DAWKINS AND PRYCE CONCLUDE THEIR SEASONS

Former Tiger Brian Dawkins concluded a stellar postseason in which his Philadelphia Eagles made it all the way to the NFC Championship game before falling to Arizona on Sunday. Dawkins recorded 6 tackles in the game. In the previous playoff game against the defending champion NY Giants, he had 10 tackles. In the wild card game against Minnesota, he accounted for 6 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. During the regular season, Brian had 75 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 forced fumbles and an interception. Dawkins will play in his seventh Pro Bowl on Feb. 8, 2009. He is a free agent and has not yet signed a contract to play with Philadelphia for the 2009 season.

Former Tiger Trevor Pryce also concluded the postseason when his Baltimore Ravens were defeated by the Steelers in the AFC Championship game on Sunday. Pryce accounted for two tackles in the game. In the previous playoff game against the Tennessee Titans, he had no tackles. In the wildcard game against the Miami Dolphins, he recorded 1 tackle and 1 sack. Trevor had 27 tackles and 4.5 sacks during the regular season. A two-time Super Bowl Champion (one with the Broncos and one with the Ravens) and four-time Pro Bowl selection, Pryce is under contract with the Ravens through the 2010 season.

FORMER TIGER NICK EASON IN SUPER BOWL 43

The NFL conference championship games are over and Super Bowl 43 will match the AFC champ Pittsburgh Steelers against the NFC champ Arizona Cardinals. The only former Tiger on the roster of either team is #93, DE Nick Eason of the Steelers. Eason, from Lyons, GA, played football and basketball for Toombs Co. High School (GA). He was a star in both sports, being named Georgia's 2A Basketball Player of the Year and lettering four years in football. Nick was recruited by Clemson to play defensive end.

After red-shirting his freshman year, he played DE at Clemson during the 1999-2000 seasons and was then moved to defensive tackle for the 2001-2002 seasons. For his career, Eason recorded 155 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 15 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Eason was named the team Defensive MVP in 2000 and was an all-ACC first team selection his senior year in 2002. During his Clemson career, he also spent a great deal of time involved in community service and was honored with a Top Six Award for four straight years, presented by the ACC to the top six student-athletes at each school recognizing them for their community service. Nick also holds the distinction of being the first athlete at Clemson to graduate in three years and have two years of eligibility remaining.

Upon completion of his career as a Tiger, Eason was then selected by the Denver Broncos in the 4th round of the 2003 NFL draft. Eason suffered an achilles injury (one that had bothered him greatly during his Sr. season at Clemson) during his first year and did not play. In 2004, he was waived by the Broncos and signed by the Cleveland Browns, appearing in one game. In 2005, Eason played in all 16 games for the Browns, recording 19 tackles and 2 sacks. In 2006, he started 3 games for the Browns and played in 13, recording 23 tackles. In 2007, he was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Steelers and played in all 16 games, making 14 tackles. Pittsburgh signed Eason to a 2 year contract in 2008 and he finished the regular season with 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Although I am a Tampa Bay Bucs fan and have Gaines Adams to pull for as a bonus, I always pull for the NFL teams that have former Tigers on their roster as long as they're not playing the Bucs. So, during this year's Super Bowl, I will be cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the hopes that Nick Eason will be added to the list of former Tigers with an NFL Super Bowl ring.

THREE FORMER TIGERS IN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

And then there were four. In Saturday's NFL games, the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Tennessee Titans 13-10 and the Arizona Cardinals put the smackdown on the Carolina Panthers, 33-13. In Sunday's action, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the San Diego Chargers 35-24 and the Philadelphia Eagles got the victory over the the New York Giants by a score of 23-11.

Three of the four remaining teams each have a former Tiger player on the roster: Baltimore has DE Trevor Pryce, already a two-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowl player. The Pittsburgh Steelers have DE Nick Eason, who has been in the league six years. The Philadelphia Eagles have S Brian Dawkins, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection who was the leading tackler in the Eagles' win over the Giants on Sunday with ten. Dawkins has been in the league for thirteen years and is widely respected as one of the game's greatest defensive players.

So, there is at least a 50% chance that one of these three players will be wearing a Super Bowl ring because the NFC Championship game matches the Philadelphia Eagles against the Arizona Cardinals (the only team without a former Tiger on the roster) on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. The AFC Championship game matches the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Baltimore Ravens, who both have former Tigers. So, unless the Cardinals defeat both the Eagles and the winner of the AFC Championship game in the Super Bowl, a former Tiger will be a Super Bowl Champion. In the event that the Ravens win it all, Trevor Pryce will have this third Championship ring- one with the Broncos, and his second with the Ravens.

PHOTOS FROM THE GATOR BOWL

Thanks to Candy Turner for providing these shots.

FINAL WRAP-UP OF THE GATOR BOWL

As painful as it was, I finally watched the replay of the second half of the Gator Bowl. It took me a little over four hours to watch 30 minutes of football because I watched plays over and over and over, making over five pages of notes in a spiral notebook I had sitting in my lap. I watched most plays in slow motion in order to watch the offensive and defensive line, pass routes, tackling and so forth.

After watching both halves the same way, DVR remote in one hand and a notebook in the other, I can tell you in my honest opinion that Cullen Harper is not the reason we lost this game. I admit that I have been a little on edge over the past week because many of my fellow Tigers fans have blamed the loss on Harper and I couldn't see it. I reserved my judgment until I could take my time, watch the replay, and really break the game down.

