Clemson/Louisiana Tech Prediction

I was close enough last week. I predicted 120 yards rushing from James Davis and 150 reception yards from Chansi Stuckey. Neither of which happened. Just goes to show you that I suck at predicting actual figure totals. The good news is, my blowout prediction was right on the money, and then some.

Clemson came out to make a statement Saturday, and what a statement they made. Granted, it's North Carolina. A team that struggled to clinch their only win of the year against Furman in Chapel Hill. But the way Clemson just took it to the Tar Heels with a devastating ground attack, dominant line play, and mental toughness was a sight to behold. After sitting through so many heart-stopping contests in recent years, nothing beats the pure joy of seeing your team go out and take a lesser opponent to the woodshed like they're supposed to do. I welcome blowouts.

And with Boston College choking big-time against the Pups of NC State, the Tigers are officially back in the hunt for the ACC Championship. We still have a long road ahead, mind you. The Eagles must lose at least one more. And we have to win out. Florida State can still back their way into the title game like last year given the way their schedule is set up, and likely spare Jeff Bowden for another year (don't count on that). Undefeated Wake Forest (!) and State currently sit atop the ACC, but don't expect that to last. We've got a score to settle with the Deacs.

But first things first. We take a break in conference play Saturday as the Fighting Tigers play host to the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech. Kickoff is 7:00 in Death Valley, and cool weather is promised. A perfect night for football.

If North Carolina wasn't a letdown, then this has all the makings of one. Mark my words, La. Tech has got "trap game" written all over it. Coming off a blowout win. Looking ahead to 5-0 Wake Forest in Winston-Salem next week (when's the last time that happened?). And Tommy Bowden knows it. Which is why he came down extra hard on his players this week in practice, questioning their effort, intensity, and sharpness. Wednesday's was so bad, apparantly, that if the Bulldogs had made last-minute arrangements to play us that evening, we'd have lost. Letdown is the enemy, and I know Tommy is determined to fight it any way he can. But let's think realistically.

The Bulldogs have lost nine starters on defense. Big reason they currently rank 111th nationally in total defense. Their only win thus far was a 31-21 victory over Nichols State, a game in which they trailed 21-7 at one point. All the while getting pulverized by the likes of Nebraska (49-10) and Texas A&M (45-14). We are better than all of those teams. We beat La. Tech silly five years ago with far lesser talent and personnel than we have now, and that was when they had QB Luke McCown (now in the NFL). We shouldn't have any problems tomorrow.

The keys to victory should be the same as last week. Run, run, run, and then run some more. Throw a pass now and then for good measure. The Dogs will try to key in on our ground attack, but their line isn't strong enough to push through our powerful offensive line. James Davis needs to keep hitting those holes and push for yards after contact. Spiller must focus on north-south running. Trust in the O-line; don't stretch the field if you don't have to. Proctor must continue to get the time he needs to sit in the pocket and make a dash himself if he's out of options. His ability to find a receiver on a pump fake or disguised handoff will be crucial to keep Tech's defenders honest. I'm not sure how much of Reggie we'll see Saturday given his sprained ankle. He practiced full speed yesterday, and tomorrow is his birthday, so I know he wants to get on the field. Still, the coaches might hold him out just to be safe and ensure that we'll have him for Wake next week. No problem, since we've got Demerick Chancellor.

La. Tech should test our secondary more than last week, given their penchant for throwing the ball on offense. So far, we've done a terrific job on not giving up the big play, and we need to keep that up. I'm fine with playing soft zone as long as tackling remains sharp. Duane Coleman is one of our biggest playmakers in the secondary, yet he hasn't gotten an interception. But he's salivating for one. Here's hoping he claims his prize on Saturday.

I also expect to see our special teams make some noise. Tommy labeled them "average" this week, which in his words is just as near to the bottom as the top. Ouch. Don't want to take that lying down, do we?

Overall, I'm hoping for another blowout, but the final score may not reflect it. Still we should dominate in all areas of the game and get tuned up for our big rumble next week vs. the Demon Deacons. Coleman gets his long-awaited pick, returns it for a TD, and our special teams blocks a punt for another TD.

My prediction?

