UGA lifts Ealey’s suspension (updated with comments from Richt)
(Updated 9 p.m. Saturday)
ATHENS — Washaun Ealey’s suspension lasted less than three weeks.
The Georgia tailback, suspended indefinitely from all team activities by coach Mark Richt on Feb. 8, has been “reinstated to full team standing,” UGA said Saturday.
That makes Ealey, Georgia’s leading rusher the past two seasons, eligible to participate in spring practice, which begins March 10.
“He’s done a very nice job of doing what I asked him to do,” Richt said Saturday night, “to take care of his business what I call the Georgia way, staying on top of things and being punctual and being prepared. . . . He’s done it with a very good attitude, and now I think he’s ready to integrate back in the rest of what’s going on at Georgia. I’m happy for him.”
Earlier Saturday, Richt said in a statement that Ealey will rejoin team activities Monday.
Ealey, a rising junior, was suspended after failing to report on time for an early-morning punishment run.
The incident was not Ealey’s first brush with trouble at Georgia. He was suspended from last season’s opening game because of an arrest for hit-and-run of a parked vehicle and driving with a suspended license.
“I didn’t think he was handling his responsibilities as well as he should,” Richt said Saturday night, referring to the Feb. 8 suspension. “When I felt like he was back on track, I was going to have him go back to doing what everybody else was doing.”
Ealey played in 12 games for Georgia last season, starting seven and rushing for 811 yards and 11 touchdowns. He rushed for 717 yards as a freshman in 2009, when he played in nine games.
His role could diminish with the arrival this summer of Carver-Columbus tailback Isaiah Crowell, a prized recruit who signed with Georgia this month. Richt said on signing day that he expects Crowell to play “heavily” as a freshman and possibly to get the first carry in the Sept. 3 opener against Boise State in the Georgia Dome.
– Staff writer Ken Sugiura contributed to this report.
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534 comments Add your comment
dawg gone
February 28th, 2011
5:25 pm
Wilson, Dude said your the blogger of a thousand names and no sense…just saying what Dude is spraying.
Fogger
February 28th, 2011
5:47 pm
No, Lemay or Mason are not both with R2DT, but Mason is 100% transferring with R2DT but will head to a non-LSU school n 2012, since Mettenberger is already at LSU where R2DT will all join up in 2012. Mason said to be interested in working with Weis.
WIN WITH RICHT
February 28th, 2011
6:02 pm
Fogger=Moron
You are just chumming and ain’t nobody biting.
Valdosta Cat
February 28th, 2011
6:14 pm
Go Dawgs!!!!!!!!!!
Valdosta Cat
February 28th, 2011
6:17 pm
…….And you wonder why the former bloggers no longer comment here with the likes of such classless characters who troll this site.
headley lamar
February 28th, 2011
6:41 pm
Tech baseball player Skole arrested, charged with DUI
Can you imagine if that was a UGA football player. Oh the indignation.
Man, ya’ll go easy on Murray, he’s a great QB, played us really tough man. We hope Georgia sticks with Aaron Murray for 3 more years.
I hope we do too. He had the top passer rating for all freshman QB’s and stands only to improve.
No too often we lose to South Carolina anyway. UGA owns South Carolina.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)
February 28th, 2011
7:22 pm
Dallas: If you have watched Gray over the last 3 years you know he isn’t an SEC starting QB and Mettenberger committed a serious crime. If he had not had some bigtime help he would be serving time. If CMR had kept him you would be leading the mob to can CMR, just like you are doing now.. Gray apparently is a fine young man but so are a lot or others. You and your ilk remind me of a malcontented wife. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. I have heard of people that “don’t know anything” but you and your fellow Richt-bashers “don;t even suspect anything”.
gcs
February 28th, 2011
10:25 pm
Wow, a three week vacation during the off-season. That’ll teach Ealey a lesson.
Yep, Richt doesn’t oversign but his players can get away with murder.
.
