Tailback update: Ealey wants to regain trust ‘I’m pretty sure I lost’
(Updated 10 a.m. Thursday)
ATHENS — With Caleb King suspended for two games and Carlton Thomas still bothered by a hamstring injury, Georgia suddenly is in a precarious position at tailback.
Washaun Ealey, whose playing time has been limited the past two games because of his problem with fumbles, will start Saturday against Vanderbilt. “He’s going to be the guy this week,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said.
Ealey sees this as his chance to make amends for critical fumbles against South Carolina and Mississippi State.
“I’m pretty sure I lost the trust of most guys on the team,” Ealey said after practice Wednesday. “Hopefully I can go out there and gain their trust back this week.
“I know my team really needs me this game,” he added.
Georgia’s tailback situation behind Ealey remains in flux.
Thomas, who missed last week’s game, practiced on a limited basis Wednesday. Freshman Ken Malcome, whom the coaches are considering playing for the first time, missed part of Tuesday’s practice with a shoulder stinger but returned Wednesday. Whether Malcome sheds his redshirt and plays Saturday could hinge on how Thomas does the next couple of days, coach Mark Richt said Wednesday night.
Asked earlier this week if Malcome has shown enough in practice to prove he’s ready to play, Bobo said: “We ain’t got nobody else. … We got one running back,” meaning Ealey.
Fullbacks Fred Munzenmaier and Zander Ogletree also have gotten work at tailback in practice this week, Richt said.
“We’re going to have to figure out a way,” Bobo said. “Guys are going to have to pick up the slack, and Washaun is going to have to be ready to go.”
King’s suspension is the latest hurdle for a tailback contingent that has had trouble getting on track this season.
“It’s been interesting, to say the least,” McClendon said.
Among suspensions (first Ealey’s, now King’s) and injuries (first King’s ankle, now Thomas’ hamstring) and crucial fumbles (two by Ealey, one by King), Georgia has not been able to get into any kind of rhythm at tailback in the first half of the season.
Ealey has started three games, King two (both of the wins) and Thomas one. Ealey has a team-leading 246 rushing yards, followed by King with 228. Ealey’s longest run of the season is 18 yards. As a team, Georgia is 10th in the SEC in rushing, averaging 136.8 yards per game.
McClendon said King was beginning to separate himself as the No. 1 tailback — before his early Monday arrest for failing to appear at a court date in connection with a speeding ticket. That arrest resulted in a two-game suspension from Richt.
Now, Ealey “has to go out there and do a good job,” McClendon said. “Not so much fill the void, but he has to go out there and fill the job, no matter what.”
Third-down inefficiency
Georgia’s defense is last in the SEC when it comes to stopping opponents on third down, allowing a first down 43.4 percent of the time.
“Third-and-long, especially, has been our Achilles heel,” Richt said. “We’ve had a bunch of teams in third-and-long, and we’ve had a bunch of teams get a first down. It’s just so frustrating.
“A lot of it has been QB runs. You feel like you have the right call, you have everybody covered and you are right there to get [the quarterback], and he breaks free. He either runs across the line of scrimmage like the Colorado quarterback [Tyler Hansen] did at least two or three times in the first drive of the game, or breaks free and throws a touchdown pass like the quarterback [Matt Simms] did for Tennessee last week.”
Richt said the Georgia defense has been much better against “third-and-medium” plays than against third-and-long.
“We just have got to continue to get our guys in position to make the plays,” Richt said, “and get them to make it.”
Last word
Asked who is happiest to have A.J. Green back in the lineup — the other receivers, the tight ends, the quarterback, the running backs — Bobo quickly answered: “Me.”
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415 comments Add your comment
gdawginkalamazoo
October 13th, 2010
11:13 am
Screw it. Empty the backfield and throw the ball. Every play. Let Murray take flight if eerybody is covered. Play Malcome NOW. Has he ever been arrested? Has he done what he is supposed to do to play football? Better start playing him now so that he will be ready next year or the next game. We don’t need no stinking redshirts.