Clemson - 42
La. Tech - 17

Clemson/North Carolina Prediction

Well, after dropping the ball big-time with Boston College, I think I redeemed myself nicely with Florida State. My game prediction was almost right on target (28-24 vs. 27-20). The best thing about it is the final score does not show how much the Tigers dominated the Seminoles on both sides of the football. Were it not for anemic ST protection, we could have won by a much greater margin. It's nice to be able to look back at a landmark victory and still see areas where you can say, "Hey, we can still do better." Easier to do that with a win under your belt.

Now this week, the rejuvenated Fighting Tigers return to Death Valley to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels. John Bunting's squad played what many would consider a "tune-up" game against the Furman Fighting Football Paladins last Saturday. Not me. The Heels were 0-2 going into that contest, had an unsettled QB situation and an average defense at best. I knew Furman would give them a run for their money and hoped to see them win.

Stas-wise, they should have won. Average defense? Forget that. Furman amassed over 520 yards total offense in this game. Against an I-A team (also consider that Furman struggled to move the ball in their first two games against I-AA opponents). Yet the final score ended up 45-42 in favor of UNC. The Furman faithful and I were bitterly disappointed. I wasn't expecting a repeat of 28-3 in our last visit to Chapel Hill, but I hoped for a win.

So it's up to the Tigers to set things right and give UNC a whipping.

First key to the game is to come out of the gate and smash them in the mouth. Score early and often. Tommy has said he wants to play more reserve offensive linemen in this game. That won't happen if things are close near the end of the 3rd quarter. The talent and experience edge is clearly ours, and we've got to showcase it.

Let one of the RBs have a breakout game. If James Davis is going to break a 100-yard game, this is the time to do it. The offensive line must do a better job of consistently opening the gaps to spring him loose for big gains as they did late against FSU. Continue to use Reggie and Spiller, certainly, but give the starter a chance to explode.

Defensive line. If they play with the focused intensity they showed last week, they'll be fine. Cam Sexton is fairly decent, but he's still green after making only his first real start against Furman last week. The more pressured he gets early the more mistakes he'll make. Keep C.J. Gaddis as a pocket rusher. He put a monster hit on the FSU running back last week. Secondary needs to stay focused on solid tackling and not giving up the big play. Also have to try to read Sexton's eyes and get in front of his receivers when possible. We need some more INTs.

Kickoff coverage was much, much better last week. Never gave up more than 5-10 yards at a time to an FSU returner. PAT protection...just spread sideways and be ready to block outside. Thanks to ESPN, everybody in the nation now knows how to block our kicks. So don't let the Heels do it. Dean needs to approach the ball at the precise second it lands in Cole Chason's hands. Two tenths of a second are the difference between a good extra point and two points back the other way. Or worse. Hopefully, this glaring problem will be fixed quickly.

Bottom line...its Hall of Fame Day. It's the 25th anniversary celebration of our 1981 national championship team. The game is a sellout. Clemson should have no trouble getting pumped for this one. If they need any motivation, just whisper one word to them: "Duke." The Blue Devils beat us in 2004 after our 24-17 overtime win, their only victory over an I-A opponent that entire year. And they have not beaten an I-A opponent ever since then. Ugh.

My prediction? James Davis rushes for over 120 yards, Stuckey has 150 yards in receptions, and Clemson wins easily. Oh, and we do not surrender a blocked kick for the first time...this year.

Clemson - 45
North Carolina - 21

GO TIGERS!!!

Clemson/Florida State Prediction

Now that I'm done being sick over last week's debacle, it's time to look ahead. The Fighting Tigers take on the Seminoles of Free Shoes U - - eh, Florida State University tomorrow night at 7:30. Sorry. Freudian slip there.

The Bowden Bowl, as the media dubbed it, has gotten more interesting as of late. Clemson finally managed to put one over on FSU in 2003, ending 11 years of futility by winning 26-10 (which started a season-ending spree of wins and, supposedly, saved Tommy Bowden's job). Last year, we pounded them 35-14 in what I think was our best all-around game that year. Sandwiched between those two thrilling victories is a 41-22 shellacking at their hands in 2004. And if it weren't for Justin Miller on special teams, that one wouldn't have even been close.

