I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend whether you were at home, the beach, the lake, a movie theater, San Francisco or in the one of the greatest venues for college football - Death Valley, Clemson, SC.
A recap from Thursday Night - SC vs UNC
- JD looked like me trying to play with my kids on the floor - wore out in 2 minutes; 8 days to get in "game" shape
- According to a fan, "He's sandbagging"; well send him an Oscar because he is a heck of an actor
- Backup QB Thompson - you will be staring at some point this year because Mr. Shaw continues to fail to slide and someone is going to ring his bell again this year.
- Get the DL guy a bigger jersey - I couldn't get a number because all I could see was his belly and it wasn't exactly a 6-pack more like a big bowl of jello and it will be a personal foul if his sweaty belly comes in contact with an opposing player
- The Gamecocks looked good for the 1st game and handled an over matched UNC club. Doesn't look like any fall off at RB with Lattimore gone.
Friday Night and Saturday thoughts...
- FBS School AD/Coach: Get out the check book. Let's get an easy win on week 1 and schedule a FCS school. Great idea until
- #25 Oregon St pays $450,000 to Eastern Washington and loses
- South Florida pays $400,000 to McNeese State and loses
- McNeese State scored 53 points the most by a FCS school against a FBS opponent and ties the largest margin of victory (23 points)
- Just 3rd time a FCS school has beat a ranked FBS school since 2000
- Kansas State pays $350,000 to North Dakota State and loses
- Iowa State pays $350,000 to Northern Iowa and loses
- San Diego State pays $300,000 to Eastern Illinois and loses
- UConn pay $275,000 to Towson and loses
- South Alabama pay $225,000 to Southern Utah and loses
- These schools failed to read the fine print about putting up a good fight but under no circumstances should you win
- Alabama - I did not see the game but from the highlights I did see they looked beatable by a better team than Va Tech - (insert Clemson or SEC school). Two scores off special teams (which is great but that isn't happening every week against a quality opponent). Offensive line didn't look as strong as in the past. They still have my number 1 vote because I follow the until you beat the champ they are number 1.
- Championship Belt - Baylor 69 - Wofford 3
- Wofford got spanked with the belt
- JFF - I am starting to agree that he is the most scrutinized football player in history. This kid can't take a crap without there being a video of it and it being scrutinized (how many squares did he take, how did he wipe it and then half say he did it wrong). Without twitter/facebook all you have are stories about him from other college kids that may or may not be true but his legend grows because the stories start out "Did you hear..." and you reply "no way...he is cool" but because of twitter/facebook/instagram, camera/video phones are recording his every move and all his stories start "Did you see..." and you shake your head and move on. He went overboard this weekend with the gestures (and I appreciate his coach for chewing his arse and sitting him) and it will not end there unless he grows up a lot in short period of time. The SEC schools A&M plays will be relentless on him - both players and fans. I would like for him to show up, put up the numbers and shut up (and think about staying at home to party with his inner circle - if I don't know you, you don't get in).
- It was as expected - electric. Day games are never as exciting as night games and especially at Clemson...must be something about the orange under the lights.
- The Goodyear Blimp was in the house providing coverage from above
- ESPN College Gameday was on Bowman field
- My sign didn't make it because I wasn't there yet and they couldn't get the remote feed to work - my sign said "Aaron Murray was in my room last night signing autographs"
- Here are links to some of the signs that made it on Gameday and others that didn't
- http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1757093-best-signs-from-espns-college-gameday-week-1
- http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/the_10_best_signs_from_espns_college_gameday_week_1/14426231?linksrc=home_back_head_14426231
- You have to check out the above link - it has what could be the best all time sign - Miley twerking on Murray - The person who created it just got an A for their graphics class or expelled for using all the ink from the computer labs printer - college kids have two things you and I don't have - unlimited free time and access to the best computers, software and printers
- I was joined at the game with LA, Alex, Ant, Wesley, Karissa and 83, 825 of our closest friends
- Evidently prior to the game ABC did a story on Howard's Rock and showed the team getting on the bus and getting ready to run down the hill and Brent and Herbie were on the call with Brent remembering calling it "the greatest 25 seconds in college football" Here's the video:
- Danny Ford will now live forever in the Clemson's Ring of Honor
- The game I think held up to all the hype of a #5 and #8 playing. It was not perfect with both teams making mistakes and turning the ball over but for week 1, I will take it.
- Offensively, we will again this year score points
- Defensively, again this year we will give up points
- We just have to make sure we continue to score more than we give up
- Offensively, I was pleased with the running game and passing game with the exception of Byrant. Hey has been in the system for 3 years surely he must catch the ball in practice or he wouldn't get as much playing time. He has to make it happen on the field. We will not continue to win if he can't catch (especially the ones that hit his hands...those are the toughest to catch) the ball in big situations like third downs to keep drives alive.
- The funniest play was the onside kick by Georgia when Bryant jumps in front of Sammy to catch the onside kick - his only catch of the day.
- 76 plays "The Chad" won't be happy about that number
- However, when the defense is getting told to drop to slow up the pace, it's difficult to get a rhythm. I want their training staff because they can get players who can't get up to walk and back in the game in two plays.
- Defensively, we won so they did their job by getting stop when they had to get them but it could be a whole lot easier if they
- Don't give up 545 yards in offense / 7.6 yards per play
- Could limit the "chunk" plays (plays greater than 20 yards)
- When <= 5 yards for a first down, if you are in soft zones (10 yards off the receiver) you are telling the other team that you are willing to give them a first down
- Linebackers and Secondary have to play better
- Tackling while improved for the most part, has to continue to get better
- The good - 3rd down conversions - UGA 4-14
- Special Teams
- Game ball to #92 Bradley Pinion - He kicked the ball into the end zone on every kickoff - trust me that is an accomplishment for us
- Must have had a new cannon firer - He got trigger happy and fired off a premature shot - when butter fingers Bryant dropped a touchdown pass.
- All the talk about SEC speed and I agree Georgia is fast especially their fans leaving the game.
- So here's my issue - Why do people leave before the games ends? Like halfway through the 4th quarter with your team down 10 points, or when your team is winning. If someone can explain that phenomenon, I am ready to listen.
- Listening to Georgia fans after the game, you would have thought they just lost to a FCS school. I know Clemson is in the ACC but goodness gracious we are not the Sister of the Poor. I said going into this game, winning would be nice (and it is) but this one game isn't the whole season. Next week for UGA could be the whole season, if they lose to the chickens. Here's the audio of the UGA fan that called a talk show after the game and starting crying. Get a grip man...
- Clemson did not rush the field, okay they did BUT we rush the field after every win because the pinnacle of game day is running on the field for kids and college students. The thrill of jumping over the wall and running on the field and not getting arrested. I imagine it is pretty intense. The ACC doesn't have rules on running on the field after the game so until there are rules it's not rushing the field, it's doing what is allowed and being a kid and fulfilling a dream and having a story to tell - remember when we ran on the field after beating Georgia in 2013.
- It's a long way to December and there are 11 more hurdles and you can't trip up on one of them or you will be disqualified and not finish the race. We cleared the first hurdle. Hurdle number two is SC State (more on that game later this week).
