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
Skokie Dog
September 27th, 2011
3:37 pm
Chip, while you’re running the numbers, can you tell us how Aaron Murray’s numbers compare with Jeff Pyburn’s at this stage of his college career?
WDE
September 27th, 2011
3:38 pm
@Dawg Days good post agree 100% let the young man play and shape his own legacy he can’t be HW and he shouldn’t try to be.
FBFan
September 27th, 2011
3:39 pm
One big difference between Crowell and Hershel……….. Hershel never got up from a run talking trash like a street punk. Crowell makes our whole team look classless when he does that. Hershel let his legs (and wins) do the talking. IMO Crowell is far from the person and athlete that would be Hershel. NO COMPARISON.
Really?
September 27th, 2011
3:39 pm
ROFLMAO.
I know that’s incredibly cliché, but what else can you say? I’m speechless!
My Dad can whoop your dad
September 27th, 2011
3:39 pm
grown men and women arguing over kids? Creepy and Sad!!
dap01
September 27th, 2011
3:41 pm
Comparing Crowell to Herschel is laughable.
Comparing this UGA to the National Championship team is a joke.
Besides…..that NC team actually had a game plan.
the real Old Gold
September 27th, 2011
3:42 pm
Walker had tougher competition and a better all around team that could spread the ball a little better.
JB
September 27th, 2011
3:42 pm
Crowell does that because the leaders on that team allow it………..er,,,,wait, what leaders.
Stinger
September 27th, 2011
3:43 pm
Crowell has only played against High School Defenses. Big friggin deal.
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
3:43 pm
Tampa Dawg…
Why are you still hooking your wagon to the loser program at UGA?
You have a real team there in Tampa who is showing they belong in the top 20. USF Bulls are for real and will play a pretty decent Pitt team on the road this week.
Consider changing your moniker to TAMPA BULL, at least until next year when CMR is gone a new regime and attitude is brought in.
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
3:45 pm
One more thing, Buford High School has better defenses than 3 out of the 4 teams UGA has played.
TampaDawg
September 27th, 2011
3:48 pm
the real Old Gold
September 27th, 2011
3:42 pm
Walker had tougher competition and a better all around team that could spread the ball a little better.
—————————————–
Huh??? They never “spread” the ball while Herschel was there. That’s why Lindsay Scott, a first round pick, barely got 100 catches the entire time he was there. And competition? Hardly. They played a few good teams but the SEC is much better now than in the early 80s.
dap01
September 27th, 2011
3:48 pm
Crowell acts like he is from the University of Miami instead of the University of Georgia when he gets up after an average play.
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
3:49 pm
As we sit today, IC is about the 14th best back in the conference. If Kniles Davis were playing he would the 15th. On top of that he is about the 3rd best freshman back in the conference. Look around at other programs that are redshirting their “stud”.”dream team” or “all american” freshmen running back and you will find programs that are established. CMR has been at UGA for 10 plus years and he is rebuilding? He should be reloading year after year.
WDE
September 27th, 2011
3:49 pm
@Keep Talking Smack Buford has a better defense than the Bugs for certain and for sure…
Dawg48
September 27th, 2011
3:49 pm
JB……….. Did you not see coach richt run out on the field and get in crowells ear for trash talking? or were you to busy blogging putting down the dawns to notice?
DJ Dawg
September 27th, 2011
3:50 pm
@Keep Talking Smack
Thats because we are fans of the game and our team!! Not band wagon jumpers like yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ARdawg
September 27th, 2011
3:51 pm
The comparison is very unfair to Isiah Crowell. We KNOW what Walker went on to do. To even indicate that they are the same is just plain wrong. Sure, we’d love another Herschel but, let Isiah be his own man
JB
September 27th, 2011
3:52 pm
AND STILL……….with all of Richt’s shortcomings………He finds a way to beat Tech 9 or 10 years.
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
3:52 pm
WDE…and better than Auburn, GT, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Virginia, Duke…the list goes on and on..
TampaDawg
September 27th, 2011
3:52 pm
Talking Smack, I was at the Bulls game Saturday night with my daughter and we had so much fun. They are a good team and we are definitely USF fans in our family. Just can’t drop my allegiance to the Dawgs since I have been a fan from the late 70s. I like both for sure.
BTW, B.J. Daniels is an amazing athlete.
ARdawg
September 27th, 2011
3:53 pm
Keep Talking smack
You sir, are full of kaka. Like it or not Crowell is the best Freshman back in the conference. Bar none. At his current pace will likely be the best in the nation by years end. You’ve let your extreme hatred delude your er, uh, mind
Dawg48
September 27th, 2011
3:53 pm
JB is not a true dawg fan!!!!!!
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
3:54 pm
DJ Dawg
It is called being a realist and not pinning my hopes and prayers on other better teams in our division losing to teams so our beloved dawgs can win the East and get embarrassed in the Dome again on national televison while CMR hangs on to his job one more year.
Rooster
September 27th, 2011
3:55 pm
They won’t beat Tech this year JB bubber
DBAG TROLLS!!!!
September 27th, 2011
3:55 pm
You trolls must not have a life or don’t get paid very much to sit here all day a take shots at UGA. Every program has there moments and most fans understand this except for Tech, Bama, and Gator fans. Let the season play out and we will see what you douchers are saying. UF will lose 4 this season, bama will lose 3 and tech will lose 4 mark it down trolls! You envy UGA and what it stands for and you know it! Deal with it!
KB
September 27th, 2011
3:55 pm
Please , I like Crowell and he may turn out to be a very good RB , but its insane to try and draw comparisons to Herschel.
