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
RedandBlackDAWG
July 18th, 2011
1:27 pm
Let the arrest begin, some UGA hater/Auburn lover says. UGA could get it’s whole team suspended and still not get caught up to Auburn students arrest record so far this year. I will take a one game academic suspension, over 4 armed robberies any day. Gloat when you have something to gloat about. The NCAA will let you know when they have concluded the ivestigation of Auburn, right?
Old Wise One
July 18th, 2011
1:28 pm
Auburn doesn’t have a mandatory rule about going to class! My nephew who goes to Auburn was in one of Cash Cam’s classes and my nephew stated that he never saw Cam in that class not once.
A fair question to all Richt lovers
July 18th, 2011
1:28 pm
Where is the leadership from your moral leader CMR?
Bubbatavious Smith
July 18th, 2011
1:28 pm
Bring in a Pulpwood Smith please!
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:29 pm
With more and more teams playing man to man and hiding their coverages the WO’s and TE’s have UGA will be forced to make some plays. T. King looks like he is a stud, but if the OL does not pick up the back side blitz and the RB’s do not block we will see Murray taking a Sophomore jinx.
Murray is a good quarterback and he should keep UGA in some games with his quick feet, but he is not going to hold up to a tremendous pounding each week.
Frank Cannon
July 18th, 2011
1:30 pm
Guess Carlton got caught with a big fat ole spliff.
ga gator
July 18th, 2011
1:30 pm
Beast from the East, no just rumors but I expect him to play in a limited role such as punt and kick off returns.
Dumb@$$ in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:30 pm
we dont care if our barking annoys anyone. In fact it will just cause us to do it more and louder. Everyone hates everyones traditions. Its even dumber to come on here and post a complaint about it haha. Thats like us saying the gator comp is annoying and stupid…. no really you think????? Man i thought there were some dumbones in alabama, but you sir in the valley take the cake!
Georgia's RB legacy takes another hit with suspension | Jeff Schultz
July 18th, 2011
1:31 pm
[...] has been suspended for one game for unspecified violation of team rules during spring football, according to out Chip Towers. That’s one less body available for the season opener against Boise [...]
ga gator
July 18th, 2011
1:32 pm
Dumb@$$ in the Valley, as an old time Gator even I think the chomp is stupid.
James in Athens
July 18th, 2011
1:32 pm
What else can go wrong over here? Its going
to be a long season…. We have obviously
recruited the wrong people and it’s going to
show on the field again in 2011… I hope I am wrong…
Half Century Dawg Fan
July 18th, 2011
1:32 pm
@ Tiger in the Valley, if we are the bottom feeders of the SEC, what’s that make Auburn who has lost 4 out of the last 5 to us?
Jim Ponzi Donnan
July 18th, 2011
1:33 pm
I can start up a RB ponzi if you want
Chris Petersen
July 18th, 2011
1:33 pm
I hope there are some players left when I take over in 2012.
The General Feeling
July 18th, 2011
1:33 pm
The mutt O is in serious trouble. No OL, no WRs, and no RBs and Bobo calling plays.
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:35 pm
Dumb@$$ in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:30 pm
we dont care if our barking annoys anyone. In fact it will just cause us to do it more and louder. Everyone hates everyones traditions. Its even dumber to come on here and post a complaint about it haha. Thats like us saying the gator comp is annoying and stupid…. no really you think????? Man i thought there were some dumbones in alabama, but you sir in the valley take the cake!
This shows how old you are. Barking has not been a tradition at UGA. This started a few years ago by some drunk UGA fans when UGA was winning. Go watch the NC Sugar Bowl game with Herschel….no barking…..
The barking in 08,09,10 was all whining like a dawg with his tail caught in the screen door.
bawbie
July 18th, 2011
1:36 pm
Fire Dave Perno!
Tiger Dan
July 18th, 2011
1:37 pm
half century
i’ll take losing 4 out of 5 against you and winning a nat champ than what you’ve accomplised in the past 5 years. in fact, every auburn fan would. now a new streak over you will emerge. you are a weak link in the east.
If $312 cost tech, what will $185,000 cost auburn
July 18th, 2011
1:37 pm
All conference QB behind a thin / unproven OL. No WRs to throw the ball to. No proven RBs. Defense that is no intelligent enought to grasp an NFL scheme. Good size at DL but most are as dumb as a box of sh!t. A FS that moved to play MLB. And a secondary that cant cover a wheel route. We have more kickers on scholarship than running backs. 6 – 6
olddawg58
July 18th, 2011
1:37 pm
Thomas won’t be missed,I’m glad we won’t be wasting plays on 170 lb middle school running back.SAMUEL,MALCOME AND CROWELL WILL POUND BOISE ST WITH FIGGINS LEADING THE WAY.the only blue Boise St will see that night are their bruses from being run over!
