Mark Richt calls out Washaun Ealey at Augusta Bulldog Club meeting
I had a really good time Wednesday night down at the Augusta Bulldog Club meeting. I want to say a special thank you to club president Scott Edwards and the group’s board members for their tremendous hospitality. Good eats, good drink and the Julian Smith Casino is a very impressive space.
And, no, it’s not that kind of casino. The word “casino,” as I learned, can also mean, “a building or large room used for meetings, entertainment, dancing, etc.,” and that’s what this was. As a result, I came home with the same amount of money I left with. So thanks again.
Anyway, I found the actual program to be moderately enlightening. I say moderate because, the truth is, in the digitally-wired age we live in, there is very little imparted at such events that anyone paying attention doesn’t already know. But there were a few things we all learned.
Probably the most notable was the present status of running back Washaun Ealey. Ealey, we learned, is still fully in coach Mark Richt’s doghouse.
“Washaun has a ways to go still to show me that he deserves to start or even play right now,” said Richt, who was asked about Ealey during the question-and-answer session at the end of the program. “He has a ways to go in my book. We’ll see. I love him, though.”
Ealey was suspended indefinitely from the team in February for missing an early-morning disciplinary run. He was reinstated in time for spring practice in March but was sidelined with a hamstring injury after only four practices and did not practice again.
A rising junior from Stillmore, Ealey was a seven-game starter for the Bulldogs’ last season and led them in rushing with 811 yards and 11 touchdowns. But at this point he looks to be trailing Caleb King, Ken Malcome, Carlton Thomas and maybe even incoming freshman Isaiah Crowell in the battle for the starting tailback job.
“That position is wide open,” Richt said.
Other revelations from the meeting:
- Richt pointed out that donations to the Hartman Fund actually exceeded the previous year even after last year’s losing season.
- I asked Richt about senior offensive tackle Trinton Sturdivant, who still has not decided whether he’ll try to continue his football career after undergoing a third knee reconstruction recently. “You know, I talked to Trinton the other day,” he said. “I don’t know if he’s made his final decision on whether or not if he wants to play football again. But he mentioned something to me the other day about having a long-term goal of wanting to be an athletic director in college. I thought that was pretty cool. He wants to spend some time with [football operations director] Josh Brooks and see if maybe see that’s a path he may want to follow.”
- Of course, with the NFL draft was fresh on everyone’s mind Wednesday evening. At that time Richt was still thinking wide receiver A.J. Green had a chance to become the No. 1 pick. Most believe now that the Carolina Panthers will take quarterback Cameron Newton with the top spot. “I don’t think anybody knows,” Richt said. “I don’t know. A.J. doesn’t know. If he was going to be the first pick he’d probably know by now. Usually by now it’s done but we haven’t heard anything yet so, so anything could happen I guess.”
- Richt thought several other players could get drafted, including defensive end Justin Houston, offensive linemen Clint Boling, linebacker Akeem Dent and wide receiver Kris Durham. “We’re excited for all our guys to get drafted,” Richt said. “If they get drafted, we want them to get drafted high. The higher they get drafted the greater chance they get to make a club. In the case of A.J., there’s a financial windfall that could probably last him his whole life if he invests it properly. So we’re really happy for those guys.”
- Richt declined comment on Houston’s reported failed drug test other than to say he has not talked him. “I wish Justin the best; that’s what I wish,” he said.
- If the season started today Richt said the starting offensive line would be: Cordy Glenn at left tackle, Kenarious Gates at left guard, Ben Jones at center, Chris Burnette at right guard and A.J. Harmon at right tackle. This was interesting to me as I would have thought Justin Anderson at right tackle.
- He said UGA maintains a “tremendous relationship” with Carver High in Columbus.
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158 comments Add your comment
1953Dawg
April 28th, 2011
9:41 am
I like many UGA fans still support Richt only because he is still the head coach at UGA. That being said, if you look at his whole body of work in his time at UGA, there is something lacking with his program now. Richt has consistently hired people or promoted people that weren’t qualified for the positions, but he got away with it because he was winning, and winning big. Unfortunately, that is not the case anymore, and some of those hires or promotions are keeping Richt and the program from winning big again. Martinez, who has been beaten like a dead horse was one of the worst promotions Richt has ever made, and it cost Richt the opportunity to win more SEC titles and a national title in 2007. BOOBOO was an even worse promotion than Martinez, and he has cost Richt and UGA too many games to mention. Add those 2 terrible promotions to the hiring of McClendon and the promotion to widereceiver coach, and you can see why UGA has trouble recruiting big time receivers, as well as developing the receivers UGA has. And it remains to be seen for Friend, but the bottomline is, a good leader surrounds himself with talented assistants, and he allows them to do there jobs. Richt has consistently surrounded himself with his buddies, and it has cost him and the UGA program. It is sad, but Richt doesn’t have the leadership ability or the courage to do what needs to be done to turn this program around. McGarity can give him all the chances he wants to, but either you are a good leader, or you aren’t. Richt has proven the last 5 years that he is not. So let’s support him for one more year, and bite the bullet on this upcoming season and this upcoming recruiting class and move on to big and better things.
