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[COLOR=%s]MIDWEEK CLEMSON FOOTBALL INSIDER[/COLOR]
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
We need to talk.
You've got questions, we've got answers or opinions.
In this popular feature, Tigerillustrated.com digs into team-related topics broached by our subscribers.
Off we go ...
yemassee: Mr. Ard may have to jump in on this one, but how big was beating FSU in 2003 to our program? I get that 63-17 and the win over Tennessee were also big, but I remember Tommy Bowden frequently bringing up the fact we had beaten FSU following that as a testament to the legitimacy of our program.
LARRY: I don't think it was about legitimacy as much as survival.
If FSU walks into Death Valley that night and dusts Clemson as everyone expected, then chances are Tommy Bowden doesn't make it another week.
A couple years ago I was discussing this topic with Bill D'Andrea, who at the time was Terry Don Phillips' right-hand man. D'Andrea said things were so ugly after a 45-17 loss at Wake Forest just days before that they were prepared to make a move if Florida State made the misery even worse.
And a move would've been justified in that scenario. The Tigers would've been 5-5, and dragging a truly unsightly list of blowout defeats.
This is what the list would've looked like:
Florida State (hypothetical blowout loss)
Wake Forest 45-17
Maryland 21-7
Georgia 30-0
Texas Tech 55-15 (2002)
Maryland 30-12 (2002)
N.C. State 38-6 (2002)
Florida State 48-21 (2002)
Folks, that's a lot of humiliation over a 19-game stretch. That's bad even by the mediocre standards of the time. That's ample reason to tell your head coach goodbye after another loss at the hands of his daddy.
And since Dabo Swinney was in his first year as a receivers coach, there's no way he'd have been given an audition for the job.
Former five-star recruit Trenton Simpson leads Clemson's defense with 39 stops. (Getty)
Bottom line, that stunning 26-10 victory over Florida State might've been what kept Swinney from going back into commercial real estate.
Kind of startling to think about, no?
A Hall of Fame coaching career might not have happened -- make that probably wouldn't have happened -- had the heavy favorite done what everyone predicted that night.
You could easily argue that was the biggest victory in Clemson's entire football history.
Chevaker: Wes Goodwin gave his assessment of Trenton Simpson's acclimation to inside backer. What is yours?
PAUL: I cannot speak to Goodwin's compliments to Simpson on how hard he worked in the offseason to learn the position. Sort of just have to trust him there, and all visible evidence has shown Simpson to be a team player. I don't think there wouldn't be other players who wouldn't be grumbling or taking subtle shots at blaming others when their shine hasn't matched past levels.
But I thought Goodwin touched on the points we've been hitting on as to why Simpson hasn't necessarily been the splash player we'd grown accustomed to seeing.
[COLOR=%s]Non-football-related & off topics forum[/COLOR]
It's substantially different going from the role Simpson played to that of an inside linebacker. What you're looking at and watching for is apples to oranges, and what you have to deal with to make the play is different.
Cue the case of former five-star Shaq Smith. There's a reason Brent Venables valued instincts from his inside linebackers over testing specifications. There's more to have to mentally digest, and then there's the ability to navigate through all the moving parts quickly and decisively while carrying out the assignment.
You can learn it. But it's reasonably not a skill that comes with the flick of a switch. It's a gradual process that always stood to take time and experiences. That he can get caught taking a wrong step in coverage or defending a screen.
I think the last two games, we've seen more flashes of Simpson than through the first four games. Maybe some of that is related to opposition style and scheme. But I suspect some relates to improved comfort at the position.
I'm sure it begs the question of why or whether Simpson should have made the move in the first place. But to me, it was a no-brainer.
Not only for the team in enabling Barrett Carter to occupy the SAM role, which arguably more naturally fits his skill set. But for Simpson personally.
He may well be a 3-4 rush linebacker for the NFL, I don't know. Yet here's believing he improves his NFL Draft stock and likelihood for career longevity by developing assets beyond an undersized pass-rusher and a big guy who can hawk down a ball-carrier in the flat.
