Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Week 1 Predictions

Game week is FINALLY here! Rejoice! Opening weekend provides us with a few interesting match-ups to start the season. Due to a busy schedule for me, I will provide a brief preview/prediction for S.Carolina/Vanderbilt and Clemson/Auburn only. Hope to include more games as the season grows but that's where I'll start. I'll also do a basic "take your pick" with other regional/games of interest. While I have a minute I want to update you folks on my life. I'm in the middle of week number 2 of classes. All I can say is that it is going to be an interesting semester. I have some things to look forward to, though. I'm back on board with my job with the Sports Information Department here at Presbyterian College as "Director" for our online steaming of athletic events. Basically, we stream our games online and I decide what you see and when you see it, direct the camera workers, decide when to show replays, etc..etc. Pretty cool job. I also picked up an internship with the town newspaper, The Clinton Chronicle. I will cover mainly local sports (PC, Clinton High, Clinton Middle) but also will do other feature stories, one of which actually comes out in tomorrow's paper. Also, not sure if I mentioned it yet, but I'm planning on taking a swing at radio and join Scott and Mike on Sports Week Live in the near future. You can follow those guys on twitter @sportsweeklive and on their website. If that isn't enough exciting news for me, I also will be filling in as sideline reporter for PC and travel with the team when they take on Vanderbilt Sept 15th. Thrilled about that opportunity and the chance to check out Vanderbilt. I remember having them on my long list of schools to look at back in high school so getting to actually see the stadium and campus should be great.

Now on to the good stuff.....


#9 South Carolina (0-0) @ Vanderbilt (0-0)

When: Thursday, 7pm
Where: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN
TV: ESPN

Preview: Coming off of arguably the best season ever in Columbia, Steve Spurrier has his team ready to contend for another SEC-East title. Vanderbilt is an improved team and definitely can't be overlooked. Emotions will be running high with the first game jitters so it will be key for both teams to settle down as quickly as possible. Last year the Gamecocks struggled against Vanderbilt though they won 21-3. Going on the road in the SEC on a Thursday night is not exactly a favorable start for anyone...including South Carolina who, on paper, is definitely the better team.

Prediction: As much as I would love to see Vanderbilt knock off the Gamecocks to start the year, I just can't push myself to believing it will happen. South Carolina's D-Line is one of the best in the nation with the likes of Clowney and Taylor. The return of Marcus Lattimore is huge for USC and I think they will just be too much for the Commodores. Similar to last year, I anticipate a slow, close start but the Gamecocks will pull away late in this one and get the job done.

The Pick:
South Carolina 30 Vanderbilt 17





#14 Clemson v.s. Auburn  


When: Saturday, 7pm
Where: Georgia Dome
TV: ESPN

Preview: Last year Clemson broke Auburn's 17 game winning steak in Death Valley by a score of 38-24 despite falling behind early 14-0.This has quickly became an interesting out of conference rivalry. The teams have a great bit in common and both have passionate fans that will give the Georgia Dome an electric atmosphere. Michael Dyer and Sammy Watkins both were huge for their teams in last years game, but neither will take the field Saturday. It will be interesting to see who steps up and delivers for their team in this prime time showdown in Atlanta.

Prediction: The suspension of Sammy Watkins is a huge blow for Clemson but they still have more than enough talent at the WR position. The poise of Tajh Boyd and play of the offensive line is crucial for Clemson. A healthy Andre Ellington could be the difference maker in the game. With Auburn bringing in 2 new coordinators, its tough to say what we will see from Auburn. One thing is for sure, we should be in for one heck of a game. Bottom line is I think Auburn has more questions to answer than Clemson does. If the offensive line plays well and defense doesn't give up the big play, the Clemson should be able to get the job done. I'm confident that new defensive coordinator Brent Venables will have his guys fired up and ready to play. Expect another exciting game between these two teams. Clemson also hopes to shake off some the "Atlanta  Curse" and get their first significant win in ATL since 200 when the Tigers knocked off Tennessee in the Peach Bowl.

