Aahhhh ... that feels better
posted by LW, Monday, September 07, 2009
To me, the football season didn't feel like football season until a viewing of Virginia Tech-Alabama.
It certainly didn't feel like it after the insomnia-curing game in Raleigh on Thursday night. And even though it felt great to be in Clemson on Saturday ushering in the start of the Tigers' season, a Sun Belt opponent just doesn't properly usher in the start of college football season.
But I flipped on the DVR yesterday and took in every minute of Virginia Tech-Alabama, and an itch was blissfully scratched.
That's just my kind of game. Someone on the board mentioned that it was a heavyweight fight, and that's exactly right. Those two defenses should be the model for any coach out there trying to instill a savage and fearless physicality (paging Kevin Steele, Brad Scott and Danny Pearman...)
I alluded to this on the board, but losing players never seems to affect Bud Foster. He merely plugs the next guys in, and they're just as nasty as the guys they replaced. It doesn't take long for no-names to become names under him.
As for Alabama, it's hard to keep from being awed by what Nick Saban has done in such a short time there. He's not the most likable guy, and I've certainly taken my share of shots at him before. But the way he's transformed that program from punchless and underachieving to brutal and unforgiving is something you have to admire.
They'll probably lose a game or two this year, maybe even three. Crazy stuff happens in college football, and it'll probably happen to them. But they're a pretty impressive machine.
I thought this column provided a pretty good account of what happened in Atlanta on Saturday.
Unlike Clemson, last year's opening sparring partner, Virginia Tech didn't have to be car ried out of the ring on a stretcher.
But Tech's legs did look a little wobbly at the final bell.
So it took a little longer, against a stronger opponent, to take the upper hand, but the 2009 Alabama football team did something the 2008 team didn't.
Even if just for one game, this team overcame adversity and finished strong.
How 'bout that ACC?
Never a good thing when a conference's most impressive showing is from a team that lost (Virginia Tech).
Virginia's inspiring loss to William & Mary comes in a close second.
This guy takes some shots at Chessman while also getting in a few digs at the ACC.
Six non-conference losses in all, some of the ugly variety, make for quite an auspicious debut to the ACC's season.
The Hokies came up short again in a big game, but they can't be lumped in with the other ACC losers. It's no disgrace falling to Alabama on a neutral field in the Deep South.
Are the Hokies and their supporters prone to exaggerating the team's presence on the BCS stage? Absolutely. Just as the ACC tries to be something it is not.
At Maryland, Ralph Friedgen didn't seem all that shocked at the pummeling his team absorbed in Berkeley.
"When they get in there, the bullets are flying and it is, 'Welcome to major college football.' I don't like getting beat 52-13, but what am I going to do? I have got a young team, I am going to hang with them."
Yikes.
In the ATL, Paul Johnson wasn't happy with his team's intensity in Georgia Tech's opening win over Jacksonville State.
He also seems pretty impressed with Clemson.
“They are as talented as anyone in the league,” Johnson said.
He noted the Tigers scored on a kickoff return from C.J. Spiller, as well as a punt return. The Tigers also had three sacks and three interceptions.
But to stop Clemson, teams must try to slow down Spiller, who sat out the second half of Saturday’s win because of a tweaked hamstring, but resumed practicing on Sunday.
“He’s such a great athlete anytime he touches the ball he’s a threat to score,” Johnson said. “[Wide receiver] Jacoby Ford’s the same. Tremendous potential.”
Stories on Clemson's quick turnaround here and here.
Paul Strelow has a piece on Kevin Steele coaching like a man unchained.
Bart Wright piles on the ACC and also wasn't impressed with this guy:
Former Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence could hardly have made a worse first impression in his OC role Saturday at Syracuse, with fifth year senior and former Duke point guard Greg Paulus playing quarterback.
The Orange received the opening kickoff against Minnesota and didn’t have a play ready to start the game. Instead, the team huddled on the sideline for some inexplicable reason, trotted out on the field with 11 seconds left on the play clock and it appeared Paulus let the clock run out before the ball was snapped.
When it did get snapped, it sailed over his head for a lost fumble. Later in the game, Paulus called an audible in the red zone that took a tight end off the line and resulted in an illegal formation penalty. The game ended for the Orange in overtime when Paulus was chased out of the pocket and threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted to set up Minnesota’s victory.
Talk about laying an egg.
Gene Sapakoff fires up his Braggin' Rights Barometer and thinks Clemson is five points better than its feathered friends from Columbia.
LW
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To me, the football season didn't feel like football season until a viewing of Virginia Tech-Alabama.
