Flunking the exit interview

Somehow, I don’t think this is going to endear Washaun Ealey to the Dawgnation as he leaves Athens.

“I’m a person where I want to be a premier back,” Ealey said. “If I was to play here, I would have had to share the backfield with Caleb and Carlton also. Then they were going to try to give the freshman, Isaiah, his chance. He probably was going to get some carries at the beginning of the year, too. I just felt like I didn’t want to be in that mix of things anymore.”

Vaya con Dios, bro.

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At least she’s consistent.

Andrea Adelson moved from the Orlando Sentinel to ESPN.   It looks like she took her high regard for the Georgia program with her.

In the preseason last year she picked the Dawgs as the 64th best team in the country, citing the schedule, the new quarterback and the change on defense as weak spots.  She whiffed on Murray, was right on the defense and was arguably saved by the Green suspension.

She’s not seeing better days ahead.

Cory (Boise)

Andrea, do you think Boise will beat Georgia and TCU and go to the National Championship

Andrea Adelson

  (2:07 PM)

Cory, I do not see a national championship appearance for Boise State this year, but I do think the Broncos win those two games. I am still undecided on whether they will go undefeated. There is a real chance they are going to lose one along the way, though, either to San Diego State, Air Force or Tulsa. I think the AFA and Tulsa might seem hard to believe because it is on the blue turf, but these are teams that are going to be solid this season.

When you see Tulsa at home as a bigger threat than Georgia in Atlanta, that’s pretty much an endorsement of mediocrity.  Even though this year’s problem just happened to Georgia.

Scott (Hiram,Ga.)

Andrea, I think this game will be just as HYPED as last years with VT, simply because as you said its against the SEC and UGA will be out to prove that last years 6-7 record was a fluke-ish season! I think we have the best schedule we’ve had in years to really turn things around and vie for the East Conf Title. Go Dawgs!

Andrea Adelson

  (2:15 PM)

You also asked about the self-imposed sanctions, 3 fewer practices for Boise State before UGA. I think this could have an impact because all those preseason practices are important, especially the ones in pads when players get used to tackling again. Big blow for UGA losing Ealey it seems. Not much depth at RB and now having to rely on Crowell to come in right away.

So how bad is Georgia’s season gonna be?  Andrea guesses it’s going to be pretty damned bad.

Duncan (Lubbock)

Who do you like to win the SEC East this year? And will Mark Richt get fired by season’s end?

Andrea Adelson

  (2:42 PM)

Veering off non-AQs but I will accept … South Carolina and I have no idea. My guess is … yes.

If she gets bailed out with another jersey sale suspension before the season starts, I’m not going to be a happy camper.

Damn, son, that was quick.

UF January enrollee announces his May departure, citing irreconcilable differences with Weis’ offense.

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UPDATE:  Spencer Hall claims this is just another example of Florida one-upping Georgia.  Maybe it’s due to something else entirely, though.

A few good men

A former alumni association president sues members of the Auburn University trustee selection committee to overturn the nomination of Bobby Lowder and eight others to AU’s governing board, claims other “prominent Auburn people” want to pitch in.

Love is all around.

And you thought you disliked Mark May.

The rise and fall of Washaun Ealey

“And I was just like ‘Man, let him run, he knows how to run.’” – Joe Cox

The 2009 LSU game is seared in the memory of the Georgia fan base because of the excessive celebration penalty called on A.J. Green, but it was also memorable in introducing us to Washaun Ealey, who had his redshirt taken off and proceeded to give the Dawgs a much-needed spark in that game.

Ealey capped off that season with a 20-carry, 183-yard performance against Georgia Tech that brought us the catchphrase “I run this state”.  We expected big things from him going into last season.

Instead, we got a hodgepodge of indifference (who can forget the poor pass blocking – and this – in the Arkansas game?) and lack of focus that led to key fumbles in the South Carolina and Mississippi State games along with the talent that manifested itself at times like the Kentucky game in which he tied the Georgia record for rushing touchdowns.

Last season, the only thing big about Ealey’s game was the level of frustration it produced.

The frustration continued into this offseason, which culminated in Ealey’s suspension less than a week after Georgia had signed its most heralded running back recruit in years.  That’s not just a case of bad timing; that’s the sign of someone who doesn’t think he’s going to be held accountable.

And now, having guessed wrong on that, he’s gone.

“I hate to see him go,” said Milan Turner, who coached Ealey at Emanuel County Institute, but said he had not yet reached Ealey on Monday night. “I was really hoping it would work out for Washaun and for the University of Georgia. It’s a privilege to play there. We’ve known Washaun’s had some incidents here and there that have kind of gotten him in trouble. Who knows the ins and outs? That’s something that will be between him and Georgia football and hopefully they’ll part ways on good terms.”

The notable part of the story isn’t that Georgia loses its leading rusher from last season (and by the way, that’s not even close).  It’s that Mark Richt is willing to part ways with Georgia’s leading rusher from last season.  And that he clearly intends for Ealey’s tumultuous offseason to serve as a lesson to his former teammates.  Given the earlier warning, I can’t say that Ealey’s departure is that big a shock.  But I still haven’t gotten over my surprise that Richt had the stones to draw a line in the sand in the first place.

Crowell will no doubt get most of the attention from the move, but I’m hoping that it lights a fire under Caleb King, another gifted high school running back who’s shown flashes on occasion and has also had his share of lapses.

… McClendon said he is focused now on helping Ealey and recruiting this spring.

“I’m sure all that other stuff,” he said, “is going to sort itself out with what guys do on the field.”

It seems a message has been sent.  We’ll see if it’s been received.

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UPDATE:  The bottom line from Gentry Estes is pretty cut and dried.

… As for Ealey, this is what happens when determined coaches lose faith. We’ve passed the era of second and third and fourth changes (sic, I think) at Georgia. This team needs to win now, and no matter what you may believe, know that Monday’s events were part of that design.

Design.  Would we have seen Richt do this a year ago, had Ealey’s transgressions happened then?  I doubt it.