Another UGA tailback out; Carlton Thomas suspended at least one game
Georgia tailback Carlton Thomas, the Bulldogs leading returning rusher from last season, will miss the Boise State game due to suspension for a team rules violation. (AJC photo by Bob Andres/bandres@ajc.com)
Athens — There’s another reason Georgia felt the need to move Richard Samuel to tailback. Carlton Thomas is suspended for at least the first game of the season.
The rising junior from Frostproof, Fla., violated team rules back in the spring, three persons familiar with the situation confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As per Georgia Athletic Association student-athlete policy, Thomas has to sit out 10 percent of scheduled games this season.
The Bulldogs play 12 games this season, including the season opener against Top-10-ranked Boise State in the Georgia Dome. Most recently that has resulted in one-game suspensions, though Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity declined to specify.
“If we have any announcements regarding suspensions, they’ll be made at the appropriate time,” said McGarity, declining further comment.
Had Georgia not moved Samuel from linebacker to running back, it would have had only redshirt freshman Ken Malcome and true freshman Isaiah Crowell on scholarship at tailback. Neither, of course, has played in a college game.
Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, Georgia’s top two rushers each of the last two seasons, each have left the program since the end of spring practice.
Thomas (5-foot-7, 175 pounds) has played in 17 games the last two seasons, including one start last season against Colorado. He is the Bulldogs’ leading returning rusher from last season with 272 yards and two touchdowns.
Indications are Thomas’ infraction occurred before Georgia’s announcement this summer that King would be ineligible this season. Interviewed this past Friday, Thomas talked about serving as a leader as the most experienced member of Georgia’s backfield.
“I pretty much take it as I’m the back with the most experience, the most game-time experience, the most knowledge at the position,” Thomas said. “So I take it as a challenge to lead the group. That’s what I try to do every day. I try to be positive, I try to be motivated and try to give them somebody whose going to push them as much as they push me. We’re trying to get the best out of every guy.”
Thomas’s suspension continues an alarming rate of attrition for the running backs under the watch of position coach Bryan McClendon. Ealey was indefinitely suspended and eventually granted an unconditional release due to mutual discontent and King was unable to meet the NCAA’s satisfactory progress rule for fifth-year seniors. Now Thomas has run afoul of team policy.
No specific reason was given for Thomas’ suspension. A 10 percent-competition suspension can be applied for missing excessive academic appointments, arrests or flunking a drug tests. No record of arrests could be found.
Last Thursday, Georgia moved Samuel linebacker back to tailback, where he played his first two seasons. Samuel started six games as a sophomore before falling behind Ealey and King on the depth chart. He moved to linebacker and redshirted last season after a minor knee injury.
|– Chip Towers
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423 comments Add your comment
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
12:38 pm
atta kid RS GATA!!
July 18th, 2011
12:35 pm
no worries, we will be fine.
The same thing was being said last year after AJ was suspended and we all know how that turned out.
OEJ
July 18th, 2011
12:38 pm
Alright we get that you do not like UGA. What is this gargage that you are reporting. After reading that first line about this is why Samuel move back to RB, I didnt even read the rest Samuel and Richt have stated that this decison to move was up to Samuel. No offense to Carlton, but really, him not playing means nothing even if Samuel was still at linebacker. What kind of impact would he make, he hasnt made none since hes been here. You are a verry funny reporter. Its sad.
You Ain't-Know Gaily Whacker
July 18th, 2011
12:38 pm
Way to go………….xxx
SEC Observer
July 18th, 2011
12:38 pm
Never a dull moment in Athens.
GA DAWG
July 18th, 2011
12:39 pm
OH NO! Without Carlton Thomas, who will fumble the ball on the goal line? We are really going to miss that 1-yard per carry production.
Honestly, this is a good thing. The only reason Carlton Thomas has had as many carries as he has is because the coaches reward his hard work. But come on, this is not a good time to put player fairness ahead of rebuilding this running game. The fact is, Carlton Thomas is the least effective back to play for Georgia in a long time, and every down he plays is a lost opportunity to the inexperienced backs who need to get through the learning curve.
The best part about this suspension is that it prevents the coaches from making several bad play calls under the guise of “experience.” With Thomas out of the way, Ken Malcome and Isaiah Crowell will get three to five more carries apiece.
And we aren’t without any experience in the back field now that Richard Samuel is moving back to tailback. It’s not ideal, and he was never that great of a back, but he was never the human waste-of-downs that Carlton Thomas has been.
Given the losses of Ealey and King, we are lucky that Carlton Thomas is not an option for the next back in line. The running game is going to go through some growing pains, but at least the number of carries per inexperienced back will not be diluted by Carlton Thomas. I say, suspend him for two game at least–Make an example of him for violating team rules.