I'll freely admit that Florida State is not the mythical juggernaut it once was. No longer do the Seminoles strike fear into the hearts of ACC bottom-dwellers or the middle of the pack. For crying out loud, Troy took them to the brink last week before falling 24-17! TROY! FSU has gone from being the resident bully of the conference to a team anyone can beat if they play their best. As Tommy put it, once upon a time you had to play your best and then pray for FSU to screw up monumentally in order to have a hope. But that's not the case any longer.

That being said ... it's still Florida State. Bobby Bowden is still head coach. And its at Doak Campbell Stadium. Which hasn't been kind to us since 1989, one of our last big victories in the Danny Ford era. The Seminoles still command respect. We're walking wounded and have gone from BCS dark horse to yesterday's trash in a week. But that's okay. Clemson is Clark Kent in the spotlight. Back us into a corner, and we'll change into Superman.

Now it's time to fly.

Obviously defense is my main concern. Boston College exposed our weakness at OLB with Anthony Waters on crutches, and our front seven failed to get any pressure on their QB even though he was hobbled by a bad ankle. Bottom line: we must pressure Drew Weatherford early and often. The Seminoles have no run game to speak of. So the key will be to play man coverage and force Drew to beat us with his arm just like we did Chris Rix three years ago. We cannot let him get settled into a rhythm or we'll be eating his receivers' dust all night. Tackling has got to be sharper. Arm tackling and bouncing-off-the-target will not cut it. We ALL need to approach it the way Duane Coleman did last week. FSU's offensive line is solid, but not as good as Boston College. Can't have our guys being blown off the ball again. Continue to make their ground game nonexistent. Bottle up Lorenzo Booker.

Secondary has to tighten up. Losing Michael Hamlin hurts badly. So the pressure is on Sergio and the others to step to the plate and make smart decisions. The jump ball worries me because of our lack of experience.

Offense. As long as we keep on doing what we've been doing and stick to the gameplan, we should be in good shape. Use the run to set up the pass, but mix it up when needed. Switch out Davis, Reggie, and Spiller, but let the hot hand take it. If FSU's showing it can't stop Reggie, by all means keep him in there. Run nickle-back sets a lot to confuse FSU. Give Will time to pick out his targets. No more dropped balls. I'm looking at you, Chansi.

Special teams. I hope our kickoff coverage got a sharp learning this past week. Two things. 1) Don't, under any circumstances, kick it to their most dangerous returner (most likely Booker). Okay, Jad? 2) Line up Coleman or Reggie in front of our kickoff man to give him a lead blocker. This also helps prevent the likelihood of letting the ball roll deep inside the 10. But we've got to quit being tentative on kickoffs and start banging through the holes.

In spite of last week, I like our chances. FSU's linebackers (Buster Davis) are pretty fast, and their receivers can key on the ball, but not if we force Drew to make bad decisions. The talent gap that was once glaringly obvious (anyone remember 54-7 in Tallahassee six years ago? I do.) has closed. We can play with the Seminoles, and by most counts, we should win. Doing so on their home turf will make it all the more satisfying, and should go a long way toward pointing our season back on course. Besides, I'll go nuts if I have to listen to the War Chant all night.

This one's for you, Anna Kate. Since I know you'll be braving Doak with your family :)

My prediction?

Clemson 28
Florida State 24

GO TIGERS!!!

Remembrance

Five years. Funny thing about time. It keeps on going. No matter how much you try to stay in the moment, time just moves forward.

September 11, 2001. Time seemed at a standstill for me that day. Mostly because I don't recall doing very much besides watching the news networks. That was all I did. I felt powerless. I didn't know what to do or have any idea of what was unfolding around me. All I could do was watch it happen and stand frozen next to my classmates at SFC.

I think we all felt that feeling of powerlessness that day.

Now, five years later, do I still remember it? I'd like to; I want to. I saved both editions of my local newspaper as well as the days immediately following it. I look at photographs of the World Trade Center twin towers now and then, as well as the Pentagon and the Shanksville, PA memorial site. Not out of any morbid fascination, but to keep my senses fresh. I want to preserve my feelings of that day. I want to remember. It's painful, but I do.

