SB Nation - Aaron Kelly

Countdown: #8 Clemson at Florida State 2006

FIGUREFOUR — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:00:18 -0000

Heading into this football game, Clemson had not beaten FSU in Tallahassee since Danny Ford beat up on the 'Noles down there in '89. Florida Sate (2-0 coming into the contest) came into this game ranked 9th in the nation and featured Drew Weatherford at QB and Greg Carr at WR for the 'Noles. Clemson came into this game 1-1 overall after dropping to Boston College earlier in the season. The big question for the Tigers coming into this game was special teams play (Clemson gave up numerous long returns--one for a touchdown--and could not convert an extra point the previous week in an overtime loss to Boston College). Florida State's offense had its own questions going into the game, as the 'Noles had struggled to get things going in the early part of the season.

7:45 PM ET, September 16, 2006

Doak Campbell Stadium

TALLAHASSEE, FL

ESPN Recap Tigernet Recap

This was one of the most exciting games that I have watched over the years, and remember it distinctly. We were out in Vegas on a guys trip and decided on the Belagio as the place to watch this one. Clemson was coming off of a ridiculous loss the previous week to Boston College--and by ridiculous, I mean we can't kick anything to save our lives (punts, kickoffs, extra points, nothing) and really gave away that game in Chesnut Hill. Needless to say, we all knew that we could win this game, but knew that we would have to overcome some obstacles to take down the Seminoles, particularly in the Doak.

Clemson really dominated this entire game. The Tigers had a good game plan on both sides of the ball and were able to both put points on the board and stifle Florida State's Jeff Bowden-led offense. Once again, however, Clemson tried to beat itself with shotty special teams play, as the Tigers gave up 9 points on field goal attempts.

Both teams were forced to punt on their opening drives, with Clemson surrendering a first down to the Seminoles through a roughing the kicker penalty. Florida State appeared to putting a drive together on its third possession until Clemson forced a fumble, which was recovered by my main man Duane Coleman. This turnover set up a two-play, 46 yard drive that included a 38 yard carry by Jacoby Ford and an 8 yard scamper into the endzone by James Davis. Unfortunately for the visitors, the extra point was blocked and returned by FSU's Tony Carter scoring 2 points for the 'Noles. At the end of the first quarter, Clemson led 6-2.

The two teams traded three consecutive punts. Finally, as the half began to close, the Tigers put together a 60-70 yard drive, setting up a field goal with around 3:20 left in the half. Clemson's special teams unit was again foiled, as Florida State was able to block the field goal attempt and Tony Carter again returned the block for a Seminole TD. After the PAT, Florida State led the Tigers 9-6. On the ensuing drive, Will Proctor was able to lead the Tigers down the field retake the lead on a 19 yard touchdown completion to Chansi Stuckey. The 2-point conversion was good and the Tigers went to the locker room up 14-9. Overall, Clemson should have been throttling the 'Noles at half, but were merely up a handful of points.

Clemson got the ball to start off the half and successfully extended its lead on an 80 yard drive. The key play in this drive was 54 yard reception by James Davis. Will Proctor was able to scamper into the endzone from 20 yards out for the score. Because of the special teams woes earlier in the contest, the staff decided to try (and fail to convert) a 2 point attempt. Clemson 20 FSU 9.

The Seminoles were able to piece together a 14 play, 54 yard drive that culminated in a field goal. The two teams went into the final period with Clemson leading 20-12, but Florida State driving. The 'Noles reached pay dirt early in the final period and successfully converted their 2-point attempt to knot things up at 20 a piece. The two collaborated to produce four consecutive 3-and-out possessions after the FSU TD, giving Clemson the ball with 2 minutes left in the contest. Fortunately for Tiger fans in attendance and watching all around the world, the Tigers were able to respond. Clemson successfully moved the ball to midfield through two JD runs and an 18 yard reception by Aaron Kelly. Clemson then changed the tempo, running a play on a quick count and completely catching the FSU defense unprepared. The resulting 47 yard scamper gave the Tigers the ball first and goal from the 4 yard line. Three plays later, Davis was able to punch it in from the 1, giving Clemson its first victory at the Doak in 17 years.

