Crowell, others suspended — Dogs don’t need this now (UPDATED)
This already is the second time Isaiah Crowell has run into trouble. (Jason Getz/AJC)
(Updated with confirmation of failed drug tests)
Timing is everything.
A few days following Georgia’s biggest win of the season over its greatest tormentors (Florida), the Bulldogs suspended three tailbacks, including Isaiah Crowell, for the next game. But because Saturday’s opponent is New Mexico State, half the team could be suspended, and it wouldn’t make a difference in the result. It just means that with the team now down four running backs, quarterback Aaron Murray’s favorite call in the huddle will sound something like this: “Everybody go out!”
But, yes — timing is everything, and for Georgia this stinks.
The Dogs have won six straight. They’ve started to distance themselves from a 0-2 start. But now the news is not about the team being on a roll and possibly running the table for the next four weeks and winning the SEC Eastern Division. Rather, it’s about three players veering off course again, which threatens to derail some of the momentum the team has built in the past few weeks.
Coach Mark Richt has suspended Crowell (who also was benched for the first quarter of the Vanderbilt game for unspecified reasons), Carlton Thomas (who also was suspended for the season opener) and Ken Malcome.
All three players failed drug tests that were administered last week before the Florida game, two sources told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. And so we have confirmation that, yes, these are college kids who sometimes do really dumb things.
Richt did not mention anything about the suspensions or drug tests at his weekly news conference Tuesday but released a statement later, saying only: “We have certain standards in all that we do, and their actions do not reflect the Georgia way. They will serve their suspensions, learn a lesson and I’m sure be better men for it.”
Now, there’s a lot of speculation out there about what happened and when it happened. The Twitterverse has gone nuclear with suggestions that Richt and school officials knew something was amiss last week but sat on it, so as to defer punishment until the New Mexico State game (which obviously isn’t as important as the Florida game).
Honestly, there are a lot of coaches in Division I college football where I would believe such a conspiracy theory to be true. But Richt isn’t one of them.
Athletic director Greg McGarity told our Chip Towers, “This has nothing to do with anything that [happened before] the Florida game. Absolutely not. … Certain things are found, and we act right then.”
Just when the Dogs finally got going, they stepped in it again. We’ll find out in the coming weeks how much this impacts the team, and it starts with Crowell. He is the biggest concern. He was benched for the first quarter of the Vanderbilt game (Richt never stated why). So this is at least two strikes for the team’s freshman starting running back. There is no need to amplify how important he is to the team. No. 2 running back Richard Samuel already is out for the remainder of the regular season after ankle surgery, so that’s four running backs off the depth chart.
Crowell clearly still has maturity issues. That’s not uncommon for a freshman. But it can’t comfort Richt going down the stretch of the season.
Running back hasn’t been the most stable of positions in Athens. Less you need reminding, the depth chart last season included Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, both potential returnees this year. But they suffered through suspensions and eligibility issues. Ealey transferred to Jacksonville State. King was declared academically ineligible for this fall and went to the NFL (he went undrafted before signing with Minnesota’s practice squad).
The assumption at this point is that Crowell, Thomas and Malcome all will be back in time for the Auburn game in two weeks. But nothing can be certain — nothing except that at a time when the Dogs are finally winning, the last thing they needed was for a few players to start acting like knuckleheads.
And that would certainly seem to be the case here.
By Jeff Schultz
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751 comments Add your comment
OAKS
November 1st, 2011
7:20 pm
I wouldn’t mind seeing Nick Marshall back there to take a few reps instead of Boykin or Smith.