DawgNation
October 13th, 2010
11:16 am
ALWAYS be in stock,
Good points. I have been wondering since the hiring of McGarity just what he will do after this season is over. Will he pull the plug on CMR buddy system of hiring coaches and demand a search for quality position coaches be done? I hope he puts more input than Evans and holds CMR more accountable for progress in the program.
crossdawg
October 13th, 2010
11:17 am
Saw where bobo was glad to see AJ back. Guess he thinks in may have saved his job.
To: DawginLEx
October 13th, 2010
11:17 am
I like your line up. I agree with the comment about King and I would add ealey to that.
Who knows about Malcome? I hope that he can simply move the freaking chains.
Now, I also would like to see Brandon Boykin at running back. I think he runs well in traffic, he breaks tackles and he has that burst of speed coming out of a jamb up. He might not be a 30 carry per game man but maybe 10 – 12 carries and he would end up with maybe 80-90 yds. Compare his body type to either ealey or caleb and look at their biceps. Boykin lifts weights apparently. HE is a ball player and they are simply low level talent.
There is no pint in continuing to use the twins ealey and king. They are lost causes and are losers. Richt htinks that he will save his job by using them. He needs to play the best man now.
UGA needs to make a change at the highest levels and I will guarantee that new AD Greg McGarity is stunned by the complete dis array of the football team. He HAS to make it better and he knows that the problems are systemic within richt’ s staff and his philosophy.
New coach can tighten it up quickly and seal the state within two year and we will be fine competing for the SEC East.
5150 P.O.A.D
October 13th, 2010
11:19 am
Bruce Mac
Do you really think Crowell sees UGA in a good light right now? UGA may or may not have coaching issues but many people think that the Dawgs do. That has to be on Crowell’s mind
KM
October 13th, 2010
11:20 am
Nice english Bobo……setting a great example for the kids….”Bobo said: “We ain’t got nobody else. … We got one running back.”
Ace
October 13th, 2010
11:24 am
2 – 3 more years of decline before UGA hits rock bottom, the program is in its 6 years down cycle.
DawginLex
October 13th, 2010
11:28 am
Recruiting will be determined by how the rest of the year plays out. There are kids who definitely want to play for Richt. There are other kids who want to play for playing time immediately.
Tider222
October 13th, 2010
11:30 am
Hershell Walker could handle it
Dirty Dawg
October 13th, 2010
11:34 am
Why not Logan Grey, or is it Gray?…He’s clearly a pretty good athlete and he was considered a QB that could run when he came here out of high school…and if he adds RB to his resume, he could qualify for the Hines Ward award (there ought to be one).
Dwayne
October 13th, 2010
11:36 am
Lets try the Notre Dame box. It was a great offensive scheme.
Bruce Mac
October 13th, 2010
11:36 am
Yea, no way I would go to a school that has a head coach with the third highest winning percentage last 10 years. Certainly no way I would go to the school who’s athletic program is one of the top five most profitable in the country. No way I would go to a school that has sold out it 88K seat stadium 50 times in a row. I would go to Tech. Leave it to the bigs boys P.O.A.D.
cantondawg
October 13th, 2010
11:36 am
I’m sick of these so-called fans stating “why would a recruit want to come to UGA now. If you are asking this question, you don’t deserve to be a fan. UGA is a great institute with great history. 3 years ago, Alabama absolutely sucked and got beat by LA-Monroe. Most of the player on last years championship team committed to alabama when they sucked.
Dwayne
October 13th, 2010
11:38 am
I know Hines Ward, Hines Ward is a friend of mine, and you sir, Logan, are no Hines Ward.
cantondawg
October 13th, 2010
11:38 am
It should be a no-brainer for Isaiah Crowell to come to UGA. He would probrably start from day one and he could attain “Herschel-like” status if he led us back to the SECC. At Alabama, he would rarely play because TR would take most of the carries.
savannahdawg
October 13th, 2010
11:43 am
Sorry Coach but our choices don’t look good these days. Too dumb, don’t listen, don’t care, no heart, too small, too many fumbles………………..just throw every down………….play some WAC football!!!!
