Tarred and feathered

After suggesting two posts ago that Clemson has to feel unlucky it doesn’t get the chance to end its dubious 54-game losing streak at UNC this year, here’s thinking I probably oughtta ride into the blog sunset on top.

Even then, though, can’t say I saw Wednesday night’s 83-64 thrashing coming, at least to that degree.

Adding insult to injury, the Anderson airport didn’t have the capability of de-icing UNC’s plane after the game, so the Tar Heels had to scramble for a charter bus ride back.

The amazing context:

• Clemson’s 19-point triumph was its second-largest victory against the Tar Heels, just missing a 93-73 rout in January 1977.

• It was UNC’s worst loss under Roy Williams, trumping an 18-point defeat to Kansas in the 2008 NCAA Final Four.

• None the least, the Tigers snapped 10-game series losing streak that dated to an 81-72 Clemson triumph in Littlejohn Coliseum during coach Oliver Purnell’s initial season in 2003-04.

So that’s back-to-back years in which Clemson has kinda gotten a monkey off its back with one of these type wins. It was rather reminiscent of last year’s 74-47 scathing of Duke.

Leads me to this question: What do you think has been the signature victory of Purnell’s seven-year tenure so far? One of those two games? The upset of Duke in the 2008 ACC tournament? Or other?

(I’d still vote for the ACC tourney game.)

Furthermore, just how crazy does the league race figure to be this season? A week ago, the question seemed to be which team would emerge as the No. 2 behind Duke.

Now the only unbeaten after THREE ACC contests maximum is, gulp, Virginia, cough, cough.

Sure looks like the league lacks an elite, championship-caliber team this year, but we knew that going into the year, right?

Tommy Bowden would have a field day with this potential parity.

Few other thoughts:

• The Duke debacle raised questions about how much the team missed having offensive weapons like Terrence Oglesby and K.C. Rivers. This game provided evidence for Purnell’s point that the team would compensate by being more disruptive defensively and playing more like a team. Think Oglesby and Rivers would have forced that many turnovers?

• After writing senior F David Potter off for dead, Potter set the tone early by nabbing a few steals (five total) while challenging the pass from top to wing that initiated UNC’s offense. That threw the Tar Heels into a tailspin, and they probably only comfortably fed bigs Deon Thompson and Ed Davis a post entry pass a handful of times the entire game.

• So that’s what happens when Trevor Booker stays active an entire game and doesn’t idle on the low block.

• Best job Clemson has done this season in terms of spacing the floor around Booker. Went frigid from 3-point range in the second half, but they got open shots.

• Stat that I overlooked in my game story, but was maybe more remarkable than the margin of victory, statistically speaking: the Tigers shot 18-for-20 from the foul line.

• You can bet quasi-point guards Jon Scheyer of Duke and Greivis Vasquez of Maryland have spots on the ACC squad locked up. But Demontez Stitt is playing like the third best point in the league right now, and he makes all the difference in the world for this team when he hits jumpers, finishes at the rim and pushes tempo.

Butler conspicuously absent from all-star circuit

Invites to the postseason college football all-star games and the NFL Combine are out.

And is it relates to Clemson, there appears one surprise, at least to me.

The lack of pre-draft activity for senior corner Crezdon Butler.

Four Tigers were invited to the Combine, three of whom were no-brainers: RB C.J. Spiller, DE Ricky Sapp, WR Jacoby Ford and – much less a household name – LB Kavell Conner.

Good for Conner – he seemed to work hard and improve in a few areas in order to become a steady, reliable player, especially when put in position or allowed to play to his strengths. Based on the invite, odds would favor him getting a look as a late-rounder.

Neither of Clemson’s starting corners, Butler or fellow senior Chris Chancellor, had great years in the transition to Kevin Steele’s man coverage.

But I didn’t think Butler had a BAD year, so I must say I’m left to scratch my head at the fact someone with his size (5-11 to 6-0, 185 pounds) and sufficient athleticism didn’t at least get a shot at the combine, even if he perhaps didn’t display the ideal physicality in run support or tackling.

Butler doesn’t appear on an all-star roster as well, while even Chancellor – a greater long shot at getting drafted because of his lack of height (5-9 maybe) – got a spot with Conner and G Thomas Austin on the East-West roster.

Plenty of players who aren’t invited to the combine get drafted every year, but the snub is an indication of what a collection of NFL personnel think.