DEATH2UGA
November 1st, 2011
7:21 pm
I love reading this blog and reading all the delusional fruitcake Bulldog fans take trash. Have you guys beaten anyone with a wiinning record? How dare you fools take about crime???? Have you not seen your Teams “rap sheets?”. You will lose to Auburn and get your brains kicked in by Georgia Tech. You guys are total frauds. I am glad you guys are stuck with Mark Richt and Isiah Crowell!! Look at Isiah Crowell’s Facebook pictures and ask yourself if you are proud he represents your school. Just saying…
Dorsey Hill
November 1st, 2011
7:21 pm
This would never happen to a good team. It’s not as if you’d ever see three lsu starters get suspended before the auburn game. Would never happen. That doesn’t happen to good teams and good coaches. That’s why LSU doesn’t gave starting qb’s getting in bar fights and getting suspended. UT could happen to Murray maybe but Jordan Jefferson? No way! That’s just laughable. These things don’t happen to good teams just poorly coached ones like Georgia. The next thing you know someone will try to convince me that bear Bryant had to suspend Joe Namath before a bowl game. Clearly Namath would respect/fear a coach like bear enough not to get in trouble. These things only happen to richt because… You know because… You know it does.
CFFollower
November 1st, 2011
7:22 pm
Georgiagirl – whose arm did the UA players still.
CFFollower
November 1st, 2011
7:22 pm
steal
One-Hung Low
November 1st, 2011
7:35 pm
C’mon folks, they just finished playing in the WORLD’S LARGEST COCKTAIL PARTY GAME! What do you want these guys to drink, smoke, and snort? They just won a rivalry game and continue to remain in the hunt for the SEC-EAST. BESIDES, how do you expect these scholar-athletes to fill the 7-day void between games?? By going to Class? What??
Hey Coach, suspend them against NEW MEXICO STATE!!! You DISCIPLINARIAN YOU!! YOU TOUGH GUY COACH!!
D. Nigh All
November 1st, 2011
7:38 pm
Dorsey, ur my kinda’ guy. Diversion and all that. But Namath? Namath? That was so far back you may as well go Old Testament on us.
Alphare
November 1st, 2011
7:38 pm
NCAA should forfeit UGA’s win against FL if coaches knew the problem before the game.
Dawg gone it
November 1st, 2011
7:43 pm
Probably got suspended cause their hair is too long. Need to find some good ole white boys to play running back!! Black RBs are nothing bu trouble!
D. Nigh All
November 1st, 2011
7:44 pm
Ad in tomorrow’s Red & Black.
Wanted: Any Bubba’, Earl or Rudy. Running Back job for 1 game only. Don’t worry they’re only chumps. Smokers need not apply.
BobDawg
November 1st, 2011
7:44 pm
I really hate that this takes the focus off 1) The Team and 2) Richard Samuel who saved our “bacon” at the end of the game and really learned to run hard & break tackles finally… Surgery on his ankle and out 4 weeks… Man, what a team player from RB to linebacker and back to RB. He is the one we should be lauding and not these knuckle heads!
BobDawg
November 1st, 2011
7:46 pm
Hope we are recruiting more Tailbacks as these guys will probably be gone by next year…
Milledgeville Dawg
November 1st, 2011
7:47 pm
This same ole crap is getting old. What an embarrassment to the school, alumni, boosters, and fans. It is time for a change my friends.
BobDawg
November 1st, 2011
7:47 pm
The really embarrassing part is all the parents show up for Homecoming and talk about humiliation in front of friends and family…. This is a good week to suspend them….
bitter weak fools
November 1st, 2011
7:49 pm
moving truck for —1. richt—-2.crowface–3. kenny mal–feecces—–true dop–pies
Lonnie
November 1st, 2011
7:52 pm
Richt and McGarity are lying. The drug test results were know at least twenty-four hours before the game.
007
November 1st, 2011
7:54 pm
Would someone please give # 3 at Alabama a steroids test.