Overall, this game was memorable because of the win over the (over)rated #9 team in the land. The win broke the Tallahassee streak and was a contest in which the Tigers won in spite of themselves (poor special teams play kept this game close for the 'Noles). The final drive and the series of plays that were utilized in this drive really made this one game to remember (especially Davis' big run to create the 1st and goal scenario). I was really happy to watch this team bounce back and overcome special teams shortcomings to gain an important road victory in the state of Florida. See video below.

James Davis breaks off a monster run against an FSU defense that was not lined up nor prepared for the snap of the football.

Then Davis for the game-winning score:

Some game highlights:

and the Shoeless Highlights:

Post-Spring Previews: Clemson Tigers

Gamecock Man — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:18:52 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

4 months ago: Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney speaks during the Atlantic Coast Conference Kickoff college football media day in Greensboro, N.C., Monday, July 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Browse more photos »

After hosting the Florida Gators in week eleven, USC takes a week off before wrapping up the season with the annual rivalry match with the Clemson Tigers. The Tigers enter 2009 flying distinctly under the radar in Dabo Swinney's first full season as head coach. After underachieving in each of the last few years of Tommy Bowden's tenure, expectations are decidedly lower for the transitioning Tigers this year. However, in many ways this year's Clemson may be better than the Clemsons of years past. James Davis and Cullen Harper are gone, but C.J. Spiller is still around, the offensive line should be a bit better, and there's talent on the defense. Plus, I have a feeling Swinney will excel his predecessor in the coaching department, not that that's saying so much. This team's ceiling will likely be determined by how far either Kyle Parker or Willy Korn go towards becoming top-tier quarterbacks. Parker appears to be the starter right now, but don't be surprised to see Swinney continue to give Korn a look.

Of course, we've floundered horribly in this rivalry series in recent years. Despite not having been an elite team in recent years, the Tigers have generally had their way with us, winning 11 of the past 13, including a few blowouts, such as the 31-14 beatdown last year at Clemson. By contrast, we've won more games against Georgia in the past decade, despite the fact that the Dawgs have clearly been much better than Clemson in that time span. I've heard lots of theories as to why Clemson has owned us, perhaps the most pervasive being that we're simply spent by the time this game comes around. Personally, I don't buy this theory; the ACC may not be as good as the SEC, but it's not a cake walk, as suggested by the fact that Clemson usually comes into this game with almost as many losses as we have. The Tigers could just as easily say that their schedule wears them out, but they seem to always play their best in this game. The opposite could be said for us.

Whatever the case may be, we have to figure out a way to start winning more of these games, and not just for pride's sake, although that's certainly important. Losing a match with the Tigers may not keep us out of the SEC Title Game in the official standings, but it does hurt us on the recruiting trail, which is one of the things that keeps us from being able to challenge Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee in the East. All things considered, we recruit surprisingly well against Clemson considering how badly they usually seem to manhandle us. That has me thinking that if we could turn the tables on them that we could corner the market on the in-state talent. That's what will get us over the hump in the SEC, and that's why Clemson-Carolina is about more than bragging rights.

Let's take a look at how we stack up against the Tigers this year.

Offense

Expect to see Clemson run more spread formations this year than in years past. The Tigers want to get their two best offensive players, C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford, the ball in space so they can make big plays with their speed.

Quarterback

While the Tigers have some talent on offense, they have a big question mark at the position that matters the most. Kyle Parker has won the starting job after solid spring and August practices, but Willy Korn will continue to get looks if Parker struggles. Both are talented, but either way, Clemson will have to rely on a freshman without significant experience this year.

I call this one a push. Stephen Garcia is slightly further along in his development than Parker or Korn and probably has the most upside of the three. However, Clemson has an advantage over us in the depth department.

Verdict: Push

Running Backs

Clemson returns a legitimate Heisman contender in Spiller. Spiller needs no introduction here, as Carolina fans won't be soon to forget what he's done to us over the course of his career. The Tigers will look to Jamie Harper to fill the void left by James Davis. The highly recruited Harper rushed for only around 100 yards last year but will be expected to play a much larger role this year.

I give the Tigers a slight to strong advantage here. We have the talent and depth to have a very good running game this year, but, unfortunately, we don't have a Spiller, who is one of the nation's very best.

