Crowell had issues but replacing him not easy for Georgia
Isaiah Crowell was a headache, but he was an impact player on field. (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
ATHENS – Notwithstanding all of the words that have been spewed or written about Isaiah Crowell – some factual, some imagined by the ScreaminDawg39s on message boards — since he was summarily dismissed from Georgia, one thing is undeniable:
He was good. Really good.
It’s easy to forget that. Many would rather talk about Crowell’s perceived lack of dedication, or his immaturity, or that he was soft. (It’s rare that even Vince Dooley calls you out.) Let’s assume all that were true. What does it say that Crowell still ran for 850 yards and five touchdowns in little more than 10 full games and was named the SEC’s freshman of the year?
It follows that when Georgia opened practice Thursday, there should’ve been no reason to celebrate Crowell’s absence. He left a void. If the Bulldogs don’t lack talent at running back, they at least lack certainty at the position and they may lack greatness.
Georgia is favored to win the SEC East Division largely because of its defense and quarterback Aaron Murray. But its chances of winning the conference championship and competing for a national title hinge on two things: 1) The offensive line, which was an issue even before Thursday’s news that projected starting right tackle Kolton Houston remains ineligible after testing positive for a banned substance from 2010; 2) A running back finding room to run even when there’s little or no room there.
Great running backs can hide the deficiencies of an offensive line, just as a great line can make a running back look better than he really is.
The Dogs were average up front last year. They have only two starters back. Nobody is getting ready to scream, “Hogs!”
“One of our biggest challenges this camp is to put together our starting five,” coach Mark Richt said Thursday.
Freshman Keith Marshall is probably Georgia's best hope for an impact running back this season. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
Those generally aren’t comforting words four weeks before a season opener.
Nor should anybody feel good about the term “running back by committee.” Yes, as Richt pointed out, it worked for LSU last season. But LSU linemen look like transfers from nearby meat freezers.
Crowell was dismissed after a felony gun arrest and transferred to Alabama State. Last year’s No. 2 tailback Carlton Thomas (suspended three times) left the program with an intent to transfer.
The year before, troubled starting back Washaun Ealey was granted his release (Richt then: “We both have come to the conclusion that a transfer to another institution would be in his best interest.”) and Caleb King (multiple suspensions) was ruled academically ineligible and left.
So this makes two consecutive years that Georgia has lost its two most productive tailbacks from the season before for reasons other than the NFL, or graduating with honors.
Richt hopes freshmen Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley can have an impact early. Maybe senior Richard Samuel and sophomore Ken Malcome also can contribute. But understand: Running back by committee shouldn’t be celebrated, any more than platooning quarterbacks. If one guy was considered exceptional, he would start.
Samuel, who may wind up at fullback, acknowledged: “Isaiah is a real talent. It’s difficult not having somebody of that ability on the field. But Keith and Todd bring something different as far as a running style. … It’s a slight concern. But we have faith in those young guys.”
Richt said he is counting on not only the line coming together but his quarterback checking into and out of the right play and formation. As for Crowell, the coach is doing his best to minimize the perception that the player’s loss will have a significant impact.
“You know what? These guys are pretty talented, too,” he said. “And there’s a lot of talented running backs. Just look across America.”
Georgia just needs one to become a difference maker. But even with Crowell’s baggage, understand that he was better than most.
By Jeff Schultz
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
313 comments Add your comment
TampaGator
August 2nd, 2012
5:37 pm
Funny……how that sorry, soft……bottom tier SEC……Florida Gators team that is coached by that sorry “Muschump” is somehow ranked 23rd in the nation by college coaches. Good starting point for the Muschamp’s Gators….
Pitbull
August 2nd, 2012
5:40 pm
The bottom line is despite his ability as a runner, IC was a liability to the football team. It was only a matter of time till he imploded.
We know about his ability when we signed him. we learned about his character during the course of the season.
We will be a better team without him. Perhaps we will not win as many games. Perhaps we will win more. But the team will be a better team for not having the distractions that IC created.
And if the only thing that matters in college football to someone is the crystal football, then college football would be better off without that fan.