Now that I've done that, I think there is plenty of blame to go around as to why we lost. Trying to put the loss on the shoulders of one member of the team in this case is very short-sighted. Mistakes were made by lots of individuals that are part of the team and you win or lose as a team. If the team learns from these mistakes and corrects them, then we've taken something positive out of the loss instead of dwelling on a bunch of negativity. Let's take a look at the second half highlights and lowlights:

HIGHLIGHTS:
Chad Diehl fumble recovery
Diehl is one of those guys who is kind of like an offensive lineman from the standpoint that he does not get a lot of publicity. He just does what he is asked to do, which is block and play special teams. In this instance he made a big play on special teams by recovering a fumbled punt by Nebraksa that gave the Tigers the ball back with great field position.

Cullen Harper/Jacoby Ford
Jacoby Ford and Cullen Harper had already connected for 3 catches and 55 yards in the first half, the key play being the 46 yard pass reception on 3rd and a mile to get the Tigers from their own 3 to mid-field. Ford and Harper followed up with two fantastic plays in the second half: The first one came in the third quarter as the offensive line did a great job of blocking and giving Harper time to throw. Jacoby ran a great route and Harper lofted a beautiful 41 yard pass right down the middle that Ford caught for a TD. The second play was on 4th and 4 late in the 4th quarter, when Harper hit Jacoby for a 16 yard strike that kept the drive going. On a side note, even Steve Beuerlein toned down his criticism of Harper in the second half and gave him credit for standing in the pocket with the corner blitzing and hitting him after he threw on this play.

Da'Quan Bowers
Bowers had a great first half with two tackles for loss and three QB pressures. He came out in the second half and followed that up with two more tackles for loss and two more QB pressures and was credited with a tackle assist. The official stats. only credit Bowers with three TFL's but according to my eyes and notes, he had four. In any event, it was Bowers' most dominating performance all season. As he continues to develop and mature, it is going to be fun to watch him wreak havoc on our opponents.

Andre' McDaniel
McDaniel is another Tiger that continued to make plays in the second half (with one exception) after forcing the Ganz fumble and returning it for a TD in the first half. Andre' had three tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in the second half and finished the game with 6.5 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a QB pressure, a forced fumble and a TD.

LOWLIGHTS
Tackling (or lack thereof)
In the second half, there were a lot of missed tackles that resulted in Nebraska turning what should have been short to medium gains into big plays. Just a few: On Nebraska's 2nd series of the 2nd half, Chris Clemmons was in perfect position to make a tackle after the whole defensive line (except for Bowers) was blown off the ball but let RB Castille run right by him. The play went for 58 yards. Three plays later, Nebraska scored a TD.

More failure to tackle
In the 4th quarter, with Nebraska facing 3rd and 13, Ganz completed a short pass over the middle and McDaniel was in position to make the tackle and missed it. Instead of the Tigers holding on 3rd down and giving the ball back to the offense, the play went for 20 yards and Nebraska was able to chew up more time off the clock. Later in the 4th quarter, on Nebraska's second to last offensive series of the game with time winding down, RB Castille takes the handoff on their own 41 up the middle and Brandon Maye just flat out misses the tackle. Clemmons also misses him and Castille is off to the races, barely being pushed out of bounds before the goal line. This results in a FG and a five point lead for Nebraska instead of a 2 point lead when the Tigers get the ball on their final possession. A stop by the defense with no points allowed on that drive and a FG on Clemson's drive would have resulted in a win.

Offensive line
Once again in the second half, the Tigers struggled to run the ball. James Davis had 3 attempts for 3 yards, Spiller had 3 attempts for 4 yards and Ford had 1 attempt for 3 yards on an end-around. For the entire game, these three players accounted for a net 46 yards rushing on 20 attempts for an average of 2.3 yards per carry. Let's face it: Nebraska has an outstanding defensive line and their nose tackle Suh would certainly go in the 1st round of the NFL draft if he were to declare himself eligible this year. He almost single-handedly controlled the line of scrimmage and was dominant throughout the entire game, even moreso than Bama's Cody.

Suh practically lined up against everyone on the offensive line and no one could really block him one on one. He constantly crashed through the line and either sacked Harper, made a tackle for loss or just made a "normal" tackle. When we double teamed him, sometimes it didn't matter but other times it provided blitz opportunities or allowed someone else to go free. Suh finished the game with two sacks, four tackles for loss, six solo tackles, two assists and Lord only knows how many QB pressures. Nebraska had a total of five sacks and eleven tackles for loss in the game.

There were so many plays where offensive lineman missed their blocks in the second half that resulted in their man either making the tackle or getting pressure or a sack on the QB that I don't want to take the time and space to list them all. Here is just an overview: Bobby Hutchinson missed two, both on Suh and also had an illegal procedure penalty on third down. Landon Walker also missed on Suh. Mason Cloy missed a block on Suh, Antoine McClain missed a block on Suh and Chris Hairston missed a block but I couldn't get the player's number. The only offensive lineman that I did not note missing a block that resulted in a tackle for loss, QB pressure, sack, etc. is Thomas Austin.

Dropped passes
Midway in the 3rd quarter, Harper threw an accurate bubble screen pass to Jacoby Ford that hit him right in the hands. In my opinion, after watching the replay numerous times and in slow motion, Jacoby lost his focus because in his peripheral vision he could see the Nebraksa defender Amukamra (#21) was closing quick. The ball popped up in the air off of Ford's hands and was then intercepted. Despite what the announcers said, Nebraska really didn't make a great play. Ford just didn't catch the ball.

On next series in the 3rd quarter, facing 3rd and 6, Harper threw an accurate swing pass to a wide open C.J. Spiller that hit him right in the hands but was dropped. Spiller had open field in front of him. On the next play, Maners' punt was blocked, Nebraska got great field position and scored a FG.