Verdict: Slight to strong advantage Clemson

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Clemson loses some significant players here from a year ago. Gone are receivers Aaron Kelly and Tyler Grisham and end Michael Palmer. The Tigers do return Jacoby Ford, who is a definite big-play threat. However, outside of Ford they have almost no one with any significant experience. Possession receiver and end are question marks for Clemson.

I give Carolina a slight advantage here. Clemson does have the guy with the most career catches, but we have a large number of guys that have proven they're capable, whereas Clemson has no one after Ford. That gives us a key advantage in the depth department.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Offensive Line

Last year, offensive line was Clemson's weakness throughout most of the season. This year, though, the more experienced Tigers offensive line should be better. The Tigers only lose one player, center Bobby Hutchinson, and return a solid group of guys with starting experience. Depth may be the only cause for concern.

The Tigers look quite a bit like us here. Both of us should field much better lines in 2009. I'm calling this a push.

Verdict: Push

Let's take a look at defenses after the jump.

Defense

Clemson runs a 4-3 defense. Swinney and coordinator Kevin Steele have said that they plan to be more aggressive than the previous regime.

Defensive Line

The Tigers are strong at end, which they hope will help them generate a better pass rush than a year ago. Da'Quan Bowers is another Gaines Adams in the making, while Ricky Sapp should be good if he recovers from last year's knee injury. The Tigers did lose some key tackles from a year ago, and may struggle to find depth if Jarvis Jenkins or Brandon Thomas go down.

I give Carolina a very slight advantage here, mainly due to greater experience in the starting lineup and questions about how good Sapp will be after his injury. Both teams are in a similar boat in terms of depth, so the team with the most guys still standing by the end of the year may be the one with the advantage when the time comes.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Linebackers

The Tigers are pretty solid here. Interior linebacker Brandon Maye is great in rushing defense and will probably lead the team in tackles. Kavell Conner gives them a solid outside guy. The other spot is a little shakier, with Scotty Cooper likely starting now that DeAndre McDaniel has moved to safety. Depth is also an issue.

I give us a slight advantage here. The Tigers don't quite have the star power we have at linebacker, but they should be good nonetheless.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Secondary

The secondary is Clemson's defense's strength, as the Tigers return quality experience at every position. Corner Chris Chancellor, who has been very successful against us over the course of his career, is the unit's star. Crezdon Butler is also good at the opposite corner, and the Tigers have quality backups for Chancellor and Butler. The Tigers lose strong safety Michael Hamlin, but they will replace him with the aforementioned McDaniel, who should ably fill Hamlin's shoes. Free safety is a little more of a question mark, but Clemson should be able to figure it out with the talent they have in the secondary reserves.

I give Clemson a slight to strong advantage here. News out of camp has been promising for our young secondary, but the Tigers are unquestionably more of a proven quantity.

Verdict: Slight to strong advantage Clemson

Special Teams

The Tigers will suffer a complete overhaul of their kicking game after losing kicker Mark Buchholz (I'm sure you remember him) and Jimmy Maners. Spencer Benton and Richard Jackson are competing for kicking duties, while Dawson Zimmerman is expected to handle punts. Zimmerman did play some last year and was OK. Clemson does have a potentially explosive return game when Spiller and Ford are returning. Those of you that watched Alabama paste the Tigers last year may remember that one of their few highlights was a long kickoff return for a touchdown by Spiller.

I'll call this a push. We have slightly more stability in the kicking game, the same thing going for Clemson in the return game.

Verdict: Push

Coaches

Dabo Swinney was able to energize the Clemson faithful by finishing the regular season strongly. That finish, of course, included the blowout win over us, which certainly helped Swinney's reputation with Clemson faithful. The true test, though, begins now, after the lustre of that surprise finish has worn off. Swinney is still a coach with very, very little experience, certainly much less than you would expect for a guy in charge of a relatively high-profile program like Clemson. He has to prove that he wasn't a knee-jerk reaction hire--a la West Virginia's Bill Stewart--by having a better than average season this year. He doesn't have to win the ACC, mind you, but he does have the tools to finish in its upper half. If he can't do that--and he fails to beat us--expect the Tigers faithful to immediately begin to question the hire. And rightfully so, I would say; I'm still a bit surprised the Tigers didn't go after someone like Bobby Johnson. If Swinney does well, though, expect the hype machine to begin for the resurgence of Clemson football.

