Georgia’s RB legacy takes another hit with suspension
Carlton Thomas is the latest Georgia running back to find trouble. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
Back on the Left Coast, USC was referred to as “Tailback U” for its rich history of running backs. Among them: Marcus Allen, Mike Garrett, Charles White, Anthony Davis, Ricky Bell, Reggie Bush and a certain alleged double murderer.
Georgia’s history may or may not be equal to that, but with the likes of Herschel Walker, Garrison Hearst, Charley Trippi, Frank Sinkwich, Rodney Hampton, Robert Edwards and Knowshon Moreno, it has an argument.
So what happened?
The Bulldogs just lost their third running back of the offseason. At least for one game. Junior Carlton Thomas, who only last week spoke of taking on a leadership role with the team, has been suspended for one game for unspecified violation of team rules during spring football, according to our Chip Towers. That’s one less body available for the season opener against Boise State.
Thomas’ suspension follows Caleb King being declared academically ineligible (again) and ultimately leaving the program, then declaring himself for the NFL supplemental draft (good luck with that). And King’s exit followed Washaun Ealey being released and transferring to 1-AA Jacksonville State.
Ealey had a series of off-the-field incidents in Athens. So did King (who also was ineligible for last season’s bowl game and was suspended two games earlier in the season). Now, Thomas falls in line. Or maybe that should be out of line.
When and why did the Georgia running back position become such a parade of knuckleheads?
I’ve stated in this space before: How the Bulldogs perform next season will be based largely on the success of the offensive line and freshman back Isaiah Crowell. The Dogs’ best hope is that Crowell is a departure from his recent predecessors.
By Jeff Schultz
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289 comments Add your comment
parade of knuckleheads part du
July 18th, 2011
5:23 pm
man and woman up and use a bathroom not your library carpet.
how f’ng disgusting.
makes one wonder what they do at home. i hate to even think.
Matt Skole
July 18th, 2011
5:23 pm
The situation at UGA is unlike any other in the SEC
Huh? UMM Florida has had waaay more arrests.
And I know for a fact the police look the other way in Tuscaloosa. Ive seen it first hand.
Its a well known fact they just drive em home and drop em off in T-Town.
No matter how you spin it, life as a Football Dawg is not good
Actually its fantastic. We had 90 wins last decade. 2nd most in the SEC (LSU 91).
Winning record against every SEC team not named Florida during the decade.
Sure the last couple of years weren’t very good but the odds of that continuing are extremely small.
Mose than likely UGA goes back to winning 10+ games like they have the overwhelming majority of the time under Richt.
Glory
July 18th, 2011
5:23 pm
If we lose any more tailbacks, I will be very worried. I’m nervous about starting a true freshman. Hell, even Herschel didn’t start his first game. And Crowell aint’ no Herschel.
Who was here 1st?
July 18th, 2011
5:25 pm
My guess is GA fans were discussing topic when a-hole FL fan tossed FIRST stone at a GA fan.
So how does that saying go about tossing stone FL fan?…….Seems like GA fans are retaliating against your moronic insults and you can’t take it.
Larry
July 18th, 2011
5:26 pm
Dawg’88,
A paragraph is a useful tool…try one or two to break up about 20 sentences!
Pete
July 18th, 2011
5:27 pm
——————POLL———————–
Will they make Mark R. resign right after Boise destroys them?
Or, will they wait till they lose the next week and a few other conference games?
Belcher
July 18th, 2011
5:28 pm
Who keeps on recuirting these thUGAs!!!
Yes, the joy of football season!
July 18th, 2011
5:30 pm
I’ll just wait for the games to be played and then see all the non-GA fans wimper back into their closets.
powerhouse?
July 18th, 2011
5:33 pm
Old saying…can’t tell how far a frog can jump by looking at him. Your freshman may be a real “powerhouse” but we probably will not learn that in the dome game. Most teams pass a lot after they get behind.
Bear Here
July 18th, 2011
5:33 pm
All ya’ll can go to hell. Actually not so bad here. Beats being in Alabama.
I miss my mama.
