Tiger Football 2006 Outlook

Consistency. That's my hope and dream for this football season.

The Fighting Tigers of Clemson University are poised for great things this year, and rightfully so. After all, they're coming off a solid-if-not-spectacular 8-4 season that included a 3rd-place finish in the ACC Atlantic and a nice win over Colorado in the Champs Sports Bowl. Our offensive and defensive coordinators now have a full year under their belts, so the players should be used to the schemes. We've got at least one returning starter at nearly every skill position (and for once, solid depth behind them). Senior leadership is back to the level it was at near the end of 2003. The offensive line is a strength. Our linebackers will be roasting marshmallows in the backfield of other squads. We replace a record-breaking QB with a fifth-year senior who fits our offense even better than his predeccesor. We're coming off a top-15 recruiting class, and next year's class is already generating even more hype.

Yep, expectations are running high. Sound familiar? It should. This is Clemson, after all. Danny Ford pretty much set the bar for our standards when his 1981 team captured our first (and only) national championship by beating Nebraska in a gutsy Orange Bowl. My Dad traveled down to Florida to watch that game, and he still remembers most of the details. What stood out to him was how physically unstoppable we looked, and that invisible aura of dominance and invincibility we embodied. Our style wasn't very hard to figure out. We'd run just enough offense to get the job done while our defense stomped you flat. We didn't have as much of the flashy things that you see today, but we executed the fundamentals and consistently did the little things necessary to win games. Above all, we had that mentality. The focus. We intimidated teams. And it wasn't only presence. We proved it each game.

We haven't had that mentality in years. Or we've found it for brief spurts, only to lose it again just as quickly.

Tiger fans know what I'm talking about. In recent years, the Clemson football team has been a two-sided knight. We can slay the ferocious dragon one week, and be felled by the timid mouse the next. We'll upset Florida State or Miami only to stumble against Wake Forest or Duke. Almost like we're playing with different suits of armor or wielding a different lance each week. Bottom line: we can beat anybody, and we can lose to anybody. And that's not good enough. Not if your team wants to be respected, let alone feared. Until we shake that stigma, we won't be taken seriously. Until we get back to that level of consistency, we'll always meander in the middle of the pack. Consistency is what makes Ohio State, Michigan, Florida, and USC (the real one) powerhouses. They'll beat up any team in the Top 25, and they'll take care of business against the contenders. And that's what we need to do.

So, all that said, here's my breakdown of where the Tigers stand in terms of regaining that stature this year...

Offense

Quarterback: Losing your senior QB of three years would normally be cause for concern. Not for Clemson. Will Proctor has shown himself to be far more than a reliable replacement for the departed Charlie Whitehurst. His mobility is an even better fit for Rob Spence's offensive strategy, and he's very much a target passer. If he sees the open receiver, he'll deliver the home run ball. The only thing I ask from Will is to not lose games for us. Don't have to win them; just don't lose them. And get the ball into the hands of our big playmakers. :)

Running back: What any team would give to have a running back problem like ours. When you have the services of James Davis, Reggie Merriweather, and C.J. Spiller in your backfield, complaints are nil. Really, our main issue will be to balance the playing time between them as best we can, and to give the ball to the hot hand. Look for Spence to use more two-back sets in the rotation this year. Davis was ACC Rookie of the Year with 879 yards rushing in 2005, and he only played in 8 of 12 games. Reggie is the guy with a never-ending motor, and he's got the instinct for running between the tackles. And Spiller? Look for him to make a big splash. I'll just say I'm glad he's a Tiger.

Wide Receiver: A solid blend of experience and youth. ACC-receptions leader Chansi Stuckey is back, and he's a threat every time he touches the football; again, consistency is the key. Rendrick Taylor is a beast, and Rob Spence has created a new position with his name on it. He'll be a physical presence and shake off open-field tackles. Aaron Kelly has steady hands, and he and Tyler Grisham can be double threats on kickoff returns as well. La'donte Harris, Nelson Faerber, and Andrew Diomande have also made noise during fall camp. Look for them to push for additional playing time.

Offensive Line: This is perhaps our biggest strength, and at the same time, one of the most overlooked elements of the offense. All of our starters are back, so experience is a plus. Guys like Barry Richardson, who came in barely out of junior year in high school and made his mark, Dustin Fry, Cory Groover, Roman Fry, and Marion Dukes will give Proctor the time and protection he needs to find his targets as well as create holes for Davis and Merriweather to run through. This will be a key role in scoring more touchdowns than field goals in the red zone.

