Yet More Random Thoughts

Random thoughts after another long weekend:

- I was glad to see the Tigers prove my prediction wrong last Saturday at Maryland.

In many ways, Clemson did to the Terps what Maryland generally does to the opposition: They won with balance, ball control, solid defense and, yes, a strong kicking game. Save for the hiccup at the end, it may have been as complete a game the Tigers have played in some time.

- Of course, this has been the baffling thing about this program for much of Tommy Bowden's tenure. One week Clemson can look like a world-beater, the next as if collectively the players have never seen a football. The up-again, down-again nature of business around here is the reason fans get so worked up year after year. There's no consistency.

Just when Joe Fan thinks it's time for Bowden to go, the embattled coach pulls out a fantastic finish. And then, when it appears maybe the engine is running smoothly down the highway, a rod is thrown or a wheel falls off for no reason.

Maddening, ain't it?

- Of course, the real winners through all this are the press/Internet site operators. Regardless of what happens each week, the readership/hits/listeners just keep on coming.

- So here's the next real test.

Home games with Wake Forest and Boston College loom in two and three weeks, respectively. Games which could be very well decide Clemson's postseason future.

But wait. Don't forget about Duke this Saturday. Noon start. No free television. Wallace Wade Outdoor Stadium. Blue Devil fans more concerned about a basketball scrimmage later that afternoon...You've lived this nightmare before, haven't you?

Yep. A number of times in Durham, in fact. The last of which spelled the end of Mike O'Cain as Clemson's offensive coordinator.

Free this Saturday? Might want to take a road trip and see if you can't turn this one into a quasi-home game.

With what's on the line the next few weeks, it might mean more than you think.

More Random Thoughts

A drizzly Monday night and some random thoughts to go with it:

- So James Davis guaranteed a win over Maryland. Good for him. Despite the guarantee coming so often these days that it is almost rendered toothless, Davis is doing what a leader should do. Challenge his teammates. Take the pressure off them and on himself. Set the bar high.

Now, if only he can figure a way to score more than 12 points vs. the Terps...

- When some fans can't think of any legitimate criticism of Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen, they stoop to juvenile measures and break out the fat jokes. Happens all the time. Even to me at the local level. Of course I just laugh because, if you look at it, we're taking over. The Fridge, Mangino out in Kansas, Charlie Wei....um, well, two out of three ain't bad...

- The truth is Friedgen has been a thorn in Clemson's side for years, first as offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech and now as the main Maryland man. And his teams seem to share a common characteristic, almost without fail. As the season wears on, they seem to get better and better. Injuries may slow that progress this year, but anyone taking the Turtles lightly this weekend might want to rethink their position...

- Same goes for anyone getting too giddy after Clemson dropped 70 on Central Michigan last Saturday. Sure, the Tigers did what they were supposed to do vs. and inferior opponent. Maybe even beyond what they were supposed to do. But even TB himself said it's hard to gauge exactly how much the team has improved since the twin Tech losses. Only a better caliber of competition will tell that tale...

- And finally, how about this argument: Carson-Newman should play in the Rose Bowl.

Why? Well, using fan (and sometimes TV talking head) logic:

- Carson-Newman beat Chattanooga
- Chattanooga beat Georgia Southern
- Georgia Southern beat Appalachian State
- Appalachian State beat Michigan

Makes sense, eh? Thanks Hunter...

Notes From Tommy Bowden's Sunday Teleconference

Quick notes and quotes from Tommy Bowden's Sunday phone session with the media:

- The open date helped us in a lot of areas. I think you could tell it on the offensive line. I thought they did a good job.

- Communication improving on line. Last year those guys had all played together for a long time. Defenses move a lot late, and you might only get half a call out. It's anticipation. Hopefully that's where we're improving.

- Thomas Austin: Major adjustment from guard to center. If someone plays over you at center you have to worry about snapping the ball first. Big adjustment. He practices snapping every day, but different animal to do it in game competition. He was originally real erratic, but feeling more comfortable now.

