Q&A with running backs coach Andre Powell

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Oct 11 13:20:29 GMT-04:00 2010

CLEMSON – Clemson running backs and special teams coach Andre Powell met with the media Monday afternoon in the West Zone, and answered questions about the running back rotation and special teams changes.

The following is an edited transcript:

Q: Dabo said that Andre {Ellington] will get more touches this week. What are your thoughts on that?

POWELL: I think Dabo’s right. Andre has been very productive and has been one of our best guys on offense. When you have a guy like that you have to figure out how to get him the ball to win a ball game. You’ve got to get him the ball as many ways as you can.

I think he’s earned that right [to be the starter], but keep in mind he can’t play sixty plays a game. We’ve got to roll backs into the game one way or the other.

Q: How many carries or touches would you like for him to get this week?

POWELL: As many as he can handle [touches] and still be effective. When he starts getting 25 carries, I’m not so sure his 23, 24, 25th carries will be as good as Jamie’s 12th and 13th carry. Every game, it’s going to vary. We have to get him the ball more.

Q: Andre has mentioned that he and Jamie decide when they are going to come out of the game. Is that because they are tired, or do the coaches make that decision?

POWELL: Well, if a guy’s tired he needs to come out of the game. Whoever is in the game needs to be able to perform at a high level and so if a guy’s tired, you need to sub him.

Q: Have you been able to pinpoint what is the problem with Jamie?

POWELL: I told Jamie he’s not living right. It seems like every time he got a touch, something went wrong with the play- a delayed play with a blitz off the edge, a power play with a blitz off the backside. He’s had a bad draw. I’m not down on Jamie at all. He’s had a bad draw. I think you guys make a bigger deal than it is sometimes. Andre has been very productive in every game. We’ve had to play two backs in every game- we’ve got to have Jamie in the offense. Those other guys played when CJ was here- when CJ stubbed his toe, somebody had to go in the game. We couldn’t play CJ every play; you can’t play Andre every play. Defense needs to stop blitzing in the game [in order for Jamie to be more successful].

Q: Nuke returned a punt on Saturday. Do you see him taking over more of a role on returns?

POWELL: In fairness to the team, we need to reduce [Marcus] Gilchrist’s role. Gilchrist is playing a minimum of 60 plays a game on defense and then you throw in five or six punt returns, five or six kickoff returns, and then five punts- that’s a lot of plays. He was the guy that played the most snaps on the team last year. He has more of a role on the defense this year, so in fairness to our team, we need to reduce his role in some other places.

Q: Were you surprised that the run-pass ration was so large in the first half on Saturday?

POWELL: A lot of that is based on self scout. We have some tendencies that we tend to take. I thought we threw the ball pretty well- had maybe five or six drops and a few that he threw away. I thought we threw very effectively. We had no sacks, so we are trying to be more balanced. It’s no secret that our tight ends and running backs have been the bulk of our offense, but going forward we need to spread the ball around a little more and we are making a conscious effort to do that.

Q: Do the running backs sub themselves in and out?

POWELL: They sub in and out when they’re tired. Apparently a lot of people want Andre to play 60 plays, but it’s not gonna happen.

Q: Could Rod McDowell see more action on offense?

POWELL: He [Rod McDowell] could. He needs to perform in practice and do what we ask him to do. He hasn’t performed the way we would like for him to since he suffered the concussion in two-a-days.