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
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313 comments Add your comment
Macon Mike
August 2nd, 2012
10:27 pm
Hey Brainiac, any insight on the Vasser situation? You are the go to guy on all things UGA.
a country boy can survive
August 2nd, 2012
10:29 pm
hey brainiac, swap over to your kingdaddy persona…that character isn’t as angry…
dj fk u
August 2nd, 2012
10:33 pm
uga is a straw dog. look at last year. it’s telling. Four losses when it mattered.
t2go
August 2nd, 2012
11:06 pm
Enter your comments here
t2go
August 2nd, 2012
11:14 pm
Gotta agree with many on here Shultz….I think you are wrong on this one. Crowell was not all that…had hopes for him this year, that maybe he could really break out. He did do well last year but when was he a game changer?! Samuel was vs. Fla…..Malcome ran hard and showed heart that seemed to inspire the team and fans. Crowell got tons of his yards vs. lesser opponents and was not a player you could rely on on or off the field. Frankly his baggage out weighed his benefit to the team. We will see where he ends up…..and I do not think it will be good for him. BTW whats up w Ealy and King…where are they?
UGA IS AWESOME!
August 3rd, 2012
12:53 am
It is a shame that the majority of the titles and topics of discussion I read related to UGA’s football program written by the AJC are always negative. I understand that controversy attracts readers, but to bring up the Crowell thing is so “one month ago” and sounds more like a biased writer from an opposing SEC school or even maybe even Spurrier himself. This is the best you could write for the state of Georgia’s flagship university and football program. I guess ones job security outweighs being a respectable journalist. It’s very obvious that the AJC and so the called sports writers get their kicks writing articles like this about UGA’s football program. I want to keep up with the Dawgs online via a pro-Georgia media outlet. This one appears to have downsized and is operating out of the Georgia Tech library. Can a good ole Georgia Fan please provide an online website that is pro UGA football and celebrates all the hard work that our football program is exhibiting. Thanks.
GEORGIADOGS.COM
August 3rd, 2012
1:45 am
You can follow the Dawgs online on georgiadogs.com. It is UGA’s official website which all for UGA. There is a great article/video on the UGA’s opening day of camp with player interviews, etc. The players are pumped up and in great shape. Go Dawgs!
hot diggity dawg
August 3rd, 2012
2:19 am
Kept in perspective of UGA’s WEAK schedule last year, 850 yards rushing and 5 TDs in 10 games isn’t “great” as some have proclaimed.
Crowell never proved himself.
Ted Striker
August 3rd, 2012
3:56 am
Crowell was ballyhood by zealous fans when he was recruited signed/then booed and lambasted by those same fans for more than a year.
I heard people I know say things about Crowell that made me more ashamed of THEM, not him.
Wish the guy well and stop being knuckleheads yourselves.
BigDaddyJim
August 3rd, 2012
6:16 am
Being great and having great potential are two totally differt things. what the fact that Crowell ran for 850 yards last year says about him is that he ran for 85 yards per game. Greatness? Nope. What those numbers don’t reflect was the time he spent sitting on the sidelines with his helmet and shoes off. Relaxing on trainers table, not being treated for anything, or wearing non-contact jerseys to practice while his teamates were on the field busting their hind ends and probably playing through broken bone, gouged eyes, sprained ankles,etc. because real Dawgs GATA. IC1 was out for #1. I contend that he wasn’t soft, he was downright LAZY. Ikie Crowell had an oppoutinity to be a great player, he was blessed with a lot of talent and given an awesome chance to play at UGA, but like Jimmy Buffet he pissed it away somehow. I hope i never have to be subjected to another article about how “great” Crowell was/could’ve been. How about writing about some guy who’s actually on the team and wants to be there.
kingdaddy
August 3rd, 2012
6:39 am
Jeff,
Do you know anything about “CANCER”? Carlton Thomas had 3 suspensions!!! Obviously, he just didn’t care about rules. Crowell had an unregistered handgun in his possesion! On top of that, he had 3 new recruits with him! Did he show-off his “gat”? Did the new recruits become infected with his disregard for the law or rules? Do you know how peer pressure effects youths? Wow, That’s I.C., he’s SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR, I WANT TO BE LIKE HIM!!!
