HEAD BALL COACH LOOKS TO RIGHT THE SHIP WITH NEW TALENT
|| By FITSNEWS || The University of South Carolina football program seeks a return to national prominence this week with the unveiling of its 2015 recruiting class. But did head coach Steve Spurrier‘s program – which lost several top recruits following a disappointing 2014 season – sufficiently reload its arsenal?
Or is the Gamecock program slipping further behind in the race to land the nation (and the state)’s top football talent?
At one point, South Carolina had a Top Ten national class … but with the books closing on the 2015 recruiting season, it looks as though the Gamecocks will struggle to stay among the top twenty classes in the country. And before you say “well that’s still pretty good” bear in mind at least seven of the twelve teams with better recruiting classes are on the Gamecocks 2015 schedule.
Yeah …
Clemson, on the other hand, currently boasts the No. 3 class in the nation – trailing only perennial national championship contenders Alabama and Florida State.
For seven straight years, head coach Dabo Swinney’s Clemson classes have ranked among the Top 20 in the nation – including a pair of Top Ten classes in 2011 and 2012. That effort has paid off with 42 wins over the last four seasons and three straight bowl victories.
Oh, and it finally paid off with a victory over the Gamecocks – Clemson’s first since 2008.
The Tigers have been spending to get talent, too. Their coaching staff shelled out $2.53 million on recruiting-related expenses from 2009-13, according to a USA Today analysis. That’s the sixteenth-highest figure in the country. Spurrier’s staff spent half that amount – $1.32 million – ranking No. 53 nationally over the same time period.
Oh, and governor Nikki Haley has been letting Clemson coaches use the state plane for recruiting trips …
Can South Carolina “re-flip the script” on its rival in light of all that?
Sure …
This website has counted Spurrier out before … and he’s proved us wrong (and then some). In fact after we questioned whether Spurrier should be fired following the 2009 season, he reeled off the most successful stretch of football in school history – including an SEC East championship in 2010 and three straight bowl wins, 11-win seasons and Top 10 finishes from 2011-13.
Oh, and he beat Clemson five times in a row …
Returning South Carolina to that rarified air won’t be easy … but again, we’ve learned to give Spurrier the benefit of the doubt.
2015 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA RECRUITING CLASS (.pdf)
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88 comments
I’m sure if Stevie is nice, Nikki will let him use the plane, too.
BUT IS IT ENOUGH?…No…it’s never going to be “ENOUGH” for Gamecock poor-mouthers, like you…. You ALWAYS bemoan, in cliche fashion, the prelude…only to look like the Dumb@$$ Spurrier ends up making of you…
Remember you ridiculed SC fans – via the ever since AWOL, RT – for being excited about JD….
You looked like a fool then…and you will again – as all lock-stepper woe-is-you- cliches do…
Do you have to kick Spurrier’s wife out of the way to suck his dick the way you do, or is she just happy someone is doing the job on that old drunk?
11 wins- 11 wins and 11 wins, 4 bowl wins in a row…and kicked Dabo’s @$$ FIVE years in a row…and he will beat him again in ’15…
If he’s an old drunk…the best coach in Clemson history must be an incompetent chump…
Ancient History, much?
SC won its last game, Dumb@$$…
SC won its last game…you’re probably right, but they might squeeze a couple more in…lol.
I laugh at those throwing the bowl appearance number around. 20 years ago that number would be impressive, today if you lose half of your regular season games you’re still likely going to a bowl game.
Well they’ve BEEN to 20 bowls…only won about 25% of those.
I think SC under Spurrier has peaked. Back to the middle of the SEC East for the near future.
I think there is a MUCH better chance Clemson, under Chad Morris, peaked…
Will be interesting to see what Dabo does w/o one of his million-dollar security blankets…LMAO…
Wow…I just gave you an “up’ vote. I almost didn’t because of your use of the all caps in “MUCH” and “LMAO.”
But the substance was quite on point. I, too, am very interested in seeing if “Dat Boy” can utilize the full potential of their offense. There’s no question, Clemson has a lot of talent. But talent doesn’t win games.
I was AMAZED at the strength – and give credit to – Clemson’s Defense.
But can the D rebuild in 2015?
And if the Watson-based offense can’t score (if the fragile Watson is hurt – or cannot come back after surgery) will the 2015 Clemson D be able to win games?
Was 2014 a FLUKE….or is Clemson good for the long haul?
