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
Mr. Rolling Cooler Cooler Roller
October 13th, 2010
4:47 pm
Take the Red Shirt off and bring in the new blood.. He probably wants it more than Fumbling Ealey and Arrested King.
George
October 13th, 2010
4:49 pm
Uga recruit Witchett kicked off his high school team. That makes two commitments kicked off team. The tradition continues.
Contractor
October 13th, 2010
4:55 pm
Of course Bobo is the most excited to have A.J. back. Now his calls can be bailed out with one handed catches, diving ones, and toss up passes. Aaron Murray has been more than amazing for Georgia, and is showing more promise than Brantley at Florida and Gilbert at Texas. I say you put a guy in at running back that has a chip on his shoulder. Go ahead and throw Malcom in and see what the guys got. Rather do that and see if we have a winner, instead of wasting a year like the coaches did with Knowshon. I think Ken Malcom can take enough off Murray to where we can set up our passing game and win. Cause our passing game is the only reason we belong in games this season.
Alphare
October 13th, 2010
4:56 pm
Sure ,Ealey can pick it up, before he will fumble it at the goal line.
Delbert D.
October 13th, 2010
4:57 pm
AltamahaDawg – Is Samuel being redshirted this year? I checked the cumulative stats, and he doesn’t appear. Some teams have a “Participation Report” category, but Georgia doesn’t.
GaGator
October 13th, 2010
4:58 pm
I never thought I would say this, but I would rather have Murray at QB than our guy Brantley. Murray is the real deal and will be one of the best the dawgs have had, but I’m not giving up on Brantley, he needs to pick it up or this could be the dawgs year in Jax.
Mobile Dawg
October 13th, 2010
4:58 pm
You can run the pro style offense and it works well with some imagination, or some solid blocking between the tackles. I would like to see more toss sweeps, that gives the back the ability to go outside, or cut it back to the inside if he sees opportunity.
Gary
October 13th, 2010
5:04 pm
Hey Harry the Hat, find me one program in the nation that didn’t pull the same crap. Keep pasting your posting and also keep forgetting that was the way the game was played. They were not students. They are barely students now.
USMC DAWG
October 13th, 2010
5:08 pm
Someone please tell me… why in the hell do we have someone who played WR, coaching running backs? It would not suprise me in the least to have Richt bring Pollack in… and have him coach the kickers.
FI DOG
October 13th, 2010
5:10 pm
USMC DAWG,
Because his daddy is a UGA legend! Thats why!
Delbert D.
October 13th, 2010
5:11 pm
“The really good backs go to teams that run some variation of the spread. Maybe it’s time for CMR to rethink his offense.”
Interesting point, given the experience and the abilities of the 2 current QBs. Mason ran the Rush Propst Hoover HS spread at Lassiter, which is almost all passing. Murray looks like he can run the spread. Oregon’s spread is run-first. Mason’s coach at Lassiter, Chip Lindsey is now QB coach at Troy, which runs the spread. Expect him to be somebody’s OC sometime soon.
FI DOG
October 13th, 2010
5:11 pm
Pollack wouldnt set foot on this campus-way to embarrassed!
Jerry
October 13th, 2010
5:13 pm
I think Ealey scored about 130+ touchdowns in high school and ran for 8100 yards or so.
He broke Herschel Walker’s records.
That ain’t horrible.
What do tigers dream of when they take a little tiger snooze?
October 13th, 2010
5:37 pm
UGA is the 3rd worst rushing team in the SEC (only Tenn and Ark are worse)
Caleb King is their 2nd leading rusher
No, Ealey will not be able to pick up the slack and neither will Thomas
both Vandy and UK have terrible rushing defenses, but UK’s offense is far better than Vandy’s and UGA’s
The dawgs will beat Vandy, move to 3-4 and think that they tide would have turned, and then UK is going to beat them @ UK and UGA will limp into the UF game at 3-5…..and shortly there after, they’ll be 3-6.
tell me again
October 13th, 2010
5:38 pm
nobody was bashing Ealey and King when they ran all over Tech last year……why now?
tell me again
October 13th, 2010
5:40 pm
I do agree with one thing….we need better position coaches and quit with the promoting from within crap….we didn’t promote from within for our new AD – I think McGarity will can some of these unqualified coaches at the end of the year and get some real position people in here – especially on SPECIAL TEAMS!
