Tuesday September 04, 2007

Wow

Wow
What an incredible night on an incredible campus.

This Labor Day affair felt so much different than the 1982 game in Athens, GA but the Clemson teams involved didn’t look much different. The Tigers used a suffocating defense Monday night and turned back the clocks in terms of talent level. This team looked like a dominating defense that fans were accustomed to in “the good ole days!”

Before we get too far in the analysis I want to say congratulations to the Clemson Nation. Death Valley was rocking and I think it was perhaps the biggest difference in this game. I am not sure Clemson could have won this contest if it was played in Tallahassee so the difference may have been the electric atmosphere the fans created from the pre-game until Ron Cherry told us we could all go home. You were awesome and you deserve as much credit as anyone.

This was the kind of effort that coaches dream about when the Clemson defense held FSU to one first down and 62 yards of total offense. It appeared that the Tigers were the dominant team along the line of scrimmage all night long.

I thought a major key to the win was the Tigers’ pressure they provided on Drew Weatherford. It looked like the great FSU defenses of the past when they harassed quarterbacks with Andre Wadsworth, Peter Boulware, Reinard Wilson and Corey Simon. Clemson put pressure on the FSU caller with its front four all night.

The defensive game plan looked fabulous. The Tigers sent linebackers on occasion and even a safety or corner blitz every once in a while but the best thing I saw all night was Phillip Merling, Jamie Cumbie, Ricky Sapp and the defensive line on top of Weatherford before he had a chance. Clemson held FSU to just three drives of more than four plays.

Congrats to Jimmy Maners who made perhaps the biggest play of the game when he turned an awful disaster into a game saving play when he took the safety.

Another aspect that needs to be pointed out is the depth we saw last night. The Tigers lost their first and second team guards and beat a ranked opponent. At times during the game they lost Thomas Austin, Brandon Pilgrim, Rashaad Jackson, Jacoby Ford, C.J. Spiller, Chris Chancellor and Michael Palmer. I think it says a lot about this program when you can lose that many snaps from key players and the backups came in and played well.

From an offensive standpoint I saw a ton of positives and a few negatives. When the offensive line was healthy I thought they moved the ball well. Two things that stopped the Tigers in the second half were injuries and penalties. The Clemson offense had five penalties in the second half and in my opinion if the Tigers had not stopped themselves I am not sure the Seminoles could have stopped them.

I also think the game plan changed when Austin and Pilgrim went down. I am not sure you could have a right side of the offensive line of Bobby Hutchinson and Chris Capote and expect to move the ball consistently. I think both played hard but the two Florida products did not receive offers from FSU and there was a drop in talent level in the second half.

James Davis looked like the All-ACC back again last night. He broke tackles, made defenders miss and got the extra yards on his tough runs. Davis made Myron Rolle and Geno Hayes look silly on his touchdown run. His leadership is something that we have heard a lot about in the fall camp and I thought it showed last night.

C.J. Spiller was himself again last night as he made Hayes, Rolle and the rest of the Nole defense look inept as tacklers. Spiller had the excellent change up going baffling the FSU hitters who were way ahead as they were looking for the fast balls.

Jacoby Ford was a big part of the game plan last night and I think his role will continue to increase. His speed gave the Noles fits.

Aaron Kelly came up huge in the passing game with several key catches including a couple that led to first downs. But perhaps the biggest passing play came on his slip screen that went for a touchdown after Kelly stiff-armed his way to the end zone.

Cullen Harper played well for his first start of his career. I thought Harper managed the game well but he also gave himself room to improve which I expect he will in the next two starts. He did not turn the ball over and I thought out played the more experienced Weatherford.

Mark Buchholz looked fantastic on his place kicks and kickoffs and I think the Tigers are greatly improved in that area.

If you listened to our radio show this morning you heard me rip FSU defenders Geno Hayes and Myron Rolle. Hayes ran his mouth in between plays as much as anyone on the field but failed to back it up with as many missed tackles as he had tackles. He is a terrific talent and an All-American candidate but he over pursues and whiffed often last night. Rolle did not miss as many tackles as Hayes but he had his share including a big one on Davis’ touchdown run.

In summary, I think this was about the game we expected. I have made the case often over the last two or three years that Clemson was the more talented team and the gap between Clemson and FSU closed early in Tommy Bowden’s career in Tigertown but the Tigers have passed FSU and now the gap seems as wide as ever but it is in Clemson’s favor. Talent wins games and Clemson had the better talent. Jimbo Fisher said after the game, “If I could have done something to fix it, I would have done something to fix it.”

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