Isaiah Crowell among 3 tailbacks suspended for failing drug tests (UPDATED)
Updated throughout . . .
ATHENS – Three Georgia tailbacks – including star freshman Isaiah Crowell – have been suspended for Saturday’s New Mexico State game for failing UGA-administered drug tests last week, two sources familiar with the process and the decision confirmed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Crowell, junior Carlton Thomas and redshirt freshman Ken Malcome will have to sit out 10 percent of the Bulldogs’ competition dates, as is UGA Athletic Association policy for a first-time violation of the student-athlete drug policy. The tests, which revealed marijuana use, were administered last week and the results were confirmed via private lab on Tuesday, the sources said.
Georgia coach Mark Richt would not confirm the reasons for the suspensions beyond his statement that it was for “violation of team policies.”
“We have certain standards in all that we do and their actions do not reflect the Georgia way,” Richt said in a statement released by UGA Sports Communications on Tuesday afternoon. “They will serve their suspensions, learn a lesson and I’m sure will be better men for it.”
Richt failed to mention the suspensions during his half-hour weekly news conference two hours before the news release was sent. He was asked about both Crowell and Malcome during that session with the media. Richt declined subsequent interview requests through UGA spokesperson Claude Felton. None of the players involved were made available.
Meanwhile, No. 2 tailback Richard Samuel underwent season-ending ankle surgery on Tuesday morning, meaning the Bulldogs (6-2) will be down to their fifth-string ball carrier when they play the Aggies (3-5) this weekend at Sanford Stadium.
Sophomore Brandon Harton, junior Wes Van Dyk and freshman Kyle Karempelis as the only true tailbacks available to play Saturday. Harton (5-foot-6, 174 pounds) and Van Dyk (6-0, 203) are both former walkons who were awarded scholarships this past summer. Karempelis (5-9, 180) is a first-year walkon out of The Wesleyan School in Norcross. Only Harton, with 11 carries for 33 yards, and Van Dyk, with one for one yard, have played in a game this season.
Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo indicated after practice Tuesday night that Harton and Karempelis would be the Bulldogs’ first two options. Georgia could also utilize fullback Zander Ogletree in the running game.
“I think it’s an opportunity for a lot of guys to step up,” Bobo said. “We may have to change some things up and do some things different to move the ball. Other guys have to step up and make plays. I feel confident in those two guys and Ogletree and the backs and tight ends and receivers we have to move the ball.”
The Bulldogs could also give offensive snaps to defensive backs Brandon Boykin and/or Branden Smith, both of whom have played often on offense this season. And Bobo also dropped the names of two freshmen: Safety Nick Marshall and cornerback Damian Swann.
“There’s a lot of guys out there could be possibilities,” Bobo said.
It is the second suspension of the season for Crowell, who missed the first quarter of the Vanderbilt game for an academic-related issue. Thomas also missed the season opener due to a suspension for another undisclosed violation of team rules.
Crowell’s coach at Carver-Columbus High School, Dell McGee, traded text messages with him on Tuesday.
“I just reminded him of where he came from and not to take things for granted because they can be taken away from you,” McGee said.
Crowell was rated the No. 1 running back prospect in country when he signed with Georgia last February. He currently leads the Bulldogs with 689 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns.
Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity insisted that the suspensions were not delayed discipline disciplinary actions from the week of the Florida game.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “We don’t pick when we do certain things. When certain things are found, we act right then.”
According to UGA Athletic Association student-athlete handbook, a one-game suspension can be the result of violations of three different policies: Drugs, alcohol or academics. But a violation of any policy cannot be enforced at a coach’s discretion.
“At the point a violation is discovered, if a suspension is required the penalty is enforced for the next competition,” Georgia senior Felton said. “Whatever the infraction was, it would have occurred this week.”
Georgia athletes are subject to preseason drug tests in every sport, random drug tests by the NCAA and periodic/non-random tests by the athletic association. In most cases it takes five to seven days for a lab to analyze the results.
