Crowell’s story all too familiar for UGA fans (UPDATED)
Isaiah Crowell's time in Athens was troubled from the start. (Associated Press)
Seems like we’ve been here before.
Another Georgia tailback’s career derailed — probably ended — by his own actions. This time it’s Isaiah Crowell, arrested early Friday morning on three weapons charges.
For Crowell, his immediate suspension from the Georgia Bulldogs is the least of his troubles. Two of those charges are felonies.
Update: Crowell has been dismissed from the team according to an announcement Friday afternoon by Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt. “We have a dedicated and committed group of men who are working hard to prepare for the coming season,” Richt said. “Our total focus will be directed toward the team and this effort.” That was the coach’s only comment.
The 19-year-old from Columbus came to Athens as one of the most heralded recruits signed by the Bulldogs since you know who, but almost from the start the vibes were bad.
Word leaked out last summer that Crowell wasn’t in good shape and had skipped some workouts. Members of the team felt the need to pay him a visit and tell him he needed to get it in gear.
Once the season started, we saw that Crowell was every bit as talented as had been billed, but fans couldn’t help but notice that he wasn’t exactly the hardest working kid on the field, frequently taking himself out of the lineup.
He hit his stride midseason, carrying the ball 30 times against Ole Miss for 147 yards, one of four 100-yard rushing games he had for the Bulldogs.
Then Crowell sat out the first quarter of the Vandy game for an unspecified rules violation and was suspended for the entire New Mexico State game along with some other teammates who reportedly failed a drug test.
Struggling with an ankle injury, Crowell was never the same after that, running only 15 times for 31 yards in the Dogs’ last four games, and he wound up being booed by fans at the Georgia Dome when he limped off the field during the SEC championship game.
Still, the 850 yards and five touchdowns he did manage were good enough for him to be named SEC freshman of the year, and the happy talk in the offseason was that he was a rededicated and more mature player He wound up the spring sharing the No. 1 tailback spot with Boo Malcome.
But apparently even the more mature Isaiah Crowell still figured rules didn’t apply to him, and so we get this sorry story of him being arrested for having a 9mm Luger with an altered ID number hidden under the seat of the car he was driving when stopped by a police roadblock in Athens. Sheer stupidity.
So, where does that leave the Dawgs at tailback? Pretty much where they were a year ago, with a relatively unheralded veteran likely to be the starter and a super-talented, highly recruited true freshman — this time Keith Marshall — in the wings.
Actually, Georgia is better off this time around, because Marshall started school early and has already been through spring drills and shown himself to be a hard worker. Plus, there’s another super-talented, highly recruited freshman joining the team in August: Todd Gurley.
Bottom line: Isaiah Crowell had the talent to be one of the best running backs in the nation, but never showed the desire and dedication to make that happen. While fans were hoping that competition from Malcome, Marshall and Gurley would spur him to live up to his potential, chances are the rising sophomore’s obvious strong sense of entitlement would have tripped him up in the end.
The Dawgs likely will be better off without him.
Feel free to share your own views of Georgia’s prospects at tailback, but please keep your comments civil and within the bounds of good taste or they’ll be removed and you’ll be banned from future commenting.
Got something you want to discuss concerning UGA athletics or a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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391 comments Add your comment
nick
June 30th, 2012
9:14 am
..winning championships takes an entire community commited to excellence on the field. teamwork-from the administration all the way to local law enforcement.
Red-N-Black
June 30th, 2012
9:14 am
SSIgator
June 29th, 2012
11:17 am
Last year:
Tavarres King said, “I’m not shocked. We’re still Georgia, and I think everybody knows that smoking a little dope is no big deal.”
This year:
Mark Richt said of the arrest, “I’m not shocked. We’re still Georgia, and I think everybody knows that this is the Georgia way.”
Still crying over the loss? Typical Gaytor.
Blake
June 30th, 2012
9:15 am
Racist in the south…. yeah that’s what made him fail a drug test last year and that’s what put a gun under his seat, all those “racists” in the south. How ignorant is that. Anyway, I love how everyone is calling him a “kid”. This is a twenty year old man! A young man, but a man none the less. I hate that he made such an awful decision, but he did and in real life there are consequences to be paid. Hopefully since it’s his first offense he can get the charges dropped to a misdemeanor and carry on his college career elsewhere. Time to move on and start putting the focus on guys that want to do it the right way.
Ty
June 30th, 2012
9:28 am
Enter your comments here
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
June 30th, 2012
9:29 am
So what’s going to happen to the other 4 thugs in the car?
Ty
June 30th, 2012
9:32 am
It is a shame they wasted their time on King, Ealey, Thomas, and Crowell and did not develop Samuel. You cannot give a person a job and leave it with them and expect improvement especially freshmen running backs with a history of attitude problems. All of those had some kind of problem in HS. You do no expect a Rome, Mitchell, Samuel, Murray or Tavares King to do something stupid. But if la player has history of problems, chances are they will have them later. If not, they will not have problems later.
Burma Shave
June 30th, 2012
9:38 am
Another thug bites the dust
Leg humpers are so sad
Looks like Richt will never learn
To not recruit a cad
BURMA SHAVE
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
June 30th, 2012
9:40 am
Hey just another arrest under this championship winning coaching staff
Im proud of our program
Another positive news story talking about arrests
I really am glad I dont have to read negative news stories like UGA winning championships; gosh what would I do
The DREAM TEAM rolls on
Tim in Austell
June 30th, 2012
9:47 am
“So what’s going to happen to the other 4 thugs in the car?”
Go ahead and dismiss them now. They’ve already been corrupted by Crowell. And if they were stupid enough to go cruising with him in the middle of the night, doing dope and who knows what else, you know they’re just going to turn out like Crowell. May as well send them home to their mommas now.
uncledaddy
June 30th, 2012
9:55 am
A video tribute to Isaiah Crowell. Moment of silence, please.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKRDDoRWBzo&feature=player_embedded
red&black
June 30th, 2012
10:00 am
Why does this not surprise me? I’ve been waiting for something like this to happen. It was just a matter of time. Not “IF”, but “WHEN”. Better now than later in the season. Once a thug, always a thug. My prediction is that within the next several years he’ll be doing time in the joint for some sort of offense. He’s just that stupid. Just can’t leave stuff alone. Just got to be out there playing the starring role of the fool. He deserves everything that this type of lifetyle has to offer, and I for one hope he reaps a bountiful harvest of pain and misery. No one deserves it more than he does with the attitude he currently has. The chances of him righting his ship are slim to none. I doubt he will ever be heard from again except for when he’s eventually arrested again (and I believe he will be). I have zero sympathy for individuals like this. Don’t tell me about his tough childhood or explain it away because of youth. When you’ve already been talked to by people who have pointed out what type of hazards await you when you live this type of lifestyle, once should be enough. People like this are a cancer in society. Go back to the “hood” in Columbus, father multiple children with multiple women (supporting none) and continue being a “playa”. That’s where he excels…..
UGADawg83
June 30th, 2012
10:01 am
I just have to think that a good lawyer might get this thrown out, then we will have kicked a kid off the team because the police overstepped their bounds. That said, it is always something with IC so in the end we are probably better off. What must also be said is that the methods of the Athens-Clark PD also need to be investigated. I’ve heard much anecdotal evidence that they let their authority go their heads.
jimthedawg
June 30th, 2012
10:08 am
I have a question about the Luger that was found in his car. No one, who knows anything about guns, would file the serial number off of a 9MM Luger (destroying the value of which today runs anywhere from $1500 to $30,000) unless it was stolen. I am sure that a decent police lab could reconstruct the original serial number and run it through the stolen weapons database. It it turns out to be stolen, Isaiah could be in much more trouble then just possession, which as I understand is not against the law if the car was his. Lawyers out there?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
June 30th, 2012
10:10 am
red&black
last 6 sentences you wrote are spot on
Delbert D.
June 30th, 2012
10:13 am
If that firearm’s altered serial number is restored using forensic techniques (filing or grinding does not change the structural metal defects caused by stamping), this could get worse. If the gun can be traced to another location out of the state of Georgia (such as Phenix City, adjacent to Columbus), a federal felony crime has been committed. Here are the statutes and penalty:
18 U.S.C 922(k)
Knowing possession, receipt, shipment, or transport of firearm with altered or obliterated serial number (cf. 26 U.S.C 5861(g), (h), (i)
Statutory Maximum Sentence: 5 years (924(a)(1)(C)
tide roll
June 30th, 2012
10:18 am
Total Focus !! Is Richt full of it or what? IT’s HIS divided attention and indifference to detail that’s killing you. I can’t believe this guy. Total Focus. Yeah right.
old guy
June 30th, 2012
10:27 am
Every comment misses a part of athletics that has totally been forgotten, DISCIPLINE. These young men have none and some will never have any. They will go through life with the idea they can do what they wish without any negative cosequences to themselves. They are pampered from grade school and trained to think the world revolves around them. They are not teamates,they are stars who use their so called teamates as stepping stones to the NFL Their teamates work hard, play through injuries, go to practice, go to class, stay out of trouble. But the star does none of this but beats on his chest like a moron when 10 teamatesw help him score a touchdown. Its not his fault in my opinion. Its his coaches fron grade school, hiigh school, college. They have allowed it. It is probably the greatest example of a complete failure of doing what is best for young people. Who gives a damn about his character when he sells tickets. Its big money driven and I see no end in sight. He see the pros act like idiots every Sunday so why not them? Remember, if everyone eats S#@&*^ sandwhiches are you going to do it also? Obviously example leads.
oakwood dawg
June 30th, 2012
10:31 am
where do you think i.c. will end up IF he doesn’t go to jail ? bama, lsu, uf, allbarn. guess he could play for a penitentiary team like burt reynolds did in the longest yard.