Tight End: Tommy Bowden talked last year about his desire to get the tight ends more involved in the offense. He'll miss Bobby Williamson, but we have others that can pick up the slack. Cole Downer was a huge emotional presence last year before his injury; he and Thomas Hunter will make up the seniority. And Akeem Robinson will keep getting better as he gains experience in the game. Freshman Philip Merling could also see some playing time if he fully converts from the defensive end spot.

Defense

Defensive Line: This much-maligned unit from 2004 made significant strides in 2005. As they adjusted to Vic Koenning's scheme, they became more effective in stopping the run and putting pressure on the QB. Now that the system is in place, I look for the DL to be a strong point. Gaines Adams spurned a lucrative NFL Draft offer to return for his senior year, and he's one of our main leaders. Rashaad Jackson, Jock McKissic, Brandon Cannon, and Dorrell Scott have matured because of the touches they had last year in reserve roles and spring & fall. Establishing a presence early will be critical.

Linebacker: It hurts to lose a workhorse like Tramaine Billie, just when he really started kicking it into high gear. But Antonio Clay has shown he's got the raw talent to fill his shoes; he still needs work on the fundamentals that Billie nailed so well. Other than that, no concerns about this group. Anthony Waters is our vocal leader, and he'll disrupt people at MLB. Like Adams, he spurned the NFL to stay with the Tigers. Nick Watkins gives the experience and know-how to make an impact. Reserves like Kwam Williams, Kavell Conner, and Maurice Nelson are also waiting in the wings if Clay falters.

Safety/Cornerback: Tye Hill's gift for breaking up potential home-run balls will be missed greatly. And this unit concerns me most because of the relative youth and inexperience. Not that there isn't talent; it's there. Converted RB Duane Coleman picked up the system like he was born for it last year, and he's another big vocal presence. Look for him and Sergio Gilliam to continue competing for game time. Michael Hamlin showed tremendous skill and potential in games against FSU and South Carolina last year, and C.J. Gaddis has athleticism to make a big play any time. Again, magic word: consistency.

Special Teams: To the relief of Tiger fans everywhere, Tommy Bowden ditched the funky but ineffective shield punt formation in favor of a more traditional scheme. Gotta cut down on the blocked punts that were a sore spot last year. The battle between Jimmy Maners and Cole Chason for starting punter rages on, and it will more than likely continue right up until kickoff. Chason has supposedly improved, but I hope he's on notice. 30-yard punts or less should not be tolerated. Maners might be able to unseat him if he can keep shortening his get-off time.

Jad Dean is a finalist for the Lou Groza Award again. And he successfully converted 24 of 31 FG attempts last year. Not worried about that. I'm just hopeful we won't need to rely on him as much.

Last year, our return game started out pretty badly. But that was more a personnel problem than a technical one. Once we started putting Kelly and Grisham out there on kickoff returns, things improved nicely. Look for that to continue this year with guys like Spiller and freshman Jacoby Ford, who possesses blazing speed on the football field. Put some blockers around and in front of him, and there's no catching him.

In summary, this is shaping up to be a special year for Clemson. Talent is widespread, and there's lots of depth behind it. We're strong where we need to be, and our weaknesses can hopefully be fixed with time and practice. Last year, we came within 14 points of glory, only to be turned back. We beat the favorites, defied the critics, and showed we could play with the big boys. We also stubbed our toes against Wake Forest and Georgia Tech. Like I said, our seasonal campaigns will continue to come up short of the ACC title and BCS bowls until we can learn how to bring our A-game each and every Saturday. It's easy to play like that when your back is against the wall, and it's you against the world. You have nothing to lose, so you go all out. We need that every single week. I don't want any nasty surprises this year, and quite frankly, I'd prefer a cutback in the heart-stopping drama too.

I told Anna Kate last night that we'll have very few powerhouse home games this year, unlike last year in which we had the likes of Texas A&M, Miami, Boston College, and Florida State roll through Death Valley. So as a result, we won't have ESPN GameDay coverage (unless South Carolina is ranked coming into the season finale, which is a possibility). And honestly, I prefer it that way. ESPN's bias against the Tigers aside, we don't deserve any accolades or spotlight. And we won't deserve them until we earn it on the field. That will be more difficult in terms of accomplishing it on the home field of powerhouse opponents', but that's the task marked ahead of us.

So here's my prediction. And it's always subject to change. Clemson finally puts all the pieces together to post a 10-2 regular season record. We'll win the Atlantic Division. ACC title and bowl game remain to be determined. Let's see them get there first.

GO TIGERS!!!