So it's a work in progress, in my mind. And we're seeing progress.
rcmc2017: What are the strengths & weaknesses of FSU this week? What matchups are favorable for them? Thank you for all you do.
LARRY: Thank you for being here! I never take it for granted that people like you pay me to do this for a living. The gratitude is immense.
Jordan Travis presents a weapon that Clemson hasn't seen thus far. He's just such a threat with his legs that you can never truly be comfortable, even when you do call the right play.
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell is shown here with quarterback Jordan Travis in Raleigh (N.C.) last weekend. (Getty)
Travis seemed like a one-trick pony last year but he is much improved as a passer. Combine that with real talent at running back, and a formidable group of receivers who can win one-on-one matchups, and this isn't an easy test for Clemson's defense.
Now there is that fact that FSU scored just 17 points last week at N.C. State, and 21 the week before at home against Wake Forest. So we're not trying to make them out to be an unstoppable juggernaut.
The idea is more to suggest that the particular strengths of this offense could be a challenge for a talented-but-still-developing linebacking corps and a secondary that has shown promise lately but is still quite inexperienced.
On the other side, I think Clemson can move the ball on FSU's defense. But Clemson's pass protection, particularly at right tackle and left guard, needs to be a lot better than it was at Boston College.
As we wrote earlier this week, both N.C. State and Wake had success running right up the middle against FSU. The Seminoles are banged up there, and if Clemson can pound it between the tackles that will open up so much more.
Being jolted at home by Wake, and then squandering a 17-3 lead at N.C. State, puts the Seminoles at a rather fascinating emotional crossroads. If they have a few things go their way early Saturday night it could propel them to play their best and push Clemson to the limit. But if the Tigers deliver a few decisive punches early and put them in a big hole, it could produce a tailspin and an embarrassing situation in front of a bunch of angry fans.
Mike Norvell has done an impressive job thus far making the Seminoles competent and creating a strong culture. They're not the laughingstock they were when Clemson was clearing out the place early in 2018, or when Clemson was beating them 45-14 in its sleep in 2019, or in 2020 when FSU might or might not have ducked another whooping in Tallahassee. That much was apparent last year when the Seminoles pushed Clemson to the edge in Death Valley.
But the results of the last two weeks certainly have to leave the FSU players questioning whether they are as good as they thought they were when they were off to a 4-0 start and seemed to have all the mojo on their side.
WSPNC: Do you get the sense that the running back rotation is a function of trying to keep everyone fresh, or are there certain scenarios that dictate different personnel? I’m of the opinion that Will Shipley is one of our best skill players and I’ve found some in-game scenarios where it’s odd he isn’t in to start a drive.
PAUL: My best guess has been that it's simply a matter of trying to make sure Shipley, Phil Mafah and Kobe Pace each get what is hoped an ample amount of work.
In particular, here's surmising there's been an intent to ensure Mafah is brought along this season. Three amounted to a crowd at times last season, and regardless of whether he stood as No. 2 or 3 on the early season depth chart, I don't think the Tigers could afford to keep him at his same role and expect him to be content.
It was time to grow Mafah, and I think we've witnessed the fruits in his reliability as well as production. There's more trust now in his ability to recognize and execute the desired pass protection
I would agree there have been situations in which I've been surprised, or taken note, that Mafah is in the lineup over Shipley. Different moments were probably for different reasons.
But it did catch our eye that after Clemson rode Shipley for 68 snaps against Wake Forest, he drew 40 against N.C. State and 36 against Boston College. In Pace's absence, Mafah got about 10 more last game than his usual 20 per on the season.
Georgia Orange: I coach high school football and firmly believe the limitations put on us for hitting in practice have actually increased the rate of injuries at our level. Guys just are not accustomed to getting hit. Do you think that plays a part in the seemingly innumerable injuries we are dealing with at Clemson the past two years?
PAUL: That sounds like a viable explanation for injuries to be increased across the board, not specific to Clemson.
But you'd need to survey the nature of the various injuries to assess any real correlation, and beyond lacking any such evidence, most injuries just seem like there are greater contributing factors.
I have found it fascinating that Clemson has incorporated so many new exercises and stretches into their post-practice and pre-game routines.
