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
fishook dawg
November 1st, 2011
3:26 pm
I guess Brandon Smith can play some tailback and not worry about jersey NO. 1
Fact Finding Missionary
November 1st, 2011
3:26 pm
I remember when the biggest RB controversy at UGA was Musa Smith’s dad being an alleged jihadist…
Tough times coming on the heels of Ealey/Caleb King. Get your act together you maroons!!!
hand solo
November 1st, 2011
3:27 pm
@ spaceman sh!ttt..whats the good word? to hell with the georgia bullf_cks
wow
November 1st, 2011
3:27 pm
heard crowell was for smoking pot
Dap01
November 1st, 2011
3:27 pm
Crowell has almost to many strikes against him. Chances are that a hang nail would have kept him out atleast half of the game anyway.
TeamWork
November 1st, 2011
3:27 pm
GT4yourmom: suk it catfish boy! BTW, your mom smokes weed too!
Spaceman Spiff
November 1st, 2011
3:29 pm
@ IlliniDawg
The haters are nothing more than technerd trolls…
gt4ever
November 1st, 2011
3:29 pm
Whatever, Out of control is what your program has been for years…. It has suddenly become a complete JOKE and embarrassment to the whole state… Backing up his players my ARSE!
Observer
November 1st, 2011
3:29 pm
Word is that it was only 1 of the 3 RBs who actually got in trouble but the other 2 backed him up, so Coach Richt suspended all 3 of them to set an example. Not saying who the 1 refers to, in order to keep the non-UGA bloggers from trying to make more out of this than it already is.
Brandon Boykin
November 1st, 2011
3:29 pm
My time to SHINE! Here we go NFL and skills to play!
robodawg
November 1st, 2011
3:30 pm
Maybe they partied too hard in Jacksonville. They’ll be back and be better for it.
In the meantime, Figgins, Z Ogletree, B Smith and Boykin will probably get more touches against NM State.
bgdawg
November 1st, 2011
3:30 pm
did ken malcome really quit the team then come back?
Spaceman Spiff
November 1st, 2011
3:30 pm
Ah, hand solo, so funny I can’t even type…go back to your technerd site. I guess I would be bitter to at being UGAs little whipping boy
Spike 80DF
November 1st, 2011
3:30 pm
I guess we’ll use the Gator gameplan from last week…get ready Orson, King, Brown, Bennett, and Conley.
I’m sure Brandon Harton will rush for 100+ against NMST.
Old White Haired Man
November 1st, 2011
3:30 pm
hmmmm… remember Jasper Sanks? IC following in his footsteps?
BigTimeTechFan
November 1st, 2011
3:30 pm
They should play Nick Marshall in Wild Dog package, like McFadden used to do at Arkansas.
IlliniDawg
November 1st, 2011
3:30 pm
Gotta say, if this is for smoking weed, while they definitely deserve a suspension, we shouldn’t be so shocked. On my campus at least, a huge percentage of kids are lightin’ doobies these days. I don’t at all agree with it or condone it. But to act surprised and dismayed is to be in denial of today’s culture.
old dog
November 1st, 2011
3:31 pm
I wanna see this walk-on……he may not have Crowells tallent, but I betcha he ain’t huntin’ an excuse to come out of the game after somebody slobber-knocks him like Isaiah does. If Crowell doesn’t learn to take a lick and tick, we gonna have another Jasper Sanks………..
Loyal Fan
November 1st, 2011
3:31 pm
Where do people come of with these lies? I bet half of you didn’t even read the short article. Good for richt handing out all the suspensions now. See gt4ever, when our players do something wrong, we suspend them right away rather than have the ncaa come in and take a look around to find a cover up. Besides, you guys beat an overrated Clemson team, good job. You also lost to Virginia might I add not to long ago.
G-Dawg
November 1st, 2011
3:31 pm
Buck Blew and Hand solo deeznuts!!
Kmac
November 1st, 2011
3:32 pm
Can you say Branden Smith?
G-Dawg
November 1st, 2011
3:32 pm
Jenkins as tailback!! or let figgins pound the ball!! or spread it 5 wide!!