Bitter grassy knoll
February 28th, 2011
11:05 pm
shot first and dont ask any ???
bitter larry munson (9") size does matter
February 28th, 2011
11:14 pm
killing time, just kill-inn trees–poison is cheaper than a logg-in crew
————-thanks bammer necks————-
Washaun Ealey’s Suspension Ends In Time For Spring Practice | GeorgiaNewsPress.com
March 1st, 2011
3:20 am
[...] wheels underneath a heading, “INDEFINITELY IS NOW.” Georgia’s tip using behind will be backed today, per Mark Richt, following several weeks of doghouse time for an vague infringement (reportedly a [...]
haha!!
March 1st, 2011
7:15 am
Pretty obvious what is going on here. Richt wants to make sure Crowell doesn’t think all he has to do is show up and the job is his.
woebegong
March 1st, 2011
7:45 am
I never realized so many other schools fans were concerned about UGA’s sports. Got them suckers shaking in thier boots already and we haven’t even had a spring practice yet. A lot of the folks with all their negative comments just fortify my belief that UGA is going to be a team to be reckoned with this year. Sweat it out haters, because you will for sure be hurting come football season. Not a one of us will have any effect on what goes on when the teams start play. No one takes 99.9% of the haters comment on here seriuosly and I find them kind of funny, but at the same time sad. To think that the majority of these negative people, have nothing better to do than insult UGA, makes me feel sorry for them. They must have a pretty bad family situation I guess.
Buckeye
March 1st, 2011
8:10 am
Morning Woe,
Good to wake up # 1 in the country…..again.
What time is softball pratice today?
Uga fans are .....
March 1st, 2011
8:22 am
Mark “soft on crime” Richt. Bad for uga, Good for uga opponents!
Buckeye
March 1st, 2011
8:30 am
Funny, we take a lot of heat for being in a weak conference. At least we are not the weak in our conference!
DawginLex
March 1st, 2011
8:39 am
To my stalker at 6:42 pm last night. Were you looking for some action?
Sorry, I’m taken.
I’m sure a blow up doll is available for you.
Auburn kicked a player off the team???
I didn’t think Chizik EVER had player issues?
Is he getting soft?
Has he lost control?
DawginLex
March 1st, 2011
8:53 am
Buckeye, is that kinda’ like being the tallest midget?
Dream Team
March 1st, 2011
9:32 am
Rick, Wilson, JW, Justin, Benson, Jim, et al (all the same person), Buckeye, Flag Boy and a case of KY
Buckeye
March 1st, 2011
9:33 am
DawginLex,
Not exactly, you must be thinking of the ACC or WAC.
Though of you at Rupp over the weekend. Where did you sit?
dawg gone
March 1st, 2011
9:35 am
Buckeye…this is the leader of your team….Pryor even sold a sportsmanship award from the 2008 Fiesta Bowl, along with his 2008 Big Ten championship ring. More egregious to Ohio State fans, he sold a “gold pants” trinket — an iconic charm given to players who are a part of a victory over archrival Michigan. He may not be easily forgiven by Buckeyes fans who revere such traditions. Pryor must repay $2,500 for selling the three items…oh and sorry I was wrong yesterday you have 5 players that have to sit for 5 games..and one that has to sit 1 game…26 game total…and a lock for 2011 on the Fulmer Cup.
DawginLex
March 1st, 2011
9:39 am
Center court but rafters. Child in Eruption zone.
UK doesn’t lose at home. Senior Night tonight.
Buckeye
March 1st, 2011
9:39 am
dawg gone.
Are the odds still 2:1 that the # of games will be reduced now that you’ve furthered your research?
Leader? No, that is Coach Tressel.
And the number of player arrests involved in the scandal? NONE.
Was AJ arrested? Don’t think so.
Buckeye
March 1st, 2011
9:40 am
Here’s some new fodder for you rabid dawgs……….
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/morning-jolt/03/01/cam-newton-tapes/index.html?eref=sihp
Buckeye
March 1st, 2011
9:42 am
dawg gone,
I was sorry to see he sold 1 of his gold pants. Not cool in my book. He has two others and a likely 4th come November.
And your record vs. FL lately?? Or, any you hanging your rival hat on the “nerds”?
Big Tom
March 1st, 2011
9:57 am
Guys, give Richt a break. He needs Ealey this year in case Crowell gets injured or gives up on his team like he did in high school. Crowell is very sensitive and gets his feelings hurt when he is losing…which is why I wish we would have gotten Caffey and/or Bray.
