Practice report: Georgia TB Isaiah Crowell now in his element
ATHENS — For the last three months there has been a lot of talk about Isaiah Crowell the person and the high-profile recruit. But over the last four days, Georgia has been able to get a close look at Crowell as a football player and early reports are the Bulldogs like what they’re seeing.
Crowell’s energy and focus, running backs coach Bryan McClendon said, have reminded him what drew the Bulldogs to recruit Crowell in the first place.
“I went to a practice, it may have been his sophomore year in high school, and I saw then how much he loved just to practice,” McClendon said of Crowell, then at Carver High..”He’s out there clapping and being excited about playing and having fun just going out there and playing football. That’s one of the things that excited me the most, to see a guy that talented that didn’t take practice for granted. He goes out there and he wants to get better.
“He’s been the same way out here. He’s focusing on getting better, focusing on every rep. He’ll come to me and ask, ‘what can I do to get a little bit better.’ That was the biggest thing. I thought, ‘this guy has what it takes to be something.’”
Georgia just completed the fourth of 29 preseason practice opportunities on Sunday. But McCelndon has seen enough to know that Crowell is back in the environment he enjoys most.
“He’s just a great humble kid who wants to be good in football,” McClendon said. “And that’s what he’s doing. He’s doing everything he can to make sure he’s doing that. He’s doing a good job of studying. He’s doing a good job of learning it. That stuff comes pretty quick to him. And that happens when you have a guy that, one, wants to be as good as he wants to be; and, two, and is serious about football. Football is serious to that kid.”
As for Crowell’s on-field abilities, teammates say his speed and quickness is apparent and he has exceptional cutting ability. But coaches are reserving their comments until they get a look at him in full pads. That begins Monday.
Hutson Mason solid at No. 2 QB
Everybody knows Aaron Murray is solid as the Bulldogs’ No. 1 quarterback and it appears Hutson Mason is equally entrenched as the No. 2 guy, at least in the early going. Christian LeMay, a signee who enrolled in January, is still grappling with the playbook.
“You see his athletic ability and flashes of what a good quarterback he can be,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “But right now he’s still trying to get a handle on everything, especially during these first acclamation days. We’re installing the whole playbook and we’re throwing a lot at him. He’s running everything we’re installing. Once we get out of acclamation we’ll script more what we’re going to do when he’s in there and it will be more about what he knows and what suits him. I think you’ll see him start to improve tremendously then.”
Andrews, Dantzler emerge on O-line
With just five experienced offensive linemen to put on the field, Georgia is obviously looking to young players to provide depth. And in the early going, it appears the first two freshmen to emerge are David Andrews and Watts Dantzler.
Andrews (6-foot-2, 280 pounds), a signee from The Wesleyan School in Norcross, is now the No. 2 center. Dantzler (6-7, 310), from Dalton, is getting work at both guard and tackle and looks poised to work his way into the rotation.
“We haven’t been out here a week, but I think the guys that have played the best so far are Andrews and Dantzler,” line coach Will Friend said. “They’re probably a little ahead of the new guys. But we’ve had four days and their heads are spinning. I’ve seen some good things in the whole group, but those two have done some good things.”
Sanders working at CB
Chris Sanders was considered one of the best safeties in the state when he signed with Georgia out of Tucker High. But the Bulldogs are finding out how good of a cornerback he can be.
“We’ve talked about that really since we signed him, that potentially he might be a guy we could look at at corner,” secondary coach Scott Lakatos said. “Size-wise he looked pretty good there, movement wise. He might be able to help us from a depth standpoint. He’s physical enough, he plays hard, he’s quick. He could be a guy who could be a safety as well. Athletically he could be either-or.”
The emergence of Sanders and other freshmen such as Damian Swann at cornerback have enabled the Bulldogs to give serious consideration to moving Sanders Commings back to safety. Commings is working at both spots but more lately at safety.
