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Constructive Criticism
I read the posts. I sit in the stands. I take the calls on the radio show and I answer the e-mails. I hear and read the answers that we all think we have. None of us have all of the answers including Bowden. But it is fun to hypothesize what the problems are and solutions should be.

I have never coached a down of college football and almost every reader of this blog can admit the same thing. But I have often said that I can’t play guitar but I can listen and tell the difference between Eddie van Halen and some cover band at the Esso.

I have read and heard your comments and suggestions and wanted to share mine. Here are a few things I would to see in 2008:

Fullback
I don’t mind the one-back or the spread with one-back beside the quarterback but I do think there is still a place for a fullback in the offense especially in short-yardage.

I watched Georgia several times this year and Brandon Sutherland is a very tough fullback but I think Clemson has something similar in Chad Diehl.

In my opinion, a lead blocker is crucial in certain looks on offense. Sometimes Clemson uses a lead blocker but they do it by pulling an offensive lineman, tight end or h-back. Heck they even have a wide out involved in the blocking scheme between the tackles on certain looks. I just think a very physical fullback is a weapon and in short-yardage situation he may be benficial.

It was nice to see a three-point stance and even a four-point stance on offense on some of the short-yardage plays Monday so that is a step in the right direction. But I think a big, physical fullback would be a weapon. And in my opinion they have a stud ready to take over the roll in Diehl.

Diehl really impressed coaches when he enrolled last January and was probably the biggest surprise of the last recruiting class. He tested much better than the staff may have thought. He ran better, jumped higher and lifted more than many realized but he also took it to the field. In the spring and fall camps, Diehl made a huge impression. One assistant coach told me recently that he thought Diehl was the toughest player the Tigers had on offense.

If the offensive line is inexperienced next season I can think of no better solution than to give Diehl a shot as a lead blocker to take care of the immediate threat. A lead blocker can often eliminate the first defender that has a chance to tackle the ball carrier and I think Diehl should be given a look at that role.

I know Georgia is better because of Sutherland. Arkansas’s offense was all about Darren McFadden and Felix Jones but I know they are better because Peyton Hillis was a great lead blocker and he was also their leading receiver. West Virginia is terrific with Pat White and Steve Slayden but Owen Schmidt is a big part of their offense also. Diehl should receive his medical hardship after his injury so here is to four great years of Diehl being very involved.

Mark Richt
I know few want to click onto Tigernet and read about how great Georgia is but I think Bowden could take a note from Mark Richt from this past season. A good friend of mine is an avid Georgia fan and he subscribed to the theory that your team takes on the personality of your head coach. He complained about Richt and how he was emotionless on the sidelines. But Richt changed mid-way through this season and finished with a 7-game winning streak.

Richt was very successful at Georgia before this season. He had won his division and the SEC. He had been to Sugar Bowls and was a national title contender a few times before this season. Richt was as calm as a cucumber on the sidelines and people took notice. When the Dawgs won games their fans claimed he was very calm and showcased poise and composure. Many coaches feel players will react to their head coach. If he is calm in the face of pressure then they will be calm as well. If a head coach gets too emotional they will say he is panicking.

Perception is important and they same Dawg fans that claimed that Richt was winning then he has composure but when UGA loses they complain that the team lacks emotion because Richt lacks emotion.
That all changed this year. Georgia was 4-2 and coming off a bad loss to Tennessee 35-14. They used a late turnover and a last second field goal to have big comeback to beat Vanderbilt 20-17 or the Dawgs could have fallen to 4-3. Instead, they beat the Commodores on the last play but the big change came the next game.

I saw Georgia play Oklahoma State in person and South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Vanderbilt on television and the Dawg fans were right when they said Georgia played with little or no emotion. That all changed with 6:00 to go in the first quarter in the Florida game when the Dawgs ran onto the field and go a couple of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

Richt orchestrated the penalty. He orchestrated the emotion. He changed. The old Mark Richt would have never done that. He would have never stood for it.

Georgia used black jerseys against Auburn and Hawaii for motivation later in the year but it was a different Richt. He was emotional on the sidelines. As I watched the bowl game last night I saw Mark Richt waving his arms to the crowd trying to get the crowd pumped up. He would have never done that in the past but Georgia was a better football team for it.

