From the Eyes of a Tiger: A Clemson Fan’s Perspective

Note:  Variety is the spice of life.  We all need a small bit of diversity in our lives, and we at TGT have diversity with our friends.  We have the token ACC football fan in our circle of close friends, and he happens to be an alumn from Clemson and resides in the Palmetto State.  We reached out to our friend, who will go by “Rub Howard’s Rock”, some time ago to write a guest post previewing the upcoming UGA-Clemson game from a Clemson fan’s perspective.  The following are his unedited comments. 

From the Eyes of a Tiger

By: Rub Howard’s Rock

With the season opener quickly approaching I have been asked to provide an assessment on Clemson’s football team from a Tiger fan’s perspective. The offseason arrests have been relatively quiet and it looks like Mark Richt’s requirement of incoming freshman to take a concealed weapons permit course and Dabo’s requirement for players to stay in their apartment when partying have paid off. Injuries on the other hand have taken their toll. Georgia took some hits in the secondary, and Clemson’s spring game had players dropping like flies.

Here is my take on Clemson.

Clemson’s Offense:

We have a solid group of returning starters. Tajh Boyd is back at quarterback, 4 of the five starting offensive lineman are back, and 3 of the 4 primary wide receivers are back. Most importantly, the offensive coordinator, Chad Morris, is back. Tajh still has some room for improvement. He needs to cut down on interceptions and improve in avoiding pressure. This plagued him in the South Carolina game last year, but he showed signs of improvement in the LSU game. It’s funny that the Chic-fil-A Bowl was the only game all year that the announcers didn’t mention Tajh Boyd lost 25 pounds in the off season from cutting down on Chic-fil-A sandwiches.

While the majority of the offensive line returns, there is some confusion on who will start and where. This will need to be hashed out in the next few weeks. Nuk Hopkins will be hard to replace from the wide receiver core. Sammy Watkins will move to the boundary receiver to create one-on-one match ups, but Clemson needs another receiver to step up to prevent extra help from the safety spot. Clemson’s run game has been modest, but regardless we have to replace Ellington this year. Current indications are that this will be done by a committee of backs.

Clemson’s offense has put up points like a high school basketball team the past couple of years, but this will be a tough task against an SEC defense. Yes, an ACC fan can admit that most of the SEC is tougher competition. I think a key to the opening game for Clemson will be tight end play and the offensive line’s ability to protect. It looks like we might start a true freshman in Jordan Leggett at tight end, who put on a show this spring. He will likely get the start due to Brandon Ford graduating and Sam Cooper being injured.

Clemson’s Defense:

What defense? I know, right. Under Kevin Steele Clemson’s defense was constantly confused. Brent Venables has tried to simplify things and there was a little improvement last year. Clemson’s offense can affect the play of its defense. When you run a fast paced offense, you run the risk of not giving your defense a break if you have a couple of three and outs in a row. Regardless, Clemson has trouble putting pressure on the quarterback without blitzing. This obviously makes an already weak secondary even weaker. Our secondary already thinks offside rules from soccer applies, and often just lets receivers run past them. On the plus side, Clemson picked up Gary Peters last year, who saw significant playing time, and has freshman MacKensie Alexander coming in this year. Improvements on the defensive side are expected to continue this year, but it will be a tough task with Aaron Murray slinging the ball around and two stud running backs coming at them.

Prediction:

I think this game will be more like 2002 than 2003. I have to go with my Tigers 30-27 in a nail biter.

Well, That Is Odd

As I was looking at the Twitter last night, I saw that a UGA basketball player injured his ACL due to a bomb explosion while doing some required military service back home in Switzerland.

I find this odd, but I am not sure what is more bizarre:

1) That a basketball player has an injured ACL due to bomb going off (something you don’t see everyday).

or

2) That Switzerland has a military.

Corbdindawg

Grantham’s most critical season?

Without question, a lot of the credit for getting the Georgia football program out of the muddy, defensive sludge it was in belongs to Todd Grantham. 

But this year, we’ll find out how good of a defensive Grantham really is. Last year, the question was about how well Mike Bobo could get young offensive talent to gel. This year, the same impetus is on Grantham.

