Isaiah Crowell ‘happy,’ seeking fresh start at Alabama State
Former Georgia running back Isaiah Crowell is getting ready to compete at far from SEC spotlight.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – About 225 miles from Athens, in the opposite direction from where most people will be looking when the college football season opens, you can find Isaiah Crowell here.
Take the last exit of I-85 south, make a left under the overpass and drive straight down Decatur and into the projects. There you will see a weathered sign reading, “Hornets Stadium,” and a football practice field bordered on one side by a small college campus and on the other by less-than-idyllic surroundings.
“The culture is a little different here,” Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said with understatement.
Alabama State is in the midst of a makeover. A 30-year, $600 million wish list of constructions projects includes several new athletic facilities, including a $62 million football stadium scheduled to open on Thanksgiving. In that sense, this is an appropriate place for Crowell to land. He hopes to be in the midst of his own makeover. Twice suspended and ultimately kicked out of Georgia for weapons charges (still pending) — a gun with a filed off serial number was found in his car at a campus checkpoint — Crowell is thankful to be anywhere.
Crowell seems more "comfortable" at a smaller program.
Barlow, the seventh year coach, said that when he met Crowell, he found him “regretful for what had happened. I remember when he was here for his visit, I heard him whisper to his mom, ‘Thank God for a fresh start.’ I didn’t say anything. But I saw Isaiah walking around and looking. He seemed relieved that somebody was ready to embrace him again and give him a second chance.”
Crowell was pleasant when a reporter approached him after practice Friday. “Yes, I’m happy,” he said, responding to a question. But then he was asked by a school official to keep walking to the locker room and stop talking. He has been advised by his attorney not to speak to the media, perhaps until after legal matters have been resolved.
A previously scheduled interview two weeks ago also was canceled suddenly
Kaiss (left) says Crowell still has long way to go in maturing.
by his mother. Debbie Crowell said late Friday night that she was pleased for her son and that, “He’s happy at Alabama State.” But she otherwise declined comment.
We’ve seen no shortage of skilled but misguided youth in college athletics. Those “stars” on national signing day don’t account for deficiencies in maturity and intelligence. Crowell was the center jewel of Georgia’s prematurely celebrated 2011 recruiting class that already has lost seven of 26 players.
On the field, Crowell was as great as advertised last season. Despite injuries and suspensions,
The practice field is bordered on one side by project housing.
questions about his work ethic and toughness, he still rushed for 850 yards and five touchdowns and was the SEC’s freshman of the year.
Vince Dooley played the “bad apple” card when discussing Crowell recently. Maybe. But Crowell never has seemed like a bad kid, just an overly coddled and enabled one. If he left Columbus-Carver High School with a sense of entitlement, his enablers at the school and all surrounding him should share some blame.
It's not Athens but Crowell soon will play in a new stadium.
When Crowell arrived at Georgia and suddenly had to deal with rules, it didn’t go well.
“Am I surprised? No. It’s what we created,” said Fred Kaiss, an Alabama State assistant coach.
“I don’t know if Isaiah was lost. But he’s not a guy who can have a lot of freedom. He can’t. And he ain’t there yet. Oh, he’ll tell you, ‘I’ve got it.’ But inside, I think he knows he doesn’t have it yet because if he did he’d be meeting with guys like you.”
Barlow has taken chances on problem kids before.
Kaiss, a 20-year coach at HBCU programs, has seen several athletes function better at the 1-AA level than major (FBS) programs. A number of former SEC players have transferred to Alabama State, including NFL quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.
“Is it more glamorous [in FBS]? Sure,” Kaiss said. “But it’s also easier to fall prey to other things for some kids. Some guys can’t pitch for the Yankees because they fall apart in the limelight, but they can pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers and be a star.”
So there you go: Crowell hasn’t gone from Bulldog to Hornet as much as he has Yankee to Brewer.
There have been some early hiccups. Crowell has been disciplined twice for being late – once to a meeting, once to a weight session. “His habits were not formed yesterday,” Kaiss said. “This is a process.”
But he’s trying to blend. Barlow, a former Alabama State and NFL wide receiver, was pleased the other night when an assistant coach asked for volunteers to run on kickoff scout team and Crowell ran onto the field. “That showed me he was starting to turn a corner,” he said.