- Hard to read a lot into Saturday's win, because the rest of the teams we have on the schedule have better talent. Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Florida State and N.C. State all had better talent.

- Maryland: Defensively they always give us problems. We never score a lot of points against them. They're well coached.

- Right now we can't rush the passer. We're last in the conference in sacks. We're going to have problems the rest of the way as the talent level picks up...We've got to get a lot better up front. We're getting single-blocked a lot, and that's not good...I don't refer to stats a whole lot, but being last in sacks kind of jumped out at me. Got to make sure the effort is there...Got to make sure we're going the right things in practice to get better.

- Harper has been real consistent for seven games. From the first game on, he's been real accurate.

- Chemistry between Harper and Kelly is because they're both older guys, both fourth-year juniors. They have a lot of confidence in each other, and Rob (Spence) directs a lot of plays toward Aaron as the primary receiver.

It's E-Mail Time Again!

Dan Scott answers emails from the previous week:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan,

We haven’t had Special Teams that were prepared since the Boston College game of 2006. Elite athletes are being beaten by lesser athletes whose coaching staffs are doing their jobs-preparing the team for all aspects of the game.

I am not asking that he be fired now. I am asking you as a journalist not to put up with his excuses and blame shifting.

He owes the players an apology...Penn

Hey Penn,

There's no putting up with excuses here. I've said, and written, that the special teams struggles are embarrassing, and that had I been in the stands as a Clemson fan for the Va. Tech debacle I'd have booed too. And loudly.

The trick now, for at least the next six games, is to try and move forward. That goes for the coaches, players and fans. This can still be a very good season with a strong finish. Then, when it's all said and done, the athletic director will do what needs to be done.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan,

I enjoyed your article titled: Shooting Down One Very Large Rumor There was just one name not mentioned in your list of possible Head Coaches to pull Clemson out of the mire, and put a "fresh new face on" that would IMMEDIATELY attract TOP recruits across the country... BILL COWHER

Don't know why his name has never been brought up... but he is, hands-down, my personal favorite. My understanding is that he recently moved south to North Carolina. Maybe he'd like to move just a little further south where the weather's a little warmer and it's "God's Country." He's been out of coaching just long enough to know whether he misses it or not. Why don't we give it a shot and put the feelers out on him? He'd be AWESOME! What do you think?

BTW, Love your show...HMS

Hey HMS,

First, the coaches in the article weren't "my list." They were just names I had heard being bandied about by fans who want a coaching change.

Secondly, if Bill Cowher wants to return to coaching, he'll pretty much be able to name his job. And price.

But again, it bears repeating, there's no job opening at Clemson. And it's going to be that way until late November. Maybe beyond.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan,

As Mark Twain once said: "Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated." By the same token, speculation re: TB's demise is grossly premature at this point.Yes, we've now experienced two (2) "Games from Hell" in succession, but there's still time for righting of the ship.It's all about discovering "TEAM CHARACTER," and whether or not he and his staff can develop it.Best be sooner than later...Milnor

Hey Milnor,

Six more games. Is that soon enough? We'll have an answer one way or another after the South Carolina game.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan,

Do you see the irony? Everyone believes their sources when it comes to rumors, even you. Funny that you expect us to believe that your "source drawing" contract guy would divulge info to a member of the media.

Let me guess you will soon reveal that it was not actually the "contract guy" but his assistants husband.Welcome to rumorville Dan. Ain't it fun when you think you have "the real" scoop?

"The guy that drew up the contract..." Now that's funny...GLumpkin

Hey GLumpkin,

It may be funny, but it's true. Whether you want to believe it or not. The source I used, Mitch Vingle, has covered WVU for more than 20 years. And he's connected enough to, yes, pick up the phone and place a direct call to the administrative office and get such an answer.

You just settle back and root for whoever it is you root for, and I'll handle things on my end.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan,

You are nothing more than a West Virginia apologist. So isn't it funny you have such a scoop drop in your lap? If Clemson wants Rich Rodriguez, Clemson will get Rich Rodriguez. And no amount of made up information you spew will change that.