****

Seems like the speculative favorite to draft Spiller has been Seattle, if for no other reason than the Seahawks’ glaring need for a playmaker, particularly at running back.

When Pete Carroll was overpaid for hired, Spiller made even more sense, given Carroll’s apparent preference for a back with Spiller’s style (see Reggie Bush, Joe McKnight) while at Southern California.

But this move would make me leery of matching Spiller with Seattle: Carroll has hired Alex Gibbs to oversee the O-line, and Gibbs is renowned as the preeminent teacher of the zone-running scheme that the Denver Broncos made trendy under Mike Shanahan (Gibbs got pretty good results recently with Houston, too).

Spiller is not all that good a zone runner. A couple of designed cutback plays fit him perfectly, and he got better at making the reads and more decisive cuts as his career progressed. But Andre Ellington was the superior zone runner on the roster, and it didn’t even appear close.

****

An FYI: My time at The State comes to a close before the end of the month, so wanted to go ahead and provide an excuse for why blog entries are going to get fewer and further between.

Thanks to all who have sent kind words here the last few days.

Decades past and present

Surely it was no coincidence that on the football team’s biggest weekend in terms of recruiting – both in terms of volume and stature of prospects making official visits with their families – that the school honored the Atlantic Division champs at halftime of Saturday’s basketball game.

Dabo Swinney took the mic and told fans to prepare for the “best” decade in the program’s history.

I can only wonder what Danny Ford, sitting courtside, was thinking. Ford, reclining deep in his seat, gave no sign of response, merely continuing to spin the ol’ toothpick in his mouth.

Now, unprecedented sustained success for the basketball program would be more like it. But that bar isn’t too high.
The Tigers host No. 9 UNC on Wednesday night (9 p.m., ESPN) in their lone regular-season meeting.
Just Clemson’s luck that this one isn’t being played in Chapel Hill.

Beyond 2002, the Tigers’ odds of ending their dubious 54-game losing streak at UNC might not have been greater.

That’s probably overstating it without research to support, but this year’s Tar Heels certainly don’t strike the fear of recent predecessors.

They are 0-3 on the road, and preseason concerns about their backcourt ineptitude has come to fruition. Larry Drew actually hasn’t been as uninspiring as expected at point guard, but that represents both the best and worst of their guard play.

UNC was legitimately hurt by not having Will Graves in the starting lineup for two straight games.

Just sayin’.

On the other hand, I go back to 2002 when stars like PG Adam Boone (23 pts, 10 reb) and G Melvin Scott (17 points) had career days to prolong Clemson’s drought at UNC’s nadir.

If the Tigers couldn’t end The Streak against that crew, fate indeed might be involved.

The McDonald’s hoops value menu

One recurring theme swirling around Clemson basketball team, at least externally, is the contribution – or lack thereof – from its vaunted freshmen trio of Milton Jennings, Devin Booker and Noel Johnson.

Don’t think it’s been a stretch to suggest this team’s ceiling will parallel the development of that group considering the cast of complementary players surrounding Trevor Booker, although Demontez Stitt is showing signs of emerging in a supporting No. 2 role.

Considering the hype this class generated, it’s understandable why some Clemson fans might have expected more to this stage than the freshmen have contributed.

But perhaps evaluate them from a wider perspective before entertaining the (premature, IMO) notion that these freshmen aren’t going to pan out as advertised.

There are nine McDonald’s All-Americans among the ACC’s freshmen class, and if you’ve watched most of them, you’d probably reach the conclusion what Clemson is experiencing is the norm, not the exception.

Here they are, going by Scout.com ranking and stats entering Wednesday’s games

1. F Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech
12.1 pts, 26.1 min, 58.3 pct, 64.8 FT pct, 8.8 reb, 31 blocks
Still projects as a one-and-done. But he’s certainly not where Chris Bosh was at this stage.

