Despite missteps, Isaiah Crowell on pace to run down 1,000 yards
When Isaiah Crowell has stayed on the field, he has proven extremely effective. He has 821 yards rushing despite missing five quarters of play for disciplinary reasons. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
ATHENS — There has been a lot to complain about in Isaiah Crowell’s first season with the Bulldogs. The freshman tailback has been suspended twice for disciplinary reasons, has had some fumbling issues and has frustrated many with his inability to remain in games. But as Georgia prepares to face Kentucky in a game that could clinch the SEC East on Saturday, it is evident that Crowell is also pretty darn good at what he does on the football field.
Crowell (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) is on pace to become the Bulldogs’ first 1,000-yard rusher since Knowshon Moreno had, 1,400 yards in 2008. With 821 yards rushing, he has already surpassed Washaun Ealey’s production from a year ago (811). He is currently third in the SEC with an average of 91.2 yards per contest.
Getting to the 1,000-yard mark is something Crowell is determined to do.
“I want to get over 1,000 pretty bad,” said Crowell, who would be the only Bulldog other than Herschel Walker to do it as a true freshman. “My goal was to be a freshman All-American. I don’t know if that’s going to happen or whatever, but I definitely want to get a thousand. That was my goal at the beginning of the season and I want to be able to reach my goal.”
If the Bulldogs can keep him on the field, it’s likely Crowell will do that and then some. He’ll have four more chances to do so if Georgia can get past Kentucky this Saturday. If he averages 71 yards rushing in those games, he’ll move past Frank Sinkwich (1,103 yards in 1941) into Georgia’s top 10 for rushing yards in a season. An average of 145 yards moves him past Moreno (1,400, ‘08) into the top five of all time.
To run down any such marks, Crowell must prove more resilient than he has been the last half of the season. After recording 104 yards on 22 carries against Mississippi State on Oct. 1, Crowell has averaged 58 yards on 15 carries in the three games he played before Auburn last week. He had 17 carries in the second half alone and finished with 132 yards on 24 attempts as Georgia salted away victory last Saturday.
But once again, Crowell spent a significant period of time on the sideline when he got dinged up in the first half against Auburn. He hobbled out of the game at the 5:30 mark of the first quarter and didn’t play the rest of the half. Coach Mark Richt said this week Crowell is dealing with a minor knee injury.
Crowell’s penchant for coming out of games has called into question his durability and toughness. So far this season he has dealt with rib, wrist, elbow, thigh, knee and ankle injuries. None of them have been serious enough to keep him out of practices or games, however.
“I have always stayed pretty healthy,” said Crowell, who came to Georgia as the No. 1-rated running back prospect in America. “I’ve had, you know, small stuff, but it wasn’t back-to-back like this. … Something hurts all the time, but I’m getting used to it. It’s mostly aches and bruises.”
Crowell said Georgia’s coaches give him the option of removing himself from games, which he has done quite often. “I just wave and make sure Coach McClendon sees me,” he said.
“If I’m gassed or I’m hurt I want to come out because I want to be able to give 100 percent for my team,” Crowell explained. “If I’m not able to do my best I’d rather somebody else come in and do their best. When I get ready and think I can do my best then I’ll go back.”
Nonetheless, Crowell insisted he’s in good shape and that conditioning is not an issue. At this point in the season, he said he feels stronger than he has all year.
“I think I’m good and conditioned,” he said. “Doing it the whole season has helped me a lot. In practice they make me stay in a lot and do multiple plays and I think that has helped.”
Crowell’s 24 carries against Auburn were his most since getting 30 against Ole Miss on Spet. 24.
“It’s all about preparation during the week,” he said. “Me and Carlton did a lot during that week we were out and I think we both did well. I think my legs were fresh. You just have to be prepared to work during the week so I can be ready for the game.”
Of course, Crowell would be closer to 1,000 if not past it already had he not missed five quarters of play for disciplinary reasons. The suspensions coupled with Georgia’s SEC championship pursuits seem to have reinvigorated Crowell.
“Our team worked hard for this,” he said. “There were a lot of negative things people were saying at the beginning of the season. I think we got through it, we ignored the noise and, you know, just kept pushing and fighting and kept working hard. Now that people are saying positive things we’ve still got to ignore the noise. When we were doing bad everybody was on our back about that, now they’re on our back about doing good. That’s just how people are. So you have to ignore it and keep working hard.”
If Crowell can stay the course, major accomplishments could await.
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554 comments Add your comment
GT Joe
November 17th, 2011
4:25 pm
Let’s see Terry:
ACC Defenses (total yards allowed):
#8 FSU
#9 VT
#30 UVA
#33 NCSU
#44 Miami
#45 GT
#48 UNC
#52 Clemson
ACC defenses are horrible huh.