The Pick:
Clemson 23 Auburn 17


Take Your Pick: Week 1


#13 Michigan State over #24 Boise St

#2 Alabama over #8 Michigan

#6 UGA over Buffalo

#3 LSU over North Texas

North Carolina State over Tennessee (Friday night)

Presbyterian College over Brevard College

Appalachian St over East Carolina


Upset Watch: 

Georgia Tech over #16 Virginia Tech





Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Pre-Season Preview: Clemson

Clemson Tigers 
Head Coach- Dabo Swinney
29-19 at Clemson in 4 seasons



Review of 2011 Season 

If you had told me this time last year that Clemson would start of 8-0 en route to their first ACC title since 1991, I would have laughed in your face but as we head into the 2012 season the Tigers are the defending ACC Champions and hope to make it back to Charlotte the first Saturday in December again this year. They also hope to revive themselves after a wood-shed beating from the hands of West Virginia in the Orange Bowl. As with Carolina, Clemson should have another solid season but handling the pressure is key. Clemson faded away down the stretch and can't afford to do that again this year if they want to make another trip to South Beach. Coming into last season everyone was curious how Chad Morris would improve the sputtering Clemson offense. Dabo hit a home run with the Coach Morris, who by the way, was coaching high school football in 2009. He spent one year at Tulsa before coming to Tigertown. Now Clemson looks for a big turnaround for the defense with the hire of Brent Venables. Dabo and Tigernation hopes Venables can bring back that physicality and swagger that Clemson has lacked in recent years.


Key Losses/Key Returners  

The Tigers lost a vital part and leader of the offense in TE Dwayne Allen who is now playing with Andrew Luck and the Colts. Other than that, the offensive returns its main key players on the offensive side of the ball. They return QB Tajh Boyd who is hungry for more after a record breaking 2011 season. Lining up behind him in the back field will be a healthy Andre Ellington who is as good as anyone is the country when he is at 100%. Sammy Watkins returns as well as Deandre Hopkins in the WR department though Watkins will miss the opener against Auburn and home match-up against Ball St due to his arrest a few months ago. On defense, Venables will have to fill the void left by DL Brandon Thompson, DE Andre Branch, CB Coty Sensabaugh and DE Kourtnei Brown. On the bright side, S Rashard Hall should be back to 100% health and anchor the defense's secondary. DB Bashaud Breeland,  DL Malliciah Goodman, and LB Corico (Hawkins) Wright will all be called upon to step up this season.

2012 Schedule 

Sept. 1       Auburn(#)
Sept. 8        Ball State
Sept. 15      Furman
Sept. 22      Florida State*
Sept. 29      Boston College*
Oct.   6       Georgia Tech
Oct.  20      Virginia Tech
Oct.  25      Wake Forest* (Thursday Night)
Nov.  3        Duke
Nov. 10       Maryland
Nov. 17       N.C. State*
Nov. 24       South Carolina*


*-Denotes Key Game
#-Game played in Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA
Home games in BOLD



Schedule Analysis 

The road to Charlotte will be a difficult one this year for the Tigers. The mid to lower section of the ACC is on the rise. Maryland, NC State, North Carolina, Virginia, even Duke is improving. This is great for the conference as whole but will make Clemson's job harder. The season opener against Auburn could be a great tone setter for the season but in the grand scheme of everything isn't that important. However, the ACC  desperately needs to get wins against its SEC competition this year. This would be a nice start. Clemson will have to overcome its demons in Atlanta. It's almost like there is a curse in the city as the Tigers have struggled in not only Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium, but the Georgia Dome as well. The last significant win in Atlanta was back in 2003 in the Peach Bowl against Tennessee. The Sept 22 showdown in Tallahassee will be a good measuring mark for both teams as well as give the winner the drivers seat in the Atlantic division. However, the winner of the game is far from being in Charlotte. FSU has road games at NC State, Miami, Virginia Tech and Maryland. All of which have the potential to give them headaches. Point being, Clemson can lose to FSU and still "easily" win the division. A Thursday night trip to Winston-Salem will literally be a demon Clemson has to overcome. The Tigers have struggled there as well and nearly escaped last years game in Death Valley with a victory.The fact that it comes five days after a home game against Virginia Tech makes this game extremely dangerous. The Tigers close out the season with a three game home stand. On Nov. 10, Maryland, who has had great recent success in Death Valley, comes to town. The following week, the Wolfpack of N.C. State come calling and Clemson closes out the season Nov 24th when they will try to get back  in the Win column against rival South Carolina. The Auburn game is a toss up especially with the suspension of Watkins but I believe Clemson will still get the job done in Atlanta. Until they prove otherwise though, they are still Clemson and I expect at least one letdown game, most likely to come against Boston College or Maryland, in my opinion. Eight wins is definitely doable, and if the offensive line plays well, 10 should be almost a given.


