Monday June 25, 2007

Clemson Running Backs

Clemson Running Backs
This is the fun part. This is what it must feel like to be a Southern Cal fan or an Ohio State fan. It is nice to argue that your guy is an All-American and your second-team guy may be better than your first-team guy.

Clemson has had some great units in the past. The late 1980s linebacking corps that featured Levon Kirkland, Ashley Sheppard, John Johnson, Doug Brewster, Ed McDaniel and company was as good as any in America. I think the defensive linemen in the early 1980s could make the same argument. Under Bowden, the wide receiver corps that included Derrick Hamilton, Kevin Youngblood, Airese Currie, and a brief time with Roscoe Crosby could have been included in that argument.

This year at running back Arkansas has perhaps the best argument because Darren McFadden and Felix Jones are a wonderful tandem but the Tigers can’t be too far from down the list. Southern Cal has Chauncey Washington, Emannuel Moody, C.J. gable and Joe McKnight but I am not sure Clemson coaches would trade James Davis and C.J. Spiller for any combination other than those two schools.

Texas A&M, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and a few others would like to make their case but Davis and Spiller are special.

Last year I made the case that we should enjoy every game we have these two with us. We will always have the highlight film from the Georgia Tech game but isn’t it fun to wonder what they will do next. Can you wait until Labor Day to see what they will have in store for us and the FSU defense?

Davis is the starter. He is the foundation of this program right now. He is solid. He is the oak. Clemson can build its hopes around Davis and I don’t believe many will be disappointed. I think Davis is the heart and soul of this team. He is the reason Spiller came to Clemson and the reason Spiller gets better each day.

He is not the flashy back that can take it to the house on any carry but he is solid and very dependable. Until he got hurt in the Georgia Tech game, Davis was a model of consistency. He had 26 touchdowns in his first 20 games as a Tiger. He had at least 80 yards rushing in 14 of those 20 games.

Davis has great vision and can make cuts without slowing down as much as other backs. He is also very strong and runs through many tackles. He is the best blocker of the running backs and catches the ball fairly well. The one thing that he needed to work on the most was his top end speed but he looked much faster in the spring.

Spiller is the human highlight film. You saw what he did on the swing pass at Boston College. You were there for his runs against South Carolina. Ask Wake Forest about his highlight touchdown run. Think Georgia Tech defensive coaches remember number 28?

I have been watching Clemson football for 33 years and Spiller does something that no other player I can remember at Clemson does. He gives you the feeling that every time he touches the football he could be off to the races. More so than any Tiger I can remember, he gives you the feeling that his next carry may be the back breaking long touchdown.

They used to say that if you lived in Chicago in the 1980s or early 1990s that you did not want to miss a Chicago Bulls game because there was a chance you could miss Michael Jordan’s next huge moment. My suggestion to any Clemson fan is to get your drink and popcorn between series or when the Tigers are on defense but don’t miss the next carry by C.J. Spiller.

Spiller overcame a couple of issues last year but most importantly he stopped fumbling. As the season went on he felt more comfortable and was a much better overall player. His pass receiving, blocking and running all improved each week.

I have to admit it was nice to have Reggie Merriweather and Demerick Chancellor but neither were as talented as Davis or Spiller. Depth becomes a slight issue especially if Clemson has any injuries at this position. Ray Ray McElrathbey moved to running back this spring and he looked much more comfortable on offense. The Atlanta native looked like he was thinking too much on defense but he looks like he is a natural with the ball in his hands. McElrathbey’s personality just suits this side of the ball much better.

Paul Macko is a serviceable fourth-team back that proves his worth each spring.

Another factor in the success of these running backs is the fact that long-time running backs coach Burton Burns left the program to coach at Alabama and he was replaced by former North Carolina running back coach Andre Powell. The South Carolina native also coached special teams for the Tar Heels. According to the players and staff the transition from Burns to Powell went fairly smooth.

Clemson wants to sign two running backs in this upcoming recruiting class and already has a commitment from Andre Ellington of Moncks Corner, SC. David Blackwell had not recruited the lower part of South Carolina until this year but he came away with the state’s top back in Ellington. Last season the Berkeley High star rushed for over 1,600 yards and had almost 2,000 total yards and 18 touchdowns.

Because of the success of Davis and Spiller Clemson now has a much better chance to sign backs like Ellington and nationally recruited players at this position. Clemson is in line to receive visits from running backs like Jamie Harper of Jacksonville, FL, Brandon Barnes of Bunn, NC, Dontavious Jackson of Franklin, GA, Martin Ward of Jonesboro, GA, Ryan Williams of Manassas, VA and Michael Shaw of Trotwood, OH.

If the Tigers were as good at other positions as they are at running back then this would be a national title contender. This group is the face of Clemson football in 2007 and I have no problem with that. Both are nice kids and understand humility. It makes is easier to pull for players like these two.

Some positions you have questions about who the starter may be and others you may question your depth but the questions about Clemson running backs are different. Their questions are about where they stand in Clemson history and where they stand on the national scene.

Like Borat might say, “Very nice. I like!”

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