Tailback Ken Malcome is on track for success with Bulldogs
Georgia's Ken Malcome has embraced his role on the team as a power runner who 'can carry the load.' (UGA photo by Rob Saye)
ATHENS – This past summer, Ken Malcome said he hoped Georgia fans would call him by his hometown nickname of “Boo.” Less than a year later, Malcome has put the kibosh on that.
“I actually kind of stopped that,” Malcome said this past week. “Next year if I have a good year, I’ll let people call me that. I figured I haven’t done anything so I don’t deserve to be called Boo yet. I’ve told everybody just to call me Ken for now.”
Silly as it may seem, such a proclamation is just another sign of the tremendous growth in maturity the Bulldogs are observing in Malcome. The soon-to-be redshirt sophomore from Decatur started at tailback for the No. 1 offense in the G-Day Game this past Saturday. Not even six months before that, Malcome sat in coach Mark Richt’s office informing him of his intention to transfer due to a lack of playing time and general unhappiness.
“I don’t know for sure how he’s going to finish, but he’s on a great track right now,” Richt said of Malcome after the G-Day Game. “It does my heart good to see guys that are struggling, that don’t think they can make it, that maybe make a mistake that’s foolish and they just think it’s over. And then they stick it out; they decide to do it ‘the Georgia way;’ and then all of the sudden you see how good a guy can be; and then you all of the sudden you see him get confidence and you’re happy for them.
“Ken has really blossomed for us, as a football player and as a student and as a person. I’m just real happy for him.”
It’s hard to ignore Malcome’s progress. Here’s what has happened with him since deciding to quit the team the week before the Mississippi State game in late September:
- He ended up starting the two of the last three games of the seasons and played in six overall, finishing with 174 yards on 42 carries.
- He led the Bulldogs with 51 yards rushing on 12 carries against Michigan State in the Outback Bowl and would’ve had more if he hadn’t been sidelined with concussion;
- He played extensively in the SEC Championship game and finished with 37 yards on five carries and caught a 17-yard pass;
- He got his first career start in his hometown against Georgia Tech. He ended up with just 39 yards on 12 carries but had some critical first-down runs in short-yardage situations late to help preserve the victory.
Accordingly, Malcome didn’t turn in a jaw-dropping performance in the G-Day Game, totaling 32 yards on 8 carries. But he scored two touchdowns and Malcome’s work came against a stout No. 1 Georgia defense. He did a lot of small things well, which continued to draw the praise of coaches and teammates.
“Ken Malcome ran hard and ran through some tackles on both touchdown runs,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “It’s hard to get any running room when you’re using 21 personnel groupings and doing different things with your tight ends and fullbacks. But I saw some creases, I saw him run the ball hard and make some guys miss.”
Said Richt: “Malcome had a run on third-and-one-or-two and he hit the right side and there was nothing there and he either spun off or cut back and just kind of knocked it out and got the first down. Those are the kind of tough yards you’ve got to get to move the chains.”
Understanding what the Bulldogs are expecting out of him has been half the battle for Malcome. After a redshirt year, Malcome found himself bowed up and determined to prove he could be everything to everybody when Isaiah Crowell came in this past summer with the tag as the nation’s No. 1 running back prospect.
Georgia has since added to that number, bringing in the nation’s top back for the second straight year in Keith Marshall, recruiting another highly-touted back in Todd Gurley and keeping Richard Samuel at tailback. But instead of being disillusioned by the situation, Malcome has decided to get better at what the coaches are asking him to do. Now it sounds as if Malcome has adopted the team concept and can see where he fits in, now and in the future.
“I think what I bring to the backfield is I can carry the load,” said the 6-foot, 226-pound bruiser. “I’m a power back and that’s what I plan to be. I know my strengths and weaknesses and that’s what I do. We’ve got a lot of people that have speed and other things. I know what I can do and I’m going to stick to it. I’m trying not to do too much; just go out there and do what Coach tells me to do.”
That is not to say that Malcome is suddenly a mild-mannered, shrinking violet. He still carries himself with the bravado and swagger that characterized his personality as a star running back at Southwest DeKalb. It just has been re-channeled after 18 months of trial and tribulation as just one of many elite athletes at a powerhouse program.
“The motto this year is to be the best backfield in America,” said Malcome, his braggadocio fully intact. “I think we’ve got some time to go before we can say that, but I definitely see the potential for us being the backfield that ESPN and everybody’s talking about. But we’ve got to keep working. We’ve got to cut out the mistakes and other things like that. But that’s why we practice and if we keep it up I really believe we’ll be the best backfield in the nation.”
