CLEMSON — Sometimes, you get what you pay for.
Last fall, Clemson had a chance to completely remake its program following Tommy Bowden’s departure.
Starting in mid-October, athletic director Terry Don Phillips traveled the nation, talking with seasoned coordinators and sitting head coaches in search for Bowden’s optimal replacement.
In the end, he settled on a choice he had available all along — interim coach Dabo Swinney — who had never been a head coach, much less a coordinator.
Five games into Swinney’s first season, that decision threatens to turn the Tigers’ 2009 campaign into a learning experience, but not a winning one.
Following Saturday’s disastrous 24-21 loss at Maryland, Clemson is 2-3, 1-2 in the ACC, heading into this week’s much-needed open date.
And unless an anemic offense improves soon, even six wins and an Emerald Bowl trip might be a stretch.
It’s time to admit the truth: like it or not, Swinney and much of his offensive staff are learning on the job, and that’s no way to win college football games.
Right now, the Tigers have a rookie head coach, a 30-year-old, first-time offensive coordinator (Billy Napier) and a rookie quarterback (redshirt freshman Kyle Parker).
Their offense has scored two offensive touchdowns in its last 13 quarters.
Clemson’s defense has been solid, although there have been moments of weakness (like Maryland’s 76 and 81-yard touchdown drives that turned a 13-3 second-quarter lead into a 17-13 halftime deficit).
They’re not the 1985 Chicago Bears, which is about the only unit that could make this offense look good.
Swinney and Napier are not experienced play callers, and it shows. Take the three fourth-quarter drives which reached the Maryland 29, 30 and 31. C.J. Spiller’s slip on a screen pass might have been a touchdown had he stayed upright, but beyond that, the offense did nothing quickly, netting minus-5 yards total for the three drives.
No secondary weapons have emerged to support Spiller and Jacoby Ford, who have combined to score nine of Clemson’s 11 touchdowns so far.
Changing those stats is the responsibility of experienced coaches, but beyond offensive line coaches Brad Scott and Danny Pearman and running backs coach/special teams coordinator Andre Powell, those simply don’t reside on the offensive side of the ball.
Phillips conceivably had the chance to hire a more experienced coach and staff, but he chose Swinney and his less-experienced hires like Napier and wide receivers coach Jeff Scott, who is in his first full season as a college assistant.
If the coaches are learning on the job, how much impact do you expect them to have on similarly inexperienced players?
Following Saturday’s disaster, Internet message board posters — as they typically do — called for the heads of Phillips, Swinney, Clemson president James Barker and the entire offensive staff.
Firing any or all of the above would be premature at this point, given the seven games remaining on Clemson’s schedule.
But anyone who thought this transition would be smooth just got one heck of a wake-up call.
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Comments » 11
33dtb writes:
Dabo inherited a team with lot of talent and a neglected O-Line.
He is certainly doing better than TB with the situation.
I don't know what it will take to correct the O-Line problem, but we certainly need to make it a priority, because it will take time.
whorukiddin writes:
If Swinney was searching for a coaching job, who would hire him? Enjoy the rest of the season coach. Potential employers are watching.
upstatewave writes:
It’s time to admit the truth: like it or not, Swinney and much of his offensive staff are learning on the job, and that’s no way to win college football games.
WOW we knew that last year!! Wake up folks that was a choice based on emotion and money!!!
Keowee writes:
Does anyone else notice how many times Parker throws the ball out of bounds to receivers like Harper did his whole career. Do the fans ever notice Dabo won't give Korn all the starters when he is in the game. Makes Dabo's favorite look better. I don't believe Korn is better, but Parker stinks up the place. He was benched in baseball & the same needs to happen in football. He gives away where he is throwing, throws as hard as he can and usually way off target plus seldom runs when he should have taken off 3 seconds earlier. If you think Dabo will lead Clemson back to a championship, just wait until Spiller and Ford are gone,then see how mundane the offense will be. Here are 5 big keys to failure Dabo has locked in. The QB has to run the ball back to the running back then the RB has to run back to the line and guess what the defense has shed the blocks and waiting on Mr. RB. Boom! How long can a lineman block without holding? NO TDs so far except for Spiller who is a superman anyway.
