Ya gotta (dis)believe
posted by LW, Wednesday, October 28, 2009
If you watched Saturday's Miami game on TV, chances are you witnessed Mark Whipple's blowup just before halftime.
Whipple is Miami's offensive coordinator, and he didn't like his head coach blowing a timeout (and maybe two) as the Hurricanes tried to maneuver for a field goal or touchdown to help stunt the momentum of C.J. Spiller's 90-yard kickoff return.
After an 8-yard run by Graig Cooper on the first play, Miami called timeout with 28 seconds left.
On the second play, Cooper ran for 25 yards to the Clemson 32. The Hurricanes' offense hustled to the line and appeared ready to snap the ball when the whistles blew. Timeout, Miami's last of the half.
Judging from Whipple's reaction, head coach Randy Shannon called the timeout. He jawed back and forth with his coach before huddling with his offense and drawing up a play.
Evidently he was so flustered that he sent 12 men onto the field, leading to a 5-yard penalty. Shannon glared at him for several seconds.
After Rashard Hall picked off a desperate heave by Jacory Harris, Whipple was livid as he walked off the field.
I watched it and rewound it about 12 times, even playing it in slow motion. And the following, paraphrased while excluding his colorful language, is what I gather he said:
"He needs to stick to coaching his dad-gum defense. This is a flipping joke. I didn't flipping come here for this. He needs to keep his gosh-darn hands off my offense."
So it was a bit of a surprise when Shannon offered this revisionist account of what unfolded.
"He was just upset because he didn't have the right personnel on the field," Shannon said. "Coach Whipple, he's emotional on the football field . . . The media blows it out of proportion."
Shannon said there was no shouting match between the two of them.
"No, he was upset he didn't have the right personnel on the field," Shannon said. "That's all that was."
Sorry, Mr. Shannon, but that's a tough sell when every bit of the blowup was captured by television cameras.
Staying in the Sunshine State, how in the world is Christian Ponder not one of 15 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien Award?
The Noles, who visit Clemson next week, say they still have a chance to play for the ACC title.
In the AJC, Mistuh College Football says it's time for conferences to get out of the officiating business.
Coastal Carolina's offense wasn't exactly scintillating in the Chanticleers' loss at Stony Brook.
When coach David Bennett was given a final statistics sheet before his postgame press conference, he remarked that his team's final numbers looked like halftime figures.
"Eighty-one yards rushing and 96 yards passing for us," he said. "We ought to have those stats at halftime.
"Offensively we're just being very immature I think. We're still in Week 7 telling wideouts to get off the line when they're on. We're telling them to come in motion. ... There are just little things like that a good football team can't do."
Those aren't things you want to be worried about heading into Death Valley to face Clemson's defense.
Boston College quarterback -- check that, former Boston College quarterback -- Justin Tuggle could give Coastal some pointers on the Tigers' defense after his offense produced something like minus-100 yards in the Eagles' 25-7 loss in Clemson earlier this year.
Tuggle and tailback Josh Haden are leaving the Eagles' football program, and Magnum isn't sure why.
Here's a picture of Frank Spaziani talking with Tuggle via phone yesterday:
“The timing is tough,’’ said Spaziani yesterday when asked about the moves, which appear to be triggered by both players wanting to transfer by January. “As to what was on their minds, I don’t know. Who can figure out what is in the minds of 19- or 20-year-olds sometimes.’’
Raleigh columnist Caulton Tudor says the third season is often no charm for coaches. Butch Davis, by the way, is 16-16 thus far at North Carolina. Just goes to show there are no guarantees regardless of which route you take in hiring a coach.
C.J. Spiller's Heisman candidacy is picking up steam after last week's exploits in Miami. Stories on that in The State, Post and Courier and Greenville News.
In the Independent-Mail, a piece on the ball-hawking DeAndre McDaniel.
More on DMac in the Seneca paper.
Michael Palmer's memory is fuzzy after a trip to Miami, and he didn't even visit the Clevelander.