1eyedJack
April 28th, 2011
9:45 am
The kind of attitude Ealey comes across as having will only serve to reserve a cell in Jackson or prompt someone to bust a cap in his a….
anotherdawg
April 28th, 2011
9:46 am
Thank you Rocket Science! The easiest thing in the world to do is criticize, and I suppose it’s good to point out what needs improvement. And, humor is good. But, when a column is purely negative, spewing hatred for Richt, and everything about Georgia, then that’s no fan! That is simply some childish, ignorant, under-achiever, who’s probably never played football, or accomplished anything for that matter. Just wants to be heard, and will type in large caps, to get his pointless message across. Like most true Georgia fans, I want our team to do well. Sure, we’ve had a couple of disappointing seasons, but I feel good about the direction of our program. Richt is a class act, and changes have been made, bringing in a different athletic director, an NFL defensive coordinator, and a new strength and conditioning program. The attitude and effort appear to be good and we signed a solid class. I think it’s just a matter of time.
1eyedJack
April 28th, 2011
9:47 am
I hope all you bammers and Awbunites are safe and that your Internet is knocked out for months.
cmac22
April 28th, 2011
9:55 am
Forget Ealey & King … you can’t rely on either one to be available on any given Saturday! They are a few of the biggest disappointments in UGA football history!
nerds! nerds! nerds!
April 28th, 2011
10:01 am
Prayers for T-Town!
It Aint Rocket Science: Amen. I wish most of these “fans” would go root for another team. The thing is, they would have the same, sorry complaints for that team as well. The fact is, only one team can win the championship and every fan at every school wants it. Most of the people calling for Richt’s head only want a championship so they can brag to their co-workers at Denny’s.
Here is a quote I think of when one of these dolts start spewing venom at Richt:
“Common Sense Ain’t Too Common.”
Go Dawgs With Richt For Life!
Fisher
April 28th, 2011
10:03 am
Western Carolina 63, TECH 6 (but with 700 yds. rushing)
mcdawg
April 28th, 2011
10:04 am
Richt needs to stop bullying Ealey
Biggest DAWG on the Block
April 28th, 2011
10:09 am
YOU DARN RIGHT IT’S AN HONOR AND PRIVILAGE TO BE A DAWG. Always has been, always will be. Take it from me – I just missed out on being a Dawg because I blew out my knee my softmore season.
If anyone thinks its less than an HONOR & PRIVALAGE to be a Georgia Bulldawg, they can go be a nerd.
tide roll
April 28th, 2011
10:14 am
The true calling out should be that Richt has a long ways to go to show Uga that he deserves to be their coach. He and Bobo can’t continue to allow Cam Newton like offensive line talent to leave the state. They now have a lack of quality depth, AND they’ve succeeded in arming the very teams they need to beat with Chance Warmack, Juwuan James, and now, Under Armour All-American Brandon Greene. It’s funny, Richt and Bobo carry themselves as if they know what their doing and they don’t. Does Richt even acknowledge Central Florida should not beat the University of Georgia? The problem is not Ealey. It’s Richt and his incredible state of denial!
Biggest DAWG on the Block
April 28th, 2011
10:14 am
Another thing – how could it not be an HONOR & PRIVILAGE to play for a team that h as won 5 National Champinships – and will win more very soon?
DawginLex
April 28th, 2011
10:14 am
Ealey needs to man up and accept the public challenge his coach has thrown down. Richt will be the first one to congratulate him when he does.
If he backs down, quits or transfers, he will regret it for the rest of his life.
DawginLex
April 28th, 2011
10:15 am
I can’t wait for our offensive line to out perform Alabama’s this season
1eyedJack
April 28th, 2011
10:19 am
DawginLex, as if that would shut him up. Then he’d move on to another position.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
10:28 am
Interesting choice of words by Richt.
