Should Georgia rest Crowell against Tech for SEC title game?
Isaiah Crowell had only two carries against Kentucky before leaving. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
This is not to short-change the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry in any way. Whichever school wins the annual game owns 12 months of bragging rights — or to be more precise, mocking and taunting rights.
But no matter how big the Tech game is to Georgia, the potential LSU game next week is bigger. Ten years from now, whether the Bulldogs won an SEC championship in 2011 will carry far more weight than whether they defeated the Jackets, rivalry banter notwithstanding.
That’s why Georgia coach Mark Richt has to answer a difficult question this week: Should the Dogs rest running back Isaiah Crowell against Tech?
The Bulldogs have to believe they have a chance to win the SEC championship because, even if they’re a heavy underdog to LSU or Alabama, it’s not far-fetched to believe they can win one game in the Georgia Dome. But without a reasonably healthy Crowell — and with Carlton Thomas lost in a blur of suspensions — the running game takes a hit.
Richt says he expects Crowell to play despite ankle issues. Crowell has battled health issues much of the season but a sprained ankle is particularly problematic. Ankles are slow healing, and seeing Crowell pulled after two carries against Kentucky set off alarms.
Sitting Crowell against Tech is a risk. Richt would run the risk of hurting Georgia’s chances to beat Tech, especially if the Jackets can run and control the clock and keep quarterback Aaron Murray and his receivers on the sideline. But if the SEC championship is bigger, shouldn’t the plan this week be made with next week in mind?
What are your thoughts on this subject? Should Crowell be rested this week? Or should the thought process be: Go all out to beat Tech and worry about next week after this game?
By Jeff Schultz
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887 comments Add your comment
I'm just saying
November 22nd, 2011
2:14 am
I’ll give Illi credit…what he lacked in brains he made up for in ignorance.
5150 UOAD
November 22nd, 2011
2:18 am
Could it be a man that sells more UGA hats, sweatshirts, and t shirts but really doesn’t stock much Tech merchandise?
I'm just saying
November 22nd, 2011
2:20 am
Hardtruth you epitomize the well documented delusional mutt fan…whether its Arky or LSU …your team will loose…reasons????well who have you beat that is really a good team??Vandy?? UF??UT?? Albarn???? yeah they have an NC but they are nothing like last years team….c’mon….you backed into the SEC least title…If Marcus Lattimore stays healthy this discussion doesn’t take place…And yes if you do win the SEC Alabama is much more deserving to go than you….along with about 10 other schools.
UGA Dawgs 2011
November 22nd, 2011
2:22 am
GT Fan
November 21st, 2011
11:37 pm
Paul Johnson and the option are 1-2. Gotta chance to even that up and the last two UGA have won have coem down to the last play and a missed extra point
~~~~ THIS is why I love being a Dawg, because you don’t have to point out your rival/enemy in this is an idiot, and has Completely romanticized recent losses(?), just hang around long enough and they’ll do it for you.. As for REALITY… Last time I checked, i didn’t see Boo-hoo Thomas standing in the endzone with those lost, lonely hands.. And was my scoreboard wrong from the last game? I believe we won BY EIGHT, not “an extra point”. So tell me, exactly how would tech have won that game if Blair Walsh didn’t miss wide? Were you even paying attention to these games?
Gooooo DAWGS!!!! Time to DESTROY TECH, and stay HUNGRY for that TITLE!!!
… oh yeah, even though GTFan and his trolling loser buddies (this does not include you , Stein, but it does include you Jacketss, the loser who makes fun of a loss of life..) won’t believe this, UGA’s D is quite different from last year. Jarvis Jones will become very aquainted with Tevin, and I’m sure by the end of the game, you will all get your wish to see that young freshman QB you think is so great, because UGA has a knack this year of taking signal callers OUT. UGA holds tech to less than 200 total yards, and we win the clock management by ten minutes, due in part to tech’s 8+ punts after three and out.
