Crowell’s recruitment aside, Washaun Ealey did this to himself (Update III)

Washaun Ealey is in a deep hole with coach Mark Richt.

Washaun Ealey is in a deep hole with coach Mark Richt.

(UPDATED AT 7 p.m. with Mark Richt statement.)

For the past two months at least — or since about the time most believed Georgia would land running back Isaiah Crowell in recruiting — there have been rumors that Washaun Ealey might transfer to Georgia Southern.

But what happened Tuesday when Ealey was suspended indefinitely isn’t about Crowell. It’s about Ealey –and maybe a little about coach Mark Richt.

Ealey has been inconsistent as a player,which is why the Bulldogs so desperately needed to land Crowell on national letter of intent day. But the more significant issues with the sophomore relating to his future in Athens have been off the field. Ealey’s arrest for a hit-and-run incident last summer — after multiple warnings about driving with a suspended license — infuriated Richt.

Rumors have been flying for the past 24 hours that Ealey last week missed a “punishment run,” which are handed out for things like missing tutoring sessions. Rumors morphed into conclusions that Ealey was kicked off the team. If that’s true, nobody is saying it. Georgia’s official response for now is only that Ealey is still on the team.

UPDATE: Here’s a statement from Richt:

“We have certain expectations and standards that apply to all our student-athletes. We expect them to do things the right way, the Georgia way. If Washaun does things the Georgia way, he’ll be back in good standing.”

But Ealey might want to take this as a hint, and transfer. He has two years of eligibility left and he’s in a pretty deep hole with Richt. Working his way out of that now might be impossible and transferring might be his best option. Richt has become increasingly “tough on crime” in the past year, which is a good sign.

Since signing day, we’ve learned to what lengths Richt went to land Crowell. Debbie Crowell, the player’s mother, confirmed to our Steve Hummer that Richt had Georgia players line up in an offensive formation in the new indoor practice facility during Crowell’s official visit. The only vacant position was running back. An excerpt from the story:

The 18-year-old and his family were shown to Richt’s new office, overlooking the recently completed indoor practice facility. As they visited, the Crowells noticed activity down below. Players began filing onto the practice field.

“We got up and looked out,” said Debbie Crowell, Isaiah’s mother. “I didn’t know what was going on, but Isaiah could tell that they were getting into formation. And there wasn’t a tailback.”

The stage was set. Richt escorted the family down to the field. Crowell was handed a Georgia jersey — No. 1 on the back — and a helmet and asked if he wanted to take that empty spot in the backfield. Debbie Crowell remembers Richt painting the scene of next season’s opener against Boise State, asking her son if he could see himself in that jersey and helmet, behind that offensive line, starting his career in the din of the Georgia Dome.

“Yes, sir, I can,” Isaiah said.

“My baby was excited. He was ready to go,” Debbie said.

Assuming Ealey learned of that, he couldn’t feel too great about his future in Athens.

Another running back, Caleb King, has been a disappointment and rumors of his exit also have circulated. The difference is that King has only one season of eligibility remaining and it might not be worth it to transfer.

When Richt recruited Crowell, he told him to imagine himself as Georgia’s starting running back. The coach then went public after his signing, saying Crowell could be “carrying the rock” as the starting back in the opener against Boise State.

But this is not all about Crowell’s potential. It’s about the way Ealey has imploded. There was a time it was his job to lose — and he lost it.

By Jeff Schultz

Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC; friend me at Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC

806 comments Add your comment

Geaux Tigers!

February 8th, 2011
2:05 pm

DAWG2003

February 8th, 2011
2:02 pm
What the upperclassmen should be motivated about is simple…(6-7). They should be motivated by that and have some pride.
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Well put. good post.

The only sane person here

February 8th, 2011
2:05 pm

Hey, here’s an idea. Let’s pay the players. At least they’d have something to play for.

There are only about 6, count ‘em, 6 Div. I schools that actually provide an education for their elite young athletes. A school like Georgia is pretty much a plantation where they chew ‘em up and spit ‘em out.

And all of you yokels hear just love it. If you were in Egypt, you would be one of those fools riding the camels beating the people with sticks.

Pay the players. Let Georgia be the first to do it.

Nick Fairley

February 8th, 2011
2:06 pm

Limos city
February 8th, 2011
1:29 pm
Chizk ( the US Coach of the Year) used a limo service to shuttle kids around at Auburn, last recruiting period for 2010. Others fly to see a kid in a LEER jet. THEY ALL try to impress the kid. That is WHY schools like UGA and Alabama and LSU and Florida and Oklahoma State ( T. Boone Pickens is an alum) with their $$$ glitzy facilities.
This year Chizk is the National Coach of The Year.
Richt is being criticized for lining up his squad to impress Crowley?
Um, ah, I suspect that 95% of you UGA haters here are non college grads and in fact, have no business pulling for any school here, as you are not an alum.
Jealousy, not “morals” or “ethics” is your motivation. Own up to it and say “I simply hate UGA” and we are good with that. Why obuscate the truth behind flowing rhetoric??
Go Dogs.


