Georgia drags major tailback dilemma into Georgia Tech game (UPDATED)
Georgia has already displayed recognitiion of its 2011 SEC Eastern Division championship on the wall of the team meeting room at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. (AJC)
UPDATE (6:20 P.M.) Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said he expects both Carlton Thomas and Isaiah Crowell to play at tailback. . . .
ATHENS — The question posed to Georgia coach Mark Richt was a simple one. His answer was not.
Richt was asked what the Bulldogs’ tailback rotation might look on Saturday against archrival Georgia Tech. In a nutshell, he either legitimately does not know or is not saying.
“I don’t know the answer to that,” Richt said at his weekly news conference Tuesday at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. “We have to sort through it. It’s just not cut and dry. I don’t know who is going to start. I don’t even know who’s going to play 100 percent. But we’re working our way through it and we’ll know more by the end of the week. I don’t know what I’ll announce, but right this second I do not know exactly how it’s going to come out.”
There are a number of issues facing the Bulldogs at their prestige position:
- No. 1 tailback Isaiah Crowell was limited to two carries for 11 yards this past after spraining his left ankle. Initially, Richt expressed optimism that Crowell would be able to go Saturday. Now he says he’ll be in a green, non-contact jersey for Tuesday’s practice and his status is questionable.
- No. 2 tailback Carlton Thomas is coming off his third-one-game suspension of the season on Saturday and Richt has remained vague about what his status will be for Saturday’s game. “I don’t know that answer right now.,” Richt said Tuesday.
- No. 3 tailback Richard Samuel, who had ankle surgery on Nov. 1, is now practicing in a limited capacity but is not ready to come back. “We hope he’s in the mix next week,” Richt said.
- Nos. 4 and 5 tailbacks Brandon Harton and Ken Malcome combined for three fumbles this past Saturday. At this point they have seriously breached the coaches’ trust regarding ball security. “We’ve got some guys that need to learn to hold onto the football,” Richt said.
So the rotation, Richt said, will be determined in practice this week.
“I want to see them practice,” he said. “I guess competition is the hold up, deciding through competition who deserves to start, who deserves to play.”
Despite its many issues Georgia has had this season, it has managed to run the ball fairly effectively throughout. The Bulldogs are fourth among SEC teams in rushing at 185.4 yards per game and they’ve had three different players bust the 100-yard barrier.
That will be especially important against the ball-hogging Yellow Jackets.
“We always like to run the football,” Richt said. “But you have to have backs who can do it and some backs who are willing to hang on to the football in the process. The thing about this game is every possession really is pretty crucial.”
– Chip Towers
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248 comments Add your comment
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
4:52 pm
If you throw in the fact that UGA sends more players to the NFL, it actually skews it more in UGAs favor.
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
4:53 pm
Delbert – That is impressive. Let’s just hope GT wasn’t in cahoots with the Atlanta School Board. Kidding of course.
The Institute
November 22nd, 2011
4:53 pm
Chris, the Institute doesn’t hand out diplomas.
Apples and oranges, homeboy.
DawginLex
November 22nd, 2011
4:54 pm
Chip
It’s all over the internet that Richt is leaving.
Any truth or any discussion?
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
4:54 pm
The Institute – Neither of them do. I attended both.
JP
November 22nd, 2011
4:55 pm
@Chip
What happened to Kyle Karempelis? Is he getting any look at all this week? He didn’t look terrible against New Mexico State (I know, I know).
Eaassyy
November 22nd, 2011
4:55 pm
do you have links Lex?
Dawg48
November 22nd, 2011
4:58 pm
Lex
What I saw about it last night on dawgs247 some guys from Alabama started the rumor and ran with it! It started before the season opened, you can go to dawgs 247 and read all about it.
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
4:58 pm
Richt wouldn’t leave before the end of his contract. If he were to leave, it would be at the end of his deal.
DawginLex
November 22nd, 2011
4:59 pm
I hope it’s not true but I would not be surprised.
I don’t like the 2 candidates mentioned
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2011
4:59 pm
Lex – That is an unusual site. I guess if they’re taking bets on it…
The Institute
November 22nd, 2011
4:59 pm
Chris, please don’t compare the difficulty of getting a Tech degree to a UGA degree.
That’s just ignorance.
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
5:01 pm
The Institute – Unless you have attended both schools, I’d say you are the ignorant one.
