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YOUR BALANCE
Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football
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Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 7:07 PM

His records are listed below. His best years are with Ken Hatfield's players. His first class of seniors went 3-8. His offensive lines did not attack, they simply tried to hold the line of scrimmage and hope the running back could find a seam to run through.

He had all of this success without the big dollar boosters telling recruits that they didn't want to attend Clemson. This is exactly what the boosters (ITPAY Members) did to Hatfield because he wouldn't drink and smoke cigars with them.

The record below is what the boosters manufactured by demanding the firing of Ken Hatfield and the hiring from the Danny Ford tree.

Don't blame Hatfield or West look at the big dollars boosters who were calling the shots from the back room. They destroyed Clemson football.

1994 Clemson 11 5 6 0 .455 -0.12 2.16 25 22
1995 Clemson 12 8 4 0 .667 6.09 -0.07 23 Gator Bowl-L
1996 Clemson 12 7 5 0 .583 2.90 1.24 25 22 Peach Bowl-L
1997 Clemson 12 7 5 0 .583 8.41 3.33 20 16 Peach Bowl-L
1998 Clemson 11 3 8 0 .273 -1.95 1.42

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Bud Saunders ..probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 7:31 PM

Bud Saunders went won 9 games out of 26 for a .352 winning percentage in four years. And on top of that he never beat the dirt peckers!

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Ok.

1

May 20, 2020, 7:32 PM

What’s your point?

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Nice hot take...you better run for cover


May 20, 2020, 7:40 PM

Not sure what you are hoping to accomplish with this topic, but it will certainly garner some responses

I was a senior when Hatfield replaced Danny; Hatfield did a reasonable job in a nearly impossible situation. West was a super guy, just in over his head. Had a long talk with him about my favorite player at that time (and a product of my hometown) Woody Dantzler

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You obviously weren’t around for Hootie and Red.....***


May 20, 2020, 7:48 PM



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Re: You obviously weren’t around for Hootie and Red.....***


May 20, 2020, 8:06 PM

Red Parker
"Excitement Galore. Clemson Football '74"

Remember when Clemson had those catchy phrases every season on bumper stickers? "Powerline '79" is one I remember.

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Re: You obviously weren’t around for Hootie and Red.....***


May 20, 2020, 8:29 PM

"Skin um alive..in'65...

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Re: You obviously weren’t around for Hootie and Red.....***


May 20, 2020, 9:43 PM [ in reply to Re: You obviously weren’t around for Hootie and Red.....*** ]

Tommy West era also had slogans which were printed on game day cups. I only remember one. Lets Roar in 94.

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Re: You obviously weren’t around for Hootie and Red.....***


May 20, 2020, 8:18 PM [ in reply to You obviously weren’t around for Hootie and Red.....*** ]

Amen..they were the worse. I was there to see that.

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Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 7:49 PM

I think if Ken Hatfield would have stayed on, he would have had equally as bad years. He was nose diving fast and falling apart. Although he did go 8-3 in his last season. He was just terrible. He was 5-6 the year before that. He sucked.

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Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 7:52 PM

he had lost the support of the $ guys, so it was over for him

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Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 8:03 PM

Tommy Bowden/Rich Rod did well with West's players. West was a nice enough guy, he just wasn't a good coach, especially on offense.

Hatfield wasn't a bad coach, but was put in an impossible situation.

With all due respect to the 1980s teams, THESE are the glory days of Clemson football. Dabo has built a culture where the talent recruits itself. Even better, there are no NCAA issues, no off the field problems, and the players get their degrees. And ALL the odds were against him back in 2008.

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Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 8:27 PM

Whoever followed Danny Ford didn't have a chance. Boosters (and I knew/know) many from that time were livid about Ford getting the pink slip. I remember seeing letters (paper letters) hoping to turn things around and bring him back. Truth is/was, it was time for Danny to go. Times they were a changing.

Hatfield never had a chance. People were ready to see him leave and then there was Tommy West. Chewed tobacco, talked southern and acted like a Danny Ford (sorta). Ecept he would run on 3 and 8...all the time!

3-8

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“poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.”


Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 8:52 PM

Without an OL to the weak side or up the middle everytime.

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We keep getting better & better everyday, in every way!
“The only disability is a bad Attitude” Dabo Swinney!!
Let’s Go Tigers!


No, not even close.***


May 20, 2020, 9:11 PM



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Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 9:32 PM

West had some pretty good O-Lineman. Several went on to NFL careers if my old memory is correct.

Priester should have stayed as a FB along with Emory Smith. Lemont Pegues should have been the starter at TB. Antwan Wyatt was a pretty versatile back. At receiver we were hurting . Bryan Dawkins was recruited by West I believe. We had talent here and there, we were just really bad at the QB position.

If we would have ran the option with Dantzler, Priester, E.Smith, and L. Pegues along with A.Wyatt could have been more productive in my opinion. I think those guys were somewhat spread in age so cant remember who was there at the same time

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Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 10:06 PM

Hatfield did the least with the most. The team Hatfield inherited was national championship caliber, and he left West nothing. West was a good assistant, but not ready to be HC at that time.

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Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 11:59 PM

Hatfield's records his first two years (with Ford's players) were 10-2 and 9-2-1. Almost exactly the same as what Ford had been doing.

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Brother I lived through it and it was the worst five year span in the last 40 years


May 20, 2020, 10:22 PM

Let’s just say it was easy to get tickets in the student section in the mid 90s

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Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 20, 2020, 10:43 PM

So let's suppose what you say is true. Of course, it might not be. Either way...for arguments sake let's say it is.

What's your point you're trying to make? Did somebody disagree with your opinion or something? We weren't very good, and I remember it well.

It's all water under the bridge and ancient history now.

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I don’t think they were the worst years


May 20, 2020, 10:56 PM

but they definitely were (and still are) the worst years since the early-mid-70s.

I agree with you about Hatfield. He wasn’t given a fair chance. It would’ve been nice to see what he could’ve done with full support from the fans, boosters not impeding his recruiting efforts, and without being hit with probation from Ford’s staff soon after taking the job (something our administration assured him wouldn’t occur).

With that said, I don’t think he was the right coach for us. Not a bad hire at the time, but in hindsight he wasn’t the right fit. I’m not sure who would’ve been. Certainly not Tommy West.

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"All those 'Fire Brownell' guys can kiss it." -Joseph Girard III

"Everybody needs to know that Coach Brownell is arguably the best coach to come through Clemson." -PJ Hall


Re: I don’t think they were the worst years


May 20, 2020, 11:02 PM

Here we go. He sucked even if he had support.

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He did well at Arkansas.


May 20, 2020, 11:06 PM

It isn’t unreasonable to think he could’ve done better at Clemson under more favorable circumstances.

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"All those 'Fire Brownell' guys can kiss it." -Joseph Girard III

"Everybody needs to know that Coach Brownell is arguably the best coach to come through Clemson." -PJ Hall


Re: Tommy West...probably the worst years of Clemson football


May 21, 2020, 7:37 AM

Tommy West was clearly in over his head...even he knew it by the 4th year. Great guy, just not ready to coach at that level.

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Waterboy Suks...TW Loved this school & was a Good ol Boy..***


May 21, 2020, 12:12 PM



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