Different strokes
posted by LW, Thursday, October 08, 2009
Interesting contrast of assessments from the offensive coaches at Clemson and Miami.
At Clemson, we're hearing things really aren't that bad. At Miami, we're hearing things really aren't that good.
New offensive coordinator Mark Whipple hasn't just been embraced, he has been smothered with love by Miami fans who had zero tolerance for former coordinator Patrick Nix.
The Hurricanes are 3-1, having fun and scoring some touchdowns.
They're pretty good, right?
Not according to Whipple.
``Offensively, I don't think we're very good, honestly,'' Whipple said Tuesday. ``I told our guys this morning: `Everybody wants to talk that we're 3-1. We've been outscored. Bottom line: stats are stats.'
``What are we, 85th in the country or something in offense? Jacory Harris is seventh in the conference. I don't see any of our guys playing that well.''
Whipple's take really isn't all that uncommon. When things are going great, you don't want to go all over-the-top with your praise and invite complacency.
But the contrast between Whipple and his Clemson counterparts is quite interesting. He seems to a bit less, uh, forgiving.
Good column here by the Winston-Salem Journal's Lenox Rawlings, who takes a look at the ACC's embattled coaches.
Wake Forest's ground game looks to find a spark Saturday against Maryland.
Gene Sapakoff has questions about Clemson's offensive direction.
It is rare for a college football program to have a head coach in his first full season as a head coach, an offensive coordinator in his first full season as an offensive coordinator and a starting quarterback playing college football for the first time.
How rare? I checked.
Among the 65 teams in the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac-10 and Big East, Clemson's trio of Swinney, offensive coordinator Billy Napier and redshirt freshman Kyle Parker stands alone.
Among all 120 FBS teams, they stand virtually alone.
Wyoming has a first-year head coach (Dave Christensen) and a true freshman quarterback (Austyn Carta-Samuels). Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo served as co-offensive coordinator at San Jose State.
Travis Sawchik of The P&C ranks Clemson No. 4 in the ACC. He might get some argument from ... Clemson fans.
Heather Dinich of ESPN.com doesn't like the Tigers' chances as much.
Pieces on Clemson's offensive accountability in the P&C and Independent-Mail.
Mark Bradley of the AJC loves the idea of an early-season UGA-Georgia Tech clash at the Georgia Dome.
No love lost between the ACC and the Gator Bowl. Can you blame the Gator for pursuing an SEC agreement after all the crap the bowl went through the last few years?
Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett said the relationship with the ACC, one of the longest among all bowl games with one conference, "served the bowl and the city well."
"We had a good partnership with good games and great players," he said. "But we're very excited to be associated with the SEC."
In other words ... see ya, wouldn't want to be ya.
And more on the turmoil in Tallahassee.
Oh, by the way: Georgia Tech comes to town Saturday.
LW
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Interesting contrast of assessments from the offensive coaches at Clemson and Miami.
At Clemson, we're hearing things really aren't that bad. At Miami, we're hearing things really aren't that good.
New offensive coordinator Mark Whipple hasn't just been embraced, he has been smothered with love by Miami fans who had zero tolerance for former coordinator Patrick Nix.
The Hurricanes are 3-1, having fun and scoring some touchdowns.
They're pretty good, right?
Not according to Whipple.
``Offensively, I don't think we're very good, honestly,'' Whipple said Tuesday. ``I told our guys this morning: `Everybody wants to talk that we're 3-1. We've been outscored. Bottom line: stats are stats.'
``What are we, 85th in the country or something in offense? Jacory Harris is seventh in the conference. I don't see any of our guys playing that well.''
Whipple's take really isn't all that uncommon. When things are going great, you don't want to go all over-the-top with your praise and invite complacency.
But the contrast between Whipple and his Clemson counterparts is quite interesting. He seems to a bit less, uh, forgiving.
Good column here by the Winston-Salem Journal's Lenox Rawlings, who takes a look at the ACC's embattled coaches.
Wake Forest's ground game looks to find a spark Saturday against Maryland.
Gene Sapakoff has questions about Clemson's offensive direction.
It is rare for a college football program to have a head coach in his first full season as a head coach, an offensive coordinator in his first full season as an offensive coordinator and a starting quarterback playing college football for the first time.
How rare? I checked.
Among the 65 teams in the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac-10 and Big East, Clemson's trio of Swinney, offensive coordinator Billy Napier and redshirt freshman Kyle Parker stands alone.
Among all 120 FBS teams, they stand virtually alone.
Wyoming has a first-year head coach (Dave Christensen) and a true freshman quarterback (Austyn Carta-Samuels). Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo served as co-offensive coordinator at San Jose State.
Travis Sawchik of The P&C ranks Clemson No. 4 in the ACC. He might get some argument from ... Clemson fans.
Heather Dinich of ESPN.com doesn't like the Tigers' chances as much.
Pieces on Clemson's offensive accountability in the P&C and Independent-Mail.
Mark Bradley of the AJC loves the idea of an early-season UGA-Georgia Tech clash at the Georgia Dome.
No love lost between the ACC and the Gator Bowl. Can you blame the Gator for pursuing an SEC agreement after all the crap the bowl went through the last few years?
Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett said the relationship with the ACC, one of the longest among all bowl games with one conference, "served the bowl and the city well."
"We had a good partnership with good games and great players," he said. "But we're very excited to be associated with the SEC."
In other words ... see ya, wouldn't want to be ya.
And more on the turmoil in Tallahassee.
Oh, by the way: Georgia Tech comes to town Saturday.
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
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 @.