In the 4th quarter with a little over eight minutes remaining, Clemson faced 3rd and 4 and Harper threw a pass to Aaron Kelly which hit him in the hands but was dropped. It would have resulted in a first down but instead the Tigers had to punt. The announcer (Beuerlein) said Harper did not make a good throw. It appeared that the ball might have been slightly off line but it hit Kelly in the hands. As soon as Kelly made his break on the slant route, the ball was there and I'm not sure he was ready for it. Another possibility is that like Ford, it could be that Kelly saw the defender coming to put a hit on him and lost focus momentarily. I think if the ball hits you in the hands, you should catch it.

On Clemson's last drive of the game with time winding down and no time outs, the Tigers faced 3rd and goal from the 26 after Harper's sack. The pass from Harper to C.J. Spiller was perfect but the Nebraska defender made a great play on the ball and knocked it away. I don't know if you can really call this one a dropped pass. It was more of a pass break up or pass defended. It could have been caught and maybe it could have even been called pass interference since the defender's body came into Spiller from the back and his hand was on Spiller's helmet.

Blocked punt
In the 3rd quarter, Jimmy Maners' punt was blocked when Sadat Chambers didn't get a good block on the Nebraska player who was rushing in from his right side. It looked like he attempted to just give the guy a push to knock him off balance rather than slide over and get in front of him to get on his pads.

GATOR BOWL 1st HALF HIGHLIGHTS & LOWLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS
C.J. Spiller

Lightning struck in Jacksonville, FL on New Year's Day and as always, it was an awesome sight to behold. How about C.J.'s 33 yard return on the game's opening kickoff? Even better was Spiller's punt return later in the first quarter, also for 33 yards. After catching the punt near the left sideline on the 19, he worked his way all the way over to the right sideline, making six different Nebraska defenders miss him in the process and ended up finally getting tackled on the Cornhuskers' 48 yard line. He had a 10 yard rush on the first play of the 2nd quarter, breaking two tackles along the way.

James Davis

With 1:35 remaining in the 1st quarter, James had a gain of nine yards. On the last play of the 1st quarter, Davis broke two tackles and had a nice gain of gain of 11 yards.

Jacoby Ford
On Clemson's third series of the game, they were on their own 3 yard line and facing 3rd down and 17. Ford caught a short pass from Harper and made the most of it, racing for 46 yards to give the Tigers plenty of breathing room at midfield. Jacoby caught 3 passes for 55 yards in the first half and also returned a Nebraksa punt for 20 yards.

Aaron Kelly/Cullen Harper
Certainly one of the biggest plays of the first half was the 25 yard Cullen Harper pass and the TD catch by Aaron Kelly just before halftime to put the Tigers up 14-3. Harper did a great job of throwing the ball where only Kelly could catch it and Kelly did a great job of positioning himself for the catch. Aaron finished the first half with 3 catches for 39 yards and set the Clemson career reception yards record.

Da'Quan Bowers

Bowers had a great first half and was getting off his blocks and getting in the backfield regularly. He had two tackles for loss on the first downs of Nebraska's first and second offensive series. He also had 3 QB pressures of Nebraska QB Joe Ganz. It is good to see #93 making some plays and I look forward to watching him over the next two (hopefully three) years.

Chris Chancellor
The best hit of the first half goes to Chris Chancellor, hands down. On Nebraska's second offensive series in the first quarter, Nebraksa QB Joe Ganz threw a pass to RB Helu Jr. and Chancellor saw it coming all the way. It was reminiscent of the hit Byron Maxwell put on the UVA WR earlier in the season in that respect. As soon as the ball touched the fingers of Helu Jr., Chancellor arrived instantly and just crushed him. He rang his bell so hard that the whole Gator Bowl crowd let out a big "ooooohhhh".

Andre' McDaniel
Where would Clemson be if not for the big plays of Andre' McDaniel this season? The guy is a play-maker. Nebrasaka QB Ganz rushed to his left on an option play and pitched it out to RB Castille. McDaniel read it all the way and got between the two of them, tipped the pitch, picked it up and took it to the house for a 28 yard TD. What is interesting to note is that McDaniel was red-hot on this defensive series. On the previous play to the TD, McDaniel was right in Ganz's face when he threw the ball that Michael Hamlin nearly intercepted. On the previous play to that one, McDaniel tackled Ganz on a QB keeper and Ganz got up limping. In the first half, McDaniel accounted for a special teams tackle, the tackle on Ganz, the fumble recovery, a TD and a QB pressure.

Crezdon Butler
Butler tackled Nebraska RB Helu Jr. early in the 2nd quarter. Late in the 2nd quarter, after Harper's tipped pass was intercepted by Nebraska deep in Clemson territory, Crezdon returned the favor and intercepted Nebraska QB Ganz on Clemson' s 28 yard line. He returned it 59 yards to the Nebraska 13 to set up Clemson's next TD before halftime.


LOWLIGHTS
First play from scrimmage
On Clemson's first offensive play of the game, they lined up and then shifted into a different formation but had to burn a timeout to avoid a 5 yard penalty for delay of game. This is hard to accept after all the prep. time but it didn't end up hurting us, per se'. It just didn't help. It is questionable if they should have run the exact same play after the timeout as it seems Nebraska was well prepared and had James Davis double covered, so the pass from Harper fell incomplete for no gain.

James Davis fumble
On Clemson's 2nd offensive series, facing 2nd and 8, Davis took the handoff but fumbled the ball. Thankfully, Mason Cloy was alert and recovered it but it resulted in a 3 yard loss and put the Tigers in a 3rd and long which they did not convert.

