Did you ever see this coming for mega-prospect Isaiah Crowell?
Loading ...Once upon a time, Isaiah Crowell — an AJC Super 11 selection who is considered by some to be the nation’s No. 1 college football prospect at tailback — had planned to announce his highly-anticipated college decision after Carver-Columbus won Friday’s state championship at the Georgia Dome.
At the time, some may have interpreted Crowell’s confidence in his team as, well, overconfidence. Don’t count me among them. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with thinking your high school football team will win it all. Actually, there may be something wrong if you don’t think your team will have a chance at winning it all.
Most players — whether they say it publicly or keep it to themselves privately — feel that way about their team anyways. Crowell’s comments of confidence are very well known … not for cockiness, as much as reporters constantly prodding him about when he wished to reveal his college choice — Alabama or Georgia, among others. Everybody wants to know the future college for the “next Marcus Lattimore,” who has proven yet again that one great player can change a program’s fortunes instantly.
Back to Crowell: We know the rest of the story. There won’t be any Friday announcement at the Georgia Dome because No. 1 Carver suffered a stunning 27-14 upset to Calhoun in last weekend’s Class AA semifinals. However, Crowell had already told Scout’s Chad Simmons a few days before last week’s game that he was delaying his decision until signing day.
Isaiah Crowell had an unexpected ending to his senior year (AJC photo)
How did Crowell do in the game? He rushed for 94 yards on 20 carries. Calhoun coach Hal Lamb told the Chattanooga Times: “We did an unbelievable job on him. We kept hitting him and hitting him. That was our goal and he got frustrated. Our kids never quit and I truly believe in our football team. A lot of people didn’t expect us to win tonight. I’m so proud of our football team. We as a football team believed we could win.”
Crowell was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for taunting the Calhoun crowd following a 50-yard TD run that was called back due to a penalty. He was also observed yelling and complaining on the field and on the sideline throughout the game, according to the AJC’s Chip Towers. “Calhoun did a great job on defense and tackled really well Friday night. They didn’t allow any of the explosive runs he is accustomed to,” Carver coach Dell McGee told the AJC on Monday. “Isaiah’s a very competitive person and he wears his emotions on the outside sometimes. He’s got to mature in that regard because it’s definitely going to get tougher on the next level.”
Now it’s YOUR turn: What are your thoughts on Crowell? And what do you think about the Carver loss? I have to admit I never saw that coming. I thought Carver, with its boatload of blue-chip prospects, might be the state’s best overall team (or most talented), regardless of classification.
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125 comments Add your comment
Jeff in Calhoun
December 7th, 2010
10:36 pm
Tomdawg, I bet the Brookwood fans would have alot to say about Buford. I would like hear what their opinions are? LOL
ATL
December 7th, 2010
11:34 pm
attitude problem, sounds like a perfect fit for a future arrest at UGA.
Pacuvio
December 8th, 2010
2:05 am
Sounds like this young man may have personal issues and could be a discipline problem. He’d be perfect for Georgia!
THE TRUTH IS THIS
December 8th, 2010
3:36 am
How in the world is his behavior a suprise?
You give Lebron, at age 19, millions of dollars and a sense of entitlement and look what that created. A media frenzy everytime he acts like a little kid. He just loves the attention. Maybe if Lebron put as much energy into winning a championship as he does parading himself around the media, he would have a fews rings by now. Jordan won because he was a student of the game and ignored all the media attention. He just played the game.
You only see this kind of behavior in basketball and football. Rarely on the baseball field.
The game has changed folks. 18 yr old kids are being given names like the “chosen one” and a 5 star player etc. All that does is create overconfidence and selfishnish. Most players named the “best” or “number 1 prospect” at his age act accordingly. Sadly enough, this is what the media has done to young athletes and the sports they play. Not every superstar displays this behavior, but the ones with all the accolades and no results almost always show their butts when things don’t go their way. Terrell Owens is a prime example.