My Thoughts 

The biggest question mark is the line play for Clemson this year. Clemson is loaded with play makers on offense and have great depth at the WR position. A healthy Andre Ellington is a huge key for the Tigers. They play their best football with him on the field. I have a hunch Deandre Hopkins and Charone Peake both are primed for breakout years, especially with the Watkins situation. Defense is headed in the right direction and Venables is pleased with the progress his squad is making thus far. If Clemson can take care of business in the games they are "supposed" to win, they will be just fine. We know the offense can be lethal especially if this line proves it can hold its ground. That being said, the Tigers should light up scoreboards again this year...the main question is will the defense be able to get off the field. A greatly improved defense will make Clemson awfully hard to beat as you will literally be forced to outscore them...not many teams in the nation would be able to do that. Excited to see what Dabo Swinney and company have in store for us this season!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Pre-Season Preview: Georgia

Georgia Bulldogs
Head Coach- Mark Richt
106-38 in 11 seasons at UGA


Review of 2011 Season

Last season the Bulldogs got off on the wrong foot coming up short in their season opener to Boise St 35-21, and falling to South Carolina at home the following week in a shootout 45-42. They would recover however and reel off 10 straight wins to close out the regular season and represented the East division in the SEC title game. A combination of running out of steam and LSU flat out being the better team led to a 42-10 victory for the Tigers and set up the epic rematch (sarcasm) of Alabama-LSU in the BCS title game. UGA would also come up short in the Outback Bowl and fell to Michigan St. 33-30 in a 3OT thriller. There are some questions marks on the offensive line that have to be addressed but at first glance, it looks as if Georgia should contend for a spot in the SEC championship game again this fall.



Key Losses/Key Returners 

On offense, Aaron Murray has lost his star TE Orson Charles as well as FB Bruce Figgins. Due to some off the field issues and an arrest, Isaiah Crowell is no longer with the team and will likely be replaced by freshmen Keith Marshall, who enrolled early and participated in spring practice with the Dawgs. The line needs some rebuilding and will have to replace its' center and both tackles. On defense, Georgia will be a force. The nation's third ranked defense only lost three starters and looks to be stout again this year. LB Jarvis Jones is among the nation's best and will help anchor the defense.

2012 Schedule 

Sept   1    Buffalo 
Sept   8    Missouri
Sept  15   Florida Atlantic
Sept  22   Vanderbilt
Sept  29   Tennessee* 
Oct.   6     South Carolina*
Oct    20   Kentucky
Oct    27   Florida#*
Nov    3    Mississippi
Nov   10   Auburn*
Nov   17   Georgia Southern
Nov   24   Georgia Tech

*-Denotes Key Game
Home games in BOLD
#-Game played in Jacksonville, FL

Schedule Analysis 

Georgia has lucked up again this year and will not have to play LSU, Alabama or Arkansas during the regular season. They will still have their work cut out for them though as they have road trips to SEC newcomer Missouri, as well as division rival South Carolina and lastly, Auburn. Georgia will most likely have a stronger start this year and the more you look at it, that October 6 clash in Columbia will probably be between two unbeaten teams. Last year's game was no disappointment and I expect no different this time. The Bulldogs end the season with back to back home games as they host Georgia Southern and rival Georgia Tech. In my opinion it is a very favorable schedule and one that UGA should do well with.






My Thoughts 


The road to the SEC title game will not be easy of course but UGA arguably has the best route to Atlanta. Last year they lost to Carolina (who went undefeated in the division) but thanks to how the system works, they went to the title game over South Carolina. I'm pretty sure the Gamecocks haven't forgotten about that and will be ready to knock them off again and position themselves in the drivers seat. Like Clemson, Georgia's big questions marks are up front. If they fill these voids, they are a 10 win team, if not...it could be a long and disappointing year in Athens. Some people are saying Tennessee will have a good season this year which is why I have it down as a key game for the Dawgs. It should be interesting. UGA can't afford to look past the Vols with a showdown against South Carolina the following week. I'm also interested to see how successful Will Muschamp will be in Gainesville this season. I think Florida will soon be back to competing for SEC titles, but not sure how much of a glimpse of that we will see this season.

