Was wondering if you could educate me on something related to S. Carolina and their probationary status.

1) It's my understanding that they are on their "probation" still, aren't they?

2) When they recruited Travian Robertson and got him to change his mind about committing to Clemson and instead got him commit to S. Carolina within a week's time period, they were on probation, right?

3) They were caught using illegal recruiting tactics in the recruitment of Robertson. At least that is my recollection, that someone else exposed them and then they acknowledged it.

My question is (if the above information is right), how can a school that's on probation get caught cheating and there not be any ramifications for it (at least to my knowledge there haven't been any), much less be able to sign the kid that they got caught committing violations to get? I thought the "teeth" of their probationary sentence pertained to the understanding that they had better keep their nose clean or else.

What am I not understanding about all of this? Please educate me about what I'm missing or not taking into consideration.

Is it time to abandon the one back set for two? I seem to remember TB interviews in his early Clemson days, saying that Clemson didn't have the "weapons" to compete with the likes of FSU. Now it seems our gun cabinet is full, but the "weapons" are covered with dust.

Wouldn't having Davis and Spiller on the field at the same time keep defenses more honest, and help our inexperienced QB position? Maybe I'm oversimplifying things, but maybe its just that simple -- find a way to get your best players on the field for a lot of snaps.

Listening to your show this morning about qb's and y'all mentioned who was the best frosh in the country last year. Besides the guy @ Wake who just kind of fit into the system, I think the best frosh qb was the kid at Central Michigan. That guy could play. I don't know how he ended up there, but he could throw it and run. Plus he's got a big ass and legs We'll get to see him up close & personal in a few months.

Have a good one,

Enjoy reading your blog and the inside scoop you provide.

On Monday you wrote the following regarding the QBs –
Harper has good arm strength and is fairly accurate as a passer. I would not say he has an NFL arm in terms of strength or accuracy but it is above average. One of his overall weaknesses is his lack of experience but that is a strength when you compare his experience to the other three that are battling him.

The last sentence to me is the kind of spin that I am afraid is catching up to this program.
First – I am a Tiger through and through. Second I have and will continue to support Coach Bowden and what he is trying to accomplish because of the way he is trying to do it.

With that said – the one thing that bothers me with the philosophy of this staff is playing time of younger guys and the development there of.

This is the second straight year of a nine year program where we will have no legitimate experience at Quarterback. This bothers me and has since the time of Willie and Woody.

3 and half years we watched as Whitehurst played snap after snap. Saving one drive versus A&M, Proctor got no meaningful snaps versus competition. Last year, I sat in Death Valley for every game and made the trek to Charlotte to watch the first team and Proctor in the 3rd quarter versus Temple and also the games we played early, Florida A&M Tech at Clearwater. Sitting in the 3rd quarter, I bored my friends around me complaining that “Proctor is still in this game???”

My Point – Back up Quarterbacks should be presented valuable snaps in meaningful games. A drive here or there in the second or 3rd quarter can do us some real good in the 2nd or 3rd year of the QB.

I know that Coach Bowden and maybe you too, will have something to refute this. However, what we can’t refute is the sentence you blogged above is true and somewhat unacceptable.

Why don’t they get to play when the game is in question? If not then (I can understand reasoning there) at least when we have a lead on someone as was the case in Sept 06 and esp. in Charlotte.

I also made the trek to Blacksburg and saw first hand what this process can do to a QB.

If Harper lays an egg on Labor Day and Korn takes the helm, will it be four years of Willy Korn? Past actions say yes. Good Lord help us in 2011.

From the Clemson QB blog:
The Atlanta native can be effective at quarterback if he can manage the offense. He does not have the talent to be the difference maker in this offense but he does not have to be. Harper should understand that James Davis, C.J. Spiller, Jacoby Ford and others are the difference makers and it is only his job to get the ball in their hands.

This statement sounds very familiar with what we heard from everyone before last season began. Blah, blah, blah...We have an inexperienced QB who needs to manage the game. Get the ball in the hands of the playmakers. Don't try to win the big game - just don't lose it...Blah, blah, blah. After seeing what happened when VT exposed our QB by shutting down the running game, what makes this season any different? Mickey Andrews may put 9 in the box on 9/3.

Also from the Clemson QB blog:
Harper is a physical upgrade from last season. The staff feels he is already better going into the season.

Is the staff saying that he is already better than he was last year, or he's better than Proctor was last year at this point. If the latter, he must have shown significant improvement over the spring and summer considering the coaching staff was so reluctant to insert him into the lineup last year when Proctor struggled.