No suprise at all. Give someone an inch and they take a mile. How can anyone expect an 18 yr old kid to have a clue of the way he should conduct himself on a state or national level. They think they are on top of the world and it’s because the media feeds them all kinds of fantastical bullsh#@ about how GREAT they are. In their minds they become invincible and will do what they please. Coaches that do not discipline these GREAT players obviously don’t have any other super stars to rely on. I mean what would you to? Sit your best player? No. Don’t even act like you would. Especially in the semi-finals.
A suprise? What a joke! For all the UGA doubters: your not a fan if you jump ship after a couple of rough seasons. Shame on you. Your not welcome here.
LaGrange2008
December 8th, 2010
8:42 am
At Layinlow, My neighbor’s house is 90 feet behind mine, however, there is a fence in between our yards. If I was to drive to their house, using the street, I drive a about a mile because of the way the road is set up. Now, even though you are way off with your 75 feet measurement, this team still had to walk down to the end zone, then behind the bleachers. After that they had to leave out of the gate then walk across the street and then behind some buildings.
A football field is 100 yards. They had to walk 50 yards just to get to the back of the bleachers. Now, I’m not going to pull out a measuring tape, however, it was way more than 75 yards. Another poster said the locker room is 200 yards away. However, it doesn’t matter how close some is if you have to walk 3 to 4 football field lengths to get there.
here we go again
December 8th, 2010
8:48 am
It’s the time of year when grown men salivate over the decisions of teenagers, thinking that their program will be brought to the promised land if said teenager graces your university’s football field with his presence. Remember two things: freshmen rarely ever make huge impacts, and then usually only at wr or occasionally rb IF the coach doesn’t redshirt them because they don’t block well (Knowshon), and for every Lattimore or AJ there are dozens of Jasper Sanks’ or TJ Gartrells’. Good kids, highly recruited, didn’t help much, if at all. Besides, if our line blocks next year the way it has the last two years Herschel himself, in his prime, wouldn’t help much.
dtanner
December 8th, 2010
8:53 am
little black a** punk is what he is
Long Gator
December 8th, 2010
9:32 am
Sounds like a great fit for the Dawgs.
He will need no training in Athens.
coach
December 8th, 2010
9:39 am
jim brown, walter payton, emmitt smith, barry sanders and herschal walker didn’t act like the kids do today. they ran over, around and through people, handed the ball to an official and went back to the huddle. when they lost or were not successful, they didn’t throw fits, blame others, hold press conferences, etc.
THE MEDIA IS OUT OF CONTROL. THE EXPOSURE AND PRESSURE ON KIDS AND COACHES IS OUT OF CONTROL. BIZZARO WORLD. WHAT SHOULD BE UP IS DOWN AND WHAT SHOULD BE DOWN IS UP. PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES……
LaGrange2008
December 8th, 2010
10:00 am
Why is everyone all of a sudden turing on this kid. I was at the game and his behavior was not as bad as the posters on here are making it. I would have been upset too if I was flagged for pumping my fist.
@dtanner, what qualifies you to call someone the name that you used. Bottom line is he is a kid. I am willing to bet that your favorite pro athlete has had a moment where he or she has been penalized.
LaGrange2008
December 8th, 2010
10:07 am
@ Coach, IMO, those players could have acted the same way as the players today. The difference is, we now have more media and technology exposure. For example, there were several people around me, including myself, who were updating people all across the state as to what was going on with our different smart phones. Even the AJC has link where we can Twitter about different games. The point I am trying to make is things are reported more in todays day and age. An older gentleman who I worked with made a comment. He stated, “Our generation wants to act like we were perfect when we were kids.” I hear people say time and time, “we didn’t act like that when we were their age.” Bottom line is, we did act those ways. We were sore losers just like many are today. Now as an adult I try to teach younger people to behave appropriately, but I am not going to act like I was a Saint because I know I wasn’t.