Pre-Season Preview: South Carolina

South Carolina Gamecocks
Head Coach- Steve Spurrier
55-35 Record at South Carolina in 7 seasons
197-74 Overall in 22 seasons



Review of 2011 Season

Last season was one to remember in Columbia as Steve Spurrier's crew put together a solid 11-2 record. The finished second in the SEC East, dominated arch-rival Clemson for the third straight year and defeated Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl 30-13. This season should be another special one for the Gamecock nation as they look to pick up from where the left off last season. Led by QB Conner Shaw, who Spurrier has praised this off-season as one of the best he's had, the Gamecocks are in a great position to make a run for the SEC East again this season. The loss of Alshon Jeffery on offense hurts, but the return of a healthy, stronger, and reportedly faster Marcus Lattimore should keep Defensive Coordinators up at night all season long.


Key Losses/Key Returners 

The Gamecocks lost a few key play makers in WR Alshon Jefferey, DB Stephon Gilmore, DL Melvin Ingram and SPR Antonio Allen. Arguably the biggest of those will be Jeffrey who made spectacular catches all year long and made Garcia look great ( at times) on what actually were some very poor passes. WR Ace Sanders will likely carry the load in the receiving department. Defense will miss Allen, Gilmore and Ingram as well. They all are in the NFL which goes to show you just how talented these guys were. On the bright side, Marcus Lattimore will return to the backfield after missing the latter half of last season due to a leg injury. Coaches say he's is stronger and quicker than before and has been making great cuts in practice and will be ready to go when they take on Vanderbilt to kick off the college football season Thursday, August 31st at Vanderbilt. It will be interesting to see if South Carolina will be able to ride him all season long. Not many guys can have 30+ carries a game and be productive and healthy for an entire season. It will be something to keep an eye on. After coming in late in the season after the dismissal of the troublesome Steven Garcia, Conner Shaw looks to lead the Gamecocks into his first full season as the starter. He showed promise last year with a great arm and mobility as well as solid decision making. On the defensive side, Lorenzo Ward takes over as defensive coordinator for Ellis Johnson, who is now the head coach for Southern Mississippi. Offenses will face a tall task in blocking linemen Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney, who will also see some time at the LB position this fall.

2012 Schedule 

Aug 30th    Vanderbilt (Thursday night)
Sept. 8       East Carolina
Sept. 15     Alabama-Birmingham
Sept. 22     Missouri
Sept. 29     Kentucky
Oct. 6         Georgia*
Oct. 13       LSU*
Oct. 20       Florida*
Oct. 27       Tennessee
Nov. 10      Arkansas*
Nov. 17      Wofford
Nov. 24      Clemson

*-denotes key game
Home games in BOLD

Schedule Analysis 

Winning in the SEC is never an easy task. Spurrier himself said it best, "Its easier to win the National Championship than the SEC...just ask Nick Saban" Hard to argue the statement after LSU captured the SEC title last season but fell to Alabama when it mattered most in the BCS Championship game. South Carolina hopes to return to the SEC title game again this year after being walloped there in 2010 56-17 by Cam Newton and company and having to sit out last years game despite having a untarnished record in within East Division play. However, if the Gamecocks want to make it back to Atlanta, they will have to somehow survive a hellacious October. They battle SEC foe Georgia at home, but back-to-back trips to LSU and Florida will be a daunting task. They return home for a showdown with Tennessee before they enter their bye week. There will be little time for rest though as the Razorbacks, who have had Carolina's number recently, travel to Columbia Nov. 10th in a game that will without a doubt have heavy conference title game implications. The Gamecocks have the potential for a solid start to the year which should have them pushing for a Top 5 ranking. The month of October will tell us if they are worthy of that ranking and if they are ready to take that next step.



