You think this is bad?
posted by LW, Monday, September 28, 2009
You're a Clemson fan and you're not happy about splitting your first four games.
Maryland fans would gladly trade places with you.
The Terps are putrid.
As one of the few who voted them sixth in the Atlantic Division, I thought they'd be bad. But I didn't foresee them being this bad.
I'm flying to Maryland on Saturday morning, and it's generally not a good idea to fly the day of a noon game.
But traffic shouldn't be a problem ... unless there's a basketball scrimmage or something.
Here's the autopsy from the Terps' home drubbing at the hands of Rutgers.
"If we keep playing like this," Maryland quarterback Chris Turner said, "we're not going to win a game the rest of the year."
It's never good when you throw an interception for a touchdown on your first snap.
Turner threw three interceptions in all and lost one fumble, which was recovered in the end zone for another Rutgers touchdown. In total, Rutgers quarterback Domenic Natale, starting in place of injured freshman Tom Savage, completed just one more pass (four) than Turner did to Rutgers players.
Then there's this:
Terrapins wide receiver Torrey Smith said Rutgers primarily played a cover-two defense to force the Terrapins to run. But Maryland managed just 28 rushing yards on 24 carries, and starting running back Da'Rel Scott, who fumbled twice against Middle Tennessee, fumbled again Saturday.
Jacory Harris, meet Bud Foster.
Harris justifiably received a lot of praise after his first two games. He's a good QB. But a lot of good QBs can look great when they have eight seconds to throw every time they drop back.
That wasn't going to happen against Mr. Foster, who blitzed Harris from all angles. Having the front four dominate Miami's OL probably helped a little, too.
Jason Worilds? He's kinda good.
I don't know if Foster has what it takes to be a good head coach. But I know if he were able to infuse an entire team with the fire-breathing toughness and fearlessness his defense showed Saturday, I like his chances.
No defense, perhaps with the exception of Nick Saban's, embodies its coach's attitude more than Virginia Tech's does Foster's. When they are playing at their highest level, it's truly fun to watch.
Florida State ... good gosh.
And you thought Clemson under Tommy Bowden was a roller-coaster ride?
Not hard to find the key stat from South Florida's slaying of the Seminoles in Tallahassee:
FSU's four turnovers were costly against USF. So, too, was the Seminoles' inability to convert prime field position into points. On three of its drives, FSU didn't score despite moving the ball within the USF 10-yard line.
Apparently ESPN's College Gameday circus will be in Boston this week, and this article says it's because of Boston College's offensive awakening in Saturday's overtime win over Wake Forest.
Um, no.
Probably more related to an opportunity for the Worldwide Cross Promoter to pimp its new ESPN Boston platform.
Looks like Paul Johnson might not have to scrap his flexbone after all. His Jackets faced North Carolina's talented, physical front -- the same front that's supposed to be able to shut down PJ's triple option at every turn -- and still rushed for more than 300 in dominating the Tar Heels.
Wake Forest had to feel sick Saturday after fumbling four yards shy of victory.
Paul Strelow of The State has a column that encapsulates the reasons behind the frustrations Clemson fans are feeling.
Star players C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford are being relied on to the opposite extreme, with 56.7 percent of the offensive yardage coming through them.
The passing game takes its shots downfield.
There has been no shortage of attempts to establish a power running game.
And the defense has stuck to a swashbuckling, risk-taking approach.
Still, the outcomes have followed the same pattern.
But the offense struggles in the red zone, and while the defense does its part, it still surrenders the deciding fourth-quarter score. Then the Tigers shoot themselves in the foot during their rally.
Gene Sapakoff fires up the Braggin' Rights Barometer and has the Gamecocks beating the Tigers 16-10.
Sapakoff's column from Saturday's game says Rob Spence was not the problem.
Greg Wallace of the Independent-Mail has a piece on the Tigers' search for more playmakers.
LW
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You're a Clemson fan and you're not happy about splitting your first four games.
