mogrits on 
AParker on 
Willy Mac on #23 Clemson (2-1, 1-0) vs. South Carolina State University (2-1, 0-0) Saturday, September 20, 1 PM EST, ESPN360, XM 192. Live Feed from 104.9 here.
Note: I’ll also be liveblogging the game right here tomorrow.
The Line: off
Edge goes to:
Offense: Clemson
Defense: Clemson
Special Teams: Again, Clemson
Intangibles:Clemson is 22-3 in nonconference home games since 2000. As we reported earlier, Bowden has sought to ratchet up the intensity level (2008 college football buzz-phrase of the year: SENSE OF URGENCY) so hopefully the Tigers will respond on the field.
Our Panel of Sandwich Artists Say:
Chili: SC State, like our previous FCS opponent The Citadel, is a good team (for an FCS squad). There’s been a lot of talk about Bowden wanting more toughness from his team. One of my friends, who is a former Clemson player under Coach Bowden, told me that going in full pads wasn’t necessarily going to make the team tougher and more ready to play. He told me “the coaches write the attire for the day on a big board in Jervey. You walk down that hallway just hoping to hell that you see ‘shells and shorts’ and not ‘full pads.’ It’s not great for morale.” Whether the current team feels this way is up for debate, but we know that after a long week of busting teammates’ heads, the chance to crush an opponent is a welcome respite. I think Clemson will come out with a bit more fire than they did against The Citadel, but at the same time I don’t think a week in full pads will remedy the problems with pass protection and offensive line play.
Clemson 45, SC State 10
Willy Mac: As you might already know, I’m “off hunting the Sasquatch in an undisclosed location.” Actually I’m outside Hayden, Colorado hunting for elk, antelope, and also I’m doing a little fishing in some streams (Thanks dad!)
A few quick notes here: I have zero cell phone reception, which is a good thing in my mind; I love the Rocky Mountains; The airport is similar to the one from Mr. Deeds; Coors light is actually really good out here; I shot the first elk of the trip… I got him from 225 yards off and he dropped immediately… WHAMMY; If South Carolina and Colorado has a white trash-off, we’d get blown out… It kinda reminds me of Canadians in that they have the same exact accent, except they’re Americans; Lastly, NO ESPN 360. Thanks a lot
Now, onto the game. This will be an excellent chance for us to take out some well deserved punishment on a D1-AA team. SC State is good though for their divison so don’t be fooled there. They’re not as good as the Citadel, but good none the less. If we’re going to actually come up with an idea and gameplan for Maryland, we need to implement some of it in game speed against SC State. I hope we do use game as a momentum springboard into next week. We’re going to cruise, but it’s boring through the first quarter and a half.
Clemson 41, SC State 13
Elk head after we sent it to get cut up
1Tom
on Sep 19, 2008 at 10:27 am:
I’m going to agree with the anonymous friend… at the college level, one day a week is good enough for full pads. Practicing in full pads doesn’t create toughness… fundamentals, technique, and character create toughness. We all know Bowden can’t coach the fundamentals or proper technique. He still thinks a 2 point stance is a good philosophy for O-line (I mean so many other successful teams use that… like… um…. uh….) So really, the only way we’re going to see any toughness is from the character of our players: are they going to decide they’re tired of getting ridiculed in the media? Are they going to dig down and play football like they’re a junior in high school trying to get attention from recruiters?
2Chili
on Sep 19, 2008 at 10:34 am:
Excellent points all around, Tom.
3Broken Gnome
on Sep 19, 2008 at 11:06 am:
Speculating here, I’d guess that a team’s reaction to full pads reflects their toughness rather than changes their toughness. Tough teams would want full pads so that they could hit each other. Soft teams would dread full pads because, like, gosh, they’re football players, they’re not supposed to be endangered.
As for the 2-point stance, I thought that was Spence’s doing, and not TB’s.
4Daniel
on Sep 19, 2008 at 12:01 pm:
I don’t really think toughness has alot to do with wanting to wear full pads in practice or not. That just comes down to the daily grind. The players know that if they are in full pads then it’s going to be alot harder day because the intensity will (or should be) higher. I take more offense to Bowden wanting to make us ‘tough’ now. Toughness is not really a variable that can come-and-go. It’s a mindset that should be established from the first day of spring practice, through the summer workouts and into the fall. Bowden can’t just magically decide he’s goin to make his team tough through hard practices.
5madmac corleone
on Sep 19, 2008 at 12:26 pm:
I thought it was a 1 PM kickoff this week.
6Chili
on Sep 19, 2008 at 12:29 pm:
madmac, you’re right, I’ve changed it.
7Charlie
on Sep 19, 2008 at 12:41 pm:
I dont think its a reflection on the team that they don’t want to wear full pads either. I mean, if youre any age, you dont want to get beat up. Most of us are young here, and we’re all a little bit lazy right? Just be honest with yourself, do any of us posting want to get knocked around all afternoon in practice? You’ve been in class all day, your brain is tired, and you really only want to go home and play NCAA 2009 or Madden against your roommates.
That said, if I was a coach I’d still have them in pads the first half of every week, until the end of the season when I think its helpful to not wear full pads as much.
On that latter point, if any of you remember the great 49er teams of the 80s and early 90s, those guys didnt practice in pads at the end of the season, and they always finished strong.
8Broken Gnome
on Sep 19, 2008 at 1:50 pm:
Now that I think about it, when I define toughness I include mental toughness, whereas everyone else is talking about physical toughness. So, you guys are right in that the reaction to the announcement of full pads doesn’t reflect physical toughness, but it reflects mental toughness. Without mental toughness, with players preferring video games to a challenging practice, a team isn’t going to contend for anything.
I will add, that if this team is lacking in mental toughness (notice the “if”), then the blame goes to the coaching staff for either failing to instill mental toughness, or failing to recruit guys with mental toughness.
9Grips
on Sep 19, 2008 at 3:30 pm:
I heard your boy Lalich got kicked off the team, maybe there should be a memorial.
10madmac corleone
on Sep 19, 2008 at 11:40 pm:
Nice trophy Willie Mac…Maybe Tommy should take the boys elk huntin’ instead of to church to instill some of dat “toughness” Joe B. was talkin’ ’bout….Do they allow people in dreds and corn-rows to elk hunt????
11Lawtonfunk
on Sep 20, 2008 at 8:18 am:
Willy, nice Elk, man. That’s awesome.
12madmac corleone
on Sep 21, 2008 at 10:09 pm:
What in the world happened to the live blog of the SCSU game?????? I was looking forward for something to read whilst listening to the game other than T-Net!! Was the chili tainted????
13Chili
on Sep 22, 2008 at 9:48 am:
A couple things happened to the liveblog. 1, I got through most of the 1st quarter and had no comments, 2, the game was moving very fast b/c of so many running plays that it was impossible to keep up, and 3, I was sleepy from staying out till 4 the previous night and took a nap.
My bad.
14madmac corleone
on Sep 22, 2008 at 12:23 pm:
A nap? During a Clemp-son game???? I think that makes you a COOOOOOT!!!!
See, been hanging around t-net for too long…
Oh well, enjoyed the 1st quarter anyway….’preciate the effort…