Fortunes of Georgia, Richt can turn on recruiting Crowell
Carver-Columbus High's Isaiah Crowell can be a difference-maker at Georgia. (Jason Getz/AJC)
Those of you who’ve read me around college football recruiting time are familiar with my feelings about it. I’ve mostly mocked it — not because I think it’s not important but because the importance is so often overstated
We’ve seen enough in college football to know that it’s less important how highly a player — or entire recruiting class — is ranked by DraftSuperGeek.com than it is what happens to that player when he arrives on campus. Most significant is whether players are coached up, down or not at all.
How many top 10 recruiting classes you think TCU has pulled in the last 100 years? I’ll speculate: zero.
OK, that said, the fortunes of Georgia next season — and, it follows, coach Mark Richt — could swing on the potential recruitment of one player. I know. I’m contradicting myself. But by all accounts, running back Isaiah Crowell of Carver High School in Columbus, Ga., is that special of a player and, most importantly, he plays the right position.
The Dogs need to improve in a lot of areas but mostly they need a running back they can count on from week to week, on and off the field (read: not Caleb King).
What did Marcus Lattimore do for South Carolina this season? What did a guy named Herschel Walker do for Georgia?
Nobody can guarantee Crowell will be in that category as a freshman, but most seem to believe he’s a game-changer. Richt’s issue is he may not have the luxury of time so he needs an immediate-impact player in 2011. Crowell would pair nicely with quarterback Aaron Murray. The expected loss of A.J. Green will hurt the offense but Murray is good enough — his Liberty Bowl performance notwithstanding — that the Dogs should still have a solid passing attack.
Our recruiting monster, Chip Towers, is down in Florida at the high school All-American game at Disney’s Wide World of Sports. Here’s a link to his latest blog about recruits saying they’re not spooked by Georgia’s 6-7 record this year. Here’s an excerpt, which quotes Crowell:
The general consensus among some of the state’s highest-profile college football prospects is that Georgia’s 6-7 record this past season is not necessarily a deal-killer with regard to their recruitment. Most notably, that is the opinion of Carver-Columbus running back Isaiah Crowell. He is generally considered Georgia’s highest-ranked recruit and is, quite clearly, the Bulldogs’ No. 1 target from the Class of 2011.
“Really, I don’t how they’re going to be when I get there,” Crowell said, speaking metaphorically of the possibility of enrolling at UGA before next season. “I try not to think about it like that. One year South Carolina’s down, then Marcus Lattimore went there and the program’s up. So you never know how it will be when you get there. And I feel like I’ll be a difference maker wherever I go.”
Hey, he stole the Lattimore example from me.
For what it’s worth, Georgia’s in a recruiting battle with Alabama and Auburn for Crowell.
So what do you think? Can one player like Crowell make that big of a difference?
This might help you make your decision. It’s a near four-minute highlight video of Crowell from Scout.com, via YouTube. (Sorry, no audio. But you can provide your own screaming.)
♦
Earlier post: Our first coach rankings (and a poll about Richt, Hewitt)
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601 comments Add your comment
5150 P.O.A.D
January 3rd, 2011
11:13 pm
D A double
.BUYING INTO IT? That sounds a lot loke AUBURN. AHAHHAHA
JSS
January 3rd, 2011
11:14 pm
“Now as to the Grambling uniforms they were ugly as breaking wind in church”
No, the uniforms weren’t ugly. The team masquerading in them perpetrating as a classy and legendary entity as that LA HBCU with some “REAL” swagger; oh that was ugly!
Paul in RDU
January 3rd, 2011
11:14 pm
LADAwg – Crowell doesn’t remind me of HW – reminds me more of a former OKState RB who had a pretty good career with the Detroit Lions.
Talking to ALL Recruits
January 3rd, 2011
11:14 pm
Seriously,
Do any of you really believe any or all of these guys are going to sign with UGA?
Unless we pull and Auburn and pay these guys most of them will end up across the border to the south and the border to the west.
RTiderR
January 3rd, 2011
11:14 pm
Bama got the better athlete and running back yesterday- Dee Hart from Florida. Crowell is the next big name running back from the state of GA to never do anything great in college (Ealey, King, etc.). Unfortunately, getting Crowell can’t make the lines at UGA more physical because that’s what is missing at UGA. Physicalness and a tough attitude are what’s missing, not a running back no matter how good he is.
D A Double U G
January 3rd, 2011
11:15 pm
you’re right POAD,
Every Doctor, Lawyer, Teacher, Business Exec, Governor, etc. etc. etc. that came out of UGA is a COMPLETE FAILURE.
