Practice report: TB Isaiah Crowell in line to get start in opener
Walking wounded: NG John Jenkins (66) and SE Marlon Brown couldn't practice Tuesday due to injuries. (Photo by Guy Prokay/DawgTime.com)
ATHENS – Isaiah Crowell doesn’t know whether he will start at tailback in Georgia’s season opener against Boise State, but he probably won’t know what to do with himself if he doesn’t.
“I haven’t ever not started,” Crowell revealed Tuesday after practice.
And when he says ever, he means it.
The true freshman from Columbus said he started as a safety on defense in his first game as a 6-year-old little leaguer with the Eastway Cherokees. By Game 2, “Coach Buckner” (Crowell couldn’t recall his first name) came to his senses and moved Crowell to running back. And Crowell has been toting the rock with the first team ever since.
Of course, Georgia coach Mark Richt famously hinted on national signing day that Crowell could start his first game. “I wouldn’t be shocked to see him running that rock in the Dome against Boise State on the opening play if he does what he’s supposed to do,” Richt said last February.
At this point it seems likely that could happen. With just 10 days remaining before the Bulldogs face the No. 5-ranked Broncos in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Crowell is solidly the No.1 tailback. Never mind that it’s by default.
Last year’s leading rushers Washaun Ealey and Caleb King were unable to stay with the team and junior Carlton Thomas is suspended forf the opener. And as of Tuesday evening, converted tailback Richard Samuel is still slowed with a strained quadriceps muscle and Crowell the majority of snaps with the No. 1 unit ahead of Ken Malcome and Brandon Harton.
Nevertheless, Crowell insists he’s neither hopeful nor expectant when it comes to taking the first snap on offense on Sept. 3.
“Starting is not a big deal to me,” he said. “I just want to do whatever I can do to help my team win.”
At this point, Crowell’s significant contribution is a more of a need than a wish for the Bulldogs. And a first-year starter in a first game against a Top 10 opponent is problematic.
“He just hasn’t experienced enough of the situations that are going to come down the pipe,” Richt said. “Has he had a chance to see every blitz against every protection that he needs to understand? The answer is no. In theory, you take mental reps and try to give him as many situations as possible. We haven’t given him every single scenario yet. But before these next 10 days are over, we hope to make sure he’s got enough to feel comfortable.
“The good news is he’s picking up things quickly and he doesn’t shy away from any kind of contact.”
For his part, Crowell appears to be holding cool and steady. He said he gets nervous before games but not the “throw-up-in-the-trash-can” kind of nervous. And claims he is largely unconcerned with how he does in his first game.
“Doing whatever I can do, going 100 percent every play and helping my team win, that’s my goal,” Crowell said. “Really nothing about yards or touchdowns. I’d like to have a lot of yards or a lot of touchdowns. But if it doesn’t happen I just want my team to come out on top and win.”
Here’s a link to video of Crowell’s entire interview Tuesday at DawgTime.com.
Let the games begin
Georgia will take its first major step toward game preparation on Wednesday when it holds a “dress rehearsal practice game” at Sanford Stadium. Richt said the workout will be 90-95 percent scout work, with the No. 1 offense and defense going against scout teams simulating Boise State and a lot of scripted situations.
“We’ll play a half of football,”Richt said. “We’ll get our pregame ready, go into a coin toss and we’ll actually name captains by then.”
The Bulldogs have an ideal situation for simulating Boise State’s offense. Left-handed quarterback Michael Tamburo – a transfer from Boise State – will simulate the Broncos’ heralded, left-handed quarterback Kellen Moore.
Georgia practiced for only an hour Tuesday in shorts and helmets to rest up for Wednesday’s work.
Injury report
Two new players were among the injured players dressed in green jerseys on Tuesday. Fullback Bruce Figgins was sidelined with “a pulled muscle” that Richt described as “not too serious.” Also, tailback Carlton Thomas, who is already out for the opener due to suspension, was sidelined to give a chronic ankle injury rest. . . . Starting split end Marlon Brown (ankle) and backup nose guard John Jenkins (hamstring) remained sidelined.
