Friday August 07, 2009

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,
I have enjoyed your radio show more recently as football season gets closer. I like baseball but love the football talk. Keep playing the Dabo audio and the Clemson guests!!!!! I do have one question though—Will J.K. Jay’s injury mean the right tackle job is Landon Walker’s to lose? Thanks.

Go Tigers!
Brian

Brian,
Thanks for the kind words. We will have a lot of Clemson info on the show throughout camp and the season. We have Dabo audio every day in the pre-season. We had Will Vandervort on for 90 minutes on Wednesday. Starting next week we will have Clemson pre-game host Scott Rhymer on every Friday. We will have some of the Clemson beat writers on each week as well. During the season we will have a Clemson assistant coach on once a week. We will also have an interview from the upcoming opponent every week as well.

As far as the right tackle is concerned, I have always felt Walker was ahead of Lambert and Jay. I think it is too early to count Jay out but we will know more next week. I keep hearing that Lambert has a sense of urgency this season but it is hard to buy into his hype until we finally see it. One factor to consider is the fact that Lambert could play both sides, so he may be the swing guy which would leave Walker a little ahead at right tackle.

Mickey,
I know it is just the first week of practice but have you heard anything on which freshmen will red-shirt and which ones will play? If not, care to take any guesses? I appreciate the blog and it keeps me updated from the West Coast.

Hamilton

Hamilton,
The staff does not know who will play and who will red-shirt yet. Those decisions will be made over the next three weeks. However, since you asked, I can take a guess at some. I think Tajh Boyd red-shirts. He has looked good so far but his knee may need more time and it is hard to get three quarterbacks ready to play. My guess is that Rod McDowell red-shirts. Again, he is at a position that has depth and it would hard to see him taking playing time away from Spiller, Harper or Ellington. The staff has mentioned Bryce McNeal looks like a true freshman and physically may need a red-shirt season. Jay’s back injury has potentially changed his outlook. Brandon Thomas has a terrific upside but should red-shirt.

On the defensive side of things Dabo mentioned yesterday that it looks like Malliciah Goodman will play this season. I think Tyler Shatley will red-shirt though. At linebacker, one or two may play with Hawkins looking more physically ready to play than Christian or Shuey at this point. I do think Jonathan Meeks will play at safety and on special teams this season though.

Injuries could affect those projections too. Remember the staff is not sure on a few guys so it is very difficult for anyone else to pretend to know.

Mick,
I am going to keep asking every week but who is ahead in the quarterback-o-meter? Thanks in advance.

Carl

Carl,
Since you asked, I will answer. However, you might not like my answer. The answer is it is too early to tell. I do like your term “Quarterback-o-meter” though because my guess is that it represents a fluid situation. I though Kyle Parker had a significant lead after spring practice. However, I also said that Willy Korn was not healthy and would work his butt off to correct the issues he had. That has happened and it is a race once again. I thought Korn’s release has greatly improved since the spring. His release looked completely different and much quicker.

So here is the way I see it breaking down. I expect one of the two to excel in the scrimmages starting next week. If the one that steps up continues to make strides then he would be the starter against Middle Tennessee. I do think both will play against Middle Tennessee but I am not sure how the snaps will be divided. I would estimate this will continue for the first few games and it will become pretty apparent that the one that produces will get a more snaps each week and eventually become the starter.

However, at this point I have no idea who that will be. Quarterback-o-meter says Parker 41 %, Korn 40%, Boyd 19%. At this point in the process we don’t have enough precincts reporting to project a winner in this tight race.

Mickey,
I listen to your show almost every morning and read the blog every day but I have not heard a lot about the kicker and punter positions. Who will win those jobs? BTW-My wife and I will try to make it to Ryan’s drop-in next Saturday.

Mark

Mark,
Great news. We look forward to seeing you guys. The kicking competitions have been tight and will continue throughout pre-season practices. My gut tells me Dawson Zimmerman may win the punting job. He has more experience and might be a little more consistent. I have not seen enough of the place-kickers under pressure rushes yet so I will hold off on that projection.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Finn Brookover, Mrs. Kathleen Bowers, Larry in Naples, FL, RTG-Pawsitive Tiger, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Jo Ann Bachman, Frank Taylor, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Christine Hepfer, Daniel Rosborough, Amy Murphey, Jack Huffman, Nancy Winkler, Dr. Nancy Strom Morgan, John Reeve, Eileen Woodrum, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Jean-Pierre Bailey, Kaitlyn L, Delores Weaver, Eric Boessneck, John Bowers, Jimmy Ness, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, John Petrey, Chalmers Carr, Drayton Melton, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family.