Packin' with Thuga
June 30th, 2012
10:38 am
Thuga is “U” of the 21st century but without the MNCs.
Tim Dye
June 30th, 2012
10:40 am
I don’t understand why some of these idiots blame Coach Richt. I recently read where 6 of the 10 top recruited RB’s in the ‘11 class have “washed out” due to stupidity like Crowelll’s.The other 5 were not signed by UGA so other schools have the same problem as well. I get tired of CMR getting the blame. I don’t how much background detail these coaches have but I am sure some don’t care but the majority are hoping their program can have a possitive effect on a player with a troubled childhood (growing up with a lack of parenting, not 3 felonies, those should be in jail anyway). Kids deserve a chance to better themselves (personally it would be one and done for me). All big time players are recruited by numerous schools. You think UGA is the only one with the problem? No, they are just the only one who reports ALL offenses. I would much rather have my kid at that program than other
tony
June 30th, 2012
10:42 am
The law enforcement should do a search on every car in america to see how many thugs they can incarcerate.
damngooddawg!v
June 30th, 2012
10:49 am
Hey, Jacket Man. Techies need to keep their mouths shut ref violations. By the way, how many commitments does PJ have now? 5? 6? You support a 2nd rate program which
gets it’s titles taken away for violations, so SHUT UP…please.
Tim Dye
June 30th, 2012
10:51 am
Didn’t finish … Fat fingers make it tough on the IPads! Anyway, I think CMR has shown over and over again that teaching these kids life lessons is of greater value to him than winning. I have been a lifelong “Dawg” and have raised 4 children I am extremely proud. I had 1 problem with 1 of my son’s. I made him sit out an entire baseball season when he was thirteen. I think it hurt me more than (I was his coach) but he has just graduated after playing 4 years of college on scholarship. If all programs were required to report all offenses UGA would stand out no more than the rest. I commend Coach Richt and the entire administration at UGA. I will admit it sucks being in the middle of Gator Country listening to them run their mouth, but I think we will see the end result this year as a season to remember! Go “Dawgs” …. And coach, hire a special teams coach, please?
Life Without Parole
June 30th, 2012
10:54 am
Take note Moms & Pops. Do you want Jr. to be the teen bride of cell block D? Richt can put him on the fast track.
01HAWK
June 30th, 2012
11:01 am
THE DREAM TEAM………………………..P
01HAWK
June 30th, 2012
11:03 am
DREAM TEAM……………………………..Playing a CORRECTIONAL FACIITY NEAR YOU.
Starring the CMR, and the UGA football team.
Mrs. CROWELL……………………………You should hve gone with your first thoughts which were to send him to SABAN.
red&black
June 30th, 2012
11:05 am
@Flat Tire
Thank you. It’s truely unfortunate for UGA to be subjected to this type of press. But it also happens elsewhere. We are not alone.
BS Patrol
June 30th, 2012
11:22 am
If Crowell thinks he has problems now just wait until the BATF gets wind of this. They’ll make a jailhouse preacher out of him that would make Richt proud.
The Diesel
June 30th, 2012
11:26 am
Hit the Nail on the Head Tide Roll
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
June 30th, 2012
11:27 am
Somebody said the Athens/CC cops were out to get the “brothers”, that’s pretty funny since about half of Athens/CC cops are”brothers”! Prettty funny….
Coffee Bluff DAWG
June 30th, 2012
11:42 am
Hope that IC can somehow get his life back on track. Richt said it right – we’ve got a lot of talented, dedicated, and hard working athletes that don’t deserve all the distractions of a Crowell.
UGA FB is a lot bigger than 1 troubled RB. Too bad but he was given a lot of chances to shape up.
BS Patrol
June 30th, 2012
11:45 am
Every time a doggie gets it in a sling the doggie fans blame the cops. It never fails. Pretty weak even by doggie standards. It reminds me of when the fuss was about prison conditions during the Maddux administration. Lester told ‘em,”we don’t need better prisons, we need better prisoners”. Similar logic.
suwnee dawg
June 30th, 2012
12:13 pm
They should ban the #1 jersey. I know there are exceptions – Andre Hastings, etc. but is usually a bad sign when someone wants to be “#1″. There is no team in that.
SSIgator
June 30th, 2012
12:13 pm
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville -
Long time no hear from. As you can see, not much has changed.
50 arrests in four years
June 30th, 2012
12:19 pm
It’s truely unfortunate for UGA to be subjected to this type of press. But it also happens elsewhere. We are not alone.
Actually, UGA is quite alone. No other school in the USA is remotely close to fifty arrests in the last four years. And with two months to go until the season begins, that number will surely climb to even higher stratospheric levels.
Enjoy your Kool-Aid.
suwnee dawg
June 30th, 2012
12:21 pm
Hawk – correct on your comment of should of been sent to Saban. Same thing would of happenned up until the arrest. They would have notified Saban or his staff and no one outside of the select few would have ever known about this. In AL it is not about morals, but winning. In all honesty I am not trying to slam, just state the facts. You would be foolish to not at least partially agree.
50 arrests in four years
June 30th, 2012
12:22 pm
“… but is usually a bad sign when someone wants to be “#1″. There is no team in that.”
That’s a very good point.
Paddy
June 30th, 2012
12:25 pm
Chris……….innocent till proven guitly is still the norm and will be for IC. being dismissed from school has no bearing on how he will be treated in the court system. CMR had every right to kick him of the team.
kingdaddy
June 30th, 2012
12:32 pm
Unfortunatly Road-blocks are a part of life. Until I.C.realizes that he’s not above the rules or laws, he will continue to stalk trouble. It’s never his fault though, because in his mind, the rules and laws that apply to everyone else dont apply to him, because he’s special. He’s been told that all his life so how can anyone hold him responsible for his actions. He should get treated differently because he can play a sport, lol…
monty
June 30th, 2012
12:37 pm
While you are right about a sense of entitlement Bill, it’s the system he was raised in, and not only that, the hoops that coaches go thru today to bring these guys in only fuels there already warped senses. Showing him the missing tailback formation? Really? Saban sending that running back a letter everyday of the week for what a year? And then we expect some kind of “I’m just one of many attitude”? How is that even possible? The system has conditioned them, just like Pavlov’s dog.
1969 Graduate
June 30th, 2012
12:40 pm
I am so sorry to that this sort of thing continues to happen at the University. I’m sure I’m not the only one seeing similarities between the UGA football program and the football program we all learned to hate at Miami. What’s the common denominator?
DooleyDoo
June 30th, 2012
12:56 pm
The concept of “character” needs to be taught in a class for recruits.
DooleyDoo
June 30th, 2012
1:03 pm
Kids are innocent and this word is reserved as a term of endearment. Thugs are not kids, and jail cells are reserved for them.
End Game
June 30th, 2012
1:05 pm
“What’s the common denominator?”
Mark Richt, of course. Richt learned his trade at two of the formerly sleaziest schools in the country – Miami and FSU. Those schools have cleaned up their act, but the sleaze continues in Athens.
Ther’s a reason why UGA is known far and wide as The Cesspool of the South and the #1 Party School in the US, and that’s not going to change until they dump Richt.
BS Patrol
June 30th, 2012
1:16 pm
When I see posters who think “Innocent until proven guilty”, I just smile & think: Still wet behind the ears, eh kid? Old Gold 1964, you should know better. As for the law,if a firearm has the SN removed it doesn’t matter if it came from Jupiter. Any Fed is bad but the BATF is the worst. They are totally unregulated. If they don’t like where you live they can burn you and any children with not only impunity but gov’t sanction. Suffice it to say this won’t be swept under anybody’s rug.
kingdaddy
June 30th, 2012
1:16 pm
End game
Dumping Coach Richt who BTW has never been in a cheating scandal at UGA, will not change Athens as a “party” town. Stop trying to blame everything on CMR. I’m sure we could fix “Global Warming” if we fire Coach Richt too, lol…
kingdaddy
June 30th, 2012
1:23 pm
UGA is known as the “cesspool” of the South, lol, by who, S.C., G.T.? The only place I’ve ever heard that was from fans of schools we beat on a regular basis. Who are all these people far and wide, lmao…trolls…
Beast from the East
June 30th, 2012
1:25 pm
Someone posted a link to his twitter account on one of the blogs. He doesn’t seem to give a flip about the arrest or getting booted from the team. That kid is a loser and nothing will ever change that. He’ll spend time in jail more than once. Reminds me of Maurice Clarett.
Froggy The Gremlin
June 30th, 2012
1:39 pm
Bill, you of all people should know that all 50 arrests over the last 4 years has been one giant conspiracy hatched by you and your cronies at the AJC. But wait! You’re a Dog fan!
RTRBama
June 30th, 2012
1:44 pm
Georgia’s AD needs to call Nick for advice on recruiting top quality players with character. Nick doesn’t put up with all this criminal activity. Georgia recruits too many questions and hopes they turn out.