College Football

My Pops did construction work and here in North Carolina our household was all Tar Heel.

I went on a work trip with him once as a 11-12 year old near Anderson, SC. We came out of a store and Danny Ford was coming in and my mouth dropped. It was all I could do to ask for an autograph. He gave me a signed hat and from that point on I have been a Clemson football fan. That would been in 81-82 when they was fresh off the National Title.

As far as dynasty goes, I think they are close. Mostly because, and using Alabama as the gold standard, they have done it four years in a row. Auburn made a 1 year run, then faded. Other teams have beat them but none have done it at the end of the year twice. And with two more minutes in two of the games the other team would have won. If Watson got the ball back in his loss I think Clemson wins. If Hurts gets the ball back in the Clemson win, I go Alabama.

So the gap has been shortened not so much because they beat them badly this year, but because they have been there for four straight years. No one else has been a mainstay at the top.

The biggest drama is yet to come. Saban is near 70 years old. Guess who gets the first call when he decides to retire? Maybe an Alabama graduate, Gene Stallings/Bear Bryant pupil, with National Titles already under his belt. Just saying.

S

 

I have always questioned Saban when Bama was behind. Not that they lose all that often but when they are down the adjustments are few and far between.

The first harris kid was killing Clemson but I guess the game plan was for Tua to throw the ball to the title. His best two moves ever was going to Tua in the title game and then to Hurts in the SEC title. A few years ago South Carolina jumped them early but Mark Ingram was gashing SC and they scored. They came out in the second half and threw the ball all over the place. Against Auburn he could have run the ball and kept Newton off the field.

Granted there is a coordinator dialing up the plays but at some point during the prep there has to be a Plan B and the head coach should see the need for the change.

On Monday night with the score 16-14 they could have kept the Harris kid in and ran their way to a closer game. Even the Jacobs kid was awesome on short yardage plays. It is like they 'assumed' Clemson would score 44 and they gave up on the run for passing.

And when it was 31-16 and Tua did not look good on the opening possession the camera panned over to Hurts and I thought "here comes Alabama". And he never made the move.

I think going to Hurts would have put them back in the game and kept Lawrence and crew off the field.

I just read Hurts would be transferring. Not many 26-2 QB's out there with two SEC titles and a National Championship. I was on him sort of hard in the beginning of the year as his dad was making noise. BUt that kid handled himself with class and when called upon delivered. I'm a big fan.

S

 

one SEC title? mind went blank.

S

 

In a few years when it is a useless fact I will have it locked down in my memory.

If it serves any importance I can't remember squat.

S

 

Nice article/story.

Inspiration and being inspired can come from just about any where and can be really individualistic.

Whatever inspires him has him rolling on top of the world right now.

S