My Thoughts 

The Gamecocks will win nine or more games again this season if they can stay healthy. Opening up with Vandy on the road on a Thursday night has the potential to be tricky, but I believe the return of #21 added to the ability of Shaw to make things happen with his not only his arm, but his feet as well, will wear down Vanderbilt as well as other opponents this season. As much as I hate to say it as a Clemson fan, this team scares me. After three straight beatings from these guys I'm sickened at the fact that it could very likely be four straight after this season. That game is a long way from now and anything can happen but this team is more than capable of silencing Death Valley for a second straight trip. The Gamecocks have solid players at the skill positions and will get every team's best shot. Can they handle the pressure? I think for the most part the can. Will they? Well that's another question. Only time will tell, but as for me and the time being, I would not be surprised to see South Carolina be 6-0 and in the top 5 when the travel to Baton Rouge to take on LSU in that other Death Valley October 13th.




Friday, August 10, 2012

A Wild 24 Hours in the Sports World

Within the past 24 hours a good bit has happened in the world of sports. I will breakdown a few of those main stories in today's post. First, I will talk about Usain Bolt's performance at the Olympics. Next up is the blockbuster trade that has landed Dwight Howard in LA with the Lakers and lastly, I will close news that broke this morning about Heisman contender Tyrann Mathieu from LSU. 


Don't Blink, You Might Miss Him


Usain Bolt has continued his string of dominance in Olympic events this year in London. On Sunday, he defended his title in the 100m with a time of 9.63 seconds proving he is still the "World's Fastest Man" He also became the first person to not only win Gold in the 100 meter but come back and finish ahead of the competition in the 200m race as well. The medalist from Jamaica is unbelievable and makes it look easy. So easy in fact that he often "pulls up" or "jogs" the end of his races as he pulls ahead of his opponents and leaves them in the dust. I remember watching him in the qualifiers earlier this week and he literally looked to both sides and dropped down a few gears into neutral as he had blown away everyone around him. He explodes off the block and just glides down the track with ease. His speed is unheard of, but it almost makes you wonder. He breaks records and crushes his competition at ease and often lets up towards the end...you can only imagine how much damage he could do if he actually ran through the entire sprint every time. Its unreal, almost kind of scary, just how fast this guy is. He seems to be a man among children and dominates his sport, similar to how Michael Phelps has done in swimming but obviously he isn't as decorated as Phelps. I haven't payed too much attention overall to the Olympics this year, but Bolt definitely has grabbed my attention since the Track and Field games have started. Interested to see just how long Bolt can continue to dominate this sport. 



Superman is Headed to Los Angeles 

After a long summer of trade rumors and complaining, Dwight Howard is now officially out of Orlando and will join newcomer Steve Nash in LA with Kobe and the Lakers. It was a complicated deal that involved 12 players, 4 teams, and a protected 1st around Pick from LAL, the 76ers, and the Nuggets for Orlando. The Magic also immediately get Al Harrington, Josh McRoberts, Christian Eyenga, Moe Harkless, Nikola Vucevic and Arron Afflalo. Along with Howard, the Lakers acquired Earl Clark and former Duke Blue Devil Chris Duhon. The 76ers receive Andre Iguodala, and the Nuggets obtain Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson. Coincidentally, I think everyone wins in this situation except Orlando, though they are reportedly satisfied with the deal. They will definitely be starting fresh with not only a new coach and general manager, but many new faces on the court as well. As a Laker fan I'm thrilled with the trade. Bynum was solid but every since he made it clear he wasn't dedicated to LAL and "didn't care where he played" following the series loss to the Thunder, I was more than willing to give him up for another solid big man that wanted to play for the Lakers. I think we did great in picking up Howard. Dwight has become the king of scoring off the pick and roll and I'm already drooling at the thought of seeing Nash dishing him the rock all night long. I think its fair to say that the Lakers (trade wise) have had one of the greatest off seasons in NBA history. They knew exactly what they needed, went out on the marker and picked up not one, but two All-Star players in Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. With this addition, take a look at what will likely be the Lakers starting 5 next year: PG Steve Nash, SG Kobe Bryant, SF, Metta World-Peace, PF Pau Gasol, C Dwight Howard. Boy, oh boy that is music to my ears. Many people have already started talking up a Kobe-Lebron NBA Finals match-up. As great as that sounds, I have to pull a Lee Corso on you guys. NOT SO FAST, MY FRIEND! Though LAL as raised their stock dramatically, Oklahoma City is still the team to beat as they are the defending Western Conference Champions. We will still have a dog fight on our hands against them and will likely have to knock them out in the Western Finals or we won't even get a chance to see Miami. So first things first, lets take care of our conference and see how the team plays together before we start prematurely raising any banners in the Staples Center. 



