Thursday October 15, 2009

Spiller Time!; Rock the John

Spiller Time!
I have sat around and pouted and sulked since 3:15 PM on October 3. For twelve days I have been sitting around on this disbelief that we lost to a bad Maryland team and that we are 2-3 football team.

Well, this morning after my radio show I decided that it was time to change my mood and it was time to find something to be positive about. In preparation for the game Saturday I was looking through Tim Bourret’s game notes and found the following incredible information on C.J. Spiller:

“It is difficult to quantify the all-around accomplishments of Clem¬son running back C.J. Spiller this year and over his career. He became the ACC’s career leader at Maryland when he had 176 all-purpose yards and now has 5941 for his career. He needs just 59 to become the first ACC player in history with 6000 all-purpose yards. He is on pace to reach the 7,000-yard mark by the end of the season, something only three previous FBS players have accomplished.

Entering the October 17 game with Wake Forest he has 2695 yards rushing, 1074 yards receiving, 1631 yards in kickoff returns and 541 in punt returns. In the TCU game last Saturday he joined former Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush of Southern California as the only FBS players in history with at least 2500 yards receiving, 1000 yards rushing 1500 in kickoff returns and 500 in punt returns.

Spiller’s impact on the game can be compared with some previ¬ous Heisman winners, or near Heisman winners who handled the ball as all-purpose players. Below is a comparison of season and career stats for Spiller, Tim Brown (Notre Dame 1984-87), Rocket Ismail (Notre Dame 1988-90), Desmond Howard (Michigan 1989-91) and Reggie Bush (South¬ern California, 2003-05).

So far this year, Spiller is averaging 207 yards per game. Only Bush and his 222.3 average during the 2005 season, is higher. Brown averaged 173.4 in 1987, his Heisman year, and Ismail averaged 156.4 in 1990, the year he finished second in the Heisman balloting. Howard aver¬aged 155 yards per game in 1991 when he won the Heisman.

Spiller has 16 touchdowns of 50 yards or more in his career, including four already this year. Ismail had 13, Reggie Bush had 13, and Tim Brown had nine. Howard’s career total unavailable at this time.

Spiller already has three kick returns for touchdowns this year, two on kickoffs and one on a punt. All have been at least 77 yards in length. He has had a play of at least 60 yards in each game so far this year.”

Here are other comparisons of Spiller to those four greats:
*For the careers Spiller has 5,941 all-purpose yards. Brown had 5,024. Ismail had 4,187 and Howard had 3,943. Only Bush had more as he recorded 6,551 yards. You have to consider the fact that Ismail, Howard and Bush only played three seasons also but Brown played four at Notre Dame.

*Spiller’s 35 touchdowns are seven fewer than Bush and only two fewer than Howard. Brown had 22 career touchdowns and Ismail had 15.

*In comparing their final seasons consider Brown, Ismail and Howard played in 12 games and Bush played in 13 and Spiller has only five so far this season but Spiller already has four touchdowns of 50 yards or more. Ismail had five, Brown and Howard had four and Bush had three.

The scary part for future opponent’s defensive coordinators is the fact that Spiller has been injured since the first game this season. Saturday should be the healthiest he has been since the opener.

So yes, there are a lot of reasons to be down and out about this football season. But there is at least one terrific reason to be extremely excited. C.J. Spiller may be the most electrifying player in Clemson history. He may be the most talented offensive player in school history. Heck, he may even be the best player in Clemson history. I did not see Banks McFadden and any of the Tiger greats before 1974 but have seen all of the great ones of the last 35 years. I will hold off my judgment on where Spiller stands after his career is completed.

I am just thankful I will get a chance to see him play again this Saturday.

Rock The John
I have spent a some time with the Clemson basketball staff in the past couple of days and I can report to you that I have never seen a staff as excited as this staff is coming into the season. The returning players have worked hard in the off-season and the newcomers are very talented.

They have a huge recruiting weekend set up this weekend and would love for everyone to come out to “Rock the John” tomorrow night at 8:00. The event is free and they are giving away a ton of things to the fans in attendance. This is Clemson’s version of Midnight Madness and is also a terrific recruiting opportunity.

I was told by a recruiting expert in college basketball that Clemson has not had this many great prospects on its campus at the same time since the days of Skip Wise, Mosses Malone, Phil Ford and Tree Rollins.

Tomorrow night Clemson is set to host Class of 2010 wing Jason Morris, Class of 2011 wing Damien Leonard and Class of 2011 point guard Shannon Scott.

Morris is a 6-5, 190-pounder originally from Augusta, GA but now plays at a prep school in Connecticut. He is basically down to Clemson and Georgia Tech. He is a four-star according to Rivals.com who also has Morris rated as the nation’s 84th best prospect.

Leonard is a 6-3, 175-pounder from J.L. Mann High School in Greenville who is a five star according to Rivals.com. He has offers from schools like Florida, Kentucky and Memphis.

Scott is a 6-2, 175-pounder from Alpharetta, GA who is the son of former North Carolina great Charlie Scott. He is another five star prospect according to Rivals.

Clemson has had some great classes under Purnell and signed its first five star prospect with Milton Jennings this past year. Jennings was ranked as the nation’s 25th best prospect according to Rivals. Leonard is ranked 14th and Scott is ranked 12th in the country accord to Rivals.

This is the kind of recruiting weekend that could shape an incredible future for Clemson basketball.

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.