And maybe if all goes well, Malcome will feel worthy again of being called “Boo.”
– Chip Towers, The UGA Blog
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158 comments Add your comment
CHDawg
April 17th, 2012
9:36 pm
GTBob, I think you missed the end of last season. Malcome ran very well. Did nicely against Tech, as a matter of fact. If my memory serves me, he started multiple games, including our bowl game, and he started GDay. The coaches are very pleased with his play, and they are talking him up. There is plenty of room for multiple TBs at UGA. Another 10 pounds of muscle, and he is going to be a headache to bring down. And don’t forget, sometimes our third and fourth string TBs go on to have NFL careers. This is tailback U you know. I wouldn’t get too excited about freshmen making an immediate impact. It happens, but it is very rare.
Hurt Kurbstreit
April 17th, 2012
9:47 pm
I’m pretty impressed with all the hard work Malcome has done and his terrific attitude. Glad he stuck around. He will be a good influence on the other RBs.
RHall55
April 17th, 2012
9:47 pm
CHDawg hit the nail on the head!!! O Line being an unknown!!! CWF, you have your work cut out for you!! An unproductive OL could be your demise!! You failed to bring in enough talent over the last (2) years: YEAR 1: Missing out on some topline OL; YEAR 2: Missing out again and only getting (3) OL LOI’s last year!! CWF, you better make up for it this year or start the re-buy of your house in Birmingham; C’mon Man!! “Win, Baby, Win”!!!
Dawg Haus
April 17th, 2012
9:50 pm
So true, kingdaddy! I loved watching him drag those LSU defenders with him in the Dome. Even though it was apparent who would come out on top in that game, Malcome just kept on fighting. Gotta love that kind of spirit. If all these articles about the continuing transformation of Crowell are true (have you read the latest one? http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/42118/support-for-crowell-grows-as-he-grows), Georgia will have a scary stable of horses next year.
being a hater is whack
April 17th, 2012
9:52 pm
my name says it all
Hairy Dawg
April 17th, 2012
10:00 pm
Yes sirs! I knew the Dawgs is loaded this year. With Malcome, Crowell and Marshal we got that talents to display power running game. Add that with the passes and our offenses can’t be stoppee. I knew its coming togethers right in time for Dawgs to own East and then knock off Bammers or LSUers on way to guaranted BCS win by SEC champs the Dawgs. And another thing is how Coach Grantham built defense into Junkyard! from replacing the Wet Willie. Then Coach Richt is doing such a good job recruiting that class likely be full by end of May. That allows us to pick and choose while stockpiling the talents. The only one can mess this up is Adams if in he tries to limit recruiting and stockpile of developmental practicing squad. But other than that things is set for Dawgs.
Go Dawgs!
Hairy Dawg
April 17th, 2012
10:02 pm
Enter your comments here
Hairy Dawg
April 17th, 2012
10:03 pm
stopped
slydog
April 17th, 2012
10:11 pm
Last year’s offensive line fit Malcolme’s strengths. This year’s line is more suited for the slash and burn style of Crowell and Marshall because of their lack of girth and experience. I am very curious to see how Richt and BoBo employ a little bit of a “power” running game into the scheme without disrupting the rhythm. This needs to be a run-oriented team in order to cut down on “pressure” game mistakes by Murray. More sprint draws and bootlegs for Murray would help. Georgia SHOULD finish no worse than 2nd in rushing in the SEC. Let’s just wait and see. Something tells me with the lack of secondary depth, Georgia will just try to run the ball down people’s throats for the first 4 games.
Randall "Pink" Floyd
April 17th, 2012
10:42 pm
Boo Malcome = Danny Ware.
Reporter Dawg
April 17th, 2012
10:57 pm
Boo is headed for the NFL if he sticks to the plan. I guarantee you he can play NFL ball. Keep it up young man!
CDAWG
April 17th, 2012
11:15 pm
Great article and good read. I too am pulling for Malcome. A lot of people were down on Crowell but I thought he did great as a freshman gaining 800 something yards. Kickoff will be here before we know it. God I hope the rest of our players stay out of trouble!
GT LIL Boob
April 17th, 2012
11:17 pm
I love to be gay
tech head coach
April 17th, 2012
11:27 pm
GTBob: 5:42pm:……Ken would be 1st string a Tech you dumb ace !!!!!!