In 2010, Grantham’s first year in Athens, there was the expected transitional pains.

In 2011, his defensive charges learned the 3-4 system and those results showed on the field in a big day. It was probably the best defensive campaign overall.

In 2012, the defense was good at times, but had lapses as well. The potential was always there to be dominant, but in some instances it was puzzling how a defense could have problems slowing down teams like Florida Atlantic could also shut down the Floridas of the college football world. 

Now, there is this year. There’s no star power. This bunch is young, but has potential. Getting that potential translated to the field of play? That’s where Grantham comes in.

It’s one thing to inherit talent and build it up. Now, Grantham is working with a group that is fully his – he targeted these players, recruited them and now they are in Athens. 

In the next four months, we’ll find out not only how good of evaluator of talent Grantham is, but how well he can coach his players up. 

Go Dawgs!

Lugnut Dawg

How To Get A Large Pop

The news of Kolton Houston gaining his eligability is welcomed news for Dawg fans and fans of College football.  One, the Dawgs have the deepest offensive line in recent memory.

The woes on the offensive line seem to never go away.  Every year, it seems that the talk in the preseason is “Well, Georgia has a good enough offensive line, but boy if Player X gets hurt, we are in a world of hurt.”  There is always that “as long as there are no injuries” caveat when discussing the offensive line.

That booger bear is one of Richt’s biggest blemishes in his career.  Either through injury, suspension, other attrition or just flat out misses on the recruiting trail, the offensive line numbers generally just haven’t been there.  Going into 2013, the depth is a welcomed problem to have.

For college football fans, the NCAA finally used common sense and good judgement-even though it took 3 years to do it.  Better late than never.

I don’ t know if Kolton Houston will be ready to play or contribute in a signifigant manner early on in the season.  But here is what I would like to see happen:

Saturday, September 7, when they are announcing the starting line ups, put Kolton in.  Let him trot out there the first play of the game.  Run Gurley the opposite side or something where he won’t be all that involved.  Then, take him out.  But let him get that starting nod and I gurantee you, hold off his name for the end like it’s usually reserved for Murray,  that Sanford will explode with cheers.

Corbindawg

Looking back at the 1982 game against Clempson

Not sure what’s better about this video – knocking off Clemson, the call by Munson or the intro by Dan Magill…

 

Lugnut Dawg

Richt breaking down pass concepts

Smart football had a great post two weeks ago where Coach Richt breaks down one of Georgia’s simple but efficiently used passing concepts, the shallow cross, at a coaching clinic.  Since July is long, slow and dead I think this is a great time of the year to review basic formations and study up a little before the season starts and you can’t find a better place to do that than Smart Football.  First, take a look at CMR’s breakdown of the play and then scan through the second video of game and scrimmage footage of the shallow cross in action.  I’ve always thought of this play as a dink and dunk pass play that just keeps the chains moving and keeps the defense honest.  Kinda like the passing version of three yards and a cloud of dust.  But to hear CMR break it down really bring out the small details the QB goes through.  Seriously, if you have time to kill by reading The Grit Tree, do yourself a favor and check out the video below.

 

h/t smartfootball.com

granite

Lewis Grizzard On “The Lone Ranger”

“I liked the Lone Ranger and Tonto until I found out what Kemo Sabe means – Sweetie Pie.”

Are You Worried About Clemson? Should You Be?

I meant to do some indepth research last night, but just didn’t.  But I was talking to Granite yesterday and the subject was Clemson.

Yes, Tajh Boyd is good.

Yes, it is a night game in a hostile environment.

Yes, the Tigers went 11-2 and tore throught their ACC schedule like a hot kinfe through butter.

Yes, the Dawgs have shown a propensity to wet the bed in big games.

But there is a big difference between 11-2 and 10-3.  Clemson is getting a lot of attention becuase they beat a LSU team.  Well, I had a little bit of, um, interest in that game, and I watched it from start to finish.  LSU and Les Miles gave that game to Clemson.  Now, it is not taking anything away from the Country Gentlemen because they still managed to win.  But LSU lost the Peach Bowl as much as Clemson won it.

And don’t forget on the last game of the regular season, Clemson was edged out by a South Carolina team that was down their starting running back and quarterback.

