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.
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427 comments Add your comment
rincon dawg
September 29th, 2010
12:45 pm
This problem with fumbling has always been in this program under CMR. Danny Ware was a very talented back with alot of promise. Greg Lumpkin was another, the only won worth a darn was knowshawn and the genius redshirted him. Just look at the RB coach, is was a reciever for god sakes. Tony Ball was a running back but they have him coaching recievers. CMR cant even put his coaches in the right spot.
Go Dawgs...and take mark richt witcha!
September 29th, 2010
12:54 pm
Another day, another chance to blame the KIDS for a rednecks’ mistakes!
Go Buffaloes!
wildbill
September 29th, 2010
1:20 pm
Just to make a point and drive it home, I would put Ealey in the doghouse with Russ and leave him there for the first half. IF he is ready to play ball like he is supposed to, I would give him a carry or two and let him PROVE it.
11th in the SEC
September 29th, 2010
1:24 pm
11th in the SEC in running—at least they are aren’t last! Give that RB coach a big raise!!!
General Sherman
September 29th, 2010
1:26 pm
It appears the coaching staff are deflecting blame on the running back,did they not see this problem before? Poor sorry ass excuse to limit his playing time,coaches need to cowboy up and teach better!
Big Dawg
September 29th, 2010
1:27 pm
Anyone with common sense starts Carlton Thomas. That is one tough and elusive back. His lateral acceleration and ability to make you miss is incredible. Not to mention he has the yards per carry to back him up.
General Sherman
September 29th, 2010
1:30 pm
3-4 or 4-3,it just adds up to seven,if you cannot coach!
Fantasy Island
September 29th, 2010
1:37 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi6XV8yBFoU
NEXT YEAR
September 29th, 2010
1:56 pm
Ron Zook’s SEC winning percentage: 67%, Mark Richts’ SEC winning percentage since last winning the SEC (2005): 51%…..Mark Richt is a great guy he has lost control of this program and it seems to me he has thrown in the towel. Richt and his staff are terrible at eveluating talent and using it the way it is meant to be used…Also plays that worked in 1993 will not work in 2010….
'94 UGA Grad
September 29th, 2010
1:57 pm
He shouldn’t even be playing period in my opinion after failing to show up for court and then following it up with a hit and run. Yet another selfish THUG on our team. Man this team is hard to root for. I miss the days of DJ Shockley, David Pollack, and David Greene who were all easy to root for because of their TEAM attitude instead of the current ME attitude (Chapas, Durham, and Murray are exceptions).
NEXT YEAR
September 29th, 2010
2:02 pm
TO: ‘94 Grad, Jim Donnan could recruit and evaluate players and leaders. Richt’s most successful years came when the majority of the players were Donnan’s recruits and Van Gorden the DC. Richt’s loyalty and complacency will be his downfall
Zeb
September 29th, 2010
2:12 pm
Big Dawg…..I agree somewhat about Thomas. Problem is…..dumba$$ bobo keeps trying to run him up the middle when this O-line can’t open a paper bag. He needs to get the ball when he’s out in space; a 175lb back’s not gonna do much with a 250lb linebacker.
NEXT YEAR
September 29th, 2010
2:17 pm
Zeb…..your point a MAJOR problem this coaching staff has…evaluating talent and using it in a system that benefits the players’ skills and ability……Thomas is a great back in space……not running ISO or POWER……….
NEXT YEAR
September 29th, 2010
2:24 pm
UGA has the same skill and talent as the top teams in the SEC has…..the difference Saban, Meyer, and Miles Demand their players to play hard and not make mistakes……While Ricth pleads with his
Thomas Smith
September 29th, 2010
2:26 pm
Ealey is too small to be a running back. Richt needs to show more enthusiasm or he needs to be benched.
Zeb
September 29th, 2010
2:34 pm
NEXT YEAR……..agreed. We can all speculate on the problems with this program, but I’m hoping to find that there’s an underlying issue which none of us know about. If it turns out that Richt is keeping an idiot at OC because of loyalty…..then it’s time to begin the impeachment procedures.
Vince
September 29th, 2010
2:55 pm
5150 P.O.A.D is a loser. Always has been. 50 years old and spends all day on blogs.
WITHOUT LINDSEY SCOTT,THERE'S NO 1980 TITLE
September 29th, 2010
2:56 pm
SINCE EALEY LOST HIS JOB,NOW ITS TIME FOR YOU BOBO TO LOSE YOURS!
Apple Brown Betty
September 29th, 2010
2:58 pm
Bobo and Richt love to tell you how hard it is to win in the SEC, yet, somehow teams figure it out. Weird, huh?
5150 P.O.A.D
September 29th, 2010
3:21 pm
Vince go see if Barbra will let you sniff her new Oragne panties.