What's the deal
November 17th, 2011
4:26 pm
Why are there a half dozen UGA articles every day that we can comment on but there is only 1 tech article that allows comments? Yet there are still more techies on the UGA blogs?
BiggdawgK
November 17th, 2011
4:30 pm
gt joe
Calm down. Those stats were compiled against other acc teams. Is that really supposed to impress anyone? Even against the pathetic acc you only have 2 teams in the top 10 barely and then there is a huuuuuuuge drop off.
GT Joe
November 17th, 2011
4:33 pm
biggdawgK: the definition of “drop off” is the SEC after LSU, bama and arky.
UGA’s #5 defense ranking is compiled against the worst AQ conference division, offensively speaking, the SEC Least.
GT Joe
November 17th, 2011
4:34 pm
biggdawk: ACC vs. SEC is 5-5 in the last 10. Thanks for playing.
Why you buggin
November 17th, 2011
4:38 pm
GT Joe and GTBoB your still here
Sad, I just got home and grabbed a beer and you guys are still spitting “Facts” lol. I get the point, UGA has played no one, the SEC is weak and you have no job.
One Question, what will all this mean when GT loses again to UGA for the 10th time in 11 years? I would keep my mouth shut or at least build up UGA so the loss does not look so bad. IMHO
BiggdawgK
November 17th, 2011
4:39 pm
gt joe Do us a favor and list those games and the scores since you have the stats in front of you. Thanks in advance.
GT Joe
November 17th, 2011
4:41 pm
Here you go biggdawgK:
http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/23094/2011-acc-vs-sec-prediction
Add in the clemson beat down of auburn this year, that makes 5-5.
Terry
November 17th, 2011
4:42 pm
GT Joe don’t you have four more teams in the ACC?
Total Defense ACC
Duke-74th
Maryland-104th
Boston College-67th
Wake Forest-62nd
GTBob
November 17th, 2011
4:42 pm
One Question, what will all this mean when GT loses again to UGA for the 10th time in 11 years?
That one mediocre team was slightly better then another mediocre team. Oh wait, you guys beat Auburn so you are the best team in the country. I forgot.
GT Joe
November 17th, 2011
4:43 pm
buggin: if we lose to UGA this year, it won’t surprise me. If we win, it won’t surprise me. It’s basically a coin flip game.
I NEVER said we’d beat you guys. But all you mutts are certain you will be us. As I see it, we’re about equal, and it will be a 1 possession game just like the other games under CPJ.
GT Joe
November 17th, 2011
4:44 pm
Yes Terry, no where near as bad as your SEC Least offenses. average #99? come on man.
GT Joe
November 17th, 2011
4:46 pm
Aside from the Clemson win over Auburn this year, I can see the ACC going 4-1 vs. the SEC, maybe 5-0. Here are the rest of the games:
Clemson vs. South Carolina, Florida State vs. Florida, Georgia Tech vs. Georgia and Wake Forest vs. Vanderbilt.
Terry
November 17th, 2011
4:46 pm
GT Joe, where do you get Clemson beat down Auburn? This was the head line after the game.
Clemson rallies to end Auburn’s 17-game win streak
Now here is the head line after the UGA game
Red-hot Georgia stomps Auburn
Terry
November 17th, 2011
4:48 pm
GT Joe, Thats what the Auburn fans were saying.
GT Joe
November 17th, 2011
4:48 pm
624 total yards on a “vaunted SEC defense” is a beat down. Did UGA do that?
Terry
November 17th, 2011
5:00 pm
GT Joe, Auburn had 435 total yard against that stell defense of Clemson, Auburn had 195 total yard against UGA. UGA had 528 against Auburn, UGA score 45 point, Clemson 38- Auburn score 24 points on Clemson, Auburn score 7 on UGA, In a word Yes.
Eaassyy
November 17th, 2011
5:01 pm
I don’t think Arkansas is all that good either.
GT Joe
November 17th, 2011
5:02 pm
Okay terry, and this is relevant how?
Again, the ACC is 5-5 in the last 10 vs. the SEC, and could go 5-0 this year. SEC is no longer “vaunted”. 3 teams and 9 dwarfs.
Terry
November 17th, 2011
5:06 pm
GT Joe, It just come to me your the last word freak, well this is my last word, so have at it.
