All the talk of Sammy or Nuk--here are the numbers

Nov 21, 2018, 6:09 PM

Lot's of talk on the Generational Talent thread (and others) about whether Nuk or Sammy is more deserving, and why Sammy got so much coverage compared to Nuk.

They were both tremendous players, and while Nuk deserved more air time--especially in 2012--that doesn't mean that Sammy didn't earn the mentions he got.

The numbers are pretty clear: Sammy had a more productive career & Nuk had the best individual receiving season.

Career:
Yards - Sammy by over 10%
Receptions Sammy by nearly 20%
Rec TDs - tied at 27
Total TDs - Sammy #8 all-time at Clemson; Nuk is tied for 12th, and never scored other than via Rec TD

Season Marks:
1. Nuk had 18 rec td in 2012, #1 season in CU history
Sammy has the #2 and #3 marks for Rec TD in a season in '11 & '13
2. Nuk had 1405 rec yds in 2012. Sammy broke that record in 2013 with 1464, and had the #3 season mark with 1219 yds in 2011, too. (Mike Williams took the # 3 season mark in '16)
3. Sammy set the season record for receptions with 101. He is also tied for the #5 mark--with Nuk's 2012 year.
4. Sammy is #2 and #6 for all-purpose yards. Nuk is not in the Top 10.
Sammy also broke CJ Spiller's recordfor kickoff return yds in a season. CJ Spiller, as in that guy who set the NCAA record for career return TDs. I personally don't recall any big returns by Nuk

To me the crux of the issue that still burns Nuk to this day comes down to 2 things:
1. He expected to be the Man in 2011, but Sammy came in and became only the 4th AP All-American as a freshman. At that point, Sammy had more TDs as a freshman than Nuk had in his career. Sammy got the press--because he deserved it.
2. How did Nuk respond to the internal competition? He produced the best receiving season--to date-in 2012, while Sammy got suspended and then hurt. Legitimately, he should have gotten more press--because he deserved it. He carried us that year, but it is not crazy that people talked about the lack of production from a returning All-American. And how did Sammy respond? By breaking Nuk's career (and most of the season)records the very next year.

They are both great receivers, and clearly, Nuk has had a superior pro career. But Sammy had the more productive college career--and did it in fewer games. That in no way means that they weren't both unbelievable players. You don't have pick one or the other.

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And good for Clemson for successfully recruiting both of them. Some ballers mature earlier and Sammy was one of those cats, as was Herchel Walker of UGA back in the day who was the top skill payer in the country as a true freshman leading UGA to the natl championship with Erk Russell's Junkyard Defense (back when Erk was Brent Venables).

Local Daniel baller Nuk looks to have felt underappreciated (not unappreciated) by Dabo and coaches and has burned that fuel with intensity in the pros as an undisputed top four WR. Sammy has been mired with a bad team, and average coaching & QB's (e.g. Buffalo). He arrived in LA last year too late to build a strong rapport with Goff; he has battled foot problems, and now with KC he is blending into a team with many gifted skill players.

Bottomline is both are getting PAID and have many good NFL years ahead if they can stay healthy.

All the talk of Sammy or Nuk--here are the numbers

Re: All the talk of Sammy or Nuk--here are the numbers

Both players are supremely genetically gifted

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