Wild ride
posted by LW, Monday, December 28, 2009
Looking back at Dabo Swinney's first full season as Clemson's head coach, you feel like someone who's just stepped off a roller coaster.
It takes you a few minutes to recover from all the motion and emotion of being jolted this way and that, of the peaks and dips, of being turned completely upside-down.
I'm still trying to process my thoughts on the 2009 season, and hopefully I'll be able to present something coherent for a column later on today.
As of now, though, you can definitely say a bowl win leaves the program feeling good about itself. Even if said bowl win occurred in a much lesser bowl than the Tigers anticipated attending.
Watching and listening to the celebration that followed last night's 21-13 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky, you'd never have known this bunch had been so recently devastated by an ACC title game loss to Georgia Tech -- not to mention that ugly smacking at the hands of South Carolina.
The revelry was more exuberant than I thought it would be. And some might argue it was a bit over the top for a team that fell short of bringing home the school's first ACC title since 1991.
But this bunch deserved to celebrate after summoning itself from back-to-back losses. Gathering the requisite focus and intensity after watching your dreams shattered is not an easy task, particularly on a frigid night in Nashville against an SEC team in a virtual road-game environment.
And a lot of guys on this team knows that winning your bowl game beats the alternative the Tigers dealt with in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Ron Morris of The State says the importance of Sunday night's win cannot be underestimated.
More than anything, the win meant not having to deal with the general feeling that not much is different under Swinney around Clemson than under the previous coach, Tommy Bowden.
Instead of talking about more of the same, Clemson fans can recognize that the win signals Swinney has his program in position to win championships.
“I can’t say enough about our team as far as what they accomplished, nine wins, winning the Atlantic Division,” Swinney said. “Finishing a bowl game the way they did creates a lot of momentum for us going into the offseason.”
Bart Wright said the defense stood up and helped set the stage for life after C.J.
For Clemson, the victory improved the record to 9-5 and took the weight off what could have been an ugly end to the season.
“I’m happy for Coach Swinney and the way he pulled this team through, really, all year long,” said Clemson associate head coach Brad Scott. “He was preaching all year about finishing, completing the job, pushing to the end and the way they played today showed that it was worth all that effort he put in.
“Those last two (losses to Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game and to rival South Carolina), made this one huge,” Scott said. “Different things happen during the course of a season, but no matter what, you don’t want to end the season with three losses."
It took 14 games, but they won nine times, which stacks up pretty well nationwide for college teams with a new head coach and new offensive and defensive coordinators.
Gene Sapakoff of The Post and Courier says Clemson fans came braced for the big chill but left with warmer hearts.
Michael Palmer smiled into snowflakes falling on Clemson's fresh Music City Bowl victory.
'It's awesome. I love it,' Clemson's senior tight end said Sunday night. 'I mean, I've never played in anything this cold before. But it makes for warmer memories.'
Looks like last night's game was Rich Brooks' last. Chris Low of ESPN.com said Brooks will be missed.
Brooks said going in that Clemson had an SEC-type defense, and he was proved correct.
The Wildcats struggled to get much going against the Tigers, falling 21-13. Kentucky managed 277 yards of total offense, its fourth lowest of season.
“We crossed midfield and could not finish drives,” Brooks said. “Give Clemson credit, they have a good, physical defensive front. They did well against our Wildcat (formation).”
I can't remember the last time I've seen a defense look so good and so bad in one game. Gotta give them credit, though. They came up with the stops they had to have -- not to mention the turnover that produced C.J. Spiller's fourth-quarter touchdown run.
And -- stop the presses! -- they actually produced a three-and-out.
Paul Strelow of The State said the win is a feather in Swinney's cap.
Clemson (9-5) fended off the anticipated malaise of its late two-game slide to put a positive stamp on Swinney’s first season, snapping the program’s three-game bowl skid to send its senior class out in style
“I just wanted to see what it felt like (to win a bowl game),” senior running back C.J. Spiller said. “After winning a championship — and that’s what this was — it’s a great feeling.”
Where was Brandon Maye last night? Apparently he suffered a knee injury in practice.
If this is true, shame on Clemson for keeping it a secret.
If you say you're going to keep the media and the public informed about injuries -- as Clemson repeatedly does, and as the ACC mandates all 12 of its teams do -- then you should do it 100 percent of the time.
This wasn't the first time in 2009 that an injury was kept under wraps heading into a game.
Down in Jacksonville, Jimbo Fisher says this isn't his team just yet.
John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader reflects on Brooks' apparent departure.
And the Nashville Tennesseean writes about Spiller leaving on a high note.
LW
Click here for the "Eye On The Tigers" blog archive.
