Friday October 24, 2008
Friday E-Mail Bag
Friday E-Mail Bag
Each Friday I publish your comments and answer your questions. To submit a comment or questions please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.
Mickey,
Good job with the blog. Question: where do you think the head football coaching job at Clemson stacks up with head football coaching jobs at other schools both in the acc and nationally? What do you see as the positives and negatives associated with the job? What do you even use as criteria when ranking the desirability of a coaching job? Also, how do we stack up against other jobs that might come open this year such as Auburn and Tennessee?
Still praying for Ryan.
Tigerfan
Tigerfan,
Thanks for praying for Ryan. He is doing great.
I am biased but I have talked to a bunch of people in the coaching industry and the Clemson job is very attractive. I think it is not one of the top 12 jobs in the country because LSU, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Alabama, Oklahoma, Penn State and Florida State are better jobs. But I think Clemson is in the group of the next 10-15.
The positives are support, tradition, facilities and they have a chance win in their conference. The negatives are few. I think in some ways Auburn and Clemson are better jobs but in some ways Clemson is a better job. It will really depend on what a coach is looking for.
Mickey:
I couldn't agree with you more. Given what Dabo has done in a week really says a lot about his character. He has done all the correct things on and off the field. As a member of the "Clemson Family" I would be delighted if Dabo was offered the job. It's more about football on Saturday. He has shown that he is extremely perceptive in what the fans, students and players expect in a coach. He deserves the chance and he would make me very proud and supportive of Clemson football.
Wayne
Wayne,
Dabo would be a terrific choice. There is a risk but there is with any coach. If he is the next head coach at Clemson, he will make you extremely proud. However, like every other coach in America, Dabo will be judged on wins and losses.
Mickey,
First of all, let me say that I fully support Dabo and hope he can “work” his way to be our full time coach, assuming he is the right man. My roommate at Clemson in the 90’s along with his wife is good friends with Dabo and his wife and I hear nothing but great things.
My question is: Tommy West had a great passion for Clemson and was also a young, up and coming coach, as with Dabo. I understand the lack of wins ultimately destroyed Tommy here. But other than the W/L’s, is there anything that stands out that Dabo could learn from that situation and possibly do differently?
Thanks,
Chris
Chris,
Great question. I am not sure Dabo knows Tommy West so he will rely on his experience with Gene Stallings and Tommy Bowden. I think he has already learned a lot about the mistakes Bowden made. It is pretty obvious because he made changes so far. I think Tommy West had a very good original staff at Clemson but his biggest mistake was in the hires he made as replacements on staff.
Mickey,
In your opinion, is Lane Kiffin a strong candidate for head coach if Dabo is not retained? Please share your thoughts.
Thanks,
Angelo
Angelo,
I don’t know enough about Kiffin. I have heard some good things and very few negatives. To be honest, I need to try to get more info on Kiffin because I don’t know anyone who has ever coached with him. I will try over the next few weeks to gather some information. Sorry, but I don’t know enough about him.
Mickey,
I know you normally discuss football but what the heck is going on with the men's and women's soccer programs - they have really gone downhill?
Cufan
Cufan,
I went to the men’s game at Furman game Wednesday night and was surprised about the skill level. I am not a soccer guy but have been to over 100 Clemson soccer games and this team is not very talented. They lack finishers.
The reason is pretty simple. There is not in-state talent in soccer to support a national program so Trevor Adair has to go out of state for most of the players. The out of state tuition is over $30,000 a year and soccer teams are limited in total scholarships so they are forced to give partial scholarships. Clemson has a hard time going into soccer rich areas like North Carolina and get a family to pay so much for out of state tuition when they can play for much cheaper in-state. Trevor has an extremely difficult task. North Carolina, Wake Forest, Duke and other schools have programs in place that help ease the tuition burden.
I have not been to a women’s game yet but I understand the new coach is pretty impressive but has a little rebuilding to do.
Mickey,
It was refreshing for me to read about a very positive thing coming from the football team yesterday regarding their trip to the Children’s Hospital. I think these college players need to learn about life, as well as about football. I actually think these this trip served four purposes:
(1) It helps the community and gives something back
(2) It builds character as a person and a teammate
(3) It shows the players there is way more to learn about life other than football
(4) It is a good team bonding experience.
With all the negative things happening with football players all around the nation that you read about daily in the news, Clemson fans should be glad someone cares enough to try to make a difference in these player’s lives, and not just be an “X’s and O’s” coach. For anyone that is complaining about Dabo doing this, or the other motivational items he has put in place, you should think about what many of the fans were saying only weeks ago when Bowden was the coach…”Doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results is crazy”. Well, Dabo is trying to do some things different, because what was being done by the previous coach wasn’t working. At this stage of the game, you have to throw away what you thought worked in the past, and go a different route and shake things up and “Go All In”….Be open to different approaches, they might just work…
I played football for a while myself many years ago and when I saw Dabo make a player that was leisurely walking off the field after the play in the GT game, run back onto the field and sprint back off the field and actually hustle…that reminded me of the tough coached I had over the years….like Dabo or not….you have to respect that move!