Alabama State was a surprising option. Top players generally will transfer to a junior college for a year and then back to an FBS school without having to sit out a year. (Cam Newton and Zach Mettenberger are two examples.) Even Barlow placed his recruiting chances at only “30 percent.” But he sold Crowell and his parents on the program’s growth, proximity to Columbus and his past work with problem transfers (Nigel Carr was kicked out of Florida State, came to ASU and now plays for the Baltimore Ravens).
Barlow said Crowell is “comfortable here. We talked about junior college, but he said he just wanted to be someplace where he would fit in.”
During their first conversation, Barlow described Debbie Crowell as “really down” about matters. “She said he looked immature with the way he was dealing with some stuff [at UGA] and he felt bad because he had let his teammates down, and people who believed in him. He wanted an opportunity to restore his name, and she wanted to make sure we were demanding of him and would hold him accountable.”
He told Crowell he didn’t care about his history and barely even looked into it: “I told him, ‘Here’s where our trust starts.”
Barlow doesn’t deny this was a football decision, but he maintains it’s more than that. “I believe in second chances,” he said, and then he referenced his brother, Clemmon, a standout athlete who “went astray,” and eventually to prison.
“The parole board cut him a break and gave a second chance. Now he’s a great father and provider. So, yes, this was a chance for us to get an elite athlete. But I’m hoping we can give Isaiah something rewarding: experiencing accountability, team, an education.”
Crowell isn’t quite off the map. Alabama State’s opener against Bethune-Cookman next Sunday in Orlando is being carried by ESPN. But when major conferences begin play, he will slip under the radar for the first time in his life. Maybe that’s not a bad thing.
By Jeff Schultz
•
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253 comments Add your comment
GTJohn
August 26th, 2012
8:01 am
So he really wanted to wear the white and gold after all.
tell me again
August 26th, 2012
8:05 am
GT Bob – that is the best post you have ever made……there is hope for you after all. Maybe.
"Chef" Tim Dix
August 26th, 2012
8:15 am
He really is the poster child for the new American Dream: From car wash to the big time car to the car wash. Thanks, LBJ’s great society / imprisonment.
Mister.Earl
August 26th, 2012
8:37 am
Whatever happened to Washaun Ealey?
Big Al
August 26th, 2012
8:40 am
Who cares? A thug is still a thug. He has a jail cell waiting in his future.
Mister.Earl
August 26th, 2012
8:42 am
Alabama State, like many HBCUs, has a great tradition of doing more with less. These programs are less focused on players and commodities and more sincere about their development as people.
Of course, the story of coddled star athletes is nothing new. It is the nature of the system that provides perks for anyone who can help a head football coach keep a job. Unfortunately, football factories like Penn State will make poor decisions to protect themselves while collateral damage is ignored.
Georgia knew what they were getting in Crowell, and didn’t care to align him with proper counseling. Too many other guys to watch. Football comes first. Hopefully, a more supportive (and disciplined) environment at Alabama State will fight to help this young man mature.
Mister.Earl
August 26th, 2012
8:48 am
Big Al – thank you for your ignorant comments.
You got nothing of substance to offer – why not keep it to yourself?
Bone
August 26th, 2012
8:58 am
Will be in jail soon enough. I’ve had it with sports-coddling thugs like Crowell: he is not fit for higher education and the fact that he gets free ride after free ride at colleges is just shameful. Hope he “turns his life around” or whatever.
Sweetheart
August 26th, 2012
8:59 am
NCAA Nasty Nine:Stars who Play No More is a great article. And our Mr. Crowell makes the list!
http://www.footballnation.com/content/2012-ncaa-nasty-nine-stars-play-no-more/16295/
Fair n Balanced
August 26th, 2012
9:03 am
Jeff, maybe if all the media had not put him in the spotlight, he would still be at GA.
Bo
August 26th, 2012
9:09 am
As I’ve said before – once a Thug always a Thug. Why would these coaches make excuses for him. I bet he would not be late to anything if he was in the Marines or Army. Maybe that’s too good or him. At this pace he’s headed for a jailhouse!
uh huh...
August 26th, 2012
9:16 am
this article is a further indictment of mark richt.
the alabama state coach has already picked up that crowell “cant handle a lot of freedom.”
it sounds like they are going to impose some discipline instead of giving him the keys to the candy store….interesting…
Mister.Earl
August 26th, 2012
9:16 am
Thugs R Us
Bo – if he was a thug, what was he doing at UGA in the first place?