GTBob
April 17th, 2012
11:32 pm
GTBob, I think you missed the end of last season. Malcome ran very well. Did nicely against Tech, as a matter of fact
He rushed for 39 yards on 12 carries against Tech. A 3.25 average and no TD’s. You have a weird definition of nicely. His career record right now is 51 yds. He still has yet to score a rushing TD. I have a hard time believing UGA fans would rather have that then what Crowell, Marshall, and Gurley potentially can do.
ben jones
April 17th, 2012
11:32 pm
Hurd Kurbstreit…We dont need positive influences we need a baller like Malcome to take over for pothead Isiah!
GTBob
April 17th, 2012
11:34 pm
GTBob: 5:42pm:……Ken would be 1st string a Tech you dumb ace !!!!!!
At what position? At best he would be in the mix at A-Back which means he might get a couple of carries a game. He wouldn’t compete at B-Back. We would probably move him to another position if he was on our team.
Adel Dawg
April 17th, 2012
11:43 pm
bobwhite, easy now bout Malcome running downhill..hes a powrback…not to be confused with SPEED like Crowell or our new 4.29 tb!
tide roll
April 17th, 2012
11:47 pm
Bobo saw a “crease”. Drug test the guy now! At least Richt was honest when he said “Nothing was there”. Is Bobo full of crap or what. He and Richt have put togerther the WORST offensive line in the Country, and are trying to use Malcolm’s abilities to make up for it. He’s going to get killed and Richt and Bobo know it. Thanks a lot. The best thing for Malcolm and Crowell and any other running back forced to run behind this line is to protect their future pro opportunities and RUN TENTATIVELY. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT hit it up in there assuming there’s going to be a hole. It could end your career.
Adel Dawg
April 17th, 2012
11:51 pm
Good early post GTBOB. He will #3 on his best day but cant cut the mustard with Crowell Samuels a and Marshall in front of him! Having wrote that…hes a Heisman on ur team!
tide roll
April 17th, 2012
11:52 pm
You guys know the saying: “There would be no wars if the Generals had to lead the first charge.” By the same token, “UGA would have an SEC caliber offensive line if Richt and Booboo had to line up and run behind it.” They got no problem putting what they got now out there as long as it’s Malcolm and Crowell, and not Richt and Booboo taking the punishment. What a great couple of guys!
Mike Shula
April 17th, 2012
11:53 pm
Why do you care, tideroll?
National Grantham
April 17th, 2012
11:56 pm
tide roll your words mean squat. We wont need to score but 1 point because well only allow 0!
GTBob
April 17th, 2012
11:57 pm
Having wrote that…hes a Heisman on ur team!
He wouldn’t even be a starter on our team.
Hairy Dawg
April 18th, 2012
12:48 am
Tide rolls is just another peace of Bama scums who making up stuff about UGA to trying to helps Saban steal our recruits. Tell him to keeps his flithy hands of players in GA until after Dawgs filled roster and practice developmental squads. Then we send you the leftovers scraps that you can steal from Yechies.
Joe Cox
April 18th, 2012
4:12 am
GT Bob. Georgia Tech is such a beautiful school and campus in Atlanta. You are downtown in the hub of the south. Aren’t you sick of losing? Shouldn’t you demand better out of your coaches and your athletic department for your football team? Paul Johnson’s plays are high school offense and they haven’t worked effectively. I think you could have it so much better…and the only successful season you have had with PJ was one where the wins were vacated because of cheating. I think you should stop wasting your time on Georgia blogs and write to your AD or the school president demanding that you should get the kind of program that gives UGA a run for its money. That you are sick of the kind of program that makes the pundits say Georgia has an ‘easy schedule’. The kind of program that would make you proud instead of angry; jealous and always venting on the blogs of your arch enemy. One that views you sadly as just a school that beats them once every decade. Or…better yet….do nothing at all. I guess I’d rather have Paul Johnson for a few more years! GO DAWGS 10-1!!!! 31-17!!!!
