Spiller gets wall-to-wall coverage
Preseason Heisman Trophy campaigns might be slightly more meaningful than … well, the lists of preseason position rankings and predictions for ACC finish that are being churned out (and will continue to be here as well, over the course of the next week or so). But not by much.
Every player is technically a candidate and in the race. Some just have considerably greater staying power than others.
Any breathing Heisman voter – or media outlet with an influence in a voter’s decision – should be well-aware of Clemson running back C.J. Spiller and his difference-making skills.
That hasn’t deterred the university from launching a Spiller-for-Heisman preseason campaign nonetheless, even though it (wisely) abstained from the notion of launching one for Cullen Harper before last season, opting for a wait-and-see approach.
The school plans to distribute these 6-foot lifesize posters (Spiller is listed as 5-11, for the record) to about 700 media outlets as well as make about 4,000 available to the public for free Wednesday (namely at Bi-Los in the Clemson area).
In these dire economic times when every expenditure deserves to be scrutinized, it’s reasonable to question the necessity of the campaign – as well as the legitimacy for his chances of at least becoming a finalist.
But I find it hard to argue that this decision doesn’t come out looking like relative pennies well-spent.
Two sponsors ponied $5,000 apiece as well as covered the $10,000 in printing costs.
Thus, Clemson is only on the hook for the estimated $1,000 mailing costs to media.
And hope is priceless.
New coach Dabo Swinney, whose resume is highlighted by his recruitment of Spiller, understandably tooted Spiller’s horn at the January announcement for Spiller’s return, playfully suggesting Clemson could go ahead and crank up a Heisman campaign.
Anyone who has witnessed Swinney’s affinity for bells and whistles should have recognized he wasn’t kidding.
Not that such promotional campaigns from universities haven’t become trite. I guarantee colleagues at the newspaper I used to work for I guarantee had never watched Xavier’s basketball team; but they grew to recognize the likes of David West and Romain Soto because of the bobblehead dolls and promotional trinkets that piled up on my desk.
So I’m sure there’s probably some marketing value to establishing name recognition for your standout player among media types who haven’t gotten the chance to see them.
I think it’s fair to predict Spiller’s chances of even being invited to New York as a Heisman finalist are remote – for any number of reasons excluding his individual talent.
First and foremost, all three finalists from a year ago are back, and it would take a precipitous demise for Florida QB Tim Tebow, Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford or Texas QB Colt McCoy to not make the cut.
Tebow’s a given for career achievement alone, and you have to think either Oklahoma or Texas will emerge from the Big 12 again, maintaining its QB’s profile. Bradford’s status as the clear-cut top NFL QB prospect in next year’s class only helps his case, too.
To stay in consideration (stating the obvious here), your team has to do well, you have to post ridiculous statistics (unless you’re on a top-5 team) and you need name recognition.
Spiller possesses the latter as well as the skill to accrue the statistical production. What he requires is at least a Clemson run to the ACC title game as well as a substantial stat spike from his junior year (1,065 rushing and receiving yards combined, 11 total TDs), because there are a number of other players (Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant, Cal RB Jahvid Best, probably Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor or Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead) whom should be able to make a case for their inclusion as well if they perform as expected.
So it seems premature to consider Spiller more than a distant darkhorse at this stage.
Yet if I was in Clemson’s shoes, I’d be touting him as a “candidate,” too.
Mainly, seeing as you cannot pay players per NCAA rules (which I agree with), the campaign amounts to a gesture showing Clemson’s appreciation for what Spiller did for the program by returning:
- He prevented 2009 from being viewed as a rebuilding year, which provides a morale boost impossible to quantify.
- He gave a young/unproven offensive coaching staff a toy to work with in a season where it needs to establish a schematic identity and develop credibility for recruiting purposes.
- His return probably cushioned Clemson’s decline in season ticket sales.
Considering the amount of money every program frivolously spends to pamper recruits and its athletes, Clemson could have paid the full $21,000 to start up the campaign and still reaped more than it had sewn.
Coincidentally, the university wanted to sell the posters as it did with its William Perry poster promotion (for the Lombardi and Outland Trophy awards) 25 years ago, donating the funds to charity. But the NCAA has changed its rules since, disallowing the sale of such items (although I’m not sure how it technically differs from, say, a gameday program).
The timing of the campaign’s kickoff is hardly coincidental. Swinney will hold Clemson’s annual coach/media golf outing and press conference Tuesday. And Spiller will be joined by defensive end Ricky Sapp as Clemson’s two player representatives for the ACC’s media kickoff Sunday-Monday in Greensboro, N.C.
So you’ll likely be hearing or reading a lot about Spiller in the coming week.
19 Comments to “Spiller gets wall-to-wall coverage”
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Clemson Beat writer Paul Strelow blogs about Clemson University athletics.
Hang this right next to the “Mark Sanford for President” poster, because neither one has a chance of happening.
He has about as much of a chance of winning the Heisman as I have of going to my first Michael Jackson concert.