Tom
November 1st, 2011
3:33 pm
There you have it. The rumors from LAST WEEK were just somebody being clairvoyant.
Anyone interested in some land I have to sell?
GTBob
November 1st, 2011
3:33 pm
Uh oh. UGA may only win by 35 this weekend now.
kybodawg
November 1st, 2011
3:33 pm
with regards to crowell i have one comment. HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM
P_The_Ricker
November 1st, 2011
3:34 pm
gtfever,
a team with 1 arrest (dui) in 2011 is a team out of control?
you’re confused by the fact that UGA actually suspends players from games for disciplinary reasons, that are non-criminal. the list of schools that actually do so, are thin. see SC for example and Garcia’s 5 suspensions…..yet no missed games.
Cats hav fleas 2
November 1st, 2011
3:34 pm
@bgdawg
http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2011/09/29/rb-ken-malcome-returns-to-bulldogs-24-hours-after-asking-to-transfer/
BigTimeTechFan
November 1st, 2011
3:35 pm
“Besides, you guys beat an overrated Clemson team, good job”
At lest Clemson beat other ranked teams
you guys lost to an overrated Boise St team that has not beat anyone that’s a factor.
GT limpbizkit
November 1st, 2011
3:35 pm
To all you GT nerds: Do not forget you cheat so bad your ACC title was taken from you! Remember?
IlliniDawg
November 1st, 2011
3:36 pm
Interesting (and somewhat scary) parallels to Jasper Sanks, except for one thing: Crowell does not appear to be nearly half as stupid as Sanks. That poor guy was the dullest tool in the woodshed.
bgdawg
November 1st, 2011
3:37 pm
is IC tough enough to be an SEC back anyways? he hasn’t even gone against some of the best yet, and he seems to be already ready to call it quits. he also seems afraid to run straight through the middle, he always tries to bounce or tip toe through the line. even the CBS announcers mentioned it. crowell was tip toeing while samuel was running like a wild bull.
BurytheBone
November 1st, 2011
3:37 pm
Three tailbacks? My guess is can’t keep their trap shut. Its more to do with our culture. Kids aren’t taught to respect and be thankful for opportunites. They are in ME zone and think it is owed to them. If they are stars in high school and are problems its overlooked. A product of their environment. My generation are baby boomers……our fault? I’m afraid their generation is the” what have done for me lately”. Not to stereotype. Just my take.
BigTimeTechFan
November 1st, 2011
3:37 pm
To all you GT nerds: Do not forget you cheat so bad your ACC title was taken from you! Remember?
Only because GT has title to be taken, what would they have to take from UGA, maybe remove their top 10 recruiting rank
GT4never
November 1st, 2011
3:37 pm
Loser! Sccum bagg!
bigcalidawg@gmail.com
November 1st, 2011
3:38 pm
Wow……lightenin’ rod topic here, but nothin to worry about.
I think CMR has learned how to handle the prima donna tailbacks and is sitting IC more than he would have Washaun, or Caleb. My guess is that they were all gettin high and got walked in on, but hey, that was just me in college (most of my buddies were basketball players who smoked a lot). Kind of interesting to see them all laid out at once.
That being said, I could seriously see the entire team getting behind Harton and see that kid run for 100. They might score a special teams touchdown, or maybe a field goal, but they will not score on “O”. Everyone is back on “D”, and that unit is rising fast.
Hard to acknowledge……but this IS a Junkyard team. Our QB is ok at best. Our skill players are awesome, but not dependable, but that “D”. Coach Todd Grantham needs some love, y’all. That man can coach. Y’all wanna talk about Erk and all that, but even Erk came from somewehere. I love this dude. Look at that 2nd half. Those are NFL adjustments made at halftime. We need to lock that man up and show him our appreciation.
I know people talk about how we will get demolished if we go to the SECCG, but if our defense can stay healthy…… we are the 3rd best “D” in the league, behind Bama and LSU and are rising fast.
Just keep CTG and watch this team win some games 7-0.