SEC Football Daily: April 18th | Saturday Down South
April 18th, 2012
5:40 am
[...] Don’t look now, but there is a new player in the game for Georgia at RB. And his name is not Isaiah Crowell or Keith Marshall – it’s Ken Malcome. Malcome had informed Mark Richt of his intention to transfer this past year, but he thought twice about it. “I think what I bring to the backfield is I can carry the load,” said the 6-foot, 226-pound bruiser. “I’m a power back and that’s what I plan to be. I know my strengths and weaknesses and that’s what I do. We’ve got a lot of people that have speed and other things. I know what I can do and I’m going to stick to it. I’m trying not to do too much; just go out there and do what Coach tells me to do.” [AJC] [...]
tell me again
April 18th, 2012
6:55 am
He has always been a pile mover ~ he’s grown up a bit since arriving – remember how mature YOU were when you first stepped on a college campus? Yeah, it takes time, folks. Good article. And GT Bob – you are pathetic. What a child.
Go Dawgs
April 18th, 2012
7:01 am
WOW….slowly this team seems to be geting it’s act together. I know it’s too early, but I like what I am hearing from certain players……now if they can just follow thru in the fall…..time will tell
Paddy
April 18th, 2012
7:26 am
CHDawg…..I also like Samuel at FB. We did not have a true FB last year and we were predictable. If you add him to wr’s sets not many linebackers could cover him for long.
You mentioned our line lost 3 starters and you have concerns about this new group. We could not protect Murray with the old group, we had a hard time moving the pile, so what is the problem. We needed a new group because the old group was not up to SEC standards. This new group of O-Linemen will be a source of pride for this team.
Jimmy Crack
April 18th, 2012
7:31 am
A stellar combo backfield of power and speed, along with a healthy defense, will win it all for us.
cuzzo
April 18th, 2012
7:48 am
i call him kennyboo cause we cussin……harris family… i go way back to the scottdale steelers……go dawgs
CHDawg
April 18th, 2012
7:53 am
Paddy, I hope you are right on the line. I certainly hope for the best with this bunch, and I have to say I was impressed with the nice drive against our D on GDay. If our line ends up being above average for the SEC, I think we will be tough to beat by anybody. Play calling can help them out, too. Being predictable and allowing opposing DCs to load the box every play makes the line’s job a lot harder imho.
slydog
April 18th, 2012
7:56 am
I can’t wait to see all the Missouri idiots on this blog come summer time…lol. And why is somebody from Tech bringing up SAT scores and academics? As a black male, I think college athletics is pathetic when it comes to educating athletes. They only have them on campus for one thing: football, football, and more football. They are only required, I think, to take a minimum 6 semester hours per term. Then their is practice, gym, film session, and running sessions everyday, if not twice a day. And here folks say “it’s not the coaches fault he doesn’t go to class” is a bit ignorant of the fact that it’s the coaches who occupy at least 12 hours of their day, except on Sunday. Unless that is, they play on Thursday night….lmao!!!!
Hairy Dawg
April 18th, 2012
8:23 am
The pointy heads keep bringing up SAT scores while the important thimg is Saturday scoreboards. These stupid pestky bugs just don’t understand that football is about playing football with talents not SAT scores. Even at UGA we got to keep Adams and his pointy heads from choking recruiting cause Dawgs run Athens. But that up to McG to stand up Adams and keeps him in check. And we know how to get talents from state and it not doing the gimmickey offense of that fat slobo loud mouth coaching techmites.
Go Dawgs!
Hairy Dawg
April 18th, 2012
8:24 am
thing not thimg
CHDawg
April 18th, 2012
8:26 am
GTBob, yes, Malcome got 39 yds on 12 carries, but let’s recall the game. Malcome got all 39 yards on 9 carries in the 4th qtr. What made this special was that Bobo wanted to run out the clock form 6.5 minutes, so he handed it to Malcome to attack the overloaded Tech front–four times in a row. Everybody knew we weren’t likely to throw, and Malcome still averaged 6 yards per carry. CMB ended up giving it to him *9* times in a row, and if you look at the tape, you will see that Tech finally brought everybody–pretty much all eleven defenders up to try and stop Malcome, which they couldn’t do. They finally did 39 yards and nine plays later in Tech territory, after the Dawgs ran the clock down to ~1.5 minutes and Tech had used their timeouts up. BTW, he showed similar strength in several other games. It is much more about seeing his ability and using your brain than looking at statistics. That is the knock on GT grads you know.
CHDawg
April 18th, 2012
8:27 am
from 6.5 minutes
Paddy
April 18th, 2012
8:28 am
CHDawg………agreed. When you are predictable, even the avg teams can make you look bad. Which happens to our Dawgs from time to time!
Lowcountry Bulldawg
April 18th, 2012
8:28 am
Ga looks like it may have plenty of speed backs so if Ken can be that short yardage, goal line back he will be invaluable to the team this year. Sounds like he certainly has come a long way and that really makes you feel good to know.