I'm just saying
November 22nd, 2011
2:23 am
I love going into Walmart and every time I see some poor misguided soul by uganja merchandise I tell them thanks for contributing to the wealth of a Tech man…They look at me as if I asked them to split atoms…of course I get the same reaction when I ask them for the time…go figure.
5150 UOAD
November 22nd, 2011
2:23 am
IlliniDawg
November 22nd, 2011
1:30 am
We have a better accy program and have recently made some killer hires in the mgmt dept. I actually am a B-school prof and keep track of these things.
I am glad he is a Professor at UGA. I am not sure what the ACCY program is. I not sure I want a prof saying Killer hire. He might Smoke some of the Killer with Crowell too.
I'm just saying
November 22nd, 2011
2:25 am
UGAnja Dawgs 2011…name me which outstanding offense it was that your D stopped?
5150 UOAD
November 22nd, 2011
2:28 am
VANDY
5150 UOAD
November 22nd, 2011
2:29 am
Wait wait that was Butler stopping the Vandy player from scoring on a blocked punt.
Pee Wee Herman
November 22nd, 2011
2:31 am
THUGGA couldn’t beat LSU or Arkansas with Hershel Walker, Fran Tarkenton, The Mummy of Munson, and Jan Kemp suited up. So go for the Big Win over Tech. We get to see another French Kiss from CMR. After the SEC Championship Game that Defensive Coordinator who looks like Chaz Bono can appear on Dancing with the Stars with Jerry Sandusky.
I'm just saying
November 22nd, 2011
2:33 am
Uganja Dawg 2011…here is a little help…the teams that beat you are ranked 30th and 78th respectively.
AU-93rd, UK-117, Ole Miss – 114, Vandy-100, UT -97, UF-92, Miss St – 87..lol the best offense you shut down was NMST at 40…FYI GT’s offense ranks 14…just saying
I'm just saying
November 22nd, 2011
2:33 am
Hello uganja dawg 2011…you there?
5150 UOAD
November 22nd, 2011
2:41 am
Ga ranks i45th or higher in education and UGA produces a majority of the states Public/Government School teachers. Can there possibly be some correlation?
I'm just saying
November 22nd, 2011
2:41 am
SEC least = the 117th, 100th, 97th, 92nd, 78th and 32nd ranked offenses in Country.
I'm just saying
November 22nd, 2011
2:43 am
5150…ahhhh uga education majors….wildest freaks in the land…god bless’m
bamaonline
November 22nd, 2011
2:56 am
The kid is soft and we all know it. Maybe someday he will grow up.
doggoneit
November 22nd, 2011
3:18 am
You Crowell haters forget the kid was playing high school ball last year? He’s the best thing we’ve had since Herchel. Without him we don’t win the SEC east. Give the kid a break. And for the Richt haters, If we had fired him at the end of last season, our “new coach” would be the reason we won the SEC east this year, right? There are five SEC east teams that envy the position we are in now. Wins are wins and losses are losses, no “what ifs” about it. You guys can’t take yes for an answer!
aarh
November 22nd, 2011
3:28 am
Smittytheman- UGAs only the 5th best team in the SEC? You’ve got to be kidding me! People assume that the 3 west teams are better, but it’s kind of hard to know that when you consider that they haven’t played those teams. A patsy schedule doesn’t always mean that a teams not good. The schedules are set up yrs. in advance…way before anyone knows how good these teams will be. So, it’s not like UGA has been dodging teams. Even if all 3 of the west teams are better than UGA, then UGA would still at least be the 4th best team in the SEC. I know that SC beat UGA, but UGA is better now, & especially when you consider that SC no longer has Garcia or Lattimore.
1969 Graduate
November 22nd, 2011
3:39 am
Of course we should play our best players against Tech. I doubt we can beat them if we don’t. This big rivalry game can always go either way. Overlooking it would be a huge mistake.
