BEST BIG HIT- TIE
1. Byron Maxwell on UVA FB Rashawn Jackson. This category is about collisions, not just tackles. There were relatively few really big hits delivered by Clemson defenders during the 2008 season but this one definitely stands out. After catching a 4 yard pass from Cavaliers QB Mark Verica, the Cavaliers' Jackson turned his eyes upfield and was run over by the Mack truck that was Byron Maxwell. It was over for poor Jackson before it started as Maxwell read the play and timed his arrival perfectly with the ball. The hit knocked Jackson off his feet and separated him from the ball, which LB Kavelle Connor recovered. Clemson went on to get 3 points as a result of the turnover and kept the momentum going with a 10-0 lead.
2. DeAndre' McDaniel on BC WR Clarence Megwa. McDaniel's hit on Megwa happened with about six minutes left in the 4th quarter of a close game. BC was facing a crucial 3rd and 3 and the Tigers were clinging to a 24-21 lead on the road. Keep in mind that BC has a history of winning these close games against Clemson, having won the last 3 by a total of 7 points. The defense had to step up and fortunately for the Tigers, Andre's hit caused Megwa to fumble the ball and Clemson recovered. The Tigers ran some time off the clock, got 3 points as a result of the turnover and the defense held on 4th down of BC's final possession to seal the win. Unforunately for Megwa, his leg was badly broken and he may never play football again.
BEST WIN
The win against the gamecocks. The conference win against BC on the road was big, given the fact that the Eagles had become the Tigers' division nemesis after beating them three years in a row since joining the ACC. However, getting a win in the SC game was actually more important this year than it usually is to the Tigers. Make no mistake, it is always important but more so this year for several reasons: First of all, a win resulted in the Tigers becoming bowl-eligible. Next, at that time, Dabo Swinney held the title of interim head coach and a win over the gamecocks would surely help propel him into the permanent position. Finally, the SC defense was considered to be the team's strength and there was a lot of talk and pregame hype about them. The fact that Florida hung 56 on them was an aberration because they were doing that to everybody and Clemson is no Florida, they said. After allowing 383 yards of offense, the old ball coach and SC players later admitted that they weren't as good as they thought and that Clemson was in fact the better team. I'm sorry, could you repeat that?
BEST RUSHING PLAY
C.J. Spiller in the 1st quarter of the SC game. It is nearly impossible to select just one out of all the great runs by Davis and Spiller this season but this run by C.J. Spiller stands out to me. It didn't even go for a TD but after taking the handoff from Harper, Spiller made five different SC defenders miss, juking two of them out of their shoes and causing all of them to grasp at air before he was finally taken down at the gamecock 1 yard line after a 39 yard gain. Davis punched it in on the next play, Clemson went up 7-0 and never looked back. It firmly put the momentum on the Tigers' side. In addition, it was one of those plays where you can just rewind it over and over and watch in awe at the athleticism and talent. We as Tiger fans are fortunate to see C.J. in orange on Saturdays and plays like this is why he is one of the best ever at Clemson U.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORT ON A SINGLE PLAY
C.J. Spiller in the MD game on 3rd and 18. I believe we got robbed on this play, despite the fact that it was reviewed afterwards and the spot was upheld. My seats are in the South stands, 10 rows up from the field on about the 33 yard line closest to the West Zone, so I had a really good view of the play in person. While getting looks that seemed to question my sanity from both my wife and dogs, I took about thirty minutes and watched it about a dozen times in frame-by-frame slow motion after the game. I still thought he made it. Spiller took a short pass out of the backfield and from there I observed him make what I consider almost a superhuman effort to get the first down in a crucial situation. He jumped sideways up and over the first defender who read the play beautifully and then faked the second defender out. He then had four Terrapins crash in on him and still went forward five more yards as they bounced off. It looked as though he willing himself to get it, pushing off one, then both feet backwards through the air, twisting sideways with one last effort before going out of bounds and then stretching the ball out to the marker. The players and coaches on the Clemson sideline went crazy over what they had just witnessed but the ball was spotted a little over a yard short even after review. Short or not, I witnessed amazing heart and sheer determination.
BEST PUNT/KICK BLOCK
Jamie Harper's block of gamecock Spencer Lanning's punt. Jamie Harper was a heralded recruit coming into the 2008 season. He just happened to be playing behind two of the best backs in the country and didn't get his number called at RB too many times. So in 2008, playing on special teams during the SC game, it was a nice surprise to see the gamecock punt being blocked but a bigger surprise to find out who blocked it. In 2007, during the game against the gamecocks in Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia, the Tigers had two huge momentum-changing special teams plays when Nelson Faerber blocked one Ryan Succop punt that LaDonte' Harris returned for a TD and then Harris blocked another Succop punt later in the first half. It's a very demoralizing thing for the punting team and pushes huge momentum onto the side of the blocking team when it happens. Jamie Harper's block of Lanning's punt in the 1st quarter of this year's SC game reminded me of thetwo last year and that these big plays often come from guys who are not in the limelight all the time. The block resulted in great field position for the Tigers, 3 points from Buchholz's FG, a 10-0 lead and continuation of the momentum for the Tigers.
