Georgia freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell had 118 rushing yards and 40 receiving yards in last Saturday's 45-42 loss to South Carolina.ATHENS, Ga. -- Isaiah Crowell had nowhere to go but up.
On his first college carry, Georgia's freshman tailback slipped on the Georgia Dome turf for a 2-yard loss four minutes into the Sept. 3 opener against Boise State. Since that stumble, Crowell has been dazzling, rushing 30 times for 176 yards for an average of 5.9 yards a carry.
The 5-foot-11, 215-pounder had his first 100-yard game against South Carolina last Saturday, when he compiled 118 yards on 16 carries that all went for positive gains.
"He's a good player," Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier said Sunday after reviewing the video. "He ran through us pretty well."
So much for needing some time to arrive.
Crowell was expected to be an impact player in the Southeastern Conference ever since he signed with the Bulldogs in February out of Carver High School in Columbus as ESPN's top-rated tailback nationally. He received praise throughout preseason practices, which always are closed during full-contact work, and showed some flashes in his debut.
There were runs of 8, 12 and 9 yards against the Broncos, but he became a nonfactor once Boise State took a pair of three-touchdown leads in the second half.
In last Saturday's 45-42 loss to the Gamecocks, Crowell left little doubt. He entered the game at the 8:22 mark of the first quarter and promptly bolted for gains of 15 and 28 yards.
"I think he's done pretty well, and I think he's learned a lot," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said. "It's just so hard to explain to a guy what it's going to be like until they just start doing it. Now he's been in the Georgia Dome and had that experience, and he's had a Southeastern Conference experience in a game that he could tell that one play can make the difference.
"He understands a lot more about what it takes, and I think he's even more motivated to work even harder in practice and to make sure he takes care of every little detail. Not to say that he wasn't, but he's a freshman, and until you play in an SEC game like that, you don't get it fully. He seems excited about what the future holds."
So do Bulldogs fans, who didn't witness a 28-yard run last September.
Crowell believes his biggest challenges have been adjusting to the speed of the games and the roar of the crowds. He took an early blow to the ribs last Saturday that kept him from reeling off more than two consecutive carries, and he's not expected to be needed all four quarters this week against Coastal Carolina.
"I think I've done well," Crowell said. "I just need to work on my wind so I can get more carries."
Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said Crowell has "everything you want" in a tailback, and he means that on and off the field. Crowell would much rather let his play do the talking, a trait he shares with former Bulldogs receiver A.J. Green.
When asked how he's stayed so grounded, Crowell said, "My mama just told me to act like I've done it before. I don't think a big deal about it. All I do is play football."
Crowell was SEC co-freshman of the week for his performance against the Gamecocks, which included two receptions for 40 yards and two total touchdowns. Tuesday, he was named a starter for the first time after backing up redshirt junior Richard Samuel the first two games.
It's been a productive week for the touted newcomer. Actually, it's been productive ever since he got up from his opening slip.
"I played against Isaiah a couple of times in high school, so I knew what type of player he was just by the things he did against us," sophomore guard Chris Burnette said. "When he came in, a lot of people were expecting a lot from him, and I feel like he's delivered."
Said Bobo: "I said before the first game that I thought he would be a very special player for us. When it was going to happen? I didn't know."