Oh well ............
July 18th, 2011
12:40 pm
All organizations have issues like this ever year, whether IBM with TOP NOTCH employees that need alcohol counseling or pyschological counseling.
This kid?? Whatever he did is done and he will enoy viewing the game on his backside.
Crowell, Boo Malcom, Carlton’s COUSIN Horton and Richard Samuel and Figgins and Zander Ogletree will do nicely in the UGA backfield. One man’s LOSS is another man’s gain in life.
Carlton, enjoy watching the game on the pines.
Gooooooooooooooooooooo Dogs.
It is what it is.
Carlton Thomas to be suspended for season opener
July 18th, 2011
12:40 pm
[...] Thomas, a 5-foot-7, 170 pound junior running back will miss the game because of a violation of team rules, sources have told the Atlanta Journal Consitution. [...]
Beast from the East
July 18th, 2011
12:40 pm
“Well last year all the haters were screaming we let the players run wild..now not so much. But now its all doom and gloom because we are thin at a position , folks you can’t have it both ways. I’d rather that we had this to deal with than a dozen arrests.”
Well said, how2fish. Sometimes discipline is harder on the one dishing it out, but it’s still necessary for a program’s long-term success.
GIVE ME A BREAK
July 18th, 2011
12:41 pm
Murray needs to stay healthy or it’s over for this year.
ATL Sports Fan
July 18th, 2011
12:41 pm
Quality over Quantity and Stars, I’ve watched the video tape of that game and have not seen where Crowell is doing what you post. You can tell he is upset that holes were not being opened and when his team was called for a holding call which, I’ve heardfans of both schools that is was more of a pay back call than anything. If I was a head coach, I would have issues if he wasn’t upset that his linemen were not blocking great and not opening holes for him to run through.
ckgator
July 18th, 2011
12:42 pm
According to the logic of many UGA fans, this is should be great news. The further you go down the depth chart, the closer you get to the next FHOTW (Future Herschell of the Week).
Good luck with that.
Richts Sunday School Class
July 18th, 2011
12:43 pm
Is this what you mean coach when you say do as I say not as I do?
OldFan
July 18th, 2011
12:43 pm
McClendon’s not doing his job. He should be mentoring these players, beyond just coaching them. Many of these players are at risk as students and future citizens and need a strong hand to guide them. It’s too easy to say the players simply have to follow the rules and everything’s going to be fine. There is mutual responsibility here.
ATL Sports Fan
July 18th, 2011
12:44 pm
Nobody has any idea as to why Carlton Thomas will be suspended. Having played a sport at UGA and understanding this type of suspension. It seems more of a academic suspension. Kind of like academic probation type of deal.
PMC
July 18th, 2011
12:44 pm
I wouldn’t laugh to hard if I were an LSU fan. Yahoo sports has thier own article about them coming out in August. Better hope they weren’t paying for recruits with university checks.
East Repeat
July 18th, 2011
12:45 pm
Will dawgs even be able to field a team by September? A few UGA fans on this post are being honest- how can UGA fans be optimistic with no RB’s and no OL? Setting up to be a tough year. If you had to bet your house, would you say UGA will be 0-2 or 2-0 at start of season. Boise is an elite team and SC is the most talented team in SEC East. Be honest, looks gloomy, but with college kids you never know.
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
12:45 pm
We all are licking our chops to get to the Dawg Bones. Putting Crowell in a starting position this early is just a pathetic showing of how desperate Marky Mark and his missionaries are. That kid is not ready to play at the SEC level. If he would have played at AAAA or AAAAA he would have been just an average player and it showed when he go into the playoffs.
Depth at UGA is an all time low. UGA fans went from talking about beating Boise, USC, MSU, Fl, Auburn to finding enough men in the “missing man” formation Richt used to get young Crowell to commit. At least Marky Mark knew he would be missing his tailbacks when he used that violation to get Crowell.
Mershon Dawg
July 18th, 2011
12:46 pm
You’ve got to have discipline. The college coaches are having to do what highschool coaches were afraid to do-DISCIPLINE-STUDY I N SCHOO- BE RESPONSIBLE- MAYBE the recreation departments need to take over the sports in schools and so the schools in America can focus on academics!!!
RedPantsDawg
July 18th, 2011
12:46 pm
I sure am going to miss Little Carlton trying to run up the middle on 2nd and 23. Funny how this weekend he was talking tough about getting his opportunity. We might as well start the season now while there is a team left.
Beef
July 18th, 2011
12:46 pm
All this worrying and it’s irrelevant. CMR intended to start Crowell from snap #1 this entire time. Hence the lining up 10 players outside his office window and telling him the missing spot is his on opening day.
