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
Kyle
February 28th, 2011
10:03 am
really hate to see him back on the team…..his attitude and the trouble he has been in has contributed to the mess we have become. Hopefully he will be spending much of his time on the bench with Caleb…surprised CMR let some of the cancer that lead to last years debacle back on the team….hope it doesnt spread….
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:03 am
Mason needs to tell Richt to kiss hs grits. Murray keeps his job after starting 1-4? Throwing 6 to’s against 2 teams?
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:04 am
Richt getting less wins than the year before 7 out of last 8 years ain’t got nothng to do with Mettenberger, Gray or Ealey.
schmeckdawg
February 28th, 2011
10:04 am
@ Brandon, I don’t know what you are thinking about because with the exception of Mettenberger none of these are going anywhere.
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
9:58 am
Future LSU dream team?
Mettenberger?
Bruce Figgins?
Aaron White?
Washaun Ealey?
Malcome?
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:05 am
Don’t worry, Ealey won’t be back on the team.
schmeckdawg
February 28th, 2011
10:06 am
He already is!
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:06 am
Yeah, nobody thught you’d have 2 Elite 11 QB’s split on Richt back to back years either. They’ll all transfer. Richt’s not a fair coach.
schmeckdawg
February 28th, 2011
10:07 am
Brandon you sound a lot like Jerry, Trey and whatever other names you use!
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:07 am
Go build a dream team 2 at LSU, show Richt who’s boss.
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:09 am
Hutson Mason needs to take the 18 plays Richt called for him, and do what Logan Gray did, thanks but no thanks to another year of empty promises.
DawginLex
February 28th, 2011
10:09 am
Now we have 2 5 star QB’s for the next 3 years to split the reps.
Sad state really.
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:11 am
Dream team ain’t look too hot without Ealey, Lemay, Mason, Malcome, White, Figgins, T King.
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:12 am
Richt’s onyl thrown 8 balls to Figgins in 3 years. Time to transfer.
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:13 am
Aron White got 9 touches in 2010. Goodbye.
schmeckdawg
February 28th, 2011
10:14 am
Brandon/Jerry/Trey/etal. You really are funny! You can get me worked up until usually your second post and then I’ve got you figured out. You do make for some good entertainment however!
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:14 am
richt made Logan Gray all kinf of promises and then threw him 9 balls.
Wind Up
February 28th, 2011
10:17 am
Ealey busts Walker’s records for yards per carry at Georgia, and is rewarded with punishment runs.
schmeckdawg
February 28th, 2011
10:19 am
Brandon, now we can add Wind Up to you list of alias’!
Mobile Dawg
February 28th, 2011
10:21 am
Lex, why do you think LeMay gets 30% of the reps this fall? That hasn’t been Richt’s pattern since Greene, Shockley. We still have the same OC. Richt hasn’t seemed to get the build for the future, or prepare for an injury scenario.
Brandon
February 28th, 2011
10:23 am
If Ealey can get suspended for Joe T’s feeling sbeing hurt, then he better go now before he wastes a year like Logan Gray did, banking on Richt’s promises to be fair.
Scott
February 28th, 2011
10:25 am
Spurriwer would have yanked Murray quickly and benched him for the season after startign 1-4. Murray wouldn’t have had a chance to commit 4 turnovers against Florida.
Spurrier’s fair, Richt’s not.
? The Mysterian
February 28th, 2011
10:31 am
You guys stop taking the bait: Rashaun=Dallas=Jessie. It’s the same guy. He does this all the time. He posts not-stop drivel using different names. Tomorrow he will be “Ralph”, “Clyde” and “Sam”, or something. It’s just some kid that is a complete tool.
DawginLex
February 28th, 2011
10:31 am
Mobile,
1.)Richt is in a much different place in 2011 than he was in 2002.
2.)Shockley was a high character guy and despite his commitment to UGA and to Richt, he almost transferred.
3.)Lemay won’t sit for 3 years and wait on Murray to graduate
4.)Lemay IMO, will be a big piece of the offense in 2011 and beyond and can also provide insurance in case of injury.
