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
dolla dolla bill
November 1st, 2011
4:40 pm
caller i.d. did mess up a good thing…
mushman
November 1st, 2011
4:40 pm
probably the first positive result they’ve ever had on a test! bwaaaahahaha
Tech Tony
November 1st, 2011
4:40 pm
I’m the TOP back at Georgia. My Zig-Zag moves across the field are the stuff of legend. Other players do bad things like look for hookers so give Crowell a break. He was looking for a hookah.
charliedawg
November 1st, 2011
4:40 pm
I’m sure it didn’t invovle anyone being arrested since all the athens area police departments have chip towers cell number on speed dial.
uhhhh bamadawg
November 1st, 2011
4:41 pm
It appears that your boys have a similar problem to the LSU boys….can’t lay off the drugs
Uh huh
November 1st, 2011
4:41 pm
How convenient they wait till thus week for the suspensions………..wonder exactly how long ago they flunked those drug tests……. Weak! That’s the Georgia way alright!
THE Best post today:
November 1st, 2011
4:42 pm
mushman
November 1st, 2011
4:40 pm
probably the first positive result they’ve ever had on a test!
RFLMAO!!!!!!
THE Best post today:
November 1st, 2011
4:43 pm
probably the first positive result they’ve ever had on a test!
dolla dolla bill
November 1st, 2011
4:44 pm
odds IC is playin ball at North Alabama next year???? or @ Ga. Southern???
AGTFan53
November 1st, 2011
4:44 pm
Remember that for all their athletic ability, they are still basically kids learning how to be men. Hopefully they learn from this and grow up a little.
Eric C.
November 1st, 2011
4:46 pm
To the folks crying about IC not getting suspended for the UF game…
You can’t ask the Dawgs to punish the entire team for this. Really, it’s very fair that IC misses the NMST game…he blew his chance to pad his stats. Ultimately, it punishes IC but doesn’t necessarily hurt the team…sounds fair to me.
Father Flanagan
November 1st, 2011
4:46 pm
It was wise indeed for Coach Richt to pray about this for several days before deciding on a fitting punishment.
dolla dolla bill
November 1st, 2011
4:47 pm
nobody asked you eric…
the dude
November 1st, 2011
4:47 pm
MY GUESS IS THE GUYS GOT THE DRUGS FROM THAT GA TECH GRADUATE AND FOOTBALL PLAYER, WHO WAS NEVER THROWN OFF THEIR TEAM EITHER, JUST SAYING.
Hollywould
November 1st, 2011
4:47 pm
Tech Tony, lol at the 1.5 or 1.25 good stuff War Eagle!!!
Mike and Mike
November 1st, 2011
4:48 pm
ESPN reporting it involves a failed drug test … uh-oh…
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7178202/georgia-bulldogs-suspend-three-running-backs-one-game
Father Flanagan
November 1st, 2011
4:48 pm
Eric C.: “sounds fair to me.”
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Reality Check
November 1st, 2011
4:49 pm
Richt recruits thugs. We know.
Next topic.
Dawg needin a shotgun
November 1st, 2011
4:49 pm
can’t believe all the blow-back IC and the boys are getting from this..
What the....
November 1st, 2011
4:50 pm
Malcolme’s been zero since at UGA….He’s had the same groin injury for two years. Keep it in your pants and rest it.
Crowell had obvious maturity issues.
Thomas has little man syndrome.
Maybe these guys partied with the wrong people Sat. night….themselves
GTBob
November 1st, 2011
4:51 pm
if Peterson leaves Boise, think CMR would go to Boise?
If Richt is smart then he is probably already in talks to move elsewhere. Boise would be a nice location for him if he could get a job like that.
Eric C.
November 1st, 2011
4:51 pm
Dolla dolla bill, ha…well then I’ll ask you, what is your take on it? I would really like to know.
Dawg needin a shotgun
November 1st, 2011
4:53 pm
man i remember i bought this “carborater” from a head shop in the french quarter back in 1980…made bad weed good and great weed dangerous…hook me up dawgs…
5150 UOAD
November 1st, 2011
4:53 pm
The Cheech & Chong Backfield I love it.
Isiah caleb Crowell king was a great signing.
They have DIPSTICK test for urine these days for different drugs. I don’t think they have one for Steroids, but the coach could know 2 minutes after a kid peed in a cup if he had used drugs.
Eric C.
November 1st, 2011
4:53 pm
Father Flanagan, I’m glad I could provide you with a little amusement in this moment of dispair…I know that you are truly upset with the suspensions.
Eric C.
November 1st, 2011
4:54 pm
despair, ha ha
What the....
November 1st, 2011
4:55 pm
Welcome to the starting lineup walk-ons!
The #1 RB recruit in the nation this year is considering UGA and increased his chances of playing a lot for UGA if this is going to become Crowell’s pattern.
This is a big reason you recruit more than one player at a position.