2) Those inside handoffs time and time again are just like saying we don't want to move the ball. Just another version of Bowdens little no gain screens. Let the QB keep it,run, throw or reverse. but don't be so predictable 3) Here is the biggest concern, if there could be one bigger than 1& 2. Does any defensive coach or player have any idea who is suppose to cover the tight ends and backs out of the backfield. Year after year Clemson loses games to these catches & they don't even realize it. its like the silent killers. The Gamecocks will destroy the Tigers with this alone. Sat and every game these backs and tightends are always open.
4) Penalties, thats the one thing the Tiger's coaches teach correctly. Let each one commit a penalty and kill your drive chances. Its really to sickening to talk about but Dabo thinks its OK because they just keep on committing them. 5) Do you ever think one of the knuckle head coaches ever think about where to set up the field goal try in case they don't pick up a rushing 1st down. The last loss to USC was exactly that. Not only losing yardage but bad kicking angles. Its game after game when the kicks mean the most that you see this. Why?
tdonsin writes:
I think Korn is better!!!
drammajr258 writes:
FIRE DABO!!! AND Terry Don Phillips for hiring him anyway. yeah he's got good morral but come on the guy cant coach and learning on the job isn't working...he needs to learn on the job behind another experienced head coach. WHY COULDN'T WE GET RICH ROD!!! he would've worked magic at clemson! instead we have a sub par coaching staff trying to coach great talent. And i'm tired of seeing kyle parker throw the ball away, come on try make something happen. the next few years are going to be dark at clemson even when tahj boyd takes over the qb position. he wont have the coaching to take the team to the next level.
carolinaguy writes:
you cant win the national championship every year!!
jacketsfan76 writes:
Wow you people are something else. I dont know why expectations are so high at Clemson every year. Its not like you have a rich winning tradition there. Granted they have won about 60% of their games in the schools football history but hardly do they match up to traditional powers like Southern Cal, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, etc...you get the picture. They lucked up and won 1 mythical national championship due to the fact they cheated and had all kinds of NCAA violations when the beloved Danny Ford was there. Yet since then Clemson fans expect a national championship every year. I will never understand it. Give the guy (Dabo) a chance. If after 5 years they are still struggling then complain. Parity in college football is such that you arent going to have many undefeated powerhouses like you used to. Plus eventho the ACC is not exactly a conference with a huge amount of talented teams, they are getting better and more competitive. And get over the national championship thing. One time with illegal players does not make for a rich tradition of winning.
ashleycooper writes:
jacketsfan76 - where do you meet all these Clemson fans that expect to win the national championship every year? I am a Clemson fan who has reasonable expectations. It should be clear to any real Clemson fan that the Tigers are not now, and have not been for many, many years, anywhere near a top 10 national contender. Until Clemson can actually routinely beat the teams they SHOULD beat (like Maryland) and at least SOMETIMES beat top 25 teams, the Tigers are an afterthought in the national scene. I only expect Clemson to be competitive in every game, and I had hoped they could challenge for the ACC Atlantic division. Well - they have been competitive and they still MIGHT can challenge for the division even with two losses in the ACC. The season is only 5 games old with 7 more games to be played. I'm not throwing in the towel just yet.
jacketsfan76 writes:
Good for you Ashley. You are a TRUE fan and one that understands the situation as it is and should be. My comments stem from the Ken Hatfield (post Danny Ford)era when Hatfield was a winning coach but was not winning a national championship every year and he was despised for that. Plus I just have a lot of friends and listen to people call in on talk radio and they just seem to have unrealistic goals and are ready to throw people under the bus a little too soon in my opinion, i.e. Dabo and Willy Korn for another. I wish the Tigers luck in all their games.
BigBoy1976 writes:
I am a true tiger fan, and I get tired of you so called tiger fans who live in glass houses throwing stones. "WE" all cheered last year and chanted Dabo's name. We were all excited and had and still have high hopes for the tigers, but are so quick to fire someone. I never cared for TB and am still excited for Dabo. Things take time to turn around. No, I don't think Napier is the best person to call plays, maybe Dabo wasn't the right person to hire, but don't crucify him for what he has done. We wanted him, we got him, so now we need to give him a chance. We all also talked highly of Parker during the spring and preseason and after a few struggles we want him out and Korn in. Get a grip people. Stop talking out of both sides of your mouth.
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