4. F John Henson, UNC
3.6 pts, 11.7 min, 45.7 FG pct, 2.9 reb, 30.8 3-pt pct
Looks really lost at the small forward spot

12. F Ryan Kelly, Duke
2.8 pts, 11.4 min, 40.0 FG pct, 2.1 reb
All you need to know: Got 1 minute in 21-point rout of Clemson

13. G Michael Snaer, FSU
8.4 pts, 20.7 min, 42.9 FG pct, 2.1 TOs, 62.0 FT
NBA body, but no one on this team’s scoring right now

18. F Mason Plumlee, Duke
5.0 pts, 13.0 min, 53.8 FG pct, 3.1 reb
Skilled and developing a role, but playing out of control in the post

23. F Milton Jennings, Clemson
4.5 pts, 12.9 min, 46.6 FG pct, 3.0 reb, 3-for-17 3s
Talents still masked by apprehension

33. G Dexter Strickland, UNC
5.3 pts, 16.2 min, 40.6 FG pct, 62.1 FT pct, 1.9 TOs, 2.4 ast
Miscast as the backup point out of roster necessity

55. F David Wear, UNC
2.8 pts, 10.9 min, 42.1 FG pct, 1.5 reb
See Henson

56. F Travis Wear, UNC
3.1 pts, 8.9 min, 46.2 FG pct
See twin brother

Others ranked in the top 50

25. G Durand Scott, Miami
8.0 pts, 26.3 min, 41.8 FG pct, 4.5 ast, 2.0 TOs
USC and Minnesota have been ‘Canes only legit opponents, so judgment reserved

28. G Lorenzo Brown, N.C. State
Did not qualify, at Hargrave Military Academy

36. PG Mfon Udofia, Georgia Tech
10.8 pts, 28.5 min, 41.7 FG pct, 29.8 3-pt pct
Respectable numbers for “Moo” (pronounced MOO-fon)

40. G Andre Dawkins, Duke
9.1 pts, 18.1 min, 47.5 FG pct, 46.4 3-pt pct
Again – 5 minutes against Clemson

44. F Ari Stewart, Wake Forest
8.5 pts, 17.2 min, 45.7 FG pct
Disclaimer – never seen the kid

For further comparison …

G/F Noel Johnson, Clemson
5.3 pts, 14.7 min, 38.5 FG pct, 37.5 3-pt pct
We know he can score in spurts. Still waiting for him to defend in spurts

F/C Devin Booker, Clemson
5.4 pts, 11.8 min, 63.8 FG pct, 38.9 FT pct, 3.2 reb
His role’s increasing, too, although his was one of many deer-in-headlight gazes at Duke

You could argue Wake Forest guard C.J. Harris (11.9 pts in 26.8 min) has been the second-best freshman behind Favors.

Long story short, the future of the rebuilding ACC is still enduring its growing pains.

Which is probably a contributing factor for why, beyond Duke, it’s anyone’s guess what the order will be, teams 2-8, in the conference.

Yo-ho-ho and a Bowden in the running

Generally when a coach is fired, it seems the team that axed said coach often looks for the opposite of what it had.

If you had a player’s coach, the fans want a disciplinarian, and vice versa. If you had a finesse offensive coach, you go for a physical, defensive guy, and vice versa.

If you had a pirate-loving, audacious, alternative punishment-endorsing, free-wheeler, you want … openly conservative and religious, publicly guarded Tommy Bowden?

According to a report by Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, it is possible Bowden could be Texas Tech’s replacement for Mike Leach.

Now, it sounds like this match is a ways from happening.

Bowden is among the list of about five candidates, and he may be below former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, who apparently is slated to interview Wednesday.

But it would be interesting to see if Bowden could come close to matching Leach’s success at Texas Tech, seeing as Lubbock doesn’t exactly have a reputation as a desirable destination. And that job doesn’t figure to get any easier if Gary Patterson sticks at TCU and/or Texas A&M upgrades its coaching situation after the 2010 season.

So much for Bowden being satisfied walking the Panama City beaches.

If the Texas Tech gig doesn’t work out, here’s betting Bowden would push hard to be considered if South Florida releases Jim Leavitt.

The Duke disaster

FROZEN TUNDRA OF ARCHDALE, N.C. — Oliver Purnell is right when he points out that in No. 21 Clemson’s wins, you can usually count 7-8 players at game’s end who have played well. That’s how his system works.

When you have 7-8 players who play pretty poorly – mainly on the offensive end – you have Sunday night’s 74-53 reality check at No. 7 Duke.

It’s awfully dangerous and perhaps premature to extrapolate too much from one outcome, whether a big win or big loss. There aren’t many places where the game is as affected by the environment as Cameron Indoor (you can take that anyway you’d like and probably get my various drifts).

