A clue to what’s been missing in Dogs’ running game
Nobody at UGA worked harder than Thomas Brown. (Associated Press)
While a lot of fingers have pointed at departed Georgia assistant coach Stacy Searels’ underperforming offensive line as a big reason for the Dogs’ running game being only the 10th best in the SEC this past season, there obviously was more to it than that.
The fact that thanks to injuries and disciplinary problems Georgia rarely had both its top two running backs, Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, playing in the same game was a factor. As was Mike Bobo’s tendency to abandon the ground attack for long stretches and his insistence on trying to run Carlton Thomas up the middle at inopportune moments in close games.
But at times there also seemed to be something lacking in the effort of the backs themselves. Rarely did you see Ealey or King break tackles.
And I think maybe you can get an inkling into why that was the case from comments made Friday by former Georgia tailback Thomas Brown, who’s joined the new strenth and conditioning staff under Joe Tereshinski.
The diminutive Brown, who battled for playing time with Danny Ware, Kregg Lumpkin and Knowshon Moreno, played like he was much bigger than he was thanks to his phenomenal strength and competitiveness. In talking with the media about the decline in the Bulldogs’ strength and conditioning in the three seasons since he departed, he said: “I think you can solve most problems with more competition. I think that’s one of the biggest things that’s different from when I was here as a player and here now.
“When I came in, I was highly recruited, the No. 1-rated running back in the state of Georgia, No. 3 or 4 in the nation. I came in, I was No. 7 on a depth chart of eight running backs. I had to compete, and I think that kind of makes guys raise their level of expectations. I think it’s harder for guys to be motivated when they know they’re kind of guaranteed to play. So I think … bringing in guys to compete with those guys will make everybody a lot better.”
That fits in with what Blair Walsh said after the Liberty Bowl disaster about some of the players on the team having a sense of entitlement. Ealey runs his mouth a lot and King thinks he’s too cool for school, but rarely has either looked like the hardest-working back in the game.
Whether or not Georgia signs Isaiah Crowell, that’s got to change if the Dogs are going to consistently run the ball in the SEC.
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480 comments Add your comment
DIT
January 23rd, 2011
1:33 pm
Wow, “got” not gone…
Quit Caps Lock
January 23rd, 2011
1:36 pm
LAKE OCONEE DAWG: Quit yelling. Nobody likes the guy who types in all caps. You’ve got some decent points, but just the fact you can’t type with proper captialization makes me disagree with you.
Kendawg
January 23rd, 2011
1:43 pm
I think hiring Thomas Brown was a great hire. He was always a great competitor at running back, always fighting hard for extra yards after contact. I hope he will be the same as a coach. One word of caution – Thomas – don’t let Richt steal your fire as it appears he has stolen Grantham’s fire.
woebegong
January 23rd, 2011
1:57 pm
DIT,
The last thing I heard was he was on an official visit this weekend to UGA. Sure hope we get him because he is already trained at the position and I am sure he will sufficient time to catch on to the defensive scheme UGA uses. As for the offensive line. I still believe a lot of their problems will be cured by the new S and C coach. Probably will not hurt either that Murray will have had this year as experience and will make his decisions a little quicker and get rid of it a little quicker. Opening some holes for a quick back to get through might be real nice also. I believe that our O line will be ok, like I said, when they get in good physical shape. It is up to the new line coach and offensive coordinator to utilize them more effectively also, and play to their weakness’ if they need to.
scottdawg
January 23rd, 2011
1:57 pm
How surprising to see Ealey compared to H. Walker!! Walker toted the rock 30+ times a game. He also RAN OVER people and made DC’s dread playing GA because even with 8-9 in th box, walker still ran the ball 30 times a game and ran over Lineman and LB’s to gain 4 or 5 yards each time before breaking one to the house. Ealey has not showed that same intensity everydown and will not be a H. Walker caliber back. At least not til he either gets more fire in his belly….or til he drops a few on the depth chart and is forced to work harder. At this point he is an above average back with potential to do more.
