Tailback competition is low-key in UGA camp this time (UPDATED)
(Updated after Wednesday’s practice with comments from RB’s coach Bryan McClendon)
ATHENS – The most-asked question in Georgia’s preseason practice a year ago was about who’d open the season as the starting tailback. The answer turned out to be Richard Samuel, who’s now a backup linebacker.
There’s an open question this preseason, too, about who’ll be the starting tailback. But it is drawing a lot less attention than a year ago, mainly because the Caleb King-Washaun Ealey tandem had so much success late last season that there’s a sense it doesn’t matter which one of them starts. Both will play, and play a lot.
“I don’t think about it every day, but of course we both want to start,” said King, a junior. “I believe with the competition -– I’m pushing him and he’s pushing me –- we both work hard and get better. I think the competition is good for us and good for the team.”
Ealey, a sophomore, has expressed similar sentiments.
“I think it’s a very healthy competition,” running backs coach Bryan McClendon said after practice Wednesday. But, make no mistake, it is very much a competition.
“Those guys compete at everything,” McClendon said of King and Ealey. “They can come out here and try to throw something away, and they’ll say, ‘Hey, mine went in cleaner than yours.’
“I think it’s healthy. I think they enjoy it. . . . I don’t think it has split a wedge in anything. In actuality, I think it has grown our room [the running backs meeting room] closer together.”
There appears to be no separation between King and Ealey at this point. Both played the same number of snaps with the No. 1 offense in Tuesday’s closed scrimmage, McClendon said. Ealey gained 66 yards on five carries, King 63 on 14. McClendon said the difference in carries was incidental, the result of “how the plays were called.”
McClendon said Georgia needs to play “at the very least” two tailbacks “because it’s a very physical position in a very physical league.” He noted that neither King nor Ealey has played a full SEC season. Ealey didn’t shed his redshirt until the fifth game of last season, and King missed three games with injuries.
Perhaps the best news at tailback this preseason is that King, who was injured at the start of last season (hamstring) and again at the end of spring practice (knee), is healthy.
He was sidelined from one practice last week as a precaution after “banging my knee a little bit, but the next day I came back fine. So I’m 100 percent.”
A few other notes:
- Tuesday’s Sanford Stadium scrimmage was closed to the media, but there was agreement among offensive and defensive players afterward that the defense brought a lot of pressure. “They were coming with so many blitzes,” King said.
- As you might have read, A.J. Green caught two touchdown passes from Aaron Murray, one a deep ball and the other a short route on which Green “juked two guys out,” as Murray put it. Green on Murray: “I thought he did real well. He’s very confident and poised. He went through the reads pretty good.”
- Offensive lineman Trinton Sturdivant, attempting a comeback after missing almost all of the past two seasons because of knee injuries, didn’t participate in the scrimmage. He has been practicing on a limited basis in a green non-contact jersey.
Click here for more on the scrimmage and here for scrimmage stats.
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131 comments Add your comment
UGA Survey
August 11th, 2010
4:52 pm
All right, anti-UGA posters you can level with us. Choose one of the three choices below
A. I am jealous of the university because someone close to me was denied admission
B. My envy of UGA is due to their combination of academic and athletic prowess, plus the location in the classic city
C. I dislike the Dogs because they are a serious threat to a school I pull for
Please answer truthfully, so we can get a good idea as to motives. Further this important research by coming clean.
col fot
August 11th, 2010
4:55 pm
why are techies such scumbags….because it’s in their genes
Gratefuldawghead
August 11th, 2010
4:55 pm
The Real diffrence between Georgia and Tech…Georgia is getting Fired up with big games with South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas,Florida,Auburn, Etc
Tech is getting fired up for GEORGIA! …Sorry Techies you will have to WAIT a while. Now try filling that high school stadium!
corkylikesbeer
August 11th, 2010
5:01 pm
Can’t spell sugar without uga…dawgs new orleans bound
tony
August 11th, 2010
5:05 pm
If Mr Richt still doesn’t know that Ealey is the best rb on that team, then he needs to be fired. Thank God he was not the coach when we had HW.
NESBITT for .... HEISMAN
August 11th, 2010
5:07 pm
……………….
Go Jackets
—————
SSIgator
August 11th, 2010
5:11 pm
Here are the rushing yards for the dynamic duo vs. the Gators last year;
Washaun Ealey 17 rush 70 yards
Caleb King 5 rush 19 yards
Between the two of them they could not even break 100 yards. Needs a lot of work in the running game.
Post game comments from Richt:
“We actually had the black (helmets) a year ago and thought about using them sometime, but it
never seemed like the right time to do it so they stayed on the shelf. After we beat Vanderbilt and
knew this game was coming, we thought it might give the guys a big jolt right before we hit the
field. The young men were excited to see them and loved wearing them. And I think our fans got
an emotional charge out of them.”
How about it UGA fans – did you get an emotional charge?
Jealousy
August 11th, 2010
5:47 pm
Hey SSI gayturd,
22 carries is not near enough to substatiate your “claim”. Truth is, UGA got behind too early and had to abandon the run. Hold mon to that belief this year though. You will be SORELY surprised by the ease at which they will pick up yards.