I regret to say I think both will be better at the college level.
UGA Insider
March 1st, 2011
10:02 am
I have spoken to several large UGA donors lately and they expect Auburn University to get slapped with numerous infractions within the next several weeks. These donors have spoken with coaches who think the SEC and Mike Slive are about to have major problems because they new of text message’s and phone conversations that existed between Auburn, UT and Cecill Newton. This is the fiasco that the SEC will take 10 or 15 years to get over. Understand this…I take no pride in watching this unfold! It is bad and looks bad for all of us. I am ashamed of the SEC.
dawg gone
March 1st, 2011
10:31 am
Buckeye college sports is the only place I can think of where you can’t “legally” sell something you own that is not a controlled substance or a firearm. And the ramifications are worse than doing something that gets you ticketed or arrested. Driving on a suspended license gets you a ticket or arrested depending on where it happens. Drink underage on almost any college campus and you get a ticket at UGA you get arrested..if you play sports particularly . I think not being able to sell something you own is as big a crime as a 18 year old not being able to legally buy alcohol..that being said I think the TAT 5 have shown a lot of class coming back to play this year..hell you’ll more than likely win the Big 10 title again but the Fulmer Cup is still going to be yours..
AJC: WAKE UP
March 1st, 2011
10:37 am
Come on guys, e need a new topic. Even the trolls are getting bored….
dawg gone
March 1st, 2011
10:42 am
AJC: WAKE UP I agree but watch out they will start making stuff up…..again..LOL
Tim Tucker
March 1st, 2011
10:43 am
AJC:WAKE UP: As you requested, new topics: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2011/03/01/on-oversigning-reseeding-and-rumor-mongering/
DAWGMAN
March 1st, 2011
3:58 pm
When you hold Sunday School for the players, They Know how how unforgiving the coach will be.
Have those 4&5 star recruits learned their first lesson already? We already got coached down to 3&4 stars now? I think so. Here we go again. Those who say that Georgia fans cannot be critical of ‘coach’ and players are those who give unconditional love to all things Georgia. Unconditional love will not be served up in SEC Football games. Butt whippings will be served up by other SEC Football Teams that have enough respect for themselves and their teammates to play football the way it is supposed to be played. I dread next season already. More gimmicks and excuses.
Fire Mark Richt NOW. As a motivator of young MEN, coach richt has lost his direction. Please coach, put out those feelers; line up a new job; and get the heck out of the way. You are corrupting what could again be an SEC Football powerhouse. Please let poor old Erk Russell stop spinning in his hallowed grave over your ineptness as a coach. Eric Dooley will whip yours in the next season. And by that time, perhaps a few more forgiving Georgia football fans will have sufficient cause to doubt you. Take your $2,000,000.00 and GO AWAY!
Eric Dooley
March 2nd, 2011
2:57 pm
DAWGMAN Eric Dooley really ??? Please never post anything ever again!
Jalex49
March 3rd, 2011
7:12 pm
This is to Ealey. Play like you are capable of playing and trust your teammates to do their part and rush for over 1000 yards this season. Look at what you can accomplish and just do it.no excuses.
I know you have made some bone-head decision but who hasn’t ! As a fan of yours, I can honestly say that I’ve been dissappointed but I also believe that you have the ability to be a great back if you will get your priorities straight.
To King, Malcome and Crowell.. You guys are needed if Georgia is to be successfull. To the Offensive and defensive players, I ‘m convinced that you guys are going to be explosive and dominating this year if you play to your potential.
To all the Georgia players. It can’t be about me,it’s got to be about you collectively as a team. Correct or not, the judgment of your performance will be based on the team’s performance and it’s either something to be proud of or a failure-you decide-we fan’s will support and take a wait-to-see attituide.
Coaches – Push these guys like never before, accept no excuses and don’t forgive lack of performance and professionalism. It’s about Georgia, the tradition,the pride, the committment to excellence, that teams before have demonstrated before and now you have the chance. Don’t let yourself, the university, the fans and the SEC down. GO “JUNKYARD DAWGS”…