Friday Email Bag


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Friday Email Bag

Each Friday I publish your comments and answer your questions.  To submit a comment or questions please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.

Hello Mickey,

I enjoy your blog. I have a couple of questions for you that I hope you can get to on Friday.

First, why does it seem to be so difficult for Clemson to get the football program in sync? By that I mean we seem to have a down year on offense when we are great on defense or vice versa. We can't seem to field a complete team. Is this recruiting? Coaching changes? This pattern seems to keep repeating itself and this year is a prime example.

Second, is David Olson getting any consideration during these quarterback struggles? What is his background? We don't even hear his name mentioned when they talk about the options at quarterback.

Thanks.

Will

Will,

It is difficult for every program to get in sync. Every program has a weakness. I have seen about five teams over the last forty years that has been great on both sides of the ball. FSU last season was a great example of that but that happens about every ten years.

Olson was a fourth team quarterback at Stanford for a reason. He is limited.

MIckey,

We as fans and coaches need to remember these injuries this season. Our tigers are battle injured.

Multiple OL injuries - happening weekly to an already questionable line. Clemson played its sixth-different o-line combination in nine games. Thursday night against Wake Forest.

(David Beasley ( Leg ), Oliver Jones out for season ( Knee ) , Jay Guillermo recovering , Ryan Norton hurt during Syracuse , to name few.

QBs:

Watson broken finger, lcl sprain bruised bone, 5th game injured shoulder Cole Stout, ( Chad Kelly dismissed)

RBs :

RB CJ Davidson hurt minor at Syracuse

RB 08/20/2014 - Zac Brooks out for season ( Foot ) RB 10/20/2014 - Adam Choice out for season ( Knee )

WR:

Peake constantly hindered,

Leggett knee.

WR 09/[04/2014 - Kyrin Priester has been dismissed ( Dismissed )

TE:

Starting TE - Cooper breaks leg during warm ups?

[TE] 11/05/2014 - D.J. Greenlee out indefinitely ( Knee )

Defense

[CB] 11/06/2014 - Martin Jenkins out indefinitely ( Foot ) Travis Blanks (SAF)--Out, Recovering from torn ACL suffered in 2013. Will redshirt season.

I am sure I missed some.

Thanks Tigerfinz Go Tigers!!!!!

Tigerfinz,

I am amazed at the injuries on offense. It happens every once in a while but it is rare to see this many significant injuries on one side of the football.

Mickey,

I hope Clemson fans have enough class to cheer Cole when he comes down the hill for his senior day.  Everyone was frustrated last week and Cole made some bad decisions.   He certainly didn’t throw those picks on purpose.  It’s part of the game.  Cole is a pocket passer and we simply do not have the O-line that can give him the time he needs.  I agree with Dabo that we need to support him now more than ever.  If Schuster was truly ready to play, he would be starting, but he isn’t.  Let’s show that the Clemson Family is truly a family and support Cole.  Whatever happens will certainly resonate with recruits. 

 

Stuart

Stuart,

I think most fans agree with us. However, if there are 70,000 fans in the stands Saturday and 69,750 don't boo, it will be the 250 that do boo that will get the attention.

Mickey,

I wanted to say something in response to Dabo's comments to the press yesterday. He was clearly fired up over Clemson fans' negative outlook on the prospects of success with Stoudt. I am a huge Dabo fan and I love his faith in his players--he proved me wrong with Catanzaro after Catanzaro missed some kicks that would've won 2 or 3 games his first season, and now he is kicking in the NFL. However, his interpretation of the fans' disapproval has nothing to do with Stoudt. I am sure he is a fine young man as all of our Clemson players are. As I have talked to my buddies, the fans are not upset at Stoudt--the fans are upset with the coaches' decision to keep playing him! The situation with Stoudt is entirely different than Catanzaro. Our other option was pulling someone off the soccer team, and that was a valid option that actually worked with Buccholz the years before, but we stuck with Catanzaro and he had several years to improve and get better.

With Stoudt, he has two games left. I agree with your blog--our prospects of beating USC with Stoudt as our QB are slim at best, and I know there are other factors involved with the O-line and no standout RBs, which is even more of a reason to try something different! The fans can clearly sense when Stoudt doesn't have his best stuff. We've seen it all season. The boos from fans are loud and clear--"Don't put him back in the game! He is going to cost us the game!" This is the best defense we've had since I was a teenager and we are playing well enough to win games, but we are giving up points on offense! This is on the coaches. Dabo needs to reassess where this disapproval is coming from and who it is directed at, and figure out that the fans are upset with the coaches' decision to keep him on the field. We'd rather see a QB with confidence who only knows 8 plays than a QB with no confidence who knows the whole playbook. Additionally, where is the creativity of the coaches? Direct snap it to Vic Beasley and let him run it for crying out loud. Do something different. Have another gameplan. This is what has cost us against the Cocks the last 4 years. We go in with the mindset to shut down Davis and the run game last year, and we do it, but the Visor has a plan B that he begins in the 2nd quarter and he virtually pulls Davis from the game. Where is our plan B or C? We seem to lack creativity to get the job done and we keep doing the same thing over and over, and it caught up to us last week. If the best leader in my business only had 2 months left and was not performing, you've got to be out of your mind if you don't think I'm going to remove him and put him in a support role and put someone else in there who can get the job done. It's business! So is Clemson football! Yes, we are a family at work, but at the same time, we have to win! We have to turn a profit. We have to be successful. And we'll make decisions that are necessary to win.