From what I’ve read elsewhere, Crowell is not limping about, and is looking pretty healthy. Mark Richt has said he plans to use Crowell against the NATS.
The kid clearly needs an off season strength and conditioning program. We don’t know if he can get his head straight. We don’t know if he’s tough enough to carry the freight over the years. But, right now he’s our number one tailback, and we need him.
Go, Bulldogs. Beat Georgia Tech (again).
Lamont
November 22nd, 2011
3:45 am
Here is hoping that Crowell plays and gets thrown into North Avenue by his dreads.
Cats hav fleas 2
November 22nd, 2011
4:09 am
Hell…he rested the entire Kentucky game, albeit 2 plays. Dude is fragile…play him until his glass slipper breaks…AGAIN! I hope we sign a durable back that is accustomed to running hard in this next class. Oh, and BEAT TECH!!!
brick
November 22nd, 2011
4:32 am
Tech backs are in for a bad day, they can say UGA hasn’t beaten a quality team, maybe they are right, but neither has Tech. Yes they beat Clemson, big deal, absolutely no defense and with a little pressure Boyd is another Reggie Ball. But all that aside, Tech hasn’t seen a defense like they will see Sat, UGA is bigger, faster and more physical than any they have faced. I expect Techs backs, whoever they are this year, will be dreaming about these numbers 29, 9, 35, and 36 for quite some time, all fast, all physical, all good tacklers. UGA wins by at least 14, with Harton carrying the rock.
M
November 22nd, 2011
4:33 am
Throw Crowell off the team!
Not a team player.
We have more where he came from.
Buzz me
November 22nd, 2011
4:42 am
Crowell is softer than Charmin. No toughness what so ever
Big time?? Not.
November 22nd, 2011
4:50 am
Four tickets, four hot dogs, four cokes. Nerds.
NC Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
4:52 am
He’s a football player so put his butt on the field and make him play.
heeldawg
November 22nd, 2011
5:03 am
My thoughts:
1. Play him. You play to win every game. The odds of Georgia winning the SECCG are relatively long,anyway–and there’s no guarantee that Crowell will not sustain another game-ending injury against LSU (or Bama, depending upon what happens this Friday). Plus, it’s Tech, for Pete’s sake.
2 .@Smitty, you’re nuts. Georgia is the third best team in the SEC, after LSU and Bama. Arkansas is great on offense but mediocre defensively. The Dawgs played UK with a walk-on RB as starter and with Murray having his worst game of the year, and had four turnovers, one of which led directly to a UK touchdown. Despite this, the outcome of the game was never in doubt, because Kentucky could not move the ball at all (8 yards total offense in the second half). The Dawgs tried every conceivable way to give the Vandy game away, including a blocked punt in the fourth quarter, and still won. And Georgia spotted USCe 28 points on turnovers and special teams play in a game they otherwise dominated and still only lost by 3–and that was with Lattimore playing. Without Lattimore, and without the gift of four TDs, the Cocks would have been run off the field. So if Georgia played these three teams again, they would almost certainly win all three games. South Carolina without Lattimore is most emphatically not better than Georgia. Your pronouncement that Georgia is “no better than fifth in the SEC” just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.
3. If the Dawgs are one-dimensional against Tech, the odds of them losing go up tremendously. Tech’s D is not great, but if they only have to prepare for the pass, that simplifies things dramatically. We need all hands on deck on Saturday.
4. You Tech fans can rationalize about how Georgia’s defense “has not really faced a good offense” all you want. The Georgia D is as good as advertised. You’ll see first-hand on Saturday.
5. Richt is actually 3-1 against Johnson. He beat him once when CPJ was at GSU.
6. On paper, Georgia should win this game by two TDs. In reality, they could easily lose straight up. Games are not played on paper, and Tech has tremendous motivation to win this one at home. If the Dawgs come out flat, like they did against Kentucky, they don’t have a snowball’s chance in heck against the Jackets. If the Dawgs come out hot, like they did against Auburn, Tech will not be able to do anything to avoid a loss. My guess is that they will come out someplace in between, and it will be a war.