Does the university have a “fair and balanced” admissions policy or not?
SouthGADawg
August 26th, 2012
9:28 am
The Truth
Why do you think he will play in the NFL? Look at the kid from AU, broke all kinds of records and was kicked out. Talent running the ball does not make one NFL material you have to be smart and dedicated . That was the problem at UGA if he changes he has the world ahead of him if not there is always Walmart.
Fan of the Game
August 26th, 2012
9:28 am
You don’t have anything else to write about? This is what is wrong with college athletics. Too much coverage of crap like this.
BigMike
August 26th, 2012
9:31 am
Crowell is a PUNK and UGA is soooo happy to see him gone! AS, keep your blinders on because this jerk is a train wreck coming your way!!
Taylor Wooten
August 26th, 2012
9:34 am
Somebody want to explain to me how THIS school gets a $62 million stadium…in these times?
Huh?
Mister.Earl
August 26th, 2012
9:36 am
Fan Of The Game – you are not forced to read any information that is considered too painful for your sensitive eyes. Do you really prefer a narrow perspective of collegiate sports?
What is wrong with major College sports?
A lot.
This ain’t the pros. Or is it?
Hard Truth Soldier
August 26th, 2012
9:53 am
IT’S AMAZING THE AMOUNT OF VILE COMMENTS THAT COME ALONG WITH BLOGGING, some of you people are just well..Dumb. This is a kid, a young kid that made a huge mistake and has to ultimately deal with it. Funny how the AJC hasn’t run one story on Z. Mattenberger this upcoming football season, and Isiah been gone all of two months and he’s relevant. To who? Guess this smear tactic can keep the focus on him and away from te realness that is college football. First let me say this, “I love college football”, but I know the reality behind it. Yes it looks good that your “giving’ a young man and EDUCATION, but let’s be real your not giving a da*n thing away. Isiah Crowell had already paid for his college education before the season started, the anticipation of this kid coming sent ticket sales up, fans hoping, t.v. contracts coming and bulldog gear selling. Did he do something wrong? Yes! I’m not going to give him a free pass, but the reality to this is High school coaches, college coaches, and yes even pro coaches give these guys countless breaks, not because they want to, but because in alot of cases (most) they have to weigh the importance of letting these kids go. If you think I’m lying, reflect back on the off season and you’ll see Mark Richt was extremely vocal about bringing in more backs. Do you really think this was just a coincidence? He knew what he was dealing with when this young man signed with GEORGIA, but he knew his back was against the wall, Remember he had Ealey and King to deal with before CROWELL. Once he knew that Crowell was Georgia’s he parted ways with Ealey’s ways. Mark Richt needs to take ownership in some of this and all these GROWN MEN at Georgia, Penn State, Fsu, North Carolina, Ohio State, and the list goes on, need to be more accountable. While they (The Coaches) walk away with Millions yearly, these players walk away with nothing but shame. Think Les Miles didn;t know the Honey Badger had a problem last year? Think he was going to interrupt LSU’S RUN AT THE NATIONAL TITLE. They know and yet they do nothing about it until they see a solution to the problem. Isiah Crowell get it together, because long after the cheering stops for you in Athens and starts for Keith Marshall, and Todd Gurley you’ll have to be accountable for your actions, and believe me when I say there just two incidents from being yours or Ealeys back up at a lower division.
Troup Co. Dawg
August 26th, 2012
10:20 am
He never wanted to be in the ‘Spotlight. IMO if you continue to recruit talented athletes with terrible attitudes this sort of thing will continue to go on. This guy had the weight of the Bulldog Nation bearing down on him. There can never be another HW and I wish the fans would realize this. Every time we get a High profile back we expect a 1000 yds rushing from them. In today’s game, In the SEC, you’ve got much bigger and faster defenses that are capable of shutting down the run game. The SEC will become more of a passing league eventually. I think the days of 1200+ yds a year per back will fade with the exception of a few, (Marcus Lattimore). Defenses win games and we should be trying to figure out how to stop this guy^^^^^! Good luck Mr. Crowell, I hope you get it together man, Rock on Brother!
Maurice Buckhanna
August 26th, 2012
10:21 am
Georgia born, Georgia breed, I’ll be be a Georgia boy till the day I’m dead. But, I am also an ASU grad, I’m happy for both parties. I just wish he would have done what he needed to do at UGA. GO DAWGS, and It’s a great time to be a HORNET.
