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
I'm Just Saying
October 15th, 2010
12:03 am
Is our lack of discipline ON the field related to our lack of discipline OFF the field?
Bulldog Joe
October 15th, 2010
12:06 am
How about is our obvious lack of proper “coaching staff” obvious on the field, as it is in recruiting and off the field, I’m just saying ?
Bulldog Joe
October 15th, 2010
1:17 am
Our “coaching staff” and frankly the guy who has never coached tiddly winks former tennis player said too that it will not affect our 2 wins that
CALEB KING
accepted undeniably a loan from a former bus driver of The University of Georgia who presumably he started dating AFTER he got here (and took nude photo pics of.)
A loan of not insignificant amount of $ 500
Then, knowing full well this means he is NOT ELIGIBLE as a college football player, he threatens her, and has a Police Report made against him for said threat.
CMR told Red & Black TODAY that he was NOT AWARE that The SEC NCAA Compliance Office has had forwarded to them this well-publicized Caleb King case.
There is NO WAY that she is not a former Bus Driver at The University of Georgia.
There is NO WAY that she did not deposit directly into his account $ 300 on one occasion and handed Caleb King another $ 200 on another occasion.
There is NOTHING that Caleb King has offered up in his own defense.
There is NO WAY Caleb King was not the Starter against Louisiana Lafayette and against the vols – he only Started 2 games at TB this season and those 2 are the ONLY TWO he did START.
The AD said he doesn’t know nothing about any of this, that he is a neophyte on the entire issue but has ALL THE FACTS and just doesn’t know what the rules are in this regard.
Bulldog Joe
October 15th, 2010
1:19 am
The Head Coach said today to the Red & Black that HE didn’t know ANYTHING about Caleb King case being submitted to The SEC League Office for a RULING.
Here is what the
POLICE REPORT
says
dated
April 28, 2010
This is SIX (6) MONTHS AGO
Police Report naming
CALEB DARNELL KING
nearly 23 years old in a couple months
March 6 the last day of SPRING PRACTICE before the Spring Break, she handed Caleb Darnell King $ 200 cash and went to Bank of America presented her credentials and deposited directly into his account another $300.
The following month, she asked for payment on the loan.
April began and Mr. King told victim he would not repay the victim and that he further stated if she ever made a deal about this further, that he would publish on the Internet nude photos and video of the victim.
April 27, Mr. King AGAIN REPEATED his threat to the victim.
Bulldog Joe
October 15th, 2010
1:20 am
Victim then notified Mr. King that he had until May 17 to repay the loan of $ 500, and after that she was going to Court over the not in the least disputed loan.
Police Report then states victim was advised of her Rights in the Magistrate Court and in Civil Court against Mr. King.
This is a CRIMINAL ACT by a
THUG
This is also our Staring Tailback and FAVORITE of Coach Richt who told the press he was NOT GOING TO SUSPEND Caleb King, then was FORCED TO BY MICHAEL F. ADAM$, announcing then that it was HARSH.
CMR has CODDLED this
THUG
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
During which time, he has done nothing but get CMR
BAD PRESS
Now, CMR faces
VACATING THE ONLY 2 WINS HE HAS
LA Lafayette
vols
10-15-2010 and THIS AJ-C has NOTHING ON IT YET, while the Red and Black has an EXCLUSIVE on the ongoing NCAA INVESTIGATION INTO IMPERMISSIBLE BENEFITS TO CMR’S STARTING TAILBACK IN HIS TWO (2) WINS, BOTH OF WHICH HE MUST VACATE.
#1 party school?
October 15th, 2010
7:53 am
http://www.ajc.com/news/uga-student-charged-with-682903.html
Pedophiles? in college?
what the hell is going on over there in Athens? I mean really… I’m starting to believe the “Cesspool of the South” guy
Flo-Ri-Duh!
October 15th, 2010
10:38 am
Dontavious Jackson was dismissed from the team last year and UGA missed out on Mack Brown. That is why they are one short at RB right now. Crowell and Bray are two RB’s being heavily recruited and will have immediate playing time if they sign. So far Mack Brown is wasting away on the Gator’s bench and who knows where Dontavious went too.
Flo-Ri-Duh!
October 15th, 2010
10:41 am
Bull barf Joe – just shut up. Your ignorance is embarrassing you in public.
AltamahaDawg
October 15th, 2010
11:32 am
I know enough to know that the staff has publically stated they were going to pull Davis after the third game and put in gates, but he got banged up in practise the week before and couldn’t. (yes there are actually things that happen behind the scenes that you wern’t consulted on). The fact that they ever did pull the senior to play the Freshman disproves the theory of playing senior despite somebody else possible putting them into a position to win game, now doesnt it?
I read the rest of your rants, and frankly it didnt really appear as if you had any other point. Just repeating some worn out banility there. JoeT, uh huh, there ya go. That must be the model for the entire roster for 10 years. Yea, really dug deep for that research didn’t you. Could you be more cliche? And none of that even answered my question. What you are talking about is how you “evaluated” who puts us into position to win. NOT the coaches playing somebody despite agreeing with you, but still doing so out of pure stupidity or misplaced loyalty. I’m just going to guess that maybe you and the staff might not have the same perspective and criteria as you do all the time.
I would offer to list the of underclassmen starting over upper classmen in 10 years but I assume you already have those.
And pretending that you even knew Knowshon’s name before his RSfr year doesnt make you look smart. My understanding is that coaching staff began to see him “get it” halfway through his RS year on the scout team. But sure, a handfull of carries late in the year, behind 3 future NFL players would have certainly been the smart move at THAT time. Right. Chalk one up for you perfect hindsight that you exhibit so well. Eithere way, that was not remotely a case of “loyalty” to anyone. Danny Ware was damn sure nobody favorite player. Was that your points? Um, no? Ok.
BTW, what up with the 5th alter ego this year, BuLLdawg?
Steve
October 15th, 2010
1:40 pm
Ealey’s issues weren’t just fumbles. Inability to convert short yardage and gain the tough yards were killing us.
King, average as he is, was running with authority for the first time in his career. Ealey needs to learn that breaking off a big run every now and then is NOT what gets it done in the SEC. Being able to convert those critical third downs (and stop them on defense) is what wins and loses in big time college football. He was all too often being taken down by the first tackler in those situations and that far outweighs his occasional big run capability.
I don’t know what got into King the last two games, but I hope when he comes back he continues to run with the same authority that he did. Not only will it help the Dawgs, but it might put him into first day draft consideration with his size.
Gratefuldawghead
October 15th, 2010
7:19 pm
GO DAWGS!
The Shadow
October 15th, 2010
9:07 pm
There might be a surprise tomorrow. Only The Shadow knows.
He Hate Gator
October 15th, 2010
9:36 pm
NCAA investigation into King loan? From the Red&Black: “There is no definitive answer available as to whether King violated NCAA rules, but the conclusion could affect the outcome of the Bulldogs’ season — for if King played as an ineligible player, the NCAA has demonstrated before that they will not hesitate to strip away wins.
And if worst comes to worst, Georgia could forfeit the few wins it has already earned in 2010.” WHY must we alumni continue to have to put up with the situation and the school’s loss of integrity?
munsondawg
October 15th, 2010
11:12 pm
11:11 pm. Loaded up and ready to tailgate. Up at 5 am. Just a few hours until we rock DAWGS!!!!!
We will have to forfeit our 2 wins?
October 16th, 2010
1:50 am
What recruit will want to come to UGA?
Thanks Caleb!
Looks like more NCAA Violations coming for the Dawgs….
http://www.redandblack.com/2010/10/14/caleb-king-case-sent-off-to-sec/