Looking forward to a great game this weekend. Hope Crowell plays. Hope Murray’s on-target. Hope Carlton Thomas has made restitution to his teammates. Hope Richard Samuel somehow has made a miraculous recovery. Hope the team is fired up about the in-state rivalry. Hope the ghost of Larry Munson gives the Dawgs all the motivation they need.
Hope that recent history continues.
Hope Richt makes it 10 of 11.
Go Dawgs!
legionaire
November 22nd, 2011
5:03 am
Crowell is a weed smoker. He was out of shape according to CMR in an interview in the early season. This is the reason freshmen should not be played in big boy SEC football. He will never stay another season at UGA, he just does not have what it takes.
Steveo
November 22nd, 2011
5:19 am
Play them 1 at a time…..worry about next week,,,NEXT WEEK!!!
Andy
November 22nd, 2011
5:48 am
UGA should never lose to Tech!
Fair and Balanced
November 22nd, 2011
5:50 am
This is not a question! Against Tech, you throw everything you’ve got at ‘em to try to win. All the other aside, it’s time for Crowell to man up! If he is the best we’ve got on Saturday, then he plays! SEC CG is not bigger than Tech. Lose to Tech and the SECCG means nothing. Lose to Tech and it is a sure thing we will lose the SECCG. Win what you can when you can. This is not a question. Dumb idea to even bring this into the equation. GA freshmen need to get a hold of the idea that they play for and are a part of a great tradition. Crowell and everybody else ought to want to sacrifice whatever they’ve got to win vs Tech! Dang! I would play myself if they thought I was the best chance or could be a help in winning the game. You don’t save or hold back anything for Tech! Stupid idea. Stupid! I’m sorry but this PO’s me (Personally Offends me). This guy Crowell……I don’t know if he could have played for Dooley in those days past. I mean, when coaches coached players with blood running down their faces after head butting players with helmets on etc……..this new breed……I’m not happy with this guy and had resistance to him when he first signed saying, “I’m gonna make an impact……etc.” Yeah, he can make an impact but I’d like to make an impact on him right now! Man up son! If it’s broke then go to a dr and fix it. If it ain’t broke……get your $^%*%^* out there and win a game for UGA! This PO’s me! Who is Shultz for anyway? The SECCG is NOT, I repeat NOT more important than beating Tech! The whole season tastes bad if we lose to Tech! Dang it Schultz! Do you know what Good Ole Fashioned Clean Hate is all about? I don’t even WANT to play the SECCG if we don’t beat Tech! The only thing that made last season any good at all was the fact that we beat Tech. I would have had people sit out for the KY game if necessary to get them ready for Tech!
Jim Tavegia
November 22nd, 2011
5:56 am
He should sit as should Samuel. There is only one game and that is the LSU game. Your best must be prepared to play against LSU. Time for other players to Man-up and play up to their potential. The Tech game is up to the defense.
Just woke up
November 22nd, 2011
6:02 am
Sit Crowell and get dat azz whupped by Tech
you jackets make me sick
November 22nd, 2011
6:17 am
GT Fan,
Tech has NO running game and our team will stop you and we have a better running game then you do. your D is not that great hell is almost lost to DUKE. DUKE of all people and and UGA ran the bowl just fine on KY it was turn over that almost killed us and GT turns the ball over more then we do. get ready for your beat down again. everyone know the dawgs are better and are kickers are back
red&black
November 22nd, 2011
6:19 am
I am living for Saturday night and Sunday morning, to see what all these Tech folks have to say abut the game then. I wonder how many of you will post then. Well now that I think about it, it may be quite a few who wil start saying we’ll get killed by whoever we play in the SEC CG. Myabe we’llwi that one as well and the bow gme, and then (hopefully) the will be no more Tech trash talk for quite awhile. W can only hope dawg fans…..