There's a drill where one defensive lineman with an elastic resistance band pulls another lineman with assorted moves. An array of tennis balls, and stretching bars line the area where the offensive skill players warm up before games. Support staffer Ricky Sapp is involved in coordinating various stretching activities.
So I'm no physio here, but it appears the Tigers have tried being more proactive in preventing soft-tissue and muscle injuries.
4toTampa: What are the issues with our run blocking? Pass blocking is the strength of this offensive line, but running backs are having to make it on their own in the run game. Too many offensive linemen standing around after initial contact. Lack of receiver blocking doesn’t help the matter.
LARRY: As we wrote earlier this week, a running game that was supposed to be lots better than last year has been about the same statistically thus far.
Clemson's defense has had no shortage of injuries over the last two years. (Tigerillustrated.com)
We'll explore this more Thursday in our video-review segment, but against Boston College it seemed it was a combination of the offensive linemen not being where they were supposed to be and the quarterback either missing the hole when he kept, or giving when he should have kept.
A week earlier against N.C. State we saw how much can open up when the quarterback gets a chunk play with his legs. Following a long run by DJ Uiagalelei in the third quarter, the play-calling developed a rhythm that alternated between throwing it when the second- and third-level players were preoccupied with the run, and running it when the same players dropped back to defend the pass.
That's why I think it's so important that Clemson be productive with the run between the tackles Saturday night. The Seminoles are characteristically aggressive and tend to overpursue at times, so establishing the run can produce so much in the play-action game. That's really how Wake Forest was able to stay one step ahead of FSU all day a couple weeks ago.
I'd like to revisit your question after Saturday night. It could well be that they don't run it very well in that game and we're suggesting some substantial tweaks such as emphasizing more outside zone than inside zone, etc.
But it also could well be that Clemson gashes FSU with the run on the way to a comfortable victory and we're identifying some other area of concern this time next week.
[COLOR=%s]DEALS[/COLOR] on officially-licensed CLEMSON gear at THE TIGER FAN SHOP HERE!
[COLOR=%s]MIDWEEK CLEMSON FOOTBALL INSIDER[/COLOR]
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
We need to talk.
You've got questions, we've got answers or opinions.
In this popular feature, Tigerillustrated.com digs into team-related topics broached by our subscribers.
Off we go ...
yemassee: Mr. Ard may have to jump in on this one, but how big was beating FSU in 2003 to our program? I get that 63-17 and the win over Tennessee were also big, but I remember Tommy Bowden frequently bringing up the fact we had beaten FSU following that as a testament to the legitimacy of our program.
LARRY: I don't think it was about legitimacy as much as survival.
If FSU walks into Death Valley that night and dusts Clemson as everyone expected, then chances are Tommy Bowden doesn't make it another week.
A couple years ago I was discussing this topic with Bill D'Andrea, who at the time was Terry Don Phillips' right-hand man. D'Andrea said things were so ugly after a 45-17 loss at Wake Forest just days before that they were prepared to make a move if Florida State made the misery even worse.
And a move would've been justified in that scenario. The Tigers would've been 5-5, and dragging a truly unsightly list of blowout defeats.
This is what the list would've looked like:
Florida State (hypothetical blowout loss)
Wake Forest 45-17
Maryland 21-7
Georgia 30-0
Texas Tech 55-15 (2002)
Maryland 30-12 (2002)
N.C. State 38-6 (2002)
Florida State 48-21 (2002)
Folks, that's a lot of humiliation over a 19-game stretch. That's bad even by the mediocre standards of the time. That's ample reason to tell your head coach goodbye after another loss at the hands of his daddy.
And since Dabo Swinney was in his first year as a receivers coach, there's no way he'd have been given an audition for the job.
Former five-star recruit Trenton Simpson leads Clemson's defense with 39 stops. (Getty)
Bottom line, that stunning 26-10 victory over Florida State might've been what kept Swinney from going back into commercial real estate.
Kind of startling to think about, no?
A Hall of Fame coaching career might not have happened -- make that probably wouldn't have happened -- had the heavy favorite done what everyone predicted that night.