There is a fine line too much emotion and not enough. When Maryland won 10 games a couple of times I thought Dave Sollazzo was great. When they took a turn for the worse maybe he was too emotional. Will Muschamp is a fantastic defensive coordinator for Auburn but some felt he was too emotional in a couple of losses this year. Clemson saw Reggie Herring for several years so most have seen this. But Clemson has not been too emotional in recent memory.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

There are other issues that can be fixed and some other will arise every season. These are just two suggestions I came up with to go along with many others I have read or heard since Monday night.

Comments:

Spence seems to be completely anti-FB. Unless he has a change of heart your wish will go unfulfilled.

Posted by Zeus on January 02, 2008 at 11:56 AM EST #

I would love to see a FB as a lead blocker involved in more of the offense. Anything would be better than having the TE of the slot receiver go in motion then jog in place directly in front of the hole we intend to run through. We only seem to do THAT every running play.

Posted by jroberts on January 02, 2008 at 12:04 PM EST #

If you add a fullback, which position will you subtract? Unless we completely change our scheme and use a fullback in most of our sets, then adding a FB & subtracting a WR/TE only hurts us since we are eliminating another threat and broadcasting our desire to run the ball.

Posted by Fluxus on January 02, 2008 at 12:15 PM EST #

I would also like to see us drive our legs and hips through tackles instead slinging two arms at the ball.

Posted by 90Orange on January 02, 2008 at 12:25 PM EST #

we broadcast our plays almost always anyway. The one-back sure is not working so what have we got to lose?I agree that a team takes on the personality of the head coach. See Danny for proof!!Whatwvwe it takes we have to get more physical to win against good teams and Auburn is good(not great) team

Posted by Litefoot on January 02, 2008 at 12:32 PM EST #

So if our team takes on the persona of our staff, then that makes them.....

Unmotivated, not consistent, and capable of adjusting their goals after failing to meet the prior expectations. Yet always remaining publicly optimistic and saying "we're close"!!

we still have the same issues that we had going into the year.
1. ol woes
2. team not motivated for every game
3. QB controversy
4. special teams
5. no adjustment from spence
6. most importantly, we get "out toughed" in a bunch of games.

how will next year be any different??

Posted by sregitog 1 on January 02, 2008 at 12:59 PM EST #

I don't want to settle for Eddie van Halen. Strive to be James Burton. Until
we utilize the three pt. stance and the fullback, we will continue to strum a ukulele. We still come across as "cute and soft".

Posted by Palmetto 68 on January 02, 2008 at 01:19 PM EST #

sregitog, I agree with your take. The maddening thing is that all of your items are so easily fixable. The stuff that is hard to do TB does very very well. Great environment of loyalty and teamship, great coaches, recuiting is good and getting better, we get the right kind of people, etc, etc.

I hate to see a person who brings all that get criticized, and I would hate to lose a person like that, especially when all the things you mentioned are things any good coach can fix. Its just a matter of willing it done. But if its not done, somebody somewhere will make a change, with the only predicable result being a risk of losing the good things he brings.

Posted by CUintulsa on January 02, 2008 at 02:00 PM EST #

wow,there are Soooo many coaches on here.Hey sregitog1,I'd rather our players take on the persona of our REAL coaches,not the persona of Tnet coaches{bitching,whining,complaining,know-it-all dumb@$$es}I'll agree with the O-line woes,but for the rest of your post...You sir are an idiot...If you want perfection,you should pull for S.Cal,Ohio State,etc...these schools are paying their players ALOT more than we are.When you run a clean program you are putting yourself at a disadvantage.We have talent and better players coming in,but when you have the AARC holding out starters for bowl games etc...you will not win.Our President,faculty,and staff DO NOT CARE about football.Bowden is fighting an unwinable fight.Go Tigers,win'em all next year so I won't have to read this uneducated drivel from idiot fans that think we are elite......

Posted by tigerjebus on January 02, 2008 at 02:01 PM EST #

gimme a break, blaming the aarc is weak. we've found out that a ton of schools have them, so to blame that on losing to a 1 week old offense is down right sad.

the rest of my post is dead on. they are all problems that should have been fixed this year, yet they'll drag on again and again. have another glass of kool-aid. you've bought into the "we are lowly clemson, in lowly SC, we can't compete, be happy we're this good." bowden planted that see when he basically blamed the state for not being able to succeed with his recruits.