Walt
July 18th, 2011
1:37 pm
theevilone
July 18th, 2011
12:22 pm
And I laugh, and laugh, and laugh…..aren’t these the same fans who like to point fingers at Auburn and call that program “dirty”? You guys are the worst, dirtiest program in the country!!! And then I laugh some more………….
———————-(
Auburn has boosters, alumni and staff that are dirty. UGA doesn’t do that. It is difficult to control what these teenagers do.
What this makes you wonder about UGA is whether they can generate any team cohesion. Do none of these kids care about being Bulldogs?
Walt
UT ‘81
anotherdawg
July 18th, 2011
1:39 pm
Maybe theres something to be said about oversigning! At the rate we’ve been losing running backs and offensive lineman, we may need to sign 50 players per year. No need to worry about gray shirts, red shirts, or black and blue shirts.
Frank Lane
July 18th, 2011
1:39 pm
I went back and watched Boo Malcome’s high school video and he looks just as good as Crowell. More powerful and plenty shifty and fast.
Greg
July 18th, 2011
1:40 pm
Tell me about it tiger in the valley. I was at the mall a few years ago and some annoying ga fans start barking at us as we get into the car. It scared my son to death. Half the ga fan base is trailer trash
Bill King resembles festus
July 18th, 2011
1:40 pm
All this crap started when UGA and Richt lost to West Virginia in 2005.
Hit A Single
July 18th, 2011
1:40 pm
If he violated rules knowing the situation at running back then he should be suspended for more than one game. I am sick of these guys who violate rules that are not hard to follow. Let his butt sit for more than 10 percent.
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:41 pm
What year was UGA’s last SEC Title? 2005…
What year was UGA’s last National Title? 1980..
enough said.. Get a title and get back with me..and from the way it looks it will be another 6 years before the SEC title is even close to UGA’s reach, and another 31 years befor a national title is in your reach…
Like we said, Bottom Feeders..!
Win P.
July 18th, 2011
1:41 pm
A few weeks ago, UGA had King, Washburn, Thomas and incoming Cowell as potential rbs. Now we have Samuels,Malcome & incoming Cowell as potential rbs., so what have we lost? A good thing about the lost rbs is they should not be missed. The only good game the Washburn and King played was Tech two years ago. Given Thomas’ size I thought he was a special situation back where his size & speed would be an advantage, not a back for that “got to have” 3rd down or 4th down and 1 yard situation. King was suppose to be the best blocker something Washburn never learned to do. Seems to me UGA should simplify the rbs position or recuit better rbs or both.
UGA Insider
July 18th, 2011
1:42 pm
According to my numbers UGA currently has about 75 players on scholarship. At the current rate of attrition and injury I figure UGA is going to have about 65 players available to play in the season opener. Does any sane Dawg fan think we can manage this schedule with 60 of 65 scholarship players? College football in a numbers game and our numbers are the worst in the league! All Dawgs fans need to realize this and come join the rest of us on planet earth. There is NO SEC Championship in the near future and I think that is fine with Adams who has hired another puppet in McGarity. UGA is now mediocre or below average in all men’s major sports. Name the last NC UGA has held in any men’s major sports??? Who out there can guess that horrible UGA trivia correct?
NewbombTurk
July 18th, 2011
1:42 pm
“And I laugh, and laugh, and laugh…..aren’t these the same fans who like to point fingers at Auburn and call that program “dirty”? You guys are the worst, dirtiest program in the country!!! And then I laugh some more………….”
Auburn would never suspend violators like this. A clean program suspends or tosses kids who do wrong. A dirty program plays guys like Cam Newton.
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:43 pm
Greg…thanks
We attended the Outback bowl a few years ago when UGA played Wisconsin and they embarrassed the entire SEC with barking when a Badger player went down with an injury. And that happened on multiple occasions.
Half Century Dawg Fan
July 18th, 2011
1:45 pm
Tiger Dan, time will tell and without Cam, you look pretty weak also.
