5 questions with a Clemson beat reporter
Larry Williams, who covers the Tigers for Rivals, was gracious enough to answer these five questions for me heading into the ACC championship game:
1. How is C.J. Spiller’s injury? Did it affect him during the South Carolina game? Has he practiced this week?
His toe injury has consistently nagged him all season. The Oct. 10 open date did him some good, but he’s going to need several weeks of rest to resolve it. He’s been limited in practice all year, so I doubt he did a whole lot this week. He was more affected by a stomach bug in the South Carolina game. He said he was holding down vomit on the sidelines after his 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown early. He definitely wasn’t himself. He also suffered a groin injury early in the game, but that appears to be fine.
2. Clemson’s defense seems to have given up quite a few more big plays the past few games, compared to the first few. Is there a common thread to the plays?
Virginia gashed the Tigers on one possession with Mikell Simpson running the Wildcat, and the Cavaliers also caught the Tigers off guard on another possession by running a ton of trick plays.
South Carolina ran some Wildcat as well while also flummoxing the Tigers with a steady dose of zone reads, quarterback powers and mid-line option runs. The Gamecocks also hit for a few big passing plays.
Clemson has had some trouble stopping the run this year. From my vantage point, offenses are taking advantage of the fact that the Tigers are playing a lot of nickel. The Tigers are smaller with the extra DB and thus easier to block.
The main problem, in my mind, is the stong-side LB position. They just don’t have a natural fit there, so they’re forced to play nickel. And when they go big and put DE/LB Kevin Alexander there, they’re vulnerable in pass coverage.
They’ve also had problems with their other linebackers attacking the wrong gaps and getting out of position.
3. How has Kyle Parker developed as a game-manager?
He’s come a long way. I was really impressed with the kid in that game against Georgia Tech, but he’s progressed a lot since that game. He has really improved his pocket presence and overall knowledge of the offense. He didn’t play all that well against South Carolina, but he didn’t have a whole lot of help from his offensive line. He was really good in the previous two games against Virginia and N.C. State.
South Carolina surprised Clemson by playing zone almost the whole game, and that’s usually been what gives Parker the most trouble. So you have to think Wommack will pick up on that and use a good bit of zone Saturday.
4. How’s the team been acting this week? Their loss to South Carolina seemed to be more about bad luck and turnovers than anything else.
They did commit some turnovers and have some bad luck, but they were also dominated up front on both sides of the ball. When you give up 223 yards rushing and produce 48 on the ground, you aren’t going to win many games.
This game presents a completely different set of challenges, and I think the team realizes that. They were in a tough position last week playing a desperate team while knowing the biggest game in decades loomed a week later. I’d be surprised if they came out flat in Tampa.
5. Has there been a commonality in Clemson’s losses this season?
They’ve averaged 92 rushing yards a game in the losses, so that tends to stand out.
They’ve committed 12 turnovers in their eight wins and eight turnovers in their four losses, so protecting the ball has been a factor as well.
The Maryland and South Carolina losses were marked by an offense that really struggled. They scored a grand total of two touchdowns in those games, and they didn’t even have a snap in the red zone last week in Columbia.
Prediction and why?
I’m really struggling with this one, and my prediction is subject to change by the minute.
I’ll go with Tech 35-31 because I can’t envision PJ losing back-to-back games. He’ll have the offense rolling after the disjointed effort against UGA.
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248 comments Add your comment
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:12 am
That’s a lot of smack talk coming from a fan of a team who just cut off its willie and has nowhere to go but Shreveport. I’m sure you’re attending that game, right? Against Iowa St.? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Hey Ill take Shreveport over playing in the ACC any day. At least its real Football.
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:14 am
That hasn’t played a snap??? What are you thinking, He is not a Matt Stafford man.
Maybe not. But he was a 5 star recruit out of Tampa FL who Urban Myer wanted badly.
