Similar statistical comparison between Isaiah Crowell, Herschel Walker to this point
Isaiah Crowell's cutting ability is reminscent of former Georgia running back Garrison Hearst. (UGA photo by Rob Saye)
ATHENS – This is not at all to say that Isaiah Crowell is the next Herschel Walker — there hasn’t been a “next” so far — but their statistical comparison to this point in their respective freshman campaigns is remarkably similar.
- Through the first four games of the 1980 season, Walker had 419 yards rushing on 77 carries.
- Through the first four games of the 2011 season, Crowell has 411 yards rushing on 77 carries.
Walker had outscored Crowell 5 touchdowns to 3 at this point and, of course, the Bulldogs were 4-0 then as opposed to 2-2 now. Also, of note, Walker was injured early in the fourth game against TCU and was sidelined. Similarly, Crowell watched the second half of the Coastal Carolina game from the sideline due to injured ribs and an early blowout.
Walker finished the 1980 campaign with a freshman record of 1,616 yards and 15 touchdowns. That does not include his 150 yards and 2 TDs in the national championship win over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. Bowl stats were not included then.
At Crowell’s current pace he would finish the regular season with 1,236 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Here’s the game-by-game comparison:
WALKER<————————————–>CROWELL
Opp., Att-Yards-TDs—————————Opp., Att.-Yards-TDs
Tenn., 24-84-2————————————-Boise St., 15-60-0
Tx A&M, 21-145-3———————————S.Carolina, 16-118-2*
Clemson, 23-121-0——————————–C.Carolina, 16-86-1
TCU, 9-69-0**————————————–Ole Miss, 30-147-0
Total 77-419-5————————————Total 77-411-3
* 1 pass reception for TD
** Injured/sidelined during game
Here’s how some of Georgia’s other great backs looked statistically in their first season the last 20 years or :
- Rodney Hampton 126-890-4
- Garrison Hearst 162-717-5
- Knowshon Moreno 248-1,334-14
- Tim Worley 116-627-9
- Kregg Lumpkin 112-523-6
- Thomas Brown 172-875-8
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371 comments Add your comment
TampaDawg
September 27th, 2011
12:11 pm
harold
September 27th, 2011
12:09 pm
MORE DREAMS AND DELUSIONS. CROWELL HAS NOT EVEN BEEN HIT HARD YET LIKE HE WILL SATURDAY WITH THOSE BIG HUGE MSU LINEMEN.
———————–
Soooooo, I guess South Carolina brought their little guys to play? I could have sworn I saw Clowney on the field and he is huge. Try again Harold and stop screaming at us.
swimdawg68
September 27th, 2011
12:13 pm
Some big difference, Walker was bigger and probably faster. Walker did not need to come off the field after every 3rd carry. I suspect Walker was in far better shape than Cromell appears to be. Remember, Walker played most of the National Championship game with a separated shoulder and still gained 150 yds and an MVP award. I am of the oponion it is the coach’s fault Crowell is out of shape, conditioning has become an issue for most of our players in the last 3 years. I have a good friend in the athletic dept. and he feels the same way. As a team, we are not in shape, remember Latimore ran all over us in the 4th Qtr. we were out of gas, that was the difference in the game at “crunch” time.
WDE
September 27th, 2011
12:15 pm
@harold for the love of all that is holy either use the brain God gave you or go away…newflash there is always a chance you could get hurt playing SEC football..MSU’s big SC was bigger we will play bigger later in the year…did you even have a point?
murfdawg
September 27th, 2011
12:18 pm
I am not sold on Isiah yet. Watching from the end zone Saturday in Oxford, I saw the hole open up and figgins was blasting thru it and Isiah was tippy toeing looking, peeping , hiding trying to pick his way thru. Isiah could not get close enough to Figgins to keep the linebackers from picking him off. Maybe if Isiah could put his hand on Figgins back and follow him thru the hole, he could break one.
Also, I was in Knoxville in 1980 when Herschel made his debut. I saw 10 out of 12 games in person that year and have only seen two running backs since then that I would even put close to HW. Bo Jackson and Knowshon. Every time HW, Bo or KM got the ball, I felt they could break it for a td. When Isiah gets the ball, its just run to the pile and fall. He is not a game changer….yet.
Richt's Butt Cut
September 27th, 2011
12:22 pm
One BIG stat your leaving off…. Wins. Herschel 4. Isaiah 2.
TampaDawg
September 27th, 2011
12:23 pm
murfdawg – “When Isiah gets the ball, its just run to the pile and fall. He is not a game changer….yet.”
Not sure how you can get 411 yards on 77 carries and average 5.3 per by running into a pile and falling down. I also scratched my head when you compared Knowshon (who as a Dawg fan, I was a huge fan of ) to Herschel and Bo. He isn’t in that class of back by any stretch.
Joe
September 27th, 2011
12:24 pm
Walker 4-0
Crowell 2-2
What part of this statement by Chip...
September 27th, 2011
12:31 pm
…”the Bulldogs were 4-0 then as opposed to 2-2 now” do Richt’s Butt Cut and Joe not understand?
TampaDawg
September 27th, 2011
12:34 pm
“What part of this statement by Chip… ” that reading thing isn’t for everyone dude, they just read the little words I guess.
mark PRICHT
September 27th, 2011
12:38 pm
Orwin Smith, better than the next Herchel
Orwin Smith-GT 4 games 19 carries 349 yds
just a fan
September 27th, 2011
12:38 pm
I have 2 extra tickets to the game this weekend if someone is interested you can email me at
fantasynfl3100@yahoo.com
TampaDawg
September 27th, 2011
12:43 pm
mark, first your little “play” on CMR’s name shows the immaturity level we have come to expect from the GT norm on here ( a few exceptions yes). But to compare any back from GT to Herschel is comical at best.
NewnanDawg
September 27th, 2011
12:43 pm
There will never be another “Herschel” at UGA. Stop with the comparisons. You just guaranteed Crowell a season ending injury.
North Ave. Trade School 1999
September 27th, 2011
12:46 pm
Does he also read on a 3rd grade level and have a major in finger painting?
crowell rules!
September 27th, 2011
12:46 pm
Crowell-the next superstar RB at Ga–he may be better than H. Walker! Crowell will be running through the SEC defenses at will! IC may put up 200 this week at miss st–their D is terrible. IC–All SEC!!!
Bobby
September 27th, 2011
12:47 pm
Comparsions to Hershel are meaningless unless Crowell weights 220 pounds AND runs the 100 in around 10…….
Randy
September 27th, 2011
12:49 pm
This is REALLY reaching. Georgia is struggling and you guys are looking for anything to keep people interested. We’ll be a long time waiting for the next Herschel Walker!
mark PRICHT
September 27th, 2011
12:49 pm
and Tampa compare 4-0 and 2-2 is even more comical….nothing describes a person as well as the name
mark PRICHT
September 27th, 2011
12:51 pm
you guys have compared everyone since 1980 is my point….there is no other Herschel nor will there ever be….simply the best, even from me
North Ave. Trade School 1999
September 27th, 2011
12:53 pm
I like Herschel. He does a fantastic wax job on my Land Rover. I highly reccommend him!
TampaDawg
September 27th, 2011
12:53 pm
well, that’s not his name you classless moron so try again. And barely beating UNC this weekend was SOOOOO impressive. At season’s end, when you have played all the girls schools you can and the weak ACC, you get to play UGA and go 1-10.
gomdawg
September 27th, 2011
12:54 pm
CROWELL IS CROWELL LEAVE IT BE. DAMN WALKER IS IN THE PASS
TampaDawg
September 27th, 2011
12:54 pm
North Ave. Trade School 1999
September 27th, 2011
12:53 pm
I like Herschel. He does a fantastic wax job on my Land Rover. I highly reccommend him!
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A lot more likely to be the other way around. That’s probably your second job outside of delivering pizzas.
BG
September 27th, 2011
12:55 pm
Crowell is a stud!
Cmon man
September 27th, 2011
12:56 pm
Herschel is herschel and crowell is crowell lets leave it that way. Lets focus on miss st and nothing else
mark PRICHT
September 27th, 2011
12:57 pm
wow great one….you mean like Coastal Carolina and New Mexico state…Ole Miss….
win some games and we will talk later…Tech didnt come out with the “Dream Team” just remember a nightmare is a dream as well and that is what the mutts season will be
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
12:58 pm
Doesn.t UGA fans wish they were good as LSU, Florida, Alabama or Arkansas this year instead of worrying about the stats of a freshman running back?
mark PRICHT
September 27th, 2011
12:59 pm
who have the mutts put 768 yds on…..nope not even Coastal Carolina, and never would on Kansas, get back in the trailor, its got to be hot in Tampa
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
1:00 pm
No matter what some diehard fans on here say, the interest in the UGA is way off and falling each week with even poorer play.
