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^What exactly is this mandatory “academic suspension” stuff? Never heard of it. And how in the heck does the university monitor what the heck is going on the courts? Is that for on campus arrests only? I know several counselors who deliver pretrial treatment and I’ve never heard this. The courts are littered with college kids with similar and identical offenses.
My 2 cents are similar to chop’s and Statefans. If there was no accident, no excessive speed, bac wasn’t more than twice the legal limit, and he was cooperative, then run his tail off, get him enrolled in the pretrial treatment, encourage him to get a decent lawyer who knows what judge to put him in front of. If he has a problem, then encourage him to some real help.
His age creates some other obstacles for him, but if’s it’s a run-a-the-mill DWI, then it’s misdemeanor with a likely outcome of unsupervised probation, a few community service hours, small fine, a license suspension with limited privilege (and possible ignition interlock depending on the circumstances). He’ll learn his lesson and move on. Run his tail off.
I’d like to see a uniform athletic policy on this type of thing. A more consistent policy among academic scholarship holders as well.
Outcome was about what I expected. Proud we didn’t quit. I was surprised we put up that many points given our offensive struggles this year. Thought our O-line protection was better than it has been.
Obviously, the sequence at the end of the first half was a momentum changer. I didn’t see the first half, too busy celebrating kid’s first birthday, but I caught the second. Notwithstanding bad calls, I thought the defensive scheme was suspect. Watson made some good throws when our coverage wasn’t bad, and the zebras blew a few, but some of the big plays were just busted coverages and outgunned personnel. From a personnel standpoint, there was no way our back 7 could chase and drop into coverage and be successful for an entire game versus that offense. No chance. Clemson may have scored 70+ had we brought more pressure, but the only chance we had was to hit Watson. Simply too much time all day for Watson.
I think this team will be better than last years. Whether that equates to a better record depends on our improvement relative to our peers. I recongnize lacy made some key late game shots but I thought he hurt us at times with shot selection, and he was an indifferent defender. This team could be gottfrieds best on defense–and I mean top 40-50–which isn’t bad. They really need to pick up the pace and not fall off in efficiency on offense. We go as cat goes. We need him to dominate. 18pg, 7apg.
Cowdog I’m more comfortable coming after Watson than chasing receivers or dropping into coverage. I say turn em loose from every direction, early and often.
I’ve missed few Clemson pack games in Raleigh or Death Valley since the early 80s, but I have an extra good excuse. It’s my sons first birthday, and I can think of no better present or treat than to trick the Tigers. Here’s hoping for black cats, witch’s stew, and s full moon to get the pack howling!
Early in the year, I thought Clemson’s loss of Chad Morris and possible decline in defense would hurt the most. Now, I don’t think so. They intentionally limited Watson’s runs early in the year, played at a slower pace at times, and I think it often hurt their rhythm. Their OC is much more patient than Morris was. If they don’t score early and often, or hit the big plays, he’ll stick with the short stuff and runs. Early, they’ll cut Watson loose to run in the read-option, and if it stays close, he’ll continue to run when it’s there. Hit him early and often. We’ll need to really limit their first downs and drives early in the game and have drives of our own to keep them off the field.
The difference between some of our notable upsets of Tiggertown, especially the most recent ones, is that we had a front four that could generate pressure and stop the run without blitzing. Not this year. We look pedestrian on defense. The speed we’ll see on this Saturday will overwhelm. Tiggers by at least 3 TD’s. They were the best team last year by far. With a healthy Watson that started from Day 1, they don’t lose a game last year, and they certainly don’t this year.
Pack will open as a 3-4 td dawg next week. The only way to keep the Clemson offense in check is to stymie and frustrate them early, don’t let Watson get into a rhythym. Their new play caller is more patient than Chad Morris, which is bad for us. They’re incorporating Watson more and more back into the run game now. You have to blitz him and hit him, disguise and change coverages more than we do normally, and hope our back 5 can hold up. keep them off the field and eat clock. I think it will be ugly for the pack. This ain’t the Clemson of old
^About Pratt, I know there was originally some conversation about moving him LB. He has the frame and speed, and there’s not a question about his athleticism. Are we all in on him at S?
