Georgia Football 2011: Caleb King and Isaiah Crowell Lead Running Back Race

The Washuan Ealey era is over in Athens.

During his two-year span in Athens, the running back from Stillmore, Ga. amassed 1,528 yards on 282 carries and 14 touchdowns. But inconsistencies on and off the field took a toll on Ealey, as well as the rest of the team, which led to him being allowed to transfer.

So does this mean Isaiah Crowell is going to be the clear-cut No.1 back when the Bulldogs kickoff the 2011 season? That could be the case, but this could also mean you could see a lot more Caleb King along with Carlton Thomas, and redshirt freshman Ken Malcome, in the beginning stages of the year.

Like Ealey, King has not been as consistent as many people in the UGA community like for him to be. King has not rushed for over 600 yards in a season and has started only 10 games in three years.

But he is the most experienced back the Bulldogs have so he will come into fall as the No. 1 back. And with this being his final season, there’s a chance King could have a breakout year, especially with his 2010 season being cut short due to academic issues.

But if King can’t get the job done, Crowell will be waiting right behind him. The running back from Columbus, Ga. has not enrolled at UGA yet, but he is considered by many as the best running back on the Georgia roster.

There is no question Crowell is a dynamic player, which is why he was considered as the No. 1 or No. 2 running back prospect in the country. But one thing that has to be noted is blue-chip players don’t always pan out.

For example, when King was coming out of high school, he was considered the eighth-best running back in the country and the No.1 player in Georgia. Ealey was also a highly-touted prospect who was named Class 2A Player of the Year in Georgia as a senior.

Crowell was more highly recruited than King and Ealey, and Crowell seems to have all the tools to become a great player for UGA. But he has to learn the system first and the coaching staff has to be sure he is comfortable before they throw him out on the field as a true freshmen.

But let’s not forget about Thomas who played in 10 games last year and rushed for 272 yards on 64 carries. Thomas is not the biggest back, but he is quick and should improve in his third year.

Malcome is the one that is the most interesting. He did not play last year because he was redshirted, but there are plenty of people wondering where he is going to fit. Malcome is a bigger back that is known for his physical play. But is he ready to take that next step?

There is one walk-on that could see some playing time and that is Brandon Horton who had a 65-yard touchdown in the G-Day game. But one thing to note about Horton is that he is Ealey’s cousin. Very interesting.

Georgia has always been known for its great running backs whether it’s Herschel Walker, Garrison Hearst or Knowshon Moreno. Can Crowell be that next big thing? Can King finish his career on a high note? Or will Thomas or Malcome take the bull by the horns and rise to the occasion? We’ll have to wait and see, but it should be a very compelling competition.