Dome against North Carolina, which is coming off an 11-win season. It will be Georgias first opener in Atlanta since 2011.KEY GAMES: Tennessee, the choi

Muhammad Wilkerson?says he will be ready for the regular season. Kate Markgraf Jersey .Fresh off signing a new multiyear contract, Wilkerson expressed his confidence on Wednesday that he will be on the field for the New York Jets season opener against Cincinnati on Sept. 11.I will be ready for Week 1, the defensive end said. He is recovering from a broken right leg suffered in last seasons finale and couldnt predict when he would be available in training camp, which begins next week.Rehab is going well, he said. Im running four times a week and just taking it day by day. Im focusing on my leg and rehabbing each and every day. When the coaches feel it is time for me to get out there on the field and I am ready to go, I will be out there.Wilkersons deal is worth more than $85 million, including $37 million in guarantees through the first two years. Through three years of the deal, Wilkerson will be paid $54 million in guaranteed money.Asked whether he was surprised that the last-minute deal came together when there was so much pessimism surrounding his contract situation, Wilkerson preferred to look forward.Im happy to get a deal done and glad this part of the situation is over with, and now I can just focus on football and get ready for the season, he said.I am glad my agent got a deal done for me and ... everybody in my support system. Were ready to get things rolling. I dont have to focus on my contract situation and can concentrate on my rehab.He also believes that the Jets, who finished 10-6 last season, are a playoff team if they build off that performance in their first season with Todd Bowles as coach.?We could be the sky is the limit, we can be as good as we want to be, as long as were all putting in the work day after day and pushing each other to be great, Wilkerson said. We had a good record last year and just have to build on that.Wilkerson, from Linden, New Jersey, gets to stay home to play for at least five more years after compiling 36.5 sacks through his first five NFL seasons. He has 372 total tackles, seven forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 77 games.I definitely wanted to be here, he said. Im from New Jersey ... wanted to raise my children here, and Im really excited to be here. Fake USWNT Jerseys . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. Stitched USWNT Jerseys . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. https://www.cheapuswnt.com/1852w-lynn-wi...jersey-usa.html . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. ATHENS, Ga. -- The championship mandate for new Georgia coach Kirby Smart could not be clearer.Mark Richts firing despite a school-record .740 winning percentage left no question about Georgias goal of glory. Averaging almost 10 wins per season was not sufficient when his era ended with a 10-year title drought.Richt closed his 15-year run trailing only Vince Dooley on the list of most wins at the school. Richt took Georgia to the Southeastern Conference title game in one-third of those 15 seasons, but he won only two -- none since 2005. Richt, now Miamis coach, never claimed a national title.Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity chose Smart, the former Alabama defensive coordinator and former Georgia player and assistant, as the man who can bring the Bulldogs their first national championship since 1980.Smart must pick a quarterback to lead the way.Freshman Jacob Eason, the biggest prize in Smarts first recruiting class, should eventually take over at quarterback. Eason (6-foot-5, 211 pounds) has size, a powerful throwing arm and an impressive list of national high school player or back of the year awards.Eason enrolled early for spring practice but couldnt immediately win the job over returning starter Greyson Lambert, the Virginia transfer, or junior Brice Ramsey. That three-way race continued through the start of preseason practice.Smart has kept a close eye on top tailbacks Nick Chubb and Sony Michel as they recover from left knee and left forearm injuries, respectively. Chubb has practiced with no limitations and could be cleared for the opener against North Carolina.Here are some things to watch:CHUBB WATCH: Chubb had 747 yards rushing with seven TDs when he tore all the ligaments except the ACL in his left knee on the first play of the sixth game againnst Tennessee last season. Madison Haley Jersey. Chubb was the 2014 SEC freshman of the year, when he ran for 1,546 yards and 14 TDs.Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said Chubb looks strong in his comeback.I see Nick Chubb as being the player he has been before and hope he can continue to do so, Chaney said. I mean, hes a downhill running son of a gun, so lets hand him the ball and see what he can get done.SMART ON DEFENSE: Smart is working closely with defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.Its not Mels defense. Its not Kirbys defense, Smart said. Its UGAs defense. ... We wont be taking credit as coordinator. We wont be taking credit as head coach. Nor will we be getting blamed should things not go well one game. But Ill be spending the majority of my time on the defense, because thats where I feel like I can be the biggest asset.SEASON OPENER: There will be a big-game atmosphere when Georgia opens in the Georgia Dome against North Carolina, which is coming off an 11-win season. It will be Georgias first opener in Atlanta since 2011.KEY GAMES: Tennessee, the choice at SEC media days to win the SEC East, visits on Oct. 1. The Bulldogs play at South Carolina the following week and face Florida in another division matchup on Oct. 29 in Jacksonville.Georgia will face Auburn on Nov. 12 in the first of three straight home games to close the regular season, including a visit from Georgia Tech on Nov. 26.PREDICTION: Georgia will fall short of winning the East in Smarts first season, especially with the uncertainty at quarterback, but should finish in the top three of the division at 9-3 overall.---AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '