Who’ll win the tailback job?
Athens – Truth is, you won’t know who’s starting at tailback for Georgia until August, at the earliest. But I thought you might like to hear how Mark Richt evaluates two leading candidates at this ridiculously early juncture.
“I think that they’re both doing a nice job,” Richt said Tuesday evening, referring to Caleb King and Carlton Thomas. “It’s just hard to sit there [after five spring practices] and start deciding who should be where.
“I think Carlton has done a very nice job of running the ball. He probably has made more people miss and broken more tackles at this point than Caleb has.
“But Caleb is doing an outstanding job himself. Caleb has a little bit more experience at pass protecting and things like that.
“We just need to get both of those guys a lot more reps in pass protection, quite frankly, to be able to start separating them.”
King, who will be a redshirt sophomore in the fall, and Thomas, the 5-7, 170-pounder who will be a redshirt freshman, have generally been splitting reps with the No. 1 offense in spring drills. That’s “the only fair way” to evaluate them, running backs coach Bryan McClendon said – “see what they do with the same guys and against the same guys.” Here’s a full interview with McClendon about the position.
King and Thomas will be joined in competition soon by another scholarship tailback, redshirt freshman Dontavius Jackson, who is working his way back from arthroscopic knee surgery. He practiced on a limited basis in a green non-contact jersey Tuesday. “He actually got knocked down one time,” Richt said. “Somebody hit him when they shouldn’t have. But he popped up and was fine, and that was good.” Richt said Jackson might be cleared to fully participate in practice by next week, certainly by the end of spring drills.
Another prime candidate for the starting tailback position, sophomore Richard Samuel, is sidelined after undergoing wrist surgery in January. He won’t be able to join the competition for Knowshon Moreno’s old job until summer.
King? Thomas? Jackson? Samuel? Or tailback by committee? How do you see this shaping up come Sept. 5 at Oklahoma State?
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101 comments Add your comment
Cuz
March 25th, 2009
1:05 pm
Spike it could be worse, it could be a Gilligan cap.
Spike
March 25th, 2009
1:11 pm
BS Go pet him and he might let you do it.
Spike
March 25th, 2009
1:11 pm
Cuz.. That is a call that is to close to make.
spectator
March 25th, 2009
1:51 pm
Dog fans delusional as usual. This article is about your collection of very ordinary backs. Combine these with the very dynamic Joe Cox at QB and it looks like a long year for the doggies.
jawaan
March 25th, 2009
2:03 pm
caleb will be the “#1″ back, with samuel as the 2nd back and carlton thomas as the “change of pace” back
gdawginkalamazoo
March 25th, 2009
2:09 pm
Spike, the hat is old school Bowden. It keeps the sun off your ears, neck and face. I would wear one golfing, ala Tom Kite, Greg Norman etc but if you wear that hat on the golf course you better be able to back it up IMO.
If we have a talented back then we won’t need to go all committee with running the ball. They guy needs reps, the line will know the RB’s characteristics and tendencies better and will respond accordingly. That is if we have a healthy line that can play as a unit all year
Pitbull
March 25th, 2009
2:11 pm
Whomever the starting UGA RB is, I hope he will man up.
I remember Musa Smith did not man up until his senior year against Alabama in Tuscaloosa. When he finally did, he put his shoulder down and punished every Tide player that tried to tackled him.
He played like he had been capable of playing for the rest of the year.
I sat there wondering why he had not done that for the previous three years.
BIC DAWG
March 25th, 2009
2:37 pm
Samuel runs like Kenny Irons of Auburn, straight at you. Returned the ball well against Gaytors last year. He ran like a maniac. He is gonna hurt somebody. I just hope it aint during practice. Trudat?
UGA
March 25th, 2009
2:48 pm
Why was there no write up about our fabulous baseball team? Tech got one..I mean I know they lost to a pretty crappy team last night, well maybe thats why..It looks like the baseball will be overrated just like the football team last year..It is easy for them to look good beating up on cupcake teams to start the season..
FanMan
March 25th, 2009
3:14 pm
Will Stafford go to the Lions?
Braindawg
March 25th, 2009
3:22 pm
I agree that the D is our most major concern. That is if Cox can come in and manage the game. Its a lot different when your the starter week in and week out. And if he goes down, then we’ll find out if we have a capable back up.
But my major concern is the D. Defense wins ballgames. When we won the national championship in 1980, we had the junkyard dogs. And yes there was H. Walker, but that was all we really had on offense that year. And the defense is what won us the championship that year.
Our D has to step up and start hitting again. We really didnt play like a UGA defense last year, and thats what it will take to beat UF.
So lets hope we hunker down and play like Erk Russell was back on the sideline! And then we’ll return to glory, and win a SEC/national championship again. HUNKER DOWN YOU HAIRY DAWGS!!!!
crs
March 25th, 2009
3:56 pm
Richt seems open either way, he rode KM last year and the year before and rode Musa that one year as well, so he has shown he is open to the committee as well as the main guy. I think he tries to limit the carries somewhat so these guys bodies aren’t wrecked if they make it to the pros. Thats a compliment. A lot of coaches run these guys into the ground. As far as next year I don’t see anyone emerging and I see us playing all 4 guys.