Posted by sregitog 1 on January 02, 2008 at 02:35 PM EST #

Well sregitog 1,You are obviously a national championship coach on x-box,so I will not get into a game of wits with you.I was not blaming the AARC,just saying we could have had 1 of our starting lb's if he had only missed 4 classes,but he missed 5 so...come on 1 missed class.You've got to be kidding.Where did they beat us?Up the middle,1 missed class away from stopping that lame @$$ backup QB from killing us up the middle.They knew our lb's were out and they used it to their advantage...

Posted by tigerjebus on January 02, 2008 at 03:24 PM EST #

so you're blaming the aarc for dictating that he missed too many classes, and not the athlete who decided to skip? heaven forbid we stick to our guns and show the players that we won't bend the rules like our instate rival. woe is us.

and now it's a "lame ass" qb running a 1 week old offense that beat us? i repeat, a freshman beat us. but it's the aarc's fault, not the staff. nice.

Posted by sregitog 1 on January 02, 2008 at 03:46 PM EST #

I thought I read that the 5 missed classes were "part" of the reason he was suspended. That does seem like a tough penalty if it was the only factor.
Reagarding the team, I would agree that we do not seem to have that swagger that a lot of great teams have. I'm not sure if that comes from more vocal leaders in the locker room or coaches teaching "attitude". Whatever it is we need it back.
I also find it confusing that upon his arrival, Spence was known for using multiple TE's and was suppose to "revive" the position at Clemson. I agree that if all he's going to do is use them as blockers then put a FB in there, especially if we have one as talented as Mickey says Diehl is.

Posted by GoodFella on January 02, 2008 at 03:56 PM EST #

I have seen a lot more emotion in TB this year. He has gotten on the field and let the refs have it a few times for bad calls. I also saw him get in Manors face after the bad punt on Monday night. After that "chewin'" he punted well.

Posted by tigergirl98 on January 02, 2008 at 09:55 PM EST #

Hey Mickey, I teach guitar lessons. Want to learn how to play like Van Halen?? I'm your man!

Posted by Tiger Guy on January 03, 2008 at 12:10 AM EST #

I have played, and coached, all my life until I retired. I don't think the game has passed me by. I love Clemson, but until the offensive line plays in an aggresive mode; or a new offensive line coach is in place, the same ole stuff will take place again, with or without a fullback.

Posted by ccccc on January 03, 2008 at 01:12 AM EST #

thank god for the AARC, i'll take sitting a couple of players that skipped classes over the FSU mess any day of the week. you're crazy if you think that we don't get better quality students because of the AARC. it may hurt every once in a while, but it surely doesn't sting nearly as bad as letting the athletic dept run wild, like they do at FSU!!

Posted by sregitog 1 on January 03, 2008 at 09:52 AM EST #

well to be honest with you guys and myself.i believe that if next season we,the tiger fb team.would be able to do alot if we used a full back and 2 QB system.HAPER and KORN would make it alot harder to read our offence.that my tiger friends would make DF stay in a guessing DF.

Posted by tigercrazynut on January 03, 2008 at 11:06 AM EST #

I agree mixing things up, less conservativism and predictability would help us alot against the good teams. That means using 3 or 4 wideouts and when running the ball, using a fullback, using a running qb and rotating qb's at times.
When a player is off sit them down for a few plays, or the game. If we had done that against Auburn maybe we would have won. Auburn very effectively used 2 qb's and won. Were we afraid of losing if we did? Guess what Bowden and Spence. We lost.
Don't play games in Atlanta with Harper, Bucholz, Davis, Kelly, etc. They are distracted and don't perform well.
Oh, wait our greed and short sightiness is scheduling a game in Atlanta to open next year. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting things to change.
Wonder why we can't go to the next level?

Posted by bparent on January 04, 2008 at 07:00 AM EST #

I'm wearing my flame proof clothing, so flame away. Clemson University's purpose is to educate young people, football and everything else should be secondary to this purpose. Holding student athelets to a minimal standard
should not only be expected but demanded by fans and alumni. The fact that we played a player charged with DUI concerns me more than the loss.

Posted by #1TIGER on January 05, 2008 at 07:54 AM EST #

Posted by #1TIGER on January 05, 2008 at 10:47 AM EST #

Should be "athletes"

Posted by #1TIGER on January 05, 2008 at 10:53 AM EST #

Should be "athletes"

Posted by #1TIGER on January 05, 2008 at 10:53 AM EST #