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
3:55 pm
Tampa Dawg…
I was there also….proud of what Skip has done for our local team….Leavitt was not advancing the program.
Dawg48
September 27th, 2011
3:56 pm
JB and keep talking smack are not true dawg fans!!!!!
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
3:57 pm
DBAG TROLLS…
“UF will lose 4 this season, bama will lose 3 and tech will lose 4 mark it down trolls! You envy UGA and what it stands for and you know it! Deal with it!”
Please name those losses for the teams you just mentioned…
Skokie Dog
September 27th, 2011
3:57 pm
+1 on TampaDog’s reminder that Mr. Dooley didn’t have a habit of spreading the ball around among the playmakers on that 1980 team (nor the ones in 1981 or 1982). With the talent that U.Ga. had on offense and defense during Herschel’s time in Athens, the Dogs should have won at least two national championships. To Coach Dooley’s credit, he did at least get the team to more than one game in which U.Ga. could have won the national championship. That feat included having the team ready to play the first two games of each season.
KB
September 27th, 2011
3:58 pm
Rooster, If Dawgs a re healthy, they beat Tech, not even close.Tech has played the worst teams from each conference they’ve played , with nthe exception of UNC , but Lowly Virginia put up 470 yards offense of UNC and gave up less points in Chapel Hill.
TampaDawg
September 27th, 2011
3:59 pm
I thought Leavitt got a bad deal at the end though. He did a lot to get them the national recognition they have today. But Saturday was a fun game. Hope Skip keeps the ball rolling forward. Pitt will be interesting to watch.
WDE
September 27th, 2011
3:59 pm
@Rooster what Kool-Aid are you drinking what is God’s name would make you think the Bugs will beat UGA this year..a lot of yards rushing and passing vs no one?? Don’t get me wrong I hope they are undefeated and in the top 10 when we play them…..but come on..really??
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
4:00 pm
Dawg48
September 27th, 2011
3:56 pm
JB and keep talking smack are not true dawg fans!!!!!
For those of us old school graduates, ( prior to 1985) and who were on campus for the “glory” years of UGA football, we just have lost patience with the former AD,the current President, and current coaching staff. That means one thing, we want our school to win, but we have muted our support for the program and until the gimmicks are done and gone we will not support a program that allowed valuable members of the old regime to be discarded like old trash while the current school president is getting rich and making foolish decisions.
WDE
September 27th, 2011
4:01 pm
@SSIgator Bama this weekend..enjoy!
DBAG TROLLS!!!!
September 27th, 2011
4:01 pm
Keep talking: YOU WIN THE DBAG OF THE DAY AWARD!
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
4:03 pm
I will spend my hard earned money and retirement nest egg on going to games that have some fun and excitement to them, not stuffy people who think the only good football is played between the hedges on a fall saturday.
Rooster
September 27th, 2011
4:03 pm
It’s not the same Kool-aid ya’ll are drinking in Athens that’s for sure.
DJ Dawg
September 27th, 2011
4:04 pm
SSIgator
I cant wait until the beatdown yall will get Saturday!
Keep Talking Smack
September 27th, 2011
4:05 pm
DBAG….
Thank you and once again your ignorance reigns and your football knowledge is lacking.
Really?
September 27th, 2011
4:06 pm
Yeah, but… Herschel never had such purty uni’s to play in.
SatillaDawg
September 27th, 2011
4:07 pm
Herschel let his play on the field do the talking.
He didn’t taunt opponents or strut around when he did well.
Herschel was one of the greatest college football players of all time.
Get the point, Isaiah?
DBAG TROLLS!!!!
September 27th, 2011
4:09 pm
Smack: You are seriouly the biggest doucher of the week! Please spend you time and nest egg somewhere else. UGA does not need people like you! Fball knowledge? I won the armchair qb super bowl bud. Match that! LMFAO
Joe
September 27th, 2011
4:13 pm
Crowell is the next big thing in college football. His vision and quickness are unmatched. I’m reminded of Jamaal Charles how he gets through the line and into the second level so quickly. Big things are in store for this kid. Hopefully he will stay for 3 years at least.
WhatUpDawg
September 27th, 2011
4:16 pm
OMG. Firt off, I am a tech fan. But I am a tech fan that admires the hell out Herschel Walker. About a solid of a back as there is. That night of the Boisie State game, I swear he looked like he could still suit up and lay the hammer down. But givet it a rest. Quit comparing every body to freaking Herschel Walker. It cheapens him and it cheapens the athelte you are comparing him to. How about let every player since Walker stand in their own shaddow and be their own person.
creepy bloggers
September 27th, 2011
4:19 pm
weird
Groan
September 27th, 2011
4:21 pm
“This is not at all to say that Isaiah Crowell is the next Herschel Walker — there hasn’t been a “next” so far…”
Then why even bring it up at all? I wonder who the next “Not the next Herschel, but he’s the next Herschel” will be. We should only have to wait a few seasons to find out. Enough already.
ARdawg
September 27th, 2011
4:21 pm
Whatupdawg
Agreed, for the most part. Make no mistake, Walker “could” suit up, play and be competitive. He was ans is still, that good of an athlete
just a fan
September 27th, 2011
4:22 pm
Alabama-Florida (18), Oct. 1. Marquee SEC rivalry lost its juice last year when the Gators tanked on the season and were routed in Tuscaloosa. It says here that the Gators’ rush defense, ranked fifth in the nation, is a mirage created by facing teams that cannot run the ball (FAU last in the nation, UAB 114th, Tennessee 112th, Kentucky 90th). Stopping Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy will be a different deal.