I'll give Steve Spurrier a slight advantage here based on experience. However, as with Lane Kiffin, it's really too early to make many judgment calls about Swinney, so take this comparison with a grain of salt.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Overall

My sense is that these are fairly evenly matched teams. Both should have pretty good defenses and both might have OK offenses if a few things fall into place. A few decisive questions jump out at me when trying to decide which will win. First of all, the two teams share inexperience at quarterback. Whether it's Parker / Korn or Garcia that's playing well by November will be a deciding factor in how good these two teams are relative to each other when they take the field. Second of all, Dabo Swinney and his staff are largely an unknown quantity, so their progress will be important. Finally, both teams have some depth issues on defense that may be exposed by the end of the season. The team that suffers fewest injuries at low-depth positions may have an advantage there. I don't have the answers to these questions right now, so I'm just going to go with my heart (and against historical precedent) and call it a close Carolina victory. I'll go ahead and admit that this pick derives at least in part from homerism and unwillingness to pick Clemson. We obviously have a lot to prove against these guys. I do, though, think the talent gap has closed to a certain degree. We're in a place to even up this series. The only thing remaining is to actually do it.

Prediction: 28-24 Carolina victory

Poll

The Clemson game will result in a (elaborate in the comments section)...

Blowout Carolina Victory

10 votes

Close Carolina Victory

26 votes

Close Clemson Victory

18 votes

Blowout Clemson Victory

33 votes

87 votes | Poll has closed

Draft Talk: Wide Receivers

Matty I — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:37:51 -0000

On Sunday night, agent Drew Rosenhaus made his weekly appearance on a local TV station. Among some of the things Drew talked about was what the Dolphins are planning to do - in his opinion - with that 25th overall draft pick in April's draft. Said Rosenhaus:

"The Dolphins are definitely, in my opinion, going to take a receiver with the No. 1 pick. There's too much talent there ... Dolphins fans, this is your year to get a receiver in the first round even at No. 25."

A couple things jump out here. First, it's important to remember that Rosenhaus is an agent - and agents are always looking for ways to help themselves and their clients. So it's very possible that Rosenhaus and his "Dolphins are definitely going to take a receiver" opinion is nothing more than posturing. I'm not sure off the top of my head if Drew is representing any of the top receivers in this year's draft, but I'm sure he has some kind of ulterior motive here.

Secondly, we know the Dolphins are among the tightest-lipped teams in the NFL. There's no way Drew or Omar Kelly or anyone else has any reliable information on what the Fins plan on doing at #25.

And thirdly, like some Dolphin fans like to do, Drew takes backhanded shot at Ted Ginn, telling Fin fans that this is the year we get a WR in the 1st round. But that's fine - I still believe in Teddy and I'm sure many of you do, too.

But moving on to the meat of this, I thought it would be a good time to at least humor Drew and focus some attention on the draft's top wide receives - ones that could be potential targets of Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland at some point on day one of the draft.

Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech (6'1 1/8, 215)
Arm - 34 1/4, Hand - 9 1/4
Crabtree is the best receiver available in the draft - bar none. And despite the stress fracture in his foot, he's a lock to be a top 10 - possibly top 5 - pick. So there's no need to waste any time on him.

Jeremy Maclin, Missouri (6'0 1/8, 198)
40 - 4.46, Arm 32 1/4, Hand - 9 1/4
Maclin's probably the consensus #2 receiver in this class and is another one likely to be gone by the time the Dolphins pick. He's a threat to score everything he touches the ball - either as a receiver or a returner. Look for him to come off the board somewhere in the mid-teens.

Percy Harvin, Florida (5'11 1/8, 192)
40 - 4.41, Arm - 31 5/8, Hand - 9 3/8, Bench - 19
Now we're getting down to the potential targets at pick #25 - though I don't think Harvin lasts that long. Percey is an explosive, versatile player - possibly the most dynamic player in the draft. But he doesn't have experience playing in a pro-style offense and might be raw as a receiver. But, in all honesty, Harvin is very similar to Ted Ginn - meaning it's unlikely the Fins would even take him if he was still on the board. So there's no need debating his strengths and weaknesses at this point. The Dolphins need a big receiver.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland (6'1 5/8, 210)
40 - 4.30, Arm - 33 5/8, Hand - 9, Bench - 16
This is the guy receiver who most impressed me at the Combine. His 4.3 40 yard dash was the fastest by anybody there (though the DBs are set to workout on Tuesday). His 38.5 inch vertical was 5th among the receivers. And he displayed very soft hands in his on-field work. The reservations people have, though, about Heyward-Bey are all fair points. He's very raw as a route runner and, from some of the film I've seen on him, he doesn't catch the ball "naturally" at times (if you know what I mean). He has a track background - which explains his inexperience. And at times down at Maryland, he had a tendency to go quiet for long stretches, meaning consistency play in and play out could be an issue. But these are all things that can be fixed with coaching and experience. And his upside is unlimited, to be honest.

