Tigers Overrun Wake
Implosion? What implosion?
Clemson saved its 2009 football season – for now – with an emphatic 38-3 thumping of Wake Forest, a team which came into Saturday’s game looking to move into first place in the ACC South.
This one wasn’t even close, as Clemson’s defense delivered its most impressive outing of the season and star running back C.J. Spiller became the first player in Atlantic Coast Conference history to amass over 6,000 all-purpose yards.
Spiller’s 66-yard touchdown jaunt in the second quarter provided the offensive fireworks, but it was a stultifying defensive effort that earned Clemson (3-3, 2-2 ACC) its season-saving win. In addition to holding the vaunted Wake Forest offense to an anemic 178 yards, Saturday’s game was the first time the Demon Deacons (4-3, 2-2 ACC) had been held without a touchdown in fourteen games, dating back to last year’s 26-0 loss to Maryland.
In fact, by the time this game was over, Wake quarterback Riley Skinner could have easily been confused for Clemson’s starting quarterback … at least when it came to the color of his jersey. After all, the senior Demon Deacon gunslinger spent so much time getting pounded into the bright orange “tiger paw” at the center of Frank Howard Field that his once-white jersey began to take on a distinct orange-colored hue.
There was no confusing Skinner’s and Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker’s numbers, though.
The Wake Forest veteran – coming off a career performance against Maryland – connected on only 11 of 24 attempts for 82 yards. He was also picked off twice and found himself under pressure all afternoon.
Parker, on the other hand, connected on 10 of 17 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 31 yards – including a diving, 3-yard touchdown.
After a week of turmoil and controversy surrounding Clemson’s offense, Saturday’s 382-yard performance was a welcome relief for Tiger fans.
Earlier in the week, blog reports exposed a rift between Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Billy Napier – allegedly revolving around play-calling responsibility. Things got so bad that the two coaches reportedly had to be separated during a practice earlier in the week.
Saturday’s game did feature a scary moment when Clemson’s backup safety Kantrell Brown – a sophomore from St. Matthews, S.C. – had to be carted off the field on a stretcher after a collision during a kickoff return play.
Brown did show movement in his arms and legs after the hit, however, and preliminary reports from Oconee Memorial Hospital were positive, according to Clemson officials.
(Click on any of the thumbnails below to view the images in screensaver quality, high resolution …)
Pics: Travis Bell, Sideline Carolina
Comments
By BIN News Editorial Staff on October 18th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Our Funding Editor’s box seats at Clemson gives her a unique perspective.
She’s not impressed. Sadly, Dabo’s days are numbered:(3-3, 2-2 ACC).
It sounds like 3,2,1,zero. Danny? Are you ready to come back?
By CNSYD on October 18th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Interesting how insightful BIN’s comments are. EVERY coach’s days are numbered. Some just get a few more days than others. BTW, unless TDP terminates him DS is not going to be fired.
By Not Sayin', Just Sayin' on October 19th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Clemson’s win is virtually meaningless in the world of college football. What did they do? They whipped a typically pitiful ACC team two weeks after being beaten by an even more pitiful ACC team. Yay. It got them precisely zero votes in the polls. This puts them back in the hunt to win the Atlantic Division of the ACC? A serious person who supports a team other than those in the Atlantic Division of the ACC could not possibly care. It’s the vastly weaker division in a mid-level conference that has no impact on the national picture of college football. So let the Taters gulp orange kool-aid and think they’ve done something. Maybe that helps them forget another super-talented team that will accomplish nothing of significance.
By fromupstate on October 19th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
“Not Sayn’”, don’t worry…. we’ll have our mojo ready for that last game in November just like we always do. Picking up that final “meaningless” victory of the year is what has made our program slightly tolerable the last 15 years. You know you can count on that.
Don’t forget… the “reality” part of your schedule is quickly approaching. See records since 2002 below.
S. Carolina vs. ___________ (since 2002)
University of Florida – 1 win 6 losses =14%
Clemson University – 1 win 6 losses =14%
University of Georgia- 1 win 7 loses = 12%
University of Tennessee- 2 wins! 5 losses = 28%
combined winning percentange = 17%
and don’t bother with that “living in the past” crap. Obviously, history repeats itself. November will be here soon.