Bottom line, Richt can’t afford to let him sit.
Freakshow
February 28th, 2011
10:37 am
Brandon:
You da’ man. Players run the ship, Richt ain’t in charge like he think. If da playerz allz transferz, den what Richt’s gonna do?
Freakshow
February 28th, 2011
10:40 am
The other thing you do is you drop all Murray’s passes and don’t block for him. Show the coaches whoz in charge.
DawginLex
February 28th, 2011
10:42 am
Where is Mettenberger going to transfer to next after Jefferson beats him out this spring and Zach gets in trouble chasing that Cajun yang?
That is a more likely scenario than anything “Brandon” spews.
Maybe he could go to Grambling and still have his dream of wearing a “G” on his helmet come true.
ARdawg
February 28th, 2011
10:49 am
This is a non-story. Ealey is a boneheaded kid doing boneheaded acts just like every other kid. Richt handled it well. Nice to see him making the players answerable for themselves
Contractor
February 28th, 2011
11:02 am
Ealy needs to be gone. This kid has not done a thing with the opportunity presented to him. He started off his Freshman campaign running hard, but his brushes with the law, and case of fumbleitis last year has way more to be desired. Ealy was trouble back in high school and barely qualified academically by some kind miracle, which is not hard at all to do with the level they must score on their tests to get in. I’m no rocket scientist myself, but failing to qualify or barely squeaking by isn’t exactly what a troubled program needs. Next situation he gets into needs to be his last. If Georgia wants to get away from this mentality and being known for this behavior, it needs to cut ties with all the cancer that is currently in the program. I believe this incoming Freshman class has exactly that, class and a strong will to wanna return Georgia back to the SEC Championship. We will find out soon enough, but I’m not happy at all with Ealy being back with the team he turned his back on when he decides to be late, not show up for punishment, etc.
how2fish
February 28th, 2011
11:07 am
DawginLex Met won’t transfer for chasing Cajun yang….really those girls chase back ! Hope Ealey has his head on straight now…having him healthy and fully on board makes us a better team. But if he goes sideways again, well I think he has at least 3 strikes at that point.
ARdawg
February 28th, 2011
11:07 am
Contractor
Jeesh. Why don’t you just take Ealey out back for a drawn and quarter? He committed the offense and he’s paid the Piper. You’d be very hard pressed to find a dozen UGA player’s or any SEC school sans Vandy that had a team full of intelligence. You are too brutal
gdawginkalamazoo
February 28th, 2011
11:19 am
Didn’t Logan Gray graduate? Isn’t he transferring to a school for graduate work and to use his one year of eligibility up?
Being the #1 RB recruit in the country Crowell should get the start if he does everything he is suppose to do. King and Ealey are running on thin ice with the off the field behavior. I say if they slip again good bye. The team doesn’t need that distraction this year or any year that matter.
ARdawg
February 28th, 2011
11:26 am
Zoo, I don’t think Gray has graduated yet. If I recall, he wanted to be closer to home and have an opportunity to play QB
how2fish
February 28th, 2011
11:41 am
ARdawg I think Grey graduates in May and wants to get his Masters somewhere nearer his home . He wanted to play his last year where his family could get to see him play more often.
gdawginkalamazoo
February 28th, 2011
11:43 am
ARdawg, you made me look it up didn’t you. He graduates in May with one year left for eligibility. He’s taking that one year to be closer to home. Damn good dawg he is. Stuck with it and didn’t complain.
Mobile Dawg
February 28th, 2011
11:51 am
Lex, you and I know that. Richt has proven he is a “slow” learner, hopefully that changes in 2011….
how2fish, the wx has been fantastic here for a couple of weeks until today. I believe those fish are ready to jump in the boat….
Timothy
February 28th, 2011
11:54 am
I love how Cam Newton did it.
He tried to beat out Tebow, coach played favorties, Newton transferred, won a JUCIO Natl Championship, got a chance to play in the SEC, won a National Championship with Auburn, drafted #1 in NFL likely, #3 at worst.
Fairley started at JUCO, went to LSU, and will be drafted top 10 in the NFL.