Wildgator
October 13th, 2010
5:42 pm
Jerry – You are correct about Ealey having crazy high school stats, and its not horrible, but that is the problem. He is a one trick pony. And this is coming from a Gator fan; he can’t block worth a *#($*#&! He be getting Murray killed!!! He doesn’t like to take on the block, all he wants to do is run the ball. I seriously think moving Samuel back to RB would help.
What do tigers dream of when they take a little tiger snooze?
October 13th, 2010
5:42 pm
They will beat Idaho State and go 1-1 with Auburn and GT (and that’s if their lucky….AU and GT are both capable of winning those games)
5-7 is the best case scenario. 4-8 is certainly not out of the question
no bowl, probably will get a new HC in 2011
Delbert D.
October 13th, 2010
5:47 pm
The problems with blocking is why Murray is 2nd leading scorer on the team, behind Walsh.
Fast Freddy
October 13th, 2010
5:48 pm
Mike Bobo is having an affair with a grad assistant and has been for 11 months.
Mark Richt wants to quit coaching altogether to pursue his lifelong dream of being a backwoods comb-over evangelist.
If I were a top recruit trying to decide where to commit next fall, I would have to choose Vandy or Notre Dame. At least you know what you’re getting there.
Obama
October 13th, 2010
5:48 pm
I think I can settle this by inviting Caleb to the White House for a beer…….oh, wait…..nevermind.
Delbert D.
October 13th, 2010
5:50 pm
Better consider Kentucky as a game that can be lost or won.
What do tigers dream of when they take a little tiger snooze?
October 13th, 2010
5:52 pm
tell me again
UGA had their best rushing game against GT last year by far (net 339yrds) and was ranked #54 in the country in rushing #9 in the SEC
The most UGA has rushed for this season in a game is net 188 yds and that was against Colorado in a losing effort. Uga is ranked #77 in the country in rushing #10 in the SEC
Simply put, UGA “ain’t” running the ball as well as they were last year
Jan Kemp
October 13th, 2010
5:54 pm
Mike Bobo ain’t got a good education.
christophorm
October 13th, 2010
5:58 pm
No running back and no OC…richt is going to be in the ACC soon it seems.like maybe his old school, Miami or NC.
Stolen Jersey's for Sale, Cars, Computers, Rings - call 1-800-uga-
October 13th, 2010
6:00 pm
woo shon belongs in jail, not on a football field!
Fast Freddy
October 13th, 2010
6:02 pm
as long as richt is there nothing will change. nothing against the man, but it’s time for a fresh start.
mike leach, anyone?
You might be a UGA football player if......(with props to Jeff Foxworthy)
October 13th, 2010
6:02 pm
……your cell number has nothing to do with your telephone.
…..the only time you hear “3rd and short” is when you have two taller people ahead of you in the liquor store checkout line.
……your only opportunity to “go for two” is buy one get one free at Wal-Mart.
Ok fans, let’s hear your best “if” jokes…..feel free to substitute another school if you’re a dawg fan but at least have some fun with it!
RDUdawg
October 13th, 2010
6:02 pm
We’re holding out the true freshman because…
he may fumble in a key situation?
he may miss a block that eventually ends Murray’s season?
he’s taking a long time to learn the offense?
Lucky for us we have all those bases covered by our “starters”! Put him in now before he learns how to drive illegally and gets nabbed by our super sleuth CSI Athens Clark County bicycle cops.
What exactly are we red-shirting for this season?
What do tigers dream of when they take a little tiger snooze?
October 13th, 2010
6:11 pm
You might be a UGA football player when a jailhouse blitz results in a STD and not a sack for lost yards
Devildog
October 13th, 2010
6:13 pm
Any pools going on how many times Ealey will fumble before King gets back?