Kenny Britt, Rutgers (6'2 7/8, 218)
40 - 4.47, Arm - 34, Hand - 9, Bench - 23
As many of you know, I'm one of the many here in this community that love Britt. And his impressive sub-4.5 40 cements Kenny's status as one of the best receivers in the draft. For my money, he's probably the 3rd best behind Crabtree and Maclin. The thing that's most impressive about Britt (aside from his impressive speed for a big guy and great strength for a receiver) is how he always tends to make plays at the most critical moments of a game. And I'm not exaggerating here. He's a big-time play-maker and isn't afraid of crunchtime. At RU, Britt ran tremendous routes and, despite being the clear go-to guy this past season (and having an average at best QB throwing to him), he averaged 7 receptions for 114 yards per game. And his career 17.1 yards per catch is remarkable.

Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina (6'0 3/4, 212)
40 - 4.54, Arm - 33 1/2, Hand - 10 1/2
I was a little disappointed with where Nicks measured in at. I thought he'd be 6'1 to 6'2. But he's a very good player who will run good routes and make the tough catch. Though he lacks great speed, he's really as polished as a receiver can come when entering the NFL - which says a lot coming from North Carolina (not the best football program in America).

Brian Robiskie, Ohio State (6'2 7/8, 209)
40 - 4.51, Arm - 31 1/2, Hand - 9 5/8
Robiskie is a guy I really wanted to see work out at the Combine this weekend. And that's because he wasn't ever really the focal point of Ohio State's offense - so he couldn't ever showcase his skills. Of course, being the son of an NFL receivers coach (former Dolphin WR coach, by the way), you knew Brian would be a fundamentally sound player. And his college tape shows that. He's got excellent hands and is an amazing route runner - he knows how to get open. He might be the most polished WR in this draft. But I wondered about his measurables. Not anymore. His 4.51 40 time was very impressive for a man who stands nearly 6'3. His 37.5 inch vertical was the 9th highest among all WRs in the draft. And he seemed to catch everything that was thrown to him - a natural pass-catcher. He could be a possible target in round 2.

Louis Murphy, Florida (6'2 3/8, 203)
40 - 4.42, Arm - 33 5/8, Hand - 10, Bench - 12
I'm sure a lot of you Dolphin fans who are also Florida Gator fans can go on and on about Murphy. I'll just add that I was surprised with how fluid he looks when he runs - and how fast he can move - for a big guy. And I like the fact that he'll go across the middle without a second though. That kind of toughness you can't teach. But his inexperience would worry me a bit. And considering he's a Florida receiver - meaning he has limited experience running the route tree - I'd be cautious i selecting Murphy too early. Maybe a late 2nd round pick, but I'd feel better about taking him if he was around in round 3.

Mid to Late Round Intriguing Prosepcts

Ramses Barden, Cal Poly (6'6, 229)
40 - 4.61, Arm - 34 1/2, Hand - 10 3/4, Bench - 17
Like a lot of teams the Dolphins are reportedly intriguied by this small-school prosepct. And how could you not be? His 4/61 40 is impressive for a 6'6, 230 pound man. He's very athletic and will go up and get the football. The question is how long Barden lasts on draft day.

Dominique Edison, Stephen F. Austin (6'2 1/8, 204)
40 - 4.45, Arm - 32 1/2, Hand - 8 1/2
This is a guy who might be worth a 6th or 7th round flier. He, too, comes from a small school. But he put up an eye-popping 18 touchdowns last year. He's very athletic, but would be raw and need time to develop.