You, sir, suck...J.R.

Hey J.R.,

I never said Clemson couldn't get Rich Rodriguez (if the job here ever opens). What I did was dispel a rumor that he had an escape clause that would allow him to walk out of WVU for free. There is no such clause. So yeah, RichRod can leave if he wants. But either he or his new school would have to pay his buyout to WVU, and if you're Clemson that would be on top of paying Tommy Bowden's buyout (if they made such a move at season's end).

Don't let your emotions cloud the facts, or cause you to make accusations about something you know nothing about.

Shooting Down One Big Rumor

One thing about times of crisis surrounding a college football team. You can always count on the rumor mill to stir, both early and often.

Officially, of course, there is no job opening at Clemson. Tommy Bowden is and remains the Tigers' head coach despite the back-to-back losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. And, if we're being honest, despite the wishes of at least a portion of the Clemson fan base.

Those wishes lead to rumors, and once rumors start flying about they're almost impossible to ground.

Jimmy Johnson has Clemson ties and is friends with Terry Don Phillips. Maybe he'll return to coaching here. Or how about Brian Kelly, the Cincinnati head coach who last year won the MAC championship at Central Michigan? Jim Leavitt, who is the only coach South Florida has ever had, might be a good fit. Since their inaugural season of 1997, Leavitt has led the Bulls from a fledgling I-AA team to a consensus Top 5 team in the country.

Could Jimbo Fisher be lured from Florida State? What's Norm Chow up to these days?

Or the big one:

What about Rich Rodriguez?

Ever since coach Rod left Clemson after the 2000 season to take over for Don Nehlen at West Virginia, a portion of the Tiger "faithful" remains convinced the wrong coach left. As Bowden's offensive coordinator, both Clemson and Tulane had revved-up offenses. And since his arrival in Morgantown all RichRod has done is put the Mountaineers in the national spotlight - winning the Sugar Bowl two years ago, the Gator Bowl last season and currently sitting at No. 8 in the country.

So it's easy to see why there would be an attraction. It is said that RichRod's wife, too, loved the Clemson area. The fit would be a natural, some say.

Adding fuel to the fire as the week has gone on are whispers about RichRod's brand new contract at WVU, the one he ultimately signed after a serious courtship with Alabama. Word on the street is that RichRod may have a one-school escape clause in that contract.

The school? Clemson.

Now, this isn't just fan rumor. This one is actually running through the halls of dear ol' Clemson U., as well, with certain people in certain positions certain that what they are hearing is true.

It isn't.

I called a buddy of mine back in the Mountain State today. He is, as they say, connected. I told him what I heard, and he picked up the phone and made a call.

Not just to anyone, but to the man who wrote the contract between RichRod and WVU.

There is no escape clause. For Clemson or anyone else. No free way out. No Houdini act. No no-huddle offense coming to Death Valley.

Sorry folks. That's one rumor officially shot down.

But it's only one. And until Bowden's future is finally settled - which won't be for another six-plus weeks - you can bet there will be another "sure thing" pop up to take its place.

Special Work For Special Teams

Tommy Bowden has maintained that he, his staff and his football team can't work any "longer or harder" to try and solve serious special teams issues. Turns out they can, at least during an off week.

Clemson held the first of three off-week workouts Tuesday afternoon. And with no immediate game for which to prepare, Bowden put his team through an extra 20-25 minutes of work on special teams, or roughly double what he does in a normal practice.

Special teams has been an issue for much of Bowden's tenure at Clemson, and in the last two weeks mistakes and that area have heavily contributed to a pair of losses. Most recently, Virginia Tech returned both a punt and a kickoff for scores last Saturday in a 41-23 win at Death Valley.

So after analyzing the game tapes, Bowden and his staff have forged a plan of attack for this week's practices - all of which will include extra special teams work.

"After looking at the film we need to be concentrating on the personnel moreso than the schemes," he said. "Especially on the kickoffs."

Bowden said on the Hokies' kickoff return score, there were coverage team members in place to make a tackle. They didn't. So next on the agenda, he said, is finding players who will.