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
Looking back at Dabo Swinney's first full season as Clemson's head coach, you feel like someone who's just stepped off a roller coaster.
It takes you a few minutes to recover from all the motion and emotion of being jolted this way and that, of the peaks and dips, of being turned completely upside-down.
I'm still trying to process my thoughts on the 2009 season, and hopefully I'll be able to present something coherent for a column later on today.
As of now, though, you can definitely say a bowl win leaves the program feeling good about itself. Even if said bowl win occurred in a much lesser bowl than the Tigers anticipated attending.
Watching and listening to the celebration that followed last night's 21-13 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky, you'd never have known this bunch had been so recently devastated by an ACC title game loss to Georgia Tech -- not to mention that ugly smacking at the hands of South Carolina.
The revelry was more exuberant than I thought it would be. And some might argue it was a bit over the top for a team that fell short of bringing home the school's first ACC title since 1991.
But this bunch deserved to celebrate after summoning itself from back-to-back losses. Gathering the requisite focus and intensity after watching your dreams shattered is not an easy task, particularly on a frigid night in Nashville against an SEC team in a virtual road-game environment.
And a lot of guys on this team knows that winning your bowl game beats the alternative the Tigers dealt with in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Ron Morris of The State says the importance of Sunday night's win cannot be underestimated.
More than anything, the win meant not having to deal with the general feeling that not much is different under Swinney around Clemson than under the previous coach, Tommy Bowden.
Instead of talking about more of the same, Clemson fans can recognize that the win signals Swinney has his program in position to win championships.
“I can’t say enough about our team as far as what they accomplished, nine wins, winning the Atlantic Division,” Swinney said. “Finishing a bowl game the way they did creates a lot of momentum for us going into the offseason.”
Bart Wright said the defense stood up and helped set the stage for life after C.J.
For Clemson, the victory improved the record to 9-5 and took the weight off what could have been an ugly end to the season.
“I’m happy for Coach Swinney and the way he pulled this team through, really, all year long,” said Clemson associate head coach Brad Scott. “He was preaching all year about finishing, completing the job, pushing to the end and the way they played today showed that it was worth all that effort he put in.
“Those last two (losses to Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game and to rival South Carolina), made this one huge,” Scott said. “Different things happen during the course of a season, but no matter what, you don’t want to end the season with three losses."
It took 14 games, but they won nine times, which stacks up pretty well nationwide for college teams with a new head coach and new offensive and defensive coordinators.
Gene Sapakoff of The Post and Courier says Clemson fans came braced for the big chill but left with warmer hearts.
Michael Palmer smiled into snowflakes falling on Clemson's fresh Music City Bowl victory.
'It's awesome. I love it,' Clemson's senior tight end said Sunday night. 'I mean, I've never played in anything this cold before. But it makes for warmer memories.'
Looks like last night's game was Rich Brooks' last. Chris Low of ESPN.com said Brooks will be missed.
Brooks said going in that Clemson had an SEC-type defense, and he was proved correct.
The Wildcats struggled to get much going against the Tigers, falling 21-13. Kentucky managed 277 yards of total offense, its fourth lowest of season.
“We crossed midfield and could not finish drives,” Brooks said. “Give Clemson credit, they have a good, physical defensive front. They did well against our Wildcat (formation).”
I can't remember the last time I've seen a defense look so good and so bad in one game. Gotta give them credit, though. They came up with the stops they had to have -- not to mention the turnover that produced C.J. Spiller's fourth-quarter touchdown run.
And -- stop the presses! -- they actually produced a three-and-out.
Paul Strelow of The State said the win is a feather in Swinney's cap.
Clemson (9-5) fended off the anticipated malaise of its late two-game slide to put a positive stamp on Swinney’s first season, snapping the program’s three-game bowl skid to send its senior class out in style
“I just wanted to see what it felt like (to win a bowl game),” senior running back C.J. Spiller said. “After winning a championship — and that’s what this was — it’s a great feeling.”
Where was Brandon Maye last night? Apparently he suffered a knee injury in practice.
If this is true, shame on Clemson for keeping it a secret.
If you say you're going to keep the media and the public informed about injuries -- as Clemson repeatedly does, and as the ACC mandates all 12 of its teams do -- then you should do it 100 percent of the time.
This wasn't the first time in 2009 that an injury was kept under wraps heading into a game.
Down in Jacksonville, Jimbo Fisher says this isn't his team just yet.
John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader reflects on Brooks' apparent departure.
And the Nashville Tennesseean writes about Spiller leaving on a high note.
LW
Click here for the "Eye On The Tigers" blog archive.
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 @.