mogrits on 
AParker on 
Willy Mac on BASKETBALL WINS AGAIN
As mentioned in the previous post, our 12th ranked basketball team beat Alabama last night by a score of 66-59. Booker led the scoring with 19 points, many of which didn’t come easy. He also had some key rebounds. He showed fire and hustle while staying out of foul trouble which we all know was a big issue in previous years. Those are huge numbers for a guy who was well known in his first two seasons as the guy expected to foul out in tough games. We’ve put together a chart looking at his fouls from last year and this year.
As you can see, he’s on the right track as he has 22 now through 15 games (according to the accuracy of the website). This is a huge improvement because he already had 30 fouls through 13 games at this time last year. It should also be taken into consideration that these numbers don’t have as much weight to them as we’ve yet to hit the real meat of our schedule.
Lastly, it’s good to see someone out there in the major media is speaking out in favor of our basketball team.
SPILLER STILL UNDECIDED
CJ Spiller is still rolling his tongue around on the NFL Draft issue. Word on the street is that both he and Jacoby Ford should have heard back from the evaluation board as of last night. The deadline to declare is January 15th. In the article it states that he will probably make his decision later rather than sooner as he won’t be hurried or pressured. He is expected to be at classes which start today.
FOOTBALL STAFF BEGINNING TO FIND ITSELF
Kevin Steele is expected to take the defensive coordinator position. We all know that. It’s solidified by the fact that he was moving into his office yesterday even before the background check was finalized. What is interesting about this article is that Napier says he’s going to relinquish the recruiting coordinator position to Chris Rumph or Jeff Scott, which can be taken as a nod that they’ll most likely stay. Giving Rumph the position would be a huge upswing considering the talent that he’s brought in already. An interesting hint dropped by Ed McGranahan takes form in the following quote:
With new offensive and defensive coordinators joining Coach Dabo Swinney’s staff, there should be keen interest in the Tigers’ look next fall.
This must mean that Napier is also turning over the reigns as offensive coordinator and will most likely assume the full time duty of quarterbacks coach. This may also lead to Dabo turning his attention to finding a play caller after he hires Steele and assuming a field general role next season. Whether or not it’s McCorvey is still uncertain, but it is probably more likely now that he is just there to help Dabo get on his feet rather than to actually assume a coaching position now that the coup is finalized.
SPRING PRACTICE/GAME DATES SET
Via the article linked in the last section, spring practice will start on Saturday, March 7th and the game will be on April 12th.
CLEMSON LAWSUIT
Of course The State, being filled to the brim with South Carolina graduates and Gamecock fans, is going to be reporting any dirt they can find on Clemson University. All I know is that I waited until a few weeks till my insurance ran out, busted my laptop to pieces, and got a new one for free. Let’s just hope I fried my motherboard too. I ran over it with a truck so you’d figure everything should be fine.
1zombiejohnccalhoun
on Jan 7, 2009 at 9:17 am:
Not that anyone’s word apparently means anything anymore, but didn’t CJ say that if Dabo got the job, he’d stay? Of course, seeing what happened to Davis this year, I can see why he might be hesitant to stay.
As for this lawsuit, this guy’s been suing Clemson since the day he cleaned out his office. As near as I can tell, he has no legitimate case but just wants to try to smear those who fired him with whatever little scraps of dirt he may or may not have. Hopefully the judge will see this, too, and fine/jail him for filing a frivolous suit.
2Daniel
on Jan 7, 2009 at 10:28 am:
Spiller, personally, would be a fool not to go pro unless he is graded poorly by the scouts. If he is within the top 3 rounds he should run for the hills after witnessing first-hand what happened with Davis. Ford on the other hand should stay in school. I can’t imagine he’d get a favorable draft grade. If only he could meet Derrick Hamilton…
3Charlie
on Jan 7, 2009 at 10:32 am:
Spiller was #4 on Todd McShay’s list of RBs a few weeks ago, which wouldve put him in the 2nd round. I dont know where Kiper has him rated.
If Woody gets the OC, I would not be encouraged, even though he’ll run a more run-oriented game. Alabama and Mississippi State were not good offenses under his direction. You could say Miss State just didnt have the players, and you would be right, but Alabama did.
4Tom
on Jan 7, 2009 at 10:52 am:
If that hint is right about a new OC, then THANK GOD!!!
I’m sure Napier is a nice guy and all that, but he hasn’t shown me anything with his Quarterbacks coaching, and definitely nothing with the playcalling this year.
Daniel is right, Spiller is gone, or dumb, or has some extremely good insurance.
5madmac corleone
on Jan 7, 2009 at 10:54 am:
What I took from that Greenville News article was that Napier will be OC, it just didn’t say it in so many words. It said Napier would be Dabo’s “primary offensive coach”. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Agree that Rumph would be the natural choice for recruiting coordinator.
6Jon Austin
on Jan 7, 2009 at 10:56 am:
That’s a pretty big stretch to think that hints at not Napier. It’s a new OC from the beginning of the season as Napier was coaching Spence’s system. The offense could change a lot since there is actually time to implement the things Napier/Dabo want.
Spiller is not a lock to go. As he said in an article yesterday the difference between late 1st and a 2nd round pick versus top 15 is HUGGGEEE. It’s a lot of money to try and get in your second contract after 2-4 years barring you don’t get injured and are out of the league. If he can take 1 extra year and go from 3 million guaranteed to 20+ verse going now, getting 3 mill guaranteed, and trying to stay healthy and produce over 2-4 years he would stay. He could definitely play himself into the top 15 next year.
7Daniel
on Jan 7, 2009 at 12:26 pm:
Jon that’s a good point, especially considering that the average career of an NFL running back is only like 3 years. However, if CJ gets a 1st or even a 2nd round grade it would be really tempting to leave. I would speculate that he will rise with combine and individual workout performances because I’m sure his 40 time will be among the best among the backs and he will probably do very well in the other drills. I don’t think – from a pure talent perspective – Knowshon Moreno is any better and he declared today.
8Willy Mac
on Jan 7, 2009 at 12:31 pm:
Moreno, at this point, might be a little better. Certainly not faster, but just a better runningback in terms of actual north/south running.
9Chris Simp
on Jan 7, 2009 at 12:42 pm:
I think Spiller will be more of a kick/punt returner his first year in the NFL if he went now. Like Willy said, he’s not as good of a north/south runner as other backs like Moreno are. And I think the NFL scouts will see this and put him in more of a returner/receiving back position than a pure RB. That might sway him to stay one more year and prove he can run the ball between the tackles, but then again maybe it won’t. We’ll just have to wait and see.
10Daniel
on Jan 7, 2009 at 1:15 pm:
Yeah, I agree, I should have said from an athletic standpoint Spiller is as good as if not better than Moreno, but as a pure running back Moreno has the edge. Spiller could be very good as a Brian Westbrook-type back in the NFL.
11Danny's spit cup
on Jan 7, 2009 at 2:24 pm:
If Napier or McCorvey get the OC job, we’re phucked. The D saved our asses at UVA and against ‘Brasky. Hell, I could even put the USeC game in there. Long story short–Let’s hire someone that knows what the fuck they’re doing.
12Aaron Neville's Pet Tick
on Jan 7, 2009 at 2:29 pm:
People said Spence knew what the fuck he was doing and we still blew it. Just hire someone with a plan who knows how to take advantage of their weapons and i’ll be fine.