Samuel practiced in a green jersey but his mobility was clearly still affected as he ran and walked with a noticeable limp. . . . Freshman flanker Malcolm Mitchell (hip) was able to return to practice in a limited capacity but is expected to be close to full speed for Wednesday’s workout.
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551 comments Add your comment
jaglaw
August 23rd, 2011
9:39 pm
Vince L.,….dont be dumb. UGA football predates the Packers by a long shot. Along with nearly every team in the SEC. Get real.
tdawg
August 23rd, 2011
9:40 pm
we NEED to get this RB Keith Marshall. He is like a RB version of Kellen Moore, he studies film all the time. He is very talented and quite smart. No more Washawns or Calebs i want football players who care about the game and winning not just about themselves and money.
Troll Power Ratings
August 23rd, 2011
9:43 pm
@Blue Turf: You’re not as good as Auburn THIS year. You guys are in for a surprise.
kerryb
August 23rd, 2011
9:51 pm
I wonder how far you fall in the rankings when you’re the #5 team and you get spanked on national TV by the #19 team?
Larry Wayne Jones Jr.
August 23rd, 2011
9:51 pm
I was unaware that UGA was still fielding a football team?
trupert
August 23rd, 2011
10:04 pm
I can hear it now. Crowell’s running over blue jerseys, did you see what he just did, they had him and he just ran over one of their guys. My God only a freshman.
Prozac Dawg
August 23rd, 2011
10:08 pm
Idid want to see Samuel run it for a bit to wear down that ‘All American’ potato head D line, but it sounds like his injury may be a little more serious than I would like. THEN IC can get his yards and touchdowns. Heck, big Figgins is injured too.
Mobile Dawg
August 23rd, 2011
10:10 pm
There will probably never be another Herschel, and there definitely will never be another Larry.
Columbus
August 23rd, 2011
10:14 pm
Yep Tamburo is giving us all the inside scoop on Boise St. especially the offense. That has got to help our defense. He can let us know what type of defense works best against them, formations, tendencies, etc.
And Ms Frances,
you know nothing about Crowell or his family? Do you? You know how many times he has EVER been arrested or to jail in his life? Huh? Thats what I thought. How is this for karma. Your smart a$$ winds up in jail?! Or your favorite college teams most important player winds up not able to play for going to jail or flunks out or is injured? Yeah it’s coming baby and soon!
Crowell Rushes for 150 3 TDs Plus Long Run
August 23rd, 2011
10:24 pm
You heard it here! IC is gone on 2nd play from scrimmage…long TD run 65 yards from scrimmage. Blow out is on!
Hairy Dawg
August 23rd, 2011
10:24 pm
That is what I talking about with Dream Team exposing talents to play in first game beatdown of the Boys of Boise. They getting by playing scrubs schools to run up good record last few years. Now they facing real Mens from the SEC as Dawgs roughs them up.
I tolds every body that Crowell and Dream Team is real deal to display dominants as fresman. Now we get to exhibition practice on Boise Boys to getting ready
Hairy Dawg
August 23rd, 2011
10:27 pm
getting ready for real games againts SEC programs stead of Mickey Mouse “Boys-Eeees.”
GTBob
August 23rd, 2011
10:29 pm
Let the latest Athens 5 star bust commence.
