Fumbles will cost Ealey starting job, playing time this week
ATHENS — Washaun Ealey’s fumbles cost Georgia dearly in losses to South Carolina and Mississippi State, and they will cost the sophomore tailback some playing time this week at Colorado.
“He’s going to play, but if a guy is turning it over, you’ve got to take some playing time away from him,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said Tuesday night.
Bobo and running backs coach Bryan McClendon said either Caleb King or Carlton Thomas will start at tailback Saturday and get some snaps that otherwise would have gone to Ealey. All three tailbacks played last week and, according to the coaches, will again this week.
Ealey has started at tailback the past three games, but his fumbles inside the opponent’s 5-yard line denied Georgia potential touchdowns at South Carolina and Mississippi State.
Both of Ealey’s fumbles resulted from “a slip in his technique,” McClendon said. “We have to make sure that can’t happen. It’s so hard to win in this league, but you make it that much harder when you’re laying the ball on the ground.”
The coaches weren’t specific on how much Ealey’s playing time will be reduced, although McClendon said “it won’t be a bunch less.”
King played on a limited basis last week after missing the previous two games with a sprained right ankle. McClendon said last week’s game helped King regain confidence in the ankle. He is “not missing a beat” in practice this week, McClendon said.
The 5-foot-7, 176-pound Thomas, who entered the season as the No. 3 tailback, relishes the idea of increased playing time.
“I’m just pretty much waiting for more,” Thomas said. “I’m ready to get into that rhythm, man. . . . I love reps. I want some more to show what I can do.”
Georgia has struggled unexpectedly in the running game this season, ranking 11th — next-to-last — in the SEC with an average of 124.2 yards rushing per game.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
427 comments Add your comment
how2fish
September 29th, 2010
11:06 am
Mobile Dawg we are planning on it , however we will be fishing all day (I hope) so it will depend on how bad the seas pound us.but yeah we hope to be there. Bull Dog gear and all. And Blundermutt the day you could get me worked up has not dawned…hey our team weak did you watch the Wolfpack manhandled the Bugs..no that’s right you were “neck” deep in the North Ave Tickle Pile..
Fantasy Island
September 29th, 2010
11:06 am
JB, neither was 2006 or 2008. How did those years work out?
Bottom Dwellers
September 29th, 2010
11:06 am
UGA vs CO
One bottom dweller vs another. Should be a great game!
Blundermutt
September 29th, 2010
11:07 am
Agree Fantasy, just never bothered to chronicle the nonsense like you have. It is great to see the nonsensical delusions of these wal-mart dawg fans highlighted. Were do you find the time?
Jack
September 29th, 2010
11:08 am
You lost to Miss St
STHU
funny...
September 29th, 2010
11:09 am
What a novel concept, bench a player if he’s not playing well.
Then again this season is screwed, might as well play him to get him reps and experience, Carlton Thomas is a midget and Caleb King is just so prone to injury. It amazes me that other than Knowshon, Georgia hasn’t had a real running back since Musa. Which is probably Richts fault, he can never seem just pick a damn starter and stick with him. Of course, Richt and Bobo also don’t call plays to the runners strength. Running Carlton Thomas between the tackles is so stupid. He’s on 5′7″. He’s too small to break arm tackles. Got get that speedy kid outside. King is bigger, run him between tackles. There are so many problems in Athens right now. I’m going to sell my wife’s wedding ring for some extra scrilla. Need shoes for my whip.
NoDawg
September 29th, 2010
11:12 am
When you have 10 of your players arrested in one year for various violations of the law, that tells you you’re not doing a good job of picking players. You’re picking bums and what do you expect bums to do? No self-discipline, no sense of teamwork or honor. If this is an indication of the quality of the team’s leadership (coaches), UGA’s in for some bad days ahead.
Scriptwriter
September 29th, 2010
11:13 am
I have already made my submissions for CMR’s post game comments: I’m sorry for our fans who traveled and supported us here. I believe the altitude was a major factor in us tiring in the 4th quarter. No I am sorry it had nothing to do with eliminating 2 a days.
Fantasy Island
September 29th, 2010
11:14 am
Blunder, honestly it is so abundant on these blogs in the summer all it takes is a day or two of reading and you can find an endless supply.
Scriptwriter
September 29th, 2010
11:15 am
JB it is amazing that players who have cried in public owned the humpers.
icedawg
September 29th, 2010
11:17 am
We really have a glaring weakness at this position. I know that the offensive line has been made the scapegoat but none of these guys is a grinder, durable, can consistently break tackles, have breakaway speed and can hold onto the ball. Hopefully we can attract someone who can do these things. Until then the running game is a definite weakness.