Coincidentally, Richt has a ways to go still to show me that he deserves to be a head coach or even be a part of this staff right now.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
10:30 am
Richt blames everybody but himself, but pretty soon my fellow Bulldog fans will wise up. The surrounding cast keeps changing, but the mediocrity remains constant.
Sadly, most of the fanbase is satisfied as long as we beat Tech. Is that really all many of you think of our program? We’re just slightly better than Tech?
DawginLex
April 28th, 2011
10:38 am
Timbo
Richt knows he is on the hotseat. He may or may not have been told as much by his boss. No one really knows except Richt and Mcgarity.
Everyone wants to blame Richt for promoting Bobo, redshirting Moreno, playing Cox instead of Murray blah blah blah.
The problem is our defense. We gave up 15 ppg under BVG. We gave up more under WM and 22 last year.
The offense was good enough to win when the defense did its part.
If Grantham can drop our ppg average by a TD, we will win the East and win 10, 11 or 12 games with this schedule.Is there really a team on the schedule we can’t beat?
If the defense pukes again, Richt will be gone this time next year.
Fisher
April 28th, 2011
10:39 am
“Richt blames everybody but himself, but pretty soon my fellow Bulldog fans will wise up.”
One thing you can’t say about Richt is that he does not admit his mistakes. He was slow in addressing the inevitable with Martinez, but he has ALWAYS “fessed up” when he has made mistakes. And I doubt very seriously you are a Georgia fan.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
10:46 am
“Fisher,”
I doubt YOU are a Georgia fan…you sound more like a Richt fan.
Richt was “slow” in addressing Martinez, huh? How would you describe his handling of Bobo then? “Glacial?”
The players aren’t the problem…this isn’t the NFL. The coaches are the ONLY ones getting paid. They are the ones with the responsibility. The guy at the top is the one who gets all the credit when things go right, and he deserves all the blame when things go wrong. Things have been very wrong for far too long, yet too many Georgia “fans” like you keep making excuses for the guy.
tony
April 28th, 2011
10:47 am
1953Dawg
April 28th, 2011
9:41 am
I like many UGA fans still support Richt only because he is still the head coach at UGA. That being said, if you look at his whole body of work in his time at UGA, there is something lacking with his program now. Richt has consistently hired people or promoted people that weren’t qualified for the positions, but he got away with it because he was winning, and winning big. Unfortunately, that is not the case anymore, and some of those hires or promotions are keeping Richt and the program from winning big again. Martinez, who has been beaten like a dead horse was one of the worst promotions Richt has ever made, and it cost Richt the opportunity to win more SEC titles and a national title in 2007. BOOBOO was an even worse promotion than Martinez, and he has cost Richt and UGA too many games to mention. Add those 2 terrible promotions to the hiring of McClendon and the promotion to widereceiver coach, and you can see why UGA has trouble recruiting big time receivers, as well as developing the receivers UGA has. And it remains to be seen for Friend, but the bottomline is, a good leader surrounds himself with talented assistants, and he allows them to do there jobs. Richt has consistently surrounded himself with his buddies, and it has cost him and the UGA program. It is sad, but Richt doesn’t have the leadership ability or the courage to do what needs to be done to turn this program around. McGarity can give him all the chances he wants to, but either you are a good leader, or you aren’t. Richt has proven the last 5 years that he is not. So let’s support him for one more year, and bite the bullet on this upcoming season and this upcoming recruiting class and move on to big and better things.
BEST POST OF THE YEAR!
You deserve an academy award SIR. Good job.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
10:50 am
The bad part is we probably will win a lot of games this year because our schedule is VERY WEAK. And people will act like Richt is GREAT again…then we will get smacked down to Earth once we have the big boys of the West (Bama, LSU, Arkansas) back on the schedule.
HECKLE
April 28th, 2011
10:51 am
Enter your comments here
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
10:51 am
And we are catching Boise State at their most vulnerable point in the past three years. They still may beat us.
But had this game been played any time from 2008-2010, we would have been flat out embarrassed, even at Sanford.
HECKLE
April 28th, 2011
10:52 am
Ealey can’t evan pass Ebonics class!!!!
trupert
April 28th, 2011
10:58 am
Alabama is on probation and Saban is the master of the dirty and shameful practice of oversigning and to those who say, bamer dosen’t oversign, then, why won’t Saban tell the media how many players he has on scholarship.
Auburn is under investigation on several fronts and the HBO fab four just told on Tuberville and with what everybody already knew about the 50+ years of Auburn paying players, it’s now unanimous and completes the unbroken chain of each and every coach from Jordan in the 50’s through Chizik (under investigation) as cheaters.