Yeah;just like minnesucka will never win the big 11 and USuCk will never win the SEC east.CJ won’t win because of media bias against CU.If the popularity contest known as the Heisman was actually based on what it was supposed to be;he would have a very legitimate shot.
Spiller won’t win unless Clemson goes 11-1 and he runs for 2,000 yards. the chances of both happening are very slim. That is just how the Heisman vote goes these days. It’s not a media bias against Clemson. Adrian Peterson didn’t win a Heisman, so it really wouldn’t be a bad thing. He could certainly get invited to NYC, but like the article said, even that is slim.
He’s the best player in the nation, by a wide margin. Tebow is a great college quarterback, but there is no more dangerous player in the nation than CJ Spiller. He’s now a household name and every time he touches the ball, the entire nation (and Canada) holds their breath.
Every school would sacrifice their top three players to have him.
Yes, it’s true.
The only fear is injury. Other than that, the hardware is his.
Spiller has as much chance to win the heisman as nancy pelosi has to be the next president. What a way to waste their money. Maybe they could all pitch in and buy an acc title.
All of the above is true, but……..he is as good a running back as there is in college football. I am happy he is a tiger but imagine if he played for a powerhouse…USC,Texas,Okla, Fla…..he just might have a chance then.
You’ve got to be kidding. You don’t have enough money to spend on publicity for him to win the trophy. Clemson will be lucky to finish 8-4 so save your money. He’s a good back but not that great.
Spiller is a long-shot for Heisman, but I still think it’s money well spent. It helps raise Clemson’s national profile– which is good for recruiting and for attracting academically better kids to the student body. (ESPN showed and talked about their poster of Spiller on their “College Football Live” show last week. Great exposure.) It helps recruiting by showing potential recruits that the school will promote them if they do well. It helps motivate players since they know that the school will promote them for national awards if they do well. It boosts morale. And, if it ends up helping Spiller make more money in the NFL by raising his profile, I’ll bet he’ll donate even more money to Clemson, which will easily offset Clemson’s $1000 expenditure.
If the campaign helps get CJ into the conversation at the beginning of the season, it will get Clemson TV time during Sports Center and all the other college football shows that fans and recruits watch. That helps sell tickets and puts Clemson in the mind of kids thinking about schools Those 1 or 2 minutes of exposure week after week are big. If your school won’t put your name out there, why would the media bother. If all they do is say he has no shot, they’re still talkiing about him. I say, good move.
as a vt fan, i can only speak about the 2 occasions that ive witnessed spillers play: 2006, 10 rushes for 40 yards; 2007, 6 rushes for 9 yards. clemson was ranked in the top 25 in both games, and both ended in losses…
Spiller for Heisman? Do the cheetahs not realize that the award is for the best player in college football?
“Sown” not “sewn”. (sorry to be the grammar police)
Cockhornleghorn Says:
July 21st, 2009 at 8:26 pm
“Spiller for Heisman? Do the cheetahs not realize that the award is for the best player in college football?”
Since when?
I heard a sports caster say Spiller had five 100 yard rushing games as a freshman in the last two years he has had a total of three 100 yard rushing games. Does that really sound like the type of player you should be touting for the Heisman. Based on these stats Spiller won’t even be the best back in the ACC much less stand a chance to win a Heisman.
You people are ridiculous….. south carolina fans shut up you guy suck so bad and he destroyed you last year. This guy has had to play back up becasue #1 Tommy bowden is stupid #2 James Davis should have left his JR year #3 This guy is so fast that he will still blow by people at the next level. He’s faster than reggie bush and has barry sanders moves. Hell let the guy try. He will be the ACC all time record holder for the All Purpose Yards, by states and him taking over the carries Davis spoiled if he keeps his average of 5.5 yards per carry he will rush for over 1,500 yds just by touching th ball over twice as much. What if Clemson blows people away this year. You never know! I say its slim that he will win, but you have to admit he is legit! In those games that he had low yardage…How many touches did he get!? The guy maybe be the most underrated play in the country. So dropped the biased smirk and realize he better than any player on your squad. South Carolina your a JOKE! I would only listen to VTech Fans who can make any claims….they actually win games. I am also a big Vtech fan….but I am a Huge Spiller fan and Clemson. Double his roduction that what you will see this year. He only got to start one game last year..missed 3 games hurt. Just give him a chance and we’ll see what happens this season
sorry for the typos
oh OH Wait it just got really quiet! You know What let’s per say coach Dabo let’s spiller run all over south carolina let’s say no restraints on blow out material and he breaks some record against South carolina…..Then would that end the USC FANS thinking process that they are lol on top of the college football world at this moment. I don’t want bad things for South Carolina but man your fans stick true to the name “cocky!”
South Carolina fans are morons! S.C should join a conference that they can actually COMPETE in anyway….like maybe the SOCON! They could hire God himself to coach them and they would still suck!I’m gonna laugh when Spurrier leaves Columbia and gives up! Get over it , Spiller makes your defense look like IDIOTS everytime he carries against them. He has a legitimate shot , but the media’s LOVE AFFAIR with USC,Tebow, and Ohio State will prevent him from winning.