You could easily argue that was the biggest victory in Clemson's entire football history.
Chevaker: Wes Goodwin gave his assessment of Trenton Simpson's acclimation to inside backer. What is yours?
PAUL: I cannot speak to Goodwin's compliments to Simpson on how hard he worked in the offseason to learn the position. Sort of just have to trust him there, and all visible evidence has shown Simpson to be a team player. I don't think there wouldn't be other players who wouldn't be grumbling or taking subtle shots at blaming others when their shine hasn't matched past levels.
But I thought Goodwin touched on the points we've been hitting on as to why Simpson hasn't necessarily been the splash player we'd grown accustomed to seeing.
[COLOR=%s]Non-football-related & off topics forum[/COLOR]
It's substantially different going from the role Simpson played to that of an inside linebacker. What you're looking at and watching for is apples to oranges, and what you have to deal with to make the play is different.
Cue the case of former five-star Shaq Smith. There's a reason Brent Venables valued instincts from his inside linebackers over testing specifications. There's more to have to mentally digest, and then there's the ability to navigate through all the moving parts quickly and decisively while carrying out the assignment.
You can learn it. But it's reasonably not a skill that comes with the flick of a switch. It's a gradual process that always stood to take time and experiences. That he can get caught taking a wrong step in coverage or defending a screen.
I think the last two games, we've seen more flashes of Simpson than through the first four games. Maybe some of that is related to opposition style and scheme. But I suspect some relates to improved comfort at the position.
I'm sure it begs the question of why or whether Simpson should have made the move in the first place. But to me, it was a no-brainer.
Not only for the team in enabling Barrett Carter to occupy the SAM role, which arguably more naturally fits his skill set. But for Simpson personally.
He may well be a 3-4 rush linebacker for the NFL, I don't know. Yet here's believing he improves his NFL Draft stock and likelihood for career longevity by developing assets beyond an undersized pass-rusher and a big guy who can hawk down a ball-carrier in the flat.
So it's a work in progress, in my mind. And we're seeing progress.
rcmc2017: What are the strengths & weaknesses of FSU this week? What matchups are favorable for them? Thank you for all you do.
LARRY: Thank you for being here! I never take it for granted that people like you pay me to do this for a living. The gratitude is immense.
Jordan Travis presents a weapon that Clemson hasn't seen thus far. He's just such a threat with his legs that you can never truly be comfortable, even when you do call the right play.
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell is shown here with quarterback Jordan Travis in Raleigh (N.C.) last weekend. (Getty)
Travis seemed like a one-trick pony last year but he is much improved as a passer. Combine that with real talent at running back, and a formidable group of receivers who can win one-on-one matchups, and this isn't an easy test for Clemson's defense.
Now there is that fact that FSU scored just 17 points last week at N.C. State, and 21 the week before at home against Wake Forest. So we're not trying to make them out to be an unstoppable juggernaut.
The idea is more to suggest that the particular strengths of this offense could be a challenge for a talented-but-still-developing linebacking corps and a secondary that has shown promise lately but is still quite inexperienced.
On the other side, I think Clemson can move the ball on FSU's defense. But Clemson's pass protection, particularly at right tackle and left guard, needs to be a lot better than it was at Boston College.
As we wrote earlier this week, both N.C. State and Wake had success running right up the middle against FSU. The Seminoles are banged up there, and if Clemson can pound it between the tackles that will open up so much more.
Being jolted at home by Wake, and then squandering a 17-3 lead at N.C. State, puts the Seminoles at a rather fascinating emotional crossroads. If they have a few things go their way early Saturday night it could propel them to play their best and push Clemson to the limit. But if the Tigers deliver a few decisive punches early and put them in a big hole, it could produce a tailspin and an embarrassing situation in front of a bunch of angry fans.
Mike Norvell has done an impressive job thus far making the Seminoles competent and creating a strong culture. They're not the laughingstock they were when Clemson was clearing out the place early in 2018, or when Clemson was beating them 45-14 in its sleep in 2019, or in 2020 when FSU might or might not have ducked another whooping in Tallahassee. That much was apparent last year when the Seminoles pushed Clemson to the edge in Death Valley.