Signed Bear
rumor has it that a lot of
July 18th, 2011
5:35 pm
boise fans will be sporting gt gear……
go boise!
beat da frawgs
what is the over n under for the number of games it takes for the dawgs to start pointing to the gt game as the season saving game? AGAIN!
having the no 2 recruiting program in the entire nation over the last 10 years to have to depend on their rivalry game every year to salvage their season is toooo funny.
Pete
July 18th, 2011
5:35 pm
“I’ll just wait for the games to be played and then see all the non-GA fans wimper back into their closets.”
———————————
I think i’ve heard that the last few years? Oh, no, this year is for real! hehe LOL! yeah right.
Bob
July 18th, 2011
5:37 pm
Good article Jeff! In my opinion, the TB legacy ended with Garrison, all the others were just rent-a-players. And under Richt and Bobo, Herschel would be a first and second down back, maybe getting 10-12 touches a game.
Back to closet Pete
July 18th, 2011
5:37 pm
Village People are waiting for you
Bye bye, Time to make the donuts
July 18th, 2011
5:43 pm
It’s hot as….oh yeah, i’m in he!!
Signed, Bear B.
p.s.
wuv u mama
Top Dawg
July 18th, 2011
5:47 pm
What about Tim Worley?
Poopdawg
July 18th, 2011
6:00 pm
“Georgia’s RB legacy takes another hit with suspension” Schultz with this little masterpiece your legacy keeps on growing. Shave your butt !
Devildog
July 18th, 2011
6:02 pm
Let’s see; OJ Simpson killed his wife. Reggie Bush brought down the USC football program. Mike Garrett was AD when it all came down. Infractions by Georgia RBs are chump change compared to that.
Knucklehead in Buckhead
July 18th, 2011
6:03 pm
What about running back Robert Edwards, moved from defensive back.
Beef
July 18th, 2011
6:03 pm
I’m wondering what Boise fans think about their center being 5′11″ 285 going up against our 2 NT’s who are each about 6′5″ 350. And your guards and tackles weight less than our 2 DE’s by about 10-20 lbs as well.
You’ll see 3-4 sets on most plays, but on short yardage you’ll actually see a 4-3 set with 1300 lbs in our 4 DL’s going up against your 1400 lbs in 5 guys on your OL.
We’re going to have 1-2 extra pass rushers on virtually every down in 3-4 because you need 5v3 on the line. This has to be a legitimate concern of yours. I’m not talking smack, I’m actually asking a reasonable question about what you think, because this isn’t going to be as easy as some think it is for Boise.
Tofu
July 18th, 2011
6:10 pm
That Boise State QB is legit.
Bulldog Joe
July 18th, 2011
6:11 pm
What petty thing did he do this time?
Sneak past the measuring stick to ride the Scream Machine?
Pete
July 18th, 2011
6:15 pm
“I’m wondering what Boise fans think about their center being 5′11″ 285 going up against our 2 NT’s who are each about 6′5″ 350″
———————-
We don’t think much of it. Talent and strength supersede fat, just ask all the other teams Boise has beat with bigger lines than UGA. Another dumb and wishful thought.
You dawg fans are so cute though, really, it’s cute.
Druid City
July 18th, 2011
6:15 pm
I am guessing he crossed the rope into the deep end of the pool during football practice.
Dawg4ever
July 18th, 2011
6:21 pm
Beast from east, have you ever heard of the famous Florida term(Deferred prosecution)? It’s a term the famous BullGator district attorney in Gainesville calls all of his sentencing for Fl. athletes. He reduces the charges as much as he can, and then he gives all of them deferred sentencing until after the upcoming football season is completed. Your program and it’s fans are a joke now, and you always have been.If the D.A. in Gainesville was a fl.state fan, Florida wouldn’t even be able to field a team this fall. For you to come on a rival schools blog and brag about your players and their arrest records truely shows how uneducated you really are. Go to a site where your ignorance doesn’t show, and the only place that would be would be in the state of florida, maybe FL.St or Miami has a blog. but i doubt it, because you wouldn’t be here running your ignorant mouth if they did
Druid City
July 18th, 2011
6:23 pm
Florida gets it as does the rest of the SEC.
You apply the punishment without damaging the team.