Ahhhh. What is obuscate? Can’t seem to find that word anywhere in the dictionary. Did you mean obfuscate? Render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible?

And what’s a LEER jet? Never heard of that either. Do you mean Learjet? What kind of Learjet are you talking about? Picking up players? Yes that was allowed but not anymore, coaches now fly to players but not the other way around. Lot’s of the big schools have them, Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, Mississippi St, but not UGA. I believe UGA still uses alumni aircraft for that function.

But if you are trying to say that Auburn is using it’s Cessna Citation Bravo and Citation Ultra to do something against NCAA rules than by all means, source it.

Now I realize this is a ‘dawg’ fan I’m speaking too. So when I say source it, I mean give us an article, link to it, let us read it. We’ll be waiting, or sort of waiting. I’m sure my patience will grow thin waiting. But you know what will never grow thin? Me. Thanks to my games against Oregon for the National Championship, South Carolina for the SEC Championship, Alabama for the Iron Bowl and then my absolute bone crushing beat down of a shrimp QB and his thuga offensive line I am going to the NFL while UGA continues to reach for that rainbow. Keep reaching for that rainbow guys and enjoy watching the teams from Alabama play championship football instead.

Pacific Dawg

February 8th, 2011
2:06 pm

ITS OFFICIAL!!! Vasi “Tombstone” Papulu is a Delta College Mustang. Vasi is going to attend San Joaquin Delta College in northern California in the fall. Hopefully, he will pull up his grades and be ready to play for a 4 year school in the fall of 2012.

DawginLex

February 8th, 2011
2:06 pm

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:04 pm
“Afterall it was Cam Newton who got paid to play ”

Yet there isn’t any proof that anyone got paid

**************************************************************

I didn’t post that einstein.

Maybe you should go back to school and work on your reading comprehension.

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:07 pm

“Richt has become increasingly “tough on crime” in the past year, which is a good sign.”

Yeah, you have to be when 12 of your players go to jail in one season. I guess CMR is now a Sheriff.

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:08 pm

“I didn’t post that einstein.”

Didn’t say you did. You are good at living up to my name for you.

“Maybe you should go back to school and work on your reading comprehension.”

Why, I never said you wrote that above statement, moron.

Geaux Tigers!

February 8th, 2011
2:09 pm

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:04 pm
“Afterall it was Cam Newton who got paid to play ”

Yet there isn’t any proof that anyone got paid

**************************************************************

I didn’t post that einstein.

Maybe you should go back to school and work on your reading comprehension.
_____________________________

I posted that. And the investigation is still on-going. It took the NCAA forever to even act on the Reggie Bush situation and his family was living in a house for like 3 years.

DawginLex

February 8th, 2011
2:10 pm

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:08 pm
“I didn’t post that einstein.”

Didn’t say you did. You are good at living up to my name for you.

“Maybe you should go back to school and work on your reading comprehension.”

Why, I never said you wrote that above statement, moron
*****************************************************************

I have an internet stalker.

Won’t your boyfriend be jealous?????????????????

Pope UGA XXIII

February 8th, 2011
2:10 pm

Believe it’s time for Mr Ealey to move on, but I’m also a fan of
Georgia Southern and would hate to see him cause any problems
there with his poor attitude & inconsistent play.
I don’t particularly care for the columnist here, but this time he
is absolutely dead-on. Waushan has no one to blame but himself.
As we used to say in the frat house, don’t let the doorknob hit
you in the butt on the way out !!

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:10 pm

Geaux Tigers!

There is a reason I picked my blog name. DawginLex is making my point for me.

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:11 pm

“I have an internet stalker.”

Trust me, no one would ever want to stalk anyone as dumb as you.

Geaux Tigers!

February 8th, 2011
2:11 pm

and his thuga offensive line

______________________

hang on, did the Dirtiest player in NCAA call UGA thugs. HAHAHA!!! pot meet kettle

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:12 pm

“hang on, did the Dirtiest player in NCAA call UGA thugs.”

Which one of the 12 jailed players are you referring to?

cursive

February 8th, 2011
2:12 pm

GTFO Ealey. Don’t let the door hit you on the @$$ on your way out of town.

LCDawg

February 8th, 2011
2:12 pm

This goes on all the time in sports…another up and coming player is brought in and the coaches want to see how a player reacts. Bringing in Crowell was supposed to motivate NOT eliminate Ealey but I suspect the coaches thought it might go this way. Hopefully Caleb sticks it out and Malcolme is ready to run too. We need more than one RB in the SEC.