Auburn from 08
July 18th, 2011
1:45 pm
Well if you think UGA was bad last year just look back to 08 for us. We stunk something awful to the tune of a 5-7 season and no bowl game. At least that hasnt happened to UGA
@threevilone
July 18th, 2011
1:46 pm
What don’t you understand about auburns new record shattering fulmer cup standings and the impending doom surrounding the program.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
July 18th, 2011
1:46 pm
I have been warning you all along about the running backs. These boys cannot stay in school. I don’t carry a wallet but if I did I would not leave it anywhere around where one of our running backs could find it. UGA used to be the place for running backs but now our running backs feel most comfortable in the Clarke County Jail. I am hoping some temporary running backs will show up so we will have a running game next season.
RedandBlackDAWG
July 18th, 2011
1:46 pm
A fair question from Richt’s lovers,
You ask where his leadership is? I think with this one game suspension you found out where it is. This kid will either follow the rules or sit out a lot more games if need be. That is leadership, but I guess you are from another school and don’t get it.
It is not like UGA was counting on him being a game breaker. 4-5 carries a game, and I am sure they didn’t count on him for on field leadership. UGA’s running game will not suffer from a 1 game suspension. If the kid has his head on right, he will not suffer either and will learn his lesson.
Tech Man
July 18th, 2011
1:46 pm
Who’s next for the perfect integrity DAWGS. Lay off Tech for the minor violations. You guys have a continuous trail of violations and suspensions.
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:47 pm
The night that bammer Updyke went into Athens and UGA had their “Blackout” was the night the program at UGA started falling, it went on to lose badly to Florida, and GT. Losing to West Virginia in the Ga Dome was just embarrassing and with that we saw RichRod become a hot commodity in coaching and his demise at Michigan.
Bored Dawg
July 18th, 2011
1:47 pm
What the f*** ever. So tired of this crap.
Chip Towers
July 18th, 2011
1:48 pm
theevilone: You’re exercising some flawed logic in my opinion. If a player is suspended for a violation of team rules, that is considered enacting discipline, is it not? I don’t see then how that makes any particular program dirty. More like diligent, right?
RedandBlackDAWG
July 18th, 2011
1:49 pm
Tech man,
I can’t believe you would even post the dribble you just did. You were so unconcerned with “THESE MINOR TECH. VIOLATIONS”, you just hired three more people for your compliance Dept. Don’t you wish you had them before your “minor violation”, penalty now?
AltamahaDawg
July 18th, 2011
1:49 pm
I was at that game tiger, and you are full of crap.
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:50 pm
We may be out of money atwith Bobby and Milton struggling, but with the players we have on campus we will be okay.. As for the arrest, we had 4 guys who were much like some of the players at UGA for the past 5 years. Trouble! We are going to be fine, we have a BCS trophy to stare at, and that will keep us occupied for awhile.
Terry
July 18th, 2011
1:51 pm
Tiger in the Valley, I wouldn’t be talking about someone being a red neck fan, when y’all Auburn fans don’t know if your a Tiger, or an Eagle, and what kind of person toilet papers a oak tree after every win? If that isn’t red neck I don’t know what is. Get real every team has red neck fans. I think its better to be reading that a players been hell out because of something minor, than four players out because of robber.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
July 18th, 2011
1:51 pm
When I was a pup my momma told me to stay away from the running backs at UGA. She knew I was going to someday be a handsome mascot and that I would be tempted to hang around with the wrong crowd. Of course, you couldn’t call what we have now a crowd.
DawginLex
July 18th, 2011
1:52 pm
UGA Insider
1990 Baseball
Will
July 18th, 2011
1:53 pm
Tiger in the Valley:
We are all a little more stupid for us having to read your previous post. You are a nut.
Really!?
July 18th, 2011
1:53 pm
Just put A. Murray in the shotgun and let him throw it around all game. Oh yeah I forgot, the receivers are suspect too.
Tiger in the Valley
July 18th, 2011
1:53 pm
AltamahaDawg
July 18th, 2011
1:49 pm
I was at that game tiger, and you are full of crap
Wrong Wrong Wrong..I have video tape of it and the local news actually did a story on it. I recorded on three occasions where fans were barking as the player from Wisconsin lay on the field. Go back and watch it , the truth is the friends with sat with in our box were UGA fans and they were totally embarrassed. That is a fact.
Mean Machine
July 18th, 2011
1:53 pm
At what point are we going to get through an off-season without an incident, suspension, arrest, accident, or some other crap. I thought the Boise St. game was supposed to keep everybody focused and dedicated. All talk, still the same old crap. This is embarrassing! The UGA program has deteriorated to something akin to 3 monkeys trying to screw a football!