Clemson's Superior Team Speed

[killer cacti]

I, for one, would not go as far as to compare our team (as a whole) speed to Texas or Oklahoma, but CJ and Jacoby are rediculously fast...

[strigori]

The often repeated mantra coming from the Clemson sites in recent weeks has been about Clemson's superior team speed. They weren't ranked in the preseason top 10 based on no talent. What's your take on Clemson having more speed than that seen in the Big12? Fact or illusion? Do athletes from the southeast have more game speed than those from Texas or California? Doesn't make sense to me. They speak of their overall defensive speed and the speed of RB Spiller and receiver Ford. Sounds like Spiller is their version of our Helu.

Spiller's faster than Helu, but Helu is just as effective. Clemson is not faster than OU or TX.

 

I dunno, MIA had more speed than Cal and they lost. You gotta be able to play as a TEAM!

 

No doubt this will be a tough game, but I think it will come down to the QB position, where I think 'WE' have the edge.

Cal had faster players than Miami from where I sat. Best ran by everyone the Canes had. OU and UT would annihilate Clemson, just as OU did to us. And I dont buy Clemson being faster than NU. Sure Clemson might have a couple speed demons, but beyond that, I dont see it.

[dee_s3]

How can u say Clemson had faster players than OU or Tx!!! I would like to remind people of all the speed talk, when u look at Florida and their fastest guy is from up north (Harvin)..........GBGR

[zE bOp]

The often repeated mantra coming from the Clemson sites in recent weeks has been about Clemson's superior team speed. They weren't ranked in the preseason top 10 based on no talent. What's your take on Clemson having more speed than that seen in the Big12? Fact or illusion? Do athletes from the southeast have more game speed than those from Texas or California? Doesn't make sense to me. They speak of their overall defensive speed and the speed of RB Spiller and receiver Ford. Sounds like Spiller is their version of our Helu.

Spiller's faster than Helu, but Helu is just as effective. Clemson is not faster than OU or TX.

 

I dunno, MIA had more speed than Cal and they lost. You gotta be able to play as a TEAM!

 

No doubt this will be a tough game, but I think it will come down to the QB position, where I think 'WE' have the edge.

Cal had faster players than Miami from where I sat. Best ran by everyone the Canes had. OU and UT would annihilate Clemson, just as OU did to us. And I dont buy Clemson being faster than NU. Sure Clemson might have a couple speed demons, but beyond that, I dont see it.

Best and a few others. Canes woulda won if that QB was a little more mature and their O-line was a bit better.

[strigori]

The often repeated mantra coming from the Clemson sites in recent weeks has been about Clemson's superior team speed. They weren't ranked in the preseason top 10 based on no talent. What's your take on Clemson having more speed than that seen in the Big12? Fact or illusion? Do athletes from the southeast have more game speed than those from Texas or California? Doesn't make sense to me. They speak of their overall defensive speed and the speed of RB Spiller and receiver Ford. Sounds like Spiller is their version of our Helu.

Spiller's faster than Helu, but Helu is just as effective. Clemson is not faster than OU or TX.

 

I dunno, MIA had more speed than Cal and they lost. You gotta be able to play as a TEAM!

 

No doubt this will be a tough game, but I think it will come down to the QB position, where I think 'WE' have the edge.

Cal had faster players than Miami from where I sat. Best ran by everyone the Canes had. OU and UT would annihilate Clemson, just as OU did to us. And I dont buy Clemson being faster than NU. Sure Clemson might have a couple speed demons, but beyond that, I dont see it.

Best and a few others. Canes woulda won if that QB was a little more mature and their O-line was a bit better.

And the Canes never would have been in the game if Cal had a vintage Cal QB instead of Longshore. Speed is Speed, where ever it comes from. A 4.4 is a 4.4 regardless if the guy is from the north or south.

[Enhance]

"Speed" is just a term popularly coined by ESPN and it's analysts. Statistically speaking, the actual speed (in 40 yard dash time) is just as good as any other team. SEC/ACC teams aren't just automatically "faster" on defense because they are in the SEC/ACC. It all comes down to execution, and SEC/ACC defenses appear to fly to the ball.

 

Here's the fault though, which is the huge debate. Are SEC/ACC offenses bad which makes the defenses look great, or are the SEC/ACC defenses just that good? I tend to think it's a little bit of both. Obviously, nobody in the ACC is as powerful offensively as Oklahoma or Texas, for that matter. I would seriously doubt anybody in the SEC is that great offensively either, even Florida.

