Georgia Football: What Are Realistic Expectations for Isaiah Crowell?

Isaiah Crowell is not the missing link for the Georgia Bulldogs. He is not going to single-handedly bring the Dawgs back to the upper echelon of college football. So what should UGA realistically expect from Isaiah Crowell in 2011?

The truth is, he is one component of what should be an improved Georgia team with a bright future. How big a piece remains to be seen, but Isaiah Crowell definitely has the potential to join the tradition of great UGA running backs.

Read on for what to expect from Crowell against Boise State, the rest of the season and his career at Georgia.

What Is Known About Isaiah Crowell Right Now

First, Crowell already has the build and strength of a mature running back. Coming in at 5’11”, 210 pounds, he reportedly squats 455 pounds and benches 315. Having basically maxed out his build, Crowell is physically prepared to compete in the SEC right now.

Speed is also one of Crowell’s proven commodities. Crowell clocked a 4.43 40 in high school, but it is his acceleration that is most impressive. Crowell bursts through the hole, achieving top speed almost immediately. This acceleration also gives Crowell the ability to run laterally and turn the corner on defenders for big yards.

In addition, Crowell just simply has natural talent as a ball carrier. Playing in high school behind a dominating offensive line, Crowell already has the patience to run behind his blockers. Then, once he gets through holes, Crowell has excellent vision and cutting ability. He also has great balance and, with a low center of gravity and with his tremendous strength, Crowell will be able to bounce off tackles and accumulate significant yards after contact.

Finally, Crowell has soft hands and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Look for UGA to find as many ways as possible to get the ball in the hands of the freshman playmaker.

What Is Yet To Be Learned About Isaiah Crowell

Despite his tremendous upside as a rusher, Crowell will need time to develop the football IQ necessary to play at the SEC level.

While Crowell is a physical player not afraid of contact, his ability to pick up complicated blitz schemes and protect Aaron Murray is still a question mark.

Murray is athletic and mobile enough to escape pressure on his own when he needs to, but the Bulldogs are going to need Crowell to learn to pass block quickly.

What to Expect from Isaiah Crowell Against Boise State

One thing is for sure, if Crowell has a big game against Boise State then he is definitely legit. The Broncos present a formidable challenge for any running back, much less a true freshman. They are returning seven starters on a defense that was seventh against the run last season, holding opponents to only 2.93 yards per attempt, according to cfbstats.com.

Even though it will be his first collegiate start, it looks like the season opener may be the game in which the Bulldogs need Crowell the most. Although Richard Samuel is No. 1 on the depth chart, it is still possible Crowell could start Saturday. Samuel has been dealing with a strained quadriceps injury and has not practiced as much with the first team as Crowell has in the last two weeks. 

Combine that with the one-game suspension of Carlton Thomas and it is obvious Crowell is going to have to step up and be a factor against the Broncos for the Bulldogs to have a chance to win.

The upside is Crowell is going to get plenty of experience, which will be extremely valuable for Georgia as they move into SEC play.

What To Expect from Isaiah Crowell This Season at UGA

First, despite all the hype, Isaiah Crowell is a true freshman running back coming into the hardest conference in college football to play against the stoutest defense in the nation.

Georgia faithful can hope Crowell will come in and have a breakout year similar to South Carolina's freshman phenom Marcus Lattimore’s 2010. He may, but it would be foolish to expect it. What should be expected is for Crowell to contribute to the Bulldogs team as one part of a larger offensive machine led by star quarterback Aaron Murray.

One advantage for Crowell will be having the help of Richard Samuel to speed up his learning curve. Samuel’s time spent at linebacker allows him to read defenses faster and see where the opportunities to exploit them are. ESPN’s Edward Aschoff quotes Samuel as saying, “I feel like I can point out things that people who haven't played in this league or haven't gotten any snaps against an opponent and tell them what to look for.”

Another advantage for the freshman is he will not have to face a hostile crowd until the Bulldog’s fourth game at Ole Miss. The Boise State game is in the Georgia Dome, essentially a home game, and then UGA stays in Athens the next two weeks against South Carolina and Coastal Carolina. This will give Crowell three games where crowd noise should not be a factor. This should speed up Crowell’s learning curve and prepare him for the rest of the season. 

What To Expect from Isaiah Crowell’s Career at UGA

Looking ahead, Crowell could be a huge part of the future of the Bulldogs' program. While there are high expectations this season with a relatively weak SEC East and a favorable conference schedule, the Bulldogs should return a very good team and perhaps have an even better shot at the SEC East in 2012.

Crowell is just one of many young and talented Georgia players getting their feet wet at the college level in 2011. After a season of experience for the younger players, Aaron Murray hopefully returning for his junior year and another solid recruiting class, the Bulldogs look to be stacked in 2012.

With his physical ability and eagerness to learn, Crowell will be a huge factor for UGA next season. The only problem for Georgia is, if he lives up to his potential, there is a good chance they will lose him to the 2013 NFL draft.