The world knows the ONLY successful people are socially awkward Engineers.
Vance Duly
January 3rd, 2011
11:17 pm
Jeff, your comments toward Caleb King were insensitive and uncalled for —- to ask a TB to attend his classes!!?!?! Maybe Caleb will forgive you…. I’m surprised that none of your genius critics have raked you over the coals for that one.
Crowell has shown signs of being another Entitleist (like a few current Bulldogs) who might end up riding his scooter up and down the Lumpkin Street sidewalk. Hopefully, he will mature just a wee bit.
Without an offensive line that can push defenses around, he might only be marginally better than Ealey or King Caleb. With Coach Bobo calling the plays, Crowell will be doing a lot of running up the middle on 2nd & 10 following each incomplete 1st down pass. Also, he will be forced to share time with the other TBs no matter how much he might be dominating a game…. With a creative offensive mind calling the plays, he might have a shot IF the line can block…….big IF. With Bobo, he will likely be respectable, but not a star………
Talking to ALL Recruits
January 3rd, 2011
11:19 pm
When was the last verbal committment for UGA?
Most programs have 20 or so commits and have had one or two trickle in the last month or so.
These kids know where they are going and they are just eating up the attention they are getting.
You know the old saying about Bear Bryant , ” he can take his and beat yours , then he could take yours and beat his”. Well folks reverse that with Mark Richt: He can his and lose to yours and take yours and lose to his.
5150 P.O.A.D
January 3rd, 2011
11:19 pm
SANDMAN
The SEE least is doinf the same thing, but ACC players are smarter and better prepaRED FOR LIFE.
dO you DAWGS really thing HARBAUZGH will even look at UGA as a J.O.B opening?.
DADDIE canz we moob to Athens? I wants to understand howz the jail system works. HAHAHAH
DADDY UGA now has Engininaneer Dgrees. Thez muss bez Edugmacated ow.
Uughh...
January 3rd, 2011
11:21 pm
D A Double U G…I hope they are buying inot it—but I am just tired of gimmicks man. How come the coaches at all other SEC schools beat us without gimmicks? Are we so desperate?
What do you think happens next year? SC will be better, UT will be better, Florida will be way better–I’ll bet Charlie Weis has already drawn up our 12 offensive plays for their new DC and they came up with the game plan for the game in Jacksonville in a 10 minute phone call.
Not confident at all about next year.
D A Double U G
January 3rd, 2011
11:21 pm
Goodnight people,
Enjoyed listening to some of your hatred and envy of the UGA program.
Also enjoyed watching the ACC CHOKE in a BCS bowl….. again.
My final advice on this thread…… do NOT let Jeff Schultz talk recruiting.
5150 P.O.A.D
January 3rd, 2011
11:21 pm
D A double
Barnes, Perdue are all about the people right? HAHAHAHA Those mutts did more to hurtthe state of Georgia that they did to raise the UGA banner of respect.
5150 P.O.A.D
January 3rd, 2011
11:23 pm
DA double
can you name 1 Medical Doctor that graduated from UGA? Not a VET a Human doctor.
Paul in RDU
January 3rd, 2011
11:24 pm
D A Double U G – I am enjoying watching Stanford beat VT, but not half as much as I enjoyed watching UGA show no effort, fire or guts against a C-USA team
Talking to ALL Recruits
January 3rd, 2011
11:25 pm
It doesn’t matter what players you recruit and sign if the players currently on your team have not bought into the system. And from anyone with 2 working eyes can see as clear as HD is UGA and Mark Richt have players who have NOT bought into the program while at least at GT Paul Johnson has forced his players to buy into it and I am a Dawg and can see that.
5150 P.O.A.D
January 3rd, 2011
11:25 pm
DA ddd UG
Va TECH scored more TDs than UGA against better competition. What is UGAs excuse?
D A Double U G
January 3rd, 2011
11:26 pm
Nobody expected Auburn to be good this year……
1 player changed ALL of that. Same with South Carolina.
As many haters as there are in the South, none can convince me that UGA or any SEC program who hits a hiccup will never be able to turn it around.
It was only 2 years ago that Auburn did not reach a bowl game, and their fans showed up at the airport to boo and heckle Gene Chizik upon arrival.
Remember this…… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7TxIMAwc1k
Oh, how quick the tables can turn…. Even if they did pay for Cam Newton, he was still a game changer. UGA or any team could easily land one at ANY time.