Go Dawgs!
Dick Biggs
November 1st, 2011
3:38 pm
Georgia needs to do like the Atlanta Falcons do when considering which players to draft – put a black star by the names of athletes who have a questionable background and avoid them like the plague. I don’t care how good an athlete you are. If you can’t obey the rules and put team above ego, you don’t deserve to wear the red and black. Over and over again, these discipline problems crop up because certain players shouldn’t have been recruited in the first place. Yes, I know winning is important, but learning about life is more important. Coach Richt is a man of impeccable character and he’s trying to teach his players this crucial lesson. You aren’t going to play if you can’t behave.
BurytheBone
November 1st, 2011
3:39 pm
Gotta start proof reading after rants.
GT4never
November 1st, 2011
3:39 pm
Bigtimetechnerd: do your homework dbag!
Samuel is da man
November 1st, 2011
3:39 pm
i don’t wish injuries on anyone. however, if you are going to have a running back get injured for the remainder of the regular season i wished it would have been crowell instead of samuel.
samuel is the ultimate team player. this is crowell’s second suspension already. his days as a Dawg are getting shorter and shorter. there is only so much that CMR will take.
gdawginkalamazoo
November 1st, 2011
3:40 pm
Maybe throw Blair Walsh back there and let him run it.
Maybe one of these kids will break off a run longer than 29 yards. I know Boykin had the 80 yarder but that’s the ONLY long run we have had this year.
Harton is supposed to be a tough kid isn’t he? I hope. I wasn’t going to try and follow the game but now it might be interesting to see what these guys can do.
Smoking dope now days kids is not good for you. They can lace that crap with anything from PCP to meth. Do you want a future or not?
441North
November 1st, 2011
3:40 pm
Crowell is one and done. You heard it here first.
Spaceman Spiff
November 1st, 2011
3:40 pm
@ Illini
I agree in Crowell, but he just may be in other ways. He is loaded with talent but has no heart. It looks like a case of “me” rather than the team. I would imagine he will try to go to the NFl in a year or so. As much of a fan of UGA as I am, I think he should be given one more chance – any more after that and GONE.
Trojan
November 1st, 2011
3:41 pm
Rumor is that Crowell starting fighting the other running backs when they would not help him get all of his hair into him helment.
Rooster
November 1st, 2011
3:41 pm
Just a matter of time. I knew it. Crowell has already been suspended twice in his fresmen year. Richt and Bobo should have kept Ealey instead of running him off. He is averageing about 120 yds per game and no problems whatsoever at Jax state. Richt and bobo it is time for you to hit the road!!!
BurytheBone
November 1st, 2011
3:41 pm
@CALIDAWG, spot on.
Buckhead Bulldog
November 1st, 2011
3:41 pm
18-19 year old, young men. I don’t know…when I was a student at UGA I did some pretty stupid things for ALL four years. Hopefully, these cats will get some tough love and see the light sooner rather than later.
GTBob
November 1st, 2011
3:41 pm
If the rumors are true and they knew about the violations before the Florida game then how will UGA fans feel about it? Do you think it was the right thing to ignore the violations until the next week against New Mexico St?
padre
November 1st, 2011
3:42 pm
a long time ardent uga fan am i–live dawgs-follow everything. love cmr. However, there is something toxic at uga. very evident. some suggestions: (1) Hire a special teams coach now. (2) above all, the program needs a mentor-someone who has the ear of the players about behavioral matters. this kind of thing is just too common. These talented young men have such an opportunity to do something that will mold and shape their lives for all their future. And there is something missing in causing that to happen. This stuff is serious. It really does transend the success of a football program in terms if winning games, This is about life and it is embarrassing to the university and fans who earnestly support this team
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 1st, 2011
3:42 pm
Crowell is quickly becoming more of a problem than he is worth
Spaceman Spiff
November 1st, 2011
3:42 pm
@ BigTimeTechFan
You may have just had some title, but remember two things: the ACC is a WEAK conference and we OWN GT. Go back to your blogs, jealousy is very ugly…