I will dig into my Phil Steele to get a closer look at Clemson, but I am starting to wonder.  Should I be worried about the Clemson game?

Now, I don’t need to do any research to tell you the South Carolina scares the bejesus out of me.

Corbindawg

 

It’s getting hopes up, but allegations at UF?

Florida is a lot like Auburn in a number of ways. One of them is that we, as Georgia fans get our hopes up on numerous occasions that there’s a chance that the program may be in trouble with the NCAA.

Both programs, however, are teflon. Nothing sticks, no matter what. For Auburn, it was Cam Newton. Only an Auburn fan is convinced nothing illegal went on. At Florida…Zook and Meyer were largely given a free pass for off-field problems (can you image some of the Atlanta media covering UF’s program?). And then there was St. Timothy Tebow, whose after-play celebrations somehow were ok in the eyes of SEC officials.

So it comes as no surprise that while he was at Florida, Aaron Hernandez multiple times sought the counsel of, you guessed it, the best friend of any Gator athlete, Huntley Johnson. 

Oh but it’s ok. I’m sure that no athletes received preferential treatment. If you believe that, I’ve got some oceanfront property in Miller County to sell you.

Lugnut

Lewis Grizzard Wednesday: Women In Running Shoes

Women In Running Shoes Brought To Heel 
   
   
WASHINGTON – My ride was late, so as I waited on the sidewalk in downtown Washington I people-watched. 

I had seen the phenomenon I’m about to discuss in other large cities, but here in Washington there seemed to be even more instances of it. 

I’m speaking of the fact that when females in the workplace are out of their offices, many are now walking around in their otherwise attractive outfits in running shoes. 

I am told that women wear these shoes to lunch and to and from work, but once they are in their offices they put on regular shoes, ones with heels that are more suited to the rest of their clothing. 

I asked a female colleague about this once and she explained, “We do it for comfort. You just can’t imagine how doing a lot of walking in heels can absolutely kill your feet.” 

I can understand that. I’ve never personally done a lot of walking (or any walking for that matter) in a pair of heels, but I can imagine how one’s feet would feel afterward. 

Still, I’ve got to say this: 

Comfort or no comfort, wearing a pair of running shoes with a dress does to t he attractiveness of a woman what a large tattoo does to a man. 

It’s downright displeasing to the eye. In a word – ugly. 

And I hate to use the “T” word, but I feel compelled. 

It’s Tacky. 

At a gathering later in the evening, I asked a Washington woman, who had had the good sense not to show up at a cocktail party wearing a pair of Reeboks, why this practice seemed so prevalent in Washington. 

“I don’t think it has anything to do with politics,” she said. “Maybe Washington women just have to walk more than women in other cities. Why do you ask?” 

Diplomacy has never been my strong suit. I looked at her square in her eyes and said, “Because it’s tacky.” 

She threw a sausage ball at me and then huffed away in disgust. 

But that didn’t change my opinion. I don’t think I have any sort of foot fetish, but women in sexy shoes have always caught my eye. 

I recall the first time I saw Kathy Sue Loudermilk in a pair of high heels. It was at the annual Moreland Fourth of July barbecue. She was also wearing her tight pink sweater (the one they retired in the trophy case when she graduated from high school), a pair of short shorts and 8- inch spike heels. 

When the Baptist preacher, who was helping make the coleslaw, saw her, he said, “Lord, thy do make some lovely things.” 

I don’t think he was talking about the onions he was putting in the coleslaw. 

Said my boyhood friend and idol, Weyman C. Wannamaker Jr., a great American, when he saw Kathy Sue, “You put something besides them heels on that body and you done put retreads on a Rolls Royce.” 

And here I stand on a downtown sidewalk in our nation’s capital and eight out of 10 women I see look like they went to the Sears tire store to shop for shoes. 

The Lord does, indeed, make some lovely things, and I’m certain the almighty had no intention they walk around in what amounts to glorified, overpriced, rubber-soled clodhoppers. 

Your feet hurt, ladies? See Dr. Scholl. 

Tacky. Tacky. Tacky. 

I think I have made myself abundantly clear.