UPDATE III: Georgia TB Isaiah Crowell dismissed after weapons arrest
Georgia tailback Isaiah Crowell, who rushed for 850 yards as a freshman last season, was expected to start for the Bulldogs this fall. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
UPDATED: CROWELL DISMISSED FROM TEAM
ATHENS – Georgia tailback Isaiah Crowell has been dismissed from the team following his arrest early Friday morning on three weapons charges.
Georgia coach Mark Richt made the announcement in short news release sent out by UGA Sports Communications at 5 p.m. on Friday.
“We have a dedicated and committed group of men who are working hard to prepare for the coming season,” Richt said. “Our total focus will be directed toward the team and this effort.”
Crowell, a sophomore from Columbus, was booked at 3:37 a.m. on charges of possessing a concealed weapon, having a weapon in a school zone and having an altered ID mark on that weapon. His bond, originally set at $7,500, was raised to $9,500 late Friday morning. According to booking records, Crowell was released early Friday afternoon.
According to the police report, four other Georgia football players were also in Crowell’s vehicle, including three 2012 freshman signees. Those persons were outside linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemons, wide receiver Blake Tibbs and defensive back Sheldon Dawson. Also present was sophomore defensive back Quintavius Harrow. None of the four were charged.
According to Athens-Clarke police spokesperson Hilda Sorrow, Crowell was arrested at a “vehicle check-point” — or road block — on East Campus Road at Green Street at 2:20 a.m. Friday. Officer Kathryn Thornton reported smelling the odor of marijuana in Crowell’s silver four-door 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis. Crowell gave consent to search the vehicle, himself and four other occupants. No marijuana was discovered but a black 9-mm Luger handgun with an altered serial number was found under the driver’s seat. Crowell was immediately arrested and taken to jail.
According to the police report, Crowell denied knowing the gun was in the car and said people drive the vehicle. He. The owner of the vehicle is listed as Crowell’s mother Debbie. The report also indicted that the five were coming from the nightclub Aftermath, where Crowell said the smell of marijuana originated.
The police report also indicated that Crowell has no criminal history.
Crowell’s mother, Debbie, was clearly distressed when reached by telephone Friday. “I don’t want to talk to a reporter right now,” she said. “”If I want to talk to anybody it’s God.”
Crowell, who came to UGA in 2011 as the No. 1-rated running back prospect in America, was slated to start for the Bulldogs at tailback this season. He rushed for 850 yards and 5 touchdowns as a freshman despite missing playing time due to suspensions and injuries. He was benched for the first quarter of the Vanderbilt game on Oct. 15 as a punishment for an undisclosed disciplinary infraction and he was suspended for the Nov. 5 New Mexico State game, reportedly for failing a drug test.
With Crowell out of the fold, Georgia will turn to redshirt sophomore Ken Malcome and senior Richard Samuel to carry the load early on, along with junior Brandon Harton. The Bulldogs also signed Keith Marshall of Raleigh, N.C. — the top running back prospect in the country, according to 247Sports.com — and four-star prospect Todd Gurley of Tarboro, N.C., to play running back. Marshall enrolled in January.
Marshall and other running backs were offering support for Crowell via Twitter.
“Pray for Isaiah & that he will learn from his mistake,” wrote Marshall from @Truthh4.
Derrick Henry, a highly-touted running back prospect from Florida who once was committed to Georgia, also weighed in via his Twitter account, @KingHenry_2: “Pray for Crowell instead [of] bashing him . . . because everyone wasn’t raised the same. . . . So everyone should just pray he sees a better way”
More information to come when it’s available.
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1,565 comments Add your comment
John
June 29th, 2012
11:09 am
If this is true, it’s time to cut him loose and get serious with a kid who appreciates and respects the opportunity, not sucks it dry
HOUDAWG
June 29th, 2012
11:09 am
Always try my best to support & give 2nd chances, but in this case ….. hope his A$$ is GONE !
Don’t see this punk changing his stripes, he’s had his chances. Hey IC …… think I hear Jacksonville State calling …….
Eric Holder
June 29th, 2012
11:09 am
New slogan for UGA 2012
“Fast and Furious”
Civil Unrest
June 29th, 2012
11:09 am
I prefer Beretta myself.
Joey
June 29th, 2012
11:09 am
Hey, buckeye, maybe UGA can put off Crowell’s suspension til next season?
HBacker
June 29th, 2012
11:09 am
Crowell scored 5 yd’s in 2011.
Ealey ran for 5 td’s in one game against Kentucky.