Why you buggin
November 17th, 2011
5:13 pm
BiggdawgK
November 17th, 2011
5:23 pm
gt joe
Thanks for the link. I noticed they predicted Georgia would curb stomp tech (again)
Lowcountry Bulldawg
November 17th, 2011
5:42 pm
The SEC is no longer “vaunted”? Because of one year? Well after 5 straight BCS titles I think the SEC may have earned the right to have a slightly “down” year if you consider 2 teams in the top 5 of the BCS a down year. Also Arkansas in the Top 10 and UGA slightly outside of the top 10. If that is a down year what would you call the ACC since its incorporation of the “vaunted” U and Va Tech? I guess that would be a colossal failure when such great hopes where pinned on those programs.
Beltway Dawg
November 17th, 2011
5:43 pm
@True Fan
That is exactly what I was thinking. If he had bums behind him, I would like to see him “tough it out.” This league is a beast!! Backs need to pace themselves when they can and not play hurt or tired. That can put the team in a tight spot.
BurytheBone
November 17th, 2011
5:43 pm
Just got home and couldn’t even bare to read thru the BS. I do know the kid is avg. as many carries as trent r., and not far behind him in YPC. He has played hurt when he shouldn’t have, but we needed him. The dawgs are much better with him on the field than without. If for no other reason than tokeep the defense honest.
bitter trolls
November 17th, 2011
5:43 pm
let hardon and the white boy run—————crow face knows smoking dope—-doppie
bitter troll
November 17th, 2011
5:47 pm
they ask H.WALKER after 54 carries is he was tired????he resonded by saying—–
————————-THE FOOTBALL AINT HEAVY————–A TRUE HERO
GTBob
November 17th, 2011
5:49 pm
I do know the kid is avg. as many carries as trent r., and not far behind him in YPC.
Actually he averages less carries then Richardson and much less YPC then Richardson.
speedy columbus ga
November 17th, 2011
5:52 pm
crowell is a beast
BurytheBone
November 17th, 2011
5:54 pm
YPC 6.8 TO 4.9……. TOUCHES 18.75 TO 18.25
BurytheBone
November 17th, 2011
5:56 pm
Trent is leaving for the NFL……….CROWELL IS JUST A FRESHMAN,,,,, mr. DUMASS
Contractor
November 17th, 2011
6:11 pm
Terry at 1:00 PM,
I’m sorry, but you’re an idiot. You are a complete fool if you wouldn’t take Lattimore over Crowell. The 30 carry average was a talking point, and it is proven he is like Trent Richardson in that he only gets better as the game progresses and his touches increase. I am a Georgia fan and obviously respect a player more when he chooses my school over another, but the production of Lattimore has been more consistent and valuable to his team. Just think if we had Lattimore last year, I guarantee we don’t kick a field goal against Central Florida on a 4th and 1, we stick his 230 pound butt up the middle and test their toughness. I like Crowell, hope he matures, and reaches his potential, but saying you’d take him over a Lattimore just shows that your football intelligence ceases to exist,
Dawgbreath
November 17th, 2011
6:21 pm
Just wish he had the class the Lattimore kid has. And the talent.
Jordan
November 17th, 2011
6:22 pm
http://isportsweb.com/2011/11/17/uga-vs-uk-preview/
bitter DOPE SMOKING troll
November 17th, 2011
6:29 pm
HERSHALL WALKER————-the ball aint heavy——–54 carries——thats a man
———————————–UGA SUPER-STAR————never be another
B'dawg
November 17th, 2011
6:39 pm
WOW! KANSAS WAS A POWERHOUSE!
DawginTX
November 17th, 2011
7:18 pm
Let’s take a look at the ACC vs SEC debate. The ACC fans are pounding their chests because of an ESPN blog projecting that the ACC would go 3-2 vs the SEC. According to the same source’s power rankings, here are the matchups:
Clemson (1) vs. Auburn (6)
Clemson (1) vs. South Carolina (5)
Florida State (3) vs. Florida (7)
Wake Forest (6) vs. Vanderbilt (8)
Ga Tech (5) vs. Georgia (4)
Of course, one is already in the books. And with the SEC likely to get two teams in the BCS as usual, and the ACC only one, the Chick-fil-A will pit ACC (2) vs SEC (6) and the Music City will pit ACC (6) vs. SEC (8). So if the SEC does win 2 out of the next 4 and 3 of the next 6, I would say that is pretty good. There still won’t be a question of which is the dominant conference.
There is a reason why the Chick-fil-a Bowl has the match up the way they do, and it’s because a middle-of-the-road SEC team is about as good as a top tier ACC team. Since the Peach Bowl has gone to the ACC-SEC matchup the ACC leads 10-9. Pretty even, but it had to be stacked the way it is to such parity.