I hope other people haven't forgotten, but I'm sure some have. It's part of the curse of time. Time robs the raw. Emotions become dulled. The present turns into the past. We can't stop it. We can't live in the moment forever.

On one hand, that's a good thing. Nobody wants to live with intense pain and grief for the rest of their days. It's theraputic how time "helps us." I thank God for lessening the pain of losing my grandfather to pancreatic cancer. For easing my grief over my dog getting hit by a car and having to be put to sleep as a child. Do I want to keep the pain as fresh as it was "in the moment?" Absolutely not. I couldn't live like that. I fear what it would do to me.

But still, part of me wants to remember. I don't want to become de-sensitized to pain. I don't want to construct a callous that blocks out the raw intensity of grief, rage, anguish, and sorrow. When something like September 11 happens, I want to feel violated. Indignant. Offended. Incensed.

One year after 9/11, my Bible/History teacher Mr. Sell came to me and asked me to present a speech in our chapel service at Shannon Forest. As the calendar would have it, our Wednesday chapel fell on September 11 that year and it was decided that we would hold a remembrance service. I agreed to do it, but inside I balked. What could I possibly say? I felt terribly inadequate and unworthy of speaking on the events of that day. But I said I'd do it. I gave my speech that morning and spoke about freedom. I kept the focus on Christ, our true source of freedom. I guess that's one instance in which time was a blessing. Never could I have given that speech in the moment when my feelings were still raw. I know I would have been fumbling and groping for words. One year later, I managed to speak somewhat coherently. Honestly, I don't even remember if I stumbled or got choked up at any point. As I talked, I couldn't help but wonder about something. It's niggled at me for a while, but it's somewhat related.

What if I had lived in the time of Jesus? What if I was in the 11th grade (let's assume for the sake of argument), and my day suddenly stopped for the breaking news of his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemene? What if I stood in the outskirts of the crowd jeering and mocking Jesus as he carried his cross to Golgotha? What if I watched farther away as his hands and feet were nailed to the cross, his blood streaming down the wooden plank? What if I saw Him bow his head and utter the words, "It is finished?" What if I scrambled for cover as the sky darkened and the temple curtain was torn in half?

Five years later, would I still remember how it felt?

What about 2000 years later?

I thank God for keeping my memory of the disaster as fresh as humanly possible. I also thank Him for His peace that calms, that eases, that sustains and grows. I thank Him that we don't live in the moment always. I thank Him for giving up his own life so that we could be free. And I thank Him for using tragedy, whether it's September 11 or in my own home, to help me gain a greater understanding of the anguish he experienced in dying on the cross.

I hope you take time to pause today. To reflect. To remember. To mourn.

Because time rushes on.





















"And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." ~ Luke 22:19-20

Clemson/Boston College Prediction

A convincing win over cupcake Florida Atlantic was exactly what we needed last week. We got ahead quickly, ran a mostly vanilla gameplan, and got plenty of freshman legs into the mix. The stakes get higher this week.

Many people are already dismissing Boston College after they struggled to put away Central Michigan in their opener last Thursday night (they won 31-24). Not so fast. While the Eagles lost much of the talent they reaped last year on the offensive line (which pushed us around big-time), that doesn't mean they can't be dangerous. If Matt Ryan plays, our secondary had better be on its toes.

BC's style is to "dink and dunk," as Plyler would call it. They'll hit you with short, dump-off passes toward the sidelines, similar to the West Coast offense. They'll only bust the big play if the coaches are dead-sure it's going to work. But they practice patience on offense and work methodically down the field, like the little putter engine that plods along at a snail's pace, but keeps on going until it reaches its destination. I wasn't too impressed with their ground game last week, but again, we haven't seen all their possible formations.

Tommy Bowden has spoken again and again how our veteran O-line needs to dominate. That will be particularly critical in this game. I look for the starters to play more, and the coaches to sub much less. But giving Proctor the time he needs to sit in the pocket or hand off will be the key to maintaining rhythm and staying on the field. Have to play mistake-free football. That's why four turnovers against FAU was such a concern last week. We can get away with it against them because of superior talent. Boston College will make us pay if we turn the ball over.