59bulldawg
November 1st, 2011
4:55 pm
Richt knows what the hell he’s doing! How dare anyone question his recruiting and now suspension of dumbasses!
munsondawg
November 1st, 2011
4:57 pm
Thanks Thomas. Thanks Malcome. Thanks Crowell.
THANKS FOR NOTHING YOU JERKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rdawgfan
November 1st, 2011
4:58 pm
At least Richt suspends them, other teams like the buzzers, gaytors and plaintigels just sweep it under the rug and hide it. So lay off. He who is without sin throw the first stone.
Send'em Uhauls
November 1st, 2011
4:58 pm
Its time to fire thse clowns in Athens. No special teams coach, a week off before the Florida game. Now more player suspensions. This coaching staff is a pure joke. UGA needs a Saban now!
cliff from waleska
November 1st, 2011
4:58 pm
if i had a sister i’d take a pup outta any of those three!
The Known Facts
November 1st, 2011
4:59 pm
First of all ESPN is wrong in their reporting on this……It wasn’t a failed drug test….. It was alcohol was present in their system….consumption of beer…..What college student doesn’t drink beer?…however…it is forbidden by athletes to consume alcohol during the season no matter what sport they play at UGA.They were wrong in doing so and should be suspended…..So all you Tech puzzies and Dawg haters spew your embellished bulls_t elsewhere…..ESPN should know better than to print BS before they check the facts.
ramguy68
November 1st, 2011
5:00 pm
I can’t believe the joy some people are getting out of this…..I guess they haven’t heard how unattractive jealousy is.
LawDawg
November 1st, 2011
5:01 pm
Everyone who is acting like the program is out of control because a couple of kids failed a drug test is a complete loser. These are teenager/early-20 year olds who smoked a little pot. You morons act like they went on a killing spree.
I bet all you commenters were a blast at parties in college.
J
November 1st, 2011
5:01 pm
oh rdawgfan, your team sucks … i mean puffs
Think we care about this week?
November 1st, 2011
5:01 pm
nice break in the schedule to ride the bench.
See ya’ll back for the aub scammers….
In meantime homecoming parties!!!!
BTW, FL fans-HAHAHAHAHAHA…..not shooting off your big pieholes now, are ya lizards?
Father Flanagan
November 1st, 2011
5:01 pm
The Known Facts,
Since when is alcohol not a drug?
randy
November 1st, 2011
5:01 pm
Goes to show liar Mark Richt sold his soul to get a thug to keep his job. Then backs up his preaching by suspending them AFTER the Florida game. Liar, hypocrite, cheat seems he’s no better than those he tries to show himself better than.
munsondawg
November 1st, 2011
5:02 pm
@ THE KNOWN FACTS.
Please state your source then.
cliff from waleska
November 1st, 2011
5:02 pm
@ The Known Facts …it don’t matter what kinda test they failed…saturday they’ll be scratchin their suspended behinds…
Richard
November 1st, 2011
5:03 pm
Schultz,
Can we stop with the fantasy land for a second? The players were tasted before the Florida game, failed, and suspended for the New Mexico State game.
Yeah, sure.
bill
November 1st, 2011
5:04 pm
Run Murray in the shotgun with 5 recievers for rest of the season…
randy
November 1st, 2011
5:04 pm
“Think we care about this week? ” You win 4 games in 22 years and you come talking trash? What a joke you are. Oh and by the way what cojones your coach has………….. 3 player fail drug tests BEFORE the Florida game and suspends them for New Mexico?????????????? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
LawDawg
November 1st, 2011
5:04 pm
Doing drugs or drinking in college is most definitely not “thuggish”. I have a hard time understanding how some of you dress yourselves in the morning.
Thug means a cutthroat or ruffian and derives from the name of an Indian band that committed human sacrifice. What they did was stupid, but calling them “thuggish” is just really, really stupid.
ramguy68
November 1st, 2011
5:04 pm
Since when is alcohol not a drug?
It is a drug but the perception is quite another. When you hear failed drug test people automatically think illegal drugs……I’m quite sure you know that.
TechBuzz
November 1st, 2011
5:05 pm
Richt waits until after the fla game to suspend these players for some lightweight creampuff. How convenient!! Just win baby!!!!
It was not drugs you jerks
November 1st, 2011
5:05 pm
If the glass house bashers haven’t ever had a drink in school….they certainly need one. Just shutup and take your punishment of getting beat by UGA!
5150 UOAD
November 1st, 2011
5:06 pm
LawDawg……It is ILLEGAL to drink underage and it is ILLEGAL to smoke Pot anytime(cancer). Our country is a country of LAWS. You should what these “kids” would have to do if they were caught by the police.
Now, we are supposed to PAY these “kids” to play a sport? Hahahaa and that would really make the parting go away wouldn’t it?
CrazyDawg
November 1st, 2011
5:06 pm
We have the best nightlife,
the best partying,
the hottest girls.
And you expect our players NOT to take advantage of this??
Our fans are three sheets to the wind (myself included) before kickoff, and our players just have to sit it out, huh? That’s BS.
Somebody needs to lighten up. Or light up. Whichever.
GO DAWGS!!! WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!