Friday August 14, 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 been a foot racer for many years. In that split second when CJ gets the ball even or slightly behind a defender, my mind goes to slow motion at the game as I understand that he will not be touched. It is the most amazing thing I have ever seen in Death Valley.
Still, I can't see him getting the ball and charging the line 25 times a game. In the past, he has been very easy to tackle once touched. Can you explain?
You know a lot more than me, and your insight helps me enjoy the game.
Darby
Darby,
Spiller has to be considered one of the most exciting players to ever play at Clemson. We are blessed to get a chance to watch him another year. I agree that he won’t carry it 25 times per game. Maybe 15-18 carries would be more likely. He could add 3-5 receptions and a kick return or two as well. He could have 25 touches with 18 carries, five receptions and two returns. I thought Spiller was tougher last season. He was a different back last year. He is not a power back so he does not break a lot of tackles. Instead he relies on his ability to make the defender miss.
Hi Mickey,
Seems to me that tight ends make a defense play you honestly if they are a true weapon in your arsenal. Of course, a TE must have the right balance of blocking and good hands. Remember Bennie Cunningham? Jim Riggs? Keith Jennings? We have simply not had someone recently that we could turn to as both a receiver and a blocker. Hopefully, we have some people in place that we can and will use. The TE does not have to make a 30-yard play to be effective. He simply needs to make positive yardage or get the first down when we need it. If we send WRs on deep routes, the TE can sneak into the flat, run a screen or simply go down the middle if the WRs run short routes. The TE forces the defense to play the entire field, but the offensive line may need to sustain their blocks for the TE to get open.
Ahhhh! That brings us to the other issue you addressed in Volume IV.
Kirk
Two tight ends caught more than two passes per game last year in the ACC. Virginia’s John Phillips had 48 receptions and Maryland’s Dan Gronkowski caught 29 passes past season. No other tight end had more than 24 receptions a year ago. Florida State completed 10 passes to their tight ends last year. Clemson had 17 tight end catches.
I don’t have a problem with the tight ends in the passing game. My point is they serve a purpose but really don’t get the action that fans ask for every year. There are some good reasons they don’t.
Mickey,
I enjoy your blog every day and was interested in your piece today on special teams. Last season I wrote a blog post about football coaches punting too much: http://sawdustforbrains.blogspot.com/2008/10/on-punting.html The study cited dealt with pro football rather than college, but it shows pretty dramatically that coaches punt way too often. I'm wondering if the Clemson staff is aware of this research and if anyone has done similar studies for the college game. Considering that Dabo is "All-In", it seems he would be interested in every edge he might have to win football games, even those which might be unpopular.
Preston
Preston,
I have seen that data before and find it interesting. However, I don’t see this at Clemson under Dabo. Some are starting to punt less. Wofford’s Mike Ayers is a proponent of this aggressive strategy. I like the idea but doubt coaches will follow.
Mickey,
That was a great blog on special teams! But you left me wondering.....
If the sum total of Special Teams statistics is misleading, then what statistics in particular about Special Teams are the most important? What makes VT so good on Special Teams???? Is it blocked punts/PATs? Points scored on blocked punts/PATS?
NJTIger
NJTIger,
I would say two stats are important in the special teams. First should be big plays. Punt returns and kick returns can be game-changers. Bad snaps and block punts also can flip the momentum. Also I would say the field position changers like kick coverage and punt coverage.
Mickey,
I have thought of a question of the day that would be interesting to know what Clemson fans think.
If you could only go to one away game this year, which one would it be and why?
Would it be because of the team Clemson is playing, the venue, the facilities, how well Clemson is playing up to that point, fond memories, etc.
I guess this would work for Carolina fans too. . . we could act like we cared. :-)
I hope you haven't already done this and I have missed it.
See yaw,
Susan
Susan,
I will ask our blog readers to respond. I love going to Maryland because of the trip to the nation’s capitol but might try Baltimore this year. I am also a big fan of South Beach, so Miami is a must. Unlike Allison Krause, I am burned out on Atlanta. Raleigh and Columbia are easy trips but don’t have the draw of Miami.