G
August 11th, 2010
5:49 pm
“Yellow Fuzz”……..
now there is a name I would truly be embarrassed to have
Gratefuldawghead
August 11th, 2010
6:26 pm
SSIgator…Ealey had a Gator (cheating B) trying to jab his eyes out is why he didn’t get over 100 yards! Ealey is wearing a facemask this year and a chip on his shoulder!
AltamahaDawg
August 11th, 2010
7:21 pm
Ah yellow fuzz, quoting from that door to door national survey to find out what everybody in America thinks about The University Of Georgia again?
Aaron Murray SEC Freshman of the year
August 11th, 2010
7:41 pm
Yellow Fuzz by the time yalls high school offense comes to Athens Granthams d is going to be so good i bet yall dont have a 100 yard rusher. Dowtin is going to mess up that so called quaterback yall have!
DOGGIN IN NC
August 11th, 2010
7:54 pm
Jeese! What’s with all the bees! Somebody get the bug spray – buzz away yellar bugs! Where’s a fly swatter when you need one? These two runners are going to put up some big numbers this year, if they can stay healthy. If the Dawgs get by the Chickens and Piggies, they will jump to around 10th and the real BUZZ will be on! GO DOGGIES!
1980 Dawg
August 11th, 2010
8:01 pm
Why is it harder to get into The University of Georgia than into Georgia Tech?
Why does Georgia Tech play on Thursday night?
Why are there no girls students (without mustaches) at Georgia Tech?
How can Georgia Tech lose 9 out of 10 games and still talk trash?
What did Georgia Tech reduce Grant Field’s seating capacity by 3,800 seats during the off season?
How can Georgia Tech be in a city with 6,000,000 people, and not sell 45,000 football tickets?
davidinloganville
August 11th, 2010
8:25 pm
i would like to congratulate the 3 tech players graduating this month lets all join in in a round of “I’m a ramblin wreck from ga tech and a hell of a mana-gear, a hell of a, hell of a, hell of a mana-gear”. is anyone other than football players in that management program they take at Morehouse? oh yeah basketball players.
CPO Dawg
August 11th, 2010
8:37 pm
1st of all we are fortunate to have two very talented RBs hopefully they both will stay healthy and continue where they left off last year or exceed it.
2nd to all the GT idiots who talk trash here there are four little words that echo in your head and give you that funny little twitch under one eye
WE RUN THIS STATE don`t forget it.
Answer Man
August 11th, 2010
8:49 pm
Why is it harder to get into The University of Georgia than into Georgia Tech? It’s not. Unless you’re a derelict getting in on an athletic scholarship. Georgia searches high and low for someone who can fill the expectations of the recently deposed Damon Evans
Why does Georgia Tech play on Thursday night? National exposure. Much like most of the other teams that play on Thursday night. Of course, UGA may not have had a QB problem like last year (and this one) if they had played one or two Thursdays. I know that UGA prefers to be slaughtered on Saturdays (Sept28, 2008 – Bama) but we’ll take a Thursday when the audience isn’t as big.
Why are there no girls students (without mustaches) at Georgia Tech? The same reason that there are no “girls” students under 300 pounds at UGA. It’s obviously a cultural thing as UGA’s background is as the state agricultural college. GO HAWGS!! er DAWGS!!! Where do you think they came up with the nickname “DAWGS?”
How can Georgia Tech lose 9 out of 10 games and still talk trash? Because it bothers you. You’re self image is that of a national championship contender every year. And your not. You build a statue of a coach who had mediocre results and year after year come up woefully short.
What did Georgia Tech reduce Grant Field’s seating capacity by 3,800 seats during the off season? To keep more of the trailer trash out of the stands. You guys already have Adams barring North Campus from tailgating because you can’t clean up after yourselves.
How can Georgia Tech be in a city with 6,000,000 people, and not sell 45,000 football tickets? Because there’s actually something to do in Atlanta besides having to go see a mediocre football team get their booties spanked by Kentucky at their own homecoming!!!
I would be glad to clarify any other questions. Send them on
Stat boy
August 11th, 2010
9:06 pm
CMR has never had back to back single digit winning seasons so expect a minimum of 10 wins this year dawg fans!
Stat boy
August 11th, 2010
9:09 pm
Sept28, 2008 – Bama
Why does everyone call it a beat down? They won the first half and we won the second half………3 point loss if I remember correctly. I guess we beat them down the year before when we won by 3.
Preston
August 11th, 2010
9:14 pm
Damn I would hate to know that the team that I pull for sucks so freakin bad that I had to go their in state rival’s blogs and post a score from the year before last to reminisce about the only win in 9 years. Tech is a joke! Keep talking trash on a real team’s blog because there’s definitely nothing worthwile on yours. LMAO at you losers! See you in November for another victory as usual. I mean, you guys aren’t even anything to worry about. We’re thinking about SEC guys, not a weak ass ACC team. Get real. They shouldn’t even allow the ACC champ an automatic BCS bid. Iowa proved that to everyone. And UGA and SC proved it the last week of the regular season last year.