Mike Geigerman
August 2nd, 2012
5:41 pm
Bring back mista crowell
ARdawg
August 2nd, 2012
5:44 pm
Pitbull
Agreed.
Senator Blutarski
August 2nd, 2012
5:46 pm
–it’ll be hard to tell how good any of the running backs might be if we don’t bring together a decent offensive line! I hope in the next few days we can see some detailed info about how the offensive line is shaping up in the practices and who shows a good dose of potential for solid play in 2012.
5150 UOAD
August 2nd, 2012
5:51 pm
Crowell…
(L)BSU………Crowell 15 60
(L)USC………Crowell 16 118
(W)Coastal… Crowell 16 86
(W)Ole Miss..Crowell 30 147
(W)Miss St….Crowell 22 104
(W)Tenn……..Crowell 19 58
(W)Vandy……Crowell 10 35
(W)Gators…..Crowell 18 81
(W)NMS………Crowell………….
(W)Auburn…..Crowell 24 132
(W)Kentucky..Crowell 2 11
(W)Tech………Crowell……………..
(L)LSU………..Crowell 10 18
(L)MSU……….Crowell 3 7
i'm a big georgia fan
August 2nd, 2012
5:51 pm
loser think. Pitbull and ARDawg are covered in the stench of loser think.
Macon Mike
August 2nd, 2012
5:56 pm
Hey big georgia fan, don’t be so hard on those two. The crystal football is and never will be in Georgia’s grasp, so let them lower their expectations to something a little more reasonable. Personally, I think that they should really pin their dreams on winning a bowl game in the next decade. That would be a good place to start.
@i'm a big georgia fan
August 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
So you don’t winning the SEC is any big deal? In the case of Saban and Bama, its been easier to win a NC than the SEC. I would like to win a NC of course, but we just have a significant difference of opinion if you think winning the SEC in football is not a worthy accomplishment.
I agree for once with 5150 UOAD
August 2nd, 2012
6:10 pm
“The COACHES (who know the game) selected USC’s Clowney the freshman of the year.
And the coaches selected Aaron Murray as one of the top two QBs in the SEC, yet some don’t put much stock in the opinion of Spurrier, Saban, Miles, etc.
Pitbull
August 2nd, 2012
6:23 pm
So why do people who hate Georgia football so drawn to their websites?
Answer: they don’t have any other life.
blu eagle
August 2nd, 2012
6:25 pm
Besides being all the non-contributor that Crowell was, he never blocked right the QB would let them know on the sideline every game. Please take him Oh great school of the nation Alabama who?!
Duncan
August 2nd, 2012
6:26 pm
Talent will prevail. Marshall and Gurley will be carrying the load. No worries at RB.
Dawgdad (The Original)
August 2nd, 2012
6:31 pm
I have seen enough of Malcome and Samuel and heard enough about Marshall and Gurley, that I don’t care about Isiah and his absence. I worry about the offensive line and Murray. Richt will stick with Murray regardless, and if he doesn’t improve on his decision making and throwing accuracy, it won’t matter about the running backs.
Dog catcher
August 2nd, 2012
6:39 pm
Jeff, there’s another aspect to the inexperience at running back that could prove to be a serious problem, especially early in the season: pass protection. With issues in the offensive line, an inexperienced, young back who struggles with his blocking early on will create serious problems for the Georgia passing game, and perhaps even the health of Murray. South Carolina will be able to bring pressure – that blocking had better be there.
ugab
August 2nd, 2012
6:41 pm
IC will be missed. IC has the talent. I hope he realizes what is at stake and gets his life straight. He ran behind a predictable Offense and still had 850 yrds. good luck IC..go dawgs.
Dagny
August 2nd, 2012
6:54 pm
What’s the problem? Richt just replaces one thug with another.
donte080
August 2nd, 2012
6:55 pm
Great teams have great running backs. Crowell had the talent, but not the football IQ, to be that rare RB you need to be a great team. He was given ample opportunity and just blew it. We are better off coming to that realization now and moving on to our other talented RBs until the right one steps up..
poopdawg
August 2nd, 2012
6:55 pm
Jeff Schultz , sorry i had a Dumb and Dumber flashback. Just when i thought Schultz could not get any dumber, he writes an article like this and totally redeems himself. Good article Jeff.