Caleb has been such a disappointment since he arrived. All that talent wasted by the two cents he has between his ears. I have been saying this for two years……..the kids has no heart!!! Period!
Dogs Smell
October 13th, 2010
11:47 am
He had better pick it up because he seems to drop it A LOT !
gdawginkalamazoo
October 13th, 2010
11:47 am
And who says that our players aren’t wanted by anybody?
Dogs Smell
October 13th, 2010
11:50 am
No way would I go to a school that never reaches its potential and is year after year overrated. If my choices are Bama , Florida, Auburn, UT, LSU ! All but 1 of those have won a NC since UGA has even looked at one.
AltamahaDawg
October 13th, 2010
11:52 am
What was the question?
5150 P.O.A.D
October 13th, 2010
11:54 am
Bruce Mac
I don’t think Crowell will go to TECH. Tech isn’t on list list. Did I say he would go to Tech? No! I said he would likely choose BAMA. You know Bama the College with 12 or some God awful number like that of National Championships to UGAs 1. Bama stadium seats over 100k now. UGA fans are not happy with the O-line coach, the Runningback coach, or the OC. You read it all over the place. Nobody is beating down the door to steal away these coaches.
I guess we will see where he goes soon enough.
Bruce Mac
October 13th, 2010
11:55 am
That’s more like it Dogs Smell. Keep your juvenile Tech humor coming. Year after year overrated, what does that mean? We are rated where we are rated, we are never overated or under rated. Another Yech idiot. By the way your choices are none of the above. Your choices were probably University of Phoenix and Herzing College.
Coachdawg 2000
October 13th, 2010
11:56 am
All of you talking about Malcome’s lack of speed didn’t obviously see him totally outshine Mack Brown-MLK’s tailback who went to UF. Boo took one around 80 yards and there wasn’t a DB within 15 yards of him.
Bruce Mac
October 13th, 2010
11:59 am
P.O.A.D. I know this language thing is difficult for you to follow but my point is that you have nothing to do with it as a Yech fan. So, mind your own biz. Leave it to folks that are involved in the process of big time recruiting. You need to worry about what 2 star tight end Yech is recruiting as a quarterback.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 13th, 2010
11:59 am
Crowell could see NFL in three years 1st rounder. That’s what Crowell sees. This season is just a bump in the road to better things. Okay a big bump but it can only get better.
Coachdawg 2000
October 13th, 2010
12:02 pm
The only thing that does more than win mythical national championships is get put on probation.By the way if Saban and kirby smart are such geniuses then why did the chix hang 35 on them. We in our worst season in20 years held them to 17. And don’t give me spurrier had 2 weeks. He had 9 days to get ready for us(if you count them ever having to prepare for southern miss).
Coachdawg 2000
October 13th, 2010
12:02 pm
Alabama
Mirk Racht
October 13th, 2010
12:06 pm
All I know is that this Caleb King situation might be the tip of the iceberg. Last night a pressing issue caused richt to skip the touchdown club where his brother-in-law was speaking. The issue came up yesterday afternoon, pertains to the football team, and according to a very close source inside of UGA Athletic sports comm., it is big, and they are taking extra precautions to keep the press from finding out about it yet. I’m worried…..
I’m hearing the same thing. And I know there are people at UGA who will spill the beans if asked, so it’s time for the AJC folks to crack one of them open. This is big enough to blow Mark Richt out of the water for sure, if not the whole football program.
5150 P.O.A.D
October 13th, 2010
12:08 pm
gdawgin
I didn’t think UGA fans want players to just come in play real fast and leave. Crowell Could do the same thing at Bama. Jr. Ingram will probably leave this year right? So. Richardson there ato shared the carries just like now but next year with Crowell then leave and it’s Crowell’s job.
Saben
October 13th, 2010
12:08 pm
Depends on who is left in the Clarke County Jail.
Delbert D.
