Notes: More touches ahead for Crowell, safety Williams gets look at LB
ATHENS — Freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell will get his first career start on Saturday against Coastal Carolina. Asked how many times he might like to get the ball in Crowell’s hands, Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo deadpanned, “45!”
He laughed, but Bobo was only half-kidding.
“I’d say he’s 20-25-carries-a-game guy and certain games it might be more,” Bobo said. “And then you’ve got about 15 or so for the other guy. You’d like to run it around 40 times a game, the way I see things. He might be able get 30 of them.”
The true freshman from Columbus got 18 touches in the Bulldogs’ 45-42 loss to South Carolina this past Saturday. He finished with 158 total yards – including 118 rushing – which works out to 8.8 yards per touch. He also scored two touchdowns.
Bobo feels like there’s a lot more production to be tapped. It’s a big reason the Bulldogs are giving Crowell his first career start this Saturday against Coastal Carolina.
“He’s a guy that has gotten better every week that we’ve had him on the practice field and in every opportunity he’s competed, whether it’s a scrimmage or a game,” Bobo said. “Like I said in the preseason, I think he’s going to be a very special player for us. When it happens, you don’t know. But I believe he’s going to be a special player if he continues to work and stay healthy.”
Crowell had started every game of his life since he was 6 years old before sitting behind Richard Samuel in Georgia’s first two games of the season. The 5-foot-11-215-pound athlete took Tuesday’s news in stride.
“Well, it’s not really a big deal to me,” he said of starting. “It’s just another game to go out there and help my team win.”
If Crowell is going to get more work, he’ll need to build up his stamina. Though head coach Mark Richt blamed some of it on a rib injury suffered early in the second quarter, Crowell was asking to come out of the game often against South Carolina.
“When a guy does that, you could say stay in there but you don’t know why a guy wants to come out when he’s asking to come out,” Richt said. “So he came out. I think he’ll stay in a little bit more than a couple of runs. Although there were a couple of relatively long runs, I think his endurance will build as we go, too, as he prepares and as the weather cools as the season goes on.”
Crowell said he recognizes that he needs to get into better shape and “make a better pocket” after a costly fumble against the Gamecocks. But he said he feels more confident than ever that he can make a difference for the Bulldogs.
“My performance in the game boosted my confidence, I guess,” he said. “It takes the pressure off a little bit. I feel better. My confidence is up.”
Shawn Williams works at linebacker
Safety Shawn Williams was observed working with the inside linebackers during Tuesday’s practice and could play there some on Saturday. The Bulldogs lost their starters at both inside positions – Alec Ogletree and Christian Robinson – to foot injuries the first two weeks of the season.
“We’re looking at quite a few guys in there,” defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said. “You’ve got to wait and see what happens. We’ll see, but anybody who has played the down safety can play inside.”
Williams, a 6-1, 220-pound junior from Damascus, started the first two games at strong safety. He’s third on the team with 10 tackles.
Blair Walsh: ‘That was on me’
Senior place-kicker Blair Walsh took full blame for the 33-yard field goal attempt he missed in the first half against South Carolina.
“That was my fault,” he said. “That was on me. I just came in way too close to the ball and just missed it completely. That was a one-and-only-time thing.”
The Bulldogs ended up losing by three points. But Walsh said it’s important not to dwell on that.
“Obviously it would’ve helped, but you don’t think about that,” he said. “You just move on.”
Walsh did say that, after watching game tape, he’s convinced Bacarri Rambo wasn’t offsides on the onsides kick Georgia executed late in the game.
“It didn’t look like it to me,” he said. “It was close but I think the angle the ref was at made it look worse than it was. It was too close to call, if you ask me.”
Compliance director leaving
Eric Baumgartner, Georgia’s compliance director for the past six years, is leaving to take the same post at the University of Virginia.