Preston
August 11th, 2010
9:22 pm
1980 Dawg, you could go from coast to coast with Justin Beeber trying to give 45,000 kids tickets to go to a tech game in Atlanta and STILL not fill up the stands. The only time tech sells out is because UGA is coming to town to whip that ass! Red and Black everywhere in your own pathetic stadium. LOL!!! You guys are the biggest joke in the FBS!!!
Preston
August 11th, 2010
9:25 pm
oops 80′ Dawg, should’ve said “their” own stadium and “Those” guys…Didn’t mean to sound like that insult was pointed at you. Go Dawgs!
Preston
August 11th, 2010
9:31 pm
Answer geek, you are an idiot. That was the worst excuse for an attempt at being witty or clever or whatever the hell you were trying so hard to be. Get a job and get out of your mom’s house. She’s talking about you to the rest of the family and they’re considering a last ditch effort to shame you at the next family reunion to try and get your head out of your ass and get in the real world. Just shut the hell up and take any job you can find! Can you say “pay before you pump” or “would you like to biggie size that order sir?” You can find work tomorrow. Please do something besides write more of that stupid junk for the rest of us productive people to waste our time reading. Thanks.
Reality
August 11th, 2010
9:58 pm
Stat boy
August 11th, 2010
9:09 pm
Sept28, 2008 – Bama
“Why does everyone call it a beat down? They won the first half and we won the second half………”
Dayum stat boy. And what did you get for “winning” that second half? Half a “W”?
Geeeez…and you wonder why fans from other schools think you guys are idiots.
Buzz
August 11th, 2010
10:14 pm
Gosh Reality. I wish you and Yellow Fuzz would stop playing World of Warcraft and stop checking in on the mutt blog and come have another tickle fight like the one this afternoon. I’ll sting you good.
RED DOG 77
August 12th, 2010
12:54 am
I certainly think it is worth mentioning there was not a word spoken about “BOO’ Malcom, kid is riding nicely under the ‘ol radar………Yup, dude can tote that tater……..you’ll hear about him in 2010, he will be a nice surprise and a great RB to spell Ealey and King . Just remember my words, “Boo Malcom has a mighty powerful motor “………GO DOGS !!!!!
junkyarddawg34
August 12th, 2010
1:30 am
@Answer Boy: If you had any sense of history you’d know that it was a UGA president who proposed a Technological School for the state of Georgia and a UGA alumnus who championed the cause, not to mention that the ‘agricultural’ designation that you deride goes directly with the ‘mechanic’ school that started at UGA and transitioned to your ‘institute’ without giving it the designation of being a ‘university.’ Know your history before you mouth-off. ‘Why did GT change its turf to natural grass?’ ‘So the cheerleaders could graze.’
Additionally, nice job slaughtering the English language, numb-nuts. “Because it bothers you. You’re self image is that of a national championship contender every year. And your not. You build a statue of a coach who had mediocre results and year after year come up woefully short.”
So to translate: “You are self image . . . and your (i.e. that which belongs to you) not.”
Just glad that I’m not affiliated with a school that has such an inferiority complex that the official history of said ‘institute’ dares not mention that it owes its existence to a UGA president and a UGA alumnus. (check out Robert McMath’s history and look for Patrick Mell or mention that Nathaniel Harris was a UGA alumnus).
Go Dawgs!
And to HELL w/ Georgia Tech!
yellow fuzz=41 to 17
August 12th, 2010
8:21 am
hey, if you can’t beat them pretend to be someone else
If you are so big a nerd even your mom won’t claim you…
If you’ve never been laid
If you have low self esteem recall the only win in 9 years as often as possible
If you are a young punk with zits and callouses on your palm
If you are just a really pathetic
If you are all these things call yourself yellow fuzz and 41 to 17
Ken Hawkins
August 12th, 2010
9:16 am
How come noone wants to discuss what Hunker down brought up? I think it is a huge deception, the practice of gray shirting. Unless the recruit knows going in of the potential to grayshirted and agrees, this is just a loophole for college coaches to over recruit and have “tryouts”. I think the practice should be banned or contained. If I was a recruit and I saw a coach signing 30% too many each year, I would know that SOMEONE is being decieved
I will not be the next head coach at Alabama. I am the head coach of the Miami Dolphins
August 12th, 2010
3:20 pm
I always like King more than Samuel; can’t explain why. He just seemed to have more energy. When Washaun emerged, I really liked the two back system. I look forward to how they will split the carries in the season. GATA
Yellow Fuzz
August 13th, 2010
9:09 am
Can’t wait to return to Athens this November.
Can’t wait to defend our last ((((((((((((((((((((((((( 45-42 ))))))))))))))))))))))))) bitc slapping there and more importantly, our (((((((((((((((((((( 26-0 ))))))))))))))))))))) 3rd quarter, total butt whoopin, beat down. I look forward to experiencing that erie silence of dog fans in TOTAL shock. Priceless.