Some might say Lakatos has benefited most from the Bulldogs’ “Dream Team” recruiting class. He landed Sanders, Swann, Nick Marshall, Devin Bowman, Corey Moore and Quintavious Harris out of the deal.
“They’re athletes,” Lakatos said. “We knew all those guys when we took them were very good athletes. We knew they were offensive guys, defensive guys, receivers, returners, quarterbacks, DBs, they played safety, they played corner, they were good at other sports, whether it’s baseball or basketball or track. We knew that. Now we’ve just got to find a spot for them. We’ll put them out there and let them play.”
NG Geathers ahead of Jenkins
It sounds like defensive line coach Rodney Garner would at this point give the edge to Kwame Geathers over John Jenkins in the competition at nose guard.
“Kwame is definitely continuing to pick up where he left off this spring,” Garner said Sunday. “We’ve got to get Jenkins to keep coming and get him more up to speed. I feel really good about the 1s and I think the two ends [DeAngelo Tyson and Abry Jones] have really elevated their games to another level. Kwame’s continuing to improve we have to continue building depth.”
Practice update
The Bulldogs practiced for two hours in shells (shoulder pads and helmets) Sunday in intermittent rain. Monday represents the first of 11 full-contact practices (including three scrimmages). The objective of this first one? “I want to see who will strike somebody, who won’t flinch,” Bobo said. “That’s the biggest thing.”
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
180 comments Add your comment
Poopdawg
August 7th, 2011
8:46 pm
Tampagator , where they referring to pens size?
Poopdawg
August 7th, 2011
8:47 pm
That was penis size
LakeDawg
August 7th, 2011
8:47 pm
COME ON…..PUSH THE GATORS AROUND!
You will have to be patient. We don’t play you until Oct. 29th.
Tampa Gator
August 7th, 2011
8:47 pm
Man…..can you guys get off the Troupe thing. Who hasn’t taken a leak outside….at least once. Give me a break…..they pee outside all the time in Tifton…..he just forgot he now lives in the big town of Athens. Plus….the kid graduated from college already. He gets one pee on the sidewalk mulligan for that, don’t you think?
Old Blind Dawg
August 7th, 2011
8:49 pm
Tampa Dude we could not care less about your projected lineup – give it a rest or tell it to someone that cares. A 6′ 300 pound 3 – 4 NT – LMAO – run plugger – ROTFLMAO.
LakeDawg
August 7th, 2011
8:49 pm
“I really liked what Charles has to say yesterday about no more “me”….and more “us”……that has been a big problem for Georgia in recent years…..it was all ahout A.J. Jones, Stafford, Mareno….etc….and less about the whole team playing as one. The thing about Tebow….he was a leader without ego…..and made his whole team play better. Murray needs to step up and be more of a leader on the field this year….as the QB…..and lead his team to play as one….and if they do, they are as dangerous as anyone in the SEC….based on the talent that is….and has always been….on that team under Richt. Let’s see what happens…..but you have to beat Boise….or the noise will get loud….and then you have to be SC….or it will get really, really loud….”
I think you are right on the money with that analysis Tampa Gator.
Poopdawg
August 7th, 2011
8:52 pm
I’m peeing outside as I type, gotta go.
Tampa Gator
August 7th, 2011
8:53 pm
Old Blind Dawg….
I think I posted it was for the dude from yesterday……and not for you, necessarily. But…you must have been interested….because you obviously read it. Unlike you, I am interested in learning about Georgia’s DL and LBs…..and therefore I read this blog. If not interested in what I have to say….no one is forcing you to read it. Just skip to the next post.
Tampa Gator
August 7th, 2011
8:56 pm
Lake Dawg….
I look forward to the annual “pushing around” in Jax….and there will be some mighty pushing around this year. I think the Jax game will have a lot of meaning this year…..as I think Georgia will upset SC…..but I am worred about Boise in the Dome…..for you guys. Big, big game for the Dawgs. I will be pulling for you.
Tampa Gator
August 7th, 2011
8:58 pm
Nice posting with you Dawgs……sorry I offended the Olde Blind Dawg….but I think he wanted to be offended.
