Clemson doesn't have an OC or DC

[RedDenver]

Our offense is functioning differently now than when we played VT, or even MU for that matter. Stats say that you can run on Clemson. And I debate the skill of the DBs. When they played the two accurate passers (Alabama, and Wake) they allowed over 60% completions. As for the Clemson offense vs the Blackshirts, I think its a simple plan really. Take away the run, and make Harper beat us with his arm. He has 11 TDs to 12 INTs. I like those odds.

You sight Alabama and Wake Forest but that was with different coaching staff. Not only that but our DC is gone for the Gator Bowl. It is hard to say what you should expect from our D. I'm a Clemson person and even I don't know what to expect. I believe we will abandon the zone defense which had been a problem for us on 3rd and long.

NU has had the most problems passing on zone teams. If CU plays man, I think NU will pass all over them. We use the short passes and screens to WR's and RB's to attack the blitz. In fact, Ganz has made some HUGE plays against blitzing teams because he's surprisingly quick and heady. CU will need to play good defense and mix up the coverages and calls. NU typically loses the TO battle though, and CU will have to capitalize on those to win.

 

[outbound]

blitzing would be great for our screen game.

I hope the game can live up to fun I have had reading posts on both boards, hasn't been a lot of bashing just good solid thoughts.

That being said Clemson was definitely not the favorite in the last meeting so I guess I can't put much stock in that.

As a Clemson fan I think I will be let down after the game win or lose, I always suffer withdrawal.

 

[clone]

I think that we match up well with each other, but I do agree that Clemson's speed will be a major problem. Now, before all the Big Red fans attack me, I would like to state "I like our chances".......but anyone who thinks that NU will win this game by anything more than 6-7 should take off the rose-colored glasses.

I don't have rose colored glasses (threw them away in 2007) and predict a 10 pt NU win over clemson.

The GANZINATOR will get the game ball.

:horns2 :horns2

 

[Palpable Smarm]

Our defense will be more aggressive than it was under Koenning, who I actually don't think did a bad job, but Dabo wants more man coverage and blitzing and less of a cushion for opposing receivers.

Dabo and Billy Napier are the de facto OCs. They've done a better job utilizing available talent than Bowden and Spence, but then again, Bozo the Football Playing Clown would have too. They're using Kelly as the downfield threat he should be and are putting the ball in Spiller and Davis' hands, which Spence the supposed mastermind could never seem to figure out.

Our O-line still isn't great, but has improved over the course of the year and should be good next year when all these freshmen and sophomores have grown up a little more.

The biggest plus to getting rid of Bowden will be our Bowl preparation. Honestly, the most maddening part of his tenure was how unprepared and sloppy we looked in bowl games. The Kentucky fiasco a few years back was the tipping point for me with him. I think Dabo will at least put together a cogent gameplan.

 

[caveman99]

Our defense will be more aggressive than it was under Koenning, who I actually don't think did a bad job, but Dabo wants more man coverage and blitzing and less of a cushion for opposing receivers.

Dabo and Billy Napier are the de facto OCs. They've done a better job utilizing available talent than Bowden and Spence, but then again, Bozo the Football Playing Clown would have too. They're using Kelly as the downfield threat he should be and are putting the ball in Spiller and Davis' hands, which Spence the supposed mastermind could never seem to figure out.

Our O-line still isn't great, but has improved over the course of the year and should be good next year when all these freshmen and sophomores have grown up a little more.

The biggest plus to getting rid of Bowden will be our Bowl preparation. Honestly, the most maddening part of his tenure was how unprepared and sloppy we looked in bowl games. The Kentucky fiasco a few years back was the tipping point for me with him. I think Dabo will at least put together a cogent gameplan.

Like several other NU posters said earlier, if CU blitzs alot and goes man then I think CU is in for a long day. NU's offense takes advantage of mismatches, all triggered by Ganz's ability to read it and make checks. They also run plays like the zone read that allows Ganz and co to make plays on the fly. NU also likes middle screens and plays to the IB that basically destroy a blitz if executed. I think it will be interesting how the strength of NU's D, the D-Line, handles the great 1-2 punch CU has running the ball. That is the key to the game IMO. I think NU puts points up, question is if CU will keep up.

 

[OrangeCrush]

Our defense will be more aggressive than it was under Koenning, who I actually don't think did a bad job, but Dabo wants more man coverage and blitzing and less of a cushion for opposing receivers.