Love My Dawgs
November 17th, 2011
7:26 pm
Nice article. For all the skeptics he’s had coming in and all the critics he’s had since (and some of it was self-inflicted), the kid has already proven to be as good as advertised on the field. For those of us who understand he game, we KNOW that it’s a big diference between ANY high school division in the nation and the SEC. IC could run for 150 yards on 8 carries at Carver High School (CTown) and sit the entire fourth quarter. It’s a “transition”….we’re talking about on the field here. Off the field….also a transition. All the meeting, sessions, the media, etc….a transition. The Drug Suspension…that was 100% Isaiah’s fault. It upset me just like the rest of you, but I can’t hang that over his head. Selfish…yes. Unforgiveable…not at all. As long as he learned his lesson and his team forgives him…hey…I’m okay and he’s okay with me. Back to the FIELD. It’s a bigger stage, more pressure to live up to, and it’s the SEC. ON THE FIELD…the kid has passed with flying colors. There will NEVER be another Herchel Walker….NEVER. Those comparisons should not even be spoken. But Isaiah Crowell will be a star in this league. He’s not a bad kid…he’s not a problem. We’re just in a media age and his every move can be moniored and reported. I WILL admit that he’s always been a Rock Star…and I can’t say that’s his fault. That’s where CMR and his staff come into play. Bring him down to earth and make him more TEAM focused. I think it’s happening and I look forward to two more years of great things from the kid and hopefully three years of Keith Marshall. GO DAWGS! Beat Kentucky, Tech, ARKANSAS, and win a BCS Bowl!!!
GulfShoresDawg
November 17th, 2011
7:46 pm
Ga. fans, cut out this sh*t…he is a true freshman… mareno was redshirted…think you can come right out of HS and play in the NFL lite league…stop the hell with the negative comments on one of our dogs!
GulfShoresDawg
November 17th, 2011
7:56 pm
AND I MEAN STOP IT!
ugab
November 17th, 2011
8:03 pm
Why is everyone bashing IC? IC has done a great job for us this year as a freshmen. Moreno had one year on the scout team. Moreno took his self out of the game, also. It is going to be hard to find another rb as good as Hershel. Latamore is a workhorse back. Crowell will get used to the college life. I love to see him run the ball. IC has got talent.
ugab
November 17th, 2011
8:06 pm
IC is also a young man. Young men learn from their mistakes. Give the young man a break.
Idiot Dawg
November 17th, 2011
8:06 pm
That Crowell fella can runs pretty good! I don’t think I would wan’t to tackle him. I sure hope Herschel told him about the sit-ups and push-ups. A couple of thousand each day and he will be inflicting bumps and bruises. I will say that red sure does look good on him!
Sam
November 17th, 2011
8:06 pm
Amazing video of a high school senior from Columbia TN who kicks the ball dead straight 75-80 yards in the air. He was successful on 54 of 54 attempts this season….100%. Now he needs a college team. For some crazy reason, he wants to go to Georgia…not sure why?
Watch for yourself…it is unreal!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_JKwgwFY3g
ugab
November 17th, 2011
8:09 pm
It is just great to see the dawgs with an actual running game this year!!! The players are playing together this season. LET’S GO DAWGS BEAT KENTUCKY. IC GET UR 1000 YARDS THIS GAME!!! FINSH THE DRILL. THE GA WAY.
dogdawg
November 17th, 2011
9:01 pm
The jury is still out on Crowell,but the biggest reason our Dawgs are playing for the east is the DEFENSE LINE. Coach Gratham deserves a lot of credit. The o-line is the second reason.I sure didn’t think I would be saying that with how thin we were but, GO YOU HAIRY DAWGS!!!!!
FLA DAWG
November 17th, 2011
9:18 pm
Despite his off field problems, perhaps immaturity and inability to Wide Open Throttle for 4 qtrs, this kid could be one of the greatest.
If this lad could be taught some self control off field, self responsibility and field toughness then I believe he could easily surpass Moreno………………..Herschell?…………maybe!………It’s all up to I. C.
Good Dawg!
FLA DAWG
November 17th, 2011
9:22 pm
dogdawg,
I couldn’t have said it better.
I never thought The Dawgs would win the East (probably) and have a real shot at The SECC.
Yep, the schedule has certainly helped them this season but that is decided years in advance.
The O Line should have been able to stop Boise State (they just lost to TCU for God’s sake!) and Garcia tried to give us the SC Game but we were too inept to take it.
If our Dawgs can win or show a respectable loss to LSU then I’m a believer again.
If we are rolled over then Richt and his band should be dismissed like an afterschool misbehavior class at 6:00!
guy
November 17th, 2011
9:42 pm
How many times did Herschal (spelling)Walker wave to the sidelines to be taken out because he was winded?
Mike the Tiger
November 17th, 2011
10:00 pm
Before the puppies start Heisman talk, let’s see what Crowell does against LSU. I bet he will be on the bench with a boo boo before the second quarter.