LW
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If you watched Saturday's Miami game on TV, chances are you witnessed Mark Whipple's blowup just before halftime.
Whipple is Miami's offensive coordinator, and he didn't like his head coach blowing a timeout (and maybe two) as the Hurricanes tried to maneuver for a field goal or touchdown to help stunt the momentum of C.J. Spiller's 90-yard kickoff return.
After an 8-yard run by Graig Cooper on the first play, Miami called timeout with 28 seconds left.
On the second play, Cooper ran for 25 yards to the Clemson 32. The Hurricanes' offense hustled to the line and appeared ready to snap the ball when the whistles blew. Timeout, Miami's last of the half.
Judging from Whipple's reaction, head coach Randy Shannon called the timeout. He jawed back and forth with his coach before huddling with his offense and drawing up a play.
Evidently he was so flustered that he sent 12 men onto the field, leading to a 5-yard penalty. Shannon glared at him for several seconds.
After Rashard Hall picked off a desperate heave by Jacory Harris, Whipple was livid as he walked off the field.
I watched it and rewound it about 12 times, even playing it in slow motion. And the following, paraphrased while excluding his colorful language, is what I gather he said:
"He needs to stick to coaching his dad-gum defense. This is a flipping joke. I didn't flipping come here for this. He needs to keep his gosh-darn hands off my offense."
So it was a bit of a surprise when Shannon offered this revisionist account of what unfolded.
"He was just upset because he didn't have the right personnel on the field," Shannon said. "Coach Whipple, he's emotional on the football field . . . The media blows it out of proportion."
Shannon said there was no shouting match between the two of them.
"No, he was upset he didn't have the right personnel on the field," Shannon said. "That's all that was."
Sorry, Mr. Shannon, but that's a tough sell when every bit of the blowup was captured by television cameras.
Staying in the Sunshine State, how in the world is Christian Ponder not one of 15 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien Award?
The Noles, who visit Clemson next week, say they still have a chance to play for the ACC title.
In the AJC, Mistuh College Football says it's time for conferences to get out of the officiating business.
Coastal Carolina's offense wasn't exactly scintillating in the Chanticleers' loss at Stony Brook.
When coach David Bennett was given a final statistics sheet before his postgame press conference, he remarked that his team's final numbers looked like halftime figures.
"Eighty-one yards rushing and 96 yards passing for us," he said. "We ought to have those stats at halftime.
"Offensively we're just being very immature I think. We're still in Week 7 telling wideouts to get off the line when they're on. We're telling them to come in motion. ... There are just little things like that a good football team can't do."
Those aren't things you want to be worried about heading into Death Valley to face Clemson's defense.
Boston College quarterback -- check that, former Boston College quarterback -- Justin Tuggle could give Coastal some pointers on the Tigers' defense after his offense produced something like minus-100 yards in the Eagles' 25-7 loss in Clemson earlier this year.
Tuggle and tailback Josh Haden are leaving the Eagles' football program, and Magnum isn't sure why.
Here's a picture of Frank Spaziani talking with Tuggle via phone yesterday:
“The timing is tough,’’ said Spaziani yesterday when asked about the moves, which appear to be triggered by both players wanting to transfer by January. “As to what was on their minds, I don’t know. Who can figure out what is in the minds of 19- or 20-year-olds sometimes.’’
Raleigh columnist Caulton Tudor says the third season is often no charm for coaches. Butch Davis, by the way, is 16-16 thus far at North Carolina. Just goes to show there are no guarantees regardless of which route you take in hiring a coach.
C.J. Spiller's Heisman candidacy is picking up steam after last week's exploits in Miami. Stories on that in The State, Post and Courier and Greenville News.
In the Independent-Mail, a piece on the ball-hawking DeAndre McDaniel.
More on DMac in the Seneca paper.
Michael Palmer's memory is fuzzy after a trip to Miami, and he didn't even visit the Clevelander.
LW
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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 @.