Game Thread: Clemson Comes to Town

[mak4dpak]

Guess that is why we all have opinions, as the census around me felt it was ABSOLUTELY the wrong thing to do, as it didn’t work. Perhaps I can go with the pooch kick to the gap.

[13OT]

I thought BOTH onside kicks were bonehead calls. You just can’t give a team like Clemson two straight possessions on your own 40 and expect to have a chance to win.

My prediction had been 49-35, about what I expected. I did not like the N&O sports headline “Clemson Stomps State” one bit.

I expect a 2-2 split for the remainder of the season and another bowl game vs a non-Power Five opponent. Might be ECU.

[mak4dpak]

Clemson game over, time to move on to BC, where we should be favored, if we show up and play. And hoping Clemson can win the National Championship, knowing we hung with them.

[Wulfpack]

We weren’t going to beat them staright up, that much was for sure by that point in the game. I salute DD for giving it a go.

[jljones]

No hope for our secondary—someone (coaches) need their job performance reviewed. No excuses for such poor out of position playing. Clemson had people open by 20 or more yards. It happens every game.

[Wolfanatic]

Speaking of the kicking game, at what point should Jackson Maples get a shot on FGs? I realize that he is non-scholarship, but that shouldn’t matter. He has the leg. He kicked a 41 yd FG in the spring game and a 60 yd FG in high school. Apparently, Bambard is very accurate in practice, but it’s not carrying over to games. It’s not just that he is three of nine, but that the misses are usually very bad misses – not even close. I understand that he needs to gain confidence, but maybe giving Maples a shot might help Bambard with his nerves and help the team also if he fares better.

[Wulfpack]

I expect a 2-2 split for the remainder of the season and another bowl game vs a non-Power Five opponent. Might be ECU.

Currently slated for the Independence Bowl against Louisiana Lafayette. Or, could be the Belk Bowl in Charlotte against Aubie.

[Tau837]

As I posted earlier, Brissett really choked up at the end of the first half, and it really cost us.

We were leading 20-19. Clemson punted. Here is the sequence that followed:

1. We started the drive in Clemson territory with 2:54 remaining. The #1 objective for this drive should have been to get points, but a close second should have been to keep the ball away from Clemson the rest of the half to preserve the lead, especially since Clemson was to get the ball to open the second half.

2. On the first play, Dayes runs 21 yards, giving us 1st and 10 at the Clemson 25 with 2:47 remaining. Once the ball was set, the clock started running. Brissett snapped the ball for the next play with 16 seconds remaining on the play clock.

3. On the second play, Brissett completed a pass to Trowell for 8 yards, giving us 2nd and 2 at the Clemson 17 with 2:23 remaining and the clock running. Once again, Brissett snapped the ball for the next play with 16 seconds remaining on the play clock.

4. On the third play, Brissett completed a shovel pass to Samuels for a 1 yard loss, giving us 3rd and 3 at the Clemson 18. Not sure there was really any better option for Brissett on the play… he could have kept it but might have lost more than 1 yard himself, and throwing the ball away would have stopped the clock, so his decision on the play was okay, Clemson just defended it well. The clock continued to run, and State called timeout with 5 seconds left on the play clock. Fortunately for State, the clock operator ran an extra 3 seconds off the clock, and they were not added back afterwards. So 1:12 remained on the clock at that point. The timeout seemed to be called from the sideline, and it may be that the coaching staff felt they had to call it before Brissett snapped the ball, which is why they did it with 5 seconds remaining.

5. On the fourth play, Brissett floated a terrible lateral to Dayes in the flat, and he had no chance to do anything with it once he caught it, leading to a 9 yard loss (and his injury). Clemson called timeout to stop the clock with 59 seconds remaining. Brissett has got to be smart enough to read multiple Clemson defenders in position to tackle Dayes for a loss, with no State blockers in the area to help him out, and he also can’t put so much air under that ball. It would have been much better if he just pulled the ball down and ran forward and got whatever he could. In this case, it would have been fine to throw the ball away if he could have done so without grounding it. This play was about not taking a big loss, which is exactly what happened.

Things would have played out differently if this sequence was managed better, and there is no way to know for sure how much it would have mattered.

– Would Clemson have been able to score if they had 28 seconds remaining rather than 59 seconds remaining when they took over? Would State’s defense have been called differently and able to keep Clemson in front of them?
– Would the FG have been missed if not for the 9 yard loss? Certainly the kick that happened looks like it would have missed, but who knows if he would have yanked it that way if he was closer…?
– Would the second half have been different if Dayes wasn’t injured on that play? (I understand this wasn’t really Brissett’s fault, but it was an outcome of his decision and throw on the play.)

Bottom line, this is the second time in a few games that Brissett has botched the end sequence of the first half (Louisville was the other). This apparently needs to become a point of emphasis with Brissett and the coaches.