JAXDAWG
September 29th, 2010
3:26 pm
Well… at least the Falcons look good.
G. Tampa Bedwetter
September 29th, 2010
3:46 pm
“Demote Ealey!” . That’s Bozo speak for “not my fault”
MURPHY
September 29th, 2010
3:48 pm
NEXT YEAR,
Did I read your post correctly? You lumped Miles in with Saban and Meyer? Wow thats funny! hahahahahah
ugabean
September 29th, 2010
3:57 pm
Ealey is the best rb we have out of the 3 backs. Mississippi State almost killed Ealey when they hit him. Everyone is at fault.
ugabean
September 29th, 2010
3:59 pm
We all know what happens when a coach don’t fire his assistants. The coach gets fired. MR better man up.
MURPHY
September 29th, 2010
4:00 pm
I think we should run some toss sweep with Branden Smith-We need to get him some more touches on offense. Use his speed.Our backs we are playing dont show much speed. Thomas maybe?
Run, ealey, Run
September 29th, 2010
4:12 pm
Man, you dog fans are a bunch of what if whiners. Get over it & realize like a.j., you ain’t jack. Oh, it will get worse. 60 on the 27th.
Mobile Dawg
September 29th, 2010
4:15 pm
I really can’t fault Ealey on the fumble at MS either. He got hammered and didn’t know where he was for a few seconds.
Zeb, what in your opinion could be an underlying issue that would cause the total breakdown of UGA football? Barnhart lumped us in with the 3rd tier of programs last night on his show.
Red Panties
September 29th, 2010
4:35 pm
Just some helpful info for any of you going to Colorada for the first time. Boulder is higher than Denver at 5430 feet above sea level.
Here are some helpful hints on adjusting th altitude.
About Altitude Sickness
Altitude sickness is hardly something most people prepare for, but it still affects scores of unsuspecting newcomers to Boulder each year. Boulder is staggering 5,430 feet above sea level. At that height, the air pressure is lower making respiration more difficult for some.
Symptoms of altitude sickness:
•Nausea
•Headache
•Diarrhea, Upset Stomach
•Fatigue
•Dizziness
Physical Adjustments to Higher Elevations
Being aware of your elevation and following some common high altitude tips is the best way to reduce the risk of suffering from altitude sickness. The number one way to reduce the risk of sickness is to refrain from any hard physical activity upon arriving to the higher altitude.
I particularly like the idea of no hard physical activity, at this altitude the air pressure is less and it make breathing more difficult, also, panties come flying off faster!!!!
Phil
September 29th, 2010
4:46 pm
MURPHY,
I have been thinking the same thing, why not use Branden Smith more on offense? Maybe he’s been banged up. Heck, the way Brandon Boykin makes people miss and breaks tackles on kick off returns, I would consider using him on offense!
And what about an end around to Logan Gray and then let him pull up at the last second and throw a pass?? We haven’t tried that yet!
dawg stuck in SC
September 29th, 2010
4:55 pm
It doesn’t matter who starts or plays running back. Who cares. It would be the same if De’Angelo Tyson started at running back. FIRST, CMR is not going to commit to any kind of running game. CMR wants to throw low percentage passes way down the field. Secondly, Mark Richt’s running plays are SO ill designed that no offensive line could hold their blocks long enough to create an effective play.
dawghater
September 29th, 2010
5:02 pm
The Boulder CO campus police are increasing their officers in anticipation of the UGA football team showing up on campus. Funny, because in Athens on Saturday night the police department is giving a number of officers the night off. Slow night in Athens, the players will be in Boulder!
"E-Bay" Green
September 29th, 2010
5:03 pm
I’m taking pre-orders for my Colorado game jersey. Highest big wins!
You want it signed? That’ll be an extra grand.
Better hurry if you want to do business with me. This time next year, I will be a zillionare, and UGA won’t matter to me anymore.
I’ll be rocking with my new friends and role-models in the NFL and spending more cash in one week than you losers make in one year. Hell, yeah!
Lost Dawg
September 29th, 2010
5:13 pm
Tide Roll, GaGator,
You both evidently haven’t been watching football all that long.
Tide, many teams get called for chop blocking, the chop by BenJones was late and uncalled for but, some teams (GA. Tech) gets called for this type block every game.
Ga.Gator. As a witness to the eye gouging by Spikes in Jacksonville, a Gator has no place to even post such about a UGA player.
As far as suspension of Ben Jones,
What did Meyer give Spikes for his mistake? !st quarter suspension from the Vandy game?
These type hits go on in every game.
