Monday November 02, 2009

Coastal Carolina Review

Coastal Carolina Review
Often times when a team plays an inferior opponent from an FCS (Division I-AA) I have fans call my show or I read that team’s message board and some fans despise these games.

A few years ago I decided that I was going to enjoy every time I get to see Clemson play a football game. My thoughts were that life is too short and I was going to enjoy my day. I was going to enjoy tailgating. I was going to cherish every time I got to see the Tigers run down the hill. I told myself I was going to enjoy every game not matter who the opponent was because I came to see Clemson play and not the opponent.

I have to admit that Saturday was a little empty though. I am not sure why. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed sitting with friends and enjoyed the game with my son, Ryan. But something was missing.

Maybe I was waiting on C.J. Spiller to get me out of my seat. Maybe it was the rain again. Maybe it was the opponent. Maybe it was the worry about Da’Quan Bowers’ knee and the threat of any Tiger getting injured after that. But Saturday lacked a little something in my eyes.

I understand they all can’t be epic games and I know this game was sandwiched between two huge games for the Tigers. So I am not complaining. I get the fact that every school has to have a couple of games like this every year and I would rather play the state schools like Coastal, Furman, The Citadel, SC State and Coastal.

Saturday did show us something though. It is hard to complain about a 400-yard performance on offense. The defense held Coastal to 3 points and only 170 yards. The Tigers scored four touchdowns in their five trips into the red zone.

Andre Ellington had perhaps his best game as a Tiger with 88 yards rushing on only six carries. His 55-yard touchdown was a thing of beauty.

Jamie Harper struggled at times but his 34-yard run was a sight for sore eyes as well.

Willy Korn had some successful drives that resulted in touchdowns.

Jacoby Ford got into the act with four catches for 45 yards and a fantastic touchdown catch was only outdone by his 23-yard touchdown pass.

I was encouraged that a couple of other receivers stepping up. Brandon Clear had a couple of catches for 25 yards and Xavier Dye and Jaron Brown caught touchdown passes of 23 and 18 yards respectfully. Like many of you, I am hoping that beautiful run after the catch may get Brown going with an injection of confidence.

On defense, Corico Hawkins had perhaps his best game with a team high eight tackles including two sacks and 2.5 tackles for losses.

Malliciah Goodman was called upon early after Bowers went down with his knee injury and I thought he played well. The true freshman had six tackles including one for a loss and a great open field tackle on the kick coverage team.

Rashard Hall continued his fantastic freshman season with another interception, his fourth of the season.

Speaking of interceptions, Crezdon Butler had his first of the season and like Hall, he almost scored. Instead, the offense was set up with terrific field position after the two picks.

Wins are great and I have never met a win that I did not like. They all can’t be remarkable though. I guess the DVRs won’t allow us to save every game so sometimes you need a 49-3 win over a Division I-AA opponent.

There are very few things that could have happened that would have made Saturday’s win memorable. The one thing that would have made it the most remarkable would have been a loss, so we are all glad that did not happen.

It was very positive that so many young players got into the game Saturday. Unofficially, 73 Tigers played Saturday. This kind of game allowed the staff to get game film on young players along the offensive line. Matt Sanders, Wilson Norris, Kenneth Page, Jamarcus Grant, David Smith, Corey Lambert, Ben Ramsey and Phillip Price all saw action as back up offensive linemen. Brando Ford caught his first pass Saturday. In the secondary, Xavier Brewer, Jonathan Meeks and Spencer Adams all saw the field. At times, it looked like a spring scrimmage.

Maybe just as important was the idea of resting the Tigers who had been ailing. Michael Palmer and C.J. Spiller did not need to play 50 snaps this past weekend and this kind of game allowed them to get rested for this week’s game against Florida State.

But Saturday was the kind of day where you just go through the motions. I have never been to Mardi Gras but I would imagine it would be difficult to go at it hard every day throughout the entire festival, so you need some time off. It would have been difficult to play anyone coming off of a win against Miami and the week before FSU rolls into town. Saturday was not an open date, it was better. The Tigers got a chance to rest and added a win.

The rest of the division cooperated except for FSU. Wake blew a big lead at home against Miami and now has three conference losses. I think they are eliminated along with Maryland and NC State. If FSU would have lost they would have been eliminated. Now it appears Clemson, Boston College and FSU are the only three teams that have a chance to win the division.

I can live with the Coastal game knowing this Saturday is so huge.

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 list 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:
Finn Brookover, Larry in Naples, FL, RTG-Pawsitive Tiger, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Jo Ann Bachman, Frank Taylor, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Christine Hepfer, Daniel Rosborough, Amy Murphey, Jack Huffman, Nancy Winkler, Dr. Nancy Strom Morgan, John Reeve, Eileen Woodrum, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Jean-Pierre Bailey, Kaitlyn L, Delores Weaver, Eric Boessneck, John Bowers, Jimmy Ness, Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, John Petrey, Chalmers Carr, Drayton Melton, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Ann Fallaw, Bob Pollock, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Mike Kingsmore,Perrin Seigler, Carole White Begley, Candee Massee.