In short, discipline, fundamentals, and some good-ol-fashioned hard nosed tackling are what Clemson has to do to win on Saturday. Losing Anthony Waters is huge, but I'm hoping that will merely give our reserve linebackers the extra fire they need to make a statement. Proctor will have a better game with the starters in longer, Davis & Merriweather will run the BC line breathless, and we walk out of Boston with a tough, grind-it-out victory and most importantly, an undefeated ACC record heading into Tallahassee next week. Here's hoping.

Clemson - 28
Boston College - 21

Listen Up, NCAA

I just had to post this story. Please read it.


Clemson's McElrathbey raises young brother

CLEMSON, South Carolina (AP) -- The alarm sounds at 6:15 a.m. and Clemson freshman Ray Ray McElrathbey starts a routine like few others in college football.

Along with classes, film work, defensive back meetings and football practice, McElrathbey sees that his 11-year-old brother, Fahmarr, is dressed and fed, finishes his homework and makes it to middle school on time.

McElrathbey, 19, has temporary custody of his brother because of his mother's continuing drug problems and his father's gambling addiction. The two brothers have shared experiences in foster homes and now share an apartment by the campus.

They live solely off McElrathbey's scholarship while Clemson's athletic department tries to get a waiver from the NCAA that might let them accept donations without jeopardizing McElrathbey's football eligibility.

McElrathbey sought custody because he was tired of worrying what might happen to Fahmarr living with their mother in Atlanta, Georgia.

"I wasn't going to let him go back to a foster home, back to the system," McElrathbey says.

The transition from football player to caregiver is one McElrathbey has cherished since Fahmarr's arrival in June.

"As a brother, it was still me first. As a parent, it's him first," McElrathbey says. "Before I do anything for me, got to do stuff for him."

The elder McElrathbey sounds like a father discussing the struggles of managing a sixth-grader. It often takes two or three shouts before Fahmarr rises and puts on his clothes. McElrathbey signs off on his brother's homework, meets with guidance counselors and tries to keep more fruit around the house.

McElrathbey has no car, so a teammate or friend gives Fahmarr a ride to R.C. Edwards Middle School.

Fahmarr returns to Clemson in the afternoons, often starting his homework at Vickery Hall, Clemson's athletic academic center, or a football coach's office while his older brother works out with the team.

After Tuesday's practice, Fahmarr was in his brother's orange No. 9 jersey throwing the ball to McElrathbey while teammates walked by saying hello or joking with him.

"It's fun living with my brother because we like the same things," Fahmarr said.

After practice, the pair return home. There's dinner, school work and some brotherly time before Fahmarr is asleep and McElrathbey catches up on his assignments, school and football. A big night of fun might be a movie with a teammate or friend.

McElrathbey doesn't mind sacrificing the kind of college life he hears about from teammates.
"My pastor told me it's the Lord wanting to slow me down. I'll take it as that," he said.

McElrathbey has seven brothers and sisters. Because of his mother's addiction, her children have been separated, some ending in foster care as she went to rehab, McElrathbey said.

McElrathbey's mother copes well without the stress of her large family, her son says. Other times she has vowed to get clean and go through rehab, but once she was again raising her children, her problems would resurface, McElrathbey said.

McElrathbey used sports to keep himself out of trouble, often living with coaches or other mentors who kept him in school and focused on the future.

When McElrathbey came to Clemson, he couldn't help but fret over Fahmarr. "You didn't see him at Christmas dinner in Orlando crying in my arms because of his brother," Clemson defensive coordinator Vic Koenning said.

While many in the athletic department have asked to help the McElrathbeys, Clemson must be careful the help is not seen as extra benefits in violation of NCAA rules. Clemson and the ACC have worked on a waiver request to the NCAA, athletic spokesman Tim Bourret said.

Koenning doesn't understand why his wife or other members of Clemson's coaching family can't assist with a trip to the grocery store or school. "I can take two boxes of toys out of my basement and give them to Goodwill, but I can't give them to Ray Ray?"

McElrathbey has no time left for a job, but makes extra spending money washing cars or mowing lawns. He says there is nothing they need he can't afford. "I just had to get rid of the 'great' things, what I call the material things," McElrathbey said.