Paul in NH (formerly RDU)
August 23rd, 2011
10:30 pm
Lowcountry Bulldawg
Tamburo is from Metro Atlanta, couldn’t crack the depth chart at BSU as a FR and then transferred back to GA and walked on. I seriously doubt he is telling the UGA coaches anything they aren’t seeing on film.
http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2011/03/11/qb-mike-tamburo-to-transfer-from-boise-state-to-georgia/
Aba
August 23rd, 2011
10:33 pm
I wonder how much influence Michael Tumbaro’s knowledge of the Boise system has had on Georgia’s game planning…He was up there with the Boise program for 2 or 3 years.
truedawg
August 23rd, 2011
10:36 pm
Sept 3rd…after the first qtr it’ll be tied or UGA will be down 14-9..and the stand will be crying to sit IC down..by half it’ll be uga 16 boise 14 and we’ll be saying i dunno about IC. by end of 3rd boise will be on top by ..28-23..and fans will start to like IC and say well not bad for a freshman..by the 2 min make in the 4th uga will be on top 40-28 and IC will have close to 100 yards and fans will be sayin” can a freshman win the”… yeah I bleed red and black, but Boise is gonna be a battle. and that can can play , but the size difference and the speed, they can’t hang for 4 qtrs. and a hungry Dawg has gotta eat! Boise will be playing with a short field all night and by the 3rd qtr with that blue qb gettin sacked 6 times they will be beaten and bruised. 40-28 GO DAWGS!!!
Athens Dawg
August 23rd, 2011
10:52 pm
truedawg, no way our defense gives up 28. No way
Preston
August 23rd, 2011
11:16 pm
Athens Dawg, if we haven’t found the pass rush that we lost a few years ago, we give up at least 28. I’m not saying that we will or that I expect us to, but Boise can put up some points against just about any defense. I still say we win by 14+. Go dawgs!
Dylan
August 23rd, 2011
11:27 pm
The talk of Boise being overrated is just absurd to me. I am as big as a Dawg fan as anyone, but whatever “big boy” team has taken on Boise State recently has usually left the stadium with their heads down. Examples include: Oklahoma. Oregon (twice). Texas Christian. Virginia Tech. Utah. etc… They know how to win the big games. With this being said I do believe UGA’s speed on defense will be something they’ve never seen before, but I do believe they deserve their ranking of #5.
GO DAWGS!! BEAT BOISE STATE!!
Dylan
August 23rd, 2011
11:28 pm
And on another note… so glad to hear Isaiah is doing well in practice!! I really hope he can come through this season, along with the other tailbacks!
Troup Co. Dawg
August 23rd, 2011
11:30 pm
Just run it 2 downs up the middle, pass….come back on 1st…go deep….all night long and I’ll be singing till the break of dawn…it’s not complicated! but Bobo please….no more 3rd and long handing it to Carlton Thomas….dump it over the middle to #7 and let him drag the smurfs down the field! Simplicity works when it is utilized!! Let’s see some wideouts doing some blocking this year! How do you think Bama does it so successfully? They utilize 11 men in sequence…I am a Dawg and I want to see these guys win Biiiiiiiiiiiiiig! We MUST have better blocking to beat the Bama’s and the Lsu’s and the Hawgs! Let’s get it this year baby…no reason to wait!!!
athdog
August 23rd, 2011
11:32 pm
Russ is a good lookin’ dog. He’s undefeated against Tech, and he doesn’t have those health problems that the solid white albino mutants have. Let’s keep him, he’s healthy and he beats Tech! The brown spot on his tail gives Paul Johnson a target to plant his lips on.
BobDawg
August 23rd, 2011
11:39 pm
I like the fact that Tamburo is a former Boise St QB and can simulate their offense… That has to help the D get prepared for the Smufs…..
PTC DAWG
August 23rd, 2011
11:47 pm
Hey Tampa, thanks for caring enough to post..
That said, I’ll take a last minute win.
Cobb Dawg
August 23rd, 2011
11:52 pm
UGA – 35 Boise St. 10 (7 scored in the 4th against our 3rd string D)
Idaho Rednecks
August 23rd, 2011
11:57 pm
BluTurf
August 23rd, 2011
8:42 pm
quit your blustering. i’ve been to Idaho and you’re state is full of redneck hicks. and claim your team is better than last years national champs when you haven’t played a down is absurd.
And, just in case you forgot, you lost to powerhouse Nevada last year.
