Isaiah Crowell chooses FCS school Alabama State over JUCO route
In a decision that will surely surprise some, ousted Georgia running back Isaiah Crowell has decided to transfer to Alabama State University.
Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow confirmed Crowell’s transfer in a phone conversation Thursday evening. He said the rising sophomore has already registered for classes at the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) school in Montgomery, Ala., and will begin classes on Monday. Pending the outcome of his court case on three weapons charges, Crowell will play football for the Hornets this fall.
“We’re going to show him how we do things and let him turn the page,” said Barlow, the Hornets’ coach since 2007. “We’re giving him an opportunity to start over.”
Crowell was dismissed by the Bulldogs this past Friday, just 13 hours after he was pulled over and arrested at a road block. He was charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor after a 9-mm Luger handgun with a scratched-off serial number was found underneath the driver’s seat of the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis he was driving. Crowell this week retained the services of high-profile Atlanta criminal defense lawyer Steve Sadow to represent him on those charges.
Barlow said Crowell’s legal troubles were taken into consideration and discussed at length among Alabama State administrators.
“The court system is the court system,” Barlow said. “That will be worked out over there [in Athens]. As far as us, he left Georgia in good academic standing. We know he’s a young man who has made some mistakes and has has learned from them and we’re going to give him a chance to restore his credibility.”
Crowell was Georgia’s leading rusher this past season with 850 yards and five touchdowns and was named SEC Freshman of the Year by The Associated Press. But he was twice suspended from games due to team policy infractions and was unable to play most of the last four games due to an ankle injury.
Barlow believes the Hornets are getting a very special player.
“Well, that’s an understatement,” said Barlow, a former NFL wide receiver. “If you’ve got eyes you’ve seen him. He can play. He’d be a great player on any level. We’ve had SEC players here before. It won’t be a walk in the park. But obviously he has some skills few others have.”
Barlow said there could be some unexpected good fortune in it for the Bulldogs. He said the last three times he has had players transfer to Alabama State from SEC schools, those schools went on to win national championships the coming season.
“That’s no lie,” he said of Alabama, Florida and Auburn. “I think there’s something to it. So tell the Bulldogs to be ready.”
NOTE: In other news Thursday, redshirt sophomore linebacker Brandon Burrows of Marietta has decided to transfer due to a lack of playing time or prospects at Georgia.
Burrows issued a statement through UGA.
“I came out of high school playing the defensive end position in a 4-3 defense which is what I truly love,” said Burrows, who was redshirted as a freshman in 2010 and missed the 2011 season due to a shoulder injury.”The coaching change here led to a 3-4 defense. I have worked with that transition but decided that I want to get back to playing defensive end. I think another program may give me the best opportunity to succeed at that. I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity Coach Richt has given me at UGA and for the fact that he gave me an unconditional release. I know I’ll be hard-pressed to find a group of coaches and players that will develop into the leaders and friends that I have known here in Athens.”
Said coach Mark Richt: “Brandon is an outstanding person, student-athlete and has a wonderful family. We’ve enjoyed having him as part of our program and will provide whatever assistance we can in his transition. I am completely understanding of his decision and wish him nothing but the best.”
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313 comments Add your comment
English professor
July 6th, 2012
7:19 pm
Better school than UGA
RHall55
July 6th, 2012
8:01 pm
kdawg76: is correct that depth will be a problem; what has D Van Halenger do? Director of Player Welfare; more suspensions, more transfers, etc since he has taken that position!! He’s just a crutch; then you have Rodney Garner…..who will not leave the Athens area to recruit…..I was told by an Asst Coach from Norcross that Rodney Garner has not been seen on campus in more than a decade; how can he be RC and not visit schools that are only an hour away…..another crutch…rarely do recruits mention his name now!! There are others who are leading to the demise of this program!!!!
RHall55
July 6th, 2012
8:01 pm
D Van Halenger done???
