2013 |
2013
Lately I have been getting a few emails about Clemson's 2013 season. There has been some banter among Clemson fans about next season and just how special it could be. My responses is guarded for three reasons. 2012 First, this season is not over yet. The Tigers are ranked in the top ten in the country in the AP, Coaches and Harris polls. A BCS game in either the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl or Fiesta Bowl is still a possibility. This is the fun part. Sometimes I think we worry about the future so much that we forget to enjoy the present. We are in the middle of the re-birth of the Clemson football program. I was around in 1977 and 1978 and remember what this felt like. Clemson is 17-5 over the past two seasons and could be 20-5 heading into this year's battle with South Carolina. This team could still win the Atlantic Division of the ACC and go on to win the conference for the second season in a row. This program could win ten games for the second season in a row. This could be the beginning of something really special but I am going to just sit back and enjoy the beginning too. There is a story about a man that climbed a mountain that took several weeks to climb. When he got to the top he said, "That's it? I thought the view would be so much better than this!" The point is to enjoy the journey, not just the destination. I am thoroughly enjoying watching this program being rebuilt. I am excited about the future, but am really enjoying the present. The last four regular season games of 2012, a possible ACC title game and a bowl game will have a lot to say about where the Tigers start in 2013. This time last year Clemson was 8-0 and ranked in the top five in the country. This time last year I thought Clemson would have been a pre-season top five or top ten pick. But the Tigers lost four of their last six games including an embarrassing bowl game. I am convinced that if the Tigers would have finished stronger last season then they would have been ranked much higher heading into this season. A strong finish this year would help improve the pre-season ranking in 2013. Personnel The second difficult part of predicting the 2013 campaign is that there are so many questions to be answered before then. I think
Tajh Boyd Will Robert Nkemdiche be a part of this team next season? Will Montravius Adams sign with Clemson in February? Will Clemson get Mackenzie Alexander to help immediately in the secondary? Clemson looks strong at quarterback, wide receiver and on the offensive line but who will be the main threat at tailback in 2013? On defense the front seven looks like it has improved and newcomers will certainly shore up both units but who will help the secondary improve? The staff is always a question mark. Will
Chad Morris At this point there are too many questions to be answered in terms of who will be around in 2013. Schedule The final bit of uncertainty comes in the 2013 schedule. We know the Tigers will open the regular season at home against Georgia and finish in Columbia against South Carolina. Before expansion the Tigers were set with home conference games against Boston College, Duke, Florida State and Wake Forest and road conference games at Georgia Tech, Maryland, NC State and Virginia. However, Pittsburgh and Syracuse enter the league next season and rumor has it that Clemson is headed to Syracuse next season. Those same rumors also say that Clemson will not being to Virginia but both have not been confirmed at this point. The other part of the schedule that is unknown is the sequence. When will the FSU game fall into the schedule? A trip to Maryland in September might be different than one in November. Summary Like many of you, I think 2013 could be a special year for the Tigers, but at this point there are way too many question marks to be positive that will happen. In the meantime, I am going to sit back and enjoy the process of watching this football program climb back into being a national power once again. 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 email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com *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, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Daniel Rosborough, The Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs,Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys", Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas. V Family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers,Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Joyce Bussey, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr, Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, Chad Berry, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Shervin Messer, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Christopher Tuten, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, Dot Cartee, Ayden Mills, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jake David family, Angie Crowley, Ira, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Zachary Stoller, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson, William Ross, Meredith Legg, Scott Johns, Frank Carroll,
Brandon Thompson
Tajh Boyd
RS Jr. Quarterback
#10 6-1, 225
Hampton, VA
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is coming back to school but don't know that for sure. There is a decent shot that Nuk Hopkins will forgo his senior season and turn pro a year early.
Chad Morris
Offensive Coordinator / QBs
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be here to run the offense again or will a school make him their new head coach? Will there be any other staff changes?The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency
Brandon Thompson
Defensive Tackle
#98 6-2, 310
Thomasville, GA
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, Alvin Sammons, Georgine McAlhaney, Glen Davis, Mike Price, Clay Childers, Aaron Knight, Danielle Johnston and family, Nicholas Abrams, Lana Kuykendall, Gary, Billy McLeroy, Gary G., William Huggins, Jim Bennett, Chantz Fowler, Ethel McElveen, Michele Gurganus, William Gentry, Lewis Usher and Tanya Sanders, Shon Cooper, Nick Collins, Travis Patterson, Bud Long, Arthur R. Cressman Sr, Jennifer Chancy, Eden Chandler, Amanda Peake, Danny Hammond, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, The Sturkey Family, James Caylor, Ron Johnson, John Ellis Haddad, the Lance family, Marcus Lattimore, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell.
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