1. Byron Maxwell on UVA FB Rashawn Jackson. This category is about collisions, not just tackles. There were relatively few really big hits delivered by Clemson defenders during the 2008 season but this one definitely stands out. After catching a 4 yard pass from Cavaliers QB Mark Verica, the Cavaliers' Jackson turned his eyes upfield and was run over by the Mack truck that was Byron Maxwell. It was over for poor Jackson before it started as Maxwell read the play and timed his arrival perfectly with the ball. The hit knocked Jackson off his feet and separated him from the ball, which LB Kavelle Connor recovered. Clemson went on to get 3 points as a result of the turnover and kept the momentum going with a 10-0 lead.
2. DeAndre' McDaniel on BC WR Clarence Megwa. McDaniel's hit on Megwa happened with about six minutes left in the 4th quarter of a close game. BC was facing a crucial 3rd and 3 and the Tigers were clinging to a 24-21 lead on the road. Keep in mind that BC has a history of winning these close games against Clemson, having won the last 3 by a total of 7 points. The defense had to step up and fortunately for the Tigers, Andre's hit caused Megwa to fumble the ball and Clemson recovered. The Tigers ran some time off the clock, got 3 points as a result of the turnover and the defense held on 4th down of BC's final possession to seal the win. Unforunately for Megwa, his leg was badly broken and he may never play football again.
BEST WIN
The win against the gamecocks. The conference win against BC on the road was big, given the fact that the Eagles had become the Tigers' division nemesis after beating them three years in a row since joining the ACC. However, getting a win in the SC game was actually more important this year than it usually is to the Tigers. Make no mistake, it is always important but more so this year for several reasons: First of all, a win resulted in the Tigers becoming bowl-eligible. Next, at that time, Dabo Swinney held the title of interim head coach and a win over the gamecocks would surely help propel him into the permanent position. Finally, the SC defense was considered to be the team's strength and there was a lot of talk and pregame hype about them. The fact that Florida hung 56 on them was an aberration because they were doing that to everybody and Clemson is no Florida, they said. After allowing 383 yards of offense, the old ball coach and SC players later admitted that they weren't as good as they thought and that Clemson was in fact the better team. I'm sorry, could you repeat that?
BEST RUSHING PLAY
C.J. Spiller in the 1st quarter of the SC game. It is nearly impossible to select just one out of all the great runs by Davis and Spiller this season but this run by C.J. Spiller stands out to me. It didn't even go for a TD but after taking the handoff from Harper, Spiller made five different SC defenders miss, juking two of them out of their shoes and causing all of them to grasp at air before he was finally taken down at the gamecock 1 yard line after a 39 yard gain. Davis punched it in on the next play, Clemson went up 7-0 and never looked back. It firmly put the momentum on the Tigers' side. In addition, it was one of those plays where you can just rewind it over and over and watch in awe at the athleticism and talent. We as Tiger fans are fortunate to see C.J. in orange on Saturdays and plays like this is why he is one of the best ever at Clemson U.
BEST INDIVIDUAL EFFORT ON A SINGLE PLAY
C.J. Spiller in the MD game on 3rd and 18. I believe we got robbed on this play, despite the fact that it was reviewed afterwards and the spot was upheld. My seats are in the South stands, 10 rows up from the field on about the 33 yard line closest to the West Zone, so I had a really good view of the play in person. While getting looks that seemed to question my sanity from both my wife and dogs, I took about thirty minutes and watched it about a dozen times in frame-by-frame slow motion after the game. I still thought he made it. Spiller took a short pass out of the backfield and from there I observed him make what I consider almost a superhuman effort to get the first down in a crucial situation. He jumped sideways up and over the first defender who read the play beautifully and then faked the second defender out. He then had four Terrapins crash in on him and still went forward five more yards as they bounced off. It looked as though he willing himself to get it, pushing off one, then both feet backwards through the air, twisting sideways with one last effort before going out of bounds and then stretching the ball out to the marker. The players and coaches on the Clemson sideline went crazy over what they had just witnessed but the ball was spotted a little over a yard short even after review. Short or not, I witnessed amazing heart and sheer determination.
BEST PUNT/KICK BLOCK
Jamie Harper's block of gamecock Spencer Lanning's punt. Jamie Harper was a heralded recruit coming into the 2008 season. He just happened to be playing behind two of the best backs in the country and didn't get his number called at RB too many times. So in 2008, playing on special teams during the SC game, it was a nice surprise to see the gamecock punt being blocked but a bigger surprise to find out who blocked it. In 2007, during the game against the gamecocks in Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia, the Tigers had two huge momentum-changing special teams plays when Nelson Faerber blocked one Ryan Succop punt that LaDonte' Harris returned for a TD and then Harris blocked another Succop punt later in the first half. It's a very demoralizing thing for the punting team and pushes huge momentum onto the side of the blocking team when it happens. Jamie Harper's block of Lanning's punt in the 1st quarter of this year's SC game reminded me of thetwo last year and that these big plays often come from guys who are not in the limelight all the time. The block resulted in great field position for the Tigers, 3 points from Buchholz's FG, a 10-0 lead and continuation of the momentum for the Tigers.
Part II upcoming......check back soon.
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