“He’s from Blacksburg, Va., so he gets to go back home,” said Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity, who said Baumgartner turned in his notice last weekend. “It’s an opportunity for him to go to a great institution that actually doesn’t have a compliance director right now, so he gets to build his own staff. Eric did a great job here. He came in at a really important time for our athletic association where we needed some strong enforcement.”
McGarity now has to make two compliance hires. Baumgartner’s assistant Michelle Francis recently left to join her husband at Ohio University. McGarity said he would hire a director first.
Etc. . . .
Nine true freshmen had seen action for the Bulldogs so far this season. They are: Crowell, defensive back Quintavious Harrow, linebacker Amarlo Herrera, defensive back Nick Marshall, wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, defensive back Corey Moore, defensive back Chris Sanders, cornerback Damian Swann and linebacker Ramik Wilson. There’s a good chance that number could go up this week with outside linebacker Ray Drew, offensive tackle Watts Dantzler and center David Andrews in position to get their first playing time of the season. . . . Coastal Carolina features 19 players from the state of Georgia, including starting center Pat Williams, a 6-foot-1, 285-pound junior out of Atlanta’s Westlake High School.
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279 comments Add your comment
Spaceman Spiff
September 14th, 2011
1:53 pm
History Major, why on earth would you reference the U.S.S. Yorktown in this? You, sir, are the biggest idiot of the group.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
1:59 pm
bugsquacher
Get ready the Bong Smokers will be attacking your factual stats there and try to tell you your an idiot
Dont worry though they never have anything with substance to back their arguments
TampaDawg
September 14th, 2011
1:59 pm
Your points are good squacher but that’s about a 2 year evaluation. If it continues through the rest of this year as you predict, yes, we need to make a change and as good of a man as Mark Richt is, he will land on his feet and come out MUCH stronger. And I think we all have our very own shortlist of who we think should run the team next.
All that being said, I don’t think they lose to UT, and the team that played USCe could win 2 of 3 against Miss St, Auburn and Florida. Again, we should let the season play out. Beat Miss St, UT and UF and you have a 9-3 record and possibly win the SEC East depending on what SC does the rest of their schedule. If not, the axe will fall.
DawginLex
September 14th, 2011
2:04 pm
Why don’t we save time and typing and choose from a numbered response
1.) Richt should be fired
2.) I support richt and believe he should return
3.) Let’s see what happens this year and let McGarity decide
4.) Florida owns UGA
5.) Richt can’t beat anyone
6.) Red panties
7.) Drunk AD
8.) We hit and run this state
9.) Defending Fulmer Cup Champs
10) Kool aid drinkers
Just pick a number(s) and respond.
1eyedJack
September 14th, 2011
2:06 pm
3 and 10
Laughing at a guy with a Flat Tire on I-95
September 14th, 2011
2:06 pm
Bong smokers? I guess it was Kool-aid drinkers earlier .. who is this guy? What is he, like 12 years old? The guy talks like UGA fell from greatness after Richt took over. Much better program football wise and much cleaner since he got there. Good luck landing a quality coach if they ever read how fair weather some of the fans are.
WDE
September 14th, 2011
2:08 pm
DawginLex love the idea put me down for a no.3 and a side of fries.
TampaDawg
September 14th, 2011
2:08 pm
1eyedJack, 3 and 10 .. nice, rather odd combo. Red panties always sound good until you remember we are talking about them in conjunction with an AD
TampaDawg
September 14th, 2011
2:09 pm
yeah WDE, that’s sounds pretty good .. I’ll take the number 3 also and could you add an apple pie with that?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
2:09 pm
DawginLex
You need to add Bong Smokers to the list since some people do not like Kool-aid drinkers
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
2:13 pm
Laughing at a guy with a Flat Tire on I-95
If you would learn to read posts you would know that I switched to Bong Smokers since some people got tired of kool-aid drinkers
Would you like me to say ENERGY VAMPIRES instead
Oh and the program is better and cleaner then explain the
30+ arrests since 2007 and winner of the Fulmer Cup
Laughing at your stupidity now
Bring Back Wally Butts
September 14th, 2011
2:15 pm
DawginLex
I haven’t heard a single stat since you posted the list. Good work. Put me down for 3 and a cherry coke.