Harry the Hat
November 1st, 2011
7:57 pm
Crowell = Illiterate + Thug + Dreads + Tatts + Drugs
Not a real good combination.
evansdawg
November 1st, 2011
7:59 pm
Here you go again, Schultzy. You mis-called the GA-FLA outcome and instead of coming here to eat crow, you use a team suspension of three players (all in the same position) as a reason to throw UGA under the bus. We have not had an inkling of the trouble we’ve had the past two seasons, but somehow you choose to tie it to the totality of everything that possibly could be ‘wrong’ in Athens. These kinds of issues plague EVERY school. UGA is playing more as a team now than they have in a while. While it may not be pretty, its winning games and thats what matters. As for the “FIRE MARK RICHT” comments…you people must be as stupid as it comes. Either that, or you’re not a Georgia fan. Just a Tech fan that wishes everyday to have a program like that of UGA. These trolls have nothing to do but pose as the fans of other schools and post garbage. There is NO discipline issue at Georgia any moreso than any other division one school. You Tech fans touch yourselves at the thought of Richt leaving. Why??? Because 9 of 10 times, you can’t win. CAN’T!
DawgFan
November 1st, 2011
7:59 pm
Rumor has it they were from Richt’s personal stash!!!! Otherwise they would not have been suspended! He knew about the drug tests at least as early as last Thursday but did not discover the theft of his personnel stash until after returning from Jacksonville and wanting to celebrate the win. He checked his sock drawer…checked it again…and hit the ceiling. He ran back the security camara and discovered it was his three backs that had performed a hit & run on the drawer. Suspensions resulted.
YellowJacket
November 1st, 2011
8:00 pm
Mark Richt doesn’t reflect the Georgia way. Neither does Michael Adams. Vince Dooley did and does. That is your problem.
Glock 45
November 1st, 2011
8:09 pm
This is probably the first test IC ever passed.
Hit A Single
November 1st, 2011
8:11 pm
Yea give them $2,000 more where they can buy more dope. Thank you to all the college athletes that do it the right way!
Dogs Smell
November 1st, 2011
8:17 pm
Sure they didnt know, because it was Florida ! No room for you homers to talk about any other school when it comes to violations. If this were Florida you homers would be all over them saying they knew and kept them in for Florida ! BS, They knew !
Church Lady
November 1st, 2011
8:20 pm
Well isn’t this conveeeeeeeeeeeeeeenient! Suspend the players after the FL game. But before powerhouse NM State.
Seriously, I agree with evans dog that these same issues occur at most big league programs. The important thing is how you deal with ‘em. And this to me reeks of weakness. In no way do I believe this wasn’t discovered before the FL game.
Sucks for Samuels. Kid played hard and now he’s out for the year. If Crowell put in that kind of effort he’d be tough to stop.
Finkle is Einhorn
November 1st, 2011
8:22 pm
Please stop all the “first” bs. It is just dumb
bigguy
November 1st, 2011
8:23 pm
Did anyone ever state the reason for the 1st IC suspension?
where IC
November 1st, 2011
8:27 pm
IC tired of all these silly rules in athens–he the man and want his independence! Let IC roam and do his thing.
USA
November 1st, 2011
8:30 pm
Crowell = Illiterate + Thug + Dreads + Tatts + Drugs
Not a real good combination.
——————–
It’s always easy to identify the ignorant and uneducated bloggers. Lord knows only blacks (because we all know that’s what you meant) have long hair, wear tattoos, and smoke pot. We ALL know white frat/sorority kids don’t have long hair/beards, wear tattoos, and smoke pot.
whocares
November 1st, 2011
8:37 pm
Crowell has been hitting the hookah since the day he stepped foot on campus. Suspended for New Mex State What a joke of a program
Mater Man
November 1st, 2011
8:44 pm
Richt should have to disclose why these three players were suspended.
Orlando Dawg
November 1st, 2011
8:46 pm
The Ghost of Wally and San Diego Dawg said it perfectly and diagnosed a huge part of the problem with our football program the last 4-5 years. Richt sends the “I’m a friend of the playas” message to his team, and they simply do not fear him like Bama’s playas fear Saban. Richt is way too soft and the playas know it and take advantage of it time and again.
Church Lady
November 1st, 2011
8:49 pm
Looks like UGA’s backs ‘take hits’ week in and week out.
just saying....
