ATHENS, Ga. -- Jasper Sanks found a new lease on his football life in, of all places, a Wal-Mart.

	Georgia running back Jasper Sanks transformed himself with a summer of dedicated conditioning.

The Georgia running back was in the store midway through last season thumbing through a football magazine when he came upon a reference to himself as "a myth."

Imagine that. Standing there, reading about yourself as if you no longer exist.

The image was troubling. He was just three seasons removed from a storied career at Georgia's Columbus Carver High, during which he rushed for a school record 5,043 yards. Sanks was a high school All-American, a top national prospect. He was a legend.

However, a lost year at a military school and an unproductive first year at Georgia inspired the humbling rewrite of his legacy.

"My friends and peers teased me a lot," he said. "You're going to be another 'could have been."'

One year later, this mythical figure is very real, having rushed for 100 or more yards in three consecutive games. He's the first Georgia back to do that since Garrison Hearst in 1992.

After a career-high 156 yards against LSU last Saturday, Sanks is second in the SEC in yards-per-game average (120.5) and third in total rushing yards (482).

Sanks will be a focal point of 10th-ranked Georgia's game against No. 6 Tennessee at Saturday night in Neyland Stadium.

"It was like a light came on in my head," said Sanks, describing the cumulative effect of the belittlement. "I had to get it together."

To reverse his field, Sanks required a total overhaul.

After failing to qualify academically out of high school, he opted to attend Fork Union Military Academy. That choice turned out to be more expedient than beneficial, as he learned upon arriving at Georgia.

"It's a big step," the 6-foot sophomore said of college. "I didn't know what to expect. The work-ethic part is a lot tougher. It was a shock to me."

Sanks was slowed by injuries during his freshman season. His weight ballooned to 238 pounds, and his production dwindled to a mere 65 yards on 10 carries.

During the summer, Sanks began recouping the lost time. He watched video to become more familiar with the offense. He undertook a serious conditioning program with Joe Tereshinski, Georgia's assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Sanks recites his routine as if he's reading from a diary. Rise at 6:30 a.m. Cycling around Athens for 6-7 miles. In the afternoon, sprint work on the track. Pulling a blocking shed. Running stadium steps. Lifting weights.

There was no summer vacation for Sanks, who shed 20 pounds in the grueling process.

"How hard I worked this summer, I think about that day in and day out," he said.

Georgia coach Jim Donnan has noticed that Sanks' hard work has paid off in peace of mind.

"He doesn't have the weight of the world on him now," Donnan said. "having to prove (himself) to the world."

Sanks now can measure himself in more personal terms. His yardstick of choice is Tennessee running back Jamal Lewis.

They both came out of Georgia high schools the same year. They both were highly recruited. They were lugging the football along parallel routes before taking divergent paths.

Lewis pointed himself toward the NFL while Sanks stumbled off to Wal-Mart.

"I kept up with him," Sanks said. "If there's any player I kept tabs on, it was him."

This preoccupation served as motivation. Sanks offered nothing but praise for Lewis, which was prudent considering his rival's usefulness.

Sanks leads Lewis in a comparison of rushing statistics. The Tennessee tailback has run for 367 yards this season and is averaging 91.8 yards per game.

Sanks is running hard these days. He wants to run faster. Earlier this season against Central Florida, a career-best 54-yard dash ended with him being tackled from behind at the 1-yard line.

It was one of those could-have-been runs. Instead of bursting across the goal line, he was looking over his shoulder for the defender.

"I always look back," he said. "It's something I've done since high school."

He needs to break that habit. He has ample reason to be looking forward these days and getting on with his life.

(Dan Fleser writes for The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee.)