The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 29, 2004, Page 14, Image 14
Clemson finally realizes
what it’s like to take on
some serious firepower
■ Tigers’ rocky schedule
could culminate in a
crucial match-up with USC
“Charlie Whitehurst is sacked again.”
“Whitehurst has thrown his third
interception of the game.”
“The long snapper completely botched
that snap, and it could cost the Tigers the
f “Clemson now
falls to 1-3 on the
| All of these are
L, sound bites you may
have heard on the
radio or on television
JONATHAN if you have followed
HILLYARD the Clemson Tigers’
2004 season.
SECOND-YEAR What has caused
PRINT •
JOURNALISM this *Juad. which was
STUDENT touted as being one of
the best Clemson
teams in recent memory, to fall into the
depths of mediocrity? Well, the answer is
very simple, and it is something all USC
fans can sorely relate to. It’s called a big-time
college football conference.
The Gamecocks doomed themselves to
mediocrity when they left the ACC,
previously known by myself and others as
Another Crappy Conference, in 1971.
Then USC really put a dagger in its
national championship hopes when it
joined the SEC in 1992. I am not saying
that Carolina can’t win conference
championships in the SEC — it is just
extremely difficult. Perennial powers
Georgia, Tennessee and Florida plague the
USC football team every season and keep
the Gamecocks from not only
championships, but also bowl berths.
That is just one half of the SEC Eastern
division. Not to mention that, depending
on the year, USC must get past an LSU,
Auburn, Alabama or Ole Miss in the
Western division.
Clemson, until this year, has been
oblivious to such struggles. Annual
meetings with North Carolina, Duke and
Wake Forest have made reaching a bowl
game damn near easy in recent years. Oh
how I smiled when I heard that the likes of
Miami and Virginia Tech would bolster
the most overrated conference in the
i
nation.
Now the Tigers face a schedule which, to
be honest, ptobably only gets tougher. No
longer is a game against Florida State the
end of your troubles for the season. This
team, which sorely needed to be 3-0 after
meetings with mediocre Wake Forest,
Georgia Tech and Texas A&M, now needs
five wins in its last seven games to become
bowl-eligible. This is the same Clemson
team that was ranked No. 15 in the
preseason.
From where will those wins have to
come? I’m glad you asked. Barring a great
performance next week, the Tigers will
lose at Virginia, who looks like a true
heavyweight early in the season. Then the
upstate agricultural college will return
home to face Utah State, presumably a
win, or let’s hope so for Tommy Bowden’s
sake. So at my prediction of 2-4, Clemson
needs four more wins.
The Tigers will then face a two-game,
must-win home stand against NC State
and Maryland, two very formidable foes.
Bowl eligibility will drown if they lose
both of these contests. Then — and USC
fans, prepare to chuckle — Clemson
travels to Coral Gables, Fla., to take on
Miami. Yes, sports fans, Miami of Florida.
That’s an L if I’ve seen one.
Which finally, best-case scenario in my
mind, brings Clemson to Duke at 4-5. An
easy win against a traditional ACC doormat
will push the Tigers to 5-5.
Are any of you beginning to see the
irony? Could Clemson possibly enter its
final game at home needing a win against its
bitter in-state rival to become bowl eligible?
It’s very possible, and what a way to end the
season. After falling to the Tigers in back-to
back years when a bowl berth is on the line,
what would be more perfect than the
Gamecocks leaving Clemson with their
opponents’ hopes dashed?
Anyway, 1 won’t get ahead of myself. But
how nice is it that after falling to the
Georgias, the Floridas and the Tennessees,
Clemson finally has to show up to more
than two games a year to be bowl eligible?
After seeing USC falter in big game after big
game, I am just glad the Tigers have to play
some. Welcome to real college football,
Clemson.
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This week’s games:
6 West Virginia at Virginia Tech Mississippi St. at Vanderbilt
Arkansas at 16 Florida 4 Miami at Georgia Tech
15 Purdue at Notre Dame Colorado at Missouri
13 LSU at 3 Georgia 10 California at Oregon St.
8 Auburn at 10 Tennessee USC at Alabama
♦ FOR TIE-BREAKING PURPOSES, PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR SCORE
FOR THE USC-ALABAMA GAME. AND DON’T FORGET YOUR NAME!
--:
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Texas A&M’s Byron Jones, left, intercepts a pass intended for Clemson’s Chansi Stuckey
as Texas A&M’s Jonte Buhl helps during the Sept. 18 game at College Station, Texas.
Bowden eases midseason rears
By PETE IACOBELLI
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Clemson coach Tommy
Bowden says it’s not time to
panic. He got that Monday on
good authority.
