Thursday January 08, 2009

Kevin Steele; C.J. Spiller; Recruiting Weekend; NC State Preview

Kevin Steele
Eventually Clemson will name Kevin Steele as its new defensive coordinator. My guess is that that will come in the next 48 hours. I wrote in a blog last week that I have heard positive and negative about Steele and I have been skeptical of him.

To get a better understanding of what Clemson is getting I called several coaches that know Steele including a couple who have worked with him in the past.

Here are a few comments I got from coaches that has worked with Steele:

“I had heard things about Kevin in the past and I think I know where the criticism came from after working with him. I really think a lot of the criticism was jealousy. Kevin is a great recruiter and he beat a bunch of guys on the recruiting trail for a lot of years and some guys don’t like getting beat. Kevin is one of those guys that if he is on your side you love him. The guy can flat out recruit.”

“Kevin is one of the most intelligent coaches I have ever been around. He knows the rules on the field and in recruiting better than anyone I have been around. He is really bright. I think they would have done well with John Chavis too and John thinks the world of Kevin. I don’t think you could have done wrong with either John or Kevin.”

“People in Clemson will love Kevin Steele. The players will love him. I know our players loved him when he was here. This is an intelligent football coach. He is great in the locker room and on the field with the players and they respect him. He is very good in staff meetings as well. Clemson is getting a complete football coach. You can tell the guy has been a head coach and you can tell he has been in the NFL. He is polished. The high school coaches will like him too. Another thing is the fans and media will like him. Kevin has a good sense of humor.”

Burton Burns worked the last two years with Steele at Alabama and said this about Steele. “I love Kevin. He and his wife were our neighbors in Tuscaloosa. I told him he will love Clemson and I think Clemson will really love him. I have a lot of respect for that guy. You know the coach who I respect more than anyone is my college coach, Tom Osborne and Coach Osborne loves Coach Steele. You guys are getting a good one in Clemson.”

C.J. Spiller
We are a week away from the deadline for college underclassmen to declare for the NFL draft but I am pretty sure we will know something on C.J. Spiller long before then. I think we could know something by Monday on his plans.

The latest I hear on Spiller is that he is getting different advice from different people. I think some in his camp would like to see him leave and some are telling him to stay. I think Spiller is leaning one way but I don’t think his decision is final. I just don’t think he had made up his mind as of late last night.

Recruiting Weekend
Clemson is poised to host its first major recruiting weekend under Dabo this weekend. I have maintained that it will be difficult to salvage a big recruiting year with all of the turnover but the staff looks like they have done a good job so far. My concerns are two-fold. First, many of the prospects commit so much earlier now and many have already made up their minds. Second, recruiting is about relationships and many of these relationships start a long time ago. To make up for lost time in the course of a few weeks is a lot to ask. Clemson currently has 11 commitments. If the staff could secure two or three commitments from this weekend this would be another positive step.

The list of official visitors changes every day but here is a preliminary list for this weekend (Bold players are already committed to Clemson):

Roderdick McDowell-RB (5-10,175) Sumter, SC CL1/9
Tyler Shatley-ATH (6-3, 255) Connellys Springs, NC CL1/9
Brandon Thomas- OL (6-4, 280) Spartanburg, SC CL1/9
Corrico Hawkins-LB (6-0, 220) Milledgeville, GA CL1/9
Quandon Christian-LB( 6-3, 205) Lake View, SC CL1/9
Justin Green-DB (5-10, 180) Louisville, KY OSU12/12,KY12/19,CL1/9,AL1/16
Tim Simon-RB (6-1, 210) Cordova, AL CL1/9,KY19,OM1/23,TN1/30
Jerquari Schofield-OL (6-6, 300) S. Aiken, SC CL1/9,TN1/23
Quinton Washington-OL (6-3, 315) St. Stephens, SC MCH9/26,CL1/9,SC1/16,TN1/23,MIA1/30
Spencer Shuey-LB (6-4, 240) Charlotte, NC CL1/9,NC1/16,ILL1/23
Jonathan Scott-DB (6-3, 190) Daytona Beach, FL AL10/17,SC11/8,WV12/5,CL1/9
Terrell Mitchell-TE (6-6, 220) Powder Springs, GA KY12/12,CL1/9,GA1/16
Tajh Boyd-QB (6-1,180) Hampton, VA TN10/24,OSU12/12,ORE12/19,CL1/9

NC State Preview
The Tigers host N.C. State Saturday at noon. The game will mark the home ACC opener for the 11th-ranked Tigers. This is the Wolfpack’s ACC opener. State enters the game at 9-3 but their nine wins have come against New Orleans, High Point, Winthrop, UNC-Greensboro, Winston-Salem State, East Carolina, Lipscomb, Loyola (MD) and Towson State. Their losses have been at the hands of Davidson, Marquette and Florida. I will give State credit because it had Florida on the ropes before losing late 68-66 in Gainesville.

N.C. State is led by two big bodies in the front court. Brandon Costner (6-9, 230, Jr) is averaging 14.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Ben McCauley (6-9, 235, Sr) is another power player that is averaging 13.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest. State’s top backcourt player is Courtney Fells (6-6, 210, Sr) that averages 11 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

State is a veteran team with good players. But I am not sure they have answered their questions at the point guard position. Also Sidney Lowe will be remembered for red jackets and not his coaching ability.

If Clemson is to have the magical season that we are hoping for, it must not slip up at home to NC State. The Tigers are the better team and the better coached team. A 16-0 start and a 2-0 league mark is a terrific way to go into a week off to prepare for fourth-ranked Wake Forest. State has had an entire week to prepare for Clemson but I am not sure it matters with Sidney Lowe. Also because the Wake Forest game is a week away, the Tigers should not get caught looking ahead to the Wake contest.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer lost will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.

*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com

*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.

*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Corey, Bob and Finn Brookover-Corey is pregnant with Finn and her water broke in mid November even though her due date was not until March. She is doing well but has been on bed rest at Greenville Memorial since November. She is now at 30 weeks and baby Finn is doing well.

Mrs. Kathleen Bowers

Larry in Naples, FL. Larry is currently being kept sedated in ICU and has acute pancreatitis. Larry is going to be transferred this week to Shands in Gainesville, FL for surgery on his pancreas. The doctors are saying that there is a 40% mortality rate with this surgery and if successful, there will still be a very long recovery. Larry is a great guy and a wonderful husband/father. Larry is 32 years old.

RTG-Pawsitive Tiger

Kaitlyn L-4 year old girl in TN who has seizures and a brain lesion that may be a slow-growing tumor. She will likely have a biopsy in February.

Terry Fowler-He will undergo an operation on Thursday to clear up blockages in both legs. These blockages are preventing proper blood flow to the lower extremities of his legs & feet.

Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter)

Sandy Wright

Jo Ann Bachman

Frank Taylor