Ghost
August 2nd, 2012
6:56 pm
TampaGator, Florida will be vastly improved this year, the defense should be exceptional, you would think the offense would be have to be improved over last year, but Demps and Rainey will be hard to replace.
Macon Mike
August 2nd, 2012
6:57 pm
Pitbull, people are drawn to carwrecks and circus clowns. And UGA supplies a constant supply of both.
heywood...
August 2nd, 2012
6:59 pm
um…i think yards per carry is the more telling stat. can someone tell me
where IC ranked among all SEC backs in ypc. im bettin its somewhere
around the middle of the pack. yo.
joe
August 2nd, 2012
7:00 pm
he was good when he was on the field, which wasn’t consistently the case all year. I think you are over estimating the impact of him not being there. The lack of an OL is much more pressing for uga
Independent voter
August 2nd, 2012
7:10 pm
Boo Malcome will come to the rescue… then Marshall and Gurley.. O Line will suprise.. Grantham’s DEEE will give us good field position… Go Dawgs SEC champs THIS year !!!!
Joe
August 2nd, 2012
7:13 pm
Who was the last tailback that graduated at UGA?
Wilson Pickett
August 2nd, 2012
7:14 pm
You know nothing about football if you think for a minute the talent of UGA’s RB’ is anywhere near the talent of LSU’s RB’s. UGA running back by committee since it worked at LSU! Really…then I guess my golf fame is like Tiger Wood’s in that we both play with clubs and a golf ball.
The folks within the AD complex at UGA have to be stupid to continue with Richt. If the guy were coaching at any other school in the Southeast other than UGA he would have been fired.
Independent voter
August 2nd, 2012
7:16 pm
Tampa Gator.. needs a hobby/sport.. wife.. dog.. job.. LIFE.. some body to talk to ??
Kevin
August 2nd, 2012
7:17 pm
Lifetime Dawg fan and I’d rather lose without Crowell than win with him. He showed what he was about and how many wins did he lead Georgia to last year? Go with the guys who at least ACT like they care about the TEAM as much as they do themselves.
Froggy The Gremlin
August 2nd, 2012
7:19 pm
O.J. will come out of retirement if you can get him one of the fake blonde white girls.
@wisonpickett
August 2nd, 2012
7:25 pm
Wilson Picket, Please name the SEC coach from another program that was fired with the success Richt has had at Georgia. Anyone with a comparable record, SEC Championships , division championships , bowl record of 7-4. Thats only had one losing season.The only one that could come close would be Fulmer, but he had 2 losing campaigns his last 4 years. And how did that work out for Tennessee?
Uga Grad '95
August 2nd, 2012
7:30 pm
Gimpy (and scrawny) Crowell was nothing more than average. He was frequently injured and had an attitude problem. Good riddance. Stop worrying about nothing. We will be better off without him.
SEC Fact Finder
August 2nd, 2012
7:33 pm
TampaGator
August 2nd, 2012
5:32 pm
If Georgia does not put together a solid offensive line quickly….it will not matter who plays RB….or QB for that matter. Georgia’s OL could be the thing that keeps them from winning the East this year. I would not want to be the Georgia LT lining up against Clowney if that LT does not have a lot of experience. Clowney was the best freshman in the SEC last year….by far. And he will probably be one of the best players in the country this year.
I agree 100%. The OL is the biggest concern and unless Hershel Walker gets permission to play one more season and Aaron Murray develops wings to fly there may be a few plays caught in the backfield for loss.
Good Luck to you and your teams.
Sussex Club
August 2nd, 2012
7:36 pm
Can those new backs from NC run the ball in the SEC?
Sussex Club
August 2nd, 2012
7:41 pm
7-6 Gators need good luck.
FLA DAWG
August 2nd, 2012
7:51 pm
Jeff,
850 yards in 10 games against nothing teams is no special record sir.