Lorenzo Manuel
July 6th, 2012
8:43 pm
IC! Stay focused, you have great God given talent. Remember good character, self discipline, & Faith in God will take you a long way. Get it together, don’t be another Columbus GA blunder!
rugbydawg79
July 6th, 2012
9:29 pm
+1 Milledgeville Dawg
bugsquacher
July 6th, 2012
10:19 pm
Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow says the Football Championship Subdivision school “actively researched Isaiah both as a person as well as an athlete.” He says school officials “also believe in helping young people” and that Crowell has learned from his mistakes.
WHAT A JOKE!
NickTheSaint
July 6th, 2012
10:22 pm
Mama’s,
If you want your boy to go to jail, send him to UGA. If you want him to be a winner in life, send him to me.
How long will it take for the new RB recruits to land in that all too familiar Athens jail cell?
Roll Tide
Navy-DAWG.
July 6th, 2012
11:41 pm
I’m glad IC took the route he took and the school he decided on. Coach Barlow at ASU requires his players to be discipline both on and off the field. His older brother Jeff Barlow is a 25 year Navy vet(CMC) who instills discipline in his troops, so it must runs in the family.Good luck young fella, you will be alright, plus ASU’s got two (over 300lbs) beast on the right side of the line. Good luck Burrows, you will be playing somewhere.
Cobb Dawg
July 7th, 2012
1:15 am
“SEC Fan”, the moron’s in your mirror. Especially if you don’t think Alabammer or Awbarn wouldn’t take Crowell in a minute if he could transfer there without sitting out a season. Want proof? How about Scam Newton.
The Warden
July 7th, 2012
7:16 am
Has Crowell picked out his cell yet in the Montgomery jail?
Dr. Phil
July 7th, 2012
8:33 am
Maybe Crowell should consider joining the Marine Corps or Army like several hundred thousand men his age. Oh, I forgot felons can’t join.
Dancing on high with the incomparable Ballina Sisters
July 7th, 2012
9:13 am
Is Crowell going to take the four jerkoffs who were in the car with him to Alabama State? He needs his homeboys, you know.
Ronald Adams
July 7th, 2012
10:09 am
I’m sure the sanction (dismissal) was the appropriate action by the University, given the seriousness of the offense. What bothers me is the apparent kneejerk reaction mentality: the young man was charged with a serious (i.e., felony) offense, he wasn’t convicted at the time the University saw fit to dismiss him from his scholarship and the team. What’s the hurry? Why not let the legal system run its course, and then respond with an appropriate sanction. I really don’t like the message: if we think you’re guilty, you’re out. This sounds like a scary presumption to be making with our young people.
Ronald
vadog
July 7th, 2012
11:05 am
UGA has moved on, Crowell has moved on, move on UGA fans.
Cobb Dawg
July 7th, 2012
11:13 am
Ronald, if this were Crowell’s first, or maybe even second, offense, the University might have acted differently. When you have a cancer and it reappears, you cut it out immediately. He’s gone and I’m glad. UGA is better off now. Like someone said, it’s time to move on.
Joey
July 7th, 2012
12:11 pm
“…and that Crowell has learned from his mistakes.”
************************************
Good luck IC – hope you get your head on straight, soon.
Good luck, Coach Barlow – apparently you are not aware of a thing called Twitter. Get a really good English tutor for IC, for starters. Then follow IC on Twitter, and convince anybody (including yourself) what exactly “Cowell has learned from his mistakes.”
steveo
July 7th, 2012
12:19 pm
Good bye and good riddence….the trash has taken itself out!!!
