Monday January 11, 2010

A Wonderful Weekend in Clemson

A Nice Weekend in Clemson
It may have felt like Winnipeg but it still looked like Clemson and I had a great weekend here in God’s Country. In case you could not make it to Mac McKeown’s memorial service, you can watch the videos at www.ThanksMac.com. I think many of you would enjoy the service especially Coach Ford, Lawson Holland and Jeff Davis’ videos.

Boston College Review
Part of the reason it was a good weekend on Clemson was the Tigers’ 72-56 win over Boston College Saturday afternoon.

I know I am a biased homer but I am still trying to figure out if Clemson is that good or if Boston College is that bad. There is evidence of both being the case but I sure was not impressed with the Eagles. Maybe it was because Clemson matches up very well against Boston College. Maybe it was because the Eagles are very limited at point guard. Saturday was the first time I have seen the Eagles play for more than ten minutes and I am not sure how they can have any kind of expectations based on what we saw Saturday.

The Tigers did play well though and that should not be overlooked.

Clemson shot 45% from the field including 5-14 from behind the three-point line. The Tigers did struggle by going just 17-27 from the free throw line but I was impressed with the rebounding effort as Clemson outrebounded Boston College 40-33. The Tigers did a much better job on the boards in the second stanza.

I was impressed with the half court and full court defenses as Clemson held the Eagles to 37% from the field including just 2-16 from behind the three point line.

The Tigers got another strong effort from Trevor Booker who had 19 points, four blocks and five rebounds. But the best news for the Tigers was the outstanding effort from Demontez Stitt who was much more aggressive. The junior point guard had 15 points including two big three-pointers.

Part of the terrific rebounding effort was a result of a team effort. Devin Booker led the Tigers with eight rebounds. David Potter added six boards. But the backcourt did a nice job as well as witnessed by Andre Young’s five rebounds and Noel Johnson and Tanner Smith adding four each.

The Tigers half court offense looked much better in this game because they got the ball inside to Trevor Booker more often. Stitt’s penetration was better and the Tigers also made some shots. Johnson was 2-4, Smith was 5-9, Stitt was 5-8, Jerai Grant was 3-4 from the field.

Depth was another key because the Tigers had a couple of guys struggling from the field including Young who was just 1-6, Potter who was 0-5 and Milton Jennings who was 1-4.

In the end it was a good win over a team Clemson matches up well with. In fact, I like the Tigers’ chance when they visit Boston in later this month.

Recruiting Weekend
The third part of the successful weekend for the Tigers was an impressive recruiting weekend. Clemson brought in n13 players for official visits including 10 players who were previously committed to the Tigers. That list includes Bashaud Breeland, a defensive back from Allendale, SC, Demont Buice, running back from Gadsden, AL, Desmond Brown, a defensive back from Centre, AL, DeAndre Hopkins, a wide receiver from Clemson, Martin Jenkins, a defensive back from Roswell, GA, Garry Peters, a defensive back from Conyers, GA, Tra Thomas, a defensive tackle from Wadesboro, NC, Reid Webster, an offensive lineman from Woodstock, GA, Darius Robinson, a defensive back from Atlanta, GA and Corey Crawford, a defensive end from Columbus, GA.

All ten of those prospects appeared to be solid to the Tigers going into the visits and I would be a little surprised if any make any more official visits.

The staff hosted three players who were not committed to the Tigers before the weekend. Justin Parker, a linebacker from Beaufort, SC, Darius Lipford, a linebacker from Lenior, NC and Tavaris Barnes, a defensive lineman from Jacksonville, FL.

Parker had a great visit. He has been to South Carolina and still has LSU and Georgia Tech coming up in the next few weeks. Lipford has been committed to North Carolina and has a visit to Chapel Hill coming up so it may be difficult to steal him from the Tar Heels. The biggest surprise of the weekend came with Barnes switching his commitment from Florida State to Clemson.

Clemson will still have to hold off FSU and maybe others for Barnes’ signature in February but at this point he says he is done with official visits. If that is the case Clemson is a getting a versatile player that could play defensive end early in his career and could grow into a defensive tackle down the road. His commitment also gives the Tigers two four star defensive linemen and two other three star players at the positions.

Barnes is the 21st commitment for the Class of 2010 which gives the Tigers room for only one or two more players for this class. This coming weekend Clemson is scheduled to entertain eight prospects. Six of the eight are already committed to the Tigers and they include David Beasley, offensive lineman from Columbus, GA, Victor Beasley, tight end from Adairsville, GA, Martavis Bryant, wide receiver from Anderson, SC, Joe Craig, wide receiver from Gaffney, SC, Sam Cooper, tight end from Nashville, TN and Ricky Chaney, linebacker from Beaufort, SC.

This coming weekend Clemson also brings in two players not currently committed to the Tigers in Ethan Farmer, a tight end/defensive lineman from Tabor City, NC and Dexter Morant, a defensive end from Manning, SC. Farmer is uncommitted and will also visit North Carolina and NC State later this month. Morant has been committed to Georgia but Clemson has a chance to turn him this weekend.

Clemson may still try to bring in running back DJ Howard of Lincoln, AL who is currently committed to Auburn later this month. The only other uncommitted prospects that we know the staff is still dealing with is Ferlando Bohanna, a linebacker from Memphis who is committed to Mississippi State.

So heading into the final 24 days of recruiting Clemson is still waiting on just six players (Howard, Parker, Morant, Farmer, Bohanna and Lipford) with room for one or two more. Rest assured they would make room if the right one was still uncommitted and decided to join the Tigers.

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, 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, Kaitlyn L, 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, Caleb Kennedy, Bob Pollock, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Mike Kingsmore,Perrin Seigler, Carole White Begley, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, Steve Cato, the Nicolopulos family, Cason Palmer, Candace Fallaw, Scott Jackson, "the Jacksonville, FL guys".