It certainly didn't feel like it after the insomnia-curing game in Raleigh on Thursday night. And even though it felt great to be in Clemson on Saturday ushering in the start of the Tigers' season, a Sun Belt opponent just doesn't properly usher in the start of college football season.
But I flipped on the DVR yesterday and took in every minute of Virginia Tech-Alabama, and an itch was blissfully scratched.
That's just my kind of game. Someone on the board mentioned that it was a heavyweight fight, and that's exactly right. Those two defenses should be the model for any coach out there trying to instill a savage and fearless physicality (paging Kevin Steele, Brad Scott and Danny Pearman...)
I alluded to this on the board, but losing players never seems to affect Bud Foster. He merely plugs the next guys in, and they're just as nasty as the guys they replaced. It doesn't take long for no-names to become names under him.
As for Alabama, it's hard to keep from being awed by what Nick Saban has done in such a short time there. He's not the most likable guy, and I've certainly taken my share of shots at him before. But the way he's transformed that program from punchless and underachieving to brutal and unforgiving is something you have to admire.
They'll probably lose a game or two this year, maybe even three. Crazy stuff happens in college football, and it'll probably happen to them. But they're a pretty impressive machine.
I thought this column provided a pretty good account of what happened in Atlanta on Saturday.
Unlike Clemson, last year's opening sparring partner, Virginia Tech didn't have to be car ried out of the ring on a stretcher.
But Tech's legs did look a little wobbly at the final bell.
So it took a little longer, against a stronger opponent, to take the upper hand, but the 2009 Alabama football team did something the 2008 team didn't.
Even if just for one game, this team overcame adversity and finished strong.
How 'bout that ACC?
Never a good thing when a conference's most impressive showing is from a team that lost (Virginia Tech).
Virginia's inspiring loss to William & Mary comes in a close second.
This guy takes some shots at Chessman while also getting in a few digs at the ACC.
Six non-conference losses in all, some of the ugly variety, make for quite an auspicious debut to the ACC's season.
The Hokies came up short again in a big game, but they can't be lumped in with the other ACC losers. It's no disgrace falling to Alabama on a neutral field in the Deep South.
Are the Hokies and their supporters prone to exaggerating the team's presence on the BCS stage? Absolutely. Just as the ACC tries to be something it is not.
At Maryland, Ralph Friedgen didn't seem all that shocked at the pummeling his team absorbed in Berkeley.
"When they get in there, the bullets are flying and it is, 'Welcome to major college football.' I don't like getting beat 52-13, but what am I going to do? I have got a young team, I am going to hang with them."
Yikes.
In the ATL, Paul Johnson wasn't happy with his team's intensity in Georgia Tech's opening win over Jacksonville State.
He also seems pretty impressed with Clemson.
“They are as talented as anyone in the league,” Johnson said.
He noted the Tigers scored on a kickoff return from C.J. Spiller, as well as a punt return. The Tigers also had three sacks and three interceptions.
But to stop Clemson, teams must try to slow down Spiller, who sat out the second half of Saturday’s win because of a tweaked hamstring, but resumed practicing on Sunday.
“He’s such a great athlete anytime he touches the ball he’s a threat to score,” Johnson said. “[Wide receiver] Jacoby Ford’s the same. Tremendous potential.”
Stories on Clemson's quick turnaround here and here.
Paul Strelow has a piece on Kevin Steele coaching like a man unchained.
Bart Wright piles on the ACC and also wasn't impressed with this guy:
Former Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence could hardly have made a worse first impression in his OC role Saturday at Syracuse, with fifth year senior and former Duke point guard Greg Paulus playing quarterback.
The Orange received the opening kickoff against Minnesota and didn’t have a play ready to start the game. Instead, the team huddled on the sideline for some inexplicable reason, trotted out on the field with 11 seconds left on the play clock and it appeared Paulus let the clock run out before the ball was snapped.
When it did get snapped, it sailed over his head for a lost fumble. Later in the game, Paulus called an audible in the red zone that took a tight end off the line and resulted in an illegal formation penalty. The game ended for the Orange in overtime when Paulus was chased out of the pocket and threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted to set up Minnesota’s victory.
Talk about laying an egg.
Gene Sapakoff fires up his Braggin' Rights Barometer and thinks Clemson is five points better than its feathered friends from Columbia.
LW
For questions or comments on this blog entry, please visit The West Zone message board.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
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Larry Williams. Larry has covered the daily beat at Clemson since 2004. Williams, who worked for the Charleston Post & Courier from 2004-08, joined Tigerillustrated.com in November of 2008. He may be reached by email at ldubya08(at)gmail.com. Replace (at) with @.