Hangin' with Chad

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Oct 10 13:02:52 GMT-04:00 2011

CLEMSON – Call it the Tajh Watch.

Clemson quarterback Tajh BoydTajh Boyd
RS So. Quarterback
#10 6-1, 225
Hampton, VA
View Full Profile has dominated the news coming out of Clemson since he injured his hip during Saturday’s victory over Boston College, and Monday’s interview session with offensive coordinator Chad Morris was no different.

Morris said he had seen and spent time with Boyd Monday morning, and the redshirt sophomore is still sore.

“I saw him this morning when he came in for film,” Morris said. “He was walking but he was a little sore this morning. We will look at it through the course of the week and manage it. We hope to have him ready to go for Saturday, but right now it’s hard to say. He is pretty sore, but that is to be expected.”

Morris was asked if Boyd was hobbling, and he said no.

“You may see him walk a little slow, but I think he walks slow to begin with,” Morris said with a chuckle. He’s not hobbling and it’s not like he needs a wheelchair or crutches. He said he is going to play and I believe him. We will see in the middle of week where he is. I think it’s more of a strain than anything. I think that, coupled with the way he fell, I l think it scared him. It scared everybody there. But it scared him. But, it would shock me if he doesn’t play.

Morris said that true freshman Cole StoudtCole Stoudt
Fr. Quarterback
#8 6-4, 200
Dublin, OH
View Full Profile impressed him after he replaced Boyd.

“I thought Cole did a really god job,” he said. “He showed a lot of poise with no mental errors. He took a sack on a play where he should have gotten rid of the ball, but I was pleased to see the way Cole responded. I thought he did a great job with the way he managed the game. He pulled the football down and ran the football for us. I will get him ready. Number eight is a competitor. He doesn’t have the arm strength of Tajh, but he will compete and put us in a situation to be successful.”

Morris said that Stoudt, the son of former NFL quarterback Cliff Stoudt, is a product of being around football his entire life.

“It’s like having a coach’s son,” Morris said. “He has been around football his whole life. He has been playing since he was old enough to hold a football. There is some potential there. Cole has a lot of potential. He doesn’t quite have the arm strength that Tajh has right now, but that’s because he is not as strong physically. If he is asked to play Saturday, he will be put in a situation to excel.”

He said that he didn’t watch the trainers work on Boyd because he was busy getting Stoudt ready to play.

“The only communication I had with Tajh, was I asked him, ‘Is it your knee?’ and he said, ‘No, coach, it’s my hip.’ That was when I told Cole to get ready to play,” he said. I went over to Cole and told him to have fun and relax, and ‘Oh, by the way we are getting ready to throw the football.’ I told him to just relax and have some fun, and get the ball to the playmakers around him.”

Other highlights from Morris

On the play-calling if Stoudt has to play or if Boyd is limited

“It’s hard to say right now. If Tajh is 90 percent at gametime, then there are some things we need to weigh into it. If he doesn’t give us the best chance to win the game, then we need to put somebody in who will give us the best chance to win. We have to get to 7-0, and we will have to weigh the options.”

On the play of the offensive line after Boyd went out

“We challenged them over on the sidelines. We told them that there was a true freshman out on the field, and we can't expect him to get everyone lined up, call the protections and call the plays. We expected everybody up front to do their jobs. We called on them to take more ownership and help him out, and that they did that.”

On Andre EllingtonAndre Ellington
RS Jr. Running Back
#23 5-10, 190
Moncks Corner, SC
View Full Profile

“Coach Swinney challenged him at halftime. It was almost like he was trying too hard, wanting it to happen right now. I hope Andre picks up where he left off. But he needs to practice. We are going on three weeks where he hasn’t practiced, because he has been hurt. But I have told him he needs to practice, and we are going to turn him loose this week. “

On Mike BellamyMike Bellamy
Fr. Running Back
#5 5-10, 175
Nocatee, FL
View Full Profile

“He provides a spark for us. Everybody saw that in the second half. Mike is no different than everybody else, though, and he has to have a good day Monday through Thursday.”