Tigers Play Dress Up

by Will Vandervort - Correspondent - Fri Aug 25 23:15:50 GMT-04:00 2006

CLEMSON — With the exception of loading the buses and running down “The Hill”, the Clemson Tigers completed a dress rehearsal for the 2006 football season Friday inside Memorial Stadium.

The Tigers, who kickoff the season a week from today against Florida Atlantic on ESPNU, covered just about everything they will normally do in a football game as coaches simulated game-time situations. From what to do after a safety to starting center Dustin Fry playing injured, the coaching staff left no stone unturned.

“He was good. He was real good at that,” Bowden said about Fry’s acting performance “He laid on the field pretty good.”

But in all seriousness, Bowden said the three-hour practice was geared to make sure the coaches and the players know how to handle every situation that can comes up in a game.

“We tried to go over every situation you can have in a game,” Bowden said.

Clemson started practice Friday at 2:33 p.m. as they walked through their pre-game routine as if they had a 3:30 kickoff, which will be the start of next Saturday’s game.

With the new rule that starts the clock right when the ball is spotted on punts, kickoffs and turnovers, Bowden and his staff used Friday also as a time to make sure each player knew their role and the play once the ball is spotted.

“When the ball is punted, you have to have the played called,” Bowden said. “A lot of times we waited to see what yard line it hits and all that junk. Now you have to have it called before.”

Bowden said he was in favor of the new rule because in his opinion the game was getting too long.

“Anything that speeds it up,” he said. “I like the game sped up.”

With the game’s being played at a faster pace, some offensive coaches don’t like the new rules because it eliminates plays. Bowden, however, says it does not bother him because the strategy of the game is still the same.

“That’s just the way it is,” he said. “It doesn’t bother me too much. That strategy is not going to change. You are just going to have one less play. You don’t know when or how many seconds there will be (lost).”

Captains announced. Bowden announced inside linebacker Anthony Waters, center Dustin Fry and kicker Jad Dean will be the captains for next week’s 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Florida Atlantic.

No surprise. Bowden said he doesn’t expect Clemson fans to be too surprised next week if indeed Jimmy Maners runs out on the field for the Tigers first punt of the season.

“(They should be surprised) only in the fact that they have seen Cole for three straight years,” he said. “That would be the surprise.

“It is like Charlie (Whitehurst) and Will (Proctor). They were used to seeing number six out there, now they are seeing number 14. They’re use to seeing number thirty, now they might see whatever (Maners’) number is.”

Bowden plans on naming the starting punter after he watches the two during pre-game warm-ups. Right now, the battle is still tight. Maners had a 48-yard punt during Friday’s workout, while Chason got off a 46-yard punt.

The thing Bowden has been the most surprised with during this whole battle is the way both punters have stepped up and improved as punters.

“(Maners’) get-off time was so far (off) in the spring,” Bowden said. “He now has his get-off time more consistent and his kicks are consistently pretty good.

“I really didn’t anticipate him being a factor. Now Cole has kicked well too, and I didn’t anticipate that. He said he went and got with a guy that has worked with him. I didn’t expect that or Jimmy.”

No decision. The only other battle up for debate besides the punter’s position is at the X-position between receivers Aaron Kelly and Rendrick Taylor. Bowden and wide receivers coach Dabo Swinney say the battle is back-and-forth and is too close to call at this point on which one will get the start next Saturday.

Weekend off. The Clemson football team will get the weekend off from practice and will have to report back to school Sunday evening.

As for the coaches, they will continue to work as they get set for the Florida Atlantic game.

“We (the offense) will meet from 8-12 tomorrow and the defense will be 7-11,” Bowden said. “We will watch tape and game plan some more.”

Practice Report Courtesy of Journal / Messenger