Dabo and Billy Napier are the de facto OCs. They've done a better job utilizing available talent than Bowden and Spence, but then again, Bozo the Football Playing Clown would have too. They're using Kelly as the downfield threat he should be and are putting the ball in Spiller and Davis' hands, which Spence the supposed mastermind could never seem to figure out.

Our O-line still isn't great, but has improved over the course of the year and should be good next year when all these freshmen and sophomores have grown up a little more.

The biggest plus to getting rid of Bowden will be our Bowl preparation. Honestly, the most maddening part of his tenure was how unprepared and sloppy we looked in bowl games. The Kentucky fiasco a few years back was the tipping point for me with him. I think Dabo will at least put together a cogent gameplan.

Like several other NU posters said earlier, if CU blitzs alot and goes man then I think CU is in for a long day. NU's offense takes advantage of mismatches, all triggered by Ganz's ability to read it and make checks. They also run plays like the zone read that allows Ganz and co to make plays on the fly. NU also likes middle screens and plays to the IB that basically destroy a blitz if executed. I think it will be interesting how the strength of NU's D, the D-Line, handles the great 1-2 punch CU has running the ball. That is the key to the game IMO. I think NU puts points up, question is if CU will keep up.

Clemson's D has certainly played more aggressive / physical lately, but I'm curious as to how our LBs will match with your RBs and TEs, and the short passing game in general. Our LB core is young, and they really haven't filled out yet...I kinda view our LB corp as a bunch of strong safeties. We have some freshman playing, as well as a former safety playing there. When the freshmen mature a bit and grow physically, I'm looking for Clemson to have some stout LBs, but for now, it's like we're running a 4-7 (7 DBs) in a way, or a variation of a dime package.

 

[zE bOp]

Our defense will be more aggressive than it was under Koenning, who I actually don't think did a bad job, but Dabo wants more man coverage and blitzing and less of a cushion for opposing receivers.

Dabo and Billy Napier are the de facto OCs. They've done a better job utilizing available talent than Bowden and Spence, but then again, Bozo the Football Playing Clown would have too. They're using Kelly as the downfield threat he should be and are putting the ball in Spiller and Davis' hands, which Spence the supposed mastermind could never seem to figure out.

Our O-line still isn't great, but has improved over the course of the year and should be good next year when all these freshmen and sophomores have grown up a little more.

The biggest plus to getting rid of Bowden will be our Bowl preparation. Honestly, the most maddening part of his tenure was how unprepared and sloppy we looked in bowl games. The Kentucky fiasco a few years back was the tipping point for me with him. I think Dabo will at least put together a cogent gameplan.

I never could understand how Bowden could mess up a gameplan. It's simple, just give the ball to Spiller and Davis like 50 times a game. Even pass it to them. And that #80 WR you guys had, is he still around?

 

[killer cacti]

Our defense will be more aggressive than it was under Koenning, who I actually don't think did a bad job, but Dabo wants more man coverage and blitzing and less of a cushion for opposing receivers.

Dabo and Billy Napier are the de facto OCs. They've done a better job utilizing available talent than Bowden and Spence, but then again, Bozo the Football Playing Clown would have too. They're using Kelly as the downfield threat he should be and are putting the ball in Spiller and Davis' hands, which Spence the supposed mastermind could never seem to figure out.

Our O-line still isn't great, but has improved over the course of the year and should be good next year when all these freshmen and sophomores have grown up a little more.

The biggest plus to getting rid of Bowden will be our Bowl preparation. Honestly, the most maddening part of his tenure was how unprepared and sloppy we looked in bowl games. The Kentucky fiasco a few years back was the tipping point for me with him. I think Dabo will at least put together a cogent gameplan.

I never could understand how Bowden could mess up a gameplan. It's simple, just give the ball to Spiller and Davis like 50 times a game. Even pass it to them. And that #80 WR you guys had, is he still around?

Yes sir, his last game will be the Gator Bowl. Also, it will be Davis' last game, and more than likely Spiller's last game as well.

Bowden was too into the stats, we'd dominate a first half running the football, but he wanted balance, so we'd come out in the second half passing, then end up losing (see Maryland game this year). He would always back his offensive coordinator with stats that were skewed by running them up against 1-AA teams. I for one am ecstatic that he's gone.

And on a quick personal note. I am now on the travel squad. And I got a N Badge!!!

 

[ClemBert]

I never could understand how Bowden could mess up a gameplan. It's simple, just give the ball to Spiller and Davis like 50 times a game. Even pass it to them. And that #80 WR you guys had, is he still around?