Bring Back Wally Butts
September 14th, 2011
2:16 pm
oops, there he goes again.
Spaceman Spiff
September 14th, 2011
2:17 pm
DawginLex, number three is the obvious choice for the normal person. However, there are those trolls on here that should have a space all their own… Agree w/ Tampa, #6 sounds good if it in now way is connected to the former AD
1eyedJack
September 14th, 2011
2:22 pm
TampaDawg, I support Richt but I’m more than willing to let McGarity do his job.
If the good Rev. Jones had forced his followers to drink Mad Dog 20/20 would we all be called Mad Dog 20/20 drinkers?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
2:26 pm
Trolls and Bong Smokers need to be added to the list
DawginLex
September 14th, 2011
2:26 pm
I say 3 and 6 for my wife………………
WDE
September 14th, 2011
2:27 pm
@Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville loved your work with how Bama got rid of those coaches cause at Bama its all about NC’s…B.S of those coaches how many won a SEC title? How many had 10 win seasons? Newsflash if CMR had taken over at Bama when Saban did and duplicated his record at UGA he would still be at Bama today..yeah on the hot seat but still there…no one has had 10 years with more wins at Bama than CMR has at UGA since the Bear died…and don’t mention Gene Stallings he won a MNC and cost the Tide 30 scholarships and 8 wins during his tenure too… and get over how much money you give to the Hartman Fund I promise for the bile you spout its not enough.your laughing at stupid people..what do you call someone that sends money to a program he clearly hates….stupid comes to mind.
just a fan
September 14th, 2011
2:28 pm
I will take a number 3 as well DawginLex
DawginLex
September 14th, 2011
2:28 pm
1.) Richt should be fired
2.) I support richt and believe he should return
3.) Let’s see what happens this year and let McGarity decide
4.) Florida owns UGA
5.) Richt can’t beat anyone
6.) Red panties
7.) Drunk AD
8.) We hit and run this state
9.) Defending Fulmer Cup Champs
10) Kool aid drinkers
11.) Bong smokers
12.) TROLLS
12 would include all of the following:
Trailer park fanbase
Walmart clothing line
Toothless
Rednecks
Hillbillies
Delusional
McDonalds fry cooks
Laughing at a guy with a Flat Tire on I-95
September 14th, 2011
2:34 pm
The Fulmer cup crap was started by such classy individuals as yourself flat tire. Fulmer cup refers to a lot of things, not just arrests. Like the fact that Fulmer teams were loaded with arrested players who stayed on the team while Richt teams saw guys like possible future start QB Zach Mettenberger kicked out of UGA. To put Phil Fulmer and Mark Richt in the same sentence when it comes to clean programs is laughable at best. The other SEC coaches respect the program Richt has run with UGA. Same could NEVER be said about Phil Fulmer. They had a going away party for him AFTER he was gone.
As for the kool-aid/bong smoker thing, I did read the previous posts which is why they were both mentioned in case reading isn’t your strong point.
Bring Back Wally Butts
September 14th, 2011
2:36 pm
Great! Now Flat Tire only has to refer to us by number (he uses 10-12). So much more civil.
Thanks, DawginLex. You have upgraded the blog.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
2:41 pm
WDE
I guess Mr Lawhorn and the other athetic board member who expressed their displeasure about where the program is heading is as you state clearly hate UGA and are stupid since they give tons of money to the hartman fund and are expressing their displeasure
Again AL 2 National Champions UGA 0 in that time span
If I were you I would stop trying to argue you dont have a leg to stand on
JB
September 14th, 2011
2:42 pm
pretty chilly ( high of 66) and raining Saturday in Athens. 30,000 no shows????
JB
September 14th, 2011
2:47 pm
Why has the “use to be free” Uga message board gone to pay the last few days?????
