The 4.5 refers to the time it takes a player to run 40 yards. Some teams don't have any 4.5 players, but Garner has several, including defensive back Chris Culliver, who has been timed in 4.28 seconds.

But the unglamorous heroes for the 11-1 Trojans are its 4.0 guys.

Starting with senior tight end Trey Grissom on one side and extending to injured tight end John Peterson at the other end, every player in the starting offensive line has a grade-point average of 4.0 or higher based on a 4.0 scale with extra credit for advanced courses.

"It is the smartest offensive line I've ever heard of anyone having," said Smith, a former offensive lineman at East Carolina.

The linemen aren't imposing physically, averaging 6 feet 1 and 224 pounds, but from tight end to tight end, the players and GPAs are Grissom (4.5), junior tackle Jack Thompson (4.8), junior guard Austin Gulley (4.0); junior center Zachary Kelly (5.0), senior guard Kevin Light (4.5), senior tackle Colby Holloway (4.1) and junior Peterson (4.1).

Garner has 2,069 students. Twenty-one seniors and 23 juniors are in the International Baccalaureate program. Four of the 44 are starting offensive linemen.

The International Baccalaureate program is academically demanding, and students at Garner must have at least a 3.5 to participate in the program.

Students must not only do their usual assignments -- many at a college level -- but also must do a project, write several major papers, have community service projects and take an International Baccalaureate exam in each course.

"The children in the program have learned to focus and use time wisely," said Cheryl Biconish, the I.B. coordinator.

"But the program really brings out the need to manage time. There is really no comparison in the amount of work it takes to get an 'A' in these courses compared to an 'A' in regular courses."

Grissom, who is joined in the program by Light, Thompson and Kelly, said it is hard to make the commitment to football and the I.B. Program.

"I thought about dropping out of the program, but I didn't want to quit something I had started," Grissom said. "But there have been plenty of times when I was stressed out and figured I couldn't handle all this."

Grissom and his friends up front have handled most of the challenges that have been presented on the field this season. The Trojans play Fayetteville Britt on Friday night in the second round of the playoffs.

Grissom doesn't think it is a coincidence that the team has been successful and the offensive line has excelled in the classroom.

"In our offense, the line has to recognize the defense and react quickly," Grissom said. "You can't play at full speed if you aren't sure what you are supposed to do.

"The other thing is that our guys can really stay focused. If you can focus in the classroom, you can focus on the field."

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