Mike

February 8th, 2011
2:12 pm

Both King and Ealey were highly touted and recruited and have been disapointments – on and off the field. I’m glad we now have some new blood.

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:12 pm

“Later loser.”

You need to just quit while you’re behind, ma’am.

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:13 pm

“Both King and Ealey were highly touted and recruited and have been disapointments – on and off the field.

That sums up UGA football alright. Nothing but disappointment.

Geaux Tigers!

February 8th, 2011
2:15 pm

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:12 pm
“hang on, did the Dirtiest player in NCAA call UGA thugs.”

Which one of the 12 jailed players are you referring to?
________________________________________________

I’m not siding with UGA players here, I just find it funny that a post by someone named Nick Fairley called UGA thugs. That guy was good for a 15 yard penalty every game.

wildbill

February 8th, 2011
2:15 pm

“Actions speak louder than words”.

middleoftheroadandtiredofit

February 8th, 2011
2:17 pm

This is not a child. This is a college student who was given a full scholarship and many other perks. He was also given multiple chances to behave and chose not to do so. Perhaps Richt was too soft on his players but that doesn’t excuse the players. If Ealey and his parents are not up to taking advantage of his situation perhaps Mr. Ealey needs to sit out a semester or two and then go back to college to get a degree. Like lots of other students too immature for college do. Football doesn’t seem to matter too much to him. The “project” player comment is racist. That being said, discipline and rules and having to follow the law like the rest of us isn’t racist. Especially when knowing you have done wrong, you promise not to do it again and then go ahead and do it. And there’s always a better player coming up behind you, whether rec league, high school, college or the NFL. It’s up to you to be as good as you can for as long as you can. Nobody owes you. But how about the players having to pay back their scholarship to the school general fund if they flunk out or get kicked out or quit for criminal activity?

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:18 pm

“That guy was good for a 15 yard penalty every game.”

No he wasn’t. Got the evidence to back that up or is this another “tigerdroppings” type of comment?

“I just find it funny that a post by someone named Nick Fairley called UGA thugs.’

Nick never went to jail. 12 UGA players did. He has every right to call UGA players thugs.

Nick Fairley

February 8th, 2011
2:20 pm

Geaux Tigers!

February 8th, 2011
2:11 pm

and his thuga offensive line

______________________

hang on, did the Dirtiest player in NCAA call UGA thugs. HAHAHA!!! pot meet kettle


You’re upset because I beat down your QB too til he ran out of bounds early on plays just to keep from getting hit.

Ben Jones was suspended for a dirty hit on a MSU player. I was never suspended.

Thank you!

DAWG alum09

February 8th, 2011
2:20 pm

go cheer for ole miss dawginlexis

Coaching Values

February 8th, 2011
2:20 pm

It can not be said any better than Big Mamas Crew. cheers!!!!!!

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:21 pm

“You’re upset because I beat down your QB”

You mean BOTH of their qbs.

Dawg Dog

February 8th, 2011
2:21 pm

Dawg alum09,

Quit calling people redneck pieces of trash. You people?

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:21 pm

“go cheer for ole miss dawginlexis”

Why would I do that when my team just won the national title? Besides, UGA is the Ole Miss of the SEC Least. LOL

Bug Zapper

February 8th, 2011
2:21 pm

Ealey has been called out in practice and games by his own players more than once for lack of effort…….Now, as far as I know, he’s being called out by CJT for lack of effort in the weight room as well….I, for one, say that if you’re not willing to put your all into it then lets weed some of the bad seeds out and get some people in who are willing to give it their all….I think UGA took a step forward w/ this last class…..character guys……We finally have a nutrition program in place too….No more cheeseburgers for these guys now…..They show up at the cafeteria 3 times a day and eat correctly now!

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:22 pm

Arkansas and UGA were the most penalized teams in 2010.

Geaux Tigers!

February 8th, 2011
2:22 pm

“That guy was good for a 15 yard penalty every game.”

No he wasn’t. Got the evidence to back that up or is this another “tigerdroppings” type of comment?

“I just find it funny that a post by someone named Nick Fairley called UGA thugs.’

Nick never went to jail. 12 UGA players did. He has every right to call UGA players thugs.
____________________________________________

I watched 4 Auburn games this year (LSU, UGA, Bama, and NCG) in all he had at least one 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on him.

I will give it to you though that no he was never arrested nor (from my knowledge) even in any kind of situation off the field.