Mt. Cody did it too. Started out JUCO, transferred to Bama, won a Natl Championship, went Pro.
Look for Ealey, Lemay, Figgins, to try the same plan.
Timothy
February 28th, 2011
11:55 am
Logan Gray definately felt like he was taken for a ride. Almost transferred last season. After being thrown to less than 15 times, he decided to not play out his last year for Richt, enough was enough for Logan Gray.
Walt
February 28th, 2011
11:57 am
Just another Richt casualty. Ealey ain’t one of Richt’s favorites, so Ealey has become another scapegoat Richt uses to try and deflect attention from his losing record.
Nicholas
February 28th, 2011
12:01 pm
I agree, when 2 Elite 11 QB’s both quit on Richt, consecutive years, something’s afoot. Why are these Elite QB’s leaving? What is about Richt that repels them? What is Richt telling them, and not delivering on?
404
February 28th, 2011
12:08 pm
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Well, looks like Caleb King failed every single Fall Semester class. Goodbye King.
And, rumor is that Georgia Southern is just waiting on an official transcripts
from Athens to admit Ealey from Spring Practice.
Cant wait to hear St. Richt explain how both just couldnt seem
to make it on the field, or in the classroom……after 3 years of Remedial Studies.
Well, well, well. You GAG fans must be soooooooooooooooooo proud.
how2fish
February 28th, 2011
12:11 pm
Mobile Dawg I’ve been reading the reports and its killing me…heck I haven’t even been able to go crappie fishing yet, but worked on the boat yesterday and I’m hoping fishing is in the near future…hope your getting ready for Cobia !
schmeckdawg
February 28th, 2011
12:12 pm
So now it is Timothy. You are like Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can with all of your different names.
By the way, Fairly went to AWBARN not LSU. If you are going to be screwing around on here, at get the facts straight “Timothy.”
how2fish
February 28th, 2011
12:13 pm
404 9 out of 10 yeah we are a mite proud. Oh and there is a rumor your a charter member of Swinging Richards Saturday Night Tickle Pile…
DDay Dog
February 28th, 2011
12:22 pm
Good point Timothy, the JUCO route is a great plan that works when coaches play favorites. Newton, Fairley, Cody, Mettenberger won the JUCO Natl Champ last season, just like Cam did. He’s going to be an amazing SEC QB. 1000x better than Joe Cox Jr.(Murray).
Lizzy
February 28th, 2011
12:25 pm
Kind of scary how far off Coach Richt was when it came to Mettenberger & Murray. Richt thought Murray would be great and have a great year surrounded by 10 returning starters. Murray flopped and went 6-7. Richt didn’t think Mettenberger had leadership abilities, and Mettenberger led his team to a National Champuionship and went undefeated. Just goes to show you, even going back to Joe Cox, Richt’s been wrong on the QB ever since Stafford left.
Scott
February 28th, 2011
12:28 pm
Spurrier will yank a QB if he doesn’t perform. Kids respect that. It’s fair. You don’t see QB’s transferring on Spurrier the last 2 years in a row.
Dawg Gone
February 28th, 2011
12:31 pm
DDay Dog ,Lizzy Scott = some of the dumbest comments on record…or what I suspect if more like it ONE of the dumbest trolls walking.
gdawginkalamazoo
February 28th, 2011
12:34 pm
If Mettenberger hadn’t screwed up in Valdosta then he would still be a bulldog. It wasn’t a matter of Richt picking Murray over Mett. Remember there were a lot of charges that were ple bargained or reduced/dropped so evidently he screwed up pretty bad. Wish it weren’t so but it is what it is.
Jim
February 28th, 2011
12:39 pm
Agree, Mettenberger didn’t get a day of jailtime, so the judge didn’t even think it was serious, Richt way over-reacted, like he does with Ealey.
DawginLex
February 28th, 2011
12:41 pm
Mettenberger=Daniel Cobb
another big stiff
Jefferson will play this fall at LSU and Mett will get beat out next spring by the 5 star LSU just signed.
Mett will carry a clipboard for 2 years.