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
2:48 pm
Laughing at a guy with a Flat Tire on I-95
I didnt know having 30+ arrests is something considered clean and something to be looked upon as an example for other schools to strive for
Once again laughing at your stupidity
You wrote Bong smokers? I guess it was Kool-aid drinkers earlier .. who is this guy?
I responed If you would learn to read posts you would know that I switched to Bong Smokers since some people got tired of kool-aid drinkers. PEOPLE GOT TIRED OF KOOL-AID DRINKERS
So I changed it to Bong Smokers
I guess reading is something you havent learned
KB
September 14th, 2011
2:54 pm
I don’t give one holy damn about what has happened the past 2 years , its water under the bridge. I do care about what happens the rest of this season and all the whining about the last two years isn’t going to make this season any better.This team has a chance to be very good , i didn’t expect to go undefeated , thought 9-3 10-3 with a bowl , doesn’t matter if we lose first 2 and then lose another down the road. With this schedule its not impossible to think 10 wins. The Richt situation will work itself out, but as long as he is at UGA I will be pulling for him and the dawgs.
Numberwang
September 14th, 2011
2:55 pm
Memo To Dawg Fans:
If you’re coming to the game on Saturday, could you do us all a favor and show up on time and stay for the whole game. We’ve got to stop this pathetic habit of coming late and leaving early. It’s flippin embarrassing.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
2:59 pm
I would rather see fans show up sober for a change
Leaving early after getting your but handed to you doesnt bother me show me one fanbase that doesnt leave early when their team is going to lose
Laughing at a guy with a Flat Tire on I-95
September 14th, 2011
3:01 pm
You bonehead, I acknowledged both of your childish little names. What part don’t you get? Is freaking 5th grade still to tough for you? You’re quick to mention 30 arrests, but like all of your other posts on here, you don’t mention the results of those (player suspensions, players removed from team) and you don’t dare try to compare UGA to any other school. No offense to my buddy UF fans on here but please, take most 3 year spans and compare what their players have done. You want a championship but don’t want the kids that will get it for you? Because not recruiting these kids is the only way you will reduce 30 arrests. Coaches can’t have complete control over any kid’s life.
But have you seen major scholarship costing, post-season costing NCAA violations at UGA since Richt has been there (unlike current BSU)? Nope. Have you seen Richt getting into heated exchanges with other SEC coaches because he ratted them out for the same thing he was doing (like Fulmer did)? Nope. AJ Green got accused of the same thing that the OSU players did that ultimately cost Jim Tressel his job and OSU a lot of violations. UGA and CMR handled the AJ Green thing WITH the NCAA and nothing else happened. But look at OSU.
RedandBlackDAWG
September 14th, 2011
3:21 pm
ACE,
Crowell doesn’t have the power backs body to run over anyone. That doesn’t make him any less a successful back, just another type of back. If he can avoid contact and juke his way to 100+ yards a game against, supposedly a great defense like SC is supposed to have, I’ll take it. Less contact means less injuries.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
3:22 pm
Laughing at a guy with a Flat Tire on I-95
Bud 30+ arrests show lack of discipline, and lack of respect for the coach.
And what has that lack of respect got; poor performance and results on the field
You can sugar coat it all you want but 30+ arrests is an embarrassment to the program plain and simple
New kid on the blog
September 14th, 2011
3:29 pm
Too all of the a** clowns on this board who are drinking the kool-aid or bashing CMR, how many of you actually matriculated from UGA???????
New kid on the blog
September 14th, 2011
3:31 pm
Correcting my previous post – it should have said “To all of the…..
1eyedJack
September 14th, 2011
3:37 pm
There is nothing in the U.S. or GA. constitution that says you have to graduate from a school to be a fan. I never played for the Braves or Falcons but I’m a fan of them too.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
3:44 pm
1eyedJack
Makes a great point
Finally someone makes a strong argument
New kid on the blog
September 14th, 2011
3:46 pm
I just find it humorous that so many posters to this blog have such didactic opinions and didn’t actually attend UGA. Some of them make us look like complete morons.