Jeff, you need to “glorify” DGDs like Jarvis Jones and Richard Samuel. They are not CANCERS, they are the “CURE”. Crowell’s dismissal was addition by subtraction. Nothing more, nothing less…
59bulldawg
August 3rd, 2012
6:40 am
Crowell was exceptionally talented but he isn’t the first exceptional talent to do his best to throw it all away. I wish him well but have no regrets. I think we’ll be fine with what we have if we can stay healthy.
In your heart, you know I'm right, bless your heart
August 3rd, 2012
7:09 am
Crowell
Ealey
C. King
Sanks
.
.
.
And other thugs too numerous to mention who were recruited by Richt. It always comes back to Richt. Face it – Richt is the real cancer on this team.
JB
August 3rd, 2012
7:32 am
My biggest concern is for the say the last 3 years, I have watched as the Dawgs have not been able to establish a running game against bad teams, average teams or good teams, thus have no signature wins to speak of in that time frame, while last year having the biggest line in all of football. When you get inside the other teams 30 and get to fourth and say 1 or 2 and can’t get a first down , you got problems.
JB
August 3rd, 2012
7:35 am
Crowell will not be missed. No heart, no team spirit, did not like contact etc. He liked the bright lights and all, but he was not a football player to go to war with. I’ll take Samuals and one of these freshman with heart.
The Truth
August 3rd, 2012
7:39 am
Yep, I don’t know what the Dawgs are going to do at RB this season. Shultz is right – I don’t know where they are going to find a guy that can’t take a hit, takes himself out of games, and runs like a 4 year old girl between the tackles. The only impact Crapwell has last year was his rear end on the bench.
Costanza "Lord of the Idiots"
August 3rd, 2012
7:46 am
Someone should hand CMR a picture of Crowell standing next to Trent Richardson. Coach, this is what we had versus what we want. They’re the same height but one has an extra 50 lbs of tackle breaking muscle because he spends hours upon hours in the weight room. Oh yeah, it also took 3 years for that other guy to crack the starting lineup because they have a stable full of guys just like him.
gt4ever
August 3rd, 2012
7:47 am
Here’s to the BEST team on paper in the NATION! Good grief you guys are awesome on paper… IC never proved a thing, other than he had a coach that failed him. Period. A little discipline and this kid would have been special.
Eric C.
August 3rd, 2012
7:49 am
Crowell was injury-prone and had many more negatives than positives…I’ll always remember those shining moments such as his ill-timed fumble that lost the game against SC. Let’s focus more on what can still be controlled, eh?
juvenal
August 3rd, 2012
7:51 am
when i tell dauug fans i would rather lose with dignity to teams that recruit these prima donnas than have them attend my alma mater, all i get is scoffing disdain-many of them don’t see at that end of the spectrum, but some are just walking away…integrity is it’s own victory….
juvenal
August 3rd, 2012
7:52 am
& way to go, Ms. Schmitt!
Starring William Conrad as Frank Cannon
August 3rd, 2012
7:59 am
Crowell is a bad apple and also an energy vampire. Good riddance!
Buzz2011
August 3rd, 2012
8:01 am
Crowell was the perfect Dog running back.. Not very smart, no discipline, played two series a game and a thug attitude. The Dogs will miss Crowell..” We gun this state”……
gt4ever
August 3rd, 2012
8:01 am
“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.”
Hardly, Great running backs ONLY happen when they have great lines…. I’ll agree to the second part, as a great line will make a average running back look good… But there is NO instance anywhere, where your first statement exists…
Starring William Conrad as Frank Cannon
August 3rd, 2012
8:05 am
Crowell was a master of the english language on twitter.