I have a idea. Instead of Alabama and Auburn fans always acting like the trailer trash that nobody wanted to invite to the family reunion, who feels so bad about who they really are that they always feel the need to tear down those who make them look bad, because they are making an effort to do it the right way ( Richt and UGA).
Clean up your programs and you won’t feel like trash and you will have something to hang your hat on other than what happens on a football field.
I was at the Augusta Bulldog Club meeting and Richt got a standing ovation despite a losing season because UGA football fans take pride in a program that is successful, competitive and on the rise despite not cheating or doing cheap and shameful things like oversigning.
Integrity feels good. It looks like Alabama and Auburn fans have forgotten that.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
10:59 am
And you can’t spell a simple four letter word…
What’s it gonna be, Washaun? | UGA: The Junkyard Blawg
April 28th, 2011
11:01 am
[...] now, as our Chip Towers reported, Ealey has been put on notice by his head coach that he’s still sharing Russ’ [...]
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
11:01 am
trupert,
That’s all fine and dandy, but you can be a good man and win. What you are offering up is a false dichotomy. And it’s not as if our program hasn’t had its share of problems. Richt may not be a cheater outright, but he certainly hasn’t been a disciplinarian either.
DawginLex
April 28th, 2011
11:12 am
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
10:51 am
And we are catching Boise State at their most vulnerable point in the past three years. They still may beat us.
But had this game been played any time from 2008-2010, we would have been flat out embarrassed, even at Sanford.
***************************************************************
You don’t know that anymore than we know if we are going to win this year. It’s all speculation. Based on prior trips to SEC schools, Boise is 0-4. I’m predicting 0-5.
No one really knows.
If we do win, all we will hear is how we caught them on a down year. It’s funny how 2005 was a down year because they actually played someone.
ATL Sports Fan
April 28th, 2011
11:15 am
Timbodog, you are just like Dawg4ever, heck you may even be the same person. Since you do not like Richt and his staff. How about you name a staff you want to replace them with. I’ve asked numerous people on these blogs to name a staff. Funny how nobody answers that question. Richt has admitted mistakes. He has said many times that he should have not redshirtted Knowshon and should have made changes to the defensive coaches. So I ask all you Richt haters out there, throw out some names for a complete staff, not just a head coach. That should be no problem since all of you seem to know what the heck your talking about.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
11:16 am
You’re right, I don’t know that.
But what I do know is this: Boise is a VERY mentally tough team. They DO NOT beat themselves. EVER. They have pretty decent talent, and bring their A+ game when they have time to prepare.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
11:18 am
Asking to replace his whole staff is a jackass question because the head coach is the one I have a problem with. He is the head man and he chose the staff.
I would take Dan Mullen in a heartbeat, and Mullen would gladly take the job.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
11:20 am
You don’t hire staffs; you hire head coaches. The head coach brings his staff. But nice try to discredit someone who isn’t a Mark Richt blind follower.
ATL Sports Fan
April 28th, 2011
11:28 am
How are you so sure Mullen would accept the offer? It is not a jackass question to ask someone to name a staff. Your the type of person who will gripe and complain if the coach doesn’t hire the person you want or doesn’t do things you want them to do. That is just the type of person you are. I’m not a blind follower, however I am going to let the season play out and see what happens. You’ve already started making excuses if Richt wins 10 to 12 games next year. Bottom line is you want him out. You win with what you got and you lose with what you got. You sound like a band waggon fan. You’ve jumped of the ship, but if they turn things around and win 10 games you’ll be right back on it. As a alum we do not need fans like you!
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
April 28th, 2011
11:30 am
Dang, would some of you guys hit the “enter” button every 10,000 lines!? In other words…use “paragraphs”!
AltamahaDawg
April 28th, 2011
11:42 am
Did he mention more than 50% of his players failing the random drug testing?
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
11:42 am
So based on my unwillingness to accept mediocrity, you’ve figured what “type of person” I am? Great! Got any career advice for me?
And for the record, Richt won’t win 12 games.
We’ll most likely win between 8 and 10 games. Worst case scenario is 3-5 in the SEC, best case scenario is 5-3. 5-3 might be good enough to make it to the SECCG, but we’ll get smacked by whatever West team makes it.