ARdawg
September 14th, 2011
3:48 pm
The only thing one needs to do to be a fan is buy a ticket or listen on the radio and watch the team on the television. Does anyone think the ESPN advertisers care whether or not you personally attended the school or gave generously? A clue to that question is “no” they do not
ARdawg
September 14th, 2011
3:49 pm
New kid
Many of them are morons
New kid on the blog
September 14th, 2011
3:51 pm
It’s called levity people…..lighten up! Just trying to bring some rationale and sense to some of the inane posts and attacks on this board. Of course I know one doesn’t have to have attended or graduated from a school to be a fan.
WDE
September 14th, 2011
3:52 pm
@Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville I don’t need a leg to stand on buffoon..those gentlemen don’t spend hours publicly running down the program day in and day out. Alabama has been on probation twice during that same time frame..proving the age old adage ” If Bama ain’t cheating Bama ain’t winning” . But hey the won HC’s so that’s cool right?
WDE
September 14th, 2011
4:00 pm
@New kid on the blog have noticed anything out of you but a huge superiority complex, yes a ton of us went to UGA and yes “matriculated”. For the love of UGA make a point about the team, coaches, direction of the program but don’t look for a lot of consensus here..an stop wrapping your self in your sheepskin it’s get dirty…oh and welcome to the chaos that is the AJC blog.
New kid on the blog
September 14th, 2011
4:03 pm
It’s more fun picking on the idiots! Bottom line is the season will play itself out and McGarity will make determination about CMR’s future then. Nobody should be calling for CMR’s head in the middle of the season – will only make a bad situation worse.
Go Dawgs!!!!!
1eyedJack
September 14th, 2011
4:05 pm
New kid, most of the inane posts and attacks are from GnaTs posing as Georgia fans to try and make us look bad. It’s an Obuma tactic.
Laughing at a guy with a Flat Tire on I-95
September 14th, 2011
4:06 pm
Again, compare it to other schools though. Does UF have a lot of arrests? Believe me, down here and in Orlando, and you can bet in Gainesville, those numbers are big news. But do they still win? Yup. It’s not sugar coating. Sugar coating would be me justifying it by saying well this many of them are for failure to appear in court for a traffic stop or some crap like that. It’s just the truth. Players in other schools get arrested often also. Coaches from the SEC meet every year just to discuss what to do about stuff like that because they don’t want the NCAA (another communist organization) involved in it.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
September 14th, 2011
4:07 pm
WDE
2 national championships 1 of them AL was on probation
Since 1990 theses teams have a NC
LSU has won 2
FL has won 3
Aub should have played for 3 but at least they have 1
AL has 2
Heck Tenn has 1
UGA has Excuses, Kool-aid drinkers, 10 win championships, and bong smokers
1eyedJack
September 14th, 2011
4:10 pm
Flat Tire, since I’m on a diet could I skip the Kool-aid and just drink the bong water?
TampaDawg
September 14th, 2011
4:10 pm
New Kid said “Bottom line is the season will play itself out and McGarity will make determination about CMR’s future then. Nobody should be calling for CMR’s head in the middle of the season – will only make a bad situation worse.” .. and I couldn’t agree more. First off, McGarity doesn’t need our help in firing a coach. He will do what he feels he needs to do and that’s that. But doing it in the middle of the season is just dumb.
DawginLex
September 14th, 2011
4:19 pm
I think I am adding a lucky # 13 to the list
13.) Thomas Brown needs an enema
so my vote is #3 and #6(for my wife) and #13
TampaDawg
September 14th, 2011
4:20 pm
Why are we still commenting on Flat Tire’s tired old rants? He wants nothing less than National Titles. Fine, let’s go pay off some recruit’s dads, have a celebrity on the side to pay the players through money, cars, and other .. hmm hmm .. perks, and sellout other programs so we can run our own dirty laundry through the wash without being seen. Title should be in the bag then.