Have a nice night…..kick off in one day closer……Go SEC!
Clock Without Hands
August 7th, 2011
9:00 pm
Crowell been arrested yet?
Tick… tick… tick…
LakeDawg
August 7th, 2011
9:00 pm
Tampa Gator…
Thanks. It should be a hell of a game in Jax this year. Its about time we got one. Doesn’t mean we will though.
CHUCK UGA
August 7th, 2011
9:17 pm
Bobo matching wits with SEC Defensive Coordinators, many with NFL experience, brings about nightmares. Just not a good matchup. No? Then read the comments by Monte Kiffin after that 2009 game in Knoxville. Kiffin (both of them really) just absolutely stole Bobo’s lunch money. Basically they knew everything Bobo was going to do before the plays were even called.
Spike 80DF
August 7th, 2011
9:26 pm
pray for no injuries tomorrow when these big fellas start knocking heads…
CHUCK UGA
August 7th, 2011
9:26 pm
Funny how many people representing other teams come on here with little or no knowledge of the current UGA roster and start poo-pooing this guy and that guy (Jenkins needs a full year, Crowell a freshman, O-Line not that good, etc.) I love all the overlooking of difference makers such as Kwame Geathers, Richard Samuel, Marlon Brown, etc. These guys are waiting in the weeds and are going to turn heads.
RedandBlackDAWG
August 7th, 2011
9:58 pm
OK Chip,
I am going to try and put you on the spot, LOL. Who wins, UGA or Boise?
BroncoBlue
August 7th, 2011
10:04 pm
Man oh man, I hope UGA starts this kid on September 3rd. Can’t wait for our front seven to “welcome” him to college football.
superDawg
August 7th, 2011
10:07 pm
I HAVE A DREAM!
T2go
August 7th, 2011
10:17 pm
Who goes on other teams blogs? It is baffling to me. They should just go back to looking at their ex girlfriends Facebook page……..
truedawg
August 7th, 2011
10:31 pm
Been saying this since the spring…The Dawgs D will be the real deal. Now we’ll see if the Oline and Running game can bring it together. I’ve been saying The dags will win the east…YES WIN THE EAST. Let the running game get rolling and guys stay healthy, and UGA could shock a west team in the Dome. I still think UGA will have a loss before the Dome, Tenn. But hopefully that will make them realize that any team can beat them if they don’t play hard. Say I’m drinking “koolaide” but I see a top ten finish for the Dawgs and a Sugar Bowl. GO DAWGS!!!
superDawg
August 7th, 2011
10:46 pm
sept.3,2011 you will see boise black and blue with a bunch of red on their ass.
Tampa Gator
August 7th, 2011
11:22 pm
Highly recommend the following…..go to ESPN.com and read the story about the NCAA considering making changes to college football…..and……
then read the signed reports the three Ohio State players made to the authorities concerning stolen cleats…..(the ones they signed and sold)………
folks these are supposedly college level students…..and their writing is on a 6th grade level, at best….including the QB, Pryor. The NCAA is talking about raising the minimum entrance requirement from 2.0 to 2.5…..I suggest maybe, 3.0….and hopefully recruits will be somewhat at college level expectations……(no way these players were doing college level work at Ohio State)
I also watch a former Ohio State WR…….basically saying it was OK what the players and coaches did at OSU……kind of laughed about it. My comment to him…..that might be OK in the getto…..but not at a major university……(at least those with minimum standards for ethics and honesty….of which the OSU adminstration did and does not have much of…..as they fired an AD that tried to report possible violations….and make the new AD ignore any such violations). WIN at all cost……cheat, steal, lie, cover up, recuit 6 graders to play….whatever it takes to win for our fans.
CHANGES THEY ARE A COMING…….AND ABOUT TIME…..FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL. To get a college scholly……you need to be at college level academically……and……if you are….that scholly should be for 4 years and should not be taken away if you are only 3rd team material after you get there (Alabama!!!!!)