^Holtz and Rein inherited a far better situation than Doeren. A few of Edwards’s last teams were arguably some of the our best. Aside from the one Michaels year, the program was in pretty good shape. Not sure you could say that when Doeren arrived. There was a far better track record with Holtz as well. Not with Rein, as a head coach, but I’ll take CD’s word and others that he was a can’t miss.
Nothing in my previous post should be taken as a knock on Doeren. I think he’s a good one. But the current landscape requires improvement in wins and continued momentum on the recruiting trail. It’s a Catch 22. If you continue to lose to teams in your tier, then the recruiting is eventually going to tail off. If you’re trying to gain ground, you either have to recruit better or outcoach the opponent, or both. X’s and O’s and Johnnies and Joes.
Proof of turning a program from bad to good is simply a better measuring stick for me. I think there’s more to it than that, of course, and there are certainly plenty of examples to the contrary.
My preference is always to hire coaches with proven track records building and sustaining programs. I’m less impressed with those who inherit programs. It’s like wealth. Good if you inherit it and grow it or maintain it. Even better if you build it yourself.
I like Doeren and Co. I hope he’s successful. But I think the model at NCSU from past successful staffs, even in different eras, is clear. You must win the in-state recruiting battle, be able to find some diamonds in the rough, and get enough talent out-of-state. Similarly, you must beat the in-state teams. You also must be willing to play a competitive nonconference schedule. High School players appreciate it and it helps recruiting. You must also win. Winning helps build and maintain recruiting momentum. If you can’t win the games against the lower and mid-tier teams in your league, then you’ll suffer. You only have so much time to do this in today’s landscape of big time sports. The concern in Year 3, I think, is whether we’ve moved enough in those directions. I don’t know.
They won’t burn the other fr redshirt. But Galaspy as the #2 back is two spots up on the depth chart now. That’s a lot to ask of a true fr. He played lb in the shrine bowl and looked gifted there. Not knocking his ability on offense but I’m a little surprised he didn’t get more of a look there.
I wonder how much play calling has been influenced by shad’s dismissal. There was a great deal of talk about playing he and Dayes on the field at the same time. He was the power run game.
In games 1-2, while Thornton was suspended, Galaspy was the third string back. What happened to the kid who was behind Dayes on depth chart, but was hurt last year?
The last two losses were pickem games. Always were. Eye test told me in weeks 1-4 that we’re slow at key skill positions and not dominant upfront. Kicked our best back off the team to boot. Staff doesn’t seem to adapt well in game. Strangely, the knock on Canada wasn’t that he failed to adjust or doesn’t call a good game. It’s that he tended to get away from what worked during the game and go all tecmo bowl. Didn’t by the hype preseason, still don’t. Like the staff but losing too many toss up games isn’t going to help their cause, especially if they don’t pull an upset or two.
Strong has a bigger leash than some think. Although the ex-AD hired him, that AD managed to piss off a number of big boosters and staff in record time. Corporate type with not enough political acumen for Texas football. Strong has this year and next, and probably a fourth to get the ship right. They’d have to tank tremendously the next two years. There’s plenty of talent in Texas, but the rise of TT, A&M, Baylor, and border state programs haven’t helped. Throw in Houston’s hot start. SMU stinks but Morris may well get them turned around in a few years. Without him, Clemson is bound to fall. That offense doesn’t look nearly the same. If Morris turns SMU around, and Strong can’t get ship righted, Morris is the next Texas coach.
No Shad means a droop off in ground game of at least 40+ a game now that we’re in to big boy play. I like Dayes but he doesn’t run through tackles or hit the hole like Shad. What I don’t understand is the lack of read option and utilization of Brisset in the ground game. My memory may be bad, but didn’t we run him more late last year? I assumed we were holding on to this and didn’t need it in games 1-4 but thought wed surely see it now. No way we’ll run it effectively without incorporating the qb. I suspect the shad dismissal had more effect on psyche than we’d like to think. Bad mojo indded
Awesome post. From the Sheridan era forward, we’ve had some great safeties who could lay the wood, and none greater than AW. My favorite memory is him racing down the sideline against FSU after a reception on a fake punt call by the Da Chest. This, after we went 3 and out to start the second half after recovering an on-sides kick.