Plus with our entire offensive line back and Washaun Ealey and Caleb King coming back we may not throw the ball at all next year. Kind of like the Tech game
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:15 am
Who cares about conferences? Where is your team as of right now. This goes for the entire country, if your good your good. It doesn’t matter what conference you play for! If you go undefeated you have a shot at the title, it’s that simple.
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:16 am
Expect the Tech-uga series to be close for the next 4-6 years.
Close as in UGA winning 5 out of 6?
When are you guys going to get it through your heads. Last year was a fluke.
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:18 am
What has Murray proven that he will be good starter? Mark Richt can develop a quarterback I give him that, but how do you know he want be as mediocre as Joe Cox.
JB
December 4th, 2009
11:18 am
I suppose these Dawg fans are on here because they don’t have a game this weekend. I’m glad to see that so many Dawg fans are obsessed with our program. Last year’s win must have really got to them. Does it really still hurt that bad? Your posts just make us smile. You wouldn’t be on here if you were not concerned. Glad to know we get under your skin.
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:19 am
33 points in the second half on a preseason #1 team. How is that a fluke? It’s called coaching.
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:20 am
Well stated JB…
A She She blog
December 4th, 2009
11:21 am
IF THE A-SHE-SHE TITLE GAME IS PLAYED IN A FOREST AND NO ONE IS THERE TO WITNESS IT, DO BOTH TEAMS STILL SUCK?
HAHAHAHAHA
JB
December 4th, 2009
11:22 am
This should be an interesting game. I think it will come down to adjustments and the ability for both teams to control the line of scrimmage. Neither team did well against their SEC rival last week in the trenches on either side of the ball.
I’m interested in hearing from some Clemson fans and what their take is.
Does the body good
December 4th, 2009
11:23 am
SOUNDS LIKE TECH AND JB HAVE A CASE OF THE SOUR GRAPES!!! NO WORRIES, I HAVE JUST THE REMEDY! A NICE, HOT BOWL OF…
30-24!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
GLAD IT HURTS SO MUCH
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:23 am
Who cares about conferences? Where is your team as of right now. This goes for the entire country, if your good your good. It doesn’t matter what conference you play for! If you go undefeated you have a shot at the title, it’s that simple.
Wrong again. The ACC is a joke and everyone knows it. Case in point Tech could be undefeated right now and they still wouldnt get into the title game. Because everyone knows being undefeated in the ACC and 50 cents will get you a cup of coffee in other conferences.
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:24 am
Just like uga playing in Shreveport? IF A GAME IS PLAYED IN A TRASH DUMP AND NO ONE IS THERE TO WITNESS IT, DO BOTH TEAMS STILL SUCK?
HAHAHAHAHA
Ozzy
December 4th, 2009
11:24 am
Switching the subject to BBall for a minute. I heard Shumpert’s walking around campus on crutches.
Anyone heard anything?
JB
December 4th, 2009
11:25 am
A She She blog
The SEC doesn’t play in the ACC Championship game. Your wins and losses to ACC teams are irrelevant in this game. So are your posts. How does it feel to be irrelevant?
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:25 am
I suppose these Dawg fans are on here because they don’t have a game this weekend. I’m glad to see that so many Dawg fans are obsessed with our program. Last year’s win must have really got to them. Does it really still hurt that bad? Your posts just make us smile. You wouldn’t be on here if you were not concerned. Glad to know we get under your skin.
Most dawg fans dont care about your little program or your gimmick offense. We will get back to more serious issues shortly. This is just payback for the years worth of crap we heard after last years flukey 3 point win. Dont worry we have grown up stuff to talk about shortly.
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:25 am
Frank Wren, So Kentucky beating uga makes Kentucky good?
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:27 am
Frank Wren, 33 points in one half! Last time a looked a fluke is a fish?? So uga is a fish.
A She She blog
December 4th, 2009
11:29 am
HEY JB – HOW DOES IT FEEL BEING THE RED HEADED STEP CHILD IN YOUR OWN STATE??