[TheCOWDOG]

From the onside kicks, to the play calling, to JB…Good game. Thanks.

To our fans that couldn’t seem to find their way back home…Fux you. To those that vacated late in the 4th…double Fux you.

To back judges that missed call after call…you’re lucky the DU/UM game took the spotlight off ya.

[mak4dpak]

Surely from an attendance standpoint, there must have been quite a few so called Pack fans that sold/or gave their tickets to tiger fans. Way too many fans in orange. I would lose money before offering my tickets to the opposing team. Never ever offer your tickets to the opposition in CF stadium. Bet the same so called fans give them up for the holes game too. That is just bad!

[TheCOWDOG]

OT Richardson P/U a DUI this AM. Gone on the indefinate thingy.

WTF. Ya can’t quaff on Hillsboro St. anymore? Like…walk?

[Heelh8r]

I am thinking that Halloween seriously must have been a factor with so many leaving. Got to get home for trick or treating. But man, everybody gave up way too early. Even on this thread. We still had a legitimate outside chance to win the game with under 2 minutes to go. We had two excellent chances to get TD’s right at the end that would have put us 1 score away. Have you not seen what can happen?

Will Richardson is heartbreaking. Why o why do so many have to learn the hard way. And I’m not just talking about football.

[TheCOWDOG]

Learning the hard way is one thing. Screwing your teammies is another.

[Mike]

Absolutely agree with the onsides kicks. We could not afford to trade scores – we needed the ball back down 2 posessions we had no choice.

Now, give them a short field? Did it matter? If we pin them deep they would just drive it the length of the field anyway, so at least we had a shot at the ball. And they almost worked. I know about almost……..but it was our only chance to WIN the game. We played to WIN and that is important.

[redisgood]

I thought the crowd seemed fairly quiet most of the game. I was thinking and hoping it would be a lot louder and electric atmosphere. Everyone did the obligatory stand up and make noise on Clemson’s 3rd downs, but it was pretty calm outside of that. It almost felt like a Carolina wine and cheese atmosphere. I went home absolutely hoarse, but I think I was in the minority. I’m on the 50 yard line, but up high, so maybe it was louder at field level.

[Tau837]

No comments on the end of first half sequence?

[redisgood]

Tau837 wrote:

No comments on the end of first half sequence?

When we got the ball to start the sequence, I said hopefully we can score and not leave Clemson any time to score. Then right before the 3rd down play, I said this could be the play of the game. There is no doubt in my mind the game turned on that sequence at the end of the 1st half.

[TheCOWDOG]

Sure Tau. We missed another FG,and as Stevens was closing on a football, he got chest planted with a stiffarm. No call, lost lead. Simple as that.

[Whiteshoes67]

Outcome was about what I expected. Proud we didn’t quit. I was surprised we put up that many points given our offensive struggles this year. Thought our O-line protection was better than it has been.

Obviously, the sequence at the end of the first half was a momentum changer. I didn’t see the first half, too busy celebrating kid’s first birthday, but I caught the second. Notwithstanding bad calls, I thought the defensive scheme was suspect. Watson made some good throws when our coverage wasn’t bad, and the zebras blew a few, but some of the big plays were just busted coverages and outgunned personnel. From a personnel standpoint, there was no way our back 7 could chase and drop into coverage and be successful for an entire game versus that offense. No chance. Clemson may have scored 70+ had we brought more pressure, but the only chance we had was to hit Watson. Simply too much time all day for Watson.

[redisgood]

I know the media is going nuts over a couple of running backs, but I think Watson may be the best player in the country. I see no weaknesses in his game at all. Strong arm, accurate, good decision maker, great runner. He has all the tools.

[patientwuf]

5. On the fourth play, Brissett floated a terrible lateral to Dayes in the flat, and he had no chance to do anything with it once he caught it, leading to a 9 yard loss (and his injury). Clemson called timeout to stop the clock with 59 seconds remaining. Brissett has got to be smart enough to read multiple Clemson defenders in position to tackle Dayes for a loss, with no State blockers in the area to help him out, and he also can’t put so much air under that ball. It would have been much better if he just pulled the ball down and ran forward and got whatever he could.

I would like to see a QB do all that in 2 seconds or less. Give the Tigers a little credit for a well timed blitz.

Stevens was closing on a football, he got chest planted with a stiffarm

Getting hosed on that particular sideline is becoming common place against the Tigers.

[Tau837]

TheCOWDOG wrote:

Sure Tau. We missed another FG,and as Stevens was closing on a football, he got chest planted with a stiffarm. No call, lost lead. Simple as that.

That’s it, huh? No criticism for leaving 30 seconds on the clock in that situation? No criticism for Brissett’s terrible decision/play on 3rd down? OK.

[tjfoose1]

That’s it, huh? No criticism for leaving 30 seconds on the clock in that situation? No criticism for Brissett’s terrible decision/play on 3rd down? OK.

No. None warranted.

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