DawgNole
August 26th, 2012
10:25 am
KBP
August 25th, 2012
2:14 pm
Gamechanger. . . What does long dreads tell about a person’s character? I don’t care for dreads but are insinuating that there is some correlation between hairstyles and character/judgement/decision making?
_____________________
One doesn’t guarantee the other, and vice versa. But the two often go hand-in-hand. Too often.
Homepage | MrSEC
August 26th, 2012
10:30 am
[...] 27. Former Georgia running back Isiah Crowell settles in at Alabama State. [...]
DawgNole
August 26th, 2012
10:40 am
George Stein
August 25th, 2012
3:48 pm
Good for him; everyone deserves a second chance. Have his legal issues been resolved?
_____________________
The column said “. . . for weapons charges (still pending).”
no more arrests
August 26th, 2012
10:49 am
this young man needs to stay out of the eyes of the law , if not he is heading no where …anyone who gets a free ride to get education and play Div 1 ball and just does not stay focused i believe he is heading either to prision or to his grave , why the hell would you carry a gun when you are on campus
..who you going to shoot …dumbass…he is going to be in trouble again..he is a headcase!
Mark Richt
August 26th, 2012
10:52 am
Kiss My ass DawgNole
DawgNole
August 26th, 2012
11:04 am
jvillebil
August 25th, 2012
6:54 pm
Stinger 2, because there are people that still want to follow his progress. I wouldn’t want to see continuing articles, but I appreciated the update.
____________________
Good answer.
DawgNole
August 26th, 2012
11:12 am
Mark Richt
August 26th, 2012
10:52 am
Kiss My ass DawgNole
___________________
Feel better now? Proud of your contribution to the blog? Sadly, the answer’s probably “Yes.”
whoz53
August 26th, 2012
11:25 am
You got a second chance, use it well!
Sid
August 26th, 2012
11:29 am
He’s still got some very serious legal charges to deal with…………he won’t get a pass there.
Bobby Walden
August 26th, 2012
11:35 am
Anyone who carries a gun with the serial number filed off deserves some time in prison. Not glory on a football fiel. But coaches will sell they soles fuh vittory. Just axe JoPa, who let little boys get raped for the glory of Pee-Yew.
Eddie
August 26th, 2012
11:36 am
I read just enough to realize that “Gamechanger” = moron! As for as IC goes, he has to make the right choices. I hope he gets his act together—he is extremely talented.
Sid
August 26th, 2012
12:09 pm
mambo August 25th, 2012 2:53 pm
Jeff, why are you hanging around this punk who now goes to a school whose stadium is across the street from a housing project? At least Sanford Stadium is 2 blocks from a housing project.
****************************************
I looked at the area from Google satellite then went down to the street level, looks like a decent area, of course I don’t know when the pics were taken. But I did think about the housing projects near Tech as well. Maybe writer waxing poetic….?
Whoever asked about how they paid for a new stadium “ARE YOU SERIOUS”…..? Do a little research and I am sure you can find your answer but you really didn’t want to know….!
http://blog.al.com/montgomery/2011/08/asu_stadium_construction_under.html
New stadium looks great, even have Isaiah litho up in the new stadium virtual tour.
http://www.newasustadium.com/virtual-tour.php
Tigers Don't Change Their Stripes
August 26th, 2012
12:13 pm
It Won’t Be Long……..and we will see his face on America’s Most Wanted…..he is in school in the projects and that his where his mentality belongs……Tigers don’t change their stripes
Mr.SEC
August 26th, 2012
12:25 pm
Finally, Crowell and UGA fans agree on one thing; Crowell is happy to be out of UGA, and UGA is glad that is out od Athens also!
Old timer
August 26th, 2012
12:40 pm
At the end of the day it’s “upbringing”
B-Dawg
August 26th, 2012
12:59 pm
Praying for peace, wisdom, and strength for that young man and he will recognize that Christ is with him each step of his journey!
ugaclassof2004
August 26th, 2012
1:44 pm
Jeff,
Being a former student at UGA, I can attest to the fact that it is a tough environment, even for a regular student. And then you add the downtown Athens scene into the equation( which in and of itself is its own can of worms), and guys are going to struggle. When you are a football player at UGA, and you win, the town of Athens is literally you oyster. Booze, money, women…all of it at your disposal. But if you lose, and act like a loser off the field…you’ll receive the Bulldog faithful’s venom, which can be pretty potent. It is what it is. You can’t accept the pro’s if you can’t handle the con’s, and that is something that needs to be hammered into these kids time and time again.