Blundermutt
September 29th, 2010
11:19 am
What exactly is “the north avenue tickle pile”? Does anyone outside of the voices in How2’s head know what that means and is it supposed to be an insult? If so, I’m not really insulted. But you do seem to be worked up, but I know deep down it’s not me that has done this, it is an 0 and 3 conference record that has you flustered. I’ll not pester you anymore, I’ll just enjoy your pain.
Things are looking up though, you have an opportunity to get a rare out of conference a** whooping this weekend. Why limit your humiliation to just teams within your conference? And when you see that 1990 NC banner in that stadium, just remember were that championship really resides and know that you will never, ever see another one of those in Athens again. That, unlike all the delusional prediction reminders posted here about the dogs dominance in 2010, is a fact!!!!!
The Varsity
September 29th, 2010
11:24 am
Who owns Tech again? Once in 9 seasons? Yeah, talk that smack with that big impressive victory over Kansas- whats that you got beat by Kansas? LOL! Yeah talk the smack all you want but you still got to face the Dawgs and right now you have ZERO to brag about.
gdawginkalamazoo
September 29th, 2010
11:24 am
I would have to agree that Ealey’s fumbles were not the only reason we lost those games. I kind of ribbed him on here yesterday and probably shouldn’t have. I am sure he feels pretty bad about the fumbles as it is. Now he loses his starting spot. He can keep practicing hanging onto the rock though.
I didn’t see it but everybody said that hit he took at MSU was pretty hard. Most RB’s can get hit like a parked car and hang on to the rock he should be able to too.
I think Thomas should be able to go outside and take it to the house.
Fantasy Island
September 29th, 2010
11:24 am
At least UGA fans have a never ending supply of condescension for opposing teams fanbase:
Tech nerds
Vols hillbillies
Florida Jort wearers
Alabama Rednecks
It must be wonderful to be able to carry such a superiority complex around such a crummy football team!
really?
September 29th, 2010
11:26 am
Is it really surprising that they aren’t rushing well this year? They didnt rush well last year either until the GT game. Fans expecting a power running team all the sudden are probably the same kind of UGA fans that think UGA will win the national title every year.
Lilburn Dawg
September 29th, 2010
11:26 am
Doesn’t matter if Ealey is benched. I look at Lattimore at SC, Ingram and Richardson at UA, etc. and I realize we have no running backs worthy of salt. While other back last week were averaging 10 yards a clip ours were at 1-2. Ealey and King both are barely able to get back to the line of scrimmage and the coaches keep trying to run them up the middle. They are not Ingram ……. if anything run them wide but not between the tackles…..particularly when we don’t have an OL that can block my grandmother.
Fantasy Island
September 29th, 2010
11:26 am
gdawg, that was a serious hit. I think he was kindof knocked out. I would have been amazed if anyone could have held onto the ball after that.
Undercover "dawg", North Ave, Atlanta address
September 29th, 2010
11:27 am
“DostaDAWG”, get a life you bleeping redneck. It’s just football, it, as much as you may believe ain’t LIFE. Go fising, or better yet, go swimming in the evening in a nice dark river. Word is, thats when those gators like to eat.
McDawg
September 29th, 2010
11:31 am
BOOOOOOOOO-take the red Shirt off
Blundermutt
September 29th, 2010
11:32 am
The Varsity, glad you have your record over Tech to keep you warm at night. Meanwhile the rest of the SEC has NC trophy’s to admire. Take heart, you guys could still get to the SEC championship game. Plane crashes, disease outbreaks, school shootings, these things happen all the time. A few unfortunate campus accidents and before you know it, UGA could be getting their a**es kicked by Vandy in Dec. 0 and 3 in the SEC!!!! See dummies, it rhymes. And just remember, that 1of 9 becomes 2 of 9, becomes 3 of 9, becomes 4 of 9 etc. Tides always turn, except for hydrant sniffers being delusional about their team, that never changes.
jon gruden
September 29th, 2010
11:33 am
jon gruden!!jon gruden!!jon gruden!!jon gruden!!
Mobile Dawg
September 29th, 2010
11:36 am
How2fish, we are heading down Thursday morning, fishing Friday. Unfortunately we have to take Saturday off to go shoot at a few doves. The seas should be fine, if they’re a little rough it just adds to the chum. Where are you fishing out of?
Game time change complicated the issue a bit due to I have a little one. We’re going to try and at least get the 1st half in. Hope to see you there….MD
kind of strange
September 29th, 2010
11:37 am
how the preseason offensinve question mark was Murray surrounded by a top running back duo, top SEC OL and best receiver in the country. Through game 4 Murray has been the offensive center piece and the other 3 have been completey MIA. Strange how things work out.