Tampa Gator
August 7th, 2011
11:30 pm
Seriously………if colleges required athletes to write, read, and speak at a 12th grade level….probably half of the players on NCAA football teams would not be playing this fall…..and I am not sure that would be a a bad thing for the game……for now…..and would help high schools and other seconday schools stress the importance of being a true “student athlete” while on that level….and would be better prepared for college (and maybe the Pryors’ of this world would then get that scholly and be able to write a report above a 6th grade level). At the moment, that term in NCAA circles is a joke. If they are going to insist on raising the standards for teachers in this country….then they should also insist on raising the standards for ANY person going to college…..athlete or not.
Crime Dawg
August 7th, 2011
11:49 pm
The Other Side of Mignight in the Garden of Good and Evil: Sonny Seiler’s daughter part of most prominent criminal network in GA’s history. Just search on ’scopolamine’ and ‘island’.
Dawg on Top
August 8th, 2011
12:28 am
Brantley will not last 3-4 games as starter. Look for one of the young backups to get the starting job after brantley loses 2-3 games. He doesn’t have it.
DAWGMAN
August 8th, 2011
1:24 am
Now simmer down, you ladies, simmer down. You’ll give yourselves a case of the vapors. Getting close.
UGAfreshman2015
August 8th, 2011
1:43 am
Don’t know if it’s been mentioned yet or not, but the article referred to a 2011 Dawg signee as Quintavious Harris. It should be Quintavious Harrow.
Thomas Brown
August 8th, 2011
6:50 am
How is a football team, with a roster of 1 ranked recruit of 4-Stars or 5-Stars, supposed to beat a team with 51 ranked recruits of 4-Stars and 5-Stars ?
How is a football team made up of 5 recruiting classes, the average rank per year of which is # 69 for 2007 2008 2009 2010 and 2011, supposed to beat a team made up 5 recruiting classes, the average rank per year of which is # 11 ?
This is a total mis-match; and the outcome cannot possibly be good for Boise State. As for Standard & Poors, Moody’s and Fitch – the 3 have combined to put the entire world in this financial mess because of their ratings on credit – none of the 3 of which have a clue. America now cannot pay her debts ? Is that what Standard & Poors thinks ? No. It’s political.
The answer is 2 x 10 the 24th power years. 2,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years.
If it took God 7 days to create Earth, how many years would it take Him to create an average 8 planets per star when a galaxy can have 100 trillion stars and there are 170 billion galaxies in the observable universe. This is why there must be Separation of Church and State, and why despite Mark Richt being a good man, must beat Boise State.
Joe
August 8th, 2011
7:11 am
Sorry…but I have heard all the pre-season talk and hype before. Hope he is as good as we think but after the last few years I have learned not to get excited. This team is great at pre-season smack talk and telling everyone how good we are. Funny, the teams that actually do go out and prove it on the field have very little to say in the preseason…….time will tell
Cynic Dawg
August 8th, 2011
7:32 am
Crowell in jail yet?
Darby
August 8th, 2011
7:36 am
UGA seriously needs another Jan Kemp to clean up the sleaze in Athens. Mark Richt certainly isn’t going to do it.
AltamahaDawg
August 8th, 2011
8:08 am
What teams are those Joe?
RedandBlackDAWG
August 8th, 2011
8:22 am
Sorry Cynic Dawg,
He tried but didn’t have the money to post your bail. He tried but, incestous crimes in Georgia are a crime, so you will just have to keep blogging from your cell.
Joey
August 8th, 2011
8:24 am
Sounds a lot like Knowshon. Even Urban Myer complimented Knowshon’s “passion for the game.”
Hopefully, IC can tote the ball like he did. I’d take 1200 – 1500 yds from IC.
WDE
August 8th, 2011
8:30 am
@Darby its not 8:30 in the morning and you my friend may have already won Troll of Day honors..really someone is going to have to post something 3rd world stupid to top your 7:36 comment.