The very nature of college kids is to push boundaries, and in this day of social media, you just can’t get away with things like you used to. When I was in school you could make mistakes, pay the price, and not have it ruin your life. But these kids today, they’re not allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. It’s either there is NO accountability, or the punishments are FAR too severe.
As far as Crowell goes, I don’t think he’s the thug that a lot of fans portray him as. I do think he’s immature, and a screwup, and Richt got tired of it. Hey, Athens isn’t for everyone. There are great players that go to the NFL from small schools all the time, and maybe that small quiet environment is what Crowell needs to be successful. If nothing else, he can play there for a year and then transfer to another Big School like what Cam Newton did. It doesn’t have to be the end of the road for Crowell unless he wants it to be.
Sara
August 26th, 2012
1:46 pm
TO: Jeff Sch (whatever) or however you spell your last name
Why are you trying to write an article about Isiash Crowell ?
You need to return to college because you a one sorry reporter – - – trying to write an article on an individual who has gone on with his life and you are still trying to bring him down.
You don’t need this job because you suck at it.
Possiblefelon
August 26th, 2012
1:49 pm
HaHa
what kind of school allows one with this background to enroll or is that the norm there?
Possiblefelon
August 26th, 2012
1:52 pm
Dawgs sure upgraded with class kids at TB this year with academic backgrounds and more importantly—–CLASS.
Michael
August 26th, 2012
2:06 pm
It is very apparent where the problems lies: “Education” was only mentioned once in this article, and even then as an afterthought. If our universities were more worried about education and less about winning football games, there would be fewer people enabled and passed through high school because they were being groomed for college football. They would have to rely more on learning in order to make it.
Now 63 but once I was 19, 20, 22, even 23
August 26th, 2012
2:07 pm
I have known my wife since I was 19. We raised two kids in N Fulton and they grew into adults and are doing very well at ages of 28 and 31.
My point? My wife recalled every stupid thing that I did as a young man when I was having issues with my then 14, 15, 17 year old kids while in HS and on to college. She had to remind me that I was also once ……………stupid acting.
I did stupid things OFTEN as a kid, because I was young and dumb and extremely immature. I grew out of it around 24 and now retired at age 63.
IC will eventually move forward or slide back. It is up to him.
APPLAUD him for trying to do better ……………..he is a kid.
UGA class of 71 & 73
DrCourtney2be
August 26th, 2012
2:16 pm
Jeff,
I enjoyed reading your article. However, you opted to leave out the fact that UGA is bordered by housing projects as well. It is almost as if you are insinuating that there is a direct correlation of housing projects and success rate.
Dawg Meat OKelly
August 26th, 2012
2:17 pm
Crowell is really a great fellow,who kept making the same miscues OVER AND OVER. Good luck on his fresh start. I say leave him alone and let him live.
Return to Glory
August 26th, 2012
2:20 pm
Hope he gets it together, maybe he can play 4 quarters against lesser talent, With him I will believe it when I see it.
Alabama State
August 26th, 2012
2:22 pm
let him live
Mr Mister
August 26th, 2012
2:28 pm
Look in the photo captioned “Kaiss (left) says Crowell still has long way to go in maturing”…What does that tell you? Already been late for a couple workouts or practice and look at him here. Look 2 players over and you see another #1. The one on the right has probably been a player on this team and the New Improved (smh) Crowell comes in and being the selfish over-rated child he is…he has to wear the #1. Give me a break…Once spoiled and over-rated…always spoiled and over-rated. He’s a jail sentence waiting to happen.
Festus
August 26th, 2012
3:11 pm
I read the article but maybe I missed it. What was that young scholar majoring in at UGA and what is he majoring in Bama Lite? College football is a joke. There are no student athletes. Just a farm team for the pros. The jocks make money for the “school” and keep the alumni happy. The best thing that could happen to college athletics is to get rid of athletic scholarships and only admit students who are there to pursue legitimate degrees. The service academies do reasonably well with real student athletes.
TROTTINGHOME
August 26th, 2012
3:12 pm
Sounds to me like he knows the difference between right and wrong…choose wrong cause he thought he could get away with it…but he didn’t work hard enough to have good luck…so he got bad luck…and caught…adios amigo.