You 2 should watch more football.
punkin14
September 29th, 2010
5:17 pm
Phil, I agree. God fobid we pull anything out of the playbook past page 2. How many times can we run between the tackles on 2nd and long. How can we have one of the most experienced offensive lines in college football but can’t push anyone off the ball. They are getting pushed into the backfield on every run play. How in the world do we have two backs, Caleb King ( broke Herschels yardage record in high school), and Ealey ( broke Herschels touchdown record in high school) and they can’t seem to break a single tackle. These are essentially the same unit that ran all over GA Tech last year. Getting Pay J back will not solve these problems. Richt looks like he’s on prozac most of the time and has zero interest in the outcome of the season. I think we could point to many things, but to me he lost his coaching edge in 2008 when he kept apologizing to Florida and UM for the endzone celebration in the week leading up to the game. He comes across as a pansy, and no coach fears him as a tactician. Bobo’s gotta go, he couldn’t coach at Valdosta. There is zero leadership on this team and that starts with the coaches. Hopefully someone held a players only meeting this week and chewed their fellow players ear. Did we abandon the screen play when Knowshon left for the NFL? We need to get our backs into space and let them make plays. Did our tight ends go into the witness protection program? I like Murray and his grit, but teams are watching film and he will get alot of balls batted down this season with his release. It doesn’t help he’s only 5′10″. I don’t care what the program says his height is. Gotta put him in the shotgun or roll him out of the pocket to be effective. We need to dump the pro set offense and I formation. Lars Tate and Robert Edwards are not in the backfield. It worked for Richt at Florida State, but we don’t have Warwick Dunn. As far as discipline problems, everytime someone breaks a rule, and I don’t care if you take a moped helmet or get a DUI, you turn on the lights at Sanford at 5AM and make the team run steps for two hours. The guy that gets in trouble gets to sleep in instead of run. You’ll see an end to the discipline problems because teamates will then step up and make them accountable. Just some thoughts.
WITHOUT LINDSEY SCOTT,THERE'S NO 1980 TITLE
September 29th, 2010
5:19 pm
NOW BOBO DEMOTE YOURSELF BACK TO THE BOOTH,AND LET COACH RICHT CALL THE PLAYS?
GaDawg
September 29th, 2010
5:24 pm
Jiggy Smaha
September 28th, 2010
10:30 pm
Thanks for demanding “POISE” from the Bulldog Nation. I agree with you 100%, and thank you for your contribution to the football program! Go Dawgs!!!
mark twain
September 29th, 2010
5:33 pm
to 5150 TOAD, you are an insult to the human race, please go back and further your education i hear your 3rd grade teacher calling and asking why you flunked your english for the 4th time. and also go over to the tech section they are about as bad as you. 30-24.
dawg stuck in SC
September 29th, 2010
5:38 pm
Tide roll, tide roll, or any other alabama fan. alabama has no room to talk about any other program. The whole country knows that alabama is the lyingest, cheatenist program in the history of NCAA football. Paul Bear Bryant furthermore cheated the most of any coach. He lyed, cheated, stole, and anything else to win a game. I have personally taken his name and his record out of the history of college football that I am teaching to my 4 children.
Bryant would sign 125 or more high school players to alabama just to keep Auburn Univ from signing a good player. He was a dishonest, mean , person who never did any good to anyone but himself. saban is in the same mold. also finebaum sucks saban.
punkin14
September 29th, 2010
5:41 pm
Ealey needs to go back to #24. He’s snakebitten with #3. Bryan Evans ruined that number for every future Dawg to wear it . He may have been the worst player to ever wear the G on his helmet.
truefan
September 29th, 2010
5:51 pm
I sure hope the coaches at UGA read this blog. We’ll win if they do! Give me a freaking break! Every comment I’ve read here is a JOKE! Morons! Armchair Qb wanna be’s! Find another team to bash. The fact of the matter is we’re not that good. Last year neither! How do you expect a team with a freshman qb,no returning rusher with over a 1000 yrds, or a receiver who’s put up 1000 yrds to really be improved from last year? I don’t get it. Fact of the matter here is that the talent is here but these kids are playing with no heart. No intensity. Some of you folks have really gotten spoiled. By the sound of things here UGA has gone below 500 every year. Could be a lot worse people.
dawg stuck in SC
September 29th, 2010
6:00 pm
truefan, in your world do coaches who make 3 million dollars a year not have any responsibility? Is it all the players fault?
WalterEgo
September 29th, 2010
6:03 pm
Mike Bobo, the person most responsible for the offense’s poor performance, will NOT reduce his play CALLING time this week. Anything else than demoting Bobo is treating a symptom. Richt, quite being a “nice guy” to your staff. Bobo has earned a demotion more than any player at GA has.