BSUFAN
August 23rd, 2011
11:58 pm
As a long time Bronco fan I see this game as a chance to see where we are at. I think both teams will start slow. Special teams and defense will decide the game. Kellen Moore is an outstanding quaterback and will definately be prepared and will not turn the ball over 5 times like last time we played. Go Broncos !!!!!
Saint Richt
August 24th, 2011
12:03 am
Yall like those stupid Power Ranger Uniforms? Saint Richt really knows how to get things going.
Athens dawg 2
August 24th, 2011
12:07 am
Athens dawg,
The last time I saw our d in Athens we were making Tevin Washington look heismanesque and gt of all teams moving at will against us all night. I am hoping we improve this year, but – Expectations have gotten a little in sane that we would hold Boise under 28. Are they not on a different level than gt’s offense? We may be in the SEC but I have not seen an SEC d in a while. That may have been due to Willie Martinez. Hope i am wrong and we learned how to tackle this Summer. Speed was not the problem last year on d, it was the basics.
THE OBGYN
August 24th, 2011
12:13 am
I also believe UGA will give up more than the 14 or 17…
I’m thinking it will be 34 – 24 UGA or 34 – 27 UGA.
beanster
August 24th, 2011
12:14 am
I echo kerryb’s sentiments. I am not sure why BS is ranked so high. Sure they had a great record last year. They beat VT, then played a bunch of patsies. Some they blew out, some were very close games. They have some solid seniors returning but lost the two best receivers from last year so the star QB is going to have to break-in some newbies where their offense is hinged. BS is certainly overmatched size-wise on both sides of the ball. I refuse to believe they are “faster” than our team. If JoeT’s conditioning has our guys in peak shape and Aaron manages the ball and clock well giving the D time to go 125% every series and get in some good early shots on KMoore, then I think BS is in for a long night. I don’t think we run up the score but 34-17 seems about right to me.
Why can’t it be this Saturday, dammit? Let’s get the show on the road already!! GO DAWGS!!
beanster
August 24th, 2011
12:18 am
BTW everyone, BluTurf must certainly be a Tech troll. Pay him no attention.
Georgia Sucks
August 24th, 2011
12:24 am
You guys really are buying into the Georgia hype yet again. This is going to be fun again this year once they fall flat on there face.
tom
August 24th, 2011
12:30 am
asking Tamburo to be Kellen Moore is like asking Obama to revive the economy, just because he was in House does not mean he knows how to be a leader.
Good Lord
August 24th, 2011
12:40 am
UGA, preseason national champs every season. When you were winning 10 every year, I could understand the optimism. But coming off of 6-7 and losing the best player on both sides of the ball, you still think you’ll win every game on the schedule. Delusional.
I just hope Crowell performs well, or you’ll be cursing him and calling him slurs when he messes up. Just like Samuels, Carlton Thomas, King, Washaun, Jasper and every other dud 4/5 star RB that comes through Uga. Besides Knowshon, what Uga running back in the last decade has been worth anything? Good luck IC, there is a long line of fail in recent “Tailback U” history.
Rabid_dawg
August 24th, 2011
12:46 am
This is going to be just like the Hawaii game a few years ago. UGA is going to beat the hell out of Boise in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Watch and see…
Georgia Sucks
August 24th, 2011
12:50 am
VT thought that as well.
beanster
August 24th, 2011
1:04 am
@ “good lord” (as in good gravy) — did you watch the games last year? In your opinion, which game(s) were UGA totally overmatched (save UT), giving credence to your 6-7 delusional theory? Last year’s team was not a formula for success but they showed promise at times. Forcing the eventual national champs to squib it to start the 2nd half because they were desperate to score was no fluke.
beanster
August 24th, 2011
1:07 am
x that — onside, not squib
beanster
August 24th, 2011
1:18 am
tom, what the heck are you talking about? We just want the guy to tell us how their offense works. Ain’t no way that dude has any “leadership” task in front of him.