LSU's BCS Title Hunt Takes A Huge Hit



If LSU is able to make another great run at the BCS National title again this year they will have to do it without a major piece to the team puzzle. News broke this morning that CB Tyrann Mathieu had been dismissed from the team for violation of team rules. No word on what the infraction was nor when it occurred but we do know that he is no longer with the team as of today. It is a major blow for the team. "We will miss him, but we must go on." said head coach Les Miles. The Junior was the MVP of the SEC title game and was a legitimate Heisman contender entering this season. Mathieu is one heck of a play-maker and his presence on the field made everyone around him better. LSU is left with a major void not only on the defensive side of the ball but on special teams as well. The CB scored two of his four touchdowns last season on punt returns, the other two were on fumble returns. He has a nose for the football and seems to make game changing plays in the most crucial moments of the game. Someone will have to step up and give LSU that spark that Mathieu provided though it will be difficult to replace the intangibles he brings to the table. He is a one of a kind athlete. I posted an entire story about this earlier this summer, so you guys know how I feel about it. It drives me up the wall when guys/girls have this type of talent/potential and risk or lose it all over useless garbage. It's completely senseless and just not worth it. Stay on the straight path! The Honey Badger is looking to find another team where he can play immediately but depending on what rule was violated he may find himself forced to sit out this season. Though it really doesn't matter, I'm very interested in seeing what exactly we was kicked off the team for. With camp just now getting into full swing and the severity of the punishment, I'm led to believe it may have been drug/alcohol/gun related or is something that is "old news" and just not being brought into the spot light. Just my hunch. Unless he had been warned before, I don't see how a simple missed practice (for example) would have led to being dismissed from the team. It will be interesting to see how LSU is impacted by the loss from a physical standpoint and mental stand point as well. Mathieu brought a swagger to his team and someone will need to keep that going this season. Nevertheless, LSU will still be a top ten team and be a contender for the National Title. 






Thursday, August 9, 2012

The End of an Era

Clemson Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips Announces Retirement 


News broke early this week that Clemson AD Terry Don Phillips would announce his retirement this week and today that news became official. Phillips' contract is set to end in June of 2013 and he made it clear earlier this year that he was not pushing for an extension. At the press conference today Phillips said "the time was right" to step down and he will officially be retired next June, though he is ready to step aside as soon as his replacement is named. He noted that the urge to spend more time with his family was a driving force in the decision. "I'm very blessed to have a wonderful wife." Said TDP. "But it is important that we spend more time together." We also learned that had it not been for Barker, Phillips may have left before now. Barker encouraged TDP to stay longer and he did, but now seemed to be the time to call it quits. "I've had some health issues in the past. There was some complications, but I feel good right now. This is probably the best I've felt in a long time." Barker had known for about six months that this decision was coming. He thanked Terry Don and his wife for their hard work and dedication to Clemson University over the past 10 years.

People have mixed feelings about Terry Don, but you have to be out of your mind to think he didn't do a great job at Clemson. Nobody is perfect of course and some more night games (which wasn't 100% in his hands) would have been nice but other than that he was a great AD. To me, that is saying something. For that to be the only negative thing I can say about him, he must have done a great job. Though the trophy case isn't packed, Phillips has laid the foundation for the coming years to be great. Like former South Carolina and current Texas A&M AD Eric Hyman, the groundwork for success is in place and it will be up to the next guy to take the program to the next level and beyond. Under Phillips, the West End Zone project came to life, additions to Doug Kingsmore Stadium, construction is underway for the new indoor football facility, a 2003 Golf National Championship, 2011 ACC Football Championship, and the hires of Oliver Purnell, Brad Brownell, and Dabo Swinney were all milestones met on Terry Don Phillips' watch. I'm grateful to have had him serve Clemson the past decade and wish him a very happy retirement.

Now the search officially begins for his replacement. I suspect that a list of candidates is already on Barker's desk as he has known about this for a few months now. It will be interesting to see if they go for a national search or stay in house, like South Carolina did, with the Ray Tanner hire. I'm sure in the coming weeks, names will begin to surface for candidates to take over the Athletic Department.



