GT game balls, recap
GAME BALLS
WR Aaron Kelly
So that is what happens when Clemson looks downfield for its primary 6-foot-5 target. Kelly (seven catches, 122 yards) hauled in two touchdown catches to tie the school record for career receiving scores, a mark that stood since 1951.
DT Dorell Scott
After a slow start to his senior season, the 6-3, 320-pounder out of Ridge View High appears to be playing to his NFL potential. Scott manhandled Georgia Tech’s interior linemen en route to a career-high 10 tackles, doubling his highest output of the season.
WHAT WENT RIGHT
For what it is and isn’t worth, the team has rallied around enthusiastic interim coach Dabo Swinney. At least the schematic offensive approach was more aesthetically pleasing, even if it did not spurn an increase in production. To that end, the concerted effort toward more vertical passes ridded players of their sense of passivity. Sixteen of Georgia Tech’s 52 carries went for 2 yards or less, as by and large the defense did a superlative job of executing assignments against an unorthodox option attack.
WHAT WENT WRONG
It cannot be a good thing when the day’s most memorable moment was the players’ pregame walk to the stadium. Can this ship really have sunk that far so fast? Otherwise, just recite the checklist of recurring issues. Negate a defensive gem by allowing the decisive fourth-quarter score? Yep. The offense trip over itself again? A debatable holding call wrapped that up. And it seems plausible that regardless of which coaches left, this team’s fatal flaw is its offensive line.
KEY STAT
In each of its last three games – losses by 5, 4 and 3 points — Clemson has led in the fourth quarter.
INJURY UPDATE
Senior quarterback Cullen Harper should return to practice Tuesday after undergoing surgery Sunday morning to have bone fragments removed from his left, non-throwing shoulder. Harper is expected to start the next game, Nov. 1 at Boston College. Redshirt freshman quarterback Willy Korn (bruised throwing shoulder) is questionable.
QUOTABLE
“Next to running down the hill, it was the most unbelievable thing I’ve done since I’ve been at Clemson. As the buses pulled up, coach Swinney told us to put our headphones in our bags. I looked into the parking lot and tears started rolling into my eyes. After all we’ve been through this season, to see that many fans were still behind us, it felt like a new start.†– senior defensive tackle Jock McKissic, on the inaugural “Tiger Walk†to the stadium
THE BUZZ
How would Clemson’s fan base responded if Tommy Bowden had used the same words and positive tone as Swinney did in his post-game press conference? Probably not as forgiving, if not indifferent. Hard to believe this team needs four wins in its final five games to achieve bowl eligibility.
UP NEXT
After a bye this week, the Tigers (3-4, 1-3) travel to Boston College (5-1, 2-1), which is in a four-way tie for the Atlantic Division lead. Clemson has lost all three meetings since the Eagles joined the ACC, but none by more than three points.
7 Comments to “GT game balls, recap”
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Clemson Beat writer Paul Strelow blogs about Clemson University athletics.
Paul,
Though the loss this weekend was unfortunate, a few things happened that I am really excited about (and every Tiger fan should be too). The team actually looked like they wanted to be out there playing football. I give a lot of credit to Dabo for this. They showed a clip on television where he made the kicker go back on the field because he walked off after he had a bad kick. After a very short “criticismâ€, Dabo made him go back and run off the field. I think that was great. He is disciplining these guys and holding them accountable to the rest of the team and that is what they need right now. Thumbs up to Dabo!!!
I have a serious question though. What in the world was Terry Don Philips doing on the sidelines during the game? That isn’t where he belongs at all. How does TDP expect Dabo to do his job without him breathing down his neck? If you have ever worked for a micro-manager, you know what I am talking about. That cannot continue. It makes me wonder what really goes on behind the scenes in the Clemson athletic department.
Loco,
Terry Don’s not a micro-manager. I think you can question why he’s close enough to speak to Dabo at the end of the game, but I have no doubt … none … he was irate at the holding call on C Thomas Austin. Terry Don gets pretty worked up during games. But he certainly wasn’t breathing down Dabo’s neck. There isn’t a person who’s in Dabo’s corner deeper than Terry Don; that’s why someone w/o coordinator experience got the interim job to begin with.
That moment w/ P Dawson Zimmerman was pretty funny, too.
Paul,
Thanks for clearing that up for me. Keep up the good work!
Why do they call it “running down the hill” when at most they jog?
I still saw some nice negative yardage pass plays, a Clemson tradition as of late. Keep the tradition rolling.
Loco,
Think of it this way. If Dabo is a serious candidate (and all indications are that he is a candidate) why would TDP NOT be on the sidelines observing his candidate. Think about it, it is a rare opportunity to observe a potential head coach in action in his element. I doubt Vandy would let TDP hang out on the sidelines this week.
I commend TDP and believe him 100% that the discussion was in regards to the holding penalty. Terry did not do a bad job on his last high profile coaching search (despite the fact that I and many others had never uttered the name Oliver Purnell before he was announced) and I have confidence he will do the right thing this time as well.
Hmmmm how about HC Will Muschamp OC and Assistant head coach Dabo Swinney….has a nice ring to it huh?
How about HC Lae Kiffin and DC legendary defensive coach Monte Kiffin?