 

Personally, I feel Clemson's defense is ranked so high because they haven't played any overly explosive offenses. If Clemson were in the Big 12, they would not be ranked in the top 40 defensively. The matchup between NU-CU and OU-FU is going to say a lot.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I'm not worried about it, speed doesn't mean anything when it's getting knocked down behind the line of scrimmage! j/k We have had problems with speedy teams this season especially when they get the edge on us. That goes back to a trouble spot with the lb's and the secondary. If Clemson attempts to run up the middle on us they won't be that successful. Let's just hope they don't find the corner very fast.

[Touchdown Tommie]

You can the put the fastest guys out on the field, but if they do not know how to execute the plays, it does not matter. I can think of a certain bowl game where the team NU played was suppose to just run by the Huskers for the entire game. The Gators just got manhandled by the Huskers and did not know what hit them.

[zE bOp]

The often repeated mantra coming from the Clemson sites in recent weeks has been about Clemson's superior team speed. They weren't ranked in the preseason top 10 based on no talent. What's your take on Clemson having more speed than that seen in the Big12? Fact or illusion? Do athletes from the southeast have more game speed than those from Texas or California? Doesn't make sense to me. They speak of their overall defensive speed and the speed of RB Spiller and receiver Ford. Sounds like Spiller is their version of our Helu.

Spiller's faster than Helu, but Helu is just as effective. Clemson is not faster than OU or TX.

 

I dunno, MIA had more speed than Cal and they lost. You gotta be able to play as a TEAM!

 

No doubt this will be a tough game, but I think it will come down to the QB position, where I think 'WE' have the edge.

Cal had faster players than Miami from where I sat. Best ran by everyone the Canes had. OU and UT would annihilate Clemson, just as OU did to us. And I dont buy Clemson being faster than NU. Sure Clemson might have a couple speed demons, but beyond that, I dont see it.

Best and a few others. Canes woulda won if that QB was a little more mature and their O-line was a bit better.

And the Canes never would have been in the game if Cal had a vintage Cal QB instead of Longshore. Speed is Speed, where ever it comes from. A 4.4 is a 4.4 regardless if the guy is from the north or south.

just cuz Longshore tripped and fell on his keester on the 1 yd line, c'mon!

[robsker]

The often repeated mantra coming from the Clemson sites in recent weeks has been about Clemson's superior team speed. They weren't ranked in the preseason top 10 based on no talent. What's your take on Clemson having more speed than that seen in the Big12? Fact or illusion? Do athletes from the southeast have more game speed than those from Texas or California? Doesn't make sense to me. They speak of their overall defensive speed and the speed of RB Spiller and receiver Ford. Sounds like Spiller is their version of our Helu.

Clemson is not faster than OU or TX.

 

I dunno, MIA had more speed than Cal and they lost.

 

 

Clemson is the faster than OU and Texas, much faster actually.

 

Javid Best was the fastest player on the field in the Miami/Cal game and was difference maker.

 

Speed kills and this game concerns me because of that.

 

Well.... speed can kill but does not necessarily do so all time. I suppose if all other things are equal, then no doubt a speed advantage would kill most every time. But....

 

Bo has had his defense has playing pretty well all season and our LBers' especially are not very fast at all (I'm being generous here). That is, more often than not, NU is giving up a team speed advantage to their opposition --- most of the Big 12 is faster than NU. Yet, this year, for the most part, NU competed reasonably well.

 

My point is that I do not doubt at all that Clemson will be faster than NU. Maybe even having a bigger speed advantage over us than most of the others we have played. That however is most concerning to me with special teams than it is with NU on offense or defense. For one, our offense is pretty effective w/o much team speed and that Clemson's defense will be rally fast is well... not that big a concern, we have scored on fast defenses before. When NU is on defense, so long as time of position is in our favor and we are not on defense that much --- and so long as field position is reasonable (and we don't turn it over on offense much, leaving our defense in a pickle, short field to defend, etc) we'll maybe be OK. Where the danger lies is special teams --- we need our kicks to be un-returnable --- if not, and their speed gets them routinely to the 40-50 yard line (or, worse still) then we can be in a world of hurt (now our defense is in a pickle).