1eyedJack
April 28th, 2011
11:44 am
Dan Mullen, Dan Mullen, Dan Mullen. The man has been a head coach all of one year and suddenly he’s Knute Rockne.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
11:45 am
That 8-10 games includes the bowl game, by the way.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
11:47 am
Mullen’s been coaching two years. And to borrow from Wikipedia…
“In his first season as head coach at Mississippi State in 2009, his team went 5–7 against the toughest schedule in the nation. In 2010, his Bulldog team went 9-4 overall and 4-4 in the SEC including victories over Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, and Mississippi, and the 4 losses came only to teams ranked in the Top 12. Mississippi State capped off the 2010 season by thrashing traditional power Michigan in the 2011 Gator Bowl 52-14, and achieved a #15 ranking in the final AP poll.”
King Gator
April 28th, 2011
11:50 am
About time CMR, now how about doing it in person .. more high diving while fully clothed too. Go Gators!
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
11:50 am
Mullen went 4-4 in the West
Richt went 3-5 in the MUCH weaker East with a MUCH more talented team.
But yeah, sure, Richt’s a better head coach.
1eyedJack
April 28th, 2011
11:51 am
Whatever, we’ve got a season to get ready for and I’m tired of hearing so-called Dawg fans bitch and grumble about the coaching situation. CMR is on contract and McGarity is not fool enough to fire him before the season even starts. So find something else to harp about. I’m beginning to skip over your posts.
AltamahaDawg
April 28th, 2011
11:52 am
No career advice here, but I can make a career predictions: Your unwillingness to accept mediocrity will be proportional to the degree it involves somebody else.
Saban
April 28th, 2011
11:53 am
INtegrity?
Next Richt will be throwing his purse at choakdawg for puking when South Carolina puts 50 on you.
New daddies everywhere every Saturday. Stay tuned for the next aw shucks from Richt.
Timbodog
April 28th, 2011
11:58 am
Cute, “Altamaha.”
Surprised you could say that with your head so far up Richt’s backside
dawgster
April 28th, 2011
12:01 pm
Than goodness we have “Columbus Dawg that seems to know everything that is going on over in Athens and who turns everything that Coach Richt says around and turns into negative comments. Obvisously you are happy with our Coach, so maybe you will get your wish..Personally I will stand behind the dawgs regardless, why, because that what true dawgs do..Does that mean we can never criticize or express our concerns…of course not…but good grief, Coach Richt has been and is a great role model for our University, Over a ten year period he is among the best in wins…check it out Columbus dawg if you have doubts….Have we taken some steps back the past two seasons…yes we probably have, but I refuse to believe that our coaches have forgotten how to coach or recruit as many fair weather fans believe…Again I will bring up the 90’s where were we at then…and where our program is now..I truly believe we are much better now and in capable hands. Columbus Dawg…I don’t doubt your loyalty at all..but to followup on your statement about the teams that put as much into their program as we do have NC’s…Lets see, Notre Dame, Penn State, Florida State, Tenn, Michigan, South Carolina, Clemson…to name a few that don’t have NC’s in the last ten years…Do you reallly, really think that these teams don’t put as much inot their programs as UGA does…What rock have you been living under…You forget in 2007, we were extremely close and in other seasons we might have been playing for the NC…alot of the above mentioned teams haven’t been as close as we had been during that time…Again, I say this with all due respect to you and your support for the dawgs…There have been some major changes, lets at least give the team a chance to succeed nextt season….go dawgs
dawgster
April 28th, 2011
12:02 pm
previous post should read “obvisously you are unhappy with our coach”
AltamahaDawg
April 28th, 2011
12:06 pm
And you base that on what timmy? What can you quote me on that gives you that? I would be very intereated in your quoting me anything thats not factual, fair, or reasonable. Because I really think you base that me not stupidly talking about firing our head football coach in April?
BTW, you never asnwered me why I asked YOU how old you were?
trupert
April 28th, 2011
12:06 pm
Timbodog, would you rather see Richt cheat or oversign players? Richt has been in the toughest conference that CFB has ever seen for eleven seasons and we should expect to see a couple of down years out of that many. Meyer had the same fall from grace and in only half the time. Saban fell to third or fourth in the West and is picked to finish behind LSU this season. Miles almost got fired and now is favored to win it all this season.
Looks like Ga’s new AD is a man of integrity so even if Richt gets replaced it will be with another coach who will not be allowed to pay players or oversign recruits. Richt is not playing on a even field with these other coaches and teams cheating or lowering their standards just to get an advantage and he has a winning record against both Alabama and Auburn.
Richt will turn it around if given the chance, or we can replace him and start from scratch.