Maryland fans would gladly trade places with you.
The Terps are putrid.
As one of the few who voted them sixth in the Atlantic Division, I thought they'd be bad. But I didn't foresee them being this bad.
I'm flying to Maryland on Saturday morning, and it's generally not a good idea to fly the day of a noon game.
But traffic shouldn't be a problem ... unless there's a basketball scrimmage or something.
Here's the autopsy from the Terps' home drubbing at the hands of Rutgers.
"If we keep playing like this," Maryland quarterback Chris Turner said, "we're not going to win a game the rest of the year."
It's never good when you throw an interception for a touchdown on your first snap.
Turner threw three interceptions in all and lost one fumble, which was recovered in the end zone for another Rutgers touchdown. In total, Rutgers quarterback Domenic Natale, starting in place of injured freshman Tom Savage, completed just one more pass (four) than Turner did to Rutgers players.
Then there's this:
Terrapins wide receiver Torrey Smith said Rutgers primarily played a cover-two defense to force the Terrapins to run. But Maryland managed just 28 rushing yards on 24 carries, and starting running back Da'Rel Scott, who fumbled twice against Middle Tennessee, fumbled again Saturday.
Jacory Harris, meet Bud Foster.
Harris justifiably received a lot of praise after his first two games. He's a good QB. But a lot of good QBs can look great when they have eight seconds to throw every time they drop back.
That wasn't going to happen against Mr. Foster, who blitzed Harris from all angles. Having the front four dominate Miami's OL probably helped a little, too.
Jason Worilds? He's kinda good.
I don't know if Foster has what it takes to be a good head coach. But I know if he were able to infuse an entire team with the fire-breathing toughness and fearlessness his defense showed Saturday, I like his chances.
No defense, perhaps with the exception of Nick Saban's, embodies its coach's attitude more than Virginia Tech's does Foster's. When they are playing at their highest level, it's truly fun to watch.
Florida State ... good gosh.
And you thought Clemson under Tommy Bowden was a roller-coaster ride?
Not hard to find the key stat from South Florida's slaying of the Seminoles in Tallahassee:
FSU's four turnovers were costly against USF. So, too, was the Seminoles' inability to convert prime field position into points. On three of its drives, FSU didn't score despite moving the ball within the USF 10-yard line.
Apparently ESPN's College Gameday circus will be in Boston this week, and this article says it's because of Boston College's offensive awakening in Saturday's overtime win over Wake Forest.
Um, no.
Probably more related to an opportunity for the Worldwide Cross Promoter to pimp its new ESPN Boston platform.
Looks like Paul Johnson might not have to scrap his flexbone after all. His Jackets faced North Carolina's talented, physical front -- the same front that's supposed to be able to shut down PJ's triple option at every turn -- and still rushed for more than 300 in dominating the Tar Heels.
Wake Forest had to feel sick Saturday after fumbling four yards shy of victory.
Paul Strelow of The State has a column that encapsulates the reasons behind the frustrations Clemson fans are feeling.
Star players C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford are being relied on to the opposite extreme, with 56.7 percent of the offensive yardage coming through them.
The passing game takes its shots downfield.
There has been no shortage of attempts to establish a power running game.
And the defense has stuck to a swashbuckling, risk-taking approach.
Still, the outcomes have followed the same pattern.
But the offense struggles in the red zone, and while the defense does its part, it still surrenders the deciding fourth-quarter score. Then the Tigers shoot themselves in the foot during their rally.
Gene Sapakoff fires up the Braggin' Rights Barometer and has the Gamecocks beating the Tigers 16-10.
Sapakoff's column from Saturday's game says Rob Spence was not the problem.
Greg Wallace of the Independent-Mail has a piece on the Tigers' search for more playmakers.
LW
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Donnie Patterson. Donnie Patterson is the founder of Patterson Tax Service, located in Easley, S.C. He has been active in tax preparation since 1970, and offers a full range of tax and bookkeeping services.
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 @.