Atlanta ? This time a year ago, Branden Ore was spending his time in much the same way as he has this week: preparing for a bowl game with his Virginia Tech teammates. Most everything else has changed for the sophomore running back, so much so that he declines to even contemplate the past, when he became a no-show in class most days.

“If he hadn’t of changed off the field, I don’t know that he would have been around for this year,” running backs coach Billy Hite said. “He accepted the challenge and I can honestly say he’s been as good on the field as he has been off the field. I think it’s just absolutely wonderful that a guy can change. He’s been a model citizen. I think he realized, it’s just as easy to do it the right way as going the other route. He’s really matured and grown up here the last year.”

Ore got a job loading crates into trucks at a warehouse in Chesapeake, Va., his home town. It showed him a life he wanted to – and could – avoid.

Once spring practice started, Ore called Hite and told him how much he missed his teammates and playing football. During another call, he told Hite working at the warehouse was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

When May arrived and Ore needed to start taking classes for summer school, he called Hite on the Sunday before classes started and told him his class schedule was unsettled. Hite suggested they meet in his office Monday at 8 a.m. to arrange a proper course load.

Hite walked into his office at 7:45 a.m. and noticed his door was ajar. He was confused until he peered into the room. Ore, once notorious for coming late or not at all, had shown up early. It continued throughout the season, and Ore discovered how much easier taking care of work off the field made his life on the field.

“Last year, I’m not going to classes, not doing my work,” Ore said. “Coming into classes, I’m worried about what punishment I’ve got this time, or something like that. Now, it’s just taking care of my stuff, so I don’t have to worry about being punished. It’s just kind of a pressure off of me. It feels good.”