West End Zone



























Additions to Doug Kingsmore Stadium




















New Indoor Football Practice Facility






Tuesday, August 7, 2012

The Road to Charlotte

Last season Dabo Swinney and the Tigers were able to get the 20 year old monkey off its back and finally capture an ACC Championship. Not many saw it coming heading into the season, but Clemson quickly proved that with their new high speed offense, led by new offensive coordinator Chad Morris, was a force to be reckoned with not only in conference play, but on the national stage as well. Now everyone knows how dangerous the offense can be and with Brent Venables taking over the reins of the defense, the Tigers should again be in the hunt for a conference title this season. However, the road to Charlotte will be significantly more difficult this time. I've composed a short, but detailed list of keys Clemson needs to successfully defend their ACC title. Here they are:


1. Line Play

One of the biggest question marks heading into this season is the play of both the offensive and defensive line. With some rebuilding on both sides, it is unclear what exactly to expect. Everyone who knows football knows that being successful starts up front. Games are won in the trenches. Clemson has one of the most talented offenses in the nation but if the offensive line doesn't gel together and pretty quickly, I may add, (with early season test against Auburn and Florida State,) they could be in trouble. The play of the offensive line could be the difference in returning to Charlotte for the ACC Championship or for the Meineke Car Care Bowl. (remember Clemson playing there against USF in 2011....yeah. How quickly things have changed!) It will be crucial for Tajh Boyd's success. At times it seemed he was on his way to be a surprise contender for the Heisman. But later in the season he got rattled and looked out of sync completely at Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, First half at Maryland AND against arch-rival South Carolina. Notice that all of these games were played on the road. I have a hunch that this may not be a coincidence. If Boyd has time in the pocket to throw the ball down field, Clemson will become nearly unstoppable. If the passing game opens up, it will help set up the run and we could see some lovely play action business with the long ball to Hopkins, Watkins, Bryant, Brown, etc. A solid offensive line will make Clemson a complete nightmare for defenses. Conversely, one that struggles and forces Clemson to throw the ball will hurt greatly and make us one dimensional and more predictable. This is not what we want with all the weapons hanging in our arsenal. On the defensive side, we are left with questions but have cautious optimism. After last season, the defense as a whole almost HAS to improve. We were atrocious at times last year and I'm positive 70-33 is still fresh on their minds and frankly, it should be. If I'm Dabo and Brent Venables, I have that score blown up and put on the locker room wall as a reminder. I'm tired of hearing it as a fan, but this can be used as motivation. We were embarrassed on the national stage and need redemption. We have to get that taste our of our mouths. And as Roy Philpott said on his show a few days ago, an improved defense could be a heavy factor. We gave up way too many points last season and cutting 7-10 points off that average, which is possible, would put us in great position for another 10 win season. Our offense, when its clicking, isn't going to be outplayed by many teams on its schedule, if any. So improvement on defense and consistency on offense is the winning combo. 

2. Tajh Boyd

I already touched on this to a degree in #1 but I think that Boyd is more important to Clemson than Sammy Watkins. We have the play makers, but without Boyd to get them the ball, who is going to do it? Cole Stoudt is a good QB but this offense works better with Boyd under center and Morris created it that way to fit Tajh's style of play. Freshmen Chad Kelly may be an even better fit for the offense but he is young and according to Morris, is not ready for the pace and speed of play and needs to learn the system more before he can take that next step. Boyd smashed records all year long last season and at times he seemed like the best QB in the nation but he also struggled down the stretch. He needs to gain more confidence which I believe will come, IF the offensive line comes together. Decision making also needs to progress as many of Boyd's turnovers were just flat out bad throws and decisions. With another year in the system I expect him to play smarter and better. He must know when to take the sack and move on to the next play and not force things. But also have the knowledge to know when its appropriate to take the risk and go for the home run play in a sticky situation. We know the guy is tough and can take a beating but I think we would all agree seeing a clam and composed Boyd in the pocket is much more appealing that one who has to make things happen with his feet and roll out of the pocket frequently to make plays. 