Another Moron Dawg Fan
July 18th, 2011
6:25 pm
That’s where you’ve wrong Pete. We like ‘em fat, slow and stupid; helps our fans relate better.
sports
July 18th, 2011
6:36 pm
Oh yeah, big news. Me thinks the warden at Georgia Tech needs to tighten the chains.
TampaDAWG
July 18th, 2011
6:58 pm
Not sure how this impacts UGAs runningback legacy. He isn’t a superstar or a starter. Also, neither King nor Ealy lived up to expectations and were always in trouble. If this did happen to Moreno, or Walker or Edwards, Hearst, Worley, Hampton, etc then I could see a this being an impact for UGAs runningbacks.
TampaDAWG
July 18th, 2011
7:02 pm
Hey Pete do a little research. John Jenkins isn’t fat or slow. Nice try though. You guys have a talented team but last time yall talked trash and came to play UGA you got thumped pretty good. You should probably not talk too much smack.
Beef
July 18th, 2011
7:06 pm
Well Pete, if you think Jon Jenkins is “fat” simply because he’s 350 lbs, then I’m happy because you’re going to be in for a nice surprise. He’s a freak of nature and hella strong. I hope you guys continue to under-estimate the dawgs.
chazzo
July 18th, 2011
7:16 pm
Beef: Amen to that. Most of the UGA fans on here seem fairly cool, calm, and collected about the situation. Everyone else seems to be falling over themselves to make a stink about a 3rd string back having to sit out a game for missing study hall.
For those down in the mouth dawg fans and richt haters: I hope that you have the common decency to admit you were wrong when the Dawgs do better than you claim.
Finally: BSU fans…. you got no balls on the table. You have a good team and could very well win, but you really can’t talk about the state of our program. You played two ranked teams last year, lost to one, and barely beat the other. Everyone else on your schedule is a patsy game for SEC teams. Where’s the beef, BSU? Oh yeah, enjoy the ongoing NCAA investigation. I wonder who you will have sitting out for the first game.
chazzo
July 18th, 2011
7:19 pm
Am I the only guy on the planet that thinks the BSU/UGA game will be a low scoring (relatively speaking), Defensive game settled by special teams and turnovers.
Dogs Smell
July 18th, 2011
7:25 pm
Good Lord typical Homer banter ! Dogs go 6-7 again this season with the normal losses to UF and UT.
Beast from the East
July 18th, 2011
7:32 pm
Dawg4ever,
I’ll post wherever I choose to, mutt. If you don’t like it then don’t get your kid to read it to you. LOL!
Druid City
July 18th, 2011
7:32 pm
The Boise State game will be low scoring for one team. Georgia.
The sad thing is people will come out of this game thinking Boise State is much better than they actually are.
wreckmaniac
July 18th, 2011
7:36 pm
Damage to legacy ? Thats a stretch. Ealey, King and Thomas couldn’t have made most JUCO teams. Richt made bad recruiting decisions by bringing in below average talent and is lucky enough to now get rid of his mistakes. DawgNation has now bet on one man, Crowell , and we’ll see how it works. This is a bet with a very slim chance. Let’s see, a soph GB and a frosh RB. Not a recipe for prime time.
juvenal
July 18th, 2011
8:04 pm
they are kids,stop analyzing everything so harsh(oh, wait, the nzaa, the media have all of thi$ Big Bu$ine$$)…..
NCDawg90
July 18th, 2011
8:27 pm
Who cares? Carlton Thomas is one of a long list of G-Day superstars. Guy never did anything in an actual game. Anyone else notice he’s a midget? I’m sorry, a “little person”.
For those who are excited about Samuel coming back…um, they was a reason he got switched to LB. He sucked as an RB. When he found himself in open space, he’d run right towards the closest tackler. It’s like he was already an LB, running as fast as he could to the nearest opposing player. Watch highlights, I’m serious.