October 13th, 2010
12:09 pm
I’m guessing that Mike Luckovich is not a Georgia alum. Work release program?
gt
October 13th, 2010
12:11 pm
Slow it down Tim. Someone just spotted Washaun Ealey driving down 78 in a red fur coat, bottle of champagne in one hand and red panties in the other. Richt was in hot pursuit and may catch him before it is too late. More as it comes in.
5150 P.O.A.D
October 13th, 2010
12:12 pm
You have to admit it was a funny drawing?
DawgBuzz
October 13th, 2010
12:12 pm
Play Malcome. Play Logan. Really, nothing to lose here. Ealey is not the answer. Everyone knows he cannot hang onto the ball. He was lucky the ball went out of bounds against Tenn. He cannot pass block – this has been going on since last year.
Saben
October 13th, 2010
12:13 pm
Mr. Racht,
Are you referring to the gender changing operations performed at the medical center?
Zach M
October 13th, 2010
12:13 pm
Did I hear the phone ring?
Dawgs73
October 13th, 2010
12:15 pm
If you guys actually think that Richt would go with Malcome then you are delusional. The biggest problem with Mark is player evaluation, and of course…coaching. This is the same guy who had Knowshon Moreno listed as third string TB, behind Kreg Lumpkin and Danny Ware.
Mirk Racht
October 13th, 2010
12:16 pm
Are you referring to the gender changing operations performed at the medical center?
That’s all I’m saying for now.
Bruce Mac
October 13th, 2010
12:16 pm
More knee slapping humor from same source (i.e. gt) Man, it sure makes you wonder how one school can generate such a large quantity of immature nerds?
5150 P.O.A.D
October 13th, 2010
12:20 pm
Delbert
do you have those #s on what majors the UGA and Tech Football players are taking? I saw you posted it sometime back.
Jeff
October 13th, 2010
12:20 pm
so the Thug ealey is the guy this week? I would take my chances with a freshman than to start Ealey- wrong attitude….thug……and fumbles every game. Bobo is an idiot to let him play let along start the moron.
Cory
October 13th, 2010
12:22 pm
So Ealey is the man this week??? how do you say “one game win streak comes to an end?”
Vick=Dog killing thug
October 13th, 2010
12:25 pm
Bobo does excel at showing his ignorance. Sheesh
MR>SEC
October 13th, 2010
12:25 pm
You know I just thought of something. If the Clark County Jail got together a football team, they might be pretty good.
John
October 13th, 2010
12:26 pm
This is the sorry state of our football team. If Richt doesnt send Rodney and his Thug recruiting packing he is a idiot. The AD needs to get this crap cleaned up and now. I am sick of throwing my money down the drain to watch this circus. “we ain’t got nobody else” that’s pretty sorry….
Papadawg
October 13th, 2010
12:28 pm
We need to find somebody to pick up the slack for King and Ealey, didn’t Murray out rush both of them last Sat
Delbert D.
October 13th, 2010
12:30 pm
I posted the updated majors numbers a couple of weeks ago by request from an inquirious ranter. I’ll pass right now, as there is no need.
I think I made up a new word, “inquirious”.
Dogs Smell
October 13th, 2010
12:30 pm
Bruce Mack.looks like I hit a nerve with a reality check. Not a big Tech fan but I would pull for them over you Homers !
DawgTurd
October 13th, 2010
12:31 pm
Keith Henderson, Tim Worley, Lars Tate….UGa used to just bring in those tough, 225 lb running backs every year. What happened? Are they all playing B-back at GT ?
Paul (You doesn't have to call me Johnson)
October 13th, 2010
12:31 pm
UGA’s chances will improve when they discontinue playing that Florida game in Jacksonville every year.
What did Mark Richt say? When you keep doing the same thing over and over again and get the same results…that’s the definition of insanity. What would Georgia’s record be against Florida over the past 20 years if the games had been played home and home? Better yet, what would be the record if all the games were played in Atlanta instead of Jacksonville? UGA is 3 and 17 in Jacksonville and probably 3 and 18 after this year. Don’t you think UGA has a better chance of winning this year if the game were in Athens and Georgia had a week off too prepare as Florida usually does?