Thursday Thoughts

Mickey Plyler · Radio Host · Thursday, September 05 2013

Thursday Thoughts

I may be the only one but I am excited to see the Tigers again this Saturday against SC State. First, I want to give my thanks and support to the team that worked so hard in the off-season, and I want to thank them for the effort last Saturday night. But I am also ready to see the Tigers play again.

This week is not about the guys we already know enough about. Tajh BoydTajh Boyd
RS Sr. Quarterback
#10 6-1, 225
Hampton, VA
View Full Profile and Sammy WatkinsSammy Watkins
Jr. Wide Receiver
#2 6-1, 205
Fort Myers, FL
View Full Profile have nothing to prove to us. In fact, most of the starters could see half of the snaps they played last week.

To me, this week is about seeing some of the reserves get more action. Last week Cole StoudtCole Stoudt
Jr. Quarterback
#18 6-4, 205
Dublin, OH
View Full Profile didn't get to play and I want to see how he has progressed since the spring. Who knows, maybe Chad KellyChad Kelly
RS Fr. Quarterback
#11 6-2, 210
Buffalo, NY
View Full Profile is ready for Saturday, too.

Zac BrooksZac Brooks
So. Running Back
#24 6-1, 185
Jonesboro, AR
View Full Profile showed some signs last week in his 12 plays at running back and it would be nice to see CJ Davidson get a few plays in.

Germone HopperGermone Hopper
RS Fr. Wide Receiver
#5 6-0, 170
Charlotte, NC
View Full Profile had four plays at wide receiver and Mike WilliamsMike Williams
Fr. Wide Receiver
#7 6-5, 205
Vance, SC
View Full Profile only saw action in one play. TJ Green did not get in the game against Georgia.

On the offensive line we didn’t see any action from Eric Mac LainEric Mac Lain
RS So. Offensive Line
#78 6-3, 260
Hope Mills, NC
View Full Profile, Isaiah BattleIsaiah Battle
So. Offensive Tackle
#79 6-6, 280
Brooklyn, NY
View Full Profile or Jay GuillermoJay Guillermo
RS Fr. Center
#57 6-2, 290
Maryville, TN
View Full Profile.

I liked what we saw from Shaq LawsonShaq Lawson
Fr. Defensive End
#90 6-4, 260
Central, SC
View Full Profile during his 30 snaps and Tavaris BarnesTavaris Barnes
RS Jr. Defensive End
#9 6-3, 270
Jacksonville, FL
View Full Profile in his 22 snaps, but I would like to see Kevin DoddKevin Dodd
So. Defensive Tackle
#98 6-4, 280
Taylors, SC
View Full Profile get more than the two snaps he took last week. The same can be said for DJ Reader, who played for eight snaps.

The Tigers rolled a lot of linebackers in the game. Tony StewardTony Steward
Jr. Linebacker
#7 6-0, 235
Hastings, FL
View Full Profile played 11 snaps, TJ Burrell had eight, BJ Goodson had seven and Kellen JonesKellen Jones
RS So. Linebacker
#52 6-1, 215
Houston, TX
View Full Profile had only four.

In the secondary Korrin WigginsKorrin Wiggins
Fr. Defensive Back
#12 6-1, 185
Durham, NC
View Full Profile was in for 19 plays, but we did not see Jadar JohnsonJadar Johnson
Fr. Defensive Back
#18 6-1, 180
Orangeburg, SC
View Full Profile, Ronald GeohaghanRonald Geohaghan
RS Fr. Defensive Back
#15 6-0, 185
Orangeburg, SC
View Full Profile, Cordrea TankersleyCordrea Tankersley
Fr. Defensive Back
#25 6-1, 190
Beech Island, SC
View Full Profile or Jayron KearseJayron Kearse
Fr. Safety
#20 6-4, 205
Fort Myers, FL
View Full Profile.

During the second half on Saturday I would love to see some Tigers get their first action of the year and see the depth become more experienced before later in the season.

Surprises

I think most of us expected big games from Boyd and Watkins, but several surprise players emerged Saturday night.

I have raved about Roderick McDowellRoderick McDowell
Gr. Running Back
#25 5-9, 195
Sumter, SC
View Full Profile in the off-season, but how many of us saw him rushing for over 100 yards in the opener?

Raise your hand if you thought Ryan NortonRyan Norton
RS So. Offensive Line
#58 6-3, 270
Simpsonville, SC
View Full Profile would be the ACC offensive lineman of the week after his first start.

Who knew Corey CrawfordCorey Crawford
Jr. Defensive End
#93 6-5, 270
Columbus, GA
View Full Profile was ready for his breakout game?

How many of us thought Stanton SeckingerStanton Seckinger
RS So. Tight End
#81 6-4, 210
Isle of Palms, SC
View Full Profile and Darrell SmithDarrell Smith
Gr. Fullback
#40 6-1, 250
Gadsden, AL
View Full Profile would be more productive in the passing game than Georgia's two NFL tight ends?

One day over the summer I wrote a blog about the importance of guys finding their role. Saturday night was a great example of players doing just that.

Boyd's Odyssey

Tajh Boyd has done a lot of great things, including setting a lot of records during his days at Clemson. Saturday night he took another step towards becoming perhaps the greatest quarterback in school history. He also tied former Clemson quarterback Homer Jordan with 22 wins as the starting quarterback. I was surprised to see the two signal callers have an almost identical record: Jordan's record was 22-6-1 while Boyd's is currently 22-6.

Line of Scrimmage

The SEC speed thing has been overused through the years, but I think the biggest differences in the SEC and the rest of the country are the lines of scrimmage. The conference simply has more big bodies.

For the second straight game Clemson has more than held its own against two of the nation's top programs in SEC powers LSU and Georgia.

In my opinion Clemson had the better offensive and defensive lines Saturday night. The Tigers defensive line showed great depth with contributions from Grady JarrettGrady Jarrett
Jr. Defensive Tackle
#50 6-1, 290
Conyers, GA
View Full Profile, Carlos WatkinsCarlos Watkins
So. Defensive Tackle
#94 6-3, 300
Mooresboro, NC
View Full Profile, Josh WatsonJosh Watson
RS Jr. Defensive Tackle
#91 6-4, 285
Wilmington, DE
View Full Profile, DeShawn WilliamsDeShawn Williams
Jr. Defensive Tackle
#99 6-1, 285
Central, SC
View Full Profile, DJ Reader, Corey Crawford, Vic BeasleyVic Beasley
RS Jr. Defensive End
#3 6-3, 225
Adairsville, GA
View Full Profile, Shaq Lawson and Tavaris Barnes.

The defensive staff just kept rolling in big body after big body and the Tigers seemed to be the stronger team along both lines of scrimmage.

Finally, I think we saw another feather go into the cap of strength and conditioning coach Joey Batson. It was fairly obvious to me that Clemson was the better conditioned team again Saturday night. Batson and his staff's hard work over the summer once again paid big dividends.

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Defensive Tackle
#98 6-2, 310
Thomasville, GA
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