As for Bobo, well I agree with Carlton Thomas running between the tackles is not going to scare Defenses. However, what ever happend to our screen pass play that Richt ran so effectively the first few years he was here. I remember so many times he would throw in several screen passes per game and they would go for lots of yards or even house. C. Thomas is that kind of play back…put him in space with some blockers, he is fast, shifty and more elusive in space than up the middle. Now we maybe run a screen pas once every/every other game and it usually goes for an incomplete pass as it is executed horribly. Guess they stopped practicing that so much, which is too bad. If you can’t run the ball with our backs and OL effectively, then get these guys out in space and let them make a play.
I look forward to seeing what Malcom brings to the table this next year. I hear he is a bigger downhill runner and will do well, but the # of stars behind your name don’t mean squat until you show it on the field.
I hope Crowell sings as well, it would be good to have that competition…but again, until you prove it on the field, the stars behind your name don’t mean jack in the SEC. We have signed several backs over the last few years that were tops in GA and the “next Hershel Walker”…and most have turned out to be decent, but not great. (Knowshon was from NJ).
Look forward to seeing who replaces Searls for OL coach. I think was time for him to go. He may be a good coach, but he wasn’t meshing with our staff and system and the line was just OK over the last few years. Moreno had a great couple years in spite of the OL. Many times you would see him running around the holes that weren’t opened, and break 2,3,4,5 tackles each run, like our backs now don’t do. He made the OL look good, and exposed once he left.
Joey
January 23rd, 2011
1:59 pm
“…negativity…”?
Since when did giving statistics become negativity?
You boys just keep your heads up Mark Richt and Co’s butt and see what our football program looks like when you pull out after ‘11.
I just can’t figure out why you guys keep spouting the “winning %, SEC titles,” etc, etc.
Have y’all been asleep the past 3 years? Tons and tons of talent (You want proof? Look at NFL rosters and drafts) and not even contending for the SEC East.
1-8 record vs UF.
Winning one game vs a favored opponent.
Losing to a Colorado so pathetic, they lost 7 games in a row AFTER defeating UGA and fired their coach before the season was over.
40+ player arrests.
But Richt’s butt must taste really good the way you guys smooch it.
BoWeevil cares.
I care.
Bubba Joe
January 23rd, 2011
2:06 pm
I don’t kare if Eealy has got more yards on his rushing carries than Walker, I choose not to believe it. Thank you.
DIT
January 23rd, 2011
2:09 pm
@woebegong
Sounds good. Let’s hope that CMR can bag Jenkins this weekend!
Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
2:14 pm
You guys comparing Walker to Ealey ain’t got a clue. Walker ain’t in Ealey’s league man. Ealey kicked Walker’s tailfeathers in high school CRUSHING EVERY SINGLE RECORD of Herschel Walker, td’s gone, yards, gone, yards per carry, gone.
He’s going the same thing in college. He’s whopping up on Walker again kicking his tailfeathers on yards per carry and CRUSHED his td per carry ratio. Walker got a td every 20 touches, Ealey averaged 1 td every 14 touche sin 2010. He’s on track to CRUSH Herschel Walker’s record for td’s, he needs 30 more.
If Ealey gets 400 carries over the next 2 season, and continue to average a td every 14 touches, like he did in 2010, Washaun Ealey will leave Georgia with the all-time record in rushing td’s, yards per carry, and basically, CURSHING Walker, just like he did in High School with his 8000 yards and 130 touchdowns.
DIT
January 23rd, 2011
2:16 pm
Smoke em if ya got there Eldridge!
Walker is a college football legend and most believe the best RB ever to comer out of college. Funny, I don’t hear Ealy’s name in any conversation like that?
DIT
January 23rd, 2011
2:17 pm
“come” not comer
Tim McDaniel
January 23rd, 2011
2:23 pm
Comparing Ealey and Lattimore??? Are you nuts?? Ealey played in either A or AA. Lattimore played against the best in the highest classification. There is a BIG difference!!!!
