Eight with an Opportunity
Every person matures at a different rate. Everyone is giving opportunities at different times in life. These two factors are big in a college football players career.
At some point almost every college football player is given an opportunity and when that time reaches, he is hopeful he will be mature enough to take advantage of that opportunity.
Sometimes it takes a year or two or three for those factors to present themselves and for eight Clemson players this fall is that time. Often times you see an upperclassman have more of a sense of urgency than he did earlier in his career. Here are eight Tigers that should have that sense of urgency this fall:
Roderick McDowell
McDowell has the biggest opportunity of his career at Clemson. For three years he has played behind players like CJ Spiller and Andre Ellington. The last two years he has backed up Ellington, who is now 4th in school history in rushing yards. This year McDowell enters the season as the number one tailback for the first time and he has shown signs being able to handle that. Last season he played 244 snaps including 44 in the bowl game which was a career-high. McDowell rushed for 450 yards last year and five touchdowns. The Sumter, SC native is up to 200 pounds and looks physically more ready to accept the opportunity in front of him.
Charone Peake
Like McDowell, Peake has spent the last two seasons with limited opportunities. He has spent his first two years of his Clemson career watching Sammy Watkins and Nuk Hopkins break receiving records. Peake as played in all 27 games in his career and finally started two last season. He saw his snap total increase from 245 in 2011 to 417 last season. He saw his receptions improve from four in 2011 to 25 last season. He also caught his first two touchdowns last season. But with Hopkins gone, Peake now has a chance to be the star that we thought he could be.
Martavis Bryant
Bryant is in the same boat as Peake entering his junior season. Bryant has shown flashes of brilliance but two things have held him back. First has been Watkins and Hopkins. Second has been Bryant's inconsistency. He might have the most potential of any player on campus, but Bryant must become more consistent and more focused. His teammates say they have seen that this summer and expect a great year Bryant. The Tigers will need Bryant to step up and help replace Hopkins' productivity.
Isaiah Battle
Battle has not had a lot of opportunities yet. Last season he played 153 snaps in five games including a great performance in a Chick-fil-a Bowl where you played 73 snaps against perhaps the nation's best defensive ends. The staff thinks Battle can be a long time NFL player but the light has to come on for him. They are determined to make Battle work for every snap and not give him anything. Potential is one thing but this season the opportunity could help Battle reach the highest level with a renewed sense of urgency.
Corey Crawford
Crawford has had opportunities. He has played all 27 games this career including starting all 13 last season. He has had 827 snaps but so far has only one sack. He has the potential to have a big year but the sense of urgency must hit Crawford this season. No one has a bigger opportunity to make a bigger splash on defense than Crawford this coming season.
Quandon Christian
Christian has also had the opportunity. In fact, Christian has started seven games in each of his three years in Clemson. A veteran of over 40 games and 1200 snaps, Christian has an opportunity to have a breakout season. He has increased his tackle total 24 to 36 to 40 every year but he still has not had that major impact in the defense so far. This has to be his big year for Christian who is a senior.
Stephone Anthony
Anthony also has had the opportunity but has not performed up to some of his very high expectations when he entered school. His snap total increase from 292 a true freshman to 459 last season. His tackles improved from 32 tackles as a freshman to 77 last season. But this is a former five star player who needs to play up to that level. Sometimes instincts and sometimes a lack of confidence have hurt Anthony in his pursuit to be a dominant linebacker. I think 2013 might be that year.
Tony Steward
Steward is unlike the other guys on this list in that it has been injuries that hampered his progress. Two knee surgeries in two years has hurt this former five star player. So far Steward has played in only 18 games and has yet to make a start. He has played only 109 snaps but has been productive making 31 tackles. This is the first time we've seen Steward healthy, so this could be his breakout season.
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 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, 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, 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, Alvin Sammons, Georgine McAlhaney, Glen Davis, Mike Price, Clay Childers, Aaron Knight, Danielle Johnston and family, Nicholas Abrams, Lana Kuykendall, Gary, 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, Amanda Peake, Danny Hammond, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, The Sturkey Family, the Lance family, Marcus Lattimore, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Patrick Heher, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, J.R. Ray, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Doug Bailey and family, Johnnie Walker, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Harlan Sullins, Peter Laboy, Kat and Carlisle Jones, Elizabeth Galloway and family, Anita McDonald, Willard Harryman, Liz Surratt, Molly Senn, Jackie Shearer, Richard Sellers, Tim Drisdelle, Edward Easterling, Dawson Bourne, Susan and Mike Brown, Julie Goodman Marshall, Willard and Dorothy Harryman, Justin Jernigan, our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day plus their families.
Upgrade Your Account