Hard Truth Soldier
July 7th, 2012
12:40 pm
As I read some of these comments, It’s amazing the brutality of grown ups dealing with a young Man who isn’t even 20 yet. I wanna first take the time to thank you people who wish this young man well, but for the many of you that wanna throw this KID to the wolves, your pathetic grown ups caught up in your love for football sobad that you can’t see A YOUNG MAN LIFE could be destroyed. UGA and it’s people really care about this kid from the aspect of him being a commodity. Crowell needs guidance and leadership, which even many of you die hards gotta admit isn’t going on at UGA. Alabama State may not be and upgrade in football, but for guidance, leadership, and a environment in which this young man can function as a young man transitioning to adulthood this may just what he needed. UGA fans, Herschel Walker ain’t in every kid, stop looking at them to be your savior and look at the guy making oh roughly $3,800,000 + this year. Usually that’s how it works in the real world.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
July 7th, 2012
3:08 pm
Somebody told us that Al.State has all brothers on the coaching staff..this could lead to easier rules to follow… if any at all.
Jon
July 7th, 2012
3:21 pm
Crowell, do the right thing, go to class and stay out of trouble because you can do this.
“Alabama State University” great choice
Bradlee
July 7th, 2012
3:41 pm
I wonder why Crowell the Buffoon is still using his UGA photo as his Twitter image. Does he think Mark Richt is going to come begging him to return to Athens???
Cody
July 7th, 2012
4:38 pm
I’m glad he didn’t transfer to university of Al.,or ole sorry troy university, the only thing he would learn there is now to get drunk.
UGA DAwg91
July 7th, 2012
6:21 pm
I am disappointed to see Crowell leave UGA, although he left them no choice, but hope he gets it together and doesn’t lose this opportunity to improve himself. He is still young and this could be a wake up call for him that he has to change.
catlady
July 7th, 2012
6:27 pm
Will the ASU coach say, “Now, son, ’round here if the po-lice stop you, DO NOT give permission to search the car! No matter what!”
K.Conway
July 7th, 2012
6:31 pm
Glad the dummy is gone! He will be in jail soon!
Carl Childers
July 7th, 2012
7:12 pm
If they let him smoke dope and play no contact football he should be great there. Wonder how long it will take before he gets in trouble again?
Bradlee
July 7th, 2012
8:14 pm
We’re now on official Crowell Twitter Watch to see how long he continues to use his UGA #1 photo as his Twitter image.
Happy Tailgating is all we care about
July 7th, 2012
9:39 pm
Really, really ticked about undersigning. Our sticking by the rules and the evil maneuvers of Saban now have us at a disadvantage.
The fact that we’ve had 46 arrests within six years and a ton of athletes either transfer or bounced for reasons of lack of discipline has NOTHING to do with it!!! Media conspiracy?
Now, back to the things which matter. Pass the chicken, please.
Stallotiger
July 7th, 2012
10:35 pm
sometimes a change is good,perhaps being at Alabama State will be good for IC.
Wanda
July 7th, 2012
11:49 pm
Change will be good for IC, A S U is a good fit for him because the coaches their will keep him on a positive path toward being successful, they are about academics and discipline. Hopefully IC did learn from his earlier mistakes.
Joe Momma Angie Daddy
July 8th, 2012
7:53 am
Pac-Man!!!!!!!!!
Pauline
July 8th, 2012
8:30 am
“The fact that we’ve had 46 arrests within six years…”
——————————————
I think the correct number is 50± in the last four years, so it has to be more than 46 in six years.
There’s every reason to believe that the arrests and suspensions will continue at that rate as long as Mark Richt continues to recruit the no-character low class trash like he’s been doing.
Jared in Lilburn
July 8th, 2012
9:00 am
Is it true that Crowell’s teammates at UGA gave him a going-away gift of brownies, hash-browns, and a pair of red panties autographed by Demon Evans? I can’t confirm that, but the dining hall has reported a missing case of frozen hash-browns.
Old Dawg
July 8th, 2012
10:05 am
“Saban & Chizik have no use for Richt’s felony scraps.”
Like Chizik had no use for Cam Newton’s criminal activities.
Old Dawg
July 8th, 2012
10:17 am
“Does anyone really believe that this jerk can “keep his nose clean” for a year?”
Cam Newton did.