Left the Barn door open

February 8th, 2011
2:23 pm

Unreal one player missing a punishment run awakens all the UGA haters….hey is Auburn on probation yet….has Newsweek or Time done any follow up articles on Bama over signing an greyshirting players…had Bobby Petrino sucked out loud in the last few hours…has UT been selling hostesses this week? Is there any player at Ohio State without his complete tattoo allotment?

Jacket1985

February 8th, 2011
2:24 pm

For Dawg’s sake ya’ll had better hope that Crowell turns out. If Ealey goes and King goes then you are desperately thin at running back. And no one has even talked about injuries. 12 games is a long season to carry the ball 20 times and not get nicked up. All I’m saying is you’re gonna be thin.

Personally, I think you’re trading one thug for another but that’s just my opinion. Is there anything other than that at Carver-Columbus?

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:24 pm

“I watched 4 Auburn games this year (LSU, UGA, Bama, and NCG) in all he had at least one 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on him. ”

Backtrack much? You stated that he was penalized in EVERY game.

“I will give it to you though that no he was never arrested nor (from my knowledge) even in any kind of situation off the field.”

Nope, he’s a professional.

Geaux Tigers!

February 8th, 2011
2:25 pm

You’re upset because I beat down your QB too til he ran out of bounds early on plays just to keep from getting hit.

_____________________

i’m upset the LSU line couldn’t block your butt. Fairley could have been called for 3 or 4 roughing penalties in the LSU game. Oh well, Cam and Nick were the only reasons LSU lost that game. We’ll get ya next year.

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:25 pm

“hey is Auburn on probation yet’

Nope, and they won’t be. If you’re looking for probation, go to Tuscaloser.

Left the Barn door open

February 8th, 2011
2:25 pm

DawginLexisDumb how many of your recruits sobered up today and left for Bama?

Kevin

February 8th, 2011
2:26 pm

First of all. Grow the F*@K up Ealey! This is what you do during recruiting. You try and get the recruit to visualize playing for your team. If he thinks he should be the starter and not Crowell, then get out there, keep your head down, go to work and STFU!

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:26 pm

“Oh well, Cam and Nick were the only reasons LSU lost that game. ‘

You must have missed this guy. Oh wait, LSU did miss this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waHv2vzd7a0

Geaux Tigers!

February 8th, 2011
2:27 pm

“I watched 4 Auburn games this year (LSU, UGA, Bama, and NCG) in all he had at least one 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on him. ”

Backtrack much? You stated that he was penalized in EVERY game.
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I gave you evidence that in 100% of the games I watched Fairley was called for a penalty. I don’t have time to seach NCAA records for every penalty called in every game. If you do have the time, please do the research. I’d be interested to see.

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:27 pm

“DawginLexisDumb how many of your recruits sobered up today and left for Bama?”

Who cares?

Geaux Tigers!

February 8th, 2011
2:28 pm

“Oh well, Cam and Nick were the only reasons LSU lost that game. ‘

You must have missed this guy. Oh wait, LSU did miss this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waHv2vzd7a0
_______________________________________________

I don’t even need to open up the link to know what you are talking about. Sure it was a great run, but without the presence of Cam, that run never happens.

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:30 pm

Geaux Tigers! wrote:

“That guy was good for a 15 yard penalty every game.”

THEN he wrote:

“I gave you evidence that in 100% of the games I watched Fairley was called for a penalty.”

Like I said, backtrack much?

“I don’t have time to seach NCAA records for every penalty called in every game. ”

Then don’t make claims like this: That guy was good for a 15 yard penalty every game.

“If you do have the time, please do the research. I’d be interested to see.”

Since I didn’t make the claim, I won’t. Nice try though.

Shut up

February 8th, 2011
2:30 pm

if it infuriated him, he would have been kicked off the team you doofus

DawginLexisDumb

February 8th, 2011
2:30 pm

“I don’t even need to open up the link to know what you are talking about. Sure it was a great run, but without the presence of Cam, that run never happens.”

Excuses, excuses, excuses. Cam handed him the ball. ANY QB could do that.

DawginLexisDumbtakesitUptheA$$

February 8th, 2011
2:32 pm

Old School

February 8th, 2011
2:32 pm

yeah … i guess you are right. tough way to get an education (if they’re even interested in that).

DAWG alum09

February 8th, 2011
2:32 pm

Dawg dog

Why? redneck too harsh? Fits too well? If people call a player a “thug” for missing a run or getting a DUI or underage possession they’re certainly not open and educated. WE know what they really want to call him. It’s a disgrace to my school that these people can pledge some sort of fake allegiance while spewing out that garbage. All alums hate ignorant tshirt fans

what if your son or daughter misses a meeting or makes a mistake? Wonder how ya would react to a bunch of losers calling him/her a thug

DawginLexisDumbtakesitUptheA$$

February 8th, 2011
2:33 pm

over and over