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Rex Brown
Clemson's Aaron Kelly can't come up with this catch in the end zone during the Tigers' loss to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Clemson will return to the Georgia Dome to open the 2008 season against Alabama on Aug. 30.
CLEMSON — There’s a lot of talk nationally that Alabama’s confrontation with Clemson in the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff on Aug. 30 in the Georgia Dome is a big game for Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban, but what some of those people have forgotten is that this game might even be a bigger one for Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden.
Nationally, Clemson is considered that one team that just can’t get over the hump. With 14 starters coming back, including a quarterback who set 21 school records in his first year, a 1,000-yard rusher and a 1,000-yard receiver, the Tigers are primed to win the ACC for the first time since 1991.
Though Clemson doesn’t need to beat Alabama to win the ACC, a win over a traditional SEC power like Alabama could do wonders for the psyche of Bowden’s football team.
Alabama on the other hand needs a big non-conference win under Saban to prove to the Crimson Tide fans and to the school that his $4 million contract is worth it. Clemson should enter this game ranked in the top 10 in both major polls and a win over the Tigers would do wonders for Alabama’s confidence heading into the SEC.
The analysis
Clemson’s offense vs. Alabama’s defense
The Crimson Tide have senior end Bobby Greenwood, junior end Brandon Deaderick and junior noseguard Lorenzo Washington to make up a pretty good defensive front in Saban’s 3-5 scheme. However, there isn’t much depth behind them and the same can be said at linebacker and at the cornerback positions. Safety is perhaps the next solid unit with Rashad Johnson and Justin Woodall, but the corners are a question mark.
Clemson has its concerns on the offensive line, but the talent is there for them to be pretty good before it is all said and done, plus when you have running backs like James Davis and C.J. Spiller and a quarterback like Cullen Harper the Tigers should find away to get around the O-line’s deficiencies.
Clemson’s defense vs. Alabama’s offense
The Tigers have their issues at linebacker and the status of DeAndre McDaniel thanks to his legal troubles could be a problem, but overall, the defense, which finished 2007 ranked in the top 25 nationally in four different categories, is basically intact and Da’Quan Bowers debut should make Clemson fans forget all about Phillip Merling at defensive end.
For the second straight time, Clemson will journey into the Georgia Dome facing an SEC team that will be introducing a new offensive scheme. In the Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Year’s Eve, Auburn introduced its new spread offense, which Clemson handled well until an injury to safety Michael Hamlin in the third quarter. This time around, the Crimson Tide welcome new offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, who last year averaged 419.5 yards and 32.9 points a game at Fresno State. He inherits a unit that is solid at quarterback, with senior John Parker Wilson, and on the offensive line, which has two Outland Trophy candidates in junior left tackle Andre Smith and senior center Antoine Caldwell.
Gone, however, are wide receivers Keith Brown and D.J. Hall, which means Wilson’s weapons could be limited to tailbacks and tight ends.
Special teams
Overall, this has been the Achilles Heel for Clemson, but Andre’ Powell’s promotion to special teams coordinator should help Clemson in its deficiencies in covering kicks and punts. Spiller gives the Tigers the potential for a big play on every punt and kick return.
Alabama’s Javier Arenas averaged 15.4 yards on punt returns last season to rank second in the SEC and 12th nationally. Kicker Leigh Tiffin scored 111 points and 10 field goals of 40 or more yards to lead the SEC.
Overview
Last year, Clemson was a dropped pass away from playing for the ACC Championship, and then a missed tackle from beating Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl for a 10th win. This time, with a national television audience watching, it’s the Tigers turn to shine. This Clemson team seems to have a different attitude than teams in years past — even without having played a game, it already displays an attitude that it is better and can beat any opponent on its schedule.
The Tigers and Crimson Tide will throw big punches early, but Clemson uses its depth and offensive firepower to pull away late.
Prediction
Clemson 38, Alabama 21
Tomorrow: A breakdown of the Sept. 6 game against The Citadel.