Chad
December 8th, 2010
10:19 am
UGA needs a bigger more powerful back who can break some tackles. They have plenty of smaller backs. Unless Crowell can run like a big back(i.e Moreno) then they don’t need another small running back. I don’t know, maybe Malcome will be that guy next season. Ealey and King are listed at 210, but they do not run like they are 210 lbs, more like they’re 175 lbs.
hcfollower
December 8th, 2010
11:18 am
Never known a fair game to be played anywhere around Atlanta an if it was as an unsportsmanlike. Penalty the td shoulda counted typical ref play in the northern areas
LaGrange2008
December 8th, 2010
1:03 pm
@hcfollwer, the TD was called back for holding.
John In Jacksonville
December 8th, 2010
2:38 pm
We’re talking about a high school boy displaying emotions during the game. He’s not a 32-year-old lawyer in a courtroom, he’s a kid pumped up high on athletic competition. He’ll deveop more self control over time and become a bland drone like the rest of us, I just wish that Georgia Tech was on his list. He’d have a fighting chance to grow up and come out with a usable degree, not get used up by the UGA football machine; an NFL career is promised to noone, and I’d hate to see him return home to work on a loading dock with back troubles, likely no degree, and no great prospects for the future.
bodog
December 8th, 2010
3:49 pm
FOR DR P………I feel sorry for you. You are disgracing our Lord and Savior. You should apologize to God for saying what you said on your post. You DO NOT HAVE TO ANSWER TO ME; However you will answer to God for the comments you made. That , My Friend is Flat out Wrong, and has no pkace on any blog , any where , any time…..regardless.
GT VET
December 8th, 2010
10:51 pm
Someone says Look at BUfords box scores?Their well rounded on both sides of the ball?OK so whats your point? you dont think Calhoun is?Calhoun Defense gives up 10.1pts a game..Buford Defense gives up 10.1 pts a game…Calhoun avg score 41pts a game..Buford 38.4pts a game…next???
Jefferson
December 9th, 2010
8:38 pm
Am I’m hearing right that Buford has “recruited” Crowell to cheer them on from their sidelines and would buy his ticket for him……..
risiningseniors.com
December 10th, 2010
8:24 am
Visit http://www.risingseniors.com to learn about the AT&T Georgia Junior Bowl for high school juniors on Jan. 8th, 2011.
BAMA MAN
December 10th, 2010
9:00 am
I traveled all the way from Birmingham to watch this game and this kid is average at best and if he’s the best in the nation…… we’re hurting. Coach Saban will not tolerate his attitude. He plays in one of Georgia’s weakest classifications and against weak teams he did good, against a above avg team not so good. Alabama has a better runningback in waiting because we stack em deep but you could play on our practice team and win a championship. ROLL TIDE
E brown
December 10th, 2010
11:10 am
I am a columbus resident and have been an Isaiah fan since seeing him run against northside warner robins his sophmore year. He is a great running back and likes to compete. He is 18 years old so confidence should be expected. As far as carver goes they to me could compete with any team in the state that runs the ball heavy. For teams that spread it out they will always struggle with.
E brown
December 10th, 2010
11:22 am
@bamaman and everybody else that is hating he is better than every other back in the nation and no mater what confrenece you are in if you are a top 5 back in the nation and play in 9 games and rush for 1700 yards he is doing something right. and I would like for you to show me a 18 year old kid that doesn’t show emotion during the game. and if he comes to bama he will be the second best back on the team next year better than grant, tinker, lacy and any other back on the roster!!
LDAWG
December 10th, 2010
12:56 pm
He will probably go to UGA..they tend to get guys who can’t hold their emotions in check and end up getting arrested!!
E brown
December 10th, 2010
4:02 pm
what is it with emotions? are you not supposed to show them and where in the rule book is it listed?
Tom
December 12th, 2010
1:00 pm
All the talent in the world is worthless when combined with a bad attitude. I feel sorry for Isaiah, and I wouldn’t want him on my team. Most coaches don’t have time to be a coach and a therapist at the same time.