PowerDawg
August 24th, 2011
2:09 am
Testing 1-2-3
RED DOG 77
August 24th, 2011
2:11 am
OK!!…….Listen-up BULLDOG NATION. All of the moaning and groaning about Samuel, Figgins, Jenkins, M. Brown, etc. wearing the green jerseys………Chill people!……The only thing coach Mark Richt might be hiding is the fact he is being careful with his front line players……Don’t think for a moment he isn’t playing some mind games with Mike Peterson. I will be the first to agree coach Peterson is one heck of a good football coach, but Richt trained under the greatest razel-dazel-trickerooo coach of all times[Bobby Bowden]……….Coach Richt will do his best to play straight forward football, but watch out, both mentally and physically on the field, this is Mark Richt’s greatest chance to show the world what a fantastic coach he is!!!…………No, No, No I don’t have a dadgum crystal ball, can’t give you the score, but I will promise everyone one thing for sure. Coach Mark Richt will be right on top of the offense in this one. Coach Todd Grantham will have his boys on the D side pin their ears back, ready to attack…………Coach Lakatos will have the Dbackfield sharp as razors……….Yup, I can see “my” BULLDOGS enjoying a great win on September 3rd…………..But win or lose……..The Gorgia BULLDOGS are going to scratch and claw and throw everything including the dang kitchen at those “Blue Dudes” from Idaho………..RED
ATLER Ramblin Wreck
August 24th, 2011
3:21 am
Yuk!!!! Smells like a wet dawg in here!!!!
BUZZ KILL
August 24th, 2011
3:31 am
AugustaDawg
August 23rd, 2011
9:09 pm
A GT grad quote, “Hot dogs, cokes and peanuts. Get em fresh.” Ah man, I gotta clean the bathrooms again. This Tech education sure came in handy. At least I got to see the smurfs beat by the boys in RED.
That’s actually how most of the ugag fans see the game in Atlanta. Now take my order you flea infested mutt!!!!!!!
Gator don't play that
August 24th, 2011
3:33 am
It’s a fact that most UGA fans are uneducated. Fact of the day.
Stinger2
August 24th, 2011
4:43 am
I don`t know which of the two is the worst:
1. The GT trolls making stupid and untrue remarks about UGA and some of its players.
2. The giddiness of some of the UGA fans. Its fine to be excited about your team and hopeful of a good season. However, don`t go overboard.
Tom E. Gunn
August 24th, 2011
5:52 am
Guys, IC won’t do crap if they get down by a score. Watch and see. He ain’t no Herschal
Thomas Brown
August 24th, 2011
6:29 am
Saddened Pat Summitt felt compelled to share her personal diagnosis in public. John Wooden has more NCAA National Championships, 10 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championships at UCLA 7 in a row and all 10 in a 12-year period. Wooden passed last year 4 months and 10 days short of 100 years old, of old age. Pat has 8 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championships with the vols 1987,1989,1991,1996,1997,1998,2007,and last 3 years ago 2008. As players, both John Wooden and Pat Summitt, excelled – John’s legendary with state high school and college national championships as player. Pat’s 1071–199 for 84.3 win percentage as college basketball coach is a slightly higher win percentage than Gene Bess at 1114-290 as a college men’s basketball coach, still coaching at a junior college where he has won multiple national championships. Harry Statham has 1022-388 for 72.5 win percentage as men’s college basketball coach, moving to Division II. That is it for 1,000 win college basketball coaches.
DirtyDawg34
August 24th, 2011
6:31 am
Hey BluTurf,didnt recall kelly moore winning the heisman,all he will be doing sept.3rd is trying to figure out who put him on his back.Was that you again Mr. Ogletree or was that Mr. jones,hard to win a heisman with that kind of start.What is so funny is you guys never learn,i was there for the smackdown the last time and remember all the trash you smurfettes talked then.After that game all we heard was “we will be ok weve got 10 easy ones now”.
Thomas Brown
August 24th, 2011
6:35 am
Thank you Pat for all you have done for basketball and all of us, dear.