The other quarterback from Florida who also wins a lot

GREENSBORO, N.C. — He played high school football against Tim Tebow. They have met.

His grandfather and the Tebow family belong to the same Jacksonville, Fla.-area golf club.

In fact, he strongly considered attending one of Florida's archrival schools where he might have gone opposite Tebow four times.

But had Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner enrolled at Georgia, it would have been strictly as a student with no intention of playing college football. Facing Tebow would have been from the stands; Skinner grew up a Bulldogs fan, a fixture at the annual Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville before almost not receiving a football scholarship.

"I tried to do all I could do to sell

myself," Skinner said Sunday at the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Kickoff. "But apparently it wasn't enough. Georgia was my backup plan if something didn't happen by Signing Day, but I wouldn't have walked on there. If nobody else wanted me, I didn't think (head coach) Mark Richt would, either."

Skinner's mom and sister went to Georgia. He picked Wake Forest and Jim Grobe's upstart project over Hawaii and Miami of Ohio.

A redshirt year and three solid seasons later, the skinny kid on the recruiting beach is now The Skinner Kid who personifies the over-achieving Deacons and, in a larger sense, the ACC's quietly productive place in the Southeastern Conference shadow.

Overlooked again

Unlike Tebow, Skinner is an unlikely star.

Buried on the depth chart early, the 6-1, 210-pound senior does not run well, isn't left-handed and doesn't have to negotiate hordes of autograph seekers in hotel lobbies.

He does, however, win quite a bit. Skinner already has the Wake Forest record for most victories by a starting quarterback — 26 and counting. He has helped Wake Forest to three bowl appearances over the last three seasons. The Deacons had been to only six bowl games before 2006.

"Underrated?" Skinner said Sunday, repeating a question. "I feel we're always underrated."

Again this year.

Virtually no one thinks Wake Forest can win the Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division, mostly because linebacker Aaron Curry (Seattle Seahawks first-round pick) and cornerback Alphonso Smith (Denver Broncos second-round pick) were rare talents.

"We lost some key players and I think a lot of people feel our defense is going to be struggling," Skinner said. "Our offense wasn't as explosive last year, either, and maybe people see that as a slippery slope.

"But we're perfectly fine with that. It's no big deal."

Not until the first snap, anyway.

Senior Deacons

Skinner is one of eight redshirt seniors in the starting lineup on offense with most of the experience along the ACC's most battle-tested line.

The once uncertain freshman now is asked to tweak Grobe's game plans. He voluntarily sits in on meetings involving offensive coordinator Steed Lobotzke and quarterbacks coach Tom Elrod.

Teammates love the guy.

"Riley is so good with kids and with fans," said Deacons defensive tackle John Russell, a high school teammate of Skinner's. "He does so much in the community people don't even know about."

Tebow-like, almost.

"I see (Tebow) playing golf every summer," Skinner said. "We say 'Hey' to each other and talk to each other. We went to some awards banquets in high school together. Our families know each other. He's a class act and a great quarterback."

Skinner is a class act and a good quarterback who, like Wake Forest, is underrated once again.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com or 937-5593.