CMR knows what he has in Crowell, he knows what he has in Malcolm, and he’s happy as a clam that he doesn’t have to deal with Ealey or King anymore. They’re departures were likely planned. And Samuel, believe it or not, is simply depth and short yardage. Crowell is going to top Lattimore’s year, mark it.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 18th, 2011
12:47 pm
Ya just gotta laugh at this one. How many teams lose the top 3 on the depth chart at one postion and none of the players lost graduate or leave early for the draft? Better to laugh this one off rather than bitch and moan about what is or isnt going on in Athens.
ga gator
July 18th, 2011
12:48 pm
This is no different than what Muschamp is having to deal with at UF; he has kicked at least 5 of Urban’s spoiled punks off the team. These kids simply do not appreciate what they are given with an opportunity to do.
JB
July 18th, 2011
12:48 pm
IF……….Crowell Rips Boise for 150-200 yards, I will still hold my breath. Boise and Carolina Defense are two different Animals. Boise gives up lot’s of points in that Arena league conference they play in . The Boise D line/ LB’s will match up good for us. Carolina, a little different story.
BG
July 18th, 2011
12:48 pm
GA has a mandatory class attendance rule that most SEC schools don’t have.
Beast from the East
July 18th, 2011
12:49 pm
“They’re departures were likely planned.”
Dumbest comment of the day so far. Can anyone top it?
Dawgs down another RB for at least one game | CollegeFootballTalk
July 18th, 2011
12:49 pm
[...] and citing three sources familiar with the situation, UGA has suspended RB Carlton Thomas for at least the season opener against Boise State. The paper reports that the suspension stems from a violation of unspecified [...]
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
12:50 pm
GIVE ME A BREAK
July 18th, 2011
12:41 pm
Murray needs to stay healthy or it’s over for this year.
Yeah and the Democrats in Washington are going to ask for tax cuts for the wealthy and cut spending.
It is not going to be easy for Murray( a good kid) to stay healthy with some of the defenses he will see early. I hope he does, but if Murray goes down the season is over for UGA. Bring on LeMay and watch him struggle.
coloradobulldog
July 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
Tiger in Valley…. If Crowell is so average, why do you guys try to sign him? Please. Rivals had him #1 rated RB. I guess you know more than them. Comical for an Auburn person to be saying anything about ‘the missing man’ formation when your alumni are going on ESPN saying they got paid and the NCAA is still sniffing around your door.
Hans
July 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
Another one out. At this rate, you’ll have no running game. I see a bad game against boise.
No running game. Multiple fumbles by inexperienced rbs and no aj or kris d and a weak passing game.
Boise will win easy 36-23
ga gator
July 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
BG, that is simply not true; most have mandatory class rules.
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
BG
July 18th, 2011
12:48 pm
GA has a mandatory class attendance rule that most SEC schools don’t have.
Name a school that does not have mandatory class attendance requirements.. In fact all of them do, and have GA’s and Student Assistants who check classrooms daily.
Dawgphil
July 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
Two words: DUMB MASS!!!
UGAG is gitting the ncaa death penalty, he he ha ha
July 18th, 2011
12:53 pm
Let the arrests begin….he he ha ha….War Eagles rule the SEC!
DawginLex
July 18th, 2011
12:53 pm
Takes that 3rd and 17 run up the middle for no gain out of Bobo’s playbook so we do have that going for us…………….
Seriously, how many snaps was this guy going to play?
A leader?
OK
Lead by continuing to work hard, practice and mentor the young backs EVEN THOUGH YOU WON’T BE PLAYING IN THE OPENER.
Joey
July 18th, 2011
12:53 pm
Thomas: “So I take it as a challenge to lead the group.”
*********************************
Lead the group where, Carlton?
Damn, I hope “the group” doesn’t follow you . . .
DawginLex
July 18th, 2011
12:55 pm
TIGER IN THE VALLEY WINS DOUCHE OF THE DAY AWARD
Hands down
No contest
Playing w/o Carlton Thomas equals playing w/o AJ Green?
Thanks for playing.
At least I know I’m smarter than one person on these blogs…………..
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
12:56 pm
coloradobulldog
July 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
Tiger in Valley…. If Crowell is so average, why do you guys try to sign him? Please. Rivals had him #1 rated RB. I guess you know more than them.
No one is saying he is not good, but everyone else recruiting him did not put a “missing man” formation for him to get promised a starting job. In fact most schools know he is probably a 3 year player and will use him right away but not as a key player or starter. We, like most other schools would spot play him, and keep the pressure off of him.