The Blue Devils are probably not long for the NCAA tourney again this year, but they do look like the surest bet to win the ACC. They’re defending better than they have in a few years, and junior guard Nolan Smith has really developed to give them a legit perimeter defender and third cog on offense.

But the one red flag was that Clemson’s abysmal offensive performance validated my skepticism for whether the Tigers would be better off without Terrence Oglesby. To that end, they miss K.C. Rivers, too.

It should be pointed out that Purnell’s offenses have been renowned for extended offensive droughts through his tenure.

But in amassing a paltry 12 first-half points, Clemson had a stretch of 10 scoreless possessions (six without Trevor Booker) and nine scoreless possessions.

Unable to get the ball to Booker in the post (for a myriad reasons in which blame can dually be spread among players, including Booker, and coaches), the Tigers basically caught a pass, looked, took a few stationary dribbles, then looked for a panic pass elsewhere. Repeat process.

When Clemson is forced to play a halfcourt game, its fleet of complementary players lacks a second (beyond Booker) option who can either bail the Tigers out by creating a desirable shot against a defender with major conference-caliber athleticism.

With Oglesby and Rivers, there were multiple options for pulling Clemson out of a funk.

Right now, if point Demontez Stitt isn’t able to penetrate and finish, you get a lot of long, desperation jumpers with the shot clock expiring.

Guys have rough shooting nights, but this shortcoming was seemingly exposed when Tanner Smith goes 1-for-8, David Potter goes 1-for-3 and Andre Young suffers blog praise kiss of death in going 0-for-a really ugly 2 when he drifted into the relative land of sequoias.

Noel Johnson’s lack of a shooting conscience and defensive awareness might drive me crazy as a coach, but his offensive potential might be enough to influence me to give him at least 25 minutes a game to expedite his learning curve.

Not going to bust Milton Jennings too harshly because he’s clearly trying to fit in and do the right things, which is always refreshing from a high-pub recruit. But I’d implement a rule that each time he makes a mistake, he is not allowed to look at the bench, or he WILL be coming back there. If Jennings cuts it loose instead of trying to process everything and then reacting, he’ll be a lot better off, I think.

Certainly didn’t think I’d say this, but thought Clemson’s best player Sunday night was junior center Jerai Grant. He supplied a physical defensive presence inside, scored 11 points doing what he can do – cleaning the glass and finishing at the basket when attacks the rim – plus he had three steals and two blocks in 24 minutes and probably would have had more if not for two or three iffy whistles.

I would bet we’ll see a different level of energy when Clemson plays host to Boston College on Saturday afternoon.

Of course, it’s much easier to levy damage with a full-court press if you actually make shots to allow you to get into it – a problem that compounded the Tigers’ offensive miseries against the Dookies.

Basketball season really begins Sunday

On Christmas Eve, Clemson junior center Jerai Grant and family were visited at their home near Washington D.C. by Duke guard Nolan Smith, a close friend whom Grant competed with locally for years.

Sunday night’s ACC opener between the 21st-ranked Tigers (12-2) and 7th-ranked Blue Devils (11-1) was fast approaching, so conversation quickly steered to the 74-47 whipping Clemson levied at Littlejohn Coliseum last February.

It was Duke’s worst loss since the 1990 NCAA championship and its second-lowest scoring output in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s 29 seasons.

“Just talking to Nolan, there was so much frustration afterward, they thought about it the whole season,” Grant said.
“He was talking about how ready they are for us, how Coach K might come out with his jacket off already. It’s definitely something for us to think about.”

For those who didn’t know, or who find such theatrics lame in the first place, Krzyzewski threw off his sport coat during several late-season games as a motivational tactic to rile up the home fans and players.

That this means is even coming up in conversation related to Clemson illustrates how the Tigers’ recent rare success in the series.

Clemson has beaten Duke twice in a row, momentous considering the first of those – a 78-74 upset in the 2008 ACC tournament semifinals – snapped a 22-game series losing streak.

The last time the Tigers beat the Blue Devils in consecutive games was a three-game streak from the 1994-95 and ’95-96 seasons.

The next logical progression is undeniably a victory at hostile Cameron Indoor, where Clemson has lost 12 straight. In fact, after their last triumph there in January 1995, Krzyzewski took his, er, um, medical leave of absence for the rest of the year.

There are so many new faces in different roles for Clemson that I’m skeptical there will be much carry over from those last two wins.