Aaron Kelly, Clemson (6'4 1/2, 204)
40 - 4.55, Arm - 32 3/4, Hand - 9 1/2, Bench - 11
Kelly had a very good junior year before having a disppointing senior season at Clemson. But he worked out well at the Combine, including a 38 inch vertical, and has the height that many teams (including the Dolphins) are looking for. Coming from a more well-known school will help him, too - as teams might shy away from the small-school prospects. I think his Combine numbers helped him work his way into this draft's 7th round. If the Dolphins hold off on taking a WR earlier, Kelly would be an interesting guy to take a shot on.

Gator Bowl: Nebraska vs Clemson - Clemson's Offense By the Numbers

Jon Johnston — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:00:06 -0000

We've done our fair share about Clemson's defense, so it's time to take a look at the Tiger offense, which means it's time for more statistics.

Passing

		Passing									Rushing
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Willy Korn	6	119.6	26	38	68.4	216	36.0	8.3	1	1	13	19	3.2	1.0	1
Cullen Harper	12	129.3	204	323	63.2	2395	199.6	11.7	11	12	49	-110	-9.2	-2.0	2

Willy Korn has been practicing, but it's Cullen Harper that'll be making the start. Harper isn't much of a running threat, and his TD/INT ratio is pretty awful, although he didn't through an INT in his last three games. Both quarterbacks have good completion rates.

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
James Davis	12	159	725	60.4	4.6	11	14	123	10.2	8.8	0
C.J. Spiller	11	109	612	55.6	5.6	7	30	430	39.1	14.3	3
Jamie Harper	7	34	133	19.0	3.9	1	4	21	3.0	5.3	0
Jacoby Ford	12	17	93	7.8	5.0	0	50	598	49.8	12.0	3
Paul Macko	3	5	23	7.7	4.6	0	1	14	4.7	14.0	0
Willy Korn	6	13	19	3.2	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Marquan Jones	4	2	6	1.5	3.0	0	5	37	9.2	7.4	0
Tyler Grisham	12	1	3	0.2	3.0	0	36	366	30.5	10.2	1
Cullen Harper	12	49	-110	-9.2	-2.0	2	0	0	0	0	0

We must worry about "Thunder" and "Lightning" which are James Davis and CJ Spiller, respectively. Here's what Steve Spurrier has to say about the two:

“C.J. Spiller is a fast guy that if he gets loose nobody’s going to catch him. He got loose two years ago a couple of times in the game we won. The key is don’t let him get behind us or in the open field. James Davis is a very good inside runner also.”

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
James Davis	12	14	123	10.2	8.8	0
C.J. Spiller	11	30	430	39.1	14.3	3
Jamie Harper	7	4	21	3.0	5.3	0
Jacoby Ford	12	50	598	49.8	12.0	3
Marquan Jones	4	5	37	9.2	7.4	0
Tyler Grisham	12	36	366	30.5	10.2	1
Aaron Kelly	12	61	648	54.0	10.6	3
Michael Palmer	7	12	160	22.9	13.3	3
Xavier Dye	3	6	75	25.0	12.5	0
Durrell Barry	4	5	93	23.2	18.6	0

Clemson is going to run the ball to set up play-action.

Aaron Kelly is 6' 5", which will be a problem for our defensive backs. Jacoby Ford is a speedster, note his totals above as both a running and receiving threat. Also note Spiller's totals in both rushing and receiving.

Clemson has experience, depth, and talent in their receiving corps, although this isn't unlike anything we faced against Big 12 offenses. The key here will be making sure coverage doesn't break down - that we're consistent, something we haven't done a great job of this season.

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	11	-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Mark Buchholz	11	-	8-8	4-6	3-4	0-2	14	19	73.7%	31	31	100.0%	73

Bucholz is a pretty good kicker, consistent, although note that he hasn't hit anything beyond 49 yards.

Note that Clemson has 22 TD's on the ground, with 13 in the air. If we're going to beat Clemson, we're going to have to shut down the running game and force them to throw.

In order to do that, the defensive line is going to have to be disruptive, and our linebackers are going to need to play one of their better games of the season. It would be nice to have Cody Glenn back on the field, but at least Phillip Dillard will return.

Clemson only scored over 30 twice this season against Div IA (FBS) foes, coming against Duke and at the end of the season against hated rival South Carolina. Otherwise, their offense has been fairly anemic, finishing 62nd in scoring offense with 25.5 points per game.