Offensive line
A lot of fans complained bitterly about Cullen Harper's play and perhaps some complaining is justified. However, Harper was pressured, hit and sacked in the first half due to some mistakes that were not his- breakdowns in protection by the line. I am not naming names to make these guys look bad. Mistakes are going to happen. I appreciate all of the times they make the blocks and protect well but here is what I observed:

Prior to the huge 3rd down conversion where Jacoby was off to the races for 46 yards, Harper was sacked on Clemson's own 1 yard line when Thomas Austin gave up the inside to Nebraska's Steinkuhler. It almost went for a safety.

On 4th and 1, when Clemson elected to go for it on Nebraska's 32 yard line in the 1st quarter, James Davis was tackled by the defender that Bobby Hutchinson was supposed to block and didn't.

On 3rd and 8 with Clemson on Nebraksa's 39 yard line, Landon Walker and Antoine McClain double teamed Nebraska's #93 (Suh) and still let him plow right through both of them to get pressure on Harper. Granted, Harper held on to the ball for a while and Suh's a beast but two on one should be enough to keep this guy out of the backfield.

Late in the 2nd half, after Butler's interception and Clemson on the Nebraska 13 yard line, Mason Cloy just got manhandled by Suh and ended up sacking Harper and throwing him to the turf for a 17 yard loss.

Davis had 8 carries in the first half for 22 yards, an average of 2.75. Spiller had 4 carries for 13 yards, an average of 3.25. Of the 12 carries, only three were for more than 2 yards.

Failure to take advantage of excellent field position and opportunities on offense

It's a shame that the Tigers could do nothing with the excellent field position they had on nearly every offensive series in the first half. On the first series, Clemson started on their own 43 and went 3 and out. On the second series, they started on their own 41 and again went 3 and out. On the third series, they drove from their own 10 to the Nebraska 32, chose to go for it on 4th and 1 and had a timeout to discuss and prepare and still didn't convert. On the fourth series, the Tigers started on Nebraska's 48, had 1st and goal from the 5 and ended up with a 3rd and goal from the 9. Buccholz then had the FG blocked. On the fifth series, Clemson started on the Nebraska 41 and went 3 and out. This makes me sick just to think about all of these missed opportunities.

HARPER VS. BEUERLEIN, ROUND 1

Although I was at the Gator Bowl, I always enjoy watching the replay on TV because you get a closer view and multiple angles to see the plays from. Having a DVR is even better because you can rewind a play and watch it in slow motion. I just watched the first half on TV for the first and I was struck by the fact that listening to the tv announcers can potentially change your perspective on the game and the players you are watching if you let their opinions influence you. For those of you who were not able to attend and watched the game at home, imagine if you could have used a special remote control that allowed you to hear the game action (crowd, pads popping, whistles, referees calls, etc.) but muted the announcers' comments throughout the entire game. How might your perspective, opinions and experience of watching the game be different?

One of the announcers for this game was Steve Beuerlein, a former QB for Notre Dame and six different NFL teams, who continuously criticized Cullen Harper throughout the first half. Now, let me make it clear that I have not watched the replay of the second half yet, so I am only going to discuss the first. Let me also make it clear that I am not going to try and defend Cullen Harper's play in the first half as perfect. However, I do think Beuerlein was overly critical of Harper and at first I thought it was because being a former QB, he was more prone to do that. However, Beurerlein didn't seem to let up even though he should know that no QB is perfect throughout an entire game. Certainly if you look back at the stats. on his own career, just from 1996-2000 and the 59 games he played as a Carolina Panther, he was sacked 191 times, threw 50 interceptions and fumbled 44 times. His overall pass completion percentage for his NFL career is 56.9. In his career, over 147 games played, he was sacked 332 times, threw 112 interceptions (to 147 TD's) and fumbled 70 times. (All stats from NFL.com). Do these stats. look like those of a perfect QB that avoided pressure, always threw the ball out of bounds and never made a poor decision?

It's also interesting to note that Beuerlein did not criticize Ganz during the first half but just for comparison's sake, he was 9 for 20 with 0 TD's, had one fumble that was returned by Andre' McDaniel for a Tigers touchdown, threw one interception right to Crezdon Butler that should have been returned for a touchdown and his team was down 14-3. Moving on, let's look more closely at Cullen's numbers for the first half: 8 of 19 with one interception and one TD. Let's break down those numbers further below. Harper's completions/attempts (0/0) are listed after each passing play:

1st QUARTER

On the first play of the game, the "trick" play after changing formations, Davis was double-covered and the pass from Harper fell incomplete. 0/1. On 2nd down, Harper was flushed out of the pocket and threw the ball away. 0/2. On 3rd down, he completed a pass to Ford. 1/3. On the second series, he missed Aaron Kelly, who was open. 1/4. On the third series, he completed a pass to Ford, who broke it for 46 yards. 2/5. On 1st down, he threw a screen to Spiller that fell incomplete. 2/6. On 2nd down, pass completed to Ford. 3/7. On 3rd down, he completed a pass to Faerber for the first. 4/8. On 1st down, he led Grisham too far and underthrew it. 4/9. On 2nd down, completion to Spiller. 5/10. On 3rd down, completion to Kelly for 8 yards. 6/11. On the fourth series, with receivers covered and Clemson facing 2nd and goal, he scrambled and then attempted a "push pass"- a Favre-like flick that was a little dangerous. 6/12