November 1st, 2011
8:50 pm
As much as I am NOT a Georgia fan (and I always find their annual suspensions amusing), I do believe in innocent until proven guilty. It’s not hard to believe that he failed the initial test that alerted there might be drugs in his system, but I would think that they would have had to do further testing to determine all of the details. Why put any punishment to the crime until the circumstances were confirmed? I’d like to believe the school acted immediately once they were sure. I guess CMR could have benched him if there was any doubt, but I don’t think he needed to at the time. Whatever. This whole story will be twisted and turned to favor and position.
just saying....
November 1st, 2011
8:52 pm
oops, should say, “This whole story will be twisted and turned to favor any position.” And I don’t believe a suspension before the FL game would have resulted in a different outcome, but that is just more speculation and a waste of hot air.
Spurrier
November 1st, 2011
8:56 pm
Lattimore. Love him more every day.
Scholarship
November 1st, 2011
9:02 pm
What does anyone know about a report by another publication concerning a “well placed” coach will be resigning at the end of the season due to issues he is having with the AD of his school. Not supposedly Nutt or Phillips.? Any comments of further information.?
smart dawg
November 1st, 2011
9:04 pm
@8:09, glock 45 wrote “This is probably the first test IC ever passed”.
Best comment yet.
Lakedawg
November 1st, 2011
9:10 pm
Scholarship heard the same thing and it is not CMR aand McGarity. Supposed to be a big time program?? Saban, Spurrier????
Also heard Saban greatly displeased with the muti year schloraships NCAA is passing.
Dawg Tired
November 1st, 2011
9:16 pm
How predictable was this? Those saying other teams have same character issues must not be paying attention. Those “other teams” play with discipline and always play hard. We play without discipline and loaf a lot. This is just the tip of the ice berg. The players we don’t suspend tweet opposing coaches! We have a bunch of immature prima donna idiots. Time to clean house. We have become the laughing stock of the SEC – rightly so.
Earlier this year when I commented that Crowell (and others) needed a haircut, I was accused of “not liking people who don’t look like me.” I replied this was about who was in charge and had nothing to do with liking or not liking someone. I submit this was so predictable as to be expected. Come on people! Our program is a mess. Wake up and smell the coffee.
Jeff Schultz
November 1st, 2011
9:17 pm
Isaiah for Mayor — Your race-tinged comments are about to get you banned. Stop now please.
Dawg Tired
November 1st, 2011
9:20 pm
I also predicted Ealey would not be around this season. I’m thinking Crowell is another highly recruited short-timer as well. I repeat once again: something is badly amiss in Athens.
Jeff Schultz
November 1st, 2011
9:25 pm
Sorry folks. Busy day. I’ll try to get to some of your comments now.
Jeff Schultz
November 1st, 2011
9:26 pm
JAXDawg — “WOW!!! Jeff I have not seen one article from you giving congrats to the DAWGS for beating the Gators (even though you picked the Gators to win) however the first piece of negative news you hear, you jump out with one of your many bashing comments concerning the DAWGS. Just go ahead and admit that you don’t like the DAWGS.”
<<< Not true. I don’t hate the Dawgs. Just you.
5150 UOAD
November 1st, 2011
9:28 pm
HAHAHAHAHA Jeff Schultz amd a Funny on JXDawg.
Isaiah for Mayor
November 1st, 2011
9:29 pm
Sorry Jeff. I apologize.
Jeff Schultz
November 1st, 2011
9:29 pm
Bruce Mac — “Just glad we could make your day Schultz. You always love to write negative stories about UGA and incorrectly pick them to lose.”
… Can’t figure out why some folks are so upset I picked Florida to win. You mistake to think it matters to me who wins or loses. It’s just a satirical predictions column, dude. Chill. By the way, how come I didn’t hear from you when I picked Georgia to beat South Carolina and they lost? Oh, I guess it wasn’t my fault that day.
Jeff Schultz
November 1st, 2011
9:30 pm
Go Dawgs (and others remarking on Crowell) — The kid obviously has great talent. It would be ashame if that talent never is realized because he doesn’t mature.
Jeff Schultz
November 1st, 2011
9:31 pm
Jawga Boy — Yes. I remember.
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