But the results of the last two weeks certainly have to leave the FSU players questioning whether they are as good as they thought they were when they were off to a 4-0 start and seemed to have all the mojo on their side.
WSPNC: Do you get the sense that the running back rotation is a function of trying to keep everyone fresh, or are there certain scenarios that dictate different personnel? I’m of the opinion that Will Shipley is one of our best skill players and I’ve found some in-game scenarios where it’s odd he isn’t in to start a drive.
PAUL: My best guess has been that it's simply a matter of trying to make sure Shipley, Phil Mafah and Kobe Pace each get what is hoped an ample amount of work.
In particular, here's surmising there's been an intent to ensure Mafah is brought along this season. Three amounted to a crowd at times last season, and regardless of whether he stood as No. 2 or 3 on the early season depth chart, I don't think the Tigers could afford to keep him at his same role and expect him to be content.
It was time to grow Mafah, and I think we've witnessed the fruits in his reliability as well as production. There's more trust now in his ability to recognize and execute the desired pass protection
I would agree there have been situations in which I've been surprised, or taken note, that Mafah is in the lineup over Shipley. Different moments were probably for different reasons.
But it did catch our eye that after Clemson rode Shipley for 68 snaps against Wake Forest, he drew 40 against N.C. State and 36 against Boston College. In Pace's absence, Mafah got about 10 more last game than his usual 20 per on the season.
Georgia Orange: I coach high school football and firmly believe the limitations put on us for hitting in practice have actually increased the rate of injuries at our level. Guys just are not accustomed to getting hit. Do you think that plays a part in the seemingly innumerable injuries we are dealing with at Clemson the past two years?
PAUL: That sounds like a viable explanation for injuries to be increased across the board, not specific to Clemson.
But you'd need to survey the nature of the various injuries to assess any real correlation, and beyond lacking any such evidence, most injuries just seem like there are greater contributing factors.
I have found it fascinating that Clemson has incorporated so many new exercises and stretches into their post-practice and pre-game routines.
There's a drill where one defensive lineman with an elastic resistance band pulls another lineman with assorted moves. An array of tennis balls, and stretching bars line the area where the offensive skill players warm up before games. Support staffer Ricky Sapp is involved in coordinating various stretching activities.
So I'm no physio here, but it appears the Tigers have tried being more proactive in preventing soft-tissue and muscle injuries.
4toTampa: What are the issues with our run blocking? Pass blocking is the strength of this offensive line, but running backs are having to make it on their own in the run game. Too many offensive linemen standing around after initial contact. Lack of receiver blocking doesn’t help the matter.
LARRY: As we wrote earlier this week, a running game that was supposed to be lots better than last year has been about the same statistically thus far.
Clemson's defense has had no shortage of injuries over the last two years. (Tigerillustrated.com)
We'll explore this more Thursday in our video-review segment, but against Boston College it seemed it was a combination of the offensive linemen not being where they were supposed to be and the quarterback either missing the hole when he kept, or giving when he should have kept.
A week earlier against N.C. State we saw how much can open up when the quarterback gets a chunk play with his legs. Following a long run by DJ Uiagalelei in the third quarter, the play-calling developed a rhythm that alternated between throwing it when the second- and third-level players were preoccupied with the run, and running it when the same players dropped back to defend the pass.
That's why I think it's so important that Clemson be productive with the run between the tackles Saturday night. The Seminoles are characteristically aggressive and tend to overpursue at times, so establishing the run can produce so much in the play-action game. That's really how Wake Forest was able to stay one step ahead of FSU all day a couple weeks ago.
I'd like to revisit your question after Saturday night. It could well be that they don't run it very well in that game and we're suggesting some substantial tweaks such as emphasizing more outside zone than inside zone, etc.
But it also could well be that Clemson gashes FSU with the run on the way to a comfortable victory and we're identifying some other area of concern this time next week.
[COLOR=%s]DEALS[/COLOR] on officially-licensed CLEMSON gear at THE TIGER FAN SHOP HERE!