Meanwhile, punter Jimmy Maners is being asked to sacrifice a bit of distance in exchange for better hang time on his kicks, an attempt to give the coverage team more time to get into place.

"He's averaging 44 yards per kick right now," Bowden said. "I'll take 40 with better hang time."

Elsewhere Tuesday, 12 Tigers were in yellow jerseys (no contact) for the workout, though none of them are expected to be ruled out for the Oct. 20 Homecoming game with Central Michigan.

Among the newest injured were Jacoby Ford (sternum), Scotty Cooper and Rashaad Jackson (shoulders), Michael Hamlin (shoulder and ankle) and Chris Clemmons (thigh bruise).

Random Thoughts After A Typical Losing Weekend

Random thoughts from what is proving to be a typical post-loss weekend:

- Listening to Tommy Bowden say the Tigers "can't work any longer or harder" on special teams doesn't really sit well. I would think I could find extra time somewhere if I were having such troubles.

- I then remind myself I'm not Tommy Bowden. I host a talk radio show. He's likely forgotten more football than I'll ever know. His happens to be a cutthroat business.

- Still, you would think...

- Those fans calling for Bowden to be fired now, as in today, need to step back a bit. If, at season's end, the ship is still taking on water at an alarming rate then the athletic director will do what needs to be done. But Bowden deserves the chance to coach these final six games and see what happens.

Were he continually embarrassing the university with player arrests, poor on-field conduct, awful graduation rates, etc., then yeah. Fire away. But wins, losses and special teams gaffes aside, Bowden has always represented Clemson University with class. He deserves the same consideration.

- Of course, Terry Don Phillips has played Russian Roulette with this weapon before. In 2003, if you recall. Is he willing to gamble again?

- Sometimes the quick notes need a bit more clarity to them. I'll work on that.

- Wednesday, I can promise you it will be good to talk some basketball with Oliver Purnell.

Catching Up With Another Bowden

Had a chance to chat with Terry Bowden earlier this week.

Tommy's brother - or Bobby's son, depending on with whom you talk in what part of the country - is on a mission to return to the coaching profession, nine years after his sudden departure from Auburn. In the interim, he is continuing his life as a talk show host and game analyst, all the while visiting various practices and gearing himself up mentally for a return to the grind.

We visited for roughly 20 minutes, which really was barely enough time for this Bowden to get warmed up. But he was very candid about his desire to coach again, his time as a member of the media and the state of coaching around the country these days.

But his most telling comments came when discussing the criticism Tommy has faced at Clemson, as well as that of brother Jeff when he was offensive coordinator at Florida State.

Terry acknowledged the stress, the hurt even, that comes when a member of the family is under such attack. That he has multiple family members in that position makes it even worse.

But to his credit, Terry also admitted that in his role as an analyst, sometimes he is the one doing the criticizing.

"You have to be objective," he said. "When I see things I don't agree with, I call them on it."

He continued.

"When you get paid $1.5 million, $1.2, two million dollars a year, it comes with the territory," Terry said. "I stayed at Tommy's house last night. That's a pretty nice house. That's a nice boat dock he has. Nice boat, too.

"So when you make that kind of money, criticism comes with it. You have to expect it in this profession."

But when push comes to shove, Terry's blood is indeed thicker than water.

He still expects brother Tommy to win big here at Clemson.

"Sometimes it takes a while," he said. "Bobby Bowden didn't win a national championship until he was 63 years old. Sometimes you go along winning eight and nine games year after year, and then suddenly you break through.

"Tommy's a good coach. And it's going to happen for him at Clemson."

Buchholz Does Well With New Routine

CLEMSON - The first day of the new routine for Mark Buchholz came off without a hitch Wednesday.

The Clemson kicker was run onto the field at varying stages during practice, without notice, to kick under game-like conditions. Every time head coach Tommy Bowden called, Buchholz delivered. He didn't miss a kick all practice.

"I even did the Urban Meyer thing on him," Bowden said following the workout.