HAHAHAHAHA (30-24)
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:30 am
Does the body good
December 4th, 2009
11:23 am
SOUNDS LIKE TECH AND JB HAVE A CASE OF THE SOUR GRAPES!!! NO WORRIES, I HAVE JUST THE REMEDY! A NICE, HOT BOWL OF…
30-24!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
GLAD IT HURTS SO MUCH.
What’s 2+2?
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:30 am
Just like uga playing in Shreveport? IF A GAME IS PLAYED IN A TRASH DUMP AND NO ONE IS THERE TO WITNESS IT, DO BOTH TEAMS STILL SUCK?
At least its not the ACC
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:31 am
The only redheaded step child in this state is Joe Cox.
JB
December 4th, 2009
11:31 am
Frank Wren
Your comment is irrelevant. The ACC Champion receives a BCS bowl bid. Period. Sorry if that upsets you but your comment ignores that fact and exposes only your frustration and ignorance. Why are you so frustrated Frank? Is your team perhaps not going to a BCS bowl game? Is Shreveport on your schedule and that is the source of your angst?
Paul H
December 4th, 2009
11:31 am
Tech fans – if you want to know why you’re getting so many obnoxious posts from UGA fans, you can thank Saint Simons, m, Yellow Fuzz and Ramble On – all of whom have been MIA since last weekend.
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:32 am
Frank Wren, 33 points in one half! Last time a looked a fluke is a fish?? So uga is a fish.
No. Last years Tech win was a Fluke. ( Not the fish )
fluke (plural flukes)
1. A lucky or improbable occurrence, with the implication that the occurrence could not be repeated.
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:33 am
i love penis. and i have aids, like richts brother
dawgfan
December 4th, 2009
11:34 am
No “TECH” its not that simple. If an ACC team were undefeated this year it would be watching the SECCG winner and Texas play for the title. That’s because your conference sucks and nobody respects it. Sorry.
This is all academic anyway. When’s the last time an All Crap Conference team even came close to an undefeated season? They play too many SEC teams for that to happen.
Does the body good
December 4th, 2009
11:34 am
SOUNDS LIKE MY BOWL OF 30-24 DIDN’T WORK FOR TECH, SO I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE! A NICE SHOT OF…
1-8!!!! HAHAHAHAHA… OR
60-39!!! HAHAHAHA… OR
15-4 SINCE GT LAST DID ANYTHING RELEVANT IN FOOTBALL!!! HAHAHAHAHA
pilgrim
December 4th, 2009
11:35 am
The Ga fans desperately want the 30-24 taunt to hurt, but it simply doesn’t. Ga played a good game and Tech is getting better. We can live with that.
Enjoyed the interview, Roberson. Thanks for getting it.
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:36 am
And what ws your record in the almighty SEC? And do you think uga could have gone 7-1 in the ACC this year. Frank Wren stick to baseball becasue you know nothing about football. And no sour grapes just Good ole’ Florida Oranges. You should know uga, you eat em every year. ??
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:36 am
*was
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:36 am
The ACC Champion receives a BCS bowl bid. Period.
It shouldnt. In fact with the ACC’s 2-9 ( soon to be 2-10 ) record in BCS games I expect the NCAA to review the ACC’s BCS status. Look for the Mountain West to pick up the ACC’s tie in next year. They have proved far more worthy than the All Cupcake Conference.
Nottadawg
December 4th, 2009
11:36 am
I just read in the news that they are already putting fences up around the oil derricks in the Shreveport area due to concerns that the Puppies will want to try and hump them in their visit to the Weed-Whacker Bowl. The new chant at UGA is “Hump a Pump!”
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:37 am
And do you think uga could have gone 7-1 in the ACC this year.
No I dont. We would have been 8-0
gtfan1951
December 4th, 2009
11:38 am
I wish UGA fan would learn how to write something other than the score oh I forgot they can’t write. They trashed their on school so it looked like the land fill so they should be at home in Shreveport.