TY
April 18th, 2012
8:38 am
Give all the backs special plays to run and see if a defense does not quickly figure out Bobo’s play calling.
I-DOG
April 18th, 2012
8:42 am
Buzzzzz:
I can fly. Because I wrote this on the internet it is true. Every word of it. I don’t need to get into any specifics because the fact that I wrote this on the INTERNET makes it absolutely true. If I write it every month it will make it even more true.
Saw him vs Marist in HS game
April 18th, 2012
8:45 am
SWDekalb and Malcome vs Marist a couple of three years ago, he looked solid and at that time he had an ankle isse and also got to see the TJ Striping kid in the same game.
Ken can absolutley help UGA with his style of pounding it. I too saw some flashes in the GT game late and in other games like Mich State. If he stays healthy, along with I Crowell and MY MAN Richard Samuel, UGA will be hard to stop and this fact WILL TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF of A Murray. We should be more blanced than we have been in years on O. This is a key ………………..to play balanced O. Ken Malcome will be a huge part of that.
Abe Lincoln
April 18th, 2012
8:48 am
Redshirt the young backs. Give their bodies a chance to mature. In my opinion we have had problems by playing our young backs before they were ready. We need to sjgn 7 offensive Lineman in the next recruiting class.
here is a GT stat
April 18th, 2012
8:58 am
Counting 1967 with Bobby Dodd’s last year, GT has either had Dodd, or fired and hired a football coach every 4.4 years and LOUD MOUTH CPJ is entering his 4th year. This means that if he really does not win BIG this year, goes to another minior, minor bowl and LOSES his 4th in a row and he stumbles into year 2013 season, then um, ah, he will be fired. FACTS. This trajectory for him is very real. We will see when GT plays Va Tech, as to how real this CPJ DOWNWARD trajectory is.
YES, Coach Paul Johnson of Georgia Tech, is on the COLLEGE FOOTBALL HOT SEAT.
dawgfan
April 18th, 2012
9:07 am
Mike Bobo: “It’s hard to get any running room when you’re using 21 personnel groupings and doing different things with your tight ends and fullbacks.”
Well coach, maybe you should lay off the intricate “personnel groupings” and start working on getting that running room. Why on God’s green earth are we doing ANYTHING that makes it difficult to get running room?!?!?!?! I know its spring practice and you’re working on a lot of different things but after our struggles in the running game last year I cannot believe I just read that quote.
Mike Bobo simply does not get it and never will. This isn’t rocket science. He’s trying to make this offense run before it can even walk. Our offensive line cannot block a lick against a good defense and he’s working on 21 different personnel groupings?!?!?!?!?! LSU and Michigan State were 2 yards deep in our backfield on every single running play and he’s worried about doing “different things” with the tight ends and fullbacks?!?!?!?!?!?! We don’t need a complicated play book right now Bobo. This offense needs to get back to the basics. The offensive line needs to learn how to block and push people back. Murray needs to learn how to protect the ball better. The running backs need to learn how to not go down on first contact (something that happened a lot last year). All the fanch schmancy plays in the world will not do us any good until these things happen. One definition of stupidity is making something more complicated than it really is. Bobo is out to lunch.
Thanks.
Joey
April 18th, 2012
9:10 am
“I can’t wait to see all the Missouri idiots on this blog come summer time…”
********************************************
They won’t have to, slydog. The pitiful Techies, who live vicariously through any football program that has a actual chance to beat us, will be posting as, “Go Tigers,” “Missouri Guy,” “TigerFan,” etc.
Two weeks later, they will be Vandy fans . . .
Joey
April 18th, 2012
9:15 am
dawgfan, back in my days of playing football, if the opposing defense was constantly breaking into our backfield, we ran draws, delays, and screens.
I never see any of those from Bobo vs those good Ds. Just business as usual. Long pass, short run, a sack on 3rd and long.
3-and-out.
claytondawg
April 18th, 2012
9:24 am
Great story here. I’m looking forward to more RUNNING and QUICK SCREENS. Let’s keep the opposing defenses guessing.
BigTimeTechFan
April 18th, 2012
9:28 am
I will call him “Boo”
He earned it against my boys at Tech, looked real good. I was just glad he didn’t get the ball more.
Hat’s off to him, I never knew he was that down on himself and was thinking of leaving. For him to stick it out and get better it the way it should be done.