Meyer, in Florida's last-second loss to Auburn last Saturday, called a timeout from the sideline a split second before the snap was made on the field goal attempt. The kick was good, but didn't count because Florida was granted the time out.

The strategy, which is being employed by an increasing number of coaches now at both the college and NFL level, ultimately failed when Auburn's kicker also made the second attempt and gave the Gators their first loss.

"I blew the whistle and the players all thought practice was over," Bowden said. "I said 'No, no. Time out was called. You've got to kick it again.'"

Of course, making kicks in practice hasn't been a problem for Buchholz.

He was perfect in workouts last week prior to the Georgia Tech game. Buchholz went on to make just one of five attempts vs. the Yellow Jackets in a game Clemson lost 13-3. Three of the misses were from 47 yards or better.

But the miss from 30 yards - as well as a missed 29-yarder the week before at N.C. State - prompted Bowden to take a second look at how he was using the two-sport star during practice. Thus the change this week.

Buchholz was also in the news because of an unintentional secondary violation of NCAA rules committed by Clemson.

Rules state that a student-athlete can only participate in his or her sport 20 hours a week and must have a full day off. If Buchholz had a day off from soccer he would go to football practice, and vice versa. But Bowden and soccer coach Trevor Adair were informed that Buchholz had to take a full day off from both sports, thus the rules violation.

There is not expected to be any major issue raised by either the ACC or the NCAA because of the uniqueness of the situation. Meanwhile, Adair pointed out earlier Wednesday that both he and Bowden were more focused on the big picture from the beginning.

"We were concentrating on the 20-hour rule," Adair said. "Mark never went over 20 hours. We made sure of that. This is the first time anyone has been through something like this, so any violation was unintentional. But through it all we were looking out for Mark's well-being. He's not being abused."

NOTES
- Bowden said it was still too early in the week to talk about any possible changes on the offensive line;

- Wide receiver Rendrick Taylor looks "doubtful" for Saturday's game vs. Virginia Tech, according to SID Tim Bourret;

- Bowden's brother, Terry, was at practice again Wednesday. Earlier in the day he hosted his two-hour national college football show on Sirius Satellite Radio from the broadcast booth at Death Valley.

Viewer...er, Reader Mail

Letters! We get Letters! We get lots and lots of letters...(Thank you Paul Shafer). Today a new feature: Letters to Dan Scott from readers and the occasional email to his sports talk show, and Dan's response.

Dan,

I appreciate your views and enjoy reading your articles. I'm interested in your perspective on the following.

Bowden and Spence seem to me to be so focused on the x's and o's and the complexity of the next play and their plan, that it seems like no one is watching the game. Who is looking at the bigger picture and making decisions accordingly? The tree and the forest thing. We want to clear the forest so we are very focused on cutting down trees. We have a plan and feel for the most part that we are executing except for a few miscues here and there, but we can fix them. All the while no one is looking at the big picture so they completely miss the fact that the new trees are growing faster then we're cutting down the old ones. Doing pretty good on cutting down trees but the forest is not being cleared.

One can work very hard and feel they are doing a good job, but if they don't see what is going on in total, the end result can be failure.

With all of the tools we have on offense, to only score 3 points seems to me like someone doesn't see the big picture. Great incision doctor but your patient just died.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks...Bill

Bill,

I'm not sure if it's a lack of seeing the big picture. I think it's more of just getting beaten in a chess game.

The offensive staff puts in a game plan based on what they see in film study, and then once the game rolls around it becomes a matter of calling the right play vs. the right defensive alignment. In other words, the simple explanation is that when Spence and Co. see seven in the box, they call run. When they see eight, they call pass. Then if the defense changes alignment before the snap, it's up to either the quarterback - or sometimes the staff - to adjust. A defense can disguise coverages, blitzes...pretty much anything. That's where all the film study comes in.

Saturday Georgia Tech got the better of it, made the better calls with better timing and kept Clemson off balance to a certain degree. However, one can't discount the dropped passes and other mistakes. Catch a few balls and make a kick here and there and the outcome is different.