2nd QUARTER

On 3rd down, completion to Kelly. 7/13. On the fifth series, Harper threw to Jacoby Ford on 1st down, who let the ball go through his hands. 7/14. On 3rd down, he was criticized by Beuerlein for running to his right out of the pocket into pressure and throwing the ball away when Nebraska was only rushing four. Here is the situation on that play: #93 for Nebraska- Suh- was double teamed by Landon Walker and Antoine McClain and plowed through both of them. The safety blitzed from the right corner and James Davis was responsible for the block but let him get around his left side on the back side of Harper, which usually results in either a sack or a stripped ball. The pocket was collapsing due to pressure from these two defenders and Harper chose to run right, which is the general direction the pressure was coming from Suh but he could not have rolled to his left because that is the direction the safety was getting pressure from. Now, it's easy for someone sitting up in the booth or on a seat or couch to say he should have done something different. Maybe he should have stepped up two steps into the pocket away from the pressure. However, if everyone is covered, then what? Throw the ball away or scramble. Harper, as we all know, does not scramble well. So, whether he rolled into Suh's pressure and threw it away or stepped up in the pocket and threw it away, he threw it away. He didn't get stripped or sacked and he didn't try to force the ball into coverage and have it picked. 7/15

On the sixth series, on 2nd down the pass attempt was batted down and even if completed would have resulted in Aaron Kelly getting killed on a bubble screen. 7/16. On 3rd down, a Nebraska defender came through untouched and Harper was hit as he threw- incomplete. 7/17. On the seventh series, on 1st down, Harper's pass was tipped on a great defensive play by Nebraksa's Steinkuhler and intercepted. 7/18. On the 8th series, on 1st down from the Nebraska 13, Harper was sacked for a 17 yard loss. Once again, let's look a little closer at what happened: The beast known as Suh- #93 for Nebraska, manhandled Mason Cloy by getting Cloy moving to his left and then Suh just simply changed direction, gave him a swat-and-swim move to get by before wrapping Cullen up and slinging him like a ragdoll. Beuerlein again was very critical of Harper for not getting rid of the ball and this time, the criticism was a little more deserved because Cullen was looking for Grisham all the way. Grisham's ran what looked like a hook route and was open for a split second but it was a dangerous throw. Harper pumped towards and held the ball but he did have a screen to Spiller wide open, who was running right out of the backfield. It was too late because Suh was on him at that point. On the very next play, Harper throws a TD to Kelly in the end zone. 8/19. Beuerlein says he thought the pass was late and that Kelly had to turn 360 degrees to catch it. Clearly, while running the route, Kelly turned to look for the ball over his right shoulder, then turned his back toward the end zone when the ball was in the air and then turned left because Harper threw the ball over to the left side of the end zone so that Kelly could shield himself and the ball from the defender and make the catch.

TIGERS IN THE NFL- WILD CARD WEEKEND UPDATE

Trevor Pryce- DE Baltimore Ravens
Two-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowl player Trevor Pryce had one sack and one tackle in the Ravens 27-9 win over the Miami Dolphins in the wild card playoff game on Sunday. Pryce now has 27 tackles and 4.5 sacks for the 2008-09 season. The Ravens now face the Tennessee Titans in the AFC divisional playoffs on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

Phillip Merling- DE Miami Dolphins
Merling had two tackles in the 27-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. In his rookie season, Merling registered 26 tackles, one sack and one interception which he returned for a TD. The loss ended the Dolphins' season.

Brian Dawkins- S Philadelphia Eagles
Seven-time Pro Bowl selection Brian Dawkins continues to have a stellar 2008-09 season. In the wild card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Dawkins accounted for six tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. For the year, B-Dawk has 75 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 forced fumbles and an interception. The Eagles beat the Vikings 26-14 and play the defending Super Bowl champion NY Giants on Sunday in the NFC divisional playoff game at the Meadowlands. Game time is 1 p.m.

Jamaal Fudge- DB Atlanta Falcons
Fudge had one tackle in the wild card playoff game Saturday versus the Arizona Cardinals. The Falcons lost 30-24 and their season is now over. Fudge joined the Falcons late in the year after spending most of this season and all of his three-year pro career with the Jacksonville Jaguars seeing very limited playing time. He tallied 13 tackles this season.

Charlie Whitehurst and Anthony Waters- QB and LB San Diego Chargers
The Chargers beat the Colts 23-17 in OT in the AFC wild card playoff game on Saturday. The Chargers move on to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC divisional playoff game on Sunday at 4:45 p.m.

Nick Eason- DE Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers had a bye in the first round of the playoffs last weekend but now face the San Diego Chargers in the AFC divisional playoffs on Sunday.

BACK FROM JACKSONVILLE!

It's been a while since the last post but I am now back in the saddle after a few days in Jacksonville and Savannah enjoying some time off. The Gator Bowl was a lot of fun despite my disappointment in the final outcome of the game. My hotel room at the Hyatt overlooked the St. Johns River and was very close to Jacksonville Landing where there was a live band playing after the game and all kinds of festivities in addition to shops, restaurants and bars/clubs. I got to see quite a few of the Clemson players out and about, including Cullen Harper who I photographed riding a mechanical bull.

I also took some photos of a car that pulled up in front of the Hyatt after the game. You may have seen it on the live television broadcast when they showed it in the parking lot at the stadium. The owner is obviously a diehard Clemson Tigers fan but I could not believe all stuff all over it. If you look closely at some of the hundreds of tiger paws on the car, you will see where many Tiger football team members have signed inside of them. Even the interior of the car was customized in orange. I am not sure if this will be a collectors item you'll see at Barrett Jackson anytime soon but it was great entertainment.

The weather, except maybe for some cool winds on the morning of the game, was great. There were Clemson Tigers fans and orange everywhere but a lot of Nebraska fans, too. Every Nebraska fan that I encountered and/or spoke to was extremely nice and were very good sports before, during and after the game. I think they were just happy to be there and supported their football team by chanting "Go big red" a lot. The Jacksonville Jaguars stadium is first class with everything you would expect in an NFL stadium- comfortable seats, cup holders, escalators, a jumbotron on each end of the field, Outback Steakhouse takeout and so on. The one deficiency that I noticed about it was that the concourses are not very wide and therefore the crowds do not flow through well at all. However, the overall experience was fantastic and I would definitely go back again.