Tide Roll
September 29th, 2010
11:38 am
WHY DOESN’T THE WIMP MCGARRITY DO SOMTHING ABOUT BEN ” HIT AND RUN” JONES BEFORE THE SEC DOES? SURELY MISS . STATE HAS FORWARDED THE TAPE TO THE SEC OFFICES. BY MCGARRITY AND RICHT NOT BEING PROACTIVE AND REMOVING JONES FROM THE TEAM, IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT THE ACT IS CONDONED BY UGA, WHICH IT PROBABLY IS. BY THE WAY THE TAPE SHOWS RICHT TALKING TO JONES AFTER THE INCIDENT, THEN, HE OF COURSE PUTS HIM BACK IN THE NEXT SERIES. WHAT A PROGRAM. INCIDENTLY, THE SHOT WAS FRON THE SIDE WITH THE EXPRESS INTENT AND LIKLIHOOD OF ENDING THE KID’S CAREER. SIMILAR TO THE ONE CHRIS DAVIS DELIVERED TO HIS OWN TEAMMATE TRINTON STURDIVANT. EFFECTIVELY ENDING HIS.
The Varsity
September 29th, 2010
11:38 am
LOL! Your funny, but at this rate Duke is going to give you some issues as well. We whip your ass and you can’t even acknowledge it. How mature of you, keep wishing for that 2 of whatever and 3 of whatever….
Dogs Smell
September 29th, 2010
11:39 am
This is all so typical. Excuses because AJ was out. (He sold his jersey to his agent!) Bobo etc.This is why Ga fans are looked at as “Homers”. You are the blind leading the blind. You hate all of the top SEC teams because they beat you. You brag about 10 win seasons when your 1 st 4 games rarely play a top 20 team. While other teams are playing Cal, Oregon, Miami, and the list goes on Ga always plays a given “W”. Here is a given UGA fans, you’re not going to win the SEC this year. Now brag on about next year.
Dogs Smell
September 29th, 2010
11:41 am
Why would Jon Gruden want Uga? He didnt want to go to UT and he was a coach at UT? Another dream from a rose colored glass wearing Uga fan.
Mobile Dawg
September 29th, 2010
11:45 am
Gruden would be short term and he wouldn’t give his heart to college football. I would rather have CMR than Gruden.
Lowcountry, I would like to see Richt succeed, I don’t see how it’s possible. Everything from his decisions, his communication, discipline, motivation, and most of all what we see on the field is a direct indicator he’s: A, in over his head, or B, doesn’t have the heart or fire anymore. I sadly think we waste another year.
Scriptwriter
September 29th, 2010
11:48 am
Mobile I believe it is B and not A. He knows what to do, but is too close to Bobo, wife and kids. He needs to think about his own wife and kids and throw Bobo under the bus.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 29th, 2010
11:48 am
Mobile,
Thats the issue the AD faces.
1) Does he firmly beleive Richt can fix the situation?
2) If he has reservations about it then he should do it now, rather than delay what he feels is inevitable next season.
In this situation McGarity needs to be proactive and aggressive. This is a tough choice for someone who has been on the job a month. Hince, I see it with Richt in for 2011.
Blundermutt
September 29th, 2010
11:55 am
Varsity, no denying of the record, 1 out of last 9. Denial is what you mutt fans are in when you think every year is your year for SEC and NC glory. 1980 was a long time ago, I hope you were at least old enough to enjoy it, because it ain’t never happening again in Athens.
Scriptwriter
September 29th, 2010
12:00 pm
Lowcountry, I think it is easier for McGarrity now than if he had been the one to hire Richt. Remember McGarrity’s model for success; I know we don’t like to admit it but his model is Florida and Jeremy Foley. My prediction is he will be shown the door as was Ron Zook, the womans B Ball Coach and 2 mens baseball coaches.
Mobile Dawg
September 29th, 2010
12:01 pm
I tend to agree with you unless the rest of the season really says different. I want to see how CMR handles being literally back into a corner. He still hasn’t verbally addressed any really deep issues about the foundation of the program.
The Varsity
September 29th, 2010
12:01 pm
Hey I agree, I do not live in the rose-colored glasses world like most do on here. I will say this though, Tech is in no better shot at winning a title. That offense may get you a ACC title when FSU and Miami are down, but is not National Title calibur.
Mobile Dawg
September 29th, 2010
12:03 pm
Unfortunately I have to disagree with you Scriptwriter. McGarity being new has to err on the side of caution at this point. Unless he’s got a big sack, and a home run lined up.