G
September 27th, 2011
1:01 pm
Anyone who knows anything about football can see this kid is good. He’s got great vision and balance and lets his blockers block, Wait till he breaks a long one it’s only a matter of time. He’s a faster and stronger Knowshon!
1eyedJack
September 27th, 2011
1:01 pm
Hey PRICHT, the “mutts” are going to treat Fishfry and “Mathuselah” Groh like a communal fire hydrant.
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
1:02 pm
Yeah, but he has a poor attitude.
1eyedJack
September 27th, 2011
1:03 pm
Don’t look like the interest in UGA by the GnaTs has fallen off any.
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
1:03 pm
Ask folks who know him, it is all about “me”.
chad
September 27th, 2011
1:04 pm
Don’t even go there.
Not even in the ballpark in regards to size, strength, speed, etc.
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
1:04 pm
Who cares about Tech or the ACC?
Brian Asselstine
September 27th, 2011
1:08 pm
Anyone that posted this topic comparing an overrated, undersized runner to the best college back ever should have to pass a drug test before the AJC lets them write another story. Crowell only has half of the talent that Garrison Hearst had. Herschel Walker? Give me a break.
Brian Asselstine
September 27th, 2011
1:09 pm
Greg Talley would have a better chance of being compared to Tom Brady.
Mark
September 27th, 2011
1:15 pm
Pricht, at least we played 3 real teams… oh, and the nightmare will continue for the technerds – what is it now 1-9 in the last 10? Poor little techies, can’t beat us on the field so they try to do it on here… oh boo hoo, what are we going to do?
bubba4dawgs
September 27th, 2011
1:16 pm
I hope Isaiah doesn’t read this bulls**t about comparing him to Herschel! Stop putting pressure on him and let him play! How happy we all are that he’s a bulldog and so far having a good season. Let’s just hope he doesn’t get any more injuries! Hey “Herschel Talker”, go crawl back into your hole and suck an egg! Go Dawgs!!!!
Terry
September 27th, 2011
1:17 pm
In 1980 the Defensive players were not as big and physical as they are now, even Herschel would have had a harder time running against today’s defensive players. In 1980 Herschel was a man among boy’s, let’s wait until the end of the year, then we can see how IC has faired, because right now know one knows how this season will end.
red and black
September 27th, 2011
1:18 pm
I love UGA and I am a long time ticket holder…hope I am wrong, but Crowell is good, glad to have him and hope is does extremely well. but the next Herschel Walker….not even close….
shorty
September 27th, 2011
1:19 pm
murray is too short to play in the SEc. mason needs to get the starting job from now on—he’s a lot taller and can see over the o-line.
Spaceman Spiff
September 27th, 2011
1:20 pm
Mark, make that 2 real teams and one (Ole Miss) that could have beaten all of the ones technerds played..
Spaceman Spiff
September 27th, 2011
1:21 pm
Wanderer=shorty=pricht=rooster = all loser trolls…
DJ Dawg
September 27th, 2011
1:24 pm
IC is a graet running back, but there will never be another Herschel!! No reason to put anymore pressure on the kid than he already has.
head scratcher
September 27th, 2011
1:25 pm
Gator fans galore! I love it. Obsessed with all things UGA.
Ted Brogan
September 27th, 2011
1:26 pm
How many personalities does Crowell have, I bet Herschel beats him there to.
For UGA fans, thank God for Herschel and the year 1980 or what would there be to talk about.
Different era
September 27th, 2011
1:26 pm
Comparing stats over a 30+ year difference is a bit misleading. The game has changed over time. The OL in ‘80 was stacked. Plus, Walker goes down vs TCU, and Barry Young ran for 100+ yds the rest of the game. The college game is pass happy now. That said, the ‘11 OL is still a work in progress, so maybe Crowell’s start to the season is impressive in comparison.
Newman
September 27th, 2011
1:29 pm
What made Lumpkin and Brown great?