Like the rest of the fans, I could go on and on, but you get my point. Hopefully, we are pleasantly surprised by our offensive game plan in two weeks. We'll need it if we are to win that game. We'll see.

Michael

Michael,

Hopefully Deshaun Watson can play and can be effective. If not, it could be another long day. Unfortunately the game plan is limited because of the running game and the offensive line. I agree with you that Stoudt doesn't have the confidence at this point and would rather see another option.

Mickey,

Having a college athlete get an intentional foul by hugging a guy away from the ball down by 1 with over 30 seconds left was very disappointing.  Middle school players should not make such a stupid mistake.  I keep hearing you all say that Coach Brownell is a great coach.  Do you have a time table on when we should expect to beat teams like Winthrop at home or when we can expect to get to the NCAA tournament?  Thanks!

David 

David,

I was also disappointed with the loss to Winthrop. In my opinion Clemson should not lose to Winthrop or Coastal in basketball. This should never happen. As far as the NCAA tournament is concerned, this will be difficult because the league is so good. I just don't see Clemson beating Duke, UNC, Louisville, Syracuse, etc. This league makes it tough and I don't see an end in sight.

Hey Mickey,

Love reading your stuff. One point I think it is important to make about the offense.

I understand Watson is a big part of the offense's success, but in my opinion, Clemson doesn't pay Chad Morris $1.4 million a year to have an offense that is completely reliable on one player. No Division I college football team should ever be like that. Yes, adjustments need to occur when a good player goes down, but it can't simply go from good production to absolutely no production at all.

Keep up the good work

Michael

Michael,

Most great teams are dependent on their star player. You saw the drop off early at Ohio State without Braxton Miller. You saw FSU struggle in its one game without Winston. When injuries to star quarterbacks occur, it is difficult to overcome. What makes it hard at Clemson is the poor play in the offensive line and the lack of a running game to support the quarterback.

Mickey, can you tell me if there is any thought on getting a new offensive line coach?  I know we are down in numbers and talent, but we haven’t been good there in a while.  I was wondering if you are hearing anything on that?

 

Thanks.

 

 John

John,

Robbie Caldwell was supposed to be the guy everyone wanted. He was the big name that was coveted in the South. The issue is talent. Clemson will get a good group coming in January. Lets judge Caldwell then.

Mickey,

Do you think this staff has a problem with loyalty to upperclassman almost to a fault? It seems as if with the QB & RB positions this year it has really been magnified maybe more than ever. For example, there is no way that Watson, Choice, & Gallman weren't better all along. It just seems like the staff makes the older guy blow it before they give the younger guy a chance even if the younger one is more talented and/or has a higher upside.

Let me make it clear, I wish CS and players like DJ H would have had great years and finished their senior years on a high note as much as anyone. Those guys are and will be great ambassadors for Clemson University. But dadgum if someone is better that's younger, that's life right. (Isn't that Dabo's story on getting hired)

Btw, I will never believe that DW wasn't a better QB all along regardless if the staff didn't realize he would be so good so fast. And I'll never believe WG wasn't a better option at RB as a whole regardless of how many times he blew his assignment in pass pro.

I've always respected and agreed with your views and was curious once again.

Thanks

Brad

Brad,

Yes, I think they were loyal to a fault. I agree that the better players should have been playing earlier. I am a loyal person and respect those that honor loyalty, but I think this loyalty could have cost them at Georgia and at FSU.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

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Prayer List

The prayer list is a medium for our community to recognize those that are in need. 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 remove a person off the list.

Those who need our prayers include: 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, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr., Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, 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, 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, Amanda Peake, Danny Hammond, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, the Sturkey family, the Lance family, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, J.R. Ray, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Jonathan and Jacki 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, Jack  Cunningham,  Mia Daughtery, Tee Senn, Bob Garrett, Skylar, Joseph Thomas, Mrs. Nelis, Jeanne Thompson, Sean Rowell, George Parker, Levon Kirkland and family, Catherine Sewell, Randy Davenport, David Vaughn, Keith Dalton, B.T., Bill Hilbig, Rita Elrod Hammond and family, Jim McKeller, Tony Alewine, Sharon Storck, Dick Baird, Richard Bagnal, Dustin and Brittany Peurifoy, Jan Allan, Josh Cox, Tommy "Red" Harper, Gregg and Sylvia Lewis, Travis Hamrick, Kaki Harmon, Brandy Stephens, Jammie McKellar and babies, Karen Edwards, Jackson Lindsey, Cathy Hutson Gregg, Kristin Heckman, Jennifer Johnson, Jay Johnson, Lyndsie Johnson, Emily Davis, Hayes Davis, Judy Towe, Johnny Towe, Ken Brown, Elaine Brown, Rhonda Thompson, Tim Davis, Jacob Greinke, Jack Finley, Richard and Clara Crawford, Zach and Griffin Johnson, Israel, Frankie Allen, Bobby Allen, the Wessinger family, the Parsons family, Todd Price and family, Rosemary A Flynn, Dr. Mickey Shealy family, Sarah Mcmanus, Mr. Gillespie, and our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day, plus their families.

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