Thursday September 13, 2007

Center Controversy

Center Controversy
We may have a new starting center at Clemson. I can see Tiger fans taking sides already. Some are in the “We may hurt Barry Humphries’ feelings” club and others are in the ‘Thomas Austin was a 4-star recruit” club.

The campus is buzzing over the center controversy. Professors are having a hard time keeping students’ attention because they are consumed with the starting center for this weekend and how can you blame them.

Clemson is 2-0 so why mess with the chemistry now?

The reason is because Clemson coaches have committed to play the best players at each position.

What about the Mike linebacker controversy? Antonio Clay has not played as much as Cortney Vincent so far and that is not fair. Clay has gone through a lot off of the field and his feelings might get hurt.

Some are relieved that Byron Maxwell did not play great against Louisiana-Monroe or else we may have had another cornerback controversy like we had all throughout August. At least now the thousands of Clemson fans in Crezdon Butler’s camp have ammunition to hurl at those in the Byron Maxwell camp. I can now sleep a little easier at night.

For the past 48 hours I have baffled about how the quarterback situation at Clemson became a “quarterback controversy.” I have heard from callers on air and off and read Tigernet posts and received several e-mails but I can’t figure out how this thing has been misunderstood.

Some blamed me and our morning radio show. Some blamed the media. Some are still looking to point the finger somewhere but the target keeps moving.

For those that did not hear the entire last two days of the morning show allow me to express what exactly what was said to clear up any misunderstanding. On the show we presented every possible situation including Harper’s continued success and/or failure and Korn’s future success and/or failure. I was very comfortable how we have handled the situation over the course of the last two shows. I thought we have been very fair to Harper, Korn, Bowden and Spence. We laid out every possible scenario.

The subject came up Wednesday morning because in his Tuesday press conference Bowden was asked, “Can you see a situation where Korn and Harper become part of a two-quarterback system this season?”

Bowden answers, “I don’t know if we are ready for that yet but I think he has potential. I remember Charlie Whitehurst against Virginia and he went for 7-and-7 and that caught your eye. It’s a similar situation. Willy had a very similar performance. It gets your attention. That’s something that could possibly happen as we go through the year.

Next question: “Could you see a scenario where Korn plays a lot this week?”

Bowden response, “No. How am I supposed to answer that? You are insinuating we are going to blow Furman out. Cullen is doing pretty good. At a later date? Yes.

The head coach was asked about the situation after Wednesday’s practice and added, “If he continues to do what he is doing, then there is an opportunity that I will play him in a more critical situation other than the end of the game. Guys were covered and he scrambled and made plays with his legs and his arms,” Bowden said. “We are a multiple formation team and he managed the team good, so there were several things that happened good.”

When asked if he had ever had a true freshman quarterback play like that Bowden answered, “That was the first time I’ve seen that,” the head coach said. “I have seen guys go out there that first time as a veteran – and he is a true freshman – and have seen them line up under center and they’re supposed to be in shotgun or open up the wrong way. I’ve seen that. I’ve seen that happen, and that didn’t happen with him.”

How does this affect Harper, “(Cullen) is our first-team quarterback,” Bowden said. “We have a first team and a second team. I don’t how I really can explain it other than that… He is our first-team quarterback.”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” Bowden said when asked how much we will see of Korn in the future. “I want to see if he can go in there and perform like he did Saturday. Charlie (Whitehurst) did it a couple of times. The first time he did it we just didn’t move him in and demote Willie (Simmons). There was another game he did it in and I said, ‘this guy looks like he can be pretty consistent. Now if (Korn) goes 6-of-8 again, I don’t care who you are going against, that’s pretty good.”

If the head coach makes comments like that then this is a story at almost any program in the country. So here is what is clear to me:

1. Cullen Harper is the starting quarterback.
2. Harper set the school record for touchdown passes in a game.
3. Korn played well in his first outing.
4. Korn will see more playing time as the gap continues to close.

So where is the controversy?

Quarterback controversies occur when the starter plays bad and the backup is so popular among the fans. That is not the case here because Harper has played well.

Quarterback controversies occur when a back up comes in the game and out performs the starter. That has not happened here yet.

If Cullen Harper continues to throw the ball well, protect the football and lead this team to victories then he will be the starter. If Korn shows the staff that he is the best option and he deserves more playing time and eventually is playing better than Harper then he will be the starter.

This coaching staff is not looking to any radio show, newspaper or message boards for advice on the starting quarterback. The only complaint we can have at any level is when the staff decides that they will not play the player that gives them the best chance to win. I doubt that has ever happened and know that it won’t here this season.

So we must trust the staff to start the center, linebacker, cornerback and quarterback that they feel gives this team the best chance to win and they have my full confidence that that is what they will do.

Granted it is more popular to talk about quarterbacks than centers so the attention will stay on this subject for a while.

Finally there is one key to this thing working out best for this team—attitude. The attitude of Cullen Harper and Willy Korn is the most important aspect of this situation. As long as both handle it with class and dignity they will emerge better people and this team will have a better chance to be successful. Both have to have the idea that the team is first and that should cover any scenario out there. C.J. Spiller and James Davis don’t seem to have a problem with each other. We never hear about a running back controversy at Clemson.

As fans our attitude is important as well. We have to trust the staff to play the best guy that week. If it means Harper, Korn, Tribble Reese, C.J. Spiller or James Davis then so be it. The staff is much more qualified to make that decision than us.

So, there we have it. I hope we ended the quarterback controversy before it ever began. In fact, I look at it in a completely different way. Clemson's starting quarterback breaks the school record for touchdown passes and the second-team guy goes in and looks fantastic. I would say Clemson has created a buzz at quarterback. I like that a lot more than controversy. Go Tigers! Beat Furman!

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