TDs and 2 interceptions. He rushed for 111 yards and 2 more TDs. He also threw a 37-yard TD pass in the Nokia Sugar Bowl win over Florida State as the Bulldogs wrapped up their first SEC Championship season in 20 years. In 2003, Shockley injured his knee midway through the season and finished with 9 completions on 21 passes for 88 yards with 1 TD and 1 interception. He added another 101 yards and a touchdown on the ground. In 2004, he completed 26-of-57 (45.6%) passes for 464 yards with 4 TDs and 1 interception. He also gained 113 yards rushing.
On the academic side, Shockley earned an SEC Academic Honor Roll award in 2004 as a Speech Communications major.
The 2005 Season
Shockley has been excellent as the full-time starting QB, and his team is currently 7-1. Following the Bulldogs opening win against #18 Boise State, Shockley was named Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week for his 374-yard, 6 touchdown effort (289 yds, 5 TDs passing; 85 yds, 1 td rushing). He was also named Sporting News Player of the Week and SEC Player of the Week, and nominated for USATODAY.com Player of the Week after the Boise State game. He is one of 11 Division I-A football players named to AFCA's National Good Works Team, which recognizes "players who have devoted themselves to exemplary community service." He has also been chosen as a semi-finalist for the 2005 Draddy Trophy. [1]
So far in 2005, through 8 games, Shockley has played in 7 games, completing 57.9% of his passes for 1,538 yards and 12 TDs with 4 INTs. He has also gained 215 yards on the ground in 46 attempts with 3 rushing touchdowns.
In Georgia's 7th game of the season, Shockley had to leave early in the 2nd quarter with a strained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. [2] Because of his injury, he had to sit out of Georgia's 8th game of the season against one of the school's most hated rivals, the University of Florida Gators, in the game commonly known as The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. With Shockley out, Georgia's offense struggled, and the team lost the game, 14-10.
Shockley is expected to return for Georgia's 9th game of the season, against the Auburn University Tigers on Nov. 12th, 2005.
Shockley smells bad