I'm looking forward to watching the game again in HD on the wide screen with DVR remote in-hand to get a little better perspective on things than the one I had from my seat. I know the game has been covered seven ways to Sunday by now but I will post a wrap-up of my own tomorrow. I will also be covering how the former Tigers playing in the NFL did in the first round of the playoffs.

BEST OF TIGER FOOTBALL 2008- PART II

BEST KICKOFF RETURN
C.J. Spiller's 64 yard kickoff return against BC. With about nine minutes to go in the 4th quarter, BC had just scored a TD and taken a 21-17 lead after Clemson led 17-0 at halftime. It seemed as though history might repeat itself with Clemson having lost the last three close games against BC. On the ensuing kickoff return, Spiller carved and diced his way through defenders for 64 yards, all the way to the Eagles 15 yard line, giving the offense great field position. Four plays later, the Tigers found the end zone, regained the lead and went on to win 27-21. Check the 3 minute mark in the following clip:

Honorable mention: C.J. Spiller's 96 yard kickoff return against Alabama at the beginning of the second half in the Georgia Dome finally gave Tigers fans something to cheer about in this otherwise dismal game. While it had no effect on the final outcome, 34-10 looks much better than 34-3 on the scoreboard and it was a fantastic play.


BEST TRICK PLAY- TIE
1. C.J. Spiller pass to Tyler Grisham vs. UVA. Dabo Swinney had made it clear on day one that he was going to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers. Of course, C.J. Spiller fits the bill and had been on a roll over the past few games after having to sit out the Ga. Tech game. So, when Clemson visited Charlottesville, VA. you can rest assured that the Cavs defensive mindset was to limit his big plays as much as possible. With the game scoreless in the 1st quarter, Clemson had driven to the UVA 15 yard line and had 1st and 5 after a Cavs penalty. Harper pitched the ball to Spiller in the backfield as he ran right. There were literally nine UVA players all pursuing Spiller toward the sideline, with one DB in man coverage on the receiver lined up on the opposite sideline. This left Grisham completely uncovered in the corner of the end zone and Spiller lofted a perfect pass to put the Tigers up by 7 after the extra point. Once again, the Tigers had momentum on their side and never looked back, winning 13-3.
2. Cullen Harper pass to Jacoby Ford vs. SC. I watched this play unfold and had no idea it was a trick play until the following day when I read about it in the news. The play was called "cock-a-doodle-doo" and was designed to have WR Jacoby Ford appear to come off the field with two other players after a one yard run by Spiller on 1st down. However, the trick was that he was going to actually remain on the field of play as an eligible receiver. Ford jogged towards the sideline with the two other players, bent down just on the edge of the field and pretended to tie his shoes while supposedly getting chewed out by receivers coach Jeff Scott. It worked. SC did not catch on that Ford was the 11th Tiger player on the field and left him uncovered. What really made this play even more special was the fact that Harper was in the grasp of a SC defender with both knees just inches from the ground about to be sacked and still made the throw 27 yards downfield.

BEST PUNT
Jimmy Maners vs. SC. Yes, this is a weird category and once again, this play happened during the SC game. However, Jimmy Maners, who averages about 40 yards per kick, came through in a clutch situation and I believe it is worth mentioning. Clemson held a 10-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter but SC drove the ball into Tigers territory, eventually stalling on the Clemson 40 yard line after failing to convert on 3rd down. SC punter Lanning pinned Clemson deep in their own territory, with the Tigers taking over on their own 3 yard line. After James Davis gave them a little breathing room with a 7 yard rush on 1st down, Harper was sacked on consecutive plays and Clemson was pushed back to their own 6, forcing 4th down. With Maners standing at the back of his own end zone, he unleashed a booming 54 yarder that pushed the gamecocks back to their own 40 yard line and had fans, players and coaches alike applauding.

BEST FG
Mark Buccholz vs. BC. Buccholz did not have the opportunity to kick a FG for a win in a game 2008 as he had done in 2007 against SC. The most crucial field goal was actually one to double the Tigers' 3 point lead over BC late in the game. Clemson held a 17 point lead up until about the 10 minute mark in the 3rd quarter, watched it all slip away as they went down 21-17 in the 4th, only to come back and regain the lead 24-21. Knowing the history of this series, 3 points did not seem like enough of a lead when kicking the ball back to BC after the go-ahead TD. All BC needed was a FG to tie and a TD/PAT to go ahead by 4, the latter scenario forcing the Tigers to score a TD to win with very little time left. However, the Eagles fumbled and Clemson recovered. Clemson's drive stalled but Buchholz lined up for a 43 yard FG to put CU up by six. It was good and now the tables were turned in that BC had to score a TD/PAT to win. Clemson went on to stop BC's next drive and run out the clock.

BEST INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE EFFORT- TIE
1. DeAndre' McDaniel vs. SC. McDaniel had his most impressive overall game of the season against, of course, the gamecocks. #2 was all over the field in this game, making 11 tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack and forced a fumble.
2. Kavelle Connor vs. UVA. Connor ended up as the Tigers' leading tackler on the team after the final regular season game but really had a dominant performance against the Cavaliers. Kavelle had 10 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery after the big hit by Byron Maxwell on Cavs FB Rashawn Jackson

BEST OF TIGER FOOTBALL 2008- PART I of II

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.

Part II upcoming......check back soon.