If you get the idea that Nebraska should win this game if it gets into the 30s, you'd be correct. Most of the nation believes that the Big 12 offenses are only so good because our conference can't play defense. The proof will be on the field the next couple of days, but against Clemson the Huskers match up fairly well. Their offense isn't special because it's a new-fangled fancy pants no-huddle spread system, but they do have athletes and experience.

We're going to need to play our best game of the season to beat Clemson. It'll be time to see how far we've come.

TARGET FILE: at The Team from the Upstate [11.29.08]

cocknfire — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:23:19 -0000

This was easily the most painful game of the 2007 campaign for the Gamecocks. The Team from the Upstate rebounded from being down 21-20, converted after 3rd-and-18 and kicked a game-winning field goal as the last seconds ticked off the clock. In our house. To end any hope of a bowl and any hope of redeeming the season.

And so this is a revenge game, as entirely too many games against the Team from the Upstate have been over the years. The problem is that wanting revenge won't be enough to win the game.

OFFENSE

O-line. Two starters return from last year's squad, which already ranked 100th in the FBS by allowing 2.69 sacks a game. And the rushing offense was not as good as you think: 50th in the country, with 161.2 ypg. Good, but not great. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

Quarterback. The questioning of Cullen Harper confuses me. Sure, he had a running threat that you had to respect, and that's going to help anyone's number. But: 282-of-433, 2,991 yards, 27 TDs, 6 INTs. His QB rating was 140.96, good for 22nd in the country. ADVANTAGE: TEAM FROM THE UPSTATE

Running backs. The DaviSpiller monster accounted for 2,851 all-purpose yards and 19 TDs last year. Sure, it might not be Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, but it's still pretty good. And this tandem actually returns this year. ADVANTAGE: TEAM FROM THE UPSTATE

Remind me again why we decided to play for Tommy Bowden...

Wide receivers. Aaron Kelly returns with his 88 receptions, 1,081 yards and 11 TDs. He's backed up by Tyler Grisham, 60 catches, 653 yards and 4 TDs. They're just flat deeper than South Carolina. ADVANTAGE: TEAM FROM THE UPSTATE

DEFENSE

Defensive line. Ricky Sapp, who had 10 TFL, five of them sacks, is one of three returning starters on the front. The rushing defense was actually better, in some ways, than the rushing offense last year: 23rd in the country, 118.3 ypg. However, they are without Phillip Merling, he of the 78 tackles, 17 TFL, 7 sacks and 21 quarterback pressures. ADVANTAGE: PUSH

Linebackers. One starter returns to this squad, and the losses include leading tackler Nick Watkins, who had 118 last year, and Tramaine Billie, he of the 79 tackles, 4 TFL and seven quarterback pressures. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

Secondary. All the starters return after a year in which the Team from the Upstate ranked 13th in pass efficiency defense, allowing a 108.31 QB rating. Last year, the Tiggers had 16 picks. ADVANTAGE: TEAM FROM THE UPSTATE

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicking -- bah! The Team from the Upstate can't kick! NAH NAH NAH!!! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!! Actually, Mark Buchholz only hit 61.1 percent of his FG attempts. On the other hand, Jimmy Maners averaged 42.8 yards on his punts. The return game was good on kickoffs, but so-so on punts. ADVANTAGE: PUSH

COACHING

Tommy Bowden. Versus Steve Spurrier. You're kidding, right? ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

RESULT

Again, I never pick the Team from the Upstate to win. Tradition is the only reason to make this selection. POSSIBLE WIN

THE REST OF THEIR SEASON

This is the year for the Team from the Upstate, or so we're told. If they can get past Alabama, the Tiggers are set up to open the season 5-0 before they head to Wake Forest for the de facto Atlantic Division championship game. We think. After that, the toughest remaining conference game is at Florida State. You have the creeping thought: "Dear, merciful Heaven -- they could go undefeated." Then you remember that they're coached by Tommy Bowden. 10-2

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Thus concludes the Target File series -- finally. Upcoming: the final month of the national slate in one preview, and FIVE REASONS debuts for the 2008 season.

And then, football.

Poll

South Carolina at the Team from the Upstate will be a ...

South Carolina blowout

5 votes

Narrow South Carolina win

11 votes

Push

4 votes

Narrow Team from the Upstate win

4 votes

Team from the Upstate blowout

3 votes

27 votes | Poll has closed