DawginLex
November 22nd, 2011
5:01 pm
the rumor is apparently a bunch of crap
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2011
5:02 pm
By the same writer, Mark Mayer on the same site today:
“I’D RATHER SEE NCAA FOOTBALL’S SEC TAKE ON THE IVY LEAGUE
November 22, 2011 3:00 AM by Mark Mayer
VIP: On the Mark | How about “Occupy Subdivision” concocted by some SEC teams last Saturday. Citadel-South Carolina, Furman-Florida, Samford-Auburn, Georgia Southern-Alabama.”
Okay….
Dawg48
November 22nd, 2011
5:03 pm
Lex
Did you go to dawgs 247?
wmg
November 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
Interesting game. Both teams have played very well at times, both have stunk.So it all depends on who shows up to play. One thing UGA has going for it – the offensive line has come on a bit and is opening up holes. And the UGA defense really is a major improvement over last year.
If the two teams play to form, I think Georgia get the nod. But it’s so hard to tell with this game and that’s what makes it – for me at least – one of the best games of the year to watch.
Luckily, I’m not a big fan of either team. I moved here from Arkansas and it’s hard to change teams, even after all these years in Atlanta. I root for both UGA and Tech usually but am not in the fanatical fan category … so much so that I have no idea who I hope wins. Usually, in this game, I root for the team that’s behind.
I think it’s fairly apparent that UGA is the strongest of the two but I honestly think Tech has the best coach of the two. So it ought to be a lot of fun.
The Institute
November 22nd, 2011
5:04 pm
LOL, right Chris.
Put it this way, the average SAT at Tech is about 150 points higher. And even with superior students, we have a lower graduation rate for all students. Those kids usually transfer to UGA or GSU.
That should tell you the school is hard. I can’t believe I’m even debating academic merits with a mutt fan. My IQ is dropping just talking to you.
Sam
November 22nd, 2011
5:07 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.
Watch for yourself…it is unreal! Wants to go to GT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_JKwgwFY3g
Chris
November 22nd, 2011
5:07 pm
The Institute – The fact that your IQ is dropping has nothing to do with me. Good luck with that.
DOGZ
November 22nd, 2011
5:09 pm
Hey Institute,does the name Tryone Sorrells ring a bell?
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2011
5:13 pm
SAM aka Richard, would you stop with that link post? 2 weeks is enough. By the way, it’s obvious most of it is looped. Everybody else, please disregard.
A Dawg's Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
5:15 pm
Institute, we are talking about football players, not the whole school, and remember that neither SAT scores nor grades predict success perfectly. Just like having 4-5 star recruits to Tech’s 2-3 stars doesn’t guarantee success Saturday. I would be willing to bet that over the last 10 years, Georgia’s football players have a much higher average salary than Tech’s for the first 10 years out of college. Before you get excited, just type in Stafford, Moreno and Green’s numbers and see what that does to the averages.
The Institute
November 22nd, 2011
5:15 pm
Nope. But I love mutt history. Please. Go ahead sir.
The Institute
November 22nd, 2011
5:16 pm
“remember that neither SAT scores nor grades predict success perfectly”. LOL.
A common refrain from people who had neither high SAT scores nor high grades.
Mobile Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
5:16 pm
Reference the article by Chip, Bobo just needs to earn his $$$. Come up with a game plan utilizing the fullbacks, Boykin and Smith, along with the servicable tailbacks we have. Keep things loose for the passing game. No one player, or person for that matter is bigger than this program. I’m sick and tired of the controversy surrounding the tailbacks. I say recruit a blue chipper that’s in the mold of a Richardson, Samuel, that has a proven track record. IC may become the greatest ever, but I seriously doubt it.
A Dawg's Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
5:17 pm
Isn’t it funny what a simple discussion about 20 year old tailbacks morphs into during G/GT week! Trailer park fashion, SAT scores, and average salaries, and oh yeah…old fashioned hate. Let the Big Dawg Eat!!!
The Institute
November 22nd, 2011
5:17 pm
Please, all this talk about academics is showing your ignorance. For YOUR sake, let’s drop that and move on to football. Something that we actually compete on.
The Diesel
November 22nd, 2011
5:18 pm
There was a post put on here earlier that was not by me,but my nephew who thought it was funny.Please disregard the post and delete it if need be.Sorry about that folks.
A Dawg's Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
5:18 pm
That is a fine rationalization, Institute, but what I am saying is very true. UGA grads have much higher salary.
A Dawg's Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
5:19 pm
average salaries.