Michael
June 29th, 2012
11:10 am
Well he can go join Mettenberger at LSU now.
DEEMAC
June 29th, 2012
11:10 am
Just stupid! Crowell is stupid as Hell! Smart enough to go to college, but stupid enough to carry a concealed weapon, knowing it’s stolen! Plus you know you are not old enough to carry one.. Just STUPID!
Buzz Off
June 29th, 2012
11:10 am
@ BigDawgFan: you’re an idiot!
HBacker
June 29th, 2012
11:12 am
Ok, like I said a while back, Crowell, is no Washaun Ealey.
Crowell finished with 4.5 yards per carry at UGA. Ealey at 5.5 yards per carry.
Cody
June 29th, 2012
11:12 am
How incredibly disappointing… Bye bye Crowell
DAWGFAN
June 29th, 2012
11:13 am
I do not condone what Isiah did, but this kid was not properly brought up as far as having a father figure in his life and its sad to see, with that said, it was a poor decision, he made a huge mistake and now he will never run the ball at Georgia again! Very sad. I wont bash this kid because I feel bad for him, but he did wrong and now has to pay the price for his wrong doing. So Sad! Now Malcome will get a chance to start and Marshal and Gurley will get a chance to run the ball more. Man it must be something in the water in Athens. these kids cant stay out of trouble!
7576DAWG
June 29th, 2012
11:14 am
Spurrier is laughing his A@@ off. The statement he made as to why he likes to play Georgia early seems to be right on the money.
Latest update..........
June 29th, 2012
11:15 am
Coach Richt has just given an interview where he stated that he tucked Isaiah in and read him a bedtime story last night. He can’t understand why the lad later arose and went out on the town with his homeboys.
Coach Richt added that he was “very disappointed” in Crowell.
Gatormeat
June 29th, 2012
11:15 am
Different year, same dogs. Hope you enjoyed your four point win against the weakest team we had in 25 years, Florida is going to beat the brakeshoes off the dogs this year. See you in Jacksonvillle you hopeless, hopeless people.
HBacker
June 29th, 2012
11:15 am
Richt made a mistake.
Richt should have made Ealey his premeire back.
Oh well.
Spike 80DF
June 29th, 2012
11:15 am
I’m sure Auburn will be all over him now. You know how they like to give guys a “second chance”.
UGAGrad06
June 29th, 2012
11:16 am
Can’t fix stupid.
TY
June 29th, 2012
11:16 am
Looks like Marshall and Henry know what life is about. Richt really needs to reconvince Henry to come to GA next year.
Auburn Grad
June 29th, 2012
11:16 am
Mark Richt needs to pull the plug on him now.
He’ll do more time than Michael Vick.
No. Auburn doesn’t need him.
DAWGFAN
June 29th, 2012
11:16 am
You dont hear anything about Marcus Latimore doing anything like this do you? Well he was brought up in a two parent household and had some discipline in his life.
Nothing Could Be Finer
June 29th, 2012
11:16 am
Has Richt made a statement yet or is he still out getting his weekly spray-tan?
Bobo is Not The Problem
June 29th, 2012
11:16 am
Yay Mark Richt!! What an amazing impact you are having on these young men!!
Here comes another season of Mark Richt mediocrity.
FIRE MARK RICHT.
Happy Warrior
June 29th, 2012
11:17 am
Most of you are CRAZY!!!!!! If you were true fans of UGa you would support our players. So he made a mistake, hopefully he learns from it. Your remarks will, and are killing recruiting. I am a Uga supporter that lives in Birmingham, AL you will never read these types of comments about players at UA. Their fans stand up for them and support them in these type situations.
Be positive!!!!! Support all players!! and most of all stop bashing IC
Why would a highly touted recruit what to listen to most of you.
Ogeechee Dawg
June 29th, 2012
11:18 am
Everyone chill – this is a young man … or kid – that was raised in a totally different environment that has some serious character issues and lives in a different reality as a result. He does need to find a different path or his life will be a waste. Football is the least of his issues right now but something tells me he will be playing for Ole Miss or Auburn in 2 years.
godamndawgsbaby
June 29th, 2012
11:18 am
Anybody that’s worried don’t. He would have been injured half the season anyway… we still have the best running backs tandem in the sec without him. Some of the best running backs in history played at this university and its a shame Isaiah didn’t realize his oppurtunity. They will suspend him redshirt him and richt will have him back next season. What a softy.
Frankly
June 29th, 2012
11:18 am
The kid just let the opportunity of a lifetime slip through his fingers. I agree with those who say he needs our prayers more than he needs our snide comments right now.