The Truth
August 3rd, 2012
8:07 am
Hey Techies – win more than 1 in 10 and then we will talk.
kingdaddy
August 3rd, 2012
8:09 am
Jeff,
How about no more articles on transfered or arrested Dogs for awhile. The season is about to start. Think you can do some more articles on what we have instead of what we don’t? Coaches poll ranked us #6 and you write about more negatives about a player that’s been gone over a month? Has anyone seen Gurly or Marshall yet? How’s Boo looking? Can Q.Hicks catch a ball coming out of the backfield? Will Jay Rome be ready for a breakout year catching the ball while Artie open running lanes?
So many questions and you give us Isaiah is gone and we’re going to miss him. Sometimes, I wonder if you like the Dogs at all. I know, some people call you a UGA homer, lol. You can’t win, can you Bo???
gt4ever
August 3rd, 2012
8:12 am
@ The Truth
I can’t argue with you… You guys OWN us… Kinda pathetic really… But hey,, it’s a fact.
kingdaddy
August 3rd, 2012
8:25 am
Why can’t Nerds just worry about their pocket-protectors and model train-sets and leave football to the Doggies? If we want to learn how to cook fries and o-rings, we’ll give y’all a call…
jim
August 3rd, 2012
8:32 am
Do you think we will get back to letting the fullback run the ball occasionally. We use to use the fullback significantly, but that was before Bobo started calling the plays.
oldfart
August 3rd, 2012
8:32 am
“…10 full games…”
It sure didn’t seem like it was that much.
JTDAWG
August 3rd, 2012
8:35 am
You ever been on a team, Schultzie? This kid, though talented, was a cancer. It’s not always about talent. Dogs will be better without him.
Rival
August 3rd, 2012
8:41 am
Funny, you haven’t mentioned the Houston ordeal before when writing about UGA’s offensive line woes. Of course, you did mentioned the “banned substance” but left out the circumstances surrounding it which are a credit to Houston/UGA and should disgrace the NCAA (if they had any shame).
How ’bout them Jackets, Schultz!
gt4ever
August 3rd, 2012
8:44 am
@Kingdaddy
You really have nothing to talk about… You guys should be held at a higher standard, since your coach recruits top 10 every year… But hey, you can hang your hat on that big win over us, the national power that we have become…
Fair and Balanced
August 3rd, 2012
8:46 am
Crowell may be very talented, but we can do without him. The problem is though, that we have a weak OL. This has been a problem for so long that it is rediculous that it hasn’t been fixed! Everybody knows this and still we go without a remedy! This is not rocket science. Get some hogs in there that know how to block! GA goes 9-3 in a mediocre year, with mediocre schedule. I have no confidence we win the East. None!
kingdaddy
August 3rd, 2012
8:47 am
Jeff,
Do you think UGA would be a better team if it had I.C. back? You will notice I said Team???
kingdaddy
August 3rd, 2012
8:54 am
GT4ever
sorry brother, I like Tech. I’m just responding to your post attacking UGA again. I don’t go looking to troll GT articles with crass humor and senseless shots at your team. Not my style. You threw down, remember? I just responded, lol. Not my fault Dawgs bite intruders…
Nativebird
August 3rd, 2012
9:11 am
“Running back by committee shouldn’t be celebrated, any more than platooning quarterbacks. If one guy was considered exceptional, he would start.”
Or if all others really sucked.
REALLY?
August 3rd, 2012
9:15 am
He took himself out every other play. If the O-line (BIG IF)can come together UGA will be fine at RB.
'94 UGA Alumni
August 3rd, 2012
9:15 am
I hate to say it Jeff, but you are spot on. We will definitely miss Crowell. I am not very optomistic about us being able to run the ball. We may have to go with the “run and shoot” and have 4 receivers on every play. I don’t think we ought to use the ‘I’ formation that much.
kingdaddy
August 3rd, 2012
9:15 am
Running back by committee sure didn’t hurt LSU did it???