 

Adi Kunalic will play a huge roll in this game. If he can go 5 yards deep in the endzone on kicks then we'll be fine.

 

The keys, as I see it. No turnovers for us. Good time of position. Adi Kunalic neutralizing their speed on returns and making them go 80 yards to score --- and NU will win. It is, however, precarious because a big play from them (or two) --- and speed can do that --- and NU is in trouble.

 

Should be a great game. The betting line seems reasonable with Clemson a slight favorite.

[zE bOp]

Yea, special teams might be the determining factor.

 

We have Joey though, so my $$'s on Big Red.

[outbound]

The often repeated mantra coming from the Clemson sites in recent weeks has been about Clemson's superior team speed. They weren't ranked in the preseason top 10 based on no talent. What's your take on Clemson having more speed than that seen in the Big12? Fact or illusion? Do athletes from the southeast have more game speed than those from Texas or California? Doesn't make sense to me. They speak of their overall defensive speed and the speed of RB Spiller and receiver Ford. Sounds like Spiller is their version of our Helu.

Clemson is not faster than OU or TX.

 

I dunno, MIA had more speed than Cal and they lost.

 

 

Clemson is the faster than OU and Texas, much faster actually.

 

Javid Best was the fastest player on the field in the Miami/Cal game and was difference maker.

 

Speed kills and this game concerns me because of that.

 

Well.... speed can kill but does not necessarily do so all time. I suppose if all other things are equal, then no doubt a speed advantage would kill most every time. But....

 

Bo has had his defense has playing pretty well all season and our LBers' especially are not very fast at all (I'm being generous here). That is, more often than not, NU is giving up a team speed advantage to their opposition --- most of the Big 12 is faster than NU. Yet, this year, for the most part, NU competed reasonably well.

 

My point is that I do not doubt at all that Clemson will be faster than NU. Maybe even having a bigger speed advantage over us than most of the others we have played. That however is most concerning to me with special teams than it is with NU on offense or defense. For one, our offense is pretty effective w/o much team speed and that Clemson's defense will be rally fast is well... not that big a concern, we have scored on fast defenses before. When NU is on defense, so long as time of position is in our favor and we are not on defense that much --- and so long as field position is reasonable (and we don't turn it over on offense much, leaving our defense in a pickle, short field to defend, etc) we'll maybe be OK. Where the danger lies is special teams --- we need our kicks to be un-returnable --- if not, and their speed gets them routinely to the 40-50 yard line (or, worse still) then we can be in a world of hurt (now our defense is in a pickle).

 

Adi Kunalic will play a huge roll in this game. If he can go 5 yards deep in the endzone on kicks then we'll be fine.

 

The keys, as I see it. No turnovers for us. Good time of position. Adi Kunalic neutralizing their speed on returns and making them go 80 yards to score --- and NU will win. It is, however, precarious because a big play from them (or two) --- and speed can do that --- and NU is in trouble.

 

Should be a great game. The betting line seems reasonable with Clemson a slight favorite.

 

Clemson may have a speed advantage, as a Clemson fan I see a size difference being big.

The OL will have to have their best game in order for anything else to go Clemson's way.

All the junk talking aside I expect a very entertaining game with no clue how it will turn out.

[UGAHusker]

One thing to consider is the Clemson game against Alabama. I know it was the beginning of the season and that 'Bama turned out to be a title contender, but show me one 4.4 guy on their offense (MAYBE Jones). Their defense had bigger, stronger linebackers, average speed in the backfield and on the line yet still managed to dominate Clemson physically (0 yards rushing). I think if we can play this brand of physical football, speed won't matter as much as we may fear it will.

[killer cacti]

One thing to consider is the Clemson game against Alabama. I know it was the beginning of the season and that 'Bama turned out to be a title contender, but show me one 4.4 guy on their offense (MAYBE Jones). Their defense had bigger, stronger linebackers, average speed in the backfield and on the line yet still managed to dominate Clemson physically (0 yards rushing). I think if we can play this brand of physical football, speed won't matter as much as we may fear it will.

Word. That's what scares me.

[jkstlrnu1]

Anyone who has followed Nebraska for the last 20 or so years has had to hear about every other team we play having superior team speed. Miami, beat em, Florida, beat em etc.... just saying that team speed does not automatically determine whos gonna win. We are just a bunch of big ol' dumb farmers here who cant run I guess..... big ol' dumb farmers w 5 Nat'l Championships