Then you can see the forest despite the trees.
------------------------------------------
Dear Dan,

I normally do not get involved or contact sports commentators. But after Saturday, I have been thinking.

I began dating my current husband in 1991 and began attending Clemson football games. I loved the excitement of each game even though in those years, I didn't really understand football. We married in 1998. By that time, I understood the basics and the fundamentals. But at times, even now, I have to ask 'What happened?' or 'Why did they do that?' or 'What was the penalty call?'.

But today, I have been reflecting. I understand that the players are young men with many things on their mind - their college, their major, friends, family, and future employment. Additionally, I try not to blame the staff for the team's performance.

So, I guess here's my problem. I feel like I have made a time and financial commitment over the past 15 years. I have spent many New Years' days cheering at games and some in the rain (Jacksonville). I have gone on road trips to Boston, Atlanta, Orlando, Nashville, and many more cities. I have sacrificed time with my friends and family members and have even missed Homecoming at my alma mater in order to support Clemson.

Basically I want a return on my investment of time and money. I want Clemson to do well and succeed. I want Clemson to perform at their best for every game. I want the Coaches to led the athletes through promoting a team spirit. The entire team and staff need to lift one another up and be supportive. I am not sure what is going on or what happened Saturday. But I can tell you, I would rather be 0 - 11, and leave a game feeling like every fan, player, and coach left knowing they did every thing possible to help this program than to leave not understanding why we all fell apart that day.

Tommy Bowden said in his highlights that many teams would love to be 4 -1. I don't believe that mentality. To allow any involved person in this program to have no remorse for the lack of effort on Saturday's game is unacceptable.

I think Coach Ayers from Wofford might have it figured out. When they played South Carolina last year, they understood the dynamics and still pulled-off the most exciting game I have seen in years. Their success and commitment to that program is unmatched. They bravely fought and defeated App. St. - who was coming off of a big win.

So I close with this thought, each person involved in this program - coach, player, or fan - what type of return do you expect from your investment? I want something that is more than obtainable, more than mediocrity, more than 'settlin', more excitement, and more collaboration between everyone. American football great Vince Lombardi once said, "Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is."

Let's want to win. We won't solve Cancer, or the Middle East conflict, or the economic troubles of this world. But for a few hours a week, we will all be a part of something larger than ourselves that will engage and empower us with the knowledge of knowing we cannot create this excitement individually.

Sincerely...Kara

Kara,

Wanting a return on your investment is natural. I understand. But the ups and downs are all part of being a fan.

I know the feeling. As a West Virginia fan, I watched for years as Don Nehlen got the Mountaineer program to a certain level but never reached the mountain top. I cursed every draw, screamed for the team to throw the ball more, and wondered aloud why he wasn't keeping up with the changing times in college football.

While you can hope for more, write letters, email the administration or call talk shows, the bottom line lies with you. Are you a fan regardless? Or have you had enough?

I'm not saying you can't be displeased, upset, or even outraged. As someone who pulls for a team and makes such an emotional and financial investment, that's your right. However, what it usually comes down to is love and loyalty. And I usually find that no matter how upset I get at WVU, or my Reds or Bengals, my love for the teams and the sport always brings me back.

At some point, every fan has to face such a decision. Just make sure it's one you can live with.
---------------------------------------
Dan,

Is it true that Bowden is actually blaming the players for the Tech debacle? Hard to believe. It appears that the coaching staff took the week off - mystery game plan, schizophrenic play-calling and players not even knowing where to line up on a call like they haven't practiced in a month. That’s all coaching. And blaming a kicker for missing 3 kicks from 50 yards is terrible.

What are your thoughts on why it was such a disaster?

Thanks...Phil

Phil,
I don't know that he was blaming players. I believe he was just pointing out the obvious.
He also said as head coach it's up to him to get it corrected, so there is personal accountability. Everyone - coaches, players, support staff - has to self-evaluate, correct mistakes and get better for the next game.

And they'd better. Because the Hokies are on the horizon.