The NCAA says it's working with Clemson and the ACC on the best solution to assist the McElrathbeys. While the rules prohibit most benefits beyond what comes with the scholarship, "individual circumstances can and are taken into consideration in unusual situations," the NCAA said in a statement.

Clemson safety Michael Hamlin often drives McElrathbey and Fahmarr, and takes Fahmarr for a bite when his older brother's tied up. "He's like a little clown. Everybody likes being around him," Hamlin said.

McElrathbey is glad for the help he gets. He's more happy knowing Fahmarr is safe and sound. The younger McElrathbey told his older brother he is a celebrity on campus now.

Fahmarr was supposed to be in Clemson temporarily. But now McElrathbey expects to maintain custody of his younger brother throughout his teen years. He stays as upbeat as possible and won't dwell on his mother's problems because it doesn't help him or, more importantly, Fahmarr. McElrathbey dreams his mother might one day stay drug free to guide her children, but isn't counting on it.

"You can't get mad at people for being who they are," he said. "You can accept it or you don't, but either way you can't get mad about it because it doesn't help."


As I read this story again and again, I feel like you probably do. Humbled. Cut to the heart. Moved to tears. In fact, I had tears falling from my cheeks the first time I read it, and I'm not one to get emotional. What is a greater example of the love of Christ than sacrifice? Real, personal sacrifice? I read what life has done to Ray Ray and Fahmarr, and it makes me weep. Not because of their hardship. But because of Ray Ray's response. I feel like less than half a man when I read of the things he gives up every day of his college life just so his little brother can go to school and have some semblence of normal life. Sacrifice like this is a rare thing. But when you see it, the idea of Jesus dying for our salvation starts to come into focus.

I read this story, and I am angry. Furious. The NCAA has issued a public statement "reminding" Clemson that it is not permitted to grant any form of monetary aid or assistance to Ray Ray. Their reason? It might be seen as an "extra benefit." Vic Koenning, our defensive coordinator, can't even give Fahmarr a box of toys in his attic. Ray can't be granted any mode of public transporation even though he has no car and must rely on a teammate to get Fahmarr to school on time. He can't even find time for a job, but scrubs cars and cuts grass while paying for their needs solely on his football scholarship. The Clemson community and college football fans who first heard about his situation in the Charleston Herald flooded the university office with requests to send him help or support, only to get turned away. And the NCAA won't help him. Worse, they won't let others help him. That just sickens me.


It warms my heart to see action being taken on this. Clemson and the ACC have pushed Ray Ray and Fahmarr's story into the media. It's now the top headline at CNN.com and one of the main ones at ESPN.com. I'm hoping the more attention people give this, the more sympathy will be gained. And if that keeps up, the public will force the NCAA's hand. I hate to see it come to that. It really shouldn't. But for Ray Ray's sake, I hope that pans out. If they can grant him a waiver of any kind, it would be a tremendous help to them. Even that isn't asking so much. Its just a matter of letting people act like human beings, as Koenning put it. Sacrificing time to help someone out.

Please keep Ray Ray, Fahmarr, their Mom and Dad, and their friends and family in your prayers. Give Ray Ray an extra little cheer and clap hard when you see him make a tackle in a football game this year. Remember all that he's giving up. It's the least we can do.

Not the End of the World

Well, things went almost according to plan yesterday. Almost.

Clemson came out and did pretty much exactly what they were supposed to do to Florida Atlantic. Pound them. Of course, offense can't take all the credit for our 54-6 victory (which, I'm pleased to say, absolutely obliterated my point spread). We had some miscues. Some were expected. Some made me slump my shoulders in disgust. I don't ever want to see Spiller dance his way through a punt rush again. Ford can only fumble the punt if he runs it back for a TD. Which he did, of course. But I'm sure he got an earful for fielding the punt inside the 10-yard line.

But I walked out of Death Valley generally pleased. I loved the variety in our scoring. If I'm not mistaken, one of our 2nd-half TDs came on a 31-yard fumble recovery by Sergio Gilliam. We could have had another on Michael Hamlin's 74-yard INT return if a FAU player hadn't pulled an Oscar-winning act, baiting Anthony Waters into a block-in-the-back. We scored a TD on special teams. Two field goals (25 and 45 yards) from Jad Dean. Nice. I loved the enthusiasm of our 2nd-team, which played for most of the 2nd half, as well as our goal line stand with 6 seconds left. Even with the game well in hand. You'd have thought they were protecting Howard's Rock itself.