With so many changes from 2014-to-2015…Clemson better hope Dabo has learned a clue or two…otherwise, that ship will sink faster than the Titanic (2.5 Hrs.)
The ACC is a tough conference now. Clemson is in like Flynn for a high ranking football team.
You better be happy w last year. There is no reason to believe the ACC is all of the sudden a top notch conference. ..like the SEC….flukes happen. Don’t base your reality on a fluke….
I hope you’re right.
I can’t believe I’m saying that…
He knows his football. I give him that.
Clemson will be better without Morris. Morris’ offensive schemes were too complicated, and at times, his play calling was ponderous.
When Seattle tried to pass from the 1 the other night, I thought Morris had started coaching pro. It was very similar to Clemson lining up in the shotgun on the 1 yard line against Florida St and losing in OT.
It was time for Morris to leave. His “will he stay or will he go” was a distraction the last 3-4 games, and I don’t think his head was really in it anyway.
At least he had the decency to leave before signing day :)
LMAO….And I drive better when Im s#!faced drunk too…what you people have to tell yourselves. …Hahahaha….
Don’t be so angry, fatboy.
One day tell you can tell people you remember the glory days when USC beat Clemson 5 times in a row, and signing day wasn’t filled up with juco xfers and firing the coordinators.
I NEVER get tired of making you look like the Dumb@$$ you are…LMAO…
When you start doing that, let me know fat boy.
I’ve held this back in the spirit of good sportsmanship, but you can’t possibly be a college graduate. Though many of my friends are Clemson boys, you take the plow-boy koolaide cake. Good luck to you sir, in whatever it is you do do.
LOL.
Wait: The HBC signed a kicker to a scholarship? I thought he didn’t do that.
Evidently…if you thought that, you’re a Dumb@$$…because he did…LMAO…
Check out what Carolina spends on recruiting per win. Then check out what Tennessee spends and what Clemmy spends.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/02/03/college-football-recruiting-signing-day-sec-power-conferences/22813887/
Interesting…
Point of Order… The State allows both Swinney and Haley to use the State plane. Not the other way around. Clemson Athletic Department pays for their usage. Not sure if Haley pays or not. (snicker). The same opportunity is open for Spurrier and company. If I had to guess, they hitch donated rides on an Alumni/boosters plane. Which is actually better for the SCar Athletic Department money-wise. Then again, they may be chartering and paying some alumni to use their plane…thereby getting money from the athletic department to the alumni plane owner. FITS ought to look into that because SCar staff is not flying USAir.
Wasn’t this also after Clemson got rid of at least one airplane in order to save money?
No article on Clemson’s stellar recruiting class? About par for the course for your pathetic, Fletch acting ass Will. Good luck for your dumpster fire of a team over the next few years as you will need it. You are such a bald peckerwood. Rode the elevator with you for several years after you were kicked out of politics after the MSM reported on your future wife beating. You had no idea you were riding on the same elevator with a dude who’s website was outhitting yours and still does to this day… better be glad you are the only game in town as far as SC politics as this site is weak and just waiting for someone with half a brain to overtake it.
I wish Clemson would ditch all their easy opponents except maybe for homecoming to get our strength of schedule rating up. We should be playing the likes of Citadel, SC State, Furman or Wofford just one game a season and the rest should be conference foes with hopefully 3 or 4 top 25 teams (either conf. or non-conf. teams) thrown in.
What good is strength of schedule of you get you @$$#$ kicked…
Because you know if you step up, and play tougher opponents, you’ll get the S#!t beat out of you….
You’re mostly ACC level, except for a BANNER year like 2015, when you were able to knock off a struggling SC team, for the first time in 6 years….
“Reload” is not the proper word to describe USCJr’s situation. “Rebuild” would be the operative word. Recruiting 10th in the SEC is not much to cockle doodle doo about! A defense in shambles, a new DC who leaves the NFL to come be co-coordinator with Whammy? What’s wrong with this picture? I would guess that he will end up the “head coach in waiting” so the HBC can make sure Steve Jr. is taken care of when Daddy retires after this years beat down by Clemson. Remember, the HBC said to “circle that date”. Spurrier knows the end is near, he has too much pride to take the ass cuttings that Clemson has in store for him.
We have just witnessed the best years of USC football. Hope you enjoyed the ride. Clemson will send another “legendary” coach into retirement. All we can hope for is that ESPN doesn’t offer Spurrier a gig.
As long as they do not play West Virginia,Clemson will be OK!
We will just stick with LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma.