HBacker
June 29th, 2012
11:19 am
Christian Robinson and Murray said all the “cancer” was gone after Mettenberger, Gray, and Ealey all quit and transferred.
Guess not.
Mike S
June 29th, 2012
11:19 am
So when does Saint Mark take the fall ? He is the one who recruited these punks!
poppacat
June 29th, 2012
11:19 am
this is a blessing. a way out. samuels, malcome, and 2 freshmen will get it done
DAWGFAN
June 29th, 2012
11:19 am
If these incidents continue, Mcgarity better start looking at his Head Coach because things like this cant keep happening and you are using the excuse that these are kids. Someone has to be held acccountable for their condcuct and I think that falls under the Head Coach!
Troup Co. Dawg
June 29th, 2012
11:19 am
Well I hope that the rest of the running back corp. Wasn’t with him!!!
Nativebird
June 29th, 2012
11:20 am
Looks like Georgia always needs to start camp with 15 running backs to get 4 to actually play a season.
gdawginkalamazoo
June 29th, 2012
11:20 am
Well, regardless of the school affiliation it is tough to see these kids throw away their futures like this. They need to understand that absolutely nothing good happens after midnight.
Civil Unrest
June 29th, 2012
11:20 am
There is something wrong with that kid’s brain. It doesn’t work right.
I dropped my fried twinkie
June 29th, 2012
11:20 am
mamadawg
June 29th, 2012
10:56 am
Just a question..IF he is convicted of this crime would he serve jail time on a first time conviction? If so, then Crowell playing for another team any time soon would be difficult.
Federal gun charges will get him 5 years.
2 Felony Convictions should put him on the 3 Strikes you are OUT Law.
If he gets another Felony it will put him away for a long time.
He will not be allowed to vote for many years and he will probably NEVER get his gun rights back.
Krebs
June 29th, 2012
11:21 am
Crowell has just accepted a position with the Black Panthers. He’ll be “assisting” voters at voting precincts in November.
Pjoan50
June 29th, 2012
11:21 am
Agree with C-Dawg. I get that he needs a “second chance” but not a third and fourth. I am sure he got the “what were you thinking speech” before. He’s got to go because he’s not thinking. So sad.
Tucker
June 29th, 2012
11:21 am
Maybe the Clarke County jail should be on the campus tour for football recruits.
UGA Grad'71
June 29th, 2012
11:21 am
He should be dismissed from the team and school as quickly as UGA officials can get it done. You cannot fix stupid. If you see trouble ahead like his high school grades etc, don’t recruit him regardless of his potential. He is now worthless whatever his potential may have been. His next uniform may have have stripes and an inmate number across the back.
Terry Bowden
June 29th, 2012
11:22 am
Civil Unrest it proves that too much fried chicken is bad for the brain.
megamicro
June 29th, 2012
11:22 am
@Happy Warrior
Hard to stay positive after 50 arrests. This isn’t an isolated incident. It is a disturbing way of life at UGA. As a UGA fan, you have to be proud.
Eric Holder
June 29th, 2012
11:23 am
Sounds like the kind of Man we need working for the Feds. Leave it to me kid!
HBacker
June 29th, 2012
11:23 am
Let’s see here, how much td production is left in the backfield now that Ealey & Thomas quit and transferred.
Samuel- 1 td
Malcome- 0 Td’s
Marshall- 0 Td’s
Gurley- 0 td’s
1 td COMBINED.
Not a lot of production or td producing experience in that backfield now….
brandon
June 29th, 2012
11:25 am
Like the maturity from Marshall and Henry.
tell me again
June 29th, 2012
11:25 am
Losing Crowell will hurt. Marshall and Gurley are talented but we saw last year what a true freshman tailback suffers in the SEC. You need a year to redshirt and break in. Only the most exceptional athletes can start as true freshmen and deal with the physical strain. Like it or not, our chances for a great season have been dealt a considerable blow. The only way Crowell survives this is if the weapons were not his or under his control. Still, what the hell are you doing out at 2 in the morning on the nations most heavily policed campus? STUPID!
SKB
June 29th, 2012
11:25 am
He gone..
Gatormeat
June 29th, 2012
11:25 am
The Mighty Gators may as well book their reservations for Atlanta now, the East is back in our hands again, where it belongs
Tyrone from East Point
June 29th, 2012
11:26 am
Enter your comments here
Mateo
June 29th, 2012
11:26 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA….Bulldawgs so silly.