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July 10, 2008
2:40 p.m.Report inappropriate content
You have GOT to be kidding. This is the biggest bunch of crap I've ever had the displeasure of reading. You failed to mention the fact that a young O-Line can negate any productivity from an elite RB core. You also failed to mention that Clemson really only has 1 true receiver as their "receiving corp". If you don't believe Alabama can shut down 1 receiver with an all SEC CB and an all SEC safety up for the Thorpe, then I have some swampland you need to buy as well. Lastly, with Keith Brown and DJ hall gone... Alabama actually HAS a chance! Did you miss the fact that McElwain utilizes a more QB friendly offense, the receiving corp is twice as deep at Alabama with more true playmakers on the roster, and the QB is on the Maxwell list? I mean come on. Read some stat sheets and some breakdown analyses before you write some purple and gold p*ss like this.
July 10, 2008
5 p.m.Report inappropriate content
try to know what you're talking about before you rag on the purple and ORANGE.
Thunder and Lightning are good enough to make up for a weak OL, they did last year with 900+ and 750+ yards respectively. Harper also made due with a sub-par OL, passing for 2,991 yards and putting up better numbers than Matt Ryan.
As far as the WR's go. Aaron Kelly is money in the bank, but take into consideration backups in Grisham, Dye, T. Ashe, and studs at TE... I think our WR's are gonna be just fine. Who scored the first TD last season? Thats right, a TE. That CB and Safety can try all they want, but when those 2 go up against multiple offensive weapons: Davis, Spiller, Harper, Kelly, Grisham, etc... theres only so much they can do, and so much ground they can cover.
Again, try to pay attention to BOTH team's stats before you get diarrhea of the keyboard again.
August 6, 2008
4 a.m.Report inappropriate content
Hi Guys,
I am posting this info just to shine a little more light on the upcoming game between these two great schools. I am a bama native and fan but have a great respect for Clemson. Clemson, to a degree, shares a lot of things in common with Bama as well. The famed Howard’s Rock the school advertises as part of their pre-game ritual. This same Frank Howard is a Bama guy, played for the Crimson Tide in the late 1920’s before moving into coaching as a profession. He is credited for building the Clemson program into what it is today.
Cecil “Hootie” Ingram, a defensive back at Alabama in the early 1950’s also coached at Clemson. In fact, he’s credited with bringing the “Tiger Paw” to Clemson which is yet another one of their traditions.
No one that is a Clemson fan can forget Danny Ford who brought their last National Championship to Death Valley. And, of course we all know, Danny was also a member of the Alabama teams in the late 1960’s.
Clemson fields one of the best backfields in the ACC led by Sr. Quarterback Cullen Harper. Harper finished in the top 25, NCAA QB rankings, while putting up some impressive numbers. He had a fantastic touchdown to interception ration with 27 touchdowns to only 6 interceptions.
The duo of Jr. CJ Spiller and Sr. James Davis aren’t quite in the league of last years Arkansas group of McFadden, Jones and Hollis, but they are awfully close in terms of a great running threat. The duo combined for 15 TD’s last year when running ball the ball.
But, before you start getting worried about if Alabama will be able to handle the Tiger’s running attack you’ll want to consider this fact. Last year, at the beginning of their schedule when they faced three teams of equal caliber, the due combined for less than 100 yards in all three games, combined. Those were against Va. Tech, Georgia Tech and Boston College which was their most productive game gaining 47 yards on the ground.
Harper isn’t limited to a one dimensional attack when you consider the experience he has in his Wide Receiver corps. Sr.’s Aaron Kelly and Tyler Grisham both are legitimate play-making threats and Jacoby Ford is a nice addition to that rotation.
DEFENSE:
Much like the offense, you can point to a few of the specific units on the Clemson defense and you’ll likely rate them as some of the best in the South East United States. In fact, if asked, I would have to say that the defensive side of the ball may be the stronger unit of the two.
In a defense that rated in the top 25 in essentially every important category last year this group returns 8 starters from the 2007 season.
The strength of this defense, in terms of returning talent, is their secondary led by two seniors; Michael Hamlin who led he team in tackles and Chris Clemons. Jr. Cornerback, Chris Chancellor, along with Hamlin led the team with the most interceptions follwed by their other cornerback, Crezdon Butler, who had three interceptions in 2007.