TIGERS IN THE NFL- WEEK 17 RECAP

Jamaal Fudge- DB Atlanta Falcons
In his first career start with the Atlanta Falcons, 3rd year player Jamaal Fudge had his best performance since turning pro, finishing with 10 tackles in a 31-27 win over the St. Louis Rams. Fudge started in place of the injured Lawyer Milloy. Atlanta now faces the Arizona Cardinals in the playoffs this Saturday.

Phillip Merling- DE Miami Dolphins
Rookie Phillip Merling had his first career interception and also returned it 25 yards for his first career TD (click here for the clip) on Sunday against the NY Jets. Merling picked off QB Brett Favre late in the 2nd quarter and upon his arrival in the end zone, the game announcers immediately announced that he was a rookie from Clemson. Phillip also had one tackle in the game which Miami won 24-17. Merling finished the regular season with 26 tackles, 1 sack and 1 interception. The Dolphins clinched their division and now face the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs on Sunday.

Brian Dawkins- SS Philadelphia Eagles
7 time Pro Bowl selection Brian Dawkins had a dominating performance on Sunday as the Eagles destroyed the Dallas Cowboys 44-6. Dawkins had 5 tackles, a sack and 2 forced fumbles, both of which teammates returned for TD's. Dawkins now has 75 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 forced fumbles and an interception at the conclusion of the regular season. The Eagles clinched a wild card playoff spot as a result of the win and now will face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Justin Miller- KR Oakland Raiders
Kickoff return specialist Justin Miller had a 41 yard return on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 31-24 win. Miller fielded four kicks and averaged 22 yards per return. Miller's career was revived after being signed by the Raiders in November of this year. After the NY Jets drafted Justin in 2005, he had two stellar seasons in a row and earned a spot as a kick returner on the 2007 Pro Bowl team. Miller then suffered a season ending injury in the early part of the 2007 season and only returned one kick for the Jets in 2008 before being waived. After signing with the Raiders, he returned kickoffs for TD's in back to back games and his overall average was 24.7 per return.

Gaines Adams- DE Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2nd year pro Gaines Adams had 2 tackles and a sack but the Bucs lost to the Oakland Raiders 31-24 on Sunday. The Bucs needed to win the game in order to have a shot at the playoffs but finished the season by losing four games in a row. The Tampa D allowed an average of 30 points per game in those four losses and in three of the four allowed an opponent RB 150+ yards rushing. Adams finished the season with 38 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 2 interceptions and 1 TD.

Chansi Stuckey- WR NY Jets
2nd year pro Chansi Stuckey had 4 receptions for 50 yards on Sunday in a loss to the Miami Dolphins, 31-24. Stuckey started two games, played in 15 and finished the season with 32 receptions for 359 yards and 3 TD's. The Jets did not make the playoffs as a result of the loss. Eric Mangini was fired as the NY Jets head coach after the loss.

Nick Eason- DE Pittsburgh Steelers
6th year pro Nick Eason had one tackle in the Steelers 31-0 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Eason now has 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks for the season. Pittsburgh is one of the top seeds in the AFC and has a first round bye in the playoffs.

Did not play or no stats available:
Charlie Whitehurst- QB San Diego Chargers
Anthony Waters- LB San Diego Chargers
Barry Richardson- OT Kansas City Chiefs
Tye Hill- CB St. Louis Rams (injury)
Trevor Pryce- DE Baltimore Ravens (illness)
Leroy Hill- LB Seattle Seahawks

FROM 3-4 TO THE GATOR BOWL!

The kickoff of the 2009 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl between the Clemson Tigers and Nebraska Cornhuskers is less than 7 days away! I can think of no better way to spend New Year's Day than watching the Tigers play. Even though the expectations were very high coming into this season, I think all Tigers fans would agree that we are very fortunate to be playing in a prestigious New Year's Day bowl game after the way things unfolded in the beginning and middle part of the schedule. I think back to the feeling I had while sitting in the Georgia Dome at halftime of the Alabama game and after the game. I remember how I felt numb sitting in Death Valley after the Maryland game, almost in a state of shock. I recall being in Winston-Salem and thinking to myself that Tommy Bowden had just sealed his fate with that loss to Wake. The media talked about how the mighty had fallen and Bowden's hot seat was the hottest it had ever been. At this point, it began to get tiresome listening to reports about our offensive line problems, division among the team, how Harper was playing hurt and it just wasn't a fun time to be a Clemson Tigers fan.

However, next up on the roller-coaster ride was a mixture of surprise and relief when it was announced that Bowden was "stepping down". After the announcement of Dabo Swinney as interim coach and listening to his press conference, I felt excitement and pride to the point that tears came to my eyes. I am proud of the way that the team responded afterwards. I am proud of the way coach Swinney unified not only the team but the university and the fans. After the Ga. Tech loss, I didn't have so much of a sick feeling afterwards. I did hate that the 8 year old who sat behind me with his dad and screamed "Go Jackets" seemingly for the ENTIRE game left satisfied. I will never understand why some CU fans sell their tickets to just anybody and force their fellow fans to have to listen to the opposing fans carrying on but I digress. I always hate losing but during the Ga. Tech game, I began to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I had hope. It was great to finally get a win against BC and to do it on the road was even better. Then, we just demolished Duke. Detractors can say whatever they want but I was as nervous about playing Duke this year as I have ever been. We got a great win over Virginia on the road even though I still heard the detractors say how our offense was anemic and this and that. I looked at it as a W. Sure, it's always nice to put up points but when the clock hits 0:00, the W is what counts and it was just a good, old-fashioned, grind-it-out defensive battle. Then, in the annual rivalry against the gamecocks in Death Valley it was, well, just pure bliss. I was wet and cold but jumping for joy the entire game. The only time I was nervous was when SC came out and drove the the length of the field for a TD after the second half kickoff and made it 24-14. We ended up scoring another TD and making big play after big play and the game was never in doubt again. Swinney was then named the head coach and shortly thereafter it was announced that we were playing Nebraska in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day. Now, I ask you- how cool is that after sitting at 3-4 after the Tech game?