RDUdawg
October 13th, 2010
6:16 pm
Not so much when Ealey will fumble…but where.
The good money is inside the opponents 5 yard line.
If you’re going to wear the 24…do it with some dignity.
RDUdawg
October 13th, 2010
6:18 pm
Murray may be our leading rusher by season’s end.
What do tigers dream of when they take a little tiger snooze?
October 13th, 2010
6:23 pm
RDUdawg
He’s got the most rushing TD’s, the longest rushing TD, and he’s only 124 yds behind your leading rusher…
You might be right…and for UGA’s sake, that’s not necessarily bad when you play defenses that do not play contain
drzlstrangelovejr
October 13th, 2010
6:32 pm
Fire Mark Richt!
drzlstrangelovejr
October 13th, 2010
6:34 pm
MURPHY.
Ealey is not a freshman. He played last year. Remember? Sophomore is Ealey’s classification.
Athens, Georgia
October 13th, 2010
6:37 pm
What about #22 Richard Samuel at running back again ?
He averaged 4.5 yards per carry and has speed.
Bobo is a tired act.
Delbert D.
October 13th, 2010
6:42 pm
“Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said his offense has to be multiple because the Deacons do not recruit to a system. They try to lure the best recruits and then craft an offense to match them.”
Taken from ajc.com article “Trends in college football – multiple offense and defenses” by Ray Glier. Online now, definitely worth reading.
Delbert D.
October 13th, 2010
6:43 pm
@Athens, Georgia – See my 4:57 post regarding Samuel.
russ555
October 13th, 2010
6:59 pm
Just hope there will be enough Bulldog players out of jail so that they can field a team.
Go dogs.
Hobnail Boot
October 13th, 2010
7:06 pm
Heck play Malcome, we can’t keep them over three years anyway. We need to take the red shirt off and start getting some positive yards now.
mark twain
October 13th, 2010
7:09 pm
5150 TOAD, YOU ARE A COMPLETE MORON. NOW LET US ALL REMEMBER THE DRUG DEALER ON techs TEAM , THAT WAS ARRESTED FOR HAVING DRUGS SOLD ON CAMPUS AND HE CONTINUED TO PLAY, NOW SUCK THAT UP YOU ELEMENTARY IDIOT, TOAD.
DawgFan459
October 13th, 2010
7:24 pm
Play Malcome. I’m tired of wasting these guys to stupid redshirts that are ultimately meaningless. We may be missing someone who can really help us. It’s not like they are never going to sign another RB, for crying out loud.
Carlton Thomas is NOT a major college RB. It is as simple as that. I PRAY that the coaches are not counting on him to make up for the loss of Caleb King. If they are, they should all be dismissed!
superDawg
October 13th, 2010
7:40 pm
Can Santa Claus out run the easter bunny?
Jan Kemp: the rest of the story
October 13th, 2010
7:44 pm
Most of the Jan Kemp posters omit what happened after her revelations. UGA manned up, took their medicine, raised academic standards though it cost them some recruits to rival SEC/ACC schools, and UGA now has the combination of great athletics and sound academics. (Note high ranking among public universities, also note the 132 SEC titles and 37 NCs in 8 different sports). So, rival schools, you can have both. What you can’t have is the title of #1 college town on the planet.
superDawg
October 13th, 2010
7:49 pm
not own sunday.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
October 13th, 2010
8:29 pm
I agree with the other posts – Play Malcome. You might find him to be hungry to win and make a positive contribution.
Win P.
October 13th, 2010
8:31 pm
C. King should give up football,get a job on a garbage truck and pay back the $500 he borrowed. Did UGA actually recuit these characters or were they found under the Christmas tree?
Delbert D.
October 13th, 2010
8:47 pm
Thomas was 2008 Scout 4-star. He’s played in 5 games. You don’t just forget about him, I don’t think.
Glory Glory
October 13th, 2010
8:57 pm
How long till NERD-hunting season?