Joey
January 23rd, 2011
2:26 pm
Yeah, Ealey has already broken one of Herschel’s “records”:
Ealey – 1 trip to the pokey
Walker – 0 trips to the pokey
No sane Dawg fan would mention those two in the same breath.
Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
2:28 pm
Ealey got 11 td’s on only 150 carries.
Considering Ealey jumped from 4 td’s in 2009, to 11 in 2010, a jump from 11 to 15 in 2011 seems modest.
I expect Ealey to get 30 carries a game this year, and basically over 14 games, that’s 420 touches, keep averaging a td every 14 carries, like he did in 2010, and Ealey scores 30 in 2011, and breaks Herschel Walker’s record in his 3rd year, just like Herschel got 49 td’s in 3 years.
Then Ealey goes Pro and Crowell takes over.
Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
2:31 pm
Good point, Walker isn’t in Ealey’s league, Walker scored 86 td’s in high school, Ealey scored 133.
Ealey scored 54% more td’s in High School than Herschel Walker.
Ealey needs someone on his level to compare to. Walker ain’t even close.
Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
2:34 pm
Emmit Smith is a better comparison to Ealey, but Smith’s not in Ealey’s league either, Smith only scored 107 td’s in highs chool, Ealey scored 133.
Joey
January 23rd, 2011
2:38 pm
Herschel too UGA on his back to 3 SEC and 1 National titles.
Ealey took UGA on his back to beat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kentucky.
Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
2:39 pm
Herschel got 300 carries a season, Ealey only gets 150.
Sandman053
January 23rd, 2011
2:40 pm
Any truth to the rumor on here that King wasn’t in school this spring?
A student of the game
January 23rd, 2011
2:40 pm
Richt claims to be a student of the game of football. Fine. Over the last 3 or 4 years, UGA has been in a deep slide toward the very bottom of the SEC. Even to most UGA haters, that level is unusual even for UGA. For about 15+ years UGA was an Outback Bowl or Cap One Bowl or sometimes Sugar Bowl bound team, even in the “down years.” Not lately.
Now, with AD McGarity, we are “opening things up” for Rict to study the game ………..again. Really?
My issue is, if Richt is a student of the game, when did he put his book down? Why has it taken radio sports talk shows and TV talk shows and blogs, and McGarity and the horrific two year SEC w/l record for him ( McGairty ) to make changes and had McGarity not come in to UGA, (Thank you Damon for your daliances) maybe we would still be rolling along with CMW and Van Halanger and Stacey Searels and etc.
If the squad does not win 10 and make a very fine effort to be in the Dome as East Champion, then it will be over. Period. A bowl trip to Tampa at 9-3 would not do it ……….. this time.
Time will tell and it starts with the G Day game and then ……………..summertime and it had better be quiet in Athens. Shhhhhhhhhh!
Boise State and SC and MSU and UT will be the markers of the 2011 season.
Go Dogs.
Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
2:41 pm
Herschel got over 25 carries a game.
Ealey has NEVER LOST A SINGLE GAME at Georgia when he gets 25 carries a game.
Sandman053
January 23rd, 2011
2:44 pm
Eldridge, Ealey can’t stay un-suspended long enough or hold on to the football enough to get that many carries. Bring on Boo!
Hey Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
2:44 pm
Eldridge, did you spot for ealey when he TWICE SLAMMED into parked cars in Athens? Ealey could not carry HW’s note book. Here is just one reason:
HW- Character was top notch. Top notch as a kid and now. Period.
Ealey- Parked cars being slammed into TWICE !! PUNK ass kid.
Go Dogs.
Sandman053
January 23rd, 2011
2:47 pm
@ Hey Eldridge: isn’t in funny the up and coming RS Fr. RB had no off-filed incidents and is high in the coaches’ opinions of what the RBs should be doing and is supposed to be a more physical back than what we have now. I’m excited about the return of #24 between the hedges.
Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
2:50 pm
Ealey only scored 54% more td’s in High School than Herscel Walker, who became the best college running back of all time, and only scored 24% more td’s in high school than Emmit Smith, who owns the NFL records.
Not too shabby.
Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
2:52 pm
i’d prefer to compare Ealey to Emmit Smith, Walker simply isn’t in Ealey’s league.
Sandman053
January 23rd, 2011
2:53 pm
Not sure about Emmit, but Hershel was at Johnson Co. at best a AA school. As fr Ealey at ECI a class A school. He was all they had. I think they had a defensive player who was recruited and signed by Richt, but had discipline problems.
Sandman053
January 23rd, 2011
2:54 pm
“Walker simply isn’t in Ealey’s league” ??? seriously? Have you started happy hour early?
Sandman053
January 23rd, 2011
2:57 pm
Annyone heard how the OVs went this weekend in Athens? I know the basketball Dawgs won, which is always good.
Eldridge
January 23rd, 2011
3:02 pm
Georgia needed Buck Belue for Herschel to get those records. Belue could stretch the field. opening up the running lanes.
ealey has murray. not exactly a fair comparison.
ealey needs to get 25 carries a game, and he needs his Buck Belue, don’t know if that’s Mason or Lemay or Gray or Marshall, but Georgia has to fins a QB who can accurately get the ball down the field against great teams.
Sandman053
January 23rd, 2011
3:08 pm
ok Murray broke almost every record for a Fr. at UGA with the sorry line we had and the anemic running game? We got our QB for the next two to three years as long as he wants to stay.
mgdawg
January 23rd, 2011
3:23 pm
The Oline and the RB’s are both the problems. The RB’s don’t break tackle, and really they don’t even look like they try to break tackles most the time. However, when the defense is in the backfield every time UGA tries to run the ball it does make it very hard to run the ball good. That was the great thing about knowshon, he would always break 1 or 2 tackles and make 1 or 2 guys miss (usually atleast one of those guys was before he passed the line of scrimmage).
I can’t blame bobo for abandoning the running game, it was nonexistant. UGA had probably the best freshman qb in UGA history and in my opinion the best group of receivers since richt has been there. I wanted them to pass the ball more. There was a lot of games at the start of the season where bobo ran the ball on first down regardless of how the running game was doing, this did hurt the running game, not to mention the score.
KB
January 23rd, 2011
3:40 pm
The patients are running the asylum!
Calling out the players is just a blatant admission that the coach(s) aren’t capable of running a premier, 1st class program. It may be true that we have players with poor attitudes, poor work ethics etc but good leaders can lead regardless of the situation.
Why pay a coach $3,000,000.00 a year if the coach can’t control the players?
Great coaches can do more with the same players than mediocre coaches can; this is proven season after season. Urban Meyer can win BCS titles with Ron Zook’s players, Gene Chiznik wins a BCS title with Tuberville’s player’s, Saban wins a BCS with Shula’s players, Dan Mullen converts a 3-9 team to a 9-3 team with Crooms players.
Richt starts the season ranked number one. He loses to Vandy and S Carolina and has to fight to finish in the top-10. Two of his offensive players are drafted in the NFL 1st round. Does that sound like the M.O. of a program that can contend for BCS/SEC titles?
DAWGMAN
January 23rd, 2011
3:51 pm
GirliePups:
No Guts, No Glory. But in your defense, though none is due, Nobody told you that you might have to be the toughest RB on the roster to get the carries. You just had to show up for Sunday School…
SEC Football requires all girliemen, girliecoaches, and girliefans to stay home, play it safe & stupid. Let SC, UF, and all programs willing to man up, continue to abuse our girlie fannies in front of 90K fans not impresses by gimmicks, blackouts, and arrest reports. Fire Coach Now. Today
Sherriff DooLittle
January 23rd, 2011
4:50 pm
Aaron Murray has an 0-6 record aganst teams with winning records.
Need to find a QB who can beat those kind of teams. Think Mason gets a shot early, then Lemay if that doesn’t work out.
Sherriff DooLittle
January 23rd, 2011
4:53 pm
Murray has 5 td’s against ranked teams.
Newton and Mallett both had 14.
That’s what’s been missing in the Dogs.