Mickey -
What's the hold-up on Dabo's decision regarding our starting QB for the MTSU game? Also, I've heard that our OL play in fall camp has not been very good. What's your feeling about this? They'll be better than last year, right? They can't be much worse.
Rick
Rick,
Dabo says they will name a starter when there is enough separation. I think the OL will get better reviews when they play more together and have less mixing and matching. I do feel you will see an improved offensive front this season.
Mickey,
Do you know of any way for out-of-staters to see all the Clemson Football games? ESPN has a football package that contains a variety of games, some of which might be Clemson, but it's by no means all Clemson games.
I was thinking of hooking my TV up to the webcast on the computer. Aren't all the games webcast on the computer?
Any other ideas?
I'm sure all out-of-staters would appreciate any info on this subject.
NJTiger
NJTIger,
Since I am not an out-of-stater I have no experience here. There are some options out there but maybe our readers can respond below with good advice about how to watch the games. Hope this will help.
Morning Mick.
Read something over at another site where someone was detailing some reasons why Tommy West failed at Clemson. Got my wheels turning and I got to thinking about Red Parker. From what some older-schoolers have told me who were there at the time, he recruited well, loved Clemson, players seemed to love him (at least Dwight Clark did), fired up a fan base that was previously down, etc. Yet he clearly blew it in the W/L column. With all the aforementioned positives, why did he fail so bad at Clemson? Or was I misinformed by the older-schoolers?
Marc
Marc,
Red Parker took over a bad program and upgraded the talent level. The 1974 team went undefeated at home but lost all four road games to teams that finished ranked in the final polls. The 75 and 76 teams were big disappointments. Injuries were a factor. Some say that Parker did not run the program as well as Pell because he did not demand respect the way Pell did when he took over.
Mickey,
Does Clemson have a chance of signing M. Greene?
Thanks,
Joe
Joe,
I don’t think Clemson is actively involved with Greene at this time. His stock has dropped with some schools and I don’t anticipate Clemson being a big factor with him.
Mickey,
So do you still not believe that Swofford and his cronies in the ACC are trying to keep the Tigers down? If it weren't for the NCAA, we'd be in a world of trouble with our practice schedule. What can we do as fans to show that we're not happy with Swofford or the ACC's obvious prejudice against the Tigers over the last couple of decades?
Mike
Mike,
I am no fan of Swofford or the ACC. Swofford lost me when he lied about the Gator Bowl when he forced them to take Georgia Tech. On this week’s deal, the ACC was not a fault here. This was an NCAA thing and they did get it taken care of within a few hours. I am not sure there is anything you can do about the bias though.
Hey Mickey,
I am a transplant out here in Houston and I enjoy reading your blog everyday to get my Clemson fix. I work with a guy who is a HUGE TCU fan and he is pushing his 4-2-5 defense on me every day and how they are going to dominate Clemson come September. I know we have a lot of questions regarding the team in general but what is the best type of game plan to use to defeat a 4-2-5?
Thanks for your time.
Aaron
Aaron,
Some 4-2-5’s are different than others. If a defense plays a true 4-2-5 with five true defensive backs then some think you need to be more physical and take advantage of the size difference. It also depends on how aggressive the defense is and TCU is very aggressive. Balance is important against an aggressive defense. If an aggressive team can get you one-dimensional then they smell blood. I think a running game can help here. TCU does not allow many running yards because they attack the line of scrimmage. I would also take some deep shots against this kind of aggression.
I'm going to switch things up and ask a few basketball questions. When is signing day for basketball? With 3 seniors (Booker, Potter, and Petrukonis), will Coach Purnell take 3 guys in the next signing class? I recently saw that Stacey Poole has us as his favorite but who are the
other prospects that we have a good shot at getting?
Thanks,
Harrison
Harrison,
Basketball’s fall signing period begins in October. I think the plan is to sign three but I will check with the staff and report anything to the contrary. Poole likes Clemson, South Carolina, Kentucky and Oklahoma. Jason Morris is a 6-5 guard from Connecticut that likes Stanford and Clemson. The Tigers already have a commitment from Marcus Thornton, a 6-7 small forward from Atlanta. Bruce Ellington is a football/basketball prospect that could play point guard at the D-I level. Clemson and South Carolina are his leaders in both sports.
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, Sherl Drawdy.
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