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Hall of Famer [20518]
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We are not as good as we were last year...
Nov 12, 2017, 1:17 PM
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...but then again, the last two years, Clemson and Alabama were definitively better than anyone else in college football.
We may not be as good, but we are still good enough to beat anyone on the day...and unlike a lot of the other teams (Miami, for instance), we have proven our act travels. And there are simply no truly exceptional teams in college football this year. Everybody's got significant flaws this year.
Kelly Bryant is not as good as Deshaun Watson, but then, Deshaun Watson established this year he may have been the best rookie QB there has ever been in the NFL before he got hurt. So who is as good as Watson again? Bryant's not always pretty, especially throwing, but he's effective, competitive, tough as nails, a leader, and a winner. And while his passing is nowhere near as polished as Deshaun's I actually think his ceiling is pretty similar; he just had a much less developed skillset coming out of high school. Bryant isn't Watson, but he just might end up being good enough.
This is probably going to be the least pretty playoff ever, and every week is going to be a survive-and-advance slog; forget about style points. For pretty much anybody. Stay alive one more week. Dig deeper and win one more game, however you have to. It's going to be a war of attrition, not a beauty contest.
And as ever, in Dabo's own words: why not us, again?
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110%er [6877]
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Of course not. You can't lose the talent we did....
Nov 12, 2017, 1:20 PM
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and expect to be. Pretty good to be 9-1 in a "reset/rebuild" year. Just make sure to take care of the Coots and let the rest play out as it will.
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Legend [18133]
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Not so fast. The talent/experience we
Nov 12, 2017, 1:27 PM
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returned on both lines means we can be just as good. We have to game plan a bit differently due to the QB and TE positions, especially, but there is no reason we can't play at the same level with that much strength in the trenches.
Having said that, I hope we get Okrahomo then Bammer Jammer en route to back-to-back nattys.
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Orange Blooded [2860]
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Re: Not so fast. The talent/experience we
Nov 12, 2017, 2:53 PM
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Yep. Our defense is better.
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Lot o points [163010]
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Joined: 1/17/07
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Agree 100%
Nov 12, 2017, 1:20 PM
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a healthy KB and a healthy defense and this team can win. Just got to slog thru the next 3 weeks. Come play off time they will be ready.
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110%er [5082]
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Duh moment....sorry Q
Nov 12, 2017, 1:21 PM
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This could have been posted in August - probably should have been.
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110%er [5461]
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Deshaun had his moments mid season.
Nov 12, 2017, 1:43 PM
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Also keep in mind that this is Kelly's first year as a starter. Hopefully he can step it up in the post season like Deshaun did. Dabo has been able to have the team peak in post season.
I think our defense when healthy is better than last year.
This week should be fun to see more action from Cooper and Johnson.
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All-In [43995]
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Although KB isn’t the passer DW is, he is also a lot less turnover prone.
Nov 12, 2017, 1:53 PM
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People tend to discount that. For every few great throws DW made last year, he also had a bad interception. KB plays it safer, which isn’t as exciting, but it also means that we put ourselves in better position to protect our leads.
I don’t know how this season will play out, but KB is a winner and I wouldn’t discount or ability to go toe to toe with anyone this year. Those saying that we will lose to Miami or in the playoffs are not giving or talent or experience enough credit - especially once we get healthy on defense.
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Legend [17522]
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If we can overcome KB and stacked line, Tigers will win
Nov 12, 2017, 2:50 PM
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vs. Miami whose Defence will jump every short pass for INT and pick-6 opportunities. But make no mistake, Clemson has more talent than any college team but Bama.
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All-In [27366]
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True. And I rather know that then be like other teams
Nov 12, 2017, 2:37 PM
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who think they're the greatest and then lose by 30 to some average team.
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Legend [17522]
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Agree college football down this yr-but not a rebuilding yr
Nov 12, 2017, 2:47 PM
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Beyond QB, Clemson has top Defense, the best D-Line, Wide Receiver U (remember that?), a talented O-Line, very talented LB's, at least two excellent RB's. The Defense may be better than 2016 when healthy. This season is all about KB and Offensive coaches.
Vegas had Clemson winning every game pre-season except Louisville on the road who they obviously overrated. T-Net has invented this rebuilding year. This year is a tremendous opportunity with quality QB play due to the vulnerability of other top teams who have issues just like Tigers.
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All-In [43995]
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Yes!***
Nov 12, 2017, 3:17 PM
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All-In [43995]
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110%er [6937]
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Re: if healthy, we are pretty dang good.***
Nov 12, 2017, 3:08 PM
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Varsity [220]
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Re: We are not as good as we were last year...
Nov 12, 2017, 3:15 PM
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Yeah I think across the board there’s just not really a tier of great teams. There are 10-15 really good teams all capable of beating each other, stretching from Bama, Clemson, and the rest of the surviving teams in the playoff hunt down thru the Penn St, Oklahoma St, Washington crowd.
The teams at the top would win more often than not, but those teams ranked 8-15 could all win games against the top teams on any given day. And beyond that teams 16-30 could all win games against the top teams as well. The top 6-8 have many flaws and are capable of making enough mistakes in any game to lose.
I still think it’s entirely plausible, although not necessarily likely, that a team like USC or Ohio St slip into this thing if enough chaos takes place in the next 3 weeks.
But whoever makes the playoffs, I do think it’ll be anyone’s to win including Clemson. I know it’s popular to discredit Oklahoma given the ### whippings we’ve handed them the last 2 times we’ve played, but they’re the only team at the top with an elite Offense and my gut tells me they’re the biggest threat to our chances of repeating. I like our chances against anyone else that makes it...but at the same time would not be surprised at all to suffer a loss to Bama, Miami, Wisconsin, Auburn, or UGA.
Should be fun to watch play out.
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