^Medicine woman, keep em coming for the old timers..and youngsters who haven’t had the satisfaction of a middle aged woman
More excited about this get than any other I can remember. He can play. Will be interesting to see who gets the most minutes at the 3 this year. Barring no major injuries, Gott has a load of possible combos to throw out on the court. This team will score like all Gott’s teams score. This bunch may be his best yet. And it may be the best on the defensive end. Henderson should be an upgrade defensively from Lacey. IMO, Lacey’s shot selection left something to be desired at times. With a healthy Cat, the improvement of the twins and the bigs, the addition of Rowan, this may be the best Pack we’ve seen in a long time.
Clemson is solid. Watson is a legit Heisman contender, or was, before Chad Morris left. That’s the big loss, plus whatever they lose on D. They were the best team in the league last year with Watson on the field. No question. He hardly played against UGA in the opener, didn’t play the whole game versus FSU, a game CU threw away, and got hurt in the GT game. He stays on the field and their new OC’s don’t screw up with Morris installed, then they’re the cream.
I like this version of the Pack but the defensive speed, while upgraded, is still not quite there to compete with the big boys. Need a few more solid recruiting classes.
Love the kid but fastball command was a noticeable weakness at the collegiate level at times. When he worked ahead and spotted the fastball, he was dominant. When he didn’t and relied too much on the slider, he was very beatable against good competition. Having a good rookie year but the walks are still too high. The slider is such a wipeout pitch for him, and he’s so competitive, I wonder if he’ll ever learn to pitch to more contact..I just don’t see him as a power pitcher at that level.
I would tend to agree with CD that EA’s teams don’t commit anymore errors than other teams, on average, but this year’s bunch was among the worst in the league in walks, balks, hit batters, passed balls, and wild pitches. Some of this was youth, inexperience behind the plate, but I tend to think his teams have always walked too many. I have no patience for it. We were among the tops in the league in ERA, but we gave up far too many unearned runs all year. In addition to the head scratching decisions EA inevitably makes during a game, including the all too often, useless, pointless, prolonged, and embarrassing tirades on the field, I’d say his teams, on average, do make more mental mistakes than other ACC squads. I say this is a reflection of the skip. Base running errors, getting picked off, you name it…Too many in my book. I’m all for aggressive play, but I think some of what I witness goes beyond aggressive…
As far as recruiting goes, I think he does a pretty solid job getting arms. Not great but solid. High school baseball in NC has steadily been on the rise in the least 10-15 years, and I still say we don’t get enough of the top talent that eschews the pros, or the diamonds in the rough, the guys with the tools, but maybe not the physical makeup at age 18. In my experience as a high school coach, I didn’t think Avent and crew expended enough effort scouting, and still don’t.
Too many of this bunch’s games were close because of unearned runs, and its losses attributable to them. What you saw last night was a nightmare of an inning that was, in many ways, typically of some of the worst segments of ball it played all season. Occasionally, though, you need a skipper and first mate or two to guide you through the stormy waters.
I’ll never forget the faked punt to Wilson against FSU near the opening of the 3rd quarter at Carter-Finley. This followed an opening half onsides or pooch kickoff that we recovered. Wilson raced down the sideline for a big gainer or TD, I forget exactly which.
The Marshall plan has never been so simple as upping his payday for the sake of upping his payday. Smart guy. And he doesn’t care who’s put off. Play him head up. So glad we didn’t wind up with Smart, who I like…Said then and still believe it, that “Havoc” doesn’t work night-in, night-out in major conferences right now. It’s like the spread. Eventually, everybody figures it out and adjusts, and smash mouth, big-boy ball wins out. It’s a gimmick. Marshall, not a gimmick.
Yeah, kaminsky will pull them out. Wisconsin will score. But ky will attack kaminsky on defense. I think blue rolls in that one by double digits
