Even the most casual of Georgia fans have, by now, heard of Isaiah Crowell, the 5-star all-world running back set to enroll at UGA and play for the Dawgs this fall. If you've seen any of his highlight reels or read any of the comments made by those in the know, then you can understand the excitement surrounding his eminent arrival on campus. The Bulldogs are in need of another superstar back like Charlie Sheen is in need of a ball gag and about 20 new publicists.
However, as we've seen time and again, high school accolades and highlight reels don't always translate to success at the collegiate level, so it was surprising to read and hear coach Mark Richt saying that he wouldn't be surprised to see Crowell toting the rock on that first play against Boise St. this fall. Lest we get ahead of ourselves, he did include the caveat "if he does what he's supposed to," which could mean any number of things from just being academically eligible to actually having to be the best running back on the team. Still, to the best of my recollection, he's never come out with such a strong statement regarding an incoming freshman who's yet to step foot on campus (as a member of the football team).
The question becomes, was this some calculated statement that Richt felt would help motivate Crowell that much more? Was it something he used to actually try to motivate incumbents Washaun Ealey and Caleb King, whose careers have been somewhat lacking, at least in comparison to what was expected? Or, was it just something he was using to up the excitement from a deflated fan base after a poor 2010 campaign?
One thing is for certain. If Richt truly believes Crowell will be 'the guy' come September, then, to quote Clark W. Griswold, Jr., I think we're all in for a real treat.
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