– Chip Towers
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1,146 comments Add your comment
AltamahaDawg
November 1st, 2011
10:12 pm
Bar, I know what I dish out. And its not childish crap. I can take it all day, in fact I invite it all the time. I could give a rats behind what some immature dawg fans say. thats them. If you think that escuses you do the same, knock yourself out.
TampaGator
November 1st, 2011
10:13 pm
AltaDawg…..
What lord would that be? Yours? Richt’s? Or mine. I choose mine over yours or his.
TampaGator
November 1st, 2011
10:14 pm
Mobile Dawg…
If you can’t, go to a Tech blog and you can read a lot of it being spewed by Dawg fans to Tech fans. They are really good at it. They can teach you a lot.
Mobile Dawg
November 1st, 2011
10:16 pm
TampaGator, there you go again Sport, I guess the Cable Guy’s right, you just can’t fix stupid. Grow up and act like an adult. Can you do that?
AltamahaDawg
November 1st, 2011
10:16 pm
That’s fine tampa, if “yours” would be fine with mocking him, that’s between you and him.
TampaGator
November 1st, 2011
10:17 pm
“We don’t pick when we do certain things. When certain things are found, we act right then.”
Yeah……but you can decide when certain things are tested to be found….and then act right then….right before the New Mexico State game……and not right before the Florida or Aurburn games…funny how that just happened, isn’t it. Real funny.
DAWG
November 1st, 2011
10:18 pm
TampaGaytor, Jenkins was not simply “found” with marijuana, he was arrested twice within three months on drug charges. Sounds a lot better when you imply that the coach found it in his dorm room or he simply failed a drug test…
Burdell
November 1st, 2011
10:18 pm
“Mobile Home Dawg” , Self imposed penalties? Riiiiiiiiiight. I can’t blame Richt for his “stoodent athletes” screw-ups, but if they’re back for the important games then the self imposed penalties are a crock and everybody knows it. Making them sit out one mostly meaningless game is a joke. Come to think of it, most of what occurs in Athens is a joke, so if the shoe fits……………
uwillsee
November 1st, 2011
10:19 pm
Where are all the Ealey bashers that was praising the great crowell. Yall missing ealey yet? Crowell is a major diappointment. OVERATED!!!!!!!!!!!! I told yall that way back. Remember?
TampaGator
November 1st, 2011
10:19 pm
Mobile Dawg….
You got it, grown up………I mean, “Sport.” Now…that was stupid of me.
Mobile Dawg
November 1st, 2011
10:20 pm
My point to you is why can’t you be above that, ignore it. I’ve read reasonable posts by you in the past. In every fan base there are those immature, classless idiots, why lower yourself to being one, that’s my point. I don’t think you really belong there. No hard feelings, just my two cents.
BTW, I used to keep a boat at Marker One, loved Caladesi and Honeymoon Island. Had a house in Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs. Beautiful area.
uwillsee
November 1st, 2011
10:20 pm
Don’t look like Crowell is no saint either. LOL
AltamahaDawg
November 1st, 2011
10:22 pm
here’s the problem: I don’t care tech/gator fans are in my blog, or how many dawg fans are in thiers. I don’t care how immature any of them act. I still have standards for ME , and being “no worse” would hardly spare me the embarrassment of sounding that way.
I have to admit it’s selfish , as I truly cannot imagine somebody, even a stranger, thinking about me, what i think of them.
G. Tampa Bedwetter
November 1st, 2011
10:22 pm
CMR is such a gooooood man ………………
Let’s cut our losses and get rid of this jerk before it gets any worse.
no dog
November 1st, 2011
10:22 pm
guess this explains the term “Dog daze”.
Mobile Dawg
November 1st, 2011
10:23 pm
I would think that’s “strategically funny”, one of the smarter things CMR has done the last few years.
