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Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Washaun Ealey suspended from football team (updated)

Washaun Ealey has been suspended from activities on the Georgia football team, the tailback confirmed on Tuesday morning.

Ealey, who was the Bulldogs' leading rusher in 2010, declined to elaborate on the reasons.

"I couldn't really tell you right now," Ealey said when asked what brought on the suspension. He also didn't know the duration of the suspension.

A source confirmed an ESPN.com report that Ealey missed a punishment run. But Brandon Wood, a senior defensive end whose playing career is over, claimed on Twitter later in the day that Ealey was only late for the run, "and still finished on time."

As for his future at Georgia, Ealey was non-committal. He answered "of course" when asked if he wanted to stay on the team, and said he was still attending classes today.

"I'm looking at my options ... and see what happens," Ealey said.

UGA spokesman Claude Felton said later in the morning that he could confirm that Ealey "is still here and still on the team. That's all the details I can provide."

Ealey and fellow tailback Caleb King each had several issues during the 2010 season. Ealey was suspended for the season opener after a traffic incident led to three misdemeanor charges.

He still finished the season with 811 rushing yards and a team-leading 11 touchdowns. He tied a school record at Kentucky with five rushing touchdowns.

But Georgia's running game, which ranked 10th in the SEC, still faltered. So the team recruited and signed star tailback Isaiah Crowell of Columbus Carver High School.

Last week, head coach Mark Richt said he wouldn't be surprised if Crowell was the starter for the season opener against Boise State.

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UPDATE: 6:05 p.m.

Georgia has confirmed that Ealey is suspended from team activities "at this time."

Richt's statement:

"We have certain expectations and standards that apply to all our student-athletes. We expect them to do things the right way, the Georgia way. If Washaun does things the Georgia way, he’ll be back in good standing.”

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here we go again.

Calif Dawg said...

If I am Ealy, I am not sure how I feel knowing my head coach is using my team mates as props in an effort to lure in my replacement. I hope he looks at this as a crossroads, takes on the challenge and secures the #1 RB job. When he gets the carries he does well. Just needs to clean up his off the field issues and hold onto the football.

Anonymous said...

This recruiting process had to have an effect on Ealy's head but I hope he stays and fights for the #1 job and secures it. I think he has done well so far and showed humility when he readily put the blame on himself for the fumble in the loss to Kentucky in 2009. In that case he took the criticism off of Joe Cox and won my admiration.
Big "team" little "me".
I also think he will have a great year in 2011 if he applies himself.

Sam, Dawg Fan said...

Is this an attempt to run off Ealey to open up a scholarship?

NRBQ said...

Yeah.

You might be a Sam, but you ain't a Dawg fan.

Anonymous said...

Kick this thug off the team immediately !