But it will be interesting to see whether the Tigers play without regard for that advantageous air of invincibility Duke used to have.

A few other hoops thoughts:

Entering ACC play, Oliver Purnell said his team has two glaring shortcomings: turnovers and defensive rebounding.

I don’t think Clemson’s turnovers have been that big an issue. But rebounding will present a greater problem if the Tigers don’t display more interior muscle as they start facing teams with more athleticism and legit bigs than they did in nonconference play.

Clemson was out-rebounded on the defensive glass in both losses to Texas A&M and Illinois, as it was against Butler.

It’s not that the Tigers lack the personnel to be a capable rebounding squad. But it just seems to me they can be so soft on the glass – you’d need both hands to count the number of times each game a Clemson player positions himself well enough to snare the board, but doesn’t show strong enough hands to snatch it and hold on. And truth be told, the team’s most tenacious rebounder, IMO – energetic swingman Bryan Narcisse – has been the odd man out in the rotation recently because of his limited range in other aspects of the game.

Here, more than anywhere, is where the Tigers need frosh Devin Booker to develop.

Speaking of the freshmen class, here is Purnell’s take on whether the trio of Booker, forward Milton Jennings and wing Noel Johnson are as far along as he had hoped.

“I’d like for them to be LeBron James, but they’re a work in progress. Obviously I’d like them to be further along, but they’re making progress and are coming. They’re going to have some outstanding moments for us. But at this point, I’m concerned about the team.”

Still feel Clemson’s ceiling this year depends on how much or little the freshmen are giving the team by season’s end.

Right now, it’s little more than a spark here or there.

Grant is superior to Devin Booker in terms of defense and shot-blocking, but he basically has to be in the right place at the right time to contribute much offensively. Booker’s offensive touch, back-to-basket game and finishing strength at least seem to be increasingly coming to the forefront, and I expect Booker to log the majority of the minutes at center by season’s end.

As funny/ironic as it is, I’d argue that Johnson has been a poor man’s version of Terrence Oglesby so far. He scores in spurts from 3-point range, but his difficulties keeping track of defensive assignments has oftentimes negated his presence.

It was rather apparent in the preseason that Jennings would take a while to shed his tentativeness and adjust to the speed and flow of the college game. Yet because you can see the basketball IQ, a soft shooting touch and the desire to be a good defender, I didn’t think he’d still be a 12-minute per game player at this point in the season. But he just hasn’t been making a favorable impact on games yet, so I can see why Purnell is more inclined to go with Potter as his pick-and-pop 4.

The coaching theory goes that if your best player is your hardest worker, good things will follow.

Strange as it might sound, I think Clemson needs more consistent energy and effort from Trevor Booker.

Stars go and get the ball in decisive situations. Booker still has the maddening tendency to float in and out of games and not establish strong position on the low post, which allows teams with decent size and strength to body him into poor entry pass angles.

Booker is also almost unselfish to a fault.

Segues nicely to what Purnell believes are the team’s strengths through nonconference play:

“I love the way we share the ball, and we’re getting good, high quality shots. Defensively, we’ve been interested and understanding who we are and what it takes for us to be good.”

Still skeptical about the contention Clemson will be better off offensively without Terrence Oglesby. Statistically, perhaps, but not in terms of what Oglesby did to shoot the Tigers back into several pivotal games and make opponents shadow him. And I want to see how well the Tigers shoot from outside as they begin to face comparable or better perimeter athletes.

So far, though, Clemson could argue that Oglesby hasn’t been missed.

In nonconference play with Oglesby last year, Clemson shot 104-for-278 (37.4 percent) from 3-point range.

In nonconference play this year, Clemson shot 100-for-266 (37.6 percent).

Don’t have any numbers that can back up this statement, but it just seems like backup point Andre Young has been the second-most valuable player on this team. He makes open shots and always seems to be disruptive defensively.

Before the year, thought Clemson would need at least two freshmen to earn spots on the floor at games’ end in order for this to be a top-25 club.

Right now, I’d contend the most reliable lineup features Demontez Stitt and Young as the backcourt, Tanner Smith at the 3, then Trevor Booker with either David Potter or Jerai Grant, pending the matchup.

Soliciting votes for who you’d want on the free-throw line for Clemson with the outcome in doubt.