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2011
5:21 pm
NYTimes story on people are dropping out of science majors:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/06/education/edlife/why-science-majors-change-their-mind-its-just-so-darn-hard.html?ref=science
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2011
5:24 pm
Football? The 2 teams are going to compete on Saturday. None of us can do anything about that.
I'm ready coach
November 22nd, 2011
5:33 pm
Just go into a 5 receiver look, and put boykin in there for his last 2 games. Spread the Defense, and Murray can scramble for 5 when we need him to.
A Dawg's Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
5:33 pm
Institute, I was mostly harassing you for amusement, but you did make one comment that needs a serious rebuttal. You implied that the reason GT’s football grad rates are horrendously lower than UGA’s is that the school is so much harder. I would agree it is harder in most majors. But which school is using the kids? You know your school is too difficult for reasonable numbers to graduate, as you admitted, yet you use these kids for their football skill (and the millions that brings your school) and then you discard them without degrees? That doesn’t sound too nice to me. I wouldn’t pursue that line anymore.
gap
November 22nd, 2011
5:37 pm
Other Than Uzzi and perhaps Attachou is there player on Techs offense or defense that’s on Georgia 2 deep? Johnson might get some time at Safety.But beyond that?
TampaDawg
November 22nd, 2011
5:44 pm
So there we have it. Two schools based in the fine state of Georgia and one argues that the other is so vastly superior to the other in academics. But alas, there is proof out there from a third party that though GT rates higher (and this is assuming of course that you put stock in a college degree being the key to success .. and if you want to argue that it does, I will eat your lunch and laugh at you while I do), they are not so vastly higher than UGA that the phrases “handing out diplomas” and “worthless degree” actually apply.
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities
So, if you really want to have a debate, please bring data to the table. I have, again, admitted that UGA fell short of GT on this list, but to discredit a university who is listed in the top 100 schools in the nation academically is truly ignorant. But again, the key to success in a college degree? Hardly. Carry on soldiers!
Richard
November 22nd, 2011
5:45 pm
I hope not, but any chance the Carlton issue is an NCAA one? And thus the reason for all the secrecy.
Dawg48
November 22nd, 2011
5:47 pm
Richard
He was caught sneaking a girl into his hotel room.
duronimo
November 22nd, 2011
5:48 pm
I wondered why the big white running back with the unusual name has been kicked to the curb. His stats were as good or better than Harton’s. But let’s appeal to the record and let it speak. Crowell is apparently, not durable enough to be an SEC back and he fumbles. Tomas and Harton are too small to take an SEC “hit” without coughing up the ball. Malcome … apparently some hidden problems and fumbles. And then there is Samuel. He’s big enough but has only used that size in a couple of games in four years. So …. let’s try “whitey”.What could it hurt?
ARdawg
November 22nd, 2011
5:49 pm
Without some credible threat on the run, we likely lose. The passing game don’t know which team it plays for
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2011
5:54 pm
CMR’s comments, or rather non-comment on Thomas is interesting. What’s the big decision, one that he can’t make? Due process of some sort?
davidinloganville
November 22nd, 2011
5:56 pm
The Institute
November 22nd, 2011
5:16 pm
“remember that neither SAT scores nor grades predict success perfectly”. LOL.
A common refrain from people who had neither high SAT scores nor high grades.
yours is a common refrain from someone who had neither good looks nor good success with the ladies.
Bob
November 22nd, 2011
6:00 pm
I think this is a smart move by CMR…why tip your hand before you have to? Frostproof is probably gone, IC1 probably won’t be eligible for the bowl game, and Malcome is a flake. Harton has heart, courage, and desire to win, so he’ll start. And, he’ll help us win.
Augusta Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
6:04 pm
We didn’t win the East in 2007…Tennessee did. What’s up with the picture?
19
November 22nd, 2011
6:05 pm
It’s doubtful Georgia will have RB problems. Too many athletes. Maybe a couple will play both sides. I’d also say IC will gets some carries. Running Figgins would very interesting.
Sorry, I do not hate. I hope it’s a great game!
Dawg48
November 22nd, 2011
6:06 pm
Crowell will start
Thomas #2 then harton then malcome 3&4
Dawg48
November 22nd, 2011
6:07 pm
Augusta
It was a tie
Tennessee won the head to head and went to the dome.
Augusta Dawg
November 22nd, 2011
6:08 pm
Only one set of rings right?
kb
November 22nd, 2011
6:08 pm
Both Crowell and Thomas are practicing.