DawgInaTruck
August 8th, 2011
8:41 am
GATA!!
bigredandblackDAWG
August 8th, 2011
9:07 am
That’s what I want to hear. IC and the rest of the Dream Team will DOMINATE THE SEC EAST THIS YEAR!!!!! BANK IT!!!!
We may not win the championship this year, but we’ll win the east and in the next 2-3 years the Bulldogs will bring their 6th National Championship to Athens. You can bank that, two.
For those of you who don’t know, the Dream Team are the best players in the best state for high school football in the country. I know because I played ball in Cobb and would have been a Dawg but I blew out my knee my softmore season. So, these guys might be young but they’ve played against what is almost college level players already.
GO DAWGS
RedandBlackDAWG
August 8th, 2011
9:11 am
Now that young Crowell is in camp and all signs are positive, what will all of the UGA haters have to say next, and about what player. UGA is a team this year, with player leadership, and they are going to be like a close knit family. They will face adversity together and stick together through the rough patches. I like the new attitude on and off the field. UGA has it’s pride back.
GO DAWGS
;
AltamahaDawg
August 8th, 2011
9:12 am
They don’t have orthopedic doctors in Cobb Co.?
bigredandblackDAWG
August 8th, 2011
9:17 am
The doctors tried to fix it but I was never the same. I wish I could have played between the hedges – maybe my son will get to do it.
Alabama | MrSEC.com
August 8th, 2011
9:23 am
[...] Mike Bobo likes what he sees from Georgia’s young, thin running back corps.4. Hutson Mason is solid as UGA’s #2 quarterback behind Aaron Murray.5. Some new Dawgs are getting praise while others are getting a push from [...]
Dawgs Feast
August 8th, 2011
9:30 am
I was hoping that Geathers & Jenkins both could be on the field at same time ? Put the one that isn’t the nose guard at DE,DT,or LB. Both those guys need to be on field at same time.
AltamahaDawg
August 8th, 2011
9:34 am
or LB?
Dawgs Feast
August 8th, 2011
9:34 am
If the Dawgs can beat Boise State then they can beat anybody. We will know the first game if UGA will be any good this year. Dawgs have a lot of questions at a lot of positions this year. Will Crowell get 100 yards and 3 tds per game ? Will T.King,Wooten,etc. become another AJ for deep tds ? Will O.Charles be the All-American TE ? Will Murray progress or regress from last year ? Will the defense be better this year ? A ton of question marks…
Troll Power Ratings
August 8th, 2011
9:36 am
@WDE: ” …third world stupid…” LMOA, or Ohio State stupid, maybe….
Dawgs Feast
August 8th, 2011
9:36 am
Yeah, LB. I know they’d be a heavy and slower LB but we need their talent on the field. DE or DT would be best for either though, of course.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 8th, 2011
9:40 am
If the Dawgs can beat Boise State then they can beat anybody.
———————————————————————————————
Yes, Boise is a good team.
Yes, Ga should beat Boise.
No, Ga can beat anybody should they beat Boise.
Palmetto State Dawg
August 8th, 2011
9:49 am
Hey Tide Roll, you mentioned Brandon Shell in your earlier post. For those of you who don’t know who Shell is, he is a true freshman OL for South Carolina. They had to call an ambulance on Saturday for him because he couldn’t take the heat. Tide Roll, Shell cannot even finish a practice much less start in the SEC. Who made you this big evaluater on talent? I can name TONS of guys from Alabama that never played for the Crimson Tide and are good players. Just look at Auburn’s roster. The point is, UGA cannot get them all. So spare us your little run down naming all the players that UGA “missed out on”, and their age, where they go to school blah, blah, blah. Seriously, your dumb little argument can be said for every team in the nation, not just UGA.
Troy Landry
August 8th, 2011
9:49 am
Dawg Food!
DawginLex
August 8th, 2011
9:50 am
Dawgs rule Hollywood too. 2nd article down the page
http://www.tmz.com/