It's Saturday in Athens

It's Saturday in Athens

Friday, September 16, 2011

Isaiah ALREADY better than Knowshon

NO WAY Richt knew how good #24 would be
Knowshon Moreno was a name not too many had heard of at the start of the 2006 season. He literally showed up at UGA's doorstep during his recruitment process, after putting himself on a train from New Jersey to come let the Dawgs know he was interested (true story!). He landed his offer, accepted it without hesitation, and came to the great state of Georgia to play close to some of his family. 

One thing many of the Mark Richt pessimists love to reference is the redshirt which was left on the back of Knowshon Moreno back in 2006. What these pessimists fail to mention, however, is the Dawgs were dealing with one of their deepest RB squads the hedges have ever laid eyes on. Topping that list were already proven Danny Ware and Thomas Brown. And if you know anything about the Dawgs of the aughts, those boys could move the damn football!

So with the depth already at the position, and a season which didn't exactly go the way Dawg fans and coaches would have liked (losses to Vandy, UT mid season), there was very little need to burn the shirt off of Knowshon's back. Nobody had a clue what he would progress into, and there was certainly hope he would be a 3 or 4 year starter beginning in 2007.

I blame NOTHING on Coach Richt for the decision to keep Knowshon on the bench. This is just the way college football works. In fact I don't think Knowshon would have gotten any better by playing in the 2006 season, rather than just competing in practice and gaining multiple Spring Practices before he saw the big field.

And today, the hedges are feasting its eyes on Isaiah Crowell, who has already reminded me of Knowshon... but better!

Expect this a LOT, from #1
Isaiah got more attention during his recruiting process than Knowshon could have ever imagined. Isaiah was on the Dawg's radar long before he took his first unofficial visit. Isaiah played in his first game as a true-freshman. And when I look at Isaiah run the ball, I see what I saw from Knowshon, half way through his red-shirt-freshman season. I have absolutely no doubt that at this point in Isaiah's career, he is better than Knowshon was as a true-freshman.

Then to stop and think, that the bursts of greatness we have already seen from Isaiah have arguably come against the best 2 defenses he will see all season. The skills are already there. And like Knowshon, he will get better in time. We have a VERY special kid in Athens, folks.

While I will never declare ANYBODY the next Herschel, I will gladly go on record to declare Isaiah the next Knowshon. As an always optimistic Dawg fan, I have never been this excited to watch an 0-2 team, and I get giddy thinking about what Isaiah is going to look like come Tennessee, Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech.

There is a taste of fall in the air today. And there is a sense of change in Athens right now that goes well beyond the colors in the trees. And the best way to sum it up is from our favorite raspy voice in all the land.... "My God a Freshman!!!!"

less than 24 hours til the next kickoff!!
GO DAWGS!!!


ps...  I have not had much time to write recently, with school back and session, and as my twitter followers know, my fiance has been in Emory Hospital for the last couple weeks with kidney failures. We feel we are very close to a certain diagnosis, but a long road is ahead for us with treatments and rehabilitation. Thank you guys SO MUCH for outpouring thoughts and prayers sent our way!! She is a Damn Good Dawg, and will fight through this!!

4 comments:

  1. Great write up and best wishes for your wife to get better soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Prayers for you and your fiance.

    I will not declare him the next Knowshon...I declare him the FIRST Isaiah... Not being a smarty, and I know you see what Im saying.

    Yes he is special..and hes gonna be our GO TO man for the next 3 years...He will take care of his momma after that, and I will be glad to see him do so.... But we are gonna see something special for the time he is with us... that is the kind of running back we have been needing since.....yeah, a while... GO dawgs

    ReplyDelete
  3. If mark richt would just tell bobo to let isaiah carry it at least 30 times a game. But you know old bobo with his im not going to use our weapons correctly philosophy. However, Isaiah is really good.

    ReplyDelete
  4. She'll be playing first string before the season ends

    ReplyDelete