Maybe they could schedule Texas A&M instead.
we have
Clemson won a tainted national championship 35 years ago, a bunch of ACC titles over the years against pretty weak competition, and has a winning record against South Carolina. Congratulations.
If we’re talking 35 year history, isn’t that about the last time USCe won a conference championship? And it was a lowly and weak ACC championship at that.
Yes, that’s right. Implied in my comment was an acknowledgement that Carolina is historically one of the worst major college football programs. But that wasn’t the point.
I have seen the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP trophy that Clemson won. It does not appear “tainted” at all. In fact it looks quite nice under the lights!
You have your SEC East championship and the 69 ACC and a couple of Pizza bowl trophies. In fact USCJr’s entire trophy case could fit in the trunk of a Dodge Neon. I would probably not mention trophies again.
I’m certain you don’t realize you are making my point for me. Let me try again. Clemson has been no more relevant on the national football stage in the last 35 years than has USC. Your comments about how pitiful the Gamecocks are only diminish your successes against an admittedly horrible program. You fellas getting so excited about beating Carolina, after losing five straight, kinda says it all about the relevance of Clemson in the national conversation. That’s my point. Thank you again for being so illustrative on my behalf. (He still might not get it.)
Trophy might not be tainted, but the team was. Cheated and sanctioned. Everyone knows that.
You’d think that if “everyone” knew that, then those victories would have been vacated, and the NC would have ben nullified.
If anyone knows about giving up wins, its USC.
And a national dynasty was born. Just been a little quiet for the last 35 years. Good thinking, no need to play your cards too early.
As it’s been said by several others before me, “Alabama mouth, Vanderbilt trophy case”.
Seriously, do you actually have a degree from your favorite college? For the sake of my Clemson buddies, I sincerely hope not. You would be boring dumbass number one at any get-together. Go wash that sweat-stained orange sweatshirt my friend, tomorrow is another day with that blower on your back.
Hey, if nothing else, you have a big lead in your series against a school that can put its entire trophy collection in the trunk of a “69 Comet (along with the full-sized spare). Nobody can take that away.
Not so sure those five Palmetto State trophies would fit in that comes. Funny Haha how short Clemson memories get when they finally win one.
Or how short USC fans are after winning 5 times. That series won’t even be tied up in anyone on this board’s life.
Gosh, I hope GaTech fans don’t look down on Clemson in the same fashion. That series is out of reach in two lifetimes. But who cares? Right?
One and done.
I sure am glad Alabama has their own plane!
Why does USCe have two pilots on payroll?
Coots had better be looking for a coach. The old boy is 70, now, and can’t remember what he said last week: a couple of years, 2 or 3 more years. or 4 or 5 yrs. HOPEFULLY, he will get better.
Wonder how long it will be before you are trying to unload Dabo???
You know Chad Morris is no longer there to prop him up, in that “PowerPuff” ACC…LMAO….
Wasn’t the ACC 5-2 against SEC foes this year? No, that didn’t include Notre Dame.
So does that mean you believe the ACC is as good as, or better a football conference, than the SEC???…
Or are you saying that if the ACC can do well vs the SEC, once in a blue moon…you’re so F*#king stupid, you forget about all the past superiority of the SEC…and the weakness of the ACC?
Please tell me you’re not that F*#king stupid?
Hello GT. For the 2014-15 season, which conference was better head to head? The ACC. Which was the better conference in total fan attendance? The SEC.
What adjective should the SEC be given when 71.4 percent of the time they lost to a conference that was “PowerPuff”? No doubt Alabama and Georgia (though a little inconsistent) were great.. Who was next best? Missouri, Indiana, or Bowling Green?
I don’t know and don’t care you IGNORANT F*#k…I know quality of football…and I know the SEC is A LOT F*#king better than the ACC.
You sound like some Obama spokesperson trying to convince everybody you’re NOT a total F*#k up…
Anybody with even half a D*#n brain knows the ACC is an inferior conference, especially compared to the SEC.
The problem w/ liberals…you think you can talk wrong into being right. And w/ some Dumb-F*#ks, you can. But I know better. So take your Bull-S#!t for the simple-minded elsewhere….
GT Fan: The SEC is better quality football because they went 2-5 vs the ACC? I prefer wins and losses to make my comparison. What are you measuring? TV Money?