David
David,
The players have really bought into Dabo and all of these things he has done off of the field have helped. I agree that they are important but wins cannot be ignored. I hope he wins and the players’ feelings are validated.
Mickey,
No matter who the coach is that we get we all need to be all in. There's no way to know if its truly a good hire until the start of the next season. The games are won on the field and until the cleats hit the turf no one will really know. I think Dabo has a lot of intangibles and is passionate about CLEMSON football. A new coach will have to develop that passion.
Who's to say but whomever we get it sure is exciting to talk about.
Go Tigers!
Billy
Billy,
I think a new coach usually faces some transition time but the schedule next season is manageable. I think Clemson could win big time and I think it could be in 2009. There will be question marks and concerns but the base is pretty good right now. I agree that whoever the coach is deserves the full support of the people.
Hi Mickey,
I agree that Dabo Swinney has a tall task ahead of him to be given serious consideration as the next head coach at Clemson. I am skeptical that he will be able to produce the number of wins that TDP might have in mind over the next few weeks because of the problems with the OL and the health of our two QBs. He cannot make Cullen or Willy healthy. It will probably take another spring and pre-fall camp to fix the problems we have on the OL. Unfortunately, we face some tough defenses in the next few weeks. Given these two issues, I think Dabo is truly fighting an uphill battle, unless our defense can avoid dumb lapses in coverage and assignments that keep our opponent's score below 17 points per game!
Kirk
Kirk,
There are some issues that cannot be fixed this season and you mentioned them. Dabo has focused on the things he can fix in the short-term. The defense could help the situation if they improved on third down.
Mickey,
Have you heard anything about the Clemson football players forming a "union" wherein they will transfer if Dabo is not named the permanent coach?
I'm a teacher in Seneca and one of the players is doing observations/practicum at my school. His mentor teacher (USC fan) brought him to my room to meet me because she knows I am a diehard Clemson fan.
This is what he told me. I asked him if TDP knew about the "union" and he said "Yes."
I was just curious if you had heard anything relating to this from any of your sources.
Clemson football could be in some serious trouble if this situation comes to fruition and players transfer -- especially since commitments are dropping us left and right.
BTW, I really enjoy listening to you (for the few minutes I can) in the mornings on the radio and I also enjoy reading your blogs. Keep up the good work!
I really like Dabo a lot. I've liked him since he came and spoke at my church at a men's and boys' dinner a while back. I would love for Clemson to give him a chance to lead the football team and I really believe he can do it successfully.
Bleeding orange,
Michael
Michael,
I know the players really like Dabo but I have not heard of the “union” stuff. Often times players threaten to transfer if the AD does not hire their guy but most of the time the threats are just that and never materialize. Players should play and let the AD hire the coach. Some might leave but you cannot let players make the hire. Their voice should be heard and considered but if the AD wants to go in another direction then he should.
Mickey,
In your recent blog “The Next Coach”, at the end you write, “I do think this will be Terry Don’s last big hire. This will be his legacy at Clemson.”
The “last big hire” part stood out big-time to me. Is TDP on his way out of Clemson or something? Because the first thing I thought of when I read that was if the controversy surrounding the $3.5 million and its responsible party has reared its ugly head. It just stuck out. Can you clarify what you meant by this statement, because it could imply that TDP may not be around much longer. Thanks.
Marc
Marc,
Terry Don receives a big annuity if he stays through this coming summer. I think at some point after that he may consider retirement. Like most in their sixties, Terry Don probably thinks about hanging it up soon. The hope is that Oliver Purnell is still around a few more seasons and the new football coach will be here at least that long. I think both are here five more seasons and I am not sure Terry Don will be here five more. Therefore, I think it is OK to consider that this is Terry Don’s last big hire.
Mickey,
What are the chances of Clemson getting a big name coach (ie, Cowher) and not playing it safe with an up-and-comer? I feel like Dabo & Co. have righted the ship, but now we need a steady hand (or Chin) at the wheel.
Thanks,
Chase
Chase,
I can see a big name guy and it might be Cowher. However, my gut tells me Cowher is a very long shot. Why coach in college for $3 million when you could go to the NFL for twice that amount of cash. Also, Cowher has never coached a single day in college. Why would he choose to drop a level at the age of 51? I do believe there are some big name guys out there that could be persuaded but most of them would be college head coaches.
Mickey,
You did not mention Illinois as a better job than Clemson Tuesday morning. With that in mind and for what Ron Zook has done at Illinois, do you think he would be a good candidate? I believe he was the 2007 Big Ten coach of the year.
Didn't the agent for Rich Rodriguez come out and say publicly that Rich was not interested in the Clemson job? I heard that on the radio last week or over the weekend. I guess there was a lot of talk up north about him leaving and coming down here.
Ron
Ron,
I think Zook is as good of a recruiter as there is in college football and the guy works really hard. I think would be a terrific candidate. Rich Rodriguez’s agent says he is not leaving but that means very little. He may not be interested but those words don’t mean anything. Saban said he was not coming to Alabama either.
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