BLACK AND RED DAWG
March 25th, 2009
4:25 pm
Carlton Thomas is our version of percy havin.The coaches must find a way to give him 15 touches a game. That would make for a bigger year for us.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 25th, 2009
4:27 pm
We definitely should be worried about the defense being aggressive and knocking some blocks off this year.
RAMBLE ON!!!
March 25th, 2009
4:38 pm
Has anyone of the backs hurdled a scout team player yet?
SEC1
March 25th, 2009
4:51 pm
Ramble ON:
Dude, your jockstrap stinks!
Run along now…
RAMBLE ON!!!
March 25th, 2009
4:58 pm
please stop smelling my Jockstrap.
Considering
March 25th, 2009
5:01 pm
The Lumpkin/Ware/Brown trio are all in the NFL. That was why no one seperated themselves. None of them were first rounders like Knowshon but they were all picked up and on rosters.(Yes, they all got hurt and missed last year, pity.
Rush Limbaugh for President
March 25th, 2009
5:10 pm
Ramble ON
You love the Georgia blog don’t you. Get ready for whacking tonight.
RAMBLE ON!!!
March 25th, 2009
5:16 pm
Rush, the games cancelled, lucky for you or it would have been just like football.
jmd126
March 25th, 2009
5:21 pm
Ramble on:
Dude, perhaps you should focus on getting a date. (that’s when a boy and a girl go out together)
RAMBLE ON!!!
March 25th, 2009
5:26 pm
My Bad jmd126, I thought a date was something like November 29th 2008, no?
shane#1
March 25th, 2009
5:41 pm
Several have asked on this blog how UGA could possibly be a better team than last year. Two reasons, a better D and the return of so many players that missed all or part of last season. Sturdivant, Vance, Owens, T. King and Washington, plus a healthy Figgins. That would make a pretty good core for a recruiting class.
monty
March 25th, 2009
5:42 pm
I think it will be determined by how well the O-line can protect Joe. I can;t really see a 5′7″ 170 scat back blocking Florida’s blitzing middle linebacker(forget his name)Can you? THat’s asking too much!
Kennesaw Dawg
March 25th, 2009
5:42 pm
Washun probably won’t get passed admissions (hope I’m wrong)
King still blows a lot of assignments
Thomas is too small to be an every down back
Jackson is young and will blow more assignments than King
Samuel is a line backer. And a possible all American there as well.
Be thankful we have the best OL coach in the nation and I’m predicting, the best OL in the SEC next fall.
jmd126
March 25th, 2009
5:59 pm
Precisely why you are the androgenous single person you are…
for real
March 25th, 2009
6:16 pm
is it me,or am i reading alot about throwing int’s. i really hope that is sign of our defense getting better at making plays,not that our qb is struggling..maybe it’s one of the backups throwing em. not sure. oh, and from my inside source,which is a really good one, a family member, zach mettenberger is going to be pretty dang good.
BobDog
March 25th, 2009
6:25 pm
SEVENTY EIGHTH!!
Wth???
March 25th, 2009
6:52 pm
Seventy eighth?
Fools Gold
March 25th, 2009
7:55 pm
Its gonna be a long year for you mutt fans in football…. Too many question marks on offense and poor ole Willie still looks clueless while freshmen rips his defense into shreds. oh yea… how about the overrated baseball team. ahem… wright state? Ha Ha Ha sure is a wrong ranking for the mutts!
Buzz
March 25th, 2009
8:20 pm
Mark my words, UGA Baseball team will get worse as the season progresses EXACTLY like the #1 football team did (LOL). I’m telling you, if Georgia didn’t have gymnastics and equestrian, their sports would be in the juco & D-2 range. But hey, they’ve got 5 new freshman coming in and blah blah blah, blah, blah blah blah. The cycle never ends.
meansonny
March 25th, 2009
8:26 pm
I agree about Samuel. The guy runs too upright. Powerful back. But without a good crease (or clear backfield), I just don’t see him consistently wearing down a defense.
I think we’ll be fine at the RB position in terms of yardage production.
The key will be replacing Knowshon’s nose for the endzone. Can our QB, OL, FB, & RB find a way to get the right play and get it done for 6? Moreno carried too much of that burden by himself (weak OL play, no fade play last season, only 3 TD’s from the starting TE & FB position last season)
BigDawg
March 25th, 2009
8:38 pm
Ladies and Gentleman…….It’s the Carlton Thomas Show!!!!
Jimmy
March 25th, 2009
8:56 pm
I think CMR can learn a lot from Gary Patterson, HC of TCU(about being physical):
“You talk about physicality a little bit, do you teach that or is that something your guys have started to develop?