you jackets make me sick
November 22nd, 2011
6:21 am
GT Fan,
that was last year the dawgs’ D is different this year, GT will not able to run on this D and will have to pass and we know how much GT sucks at the passing game.
not so fast
November 22nd, 2011
6:21 am
Uga dawgs 2011- we let the mutts score and yes I said let!! So we could get the ball back or else it would have been a one point game.
red&black
November 22nd, 2011
6:23 am
Damn keyboard isn’t working. Can’t believe all the spelling errors. Have to really beat the hell out of this thing to make it work properly. Looks like a trip to the computer store to buy a new one is in my immediate future. Kind of the a$$ whipping that is in Tech’s immediate future. Go dawgs..
Virginia Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
6:27 am
You’ve got to play to win the games that you’re suppose to win and play as hard as you can to try to win the games you’re not suppose to win. Any other approach is a recipe for disaster – losing both games.
you jackets make me sick
November 22nd, 2011
6:29 am
Jacketss,
the jackets have Passing game and won’t able to run on the UGA. you nearly lost to duke- duke of all people the jackets all talk a good talk but then always lose the dawgs own tech and and rickt own Johnson just facts
calvin
November 22nd, 2011
6:36 am
It would be nice if Crowell (and Tech players who
have done the same thing) would get a haircut and
stop inflicting that hideousness on the people who
watch the games.
Why in hell to coaches allow this garbage? I guess
they’re afraid the spoiled brats will go somewhere
else if they can’t make their ugliness statements.
rastus
November 22nd, 2011
6:37 am
Start Him. Two hits and he’ll want out anyway
Fair and Balanced
November 22nd, 2011
6:39 am
Decal for Munson – great idea! Win the game for him! GA ought to be motivated due to the loss of this unashamedly biased announcer who loved the Dogs! I’ve missed him ever since he retired and we will never get a better announcer. I like who we have now, but Munson is 2nd to none! He is the standard all aspire to! Win it for LM!
USMC
November 22nd, 2011
6:39 am
Don’t overlook Georgia Tech. Tech will spank UGA if we don’t have Crowell in the game.
Heck, GA Tech might spank UGA WITH Crowell, so don’t get so drunk with delusion that UGA will beat Tech.
I think Paul Johnson has proven that Tech is a force to contend with; remember Tech’s offense running all over UGA last year???
Let’s go into the Tech game and play our best game with the players that give us the best chance to WIN the game.
(by the way Jeff Schultz, who is from LOS ANGELES, doesn’t have a clue as to the importance of this rivalry game)
Doesn't Matter
November 22nd, 2011
6:43 am
Doesn’t matter if Georgia beats Tech – they’re still going to the Dome.
Doesn’t matter which players play in the Dome – LSU will make mincemeat of them anyway.
Uniform selection is the critical issue here. If we’re gonna lose (and we are), then we need to at least look good while doing it. It will impress next year’s Dream Team© if we put on the bling.
USMC
November 22nd, 2011
6:43 am
Don’t underestimate Paul Johnson and GEORGIA TECH!
Paddy
November 22nd, 2011
6:46 am
If IC says he is ready, play him. Not playing him if he is healthy is like basebal managers sending their next days starting pitcher ahead to the next road city. IT NEVER WORKS!
I guess we all know now that Carlton Thomas is not part of this teams Sr leadership.
USMC
November 22nd, 2011
6:49 am
PLEASE, fellow UGA fans… What is the problem with Mark Richt and star running backs???
He seems to lose control and lack the type of guidance these kids need to be successful.
Examples: Caleb King, Wausean Ealey, NOW Crowell looks like he has a bad attitude…
There seems to be a pattern here OR Is it just my misunderstanding???
BobDawg
November 22nd, 2011
6:50 am
Stupid Column … Nuff said…..
BobDawg
November 22nd, 2011
6:52 am
USMC… Watch the kind of kid we get when we ink Marshall this off-season… You will like him….