Wreckmaniac
September 29th, 2010
6:12 pm
Insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results. Examples:
1. If you haven’t won a nat champ in 30 years, why expect one this year, or next year or the year after ?
2. If 5 stars aren’t getting it done, why keep recruiting 5 stars?
3. If defense wins championships why is everyone upset about the offense ?
4. If the best team in the conf schedules out-of-conference travel games against tougher teams why
schedule Colorado School of the Blind ? How can that make you better ?
5. If you measure the success of the program by wins over FL and you’ve won only 2 times in the past 10 years, why continue with that measurement ?
Dawg'em out!
September 29th, 2010
6:21 pm
good , ealey and this team need to come backdown from whatever cloud they’ve thought they have been on and join the rest of us. look at these kids running a muck in the program, wonder if this will change his habit of tuck the ball with both arms and hit the damn hole like a bat outta hell! GATA
Coffee Bluff DAWG
September 29th, 2010
6:44 pm
Might do Ealey some good to sit out for a while. He ran well in the 2nd half of last year.
Not sure what all the problems are but have not given up on the DAWGS – should come back this week.
Brooking56
September 29th, 2010
6:46 pm
Stewart, I am a believer that a fan base must always answer the question “And hire whom?” before they talk about firing a coach. If you cannot name a better option than the current guy, forget it. I find myself teetering on the Mark Richt discussion. If he goes, who would be your hire?
– Dave, Atlanta
I’m with you, Dave. If Georgia runs off Richt this year, it will be textbook Clemson/Ole Miss Syndrome. (Note the example cited in that link: Minnesota. How’s that working out?) Historically, Georgia is more prestigious than either of those teams — but not as much as Dawgs fans like to think. In all my travels, I’m not sure I’ve ever come across a fan base whose self-perception is so far from reality. Georgia fashions itself a national power in the vein of Ohio State, USC, et. al., based primarily off one glorious three-year run 30 years ago with Herschel Walker (and some kick-butt years in the 1940s).
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/stewart_mandel/09/29/mailbag/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz10xetXgGQ
L-Dawg
September 29th, 2010
6:53 pm
Coaches need to look at tape of “Electron” Jackson to get ideas on how to best use C. Thomas.
playing time
September 29th, 2010
7:13 pm
Wow, he’s not going to start. It’s pretty pathetic when the best back a team has to start is Washaun Ealey. My God, how much lower will Georgia fall!
HD27
September 29th, 2010
7:34 pm
Since everyone has thier take on what’s going wrong this season, I thought I would give my take. First, WE DON’T need to fire any of our coaches. Second, the blame can be spread throughout the team, but I do believe we have what it takes be a good team, we just need a change a tweak in our philosophy. So lets start with the offense. I like the idea that we want to be a physical football team and run the ball to set up the play-action. But this can not work if we are not running the ball successfully. To many times we ran the ball when miss state, ark and S Car literally stacked the box on us and dared us to pass the football, but we wouldn’t. I mean we literally ran the ball with carlton thomas 5′ 7” 180 pounds right up the gut and they had 8 or 9 guys in the box and it looked like an all out blitz. The last 2 games we came out trying to establish the run yet we had to throw the ball to get back into the game. I counted a total of 24 pass attempt the last two games in the fourth quarter (this does not include sacks or when murray takes off). We need to come out and establish the pass and let the other team know that we are going to put up points. Instead we insist on milking the clock away and keeping Miss State in the game! Murray and our wide recievers have been the best thing smoking for us yet we insist on running the ball first! Lets pass to set up the run and then play-action off of that. And Murray needs to throw atleast between 30-35 times a game with most of his passes being in the first 3 quarters and then we can be more physical in the fourth. The good thing is we have A.J Green back so I’m sure we’ll throw the ball a lot more early on in the game because we want to get the ball in his hands. So we’ll also do a lot of bubble screens and things like that to get him open. But our recievers have been outstanding and we should’ve been doing these things. After every games coach Richt talks about how well Murray played and handled the pressure under the circumstances. That tells me that our recievers are playing outstanding and it also tells me we need to throw the ball more! Durham is on pace to have a better season than A.J Green has EVER had in his two season, T. King (suspended first game) has 160 and 2TD the last two games, Logan Gray, Marlon Brown and speedy wooten( have been consistent spot recievers although can do more with wooten) and we know how talented our tight ends and full backs can be if we get them the ball! Simply put we need to throw the ball more early and often (bubble screens, reciever screens, whatever!). Another thing I would like to see is more shot gun and more designed runs out of the shotgun. Sometimes, I just want to burn the play action and the I formation, because it seems like once Murray makes the fake he has no time to make a read because there is a player in his face. Being in shotgun would naturally buy him more time until our offensive line can prove it can block better. Now, I’m not bashing my Dawgs because I’m, behind them through thick and thin and I know what we are capable of! But I would love to see a slight change in philosophy on the offensive side of the ball (NOT A CHANGE IN COAHCES)!