Because after a relative reprieve last year (68.8 percent, second-best in their last 14 years), the Tigers appear on the verge of mounting the latest in two decades’ worth of abysmal free-throw shooting seasons.

Clemson is shooting a horrid 62.6 percent, and fortunately for them has dragged its opponents down in the process (62.7 percent).

Stitt (72.7) has made enough clutch FTs in his career to get the nod, and Tanner Smith is at a relatively sharp 78.3 percent.

But Trevor Booker’s dip to 55.9 has to be disconcerting because he leads the team in attempts by far. And given the bricks posted by Grant (46.7) and Devin Booker (38.9), not sure I wouldn’t hack any Clemson post player in the final 4 minutes of a close contest.

Finally, a few other numbers perhaps worth noting going into the Duke game.

• Trevor Booker has exploited Duke’s recent lack of interior bulk the last two years, averaging 18.0 points on 23-of-32 shooting (71.9 percent) the last three meetings. Also, 17 of his 25 rebounds have come from the offensive glass.
• But only Potter has accumulated as many as 10 points in the two combined victories, so not sure how much carryover can be expected from Clemson’s two straight wins.
• The Blue Devils have shot just 30.8 percent from 3-point range in both losses, going 3-for-13 last year and 6-for-26 in the ACC tourney contest.
• In contrast, Duke ranks in the top 10 nationally this year at 43.3 percent and also leads in the ACC with 3-pointers made per game (8.8).
• Its top three scorers – guard Jon Scheyer, forward Kyle Singler and Smith – combined to shoot 4-for-23 from the field last year and 6-for-24 in the ACC tourney game.

Missing Marquan

It’s been 11 seasons since a Clemson receiver failed to log at least 50 catches (1998, Brian Wofford had 35).

Gotta wonder whether the Tigers will have any receiver get there next year.

If you’d have asked me who their “No. 1” guy in 2010 would be before this past year, I wouldn’t have paused.

Marquan Jones.

The same Jones who went largely MIA since the 2-3 start.

He did not play at receiver the last two games and logged 21 total snaps the previous four games. He finished with three catches the final nine games and 9-176 on the season.

Found a preseason blog where I suggested the Tigers were in trouble at receiver if Jones didn’t emerge as the clear-cut No. 2 behind Jacoby Ford.

Certainly didn’t think WR destitution would reach the depths it did. And certainly didn’t think Jones would qualify for milk carton consideration.

My best guesses had been that Jones’ continued case of the dropsies, coupled with being a far inferior run-blocker than Terrance Ashe, had been the root of his depth chart demise. Before the bowl game, OC Billy Napier also said he’d like to see Jones improve in terms of knowing the nuances for getting the right depth on his routes, reading defenders and adjusting accordingly, that sorta thing.

Rising seniors Xavier Dye and Terrance Ashe proved serviceable complimentary players this year and probably haven’t gotten their just due for their impact in springing so many of C.J. Spiller’s perimeter runs.

Sophomore tight end Dwayne Allen is my odds-on favorite to be next year’s leading pass-catcher, and the staff – Dabo Swinney in particular – cannot quit gushing praise over sophomore Jaron Brown – whom, it should be noted, registered one catch since his disaster at Maryland, too.

It’s possible that redshirting freshman Bryce McNeal leapfrogs into the rotation at the slot and flanker positions. Commitment DeAndre Hopkins could avoid redshirt, but I don’t think he’s an instant impact guy.

Methinks the wild card is Jones, who has flashed some nifty run-after-catch ability in his limited touches.

“There was a big-time learning curve,” Jones said. “But more important than my playing time was the kind of season we had, getting to the ACC championship. My role is to be unselfish.”

Coming of age

My goal next week is to produce a to-do wish list for Clemson’s offseason. And the more I’ve loosely brainstormed some ideas, the more one item has come front and center:

Show offensive coordinator Billy Napier some love.

That can obviously come in various forms – none more salient than a raise, of course.

With so much focus on the pulse of Clemson’s season – the program’s direction seemed to hang in the balance on a weekly basis – the first-year coordinator’s job in molding the offense has been relatively glossed over.

Sure, C.J. Spiller can make anyone look good.

But what the Tigers showed offensively since the Maryland game – sans only the USC debacle – was nothing short of impressive. No telling how many points Clemson might have put up the final two games if the defense hadn’t developed a nasty habit of allowing time-consuming 10-play drives.