Scriptwriter
September 29th, 2010
12:05 pm
Mobile Dawg, I bet he has a homerun tee’d up already. Does the Boise airport accept corporate jets to land?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
September 29th, 2010
12:06 pm
Yeah if this is PTI and we are doing odds? Richt staying is at 85%. He truly has to have a collapse the rest of the season.
Here is how he gets fired:
1) Lose this weekend
2) Get blownout again by UF
3) Lose to either Vandy/UK
4) Gets blownout by Tech
If all of that happens then he is gone. If 3 outta 4 happens he is going to be REALLY under the gun, but still I think he is going to be back.
Bo
September 29th, 2010
12:07 pm
icedawg, I have to disagree. Ealey runs behind his pads and finishes runs by moving forward. The problem is that our backs are hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on the vast majority of plays.
King is a good back but he likes to be elusive and hasn’t finished runs with authority because he isn’t that kind of back. It wasn’t until Ealey came on strong last year that Caleb started to run with authority. I still think he is an above average back but our guys are being asked to break tackles at the line of scrimmage..it’s no surprise that a 2 yard gain is all we get most of the time.
Thomas has looked good at times hitting seams and accelerating through the few holes that he’s had. He has potential but again, he has put the ball on the ground.
NORRIS
September 29th, 2010
12:09 pm
You cant blame the fumble on Ealey from this past saturday. The guy didnt even know he was in the world after he was hit. Im ok with a fumble from a good lick. Its the careless ones that make you made.
poor call
NORRIS
September 29th, 2010
12:10 pm
what about sitting some linemen. They are the ones that arent doing anything.
dawgster
September 29th, 2010
12:11 pm
Hey LowCountryBoil…can’t say i don’t agree with you some about Ealey, but as far as the young man that was kicked off the team…i don’t think Coach Richt had a choice if he wanted to be taken serious, that is what everyone was wanting out of him…I think had this happened earlier it would have been handled lke others of similar nature…i really feel bad for the young man, but he was warned as the rest of the team was…i also, think alot of pressure from the President and new AD wanted this cleaned up..so to say he is being made a scapegoat, is a little harsh, but i see your point…but they had to start somewhere…and for people saying that he wasn’t a starter, well although he was redshirting, he was going to be in the mix and was being counted on for next year…so people lay off the fact that he wasn’t a starter…you never want to do this to player that you recruited and gave a scholarship too…i do fee for the young man, but the team has been warned and i not sure if the kids will get this through in their heads that this want be tolerated any longer…The problem in having a “0″ tolerance is that these kids will go other places and be good players and probably never get into trouble again…but Coach Richt really had no choice as the medial and dawg nation was coming down on the program…so dawg nation don’t be surprised when this happens even if the incident is not extremely serious…just for the recore, i’m not saying what he did was not serious…it was and he is fortunate that he can learn from it and that it didn’t affect someone else’s life…
tardawg
September 29th, 2010
12:12 pm
Fire Bobo go get the Nix kid at Jax stat former Auburn QB, got good creditals, big plus last time a Tiger had anything to do with a UGA progroma was great right Vince.
Mobile Dawg
September 29th, 2010
12:14 pm
You don’t know where to hang your hat on this team. I see all four as possibilities, not probabilities. The altitude will play a major role in the game this weekend I believe. Fortunately we have four games under our belt and should be in condition. Have you ever taken off running through Denver? I have run at Red Rock Canyon and I thought my windpipe was going to burn up, a couple of thousand feet higher but it was tough.
We will have to play lots of bodies to stay fresh.
Out on a limb, no way
September 29th, 2010
12:20 pm
Well boys, if we get lucky we can win 2 games this year, but I will not go out on a limb and say who we can beat.
Scriptwriter
September 29th, 2010
12:24 pm
tardawg good credentials, are you crazy? OC for Chan Gailey at Tech and then fired at Miami.
mason
September 29th, 2010
12:27 pm
((( 28-25 )))
((( 45-28 ))))
lololololololololololololololololol!!!!
5150 P.O.A.D
September 29th, 2010
12:31 pm
Please hire Pat NIX. I was so happy when he went to Miami, but to have him at UGA would be like Christmas morning the whole football season for this Tech Fan. Please HIRE NIX!
FIRE BOBO
September 29th, 2010
12:35 pm
LET KEN PLAY I HAVE TALKED TO HIM AND HE SAYS THE COACHES ARE HOLDING HIM BACK FOR SOME REASON LIKE THEY THEY TRY TO DO TRUE FRESHMAN RUNNING BACKS WHILE RICHT HAS BEEN THERE
DEP
September 29th, 2010
12:35 pm
I love Bobo’s Comment if he ain’t playing good, more issues than that a lot of is Bobo not having the edge he had 2 or 3 years ago. It is like innie Minnie myne mo