Yeah I thought I was pretty much done posting. I thought my time for rants and raves would be up. I was going to post in the Spring about how bad we looked but Morris beat me to the punch. I was going to post in the fall about my doubts about Tajh as a runner, leader, and hard enough worker but he seemed to have an excellent fall camp.
I thought that Troy was a good team and that the first half jitters could be accounted to first game, freshman stuff. Yesterday has got me back in vomit mode. I was laughing watching the game yesterday. I was laughing at how soft we have become and I remembered that I used to laugh like this about the cluckers...
It wasn't until I heard Dabo in his post-game comments that I went from lethargic and depressed to upset and motivated to actually blog. Yes, I want to be that vocal 5% duck, clucking about what is wrong with our head cheerleader when he acts incompetent and what is wrong with our program (his media talk today was less upbeat than what he said post-game, however, so I will give him that). Once we win at least an ACC Championship I have every right to wail and moan as loud as I want. Especially when South Carolina is dominating us...(yeah I hate writing it but you need to 'man up' and admit when you are inferior)
We have the recruiting talent, we have an overall good coaching staff now, we have a loyal fan base...
Here are my main concerns going forward.
1. We are soft. The last time we hit really hard was the game against Auburn last year. Since then it has been all orange marshmallows all the time. After the first half against Troy some players were quoted as saying, oh no here we go again. The Clemson mentality is weak. Auburn feels like they can win no matter what--you can see it in their demeanor and how they act and perform. Clemson doesn't really believe in itself.
I don't honestly know if it is Batson or not hitting enough in practice but this has been a problem for at least ten years now. Caldwell is the right coach but the players aren't responding as of now. Morris is saying the things I want to hear so we all can collectively hold our breath.
2. The less Dabo coaching the better. The fake punts and kicks and garbage were Dabo's calls. He seriously can't help sticking his finger in and trying to change something. He was scared on Saturday, dressed up to play army man, and I think it starts to rub off on a team. I am not a Dabo hater per se, but the man needs to remember his strengths are not the whole coaching thing. I'm always worried about his end game coaching for example.
3. Kicking game. I have never had faith in Cat man (as opposed to Catwoman) as a legit kicker. I will believe it when I see it. I am willing to give him a chance since Benton is a waste of a scholarship as far as I am concerned (although he does tackle as well as our defense) and Lakip is the same untested freshman. Zimmerman is the best punter since Chris Gardocki, and if you don't know that name you should look it up.
4. Tackling. We have problems wrapping up. Its funny that we like to hit more than we like to tackle, but the hitting isn't sustained for four quarters.
5. Secondary. Yes, I think this is more worrisome than the D-Line. With Hall out I am more worried about the busted assignments and blown coverages. Breeland isn't turning any heads and I have little faith in Brewer and Sensabaugh as elite shutdown corners. They can play zone but on an island I get worried. Auburn is going to expose some of these flaws and we will be caught not covering someone wide open. Gus Malz has his QB Trotter performing very well and far ahead where I thought he would be coming into the third game.
6. MacLain and the O-Line. If we can't create some openings for Ellington then its going to be a long season. He needs creases not holes and we can't do it for him. MacLain has been pathetic, no way around it and that interior line must be solid for us to have a chance. Can we go for a fourth down against the D-line of Auburn or South Carolina? Have we even converted a third and short yet?? Again, at least Morris is aware and visibly upset about this. These lines have grown up lazy because they had CJ and elite RB's that made up for their inability to blow people off the line. This is tied to point number one and unless changed will result in three straight losses.
7. Tajh. I am not sold on Mr. Boyd yet. I really hope he proves me wrong. He is still inaccurate with some throws (throws to Hopkins in the flat) and throws it to the other team a couple of times. What I am really worried about is his ability to read defenses and pick up blitz's. It is primarily the responsibility of the QB. That comes with time but Auburn and especially FSU will eat him and the oline alive. The defense just can't deliver wins for us this year. Also what happens if he gets hurt? Could we win a game with Cole Stoudt?
This list is too long so I will digress into some bullet points and more random thoughts.
I hope you have been saving Mike Bellamy. Even if you ran him for the same four plays to different sides I would be happy. He is that quick that I doubt it would matter. Ten touches a game please. Even if he looks at you funny when you say the word protection he should be in there. Also don't remove him from the return game. He is faster than Watkins. Watkins was good in the return game but I think Bellamy will be better.
I would like to see Hawkins lose his starting job to Anthony. Hawkins plays tentatively and too far from action. Watch a play against Wofford and you will see how slow he is to react. He is not a bad player but this defense needs a game changer in the middle and I am hoping it is Anthony.
Anyone saying wait till next year is stupid--we have no Oline next year. This is the year, its always the year. If not, you sound like a delirious chicken. Remember that...
We have lost some serious in-state recruiting battles along the trenches and overall. Clowney, Cann, Gilmore, Holloman, Lattimore, and the biggest recruit that has turned USC around--Alshon Jeffrey (who was taken from Southern Cal). Now we didn't have a chance with most of these but it just shows the talent is there in our backyard to win natl championships. Watching the coots is getting depressing. They finally look like winners.
Watkins will be and already is special and Hopkins has amazing hands. We will score points this season.
Ellington has looked gassed to me these first couple games. He is not used to being the lone workhorse but it is great to see him used properly. I think he is still trying to find that elite gear he had last year and I hope it comes this saturday. Stone hands Hot Rod is not the answer at back-up. Time for Bellamy and Howard.
How many other schools miss as many xp's as we do?
Our D-line will be ok if no one gets injured. Goodman and Crawford, Brown and Branch are all above average. Thompson is elite when he wants to be and Moore is good. Shatley showed me something this week and we need some other guys to step up. We have time before GT and the need to play assignment football. Disappointed in guys like Josh Watson and Barnes.
Well I feel better already. Yes I am being negative but its better than being a homer. I just want to quit being embarrassed when I watch my tigers. We fans invest a lot and we deserve some winning every twenty years...
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