TampaGator
November 1st, 2011
10:23 pm
Dawg……
Read…….I said he tested positive once. Which he did. The first time they only found it in the car he was in…..and he tested non-positive. The second time, he tested postive for MJ use….and was kicked off the team. There is a difference between having it in a car or in your possession……and selling or using it. In both case, he had only a minor amount on him and neither were felonies. But Muschamp said goodbye to him anyway……because he told Jenkins….after the first incident….that he could not have a team leader not leading the team the right way. He didn’t listen….and was shown the way out. It was that simple.
G. Tampa Bedwetter
November 1st, 2011
10:25 pm
The only common denominator is Richt; how long do we put up with this shiite?
no dog
November 1st, 2011
10:27 pm
This is not funny…for the New Mex game. It would be funny for the Aubie game!
beanster
November 1st, 2011
10:28 pm
Well, we are Georgia. We hadn’t done anything really sleazy in awhile so I guess we were due. I really couldn’t care less about kids smoking pot, you’d have to be incredibly naive to think it doesn’t happen, but the handling of this from a PR perspective is laughable and insulting at the same time. Just when CMR’s halo was getting shiny again. But this certainly wasn’t his call. No way.
Here’s my suggestion: If you’re going to pull a random test on a guy and you’re going to be picky choosy about which game he has to sit out, why don’t you wait until after the UF game before administering said test?
TampaGator
November 1st, 2011
10:28 pm
Anyway…..
Many of your Dawg fans deserve the abuse you are getting tonight because of all the abuse you dish out on the mistakes made by players from other teams….even those (Newton) who were not guilty of anything. Some don’t do it…..but many, many of you do. And that is why I have been here so long…..because you guys have dished so much on Florida players in recent years because….simple….Florida has dominated you in recent years. So get back is easy….and deserved. But I have had my fun. Time to say good night. To all you good Dawg fans out there….none of this was directed at you. Just the dishers….and you know who you are.
84@74sborohasbeen
November 1st, 2011
10:29 pm
Sorriness as usual from overrated deadbeats!!!!! KISS MY ASS GEORGIA
TampaGator
November 1st, 2011
10:30 pm
But it would be nice if N. Mex somehow won because you 10th string RB fumble 24 times. Now…that would be justice. But that would be dreaming….and that is reserved for Dawg fans.
Mobile Dawg
November 1st, 2011
10:32 pm
OK TampaGator, sleep on this. You see, we outsmarted you once again, realizing we couldn’t beat you on the field we sent one of our own to dismantle you from the inside out. Once Muschamp was in place he set the self destruct device to automatic. He will be coming home soon. Good night.
AltamahaDawg
November 1st, 2011
10:32 pm
Bigger question, HOW does a guy deserve a broken foot on the last play of the game.?
Return to Glory
November 1st, 2011
10:33 pm
Recruit a higher quality type player, higher IQ and coach them up, we got our 5 star butts kicked by a bunch of 3 star boys from Idaho, and here is a big HINT, they ain’t from the getto.
Raised right, act right and play right.
Mobile Dawg
November 1st, 2011
10:35 pm
Maybe he gets to study a little more, earn his degree, and become something really special Altamaha. He’s a DGD. I hope he comes back and has a great season, he looked like a beast in the 4th Qtr.
Fair and Balanced
November 1st, 2011
10:36 pm
It doest look like Crowell will last. Too stupid!
AltamahaDawg
November 1st, 2011
10:42 pm
For the record. I hate this news. I wish this had not happened. Not just for this week, but obviously raises doubts about the guys.
BUT, I am actually kind of excited to see what we are going to do to try some different options. Marshall, Swain?? and good for the lesser known RBs getting to play.
All easier to say with the number 111 rushing defense coming in.
AltamahaDawg
November 1st, 2011
10:44 pm
Was Hoping to see Crowell get 1000 yrd this season, this prabably kills that.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 1st, 2011
10:45 pm
Huh?
November 1st, 2011
10:38 pm
Funny hearing all the puppy fans urging a wait and see approach to wait for all the facts. Don’t remember that level of prudence last year during the Cam Newton saga.