It was very interesting before the Music City Bowl to hear Kentucky coach Rich Brooks suggest that the difference between Clemson from their 2006 bowl meeting was how its offense has become so much more difficult to plan to defend because of what Napier has done with his formations and pre-snap shifting.

Wasn’t that supposed to be Rob Spence’s modus operandi?

Just found it tremendously clever how he manipulated so many two-TE, two-WR sets to generate such a prolific offense – particularly factoring in how he managed to minimize the impact of Clemson lacking another bona fide pass-catching receiver beyond Jacoby Ford.

Before the season, Napier’s age and inexperience combo were viewed as a detriment; at 30, he’s the youngest coordinator among the six BCS conferences by nearly three years and entered the season as the fifth-youngest among 120 FBS programs.

But take what we’ve seen from him in terms of scheme, adjustments and game-planning, add it to how he helped develop Kyle Parker this season, then tack on the fairly reasonable belief he’s among the better assistant coaching recruiters in the region, if not nation – and well, that’s a pretty valuable commodity.

One that some SEC program with exponentially deeper pockets figures to try to pry away sooner rather than later, I’d bet.

40-year-old Dabo Swinney might be a tad young to name a head coach-in-waiting.

But suddenly the $200,000 salary Napier made this season – about double the $110,000 he got last year as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator – looks like a bargain.

The somewhat scrutinized move to promote Napier to coordinator appears a rather shrewd decision. Could it have been perhaps Swinney’s top move to date?

Music City mishmash

Few quick thoughts from Sunday night’s Music City Bowl, beyond the fact Clemson trumped my prediction.

Don’t know how much Clemson will really gain by the victory other than the chance to feel good about the season – which, actually, is pretty substantial.

But beating Kentucky was so important in the sense that the coaches and players get to avoid eight months of scrutiny and venom that would have spewed if the Tigers had lost to another middle-of-the-pack SEC squad to close on a three-game skid.

I don’t know if Swinney will guide Clemson to the level its fans desire or deem reasonable. But I don’t think there’s any question he and staff are held to a much higher standard because some are leftovers from the Tommy Bowden era, and I think the firestorm that would have ensued if they had lost would have been unfair considering the Tigers finally won the Atlantic.

We’ve kinda known this for awhile, but the game was validation that Clemson will probably be alright at running back despite C.J. Spiller’s departure.

Jamie Harper was Ron Dayne with another gear. Was speaking with former Detroit Lions prez Matt Millen beforehand about how C.J. Spiller will fit in the NFL, and Millen brought up Andre Ellington on his own.

Don’t know if that’s a compliment or curse given Millen’s track record, but I like Millen, so I’m going with the latter.

That said, as I write in tomorrow’s 5 future questions piece, the biggest concern might be who will the QB have to throw to in order to unclog the line of scrimmage? TE Dwayne Allen is the leader in the clubhouse, but there still isn’t a receiver who has shown capable of handling even the No. 2 pass-catcher role.

Spiller got bowl MVP, and when putting the value in valuable, it’s hard to argue otherwise.

But I’m not sure anyone had a better game than senior weak-side linebacker Kavell Conner. He was a beast in run support.

And what a stellar one-armed tackle by senior DE Ricky Sapp on Kentucky QB Morgan Newton, stopping Newton a half-yard short of a first down on the fourth-and-8 scramble with 5:37 left. It’s indeed a game of inches.

My siblings were in Montana last week when it was minus-22 degrees. I’d argue it might have felt colder in blustery LP Field. Don’t know if you could tell it on TV, but it was actually snowing in the second half.

Interesting decision by Kentucky to use/waste its second timeout at the end of the third quarter in order to force Clemson to punt into the wind. But the conditions definitely impacted both teams, from Kentucky’s 14-yard punt to Richard Jackson’s 44-yard field goal attempt that was batted down by the jet stream.

Swinney joked afterward that Spiller and Sapp had consequently proven capable of excelling in cold-weather NFL climates like Green Bay or Buffalo.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele maintained he didn’t make any different calls against Kentucky’s “wildcat” package with receiver Randall Cobb at quarterback. But after the Wildcats chewed them up with it for more than a quarter, whatever they did to improve execution worked.

Telling stat for Clemson’s defensive struggles down the stretch — in the fourth quarter, Clemson forced its first three-and-out in 22 series, a drought dating to the USC game.