GO DAWGS!!!
Goodnight.
fayncdawg
January 3rd, 2011
11:27 pm
Jeff
How is this “dream team” any different from past so-called great recruiting classes (ie Stafford’s and AJ’s recruiting classes, both of which were top-5 if not THE top)? And like the two aforementioned recruiting classes, this “dream team” lacks a stout DT/NT with great strenghth and footwork. Darn, when I think about, the Dawgs haven’t sucessfully recruited an adequate DT/NT since Jonathan Sullivan! Or is it more like the Dawgs haven’t “coached-up” a DT/NT who has had a very successful college career since Sullivan?
Talking to ALL Recruits
January 3rd, 2011
11:28 pm
I am sick of the excuses, I am sick of the arrest, I am sick of the play calling, I am sick of the same type offense year after year and I am sick of the current regime.
Good Nite all, it seems like Stanford is winning and another ACC team(conference champion) is going down.
Jeff Schultz
January 3rd, 2011
11:28 pm
D A Double U G — Like I said, you’re entitled to believe what you want to believe, no matter how incorrect you are. Whatever keeps you warm at night.
tj
January 3rd, 2011
11:28 pm
Media people trashing Richt is Wrong and destructive to the program. Wow! How would you feel if all these negative comments were written about your job!!!!!!!
5150 P.O.A.D
January 3rd, 2011
11:28 pm
DA d
Whatever helps you sleep at night and wake-up to Richt and Bobo running your program.
Jeff Schultz
January 3rd, 2011
11:29 pm
Not Jeff Schultz — You sound pretty reasonable, especially considering you’re not me.
Are you kidding me? And I am a UGA grad.
January 3rd, 2011
11:30 pm
I watched Isaiah’s “highlights” on youtube. What a joke. He is not that fast and he does not break tackles. Remember, he only had 50 yards against Calhoun in the state semi-finals (a loss for his team, he cried). Only fifty yards against a AA team that did not win the state championship. BTW, AA football stinks, he is playing against schools with almost no talent. He talked trash about whipping Buford in the state championship game, but his team didn’t make it and Buford won the state championship. If you can’t run against a AA team, you are not going to do it in the SEC. He is overhyped and a “thug” to boot. No he will not save CMR’s job.
Who is so dumb as to think a bunch of freshman can do anything. Marcus Lattimore had a great season for USC with 17 touchdowns, and USC had only a good year. BTW, Michael Dyer was the number one rated running back last year out of high school, Lattimore was number two. Dyer had a good season, but only 5 touchdowns. Storm Johnson, the number three rated running back after Lattimore, had 119 yards rushing and one touchdown for Miami this season.
Washaun Ealey, Richard Samual, Caleb King, Ken Malcome, and Carlton Thomas were all top 10 running back prospects out of high school and all at UGA now. Knowshon Moreno was a number 15 prospect. Go figure.
Talking to ALL Recruits
January 3rd, 2011
11:30 pm
One more thing,. you can say what you want about Jim Donnan, but he recruited studs on both lines of scrimmage and took kids who wanted to work and get bigger, stronger and faster. UGA and its players look almost exactly like they did as freshmen when they leave the program.
Jeff Schultz
January 3rd, 2011
11:31 pm
Vance Duly — Hah, yeah. Thanks for the laugh. Don’t know what got into me. Caleb . . . what a waste.
Falcon1364
January 3rd, 2011
11:31 pm
I’ll just settle for some of the linemen that opened those huge holes for him !
Jeff Schultz
January 3rd, 2011
11:32 pm
D A Double U G — No wait . . . come back! . . . I forgive you . . .!!!
Paul in RDU
January 3rd, 2011
11:33 pm
tj – CMR gets paid $3MM a year to be HC and the face of the UGA program. I think he knows that the editorials in the newspaper, both good and bad, go with the territory.
Paul in RDU
January 3rd, 2011
11:36 pm
Andrew Luck and Jim Harbaugh are putting on one heck of an audition for the Carolina Panthers.
Talking to ALL Recruits
January 3rd, 2011
11:36 pm
tj,
Do you read any other newsprint, blogs, or articles in other college towns? Apparently not, if you would stop blaming writers for doing their jobs like Jeff, Mark and Ken you may get it. Their job is to attract readers, which sells advertisement. No one says you have to read it, but they are doing their jobs. Read the Gainesville Sun, Dooley’s articles hammered Meyer and Florida all year, read the Memphis Commercial Appeal and you will see some harsh articles about three schools in their area.