3. Protect the Valley 


Clemson went undefeated at home last season for the first time since 1991....the last time it had won the ACC before last season. With tricky road games against Florida State, Wake Forest (on a Thursday night following Virginia Tech at home five days prior) and Boston College (all of which are not only conference games, but games within the divison) it will be of the utmost importance to handle their business when they are at home. Anytime you lose a game within your division, it's essentially two losses because you now lose the potential tie breaker. However, the ACC is improving (see Virginia 2011) and this year should be even better as a whole (NC State, Wake Forest, possibly Miami on the rise) but at the same time it means more upsets. That being said, its possible for Clemson to lose to FSU ( as the "experts" are predicting but still win the Atlantic Division. Clemson has Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Maryland and NC State at home this year. All of those should be good match-ups and games the Tigers will need to come out of victorious if they want to return to Charlotte early in December and not late in December (Car Care Bowl)

Monday, August 6, 2012

Bucket List

I'm back! After an extended break and a weekend trip to Boston/Maine, I'm back on the grind and it great timing as football is officially upon us as camp as begun and the first college football game of the season is only 24 days away as we will see South Carolina take on SEC foe, Vanderbilt on a Thursday night in Columbia. Never have I ever been so pumped to see a Carolina game that didn't involve Clemson. LET'S PLAY SOME FOOTBALL, FOLKS!!!

But until I get into complete football mode, I want to talk about my vacation. Thursday night I flew up to Boston with my aunt and cousin. It was my first trip to Bean town and I really enjoyed it. We spent Friday being typical tourist and walking around exploring the city and as a sports fan I just HAD to check out Fenway. I had no idea that this was the 100th year of Fenway Park, nor did I know Friday night's game was a HOF induction night. It was a perfect time to experience the historic stadium. It was a lot bigger than I had imagined but a really nice park with the old-time feel to it, which I really liked. So glad I got to experience this when I did. We had a great view of the HR during the game too, which was just icing on the cake. I'm looking forward to returning to Boston again some day and checking out a Celtics game. I got to see the outside of TD Garden during one of our tours and that really got me itching to see the inside. Our day  trip up to Maine was highlighted by attending the 65th Annual Lobster Festival. It was amazing. Fresh lobster eaten right by the harbor was another great opportunity and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

But enough about my vacation...lets talk some football!!


News broke on Friday evening that Clemson WR Sammy Watkins would miss two games as punishment for his arrest a few months ago. Watkins will miss the home opener against Auburn in Atlanta as well as the following weeks match up against Ball St. in Death Valley. It's a blow to the team to start the season but I'm confident the team and Sammy too, will respond well. Speculation had been ongoing for weeks if Watkins would miss playing time and we finally got our answer. As much as I hate it, I agree with the punishment and like the way both Coach Swinney handled the situation as well as how Sammy has responded. I'm confident he will come back stronger and better from this incident and will not blow a great opportunity like Bellamy, for example. Who, by the way, has apparently been kicked out of his Junior College and won't be playing this fall. Everyone has put in their two cents about the punishment and how it Clemson will have to adjust to it. I texted into the phone line during Roy Philpott's show today and he agreed with my statement. I look at this as a possible blessing in disguise (not the incident per say, but the punishment and its effects). Why you say? Because we are loaded at the Wide Receiver position. We know what Sammy can do, everyone knows this and will be keying in on him this season. This will give more reps to other guys like DeAndre Hopkins, who we know can be extremely dangerous. Jaron Brown will also get the chance to earn more playing time as he's proved he can be a solid. Martavis Bryant has got to be excited for this opportunity. He has potential to be a NFL player and will help in the big play category for Clemson. Though he only had 9 catches last year, 5 of them went for 20+ yards. Marquan Jones will also get the chance to earn some significant playing time if he can put in some hard work at camp and prove he's ready to be a big part of the offense. Other guys such as Charone Peake must have all the motivation in the world. They have a chance to earn starting and major roles in the first two games and if they are successful, for the entire season. Back to the remaining comments from the text I sent in, we are loaded at WR and the more experience we have to back up this depth, the more dangerous we will be later in the season. And MAYBE, just maybe, people will be saying in October/November that Clemson has the best group of  wide receivers in the nation. I will save the importance of  not having Sammy Watkins, in the Auburn game specifically, for the preview story during game week, but for now I just want to shed some light on how a lot of good could still come from this bad situation.