Would you care to cite the number of times he pulled himself out of games, had conflicts with coaches, had off-field problems and a general lack of committment (in my opinion) ?
Replacing a guy that falls at the first touch (in my opinion) shouldn’t be that tough.
Dooley (as usual) nailed it when he stated that Crowell should have been held out of games until the second half since the guy would start well but blew beets after the half (my interpretation of course).
Besides, even if Crowell had been worth his salt where would he go with an O Line that couldn’t open a mousehole or sustain a pass rush?
The above is just my humble opinion of course.
dmr
August 2nd, 2012
7:54 pm
Crowell was good,no doubt! He had good numbers for a freshman. Very good! I wish him well, but I do think this is addition by subtraction. Go back and look at how many times he pulled himself from games or was suspended or was unavailable. I think running back by committee is going to work well for these Dawgs.
Sussex Club
August 2nd, 2012
7:54 pm
The Buffalo Bulls are a humble team.
DG
August 2nd, 2012
7:58 pm
Crowell must think he’s still at UGA. His daily illiterate tweets show him in his UGA uniform.
Promethius
August 2nd, 2012
7:59 pm
Anyone have an opine, are the two NC backs as good as the UNC back Geo Bernard?
bamaguy
August 2nd, 2012
8:12 pm
Every team in the SEC and ACC would have signed Crowell if he had chosen them. He turned out to be a bad egg, but that is no fault of UGA. The real kicker is going to be if the quarterback UGA dismissed wins a National Championship for LSU.
GTBob
August 2nd, 2012
8:18 pm
Every team in the SEC and ACC would have signed Crowell if he had chosen them.
This isn’t true at all. There were several teams not recruiting him for a reason.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 2nd, 2012
8:27 pm
GTBob
Wanted to know are you excited about the beat down coming to Tech this year thanks to our practice game against GSU the week before who run the same stupid offense that Tech does
GPB
August 2nd, 2012
8:32 pm
Georgia Tech has the nation’s highest average SAT score for football players, and also the highest average high school GPA.
UGA, on the other hand, has one of the very lowest SAT averages, as well as a very low GPA average. As a result, three-fourths of UGA players are “special admits,” when means that they can not meet the minimum educational and intelligence requirements for admission to UGA, even as low as that is.
Yes, it would be great if Tech was more competitive with UGA, but Tech fans are proud of our heritage of having intelligent, responsible athletes who go on to rewarding careers and contribute to society.
Contrast this with the very unintelligent dummies that UGA recruits. The fifty arrests over the last four years is proof enough, not to mention winning the Fulmer Cup. Most of these goons are tossed out after their eligibility is over, and many end up on welfare.
UGA is clearly just a football f-a-c-t-o-r-y dedicated to winning at all costs, and most UGA fans are okay with this, with no concern about the embarrassment this brings to the State of Georgia.
Mark Richt is the architect of this situation. As long as he is paid a huge salary, he will continue to recruit the illiterate brain-dead t-h-u-g-s who he thinks will win. Unfortunately for UGA fans, he’s not remotely in the same league with the top coaches in the SEC.
So the bottom line is that Georgia Tech – win or lose – does so with honor and integrity, while the lowlife punks, woman beaters, drug users, and drunks in Athens continue to embarrass us all.
5150 UOAD
August 2nd, 2012
8:33 pm
Flat you better wait until closer to Thanksgiving before talking that crap. LOL
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 2nd, 2012
8:33 pm
; )
fan
August 2nd, 2012
8:34 pm
GTbob is a little bi tch
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 2nd, 2012
8:35 pm
GPB
Good for Tech; now do Div I college football a favor and drop out of Div I and allow Georgia St to take your place in the ACC
5150 UOAD
August 2nd, 2012
8:37 pm
It will be 10 years before GaState will be a winning team worth watching.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 2nd, 2012
8:38 pm
5150 UOAD
Good to see you still havent dropped Tech as your favorite team; thanks to fans like you Tech will remain meaningless
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
August 2nd, 2012
8:38 pm
5150 UOAD
Its been 45 years since Tech was worth watching