Hopefully, y'all will see a lot of #80 Aaron Kelly, the all time ACC career reception leader. A large part of our offensive woes relates to the number of injuries on our OL. When we lost too many of the OL to injuries we had to go with our freshman and sophomores. Unfortunately, they lacked the experience and size to open up some running room for Spiller and Davis. We've seen marked improvement though when Bowden and Spence were gone as our new HC made some changes including abandoning the 2-point stance. Also, dumb-dumb OC Spence would call for a pass to #80 behind the line of scrimmage and expect our 6'5" 185 lbs WR to make his own holes. Dumb! Now we aren't doing that AND Spiller is being passed the ball into open space.

Bowden and Spence were just stubborn. Never seemed to make the adjustments. Just stuck with the pre-game plan.

 

[Palpable Smarm]

Our defense got a huge boost when Rashad came back...Bowden saying he didn't realize what a big difference Rashad made is proof positive that he was clueless. Hunter and McDaniel are coming along nicely, I think, and they inject some needed nastiness and attitude.

Totally agreed about Tommy's offensive philosophy. It drove me nuts to see Davis run for 100 yards in the first half and not see the ball for the entire second half. Bowden would always argue "well, they were stacking the box." That's crap...so just by having the other team creep their safeties up, you're going to toss out half the playbook? He had a bad habit of letting the defense dictate to him what he was going to run.

 

[zE bOp]

Our defense will be more aggressive than it was under Koenning, who I actually don't think did a bad job, but Dabo wants more man coverage and blitzing and less of a cushion for opposing receivers.

Dabo and Billy Napier are the de facto OCs. They've done a better job utilizing available talent than Bowden and Spence, but then again, Bozo the Football Playing Clown would have too. They're using Kelly as the downfield threat he should be and are putting the ball in Spiller and Davis' hands, which Spence the supposed mastermind could never seem to figure out.

Our O-line still isn't great, but has improved over the course of the year and should be good next year when all these freshmen and sophomores have grown up a little more.

The biggest plus to getting rid of Bowden will be our Bowl preparation. Honestly, the most maddening part of his tenure was how unprepared and sloppy we looked in bowl games. The Kentucky fiasco a few years back was the tipping point for me with him. I think Dabo will at least put together a cogent gameplan.

I never could understand how Bowden could mess up a gameplan. It's simple, just give the ball to Spiller and Davis like 50 times a game. Even pass it to them. And that #80 WR you guys had, is he still around?

Yes sir, his last game will be the Gator Bowl. Also, it will be Davis' last game, and more than likely Spiller's last game as well.

Bowden was too into the stats, we'd dominate a first half running the football, but he wanted balance, so we'd come out in the second half passing, then end up losing (see Maryland game this year). He would always back his offensive coordinator with stats that were skewed by running them up against 1-AA teams. I for one am ecstatic that he's gone.

And on a quick personal note. I am now on the travel squad. And I got a N Badge!!!

Hmm, I never got the badge, or my scout team or starter jerseys or my BLACKSHIRT! I am pissed!

Now they'll prolly give me a 'Member's Only' windbreaker from a thrift shop.

But yeah, I was always surprised to see Bowden just basically go away from the running game. I was watching Clemson mainly to watch Spiller, but then I stopped watching them as much the last year or so.

 

[zE bOp]

I never could understand how Bowden could mess up a gameplan. It's simple, just give the ball to Spiller and Davis like 50 times a game. Even pass it to them. And that #80 WR you guys had, is he still around?

Hopefully, y'all will see a lot of #80 Aaron Kelly, the all time ACC career reception leader. A large part of our offensive woes relates to the number of injuries on our OL. When we lost too many of the OL to injuries we had to go with our freshman and sophomores. Unfortunately, they lacked the experience and size to open up some running room for Spiller and Davis. We've seen marked improvement though when Bowden and Spence were gone as our new HC made some changes including abandoning the 2-point stance. Also, dumb-dumb OC Spence would call for a pass to #80 behind the line of scrimmage and expect our 6'5" 185 lbs WR to make his own holes. Dumb! Now we aren't doing that AND Spiller is being passed the ball into open space.

Bowden and Spence were just stubborn. Never seemed to make the adjustments. Just stuck with the pre-game plan.

Yea, that Aaron Kelly sorta reminds me of Desmond Briscoe of KU.