We succeed running when pick a guy and ride him all the way, Knowshon, Musa, etc. CMR tries the Florida State thing too much of running back by committee. Doesn’t work most of the time.
heyberto
July 18th, 2011
8:35 pm
I guess the AJC beat writers had to find a chance to call Georgia players “knuckleheads”.. it not as if these guys caused their team to forfeit a conference championship… but I think its safe to say that Tech fans would gladly trade places with us right about now. 85 emerging from an alley tickets is still favorable over 4 years of probation and forfeiture of a conference title for lying to the NCAA. Stay classy GT. Shultzie, keep sensationalizing in pursuit of that pulitzer. It’s not like the NCAA can nab you for lying.
As Annie Lennox would say... Why?
July 18th, 2011
8:36 pm
The Athens-Clarke County jail has a nice, clean cell waiting for Crowell. No reservations required.
You know a guy is going to be trouble when Mark Richt has the bail bondsman’s number on speed dial.
Really, folks, Crowell won’t last a year before even the very forgiving Mark Richt dismisses him. So why does Richt keep recruiting these pathetic losers?
Same ole same ole
July 18th, 2011
8:41 pm
The biggest change that CMR needs to make is to stop recruiting the low-class illiterates and thugs who he seems to think will win for him and keep his oversized paychecks coming in. People like Marcus Dowtin, A.J. Green, Washaun Ealey, Caleb King, and others too numerous to mention are not team players, they’re “me first” jerks who don’t give a rip about anyone else.
Gator On The Loose
July 18th, 2011
8:56 pm
Come on Shultzie, give us some real news. This is just the run of the mill dawg getting suspended for unspecified violation of team rules. What next, you gonna try to wow us with some DUI arrests, assaults, and red panty raids. This is all common and expected in Athens.
Give us some interesting stuff, like how these mutts with the best recruiting classes over the last ten years muscled thir way to a 6-7 record last year.
Oh you mighty dawgs you!
chazzo
July 18th, 2011
9:15 pm
Geez Annie Lennox. why? Maybe the same reasons every other coach in the nation wanted Crowell and he was rated the #1 RB pick in the nation…. Duh
Mobile Dawg
July 18th, 2011
9:15 pm
I think Bob probably nailed it. Richt and Bobo don’t have the committment to develop a running game. I keep hearing “pound the rock”. When has Richt ever had a pound the rock “rushing” oriented attack?
chazzo
July 18th, 2011
9:25 pm
UGA is an unknown commodity this year…. as is UF…. South Carolina is grossly underrated. AU is also overlooked. LSU…. we’ll see. Bama is going to be great. UT is also an unknown and potentially a big ugly orange surprise. Arky and Missy State, overlooked by everyone. Ole Miss and KY probably not, but any given Saturday. Then there is Vandy. That raps up the SEC report.
I still say the key to Georgia’s better season will be the D. Look for UGA to miraculously rise to the bottom of the top twenty before playing BSU. A lot will depend on the players not letting that hype go to their heads.
It’s a new frickin’ season, folks. Take all those stats and use them for tp.
CHUCK UGA
July 18th, 2011
9:39 pm
Really good kid. Came out to the Countdown to Kickoff event last Saturday and signed a lot of autographs. Probably just missed a meeting. He’ll be fine.
Trojan
July 18th, 2011
9:40 pm
I guess this blog is only for Dawg bashers, written by a dawg basher. Real insightful.
CHUCK UGA
July 18th, 2011
9:43 pm
Mobile Dawg, did you miss the Knowson Moreno years? How about the good ‘ole days of Musa Smith? I think the problem has been Bobo and Richt didn’t have a big enough back to handle the pounding. Ealey and King were not all that big. The guys they have now are pretty big, so perhaps their strategy will change. It better, because Boise will win in a cakewalk if they do not run the ball A LOT. Ball control is the only way to beat Boise, because you can COUNT ON Boise scoring at least four TDs, even if UGA’s defense is vastly improved (which it will be).
jeff d
July 18th, 2011
9:45 pm
Boise,
Thanks for your concerns but choose your words carefully. It’s that same passion of football around these parts that can give way to a swift RETURN to being an SEC contender (which makes you a national title contender). I agree the last couple of years were not flukes and more a product of not developing players and bad trends. But I know the previous 6 (2 SEC titles) weren’t either. Do not be shocked if we are ranked in the top 10 after 2 weeks and things are back to normal.
good luck to you as well.