UGA seniors preparing for life after college football

When the final second ticks from the clock at Shreveport's Independence Stadium on Monday, a host of Georgia Bulldogs seniors will move on to the next phase - the post-college football chapter - of their lives.

Twelve seniors received their diplomas in mid-December and there's a good chance several of the departing Bulldogs will have the opportunity to go on to professional football careers, where some three dozen former Georgia players now make their living.

But there are no guarantees in life, so a number of the players interviewed recently indicated they've got some back-burner career ideas in case a pro football job doesn't materialize.

For defensive tackle Jeff Owens, college football will continue for a little while as he plans a visit to the Sugar Bowl and an appearance in the 2010 Senior Bowl, set for Jan. 30 in Mobile, Ala. After that, he'll begin preparing for various NFL auditions, including Georgia's own Pro Day in mid-March.

"Actually, I'll start training for the Senior Bowl, but I got invited to the Sugar Bowl as part of the All-State Good Works Team," said Owens, who earned a degree in early childhood development. "I'm not sure where I'll be training, but it won't be too far, hopefully Atlanta. I'll be working out with some guys, probably at (Wellness Performance Institute in Gwinnett County) to get ready for the Senior Bowl and the combine."

Receiver Michael Moore is confident about his professional football prospects, but he's made plenty of connections in Athens and near his home in South Florida, just in case.

"I obviously didn't have the production I wanted my senior season, but I still feel that when I'm on the field, nobody can guard me," said Moore, who had 23 catches for 215 yards and five touchdowns this season and earned a degree in housing. "I'm confident in my abilities and in my mind, there's about 30 receivers that will be picked in the draft and there aren't 30 that are better than me. If I keep that mentality and attitude, and keep working at it, I can get where I want to go."

Since he's not yet finished with classes to earn his degree in housing, linebacker Darius Dewberry will transition from student-athlete to student for another semester or two, although he's also got NFL dreams.

"I'm going to try for the NFL," said Dewberry, who started six games this season and recorded 22 tackles. "I've got another semester here, and I'm going to stay in and get as close as I can for my degree. I'll probably stay here and train for the combine and focus on school."

A native of Peach County, Dewberry is coming to grips with the fact that his college football career is ending.

"It hasn't hit me yet, but as it gets closer, that's when it will hit me," he said. "The day of the game or the day after the game, it will hit me th

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