Spike 80DF
July 18th, 2011
12:56 pm
that just means Carlton won’t be able to gain yardage in garbage time in the 4th once the Dawgs are winning by 24. no worries……
LogicalUS
July 18th, 2011
12:57 pm
Unbelievable!!!!!
I guess that whole “this is a new era and the new UGA atmosphere wasn’t really anything but the usual summer spiin BS. ”
Not to worry though the AJC homers will now get to upgrade the RB outlook to “OUTSTANDING” and Athlons can move the UGA RBs up to #1 in the SEC.
I was only joking earlier about the 150 lb fraternity house running backs which UGA was using during the spring game would not make it against SEC defenses, but that is all that is left?
The UGA offense is going to be worse than even I expected. The UCF debacle looks like a best case scenario at this point.
Dang Dawg
July 18th, 2011
12:57 pm
Let Carlton play ! Suspend him for the weaker teams ! It’s a shame Richard Samuel is being jerked around. What in the Hell is going on at UGA ! Why the failure of progress by Caleb King ! Was anybody watching him ? I know he is an adult, but I thought educating our players was a priority !
ga gator
July 18th, 2011
12:57 pm
coloradobulldog, he was the best in the SE for sure, but there are a lot of skeptics including the mostly white team from Calhoun who shut him down in the 2A playoffs. He may turn out to be the next Hershel but did not show it when it counted most in the 2A semi finals.
DawginLex
July 18th, 2011
12:57 pm
We, like most other schools would spot play him, and keep the pressure off of him.
****************************************************
Looks to me with the move of Samuel to running back, this is what UGA will do with Crowell as well
Joey
July 18th, 2011
12:58 pm
I hope we don’t have the usual sprained ankles, hammy pulls or concussions by the TBs when practice starts.
What are we down to know, just Samuel who knows the playbook?
Amazing.
BG
July 18th, 2011
12:58 pm
Let me explain my comment. When a GA player misses more than 3 unexcused absences from class the first offense is the player misses 10% of the season. Name one SEC school that has this rule! This rule also applies to academic meetings.
ATL Sports Fan
July 18th, 2011
12:59 pm
Tiger in the Valley. Is it Tiger in Valley, Alabama? Funny how you spew this hate about Crowell but it was you Auburn fans who were convinced he was going to sign with Auburn right up until February 2nd. Guess what level of high school competition Ronnie Brown-AA and Carnell Williams-AAA. So I guess from your assesment they are just average.
Dumb@$$ in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:01 pm
You really have no brain dont you?
Its Carlton Thomas, kid was a joke. We will be fine at RB. There is no way that CMR didnt know that King was gone and Ealey. He has known for a while that IC is possible future for us.
East Repeat
July 18th, 2011
1:02 pm
Beef- You gotta be kidding. Lattimore was a workhorse in HS (over 300 carries a year) and IC averaged about 200. Lattimore was built for the pounding when he arrived and IC is a smaller player. If IC is as good as Lattimore, then the sky is the limit for UGA! But I doubt he is, plus UGA is acknowledged to be weak at OL. SEC was loaded with talented Freshmen RB’s last year ( 3 great backs- SC, Auburn, and Ark) and lightning is not likely to strike twice. Lattimore is a top 3 pick for Heisman! You think IC is that good?
Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 18th, 2011
1:02 pm
@Joey
To your point I almost cannot see CRM letting any of these guys get hit in Camp. If you are down to Samuel,Crowell and Malcome you are going to have to protect them. I am really uncomfortable with that idea. Good observation on your part.
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:03 pm
DawginLex
July 18th, 2011
12:55 pm
TIGER IN THE VALLEY WINS DOUCHE OF THE DAY AWARD
Hands down
No contest
Playing w/o Carlton Thomas equals playing w/o AJ Green?
Thanks for playing.
At least I know I’m smarter than one person on these blogs…………
Dawgie…we have all read your more than over the top post for the past 10 months and we all discount everything you write because you are wrong 99% of the time because you cannot see that UGA is somewhere in the bottom half of the SEC and are now considered bottom feeders. We are sitting here laughing about these bold predictions about UGA winning the East, with your annual losses to UF, and the beating USC and Boise give you early on it is going to an half empty or for you half full stadium by the time MSU marches into Athens.
The comparison was not about AJ to one player, it was about the 7 players on offense who are no longer on the team and providing or were planned on providing major playing time this fall.
The Truth hurts and now the Bulldawg nation is one arrest away from Chaos. Better call agent 99.
DawginLex
July 18th, 2011
1:03 pm
Think about this another way
The headline read “Tailback suspended for opener”
Now, which of these 4 is the most expendable for the opener?
Samuel
Malcome
Crowell
Thomas
If 1 of the 4 has to be suspended, I’d say we got lucky as to which one it is.