Read the al.com writers and they beat the heck out of Auburn and Alabama daily.
I know you do not need my support Jeff, but good job, and I am sure your editor or editors are happy with your work. Provoking thought and opinion? Yes you do.
Chris
January 3rd, 2011
11:36 pm
Even if we get Crowel, you all know what will happen. Richt will say that his blocking isn’t as good as Ealey and King’s, and he just doesn’t have the experience yet.
The same B.S. happened with Moreno, and our best back sat on the bench for a whole year while several average to below average backs ran the ball pretty pathetically for Georgia.
He will be wasted his freshman year because Richt has never had the ability to judge talent and play his best players. On the bright side though, if we do get Crowel, he will be great once we fire Richt and get a coach that knows how to utilize his talents. Maybe he can atleast have three good years at Georgia.
Kevin
January 3rd, 2011
11:40 pm
Jeff, you my friend[sic] are pathetic excuse of a journalistic representation of our great state. You are literally acting like a 5 year old on your own blog. You blog for the AJC because you were not fratty enough in college to get a bid anywhere and thus, became a loser G.D.I. columnist. Get a life you loser.
Kevin
January 3rd, 2011
11:41 pm
And Paul, notice how nobody cares what-so-ever about anything you say. Funny that nobody listens to a word of the “doctor’s” opinions…
auburn secret cash handler
January 3rd, 2011
11:44 pm
DON’T WORRY, I’LL GET HIM TO AUBURN
Talking to ALL Recruits
January 3rd, 2011
11:46 pm
Kevin…you have a hard time with the truth don’t ya? It sounds like you are the one who needs to grow up.
Kevin
January 3rd, 2011
11:48 pm
Nooo…. no it just sounds like you need to get laid
Kovyoverrated
January 3rd, 2011
11:51 pm
Billyboy, Put the pipe down!
Unless Crowel is a gymnast, he will not be on a National Champioship team at UGA!
Talking to ALL Recruits
January 3rd, 2011
11:52 pm
I am happily married and so is my bride. When any writer writes anything negative or controversial about the dawgs some of you folks are too ignorant to read the article for what it is.
Grow up !
Reader of Morons and quite a few idiots
January 3rd, 2011
11:52 pm
I can just see it now; Richt signs Crowell and UGA wins the toss in Jax and drives 78 yards to the Gator 2 yard line and it is 4th and 2 inches and Richt says, Crowell might not make it; kick the field goal.
daddydog
January 3rd, 2011
11:53 pm
UGA’s fortunes won’t turn just because of Cowell. Will turn because of Crowell, Jenkins,Bray,Drew,Swann,Dickson, and others.
Kevin
January 3rd, 2011
11:57 pm
Well I’m sure you’re brides a great guy. Did your honeymoon consist of a trip to Carver to watch Isaiah Crowell play as well as dinner with the 17-year-old who you idolize as well?
ABQdawg
January 4th, 2011
12:02 am
It’s time for Kirby Smart to the reins.
Winston Wolfe
January 4th, 2011
12:03 am
Can someone please explain to me why in the hell Bryan McClendon, a former UGA receiver, is the godam running backs coach? I thought he might be an asst to an asst or something, but he’s right there on the Org chart. Does this make any sense?
Hunker Down
January 4th, 2011
12:04 am
Think he would be an immediate impact player for the Dawgs.
Les Miles
January 4th, 2011
12:05 am
this is what I know about Crowell – he couldn’t get to 100 yard in 20+ carries against Calhoun High in the playoffs. Calhoun is good, but they ain’t SEC good…ya’ll can have him. You got a roster full of Crowell’s right now (Ealey, King, Thomas, etc…)
Mike Smith
January 4th, 2011
12:09 am
One recruit can turn things around that quickly, but the Dawgs O Line will have to man up as well. They played poorly against every ranked opponent on UGAs schedule except Auburn. UCF, Arkansas, Miss St. and South Carolina all dominated UGAs offensive line.
Hawk n the Ham
January 4th, 2011
12:09 am
Schultz, I don’t know if a high school player can turn a program around….but I bet JIM HARBAUGH can.
TybeeDawg
January 4th, 2011
12:11 am
Shults did you just write another article? Another article you wrote that I didn’t read! Trash-boy.
Junkyard Dawg
January 4th, 2011
12:16 am
Stanford just kicked Beamer Ball’s @ss. If UGA was smart they would make Harbaugh the highest paid coach in the country.