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YOUR BALANCE
The 1978 Clemson football team and the Georgia game
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The 1978 Clemson football team and the Georgia game


Sep 9, 2021, 8:13 AM

I was a freshman in 1975 when HC Red Parker produced a 2-9 team. It was miserable. The entire student body suffered. Losing to the lamecocks was awful. In 1976, Charlie Pell arrived as the new DC and turned the defense around. The offense was still not great. When Coach Pell was hired as HC in 1977, everything changed. He instilled a belief in winning, in both the team and the fans. In 1977, we beat Georgia for the first time in years. We were all giddy about ending the season 8-3-1. The expectations for 1978 were enormous. However, despite having multiple future NFL players on the team, we were shut out 12-0 by Georgia. We played our worst offense performance of the year and had 6 turnovers all near Georgia’s red zone. I remember how despondent I was. Everyone was in shock. How could it have happened we all asked? As time passed, we all came to realize that we love Clemson and its football team. We all supported the team and encouraged them and finished the year as ACC Champions with a victory over Ohio State which placed us in the stratosphere of college football. It has been 43 years and we are in a similar situation again.
I am asking a huge favor from everyone. Please be thankful for what we have and for what Dabo has given us. He replaced an inept Tommy Bowden just like Charlie Pell replaced an inept Red Parker. But, Dabo is far better than Charlie ever was. Recruits read these message boards. Please do not be negative or bitter in your comments. We want to project an image of loyalty as well as thankfulness for the job these young men are working so hard for to give to us. Nothing in life is immutable. Dabo, his staff and our team will rebound. If they play up to their potential, they will likely jump a few teams which are currently ahead of us as none of the teams ahead of us play a particularly challenging schedule. Please be thankful and remember that these are the best of times Clemson football has ever had.

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Re: The 1978 Clemson football team and the Georgia game


Sep 9, 2021, 8:19 AM

I was also there and I remember that year. I actually thought about that game and how the team responded with Fuller and the guys. I think it was raining that day and GA had a guy run a punt back was how they scored. Clemson then ran the table for the rest of the year.

Hopefully this year will be the same.

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Well said, my friend !


Sep 9, 2021, 8:39 AM

Nm

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POTD if not the week! I agree, it's one game and Dabo


Sep 9, 2021, 8:41 AM

preaches "one game at a time". We can still finish the year with one loss and a very high ranking at the end of the year.

Go Tigers!!

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Very good post and perspective.


Sep 9, 2021, 9:07 AM

For me it’s not about a lack of thankfulness. I still have to pinch myself to believe where Clemson football is now as compared to the days of Pell and even Ford. It’s off the charts better.

Dabo has worked so hard to create a great culture of continuous improvement.

The main difference in now versus then to me is being consistently competitive in all games, regardless of opponent. Dabo has done wonders in that area. But losing to LSU, OSU, and now UGA the way we did is hard to rectify. I know Georgia was a different score, but we were not competitive offensively. Just like Dabo said, even if we would have won we’d have the same problems.

I said all that to say I’m thankful for all we have as Clemson football fans, but still hate to see the team ‘manhandled’.


Message was edited by: NorthwestPurple®


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Re: The 1978 Clemson football team and the Georgia game


Sep 9, 2021, 9:26 AM

I was in Athens that day and we stunk it up on offense. Gave up 2 field goals and a weird td pass. Miserable day and the Ugay fans were ruthless with cursing and throwing things as we left the stadium. Fortunately we got revenge at home the next year. We turned it on and ran the table. That loss cost us an Orange Bowl bid which would have been huge at the time.

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We just lost an ugly, but really close game to a top 5 team.


Sep 9, 2021, 10:23 AM

That's the real takeaway, and the way it will be remembered. Sure, it's natural to be disappointed and pick it apart - that's what we do, but in the big picture, all of that won't matter. If we win out, which is very possible, it won't matter much at all.

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"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."
- H. L. Mencken


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