After the Tigers’ third-straight
loss this past Saturday left them 1
3, Bowden worked the phones to
discuss technique with several of
the game’s leading coaches,
including Oklahoma’s Bob
Stoops, Southern Cal’s Pete
Carroll and Michigan’s Lloyd
Carr.
What he found was that
Clemson was not that far away
from a 3-1 start. That’s the
message he’ll give his players
during an off-week before they go
against No. 12 Virginia on Oct. 7.
“The problem is not a major
-1
overhaul,” Bowden said by phone
Tuesday. “I’ve got to make sure
whatever’s being said, (the
players) understand what needs to
be addressed.”
Right now, that’s turnovers.
Clemson has had 10 interceptions
and four fumbles through four
games this year while forcing only
two turnovers — a minus 12
margin that’s among the worst in
Division I-A.
All the coaches Bowden talked
to Monday, which included
Colorado State’s Sonny Lubick
and East Carolina’s John
Thompson, told him turnovers
are cyclical — as long as you keep
good technique, things will
eventually fall your way.
“The worm will eventually
turn,” Bowden said.
Maybe not fast enough for
some. Bowden’s heard of some
outsiders wanting wholesale
changes on offense and defense. It’s
a natural reaction to problems, but
Bowden says he’s learned through
28 years in the coaching profession
that it doesn’t pay to act too fast.
There will changes before the
Tigers return to action in two
weeks. Barry Richardson and
Nathan Bennett will start on the
offensive line. AntKony Waters
and Nick Watkins will split time
at a linebacker slot. Duane
Coleman will return to start at
tailback after his preseason foot
injury. And Curtis Baham will get
the call over Kelvin Grant in
Clemson’s three-receiver sets.
Mosdy, though, Bowden will use
the free week to improve execution
in getting and stopping turnovers.
There are things you can do, he said,
to get better. On defense, you can
rip fingers from a football or get
more players to the ball carrier in
hopes of jarring it loose.
■ ODOM
Continued from page 13
were much improved since last season,
when USC went 23-11 and secured an
NCAA tournament berth.
“Defensively, I see us as being at least
as good as we were last year, hopefully
better,” Odom said. “Offensively, I
know we will, be better.”
One aspect of his team Odom must
address this season is the void in the post
left by departed seniors Kerbrell Brown
and Rolando Howell.
Six-foot-8-inch junior Antoine Tisby
and 6-foot-9-inch sophomore Brandon
Wallace will look to add presence at the
position. Odom is especially impressed
with newcomer Tisby, a junior college
transfer from Kansas City.
“He certainly has the ability to be
what we need in the post,” Odom said.
“He’s big, he’s strong and he’s
skilled.”
Wallace, a swingman capable of
playing three different positions, has
worked to improve on his slight, 195
pound frame in the offseason.
“(Wallace) has some definition in his
body now,” Odom said. “It gives him
the opportunity to stay on the court
without getting beat up.
“We had to pick our spots with him
last year, because he didn’t have the
strength you need to play in the SEC game
in and game out.”
Odom is looking for leadership more
than anything as practice gets underway.
Senior Mike Boynton was the team’s
floor leader last season, but Odom said
that one specific player does not
necessarily have to emerge.
“We still need to establish a leader to
replace Mike,” Odom said. “Or we will
have to replace him by committee. Either
way is OK with me as long as it happens.”
USC opens its play at the Colonial
Center with an exhibition against USC
Upstate Nov. 8. The first regular season
game for the Gamecocks will be at home
against Western Carolina Nov. 21.
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gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu
■ FOOTBALL
Continued from page 13
and play the way that he has.”
Injuries — For the first time this
season, the team got through a game
without sustaining any serious injuries.
No one who played against Troy will
miss the Alabama game. The
Gamecocks will still be without corner
Jonathan Joseph (foot) and freshman
receiver Sydney Rice (knee). Those two
could be joined by Summers on the
sideline.
Defense — In its first year under
coordinator Rick Minter, the defense is
off to a great start. The unit is ranked
16th in the nation in total defense and
ninth in scoring defense. In its last
outing, the defense held Troy to just
nine first downs and 207 total yards.
“Defensively, we played well,” Holtz
said. “Once we got into the rhythm, I
thought we played complete as a team.”
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu
■ VOLLEYBALL
Continued from page 13
season and 3,279 for her career.
Knytych is closing in on third place on
the all-time Lady Vols assist list, held by
Wendy Jones with 3,541 from 1986-89.
The Gamecocks must keep their
confidence level high as they battle
Tennessee tonight at 7 p.m. at the USC
Volleyball Competition Facility.
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