My guess is that the initial results were known prior to Saturday’s game, but the official confirmation didn’t arrive until yesterday or today, giving the administration an out and the PR team plenty of time to build a back story, write the press release, and come up with a strategy for announcing the situation.
Roy
November 1st, 2011
10:47 pm
Maybe ealey wasn’t so bad after all. Mr. Everything Crowell has been suspended twice in his first nine games. C’mon man.
Mobile Dawg
November 1st, 2011
10:48 pm
Hope to see a big dose of Mason too. I thought we might have had to see him for a minute or two in the gator game.
tampagator
November 1st, 2011
10:53 pm
Yall are classy alright. Takes a real beaut’ to throw up a site like this about their rivals team: http://www.firepauljohnson.blogspot.com Contacting hs recruits via twitter. SUPER CLASSY. You dawgs have a good team alright.
Losing Manuel was karma
beanster
November 1st, 2011
10:55 pm
You mean about this classy, Tampa? http://keepmarkricht.com/
Seriously
November 1st, 2011
10:55 pm
All are a bunch of losers. Let’s see how many of the Dream Team are still around 2 years from now.
Fair and Balanced
November 1st, 2011
10:55 pm
Student athlete……an oxymoron. Maybe just moron. I say “hire” a bunch of 3 star guys and coach ‘em up. Need to some different coaches in order to do that.
Seriously
November 1st, 2011
10:57 pm
MobileDawg – Did you say “study”? That is a good one. How many points is a Three Pointer worth?
tampagator
November 1st, 2011
11:00 pm
@beanster. you don’t see us gators contacting your recruits telling them how stupid birdhair richt is. we just beat you on the field. we don’t take HIV jabs at you either. Nice try. 17 out of 20 bi@tches hahahahaha
Mobile Dawg
November 1st, 2011
11:02 pm
I guess that would depend on whether you were using a Western Point system, or the Eastern method. You know in the East we count all the points, in the West they only count’em on one side.
zbulldawg
November 1st, 2011
11:04 pm
Weed out the weak now ! Van dyk and Harton earned everything that they will get. They will shine ! And make us proud ! Hopfuly BoBo won’t panick and think we have to throw every down.Please let’s play GA. football and pound it.
tampagator
November 1st, 2011
11:05 pm
Even classier is waiting until after OUR game to suspend your athletes. Karma will you get you. Enjoy that one win. That will have to tide you over for the next 10 years. Effing cheaters.
beanster
November 1st, 2011
11:07 pm
Spilt hairs why don’t you. A blogspot site? That’s really ingenuitive. I bet those Tech recruits that were contacted on Twitter are just torn up inside trying to figure out what to do now that they read something on the internet that was critical of the team and coach they planned to play for. Really.
AltamahaDawg
November 1st, 2011
11:10 pm
pointed out on other sites:
Chances of 3 RB all doing any number of things wrong is far greater than “random” drug testing of 3 RB one day.
One game suspension does not fit the penalty for drug related offense.
AltamahaDawg
November 1st, 2011
11:13 pm
Gator fan. go to bed, you are embarrassing yourself now. We get it, you hated losing the game.
JK
November 1st, 2011
11:13 pm
What does it take to edit a story on ajc when it has that many errors? There has to be a way to do it.
beanster
November 1st, 2011
11:15 pm
I hope you’re right But why wouldn’t they fess up unless it is a black eye?. I can be optimistic but not naive.
This really sucks. ESPN is going to tabloid the hell out of it.
beanster
November 1st, 2011
11:18 pm
Just saw the “bottom line” while watching poker…NCAAF :Georgia tailbacks suspended for NMST. ESPN.com reports that random testing occurred 2 days prior to last game
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 1st, 2011
11:19 pm
I wish my Drill Sargent was my friend like Christ RICHT is his players friend. The Marines would have been so much more fun.
AltamahaDawg
November 1st, 2011
11:19 pm
If bad Karma were an issue, then bringing previously dismissed player BACK to the team the week of that game would certainly have done it. Not handling suspension exactly as it was dictated.