GP: I think teams are physical that practice to be physical. That’s something that you can acquire and that you can make kids into especially in the spring. We’re very, very physical. We’ve got 20 to 25 guys on the training room list as far as having something wrong with them. We knew that we were going to battle two weeks before we went on spring break, but we went 96 plays in our last scrimmage. I believe that you develop that kind of stuff. It’s the same thing that you do in the offseason and in the summer. We run in the heat of the day, we don’t run in the mornings like a lot of other people do. I believe that you have to practice in what you have to get ready for and what your advantage is going to be. Ours is the humidity and the heat in Texas early in the season. We believe that you start winning ballgames in January not when you get to two-a-days in August.”
BS Patrol
March 25th, 2009
9:04 pm
Compare Tech’s RB’s to GA’s & weep, toads!
Army Vet
March 25th, 2009
9:17 pm
Who will get arrested first?
UGA CLass of 81
March 25th, 2009
9:24 pm
I guess the starting job will be given to whoever is not suspended or arrested.
David
March 25th, 2009
9:34 pm
It is far to early to make a prediction as to who the starting RB will be against Oklahoma State but I am not losing any sleep over it because by the end of the summer, we are going to have 6 great Running Backs fighting for the starting job. And i think at least 4 of them will contribute majorly to this team this season and it wont just be 1 guy at the RB position but I feel comfortable with the guys we got and i cant wait to see the Running Backs battle it out
GO DAWGS!!
Buzz
March 25th, 2009
9:38 pm
“SEVENTY EIGHTH!!” Bobdog, recruiting classes are opinions (like preseason number “ONES”-LOL). They are certainly not “reality”. You lead the nation every year in recruiting anyway dic* licker, so who cares. Certainly not Georgia Tech
“Reality” is what five straight years of out recruiting us did for you last fall. And the answer is 45-42. Sort of puts TOP FIVE vs. “SEVENTY EIGHTH” in perspective doesn’t it azz and nuts breath?
turkey
March 25th, 2009
9:45 pm
Did you not learn anything from last year? Offense scores points, defense wins games. Georgia will be able to score points this year. It is CWM’s defense that is the big?.
Cuz
March 25th, 2009
9:55 pm
Buzz, you don’t have to be so crass. Fifth grade humor is beneath a attendee or graduate of the Institute. Well at least it is only eight more months of 45-42. My how time flies. Good to see that you bugs got over that whupping ya’ll suffered in the bowl game. I was afraid it might affect your pyche.
If there is a number one back in there, please rush to the endzone.
Buzz
March 25th, 2009
10:03 pm
Sorry Cuz, you azzholes bring out the worst in me. But the truth is, I know very few UGA people that are smarter than a 5th grader. You, DaddyDawg and Kennesaw Dawg included.
Buzz
March 25th, 2009
10:04 pm
And Snellville Dawg
Buzz
March 25th, 2009
10:11 pm
Cuz,
NO game we played last year matters more to me than the 45-42 “azz-whoppin” we gave you guys at your place. It sure shut a lot of you dawgbloggers up and has put you in your rightful place. Second. Better watch out for Georgia State or you could slip to third.
Buzz
March 25th, 2009
10:12 pm
“Good to see that you bugs got over that whupping ya’ll suffered in the bowl game. I was afraid it might affect your pyche”. I thought the same thing about you after your games with Alabama and Florida.
Buzz
March 25th, 2009
10:16 pm
Anyone want me to recite the Tech fight song tonight?
Buzz
March 25th, 2009
10:18 pm
Anyone want me to list Hershel Walker’s stats from the 80’s
for real
March 25th, 2009
11:04 pm
45-42,man that was some “azz-whoopin”(not whoppin you non-spelling dumb-a). i thought you were supposed to be smart to get in gt. oh that’s right, you only have to be able to count to three, like reggie ball. enjoy it while you can, until johnson moves on to something better, like duke or something.
SamoanDawg
March 25th, 2009
11:48 pm
I like Caleb King, but IMHO, Samuel and Thomas will get majority of the load. Caleb will be the 3rd back. Caleb has a good talent, but he lacks physicality, from little of what I saw of him last season.
Carlton Thomas is the next Barry Sander. Small stature, plays big for his size. He will hide behind Searels big uglies. He will break Hershel Walker’s freshmen record if given the chance.
Richard Samuel will have to work on securing the ball. That’s his only downfall, of course. Samuel could easily separate himself from the rest if he would just hold on.
Dontavious Jackson is a good talent, similar to Kregg Lumpkin, but the injury bug has bugged him since he has been here. So, he’s unknown thus far.
Washaun Ealey needs to learn the rope like everybody else, of course.
As of right now, my go to guy is CT.
FLDAWG
March 26th, 2009
12:04 am
RB by committee is what Richt has used most often and will continue along these lines to keep backs fresh throughout an individual game and the year. The O line will be a major factor for how well our offense does. They will have to protect a virtually untested QB and untested RB’s. The UGA O will be dependant on how well the O line plays period.
The defense is the key question for the year. The D line will have to be better than it was last year period. All of UGA’s games will depend on how well the D line and O line play…end of story.