Hap Hines
August 3rd, 2012
9:21 am
I guess you could call being a disgusting piece of human trash “having issues”. I’m sure there’s a jail cell waiting for him somewhere. Maybe he can bunk with Lawrence Phillips.
kingdaddy
August 3rd, 2012
9:22 am
From watching the Spring game, UGA will have a very good running game. If you’ve already given up before the first game, then you aren’t much of a DOGGIE FAN ANYWAY! If you disagree, then you’re probably a troll or just don’t know what it is to be a fan. Could you at least give them until the Missouri game before you write them off???
too tough
August 3rd, 2012
9:31 am
All I can say is…The Dawg Nation Believes in all the players the put on the G helmet! I have faith in CMR and the coaching staff! Ya know folks, UGA has had some trials and tribulations….BUT! This team will come together and be a team that will be special!
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RiffRaff
August 3rd, 2012
9:31 am
Why are we still talking about this guy anymore??…..He let the team down. He was a poor representative of UGA and was all about himself. Marshall and Gurley will make everyone forget about IC. Go DAWGS!
old dog
August 3rd, 2012
9:31 am
Crowell had character (or lack there-of) issues from the get-go. Many of his yards were against lesser teams, and he patted his head so often to come out after a decent tackle that he learned the Morse code! It does not make one a non-fan because they didn’t worship this wack job. That being said, if we do not pick up the o-line play this year, we will be sreaming back and forth on these blogs next year, because we will STILL be a second tier (LSU, ‘Bama are top-tier) SEC team. I love my Dawgs, but until we get a top-notch o-line (and we do not have one now) the D and other aspects of the team will have to win the games. I am hoping for the best, and I think we will have a good year. But anyone who played on any level knows our o-line is not up-to-snuff with the big-boys. I don’t care how many got drafted, they did not do well as a unit. Hopefully Friend will find a way………………
a country boy can survive
August 3rd, 2012
9:32 am
uga doesn’t have a running back on the roster who would get into the rb rotation at LSu…
Gary
August 3rd, 2012
9:32 am
It’s all Marks fault!!! First he goes a gets the kid every other coach wants. Then it turns out he is a bit of a punk on and off the field. Georgia dumps him. Some how Mark is now getting the wrong kids. Pretty sure LSU is starting with one of our criminals. Last year they let one of there own criminals QB who should have been off the team for putting a guy in the hospital. I don’t know how it works at Bama, but when kid gets arrested in Athens it is in the AJC before the 6am the next morning. Maybe the cops in Bama can’t write police reports and that is why their players seem to never get in the paper. Not sure. I just know that Mark is doing a pretty good job taking a stand with the kids causing trouble and I think it might be hurting our recruiting, but I don’t care. You need to do whats right rather than what is easy. I just hope we make it to the SEC again just so the haters (I am only talking about the Georgia fans(?) who want him gone) can suffer with him until he is ready to retire.
DIT
August 3rd, 2012
9:36 am
Crowell was a world of talent. I don’t think anyone ever doubted that. It’s a shame that he could not stay out of trouble. I hope he gets his life together and learns from this life lesson. He will be missed from that offense. Still, I’m glad that Coach Richt did the right thing when it came to dismissing him from the team. He has been given a couple chances and took it for granted.
Now we have to look past this. Sorry fellow Dawg people, but we can’t rely on two true freshment to tote the ball in the SEC. This is Samuel’s time. Either he steps up and carries the load or we will be an average team with 3 losses this year. Of course the O-Line needs to open some holes for whomever is running the ball.
Ready for this to start! Go Dawgs!
5150 UOAD
August 3rd, 2012
9:51 am
LSU running back by comity didn’t hurt them.
UGa AIN’T LSU that is the difference.