Victory came with a price, though. A very steep price.

Waters, our senior MLB who bypassed a 1st - 4th round NFL pick to return for his senior year, was chasing down FAU's quarterback. The QB suddenly broke stride and sprinted the other way. Waters tried to turn the corner and change direction so he could go after him. His knee wouldn't have it, and he crumpled to the turf in agony. I caught my breath when I saw him go down clutching his knee. I've seen that look before. The trainers tended to Anthony for about five minutes before they sent for a cart to wheel him off the field. But he refused it. He wanted to go off with his teammates. Death Valley erupted into cheers and praise as they watched Anthony get helped to the sideline, his arms clasped on the shoulders of two teammates. A few minutes later, the cart did come around and take him to the locker room. Tiger fans clapped for him again, and Waters, despite the intense pain in his knee, smiled broadly and pumped his fist to the crowd.

Coaches tried to keep things positive. We held out hope that the injury was nothing more than a sprain. My fears were confirmed this afternoon. "Torn ACL. Out for the season."

A crushing blow to our team. I'm sure Anthony must feel absolutely sick right now. It hurts to see this happen to a young man who could've turned pro early, but chose to stay. He is without question our emotional leader and one of our hardest, most dependable workers. But he will come back from this. I know he won't let a torn ACL stop him. He's put it in God's hands (per his own words) and is determined to support us in any way that he can.

As for the Tigers, I'll not mince words. Losing Billie and now Waters will hurt us. We go from fielding one of the top linebacking corps in the ACC to minus two starters. Their leadership and intensity can't be replaced. But it's not the end of the world. I have confidence that Antonio Clay, Kavell Conner, Maurice Nelson, and the rest of our reserves will respond to the challenge. We need them to step up now, and I believe they will do it. Coaches are already putting together a new plan of attack for Boston College, so they'll have the players ready when they return to practice tomorrow. It's not time to raise the white flag in defeat. We'll pick ourselves up and move on. I still believe this team can win an ACC title, and make no mistake: they're going to be even more motivated now.

Anyway, I guess I typed all of that to reassure myself. Please keep Anthony and his family in your prayers. Pray that God will encourage him and use his situation to bring glory to the One that we serve. Thank you. God bless.

Clemson/Florida Atlantic Prediction

And so dawns a new year for college football.

Actually Steve Spurrier and the Gamechickens sprung open the gates Thursday evening, but with decidedly little offensive fireworks. A rarity for his teams. So as Anna Kate would say, the real thing begins Saturday. And we have the Fighting Tigers of Clemson University preparing to take on the Owls of Florida Atlantic.

Normally, I would go into mucho detail about offense/defense breakdowns, players/formations to expect, and other GameDay things like that. But I'm not doing that this time. Two reasons. 1) I already did an insanely long blog entry on the Tigers last time, and 2) It's Florida Atlantic. Yes, at the risk of sounding like an elitist, this is a game that Clemson needs to, and by all rights should, win handily.

The thing to keep in mind is that a lot of new guys (i.e., redshirt and true freshmen) will play in this game. So it's not going to be the picture-perfect blowout that Clemson fans probably want to see. If our starters played for all 60 minutes, then yes, it's a blowout. But Tommy has already stated his wish to play as much youth as possible in the opener. There's bound to be the usual rookie mistakes: dropped passes, missed blocks, blown assignments, etc. - it's just human nature. But that's fine. Clemson just outclasses Florida Atlantic in every aspect of the game. Their depth, superior athleticism, home field advantage (expect the WestZone to rocket Death Valley's noise level to sonic boom levels), and an unwavering ability to run the ball and wear out their defense, will guide them to an easy victory. I'm putting it on the line here, folks. The Tigers are not going to let us down. Not this time.

My prediction?

Rustiness and rookie mistakes will make the final score much closer than it should be. But the stats won't reflect it. Look for the Tigers to dominate early, rotate some new guys in, and give us reason to be very excited about the future. Clemson 31, Florida Atlantic 14

GO TIGERS!!! BEAT THE OWLS!