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:39 am
Does the body good, You really only watched one uga game this year. I can respect and argue with a uga fan that has sense, but you take the cake.
Does the body good
December 4th, 2009
11:42 am
HEY TECH, I DON’T EAT CAKE! I JUST ENJOY A NICE, HOT BOWL OF…
30-24!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:43 am
Hey Frank Wren, did you read my post about the Florida Oranges. I thought was pretty good… haha. uga probably would have went 5-3. losing to U,VT, and FSU.
JB
December 4th, 2009
11:46 am
Does the body good
No worries about UGA. They’re in the rear view mirror for us. We’ll be concerned about UGA a year from now. Your comments and anger are simply misplaced. Obviously you are still upset about last year, which is a mystery since UGA won this year. You appear to have a problem with obsession. There is help out there for you, but not on these blogs. Sorry.
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:46 am
They trashed their on school so it looked like the land fill so they should be at home in Shreveport.
At least you dont get mugged on UGA campus. Unlike Tech where you cant even leave your dorm at night.
Paul H
December 4th, 2009
11:48 am
Are UGA fans disappointed in a 7-5 season and possible going to Shreveport? Of course we are. The reason is because we’re used to being the ones having the 10 win seasons and playing in BCS bowls. Tech on the other hand is used to being the ones with the 7-5 seasons and Shreveport-esque bowls which makes them all the more happy about their 10 win season.
Bottom line is this – neither Tech NOR UGA should expect to have any 7-5 seasons over the next several years.
JB
December 4th, 2009
11:50 am
Frank Wren:
The ACC does receive a BCS bowl bid. Period. If you’re jealous about that get some help. Just because a biased, unknowledgeable Dawg fan like yourself doesn’t think that other conferences are deserving of bids is irrelevant. Like I said, how does it feel for your opinion and your team to be irrelevant Frank?
Paul H
December 4th, 2009
11:50 am
Tech – we’ve had a down year but pretty sure we would take care of U, FSU and VT. If we took care of Tech, shouldn’t we expect to take care of those other teams?
Frank Wren
December 4th, 2009
11:50 am
Enjoy Tech fans. This is the peek of your program under CPJ. He wont be able to recruit
( Tech is so far back in the recruiting rankings I couldnt even find them )
And his gimmick offense is slowly but surely getting easier and easier to stop.
Kind of like the run and shoot. It worked for a little while.
Enjoy your little title game. It will be a LOOONG time before you see another one.
JB
December 4th, 2009
11:51 am
Does the body good = dumb, redneck trailer trash
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:52 am
Does the body good, your eating a cake full of sh*t! Is that all got. You have nothing to say about the state of the uga football team because you know nothing about uga’s football team.
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:54 am
FRANK WREN LOVES GT FOOTBALL!!
TECH
December 4th, 2009
11:56 am
Paul H, if you almost beat LSU shouldn’t you be able to hang with UF.
Paul H
December 4th, 2009
11:57 am
JB – in all seriousness, Tech will have to prove whether or not they have put UGA in the rearview mirror. Traditionally after a loss to UGA, even if they reach the ACC title game, Tech has come out flat and uninspired.
JB
December 4th, 2009
11:57 am
Frank Wren
Now you’re trying to make comparisons if UGA played in the ACC. Frank, I need to understand that your pups don’t play in the ACC. So, we’ll never know if Tech was in the SEC what their record would be, and likewise, we will never know what UGA’s record would be in the ACC. You see, they are in different conferences. Your opinion isn’t based on any facts, just a very obviously biased attempt at trying to insult another school.
Frankly, you look rather foolish Frank as an SEC homer posting on an ACC blog. We’re glad that you feel like your time today is best used by posting on an ACC blog. What exactly does that do for you Frank? Does that make you feel better in some way? Perhaps you feel inadequate about posting on an SEC blog since your team is 3-5 in that conference. Whatever the source of your pain Frank there is help out there.