If FSU plays Vandy…you’re going to get an ACC win…for years, you’d pull that kinda logic, and claim you had accomplished parity, or some of you Dumb@$$#$ even think you’re superior…If you slotted the schools, head to head…you’d get the S#!* beaten out of you more than not…
And: this year, you got once-in-a-blue moon wins over SC and Ga. And Florida is on hard times while corrupt FSU, is somewhat better than the usual ACC program…And it can be said Clemson had one of those magical inexplicable years for a program like that…
But if you think you’re anymore than a one-year fluke…you’re about as ignorant F*#k is there is out there…and you probably do…and are…
Georgia… one of the best teams.. lost to ga. tech. your #1 darlings, miss. state lost. missouri loses to a team rebounding from a lost to bowlimg green. get over yourself kiddo. the sec isnt as hot sh*t as you thought it was
missouri(an sec “great”) loses to Indiana who was bouncing back from a loss to the mid tier mac conference team, bowlimg green
Again: You base your reasoning on a Once in a Blue Moon Fluke.
You ignore your futility that is the rule. You represent yourself as an unthinking Dumb@$$…
please, go get another tattoo
The ACC, home of the last conference championship USCe has ever won.
But he can damn sure describe the layout of any golf course he’s played on.
I’m certain your English teacher reminded you time and time again not to end a sentence with a preposition. There are many books available to reinforce these basic rules of grammar.
I’m certain your English teacher reminded you time and time again not to end a sentence with a preposition.
TBG will be happy to handle this one for you, Squishy.
“But he can damn sure describe the layout of any golf course he’s played on, Asshole.”
Better now, Chief?
*no offense. old joke. couldn’t resist. *
MoRon – like FITS – has a column bemoaning SC’s recruiting class, too. MoRon accuses Spurrirer of being too honest, claiming that honesty HURT SC’s chances to land the type of recruits FITS and MoRon deem worthy……
I always LMAO off when MoRon, and FITS, have to eat S#!t sandwiches, as Spurrier wins and makes fools of them…
You’d think the F*#king idiots would learn by now…but the media-lockstep compulsion to attack SC and Spurrier is too strong for the Dumb@$$#$…
One win for Dabo in the last 6 years…and they are SURE Spurrier is done…and the future is all Orange..
The weak-minded never learn…
Anyone find it humorous that GrandTango is calling another reporter a derogatory name? This idiot can’t even keep a free blog open because nobody takes him serious, and he’s belittling a person who’s made a successful career out of writing.
But you do agree MoRon – who likened Steve Spurrier and SC to the Homosexual Child Rape case at Penn St. – is deriding SC, like FITS did, based on their projections of SC’s failure…even after Spurrier has made them look like D*#n fools before???
Ron Morris on Penn State comments:
“My comment on radio that connected USC’s public-relations issue with the Penn State scandal was only to suggest that college administrators have to be on high alert when it comes to coaches exerting too much influence over athletics department and university policy. That clearly was the case at Penn State.”
Exaggerate much?
Every. Day.
Hahahaha…You sound like Brian Williams or Dan Rather…you ignorant F*#k…
Why is it when liberals get busted…you try to weasel out of it….LMAO…
You people are so STUPID….thinking you can undo what you said, after everybody has seen what a bitter Dumb@$$ you are…Hahahaha..
Do you think no one else can see what you are trying to do???…You cannot be THAT brain dead…can you???
Wow, you just can’t do a more bang up job of changing the subject and circumventing the point than this. Congratulations, as usual. I give you a response that calls your bluff and all of a sudden I’m a war reporting liar or a document forger. That is rich, even coming from you. Channeling your inner liberal for sure.
You’re just too stupid to grasp the fact that I am addressing the subject.
Wait a second…”but the media-lockstep compulsion to attack SC and Spurrier”
Are you saying that the media doesn’t suck the teat of the old ball sack?
Have you ever watched ESPN?
Good lord you’re an idiot.
Is MoRon or FITS on ESPN….you F*#k! ng brain dead liberal?
Personal attacks and name-calling.
Channel liberals much?
Thats all he can do. He’s an ad hominem wrapped around a non sequitur. Add to that he’s not very bright, and well, you’ve either got a really sad, sad person, or Fits with an ingenious way to spark debate in his often dull comments sections.
To ignorant F*#king liberals, like you, telling the TRUTH is Name-Calling….LMAO…
“telling the TRUTH is Name-Calling”. See as that’s exactly what liberals say, I rest my case.
You said “media”. The “media” certainly would mean more than two people, wouldn’t it?
Not too bright, are you?
I will NEVER get tired of making you look like the Dumb@$$ you are…LMAO…
Go Emory!