SEC Observer
July 8th, 2012
10:26 am
Just reading many of these comments about Crowell, and one thing I can say, and its not just about UGA, but at most of these SEC schools. Man, some of your people sure know how to praise and put these guys up on pedestals when they are playing on Saturday’s and running for 100 yards and scoring touchdowns, but when they let “your program” down or have a misstep, you sure know how to throw them under the bus….Damn. this is a young man that yeah made misstakes, but he did a lot for Georgia, probably more than most of you ever will do for your “proclaimed school”. Its almost like most think this kid was playing for you….got news for you, these kids dont give a damn about you or your precious UGA or whatever school you represent, they play for themselves and teammates. Thats all they should care about. I have a teenage son, and if he should ever be blessed to play football, I will make damn sure he knows it, dont get caught up in believing that thse so called fans and supporters of your school care about you. YOu are just a piece of meat, a tool to help their school acheive the elite status that many cant and never will achieve in their own lives, so they have to berate and degrade a 18-22 yr olds who dont measure up to the supposedly “high standards” that they desire.
The loveliest village upon the plain
July 8th, 2012
11:53 am
“Cam Newton did.”
Cam Newton has more class and intelligence in his little finger than Isaiah Crowell has in his entire family.
Johnnie
July 8th, 2012
1:03 pm
He’s at a better University
hbcuclassics
July 8th, 2012
1:15 pm
Best SWAC RB since Walter Payton?
http://www.hbcuclassics.com
SEC Observer
July 8th, 2012
2:26 pm
@Johnnie
you are probably right about that, at least a better university for himself. At least HBCU, dont throw their players under the bus, like the good ole SEC schools do.
Rossville Bulldog
July 8th, 2012
3:16 pm
The 2nd amendment gave IC the right to carry that gun in his mom’s car. The 2nd amendment doesn’t say anything about serial numbers. IC wasn’t doing anything wrong and now a 5-star running back is gone. CW was right about alot of things in his facebook post.
ASU lets go!!!!!
July 8th, 2012
3:35 pm
u guys bashing him for not going juco are crazy… Bama State is the top FCS school in the country besides App State and God willing he will go pro from there because most of their coaches including the head coach played in the nfl, not to mention a multi million dollar new stadium that will open this season and did i mention they have 3 games on espn this season…. 50% of Fbs schools dont have that or get that type of exposure….
Doug
July 8th, 2012
4:20 pm
Well, now that Crowell has an arrest record he is qualified to play football at LSU. I am suprised he did not go there!
MEAC/SWAC Challenge
July 8th, 2012
4:32 pm
The Alabama State Hornets, 8-3 last year,
opens up against Bethune-Cookman.
Sussex Club
July 8th, 2012
4:50 pm
Georgia Southern is better.
GulfwavesGary
July 8th, 2012
8:15 pm
IC’s case will never go to court. Illegal search.Has a real attorney and not a Public Defender. A search because a Deputy thought she smelled marijuna. The real reason was it was a car full of Young Black Males. Since in some places 90% of crimes are commited byYoung Black Males. I am not a racist. I marched with Martin Luther King in Atlanta a long time ago for Blacks having to right to vote. To pad arrests, its almost a sure thing, that If you search a vehicle with 4 or 5 Young black males, somebody is going to jail.
The loveliest village upon the plain
July 8th, 2012
8:21 pm
Crowell’s not going to change a thing. He’s a hardcore t-h-u-g.
Chuck UGA
July 8th, 2012
9:04 pm
Wrong Bubba J. Crowell will never play at Bama or Auburn. He’ll play two seasons at Alabama State then declare for the draft.
Chuck UGA
July 8th, 2012
9:10 pm
Hope he does better than Washaun Ealey who did NOTHING last season as Jax State. Ealey left because he just wasn’t very good.
Beaner
July 8th, 2012
10:25 pm
The meat market continues. The Alabama State says IC has learned from his mistakes. It has only been a few days. This boy is a slave for our sportong enjoyment.