Sherriff DooLittle
January 23rd, 2011
4:57 pm
Murray’s 4 td’s against ranked teams is what’s been missing.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/splits?playerId=480210
BigDawg
January 23rd, 2011
4:58 pm
Brown???? really??? Hmmmm…Was thinking along the lines of Herschel Walker…
Junkyard Dawg
January 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
Will you guys please cut it out with the Murray vs ranked teams crap!!!
Question………………
Was it Murray’s fault that the defense allowed Mallet to crush them for the game winning td pass???
Was it Murray’s fault Caleb King fumbled away the Colorado game???
Was it Murray’s fault that Washout fumbled in the redzone in Columbia???
Was it Murray’s fault that several UGA players didn’t know how to fall on fumbles in the WLOCP???
Was it Murray’s fault that led Auburn back to win after he put up 21 points in the opening quarter against the national champs ON THE ROAD???
Yes, Murray did make mistakes but hell what freshman doesn’t? His good clearly stands over his bad. Murray had a very good season, he just didn’t have a defense or running game to help him. Some of you are idiots for pointing your finger at this kid.
Sherriff DooLittle
January 23rd, 2011
5:08 pm
The running game needs to find a new QB who can score against ranked teams. 4 or 5 td’s a year, won’t cut it.
V Dog
January 23rd, 2011
5:12 pm
I don’t know about Hutson Mason. Yes, he was 72% accurate his Sr. season, and set the state record for td’s, threw 7 in 1 game, but I still like Lemay or Mason in 2011. Nick Marshall is no slouch though, it will be a battle.
V Dog
January 23rd, 2011
5:15 pm
Don’t know what Brown can teach Ealey, Brown got 6 td’s a year av at Georgia, Ealey got 11 in 2010. Brown got about 5 a tote, Ealey’s at 5 1/2 a tote. I think Ealey needs to be coaching Brown.
Junkyard Dawg
January 23rd, 2011
5:16 pm
Murray isn’t the problem on this team, he is the bright spot. Caleb King, Washaun Ealey, the O and D lines, Rambo, and Vance Cuff are the problems people. Fix these things and UGA easily wins ten games next year.
Westside Ricky
January 23rd, 2011
5:18 pm
My stars people, Mark Richt better soon find a new Quarterback who can beat the good teams, he cant be starting no 0-6 guys at QB, need somebody who can beat the big boys. Lemay ain’t scared of nobody. His strengths are poise and leadership. Georgia’s in good hands with Lemay, as long as Georgia benches Murray, sorry folks, beating Vanderbilt isn’t good enough, you need a guy who can beat Florida and South Carolina.
Westside Ricky
January 23rd, 2011
5:20 pm
Funny, uh no, Murray ain’t a “bright spot”. Unless you call beating Louisiana Lfayette, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Idaho State and Georgia Tech tough competition.
Must be a Florida fan.
Yes, we know, you all hope Georgia stays with Murray, forget it.
Junkyard Dawg
January 23rd, 2011
5:20 pm
Westside Ricky………..what qb do you know can beat any SEC team with a defense as bad as UGA has? I don’t care if Peyton Manning was at UGA this season they still would’ve lost games. We simply had NO defense. This isn’t the Pac 10 or ACC where you win titles without defense.
1eyedJack
January 23rd, 2011
5:56 pm
Junkyard Dawg, Vance Cuff used up his eligibility…so there’s a start for ya.
Westside Ricky
January 23rd, 2011
5:59 pm
You need a QB who can win it down the field to help run game, and beat some good teams, no Florida fans, Murray won’t be back, nice try.
dcbl
January 23rd, 2011
6:00 pm
V Dog
January 23rd, 2011
5:15 pm
Don’t know what Brown can teach Ealey…
___________________________________
Maybe how to hold onto the ball like your life depends on it???
1eyedJack
January 23rd, 2011
6:01 pm
Westside Ricky, we’re trying to win THIS year. I think we’ll go with the Soph. starter Murray over a true freshman. Lemay will probably redshirt unless he’s needed for an injury emergency or unless he can play wide receiver.