The only way to make this turnaround story even better is to get a win in the Gator Bowl game. Most of the national sportscasters are predicting a Nebraska win but I think the Tigers can pull it off, although it will certainly not be easy. I have studied Nebraska quite a bit since the announcement that they will be our opponent. I have a lot of respect for their offense and they too are having a similar turnaround season. They score a lot of points and have some great weapons on offense. They have a great coach and a strong fan base. It should be an exciting game and I believe we will need to score a minimum of 30 points to get a victory.

The team was scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. today at the team hotel in Jacksonville, their first since the Christmas holiday break. The Tigers should have good weather for their practices with the exception of Monday. According to the Weather Channel, the current weather in Jacksonville is party sunny and 78 degrees. The extended forecast calls for similar weather through the weekend but a 40% chance of rain on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday are both expected to be mostly sunny, although the highs will drop to around 69-70 degrees. On game day, the forecast is for a high of 69 with scattered showers with the chance of precipitation at only 30%. I can't wait until kickoff. Let's finish off this wild season with a win against Nebraksa. GO TIGERS!!!

FULL INTERVIEW WITH REGGIE MERRIWEATHER

Reggie Merriweather is a familiar name to Tigers football fans. In 2006, most of Death Valley was chanting "Reggie, Reggie" as the 4th quarter was winding down and Clemson was driving deep into SC territory. However, for the benefit of those who may be new Tigers football fans and to refresh the memory of the long-time fans, here is a brief bio: Reggie played for North Augusta High School (S.C.) and came to Clemson as a highly rated recruit after an outstanding senior season in which he rushed for 2580 yards and 29 TD's. Merriweather was named Player-of-the-year by several state newspapers and listed as the #27 RB in the nation by Superprep. After redshirting in 2002, he played in all 13 games in 2003 on special teams and had 16 carries as a tailback. In 2004, despite having only started six games, he finished the season with the most carries (136) and led the team in rushing yards (670), averaging 4.9 per carry. Merriweather scored 11 TD's in 2004, 3 of which came in a OT victory against then #10 Miami in the Orange Bowl and 3 more against South Carolina in the year of the infamous brawl.

In 2005, Reggie again started six games while James Davis started the other six. He gained 736 yards on 149 carries, averaging 4.8 per carry and had 7 TD's. Notable games included three 100+ yard performances in a row against Temple, Duke and Georgia Tech. Merriweather scored two TD's against MD that year with a 7.5 average yard per carry and 3 TD's against Duke. In 2006, Davis was the starter in all 13 games and freshman C.J. Spiller was also on the field along with Demerick Chancellor. However, despite the decreased workload, Merriweather averaged 4.2 yards per carry over the first 3 1/2 games and scored two TD's. It was in the second half of the fourth game against UNC that he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out of action for the next five games and even after healing, he had only five carries the rest of the way.

I got in touch with Reggie to speak with him about a variety of subjects, including "the" burning question about him being taken out of the game against SC in 2006 after three of those five carries mentioned above went for 23 yards. Here is the conversation:

JM: Following your senior year, you were signed as a free agent by the NFL's San Diego Chargers, reuniting with Clemson teammates LB Anthony Waters and QB Charlie Whitehurst. Tell us about that experience.

RM: It was a real honor and a privilege. Anytime you have a chance to do what you've dreamed about for fifteen some-odd years, it's an awesome feeling. To come in and play with some of the best players in the NFL, not to mention three of the best running backs you've ever seen, it's just kind of overwhelming. Being around Charlie and Anthony was great. Anthony and I played in the Shrine Bowl together, so we've known each other for a while. Charlie and I hit it off real good when we first met back in 2002 because he was dating one of my friends and so we had a lot to talk about. Actually, when I got there (San Diego), I knew half the rookies because I either played with them in the Hula Bowl or knew them from ACC or SEC games that Clemson played in. So it was fun and a tremendous honor. The only bad thing about it was that I was playing behind two Pro Bowl RB's and one of the fastest cats in the league in Darren Sprolles. I was there for about 6 months then got released the day before the first preseason game.

JM: Bring us up to speed on what you have been doing lately. You're living in Charleston now?
RM: I've basically been trying out for different teams and trying to figure out what I want to do as far as coaching, playing ball and what I want to do with my Human Resources degree. I am currently living in Charleston but will probably move back to Augusta at beginning of the year to follow up on some other options. In Charleston, I was coaching and teaching at James Island High school. Being a running back and knowing a lot of defensive schemes, I coached outside linebackers. I enjoyed being around younger kids and coaching them. I also enjoyed sharing old high school and college stories with them as well. I also coached with DeAngelo Bryant from Wake, Sean Grant from Citadel, and Marcus Lawrence from God-awful usc (laughs) but it was enjoyable and even though we were 3-9 we had a ball. Now that football season is over, I'm trying to figure out the next step. I still plan on trying out for the Canadian league. I actually had a contract but I turned it down for that AAFL deal that folded, so just trying to figure my next step.

JM: David Dunham mentioned that you and he still stay in contact and hang out. Are there any other former teammates that you are still tight with?

RM: I keep in touch with a lot of guys and try to stay updated with the team as much as possible. I still talk to C.J. Spiller, Chansi Stuckey, Sergio Gilliam, Will Proctor and a bunch of the guys. It's funny how people change with the times and lose contact but I'm one of those guys that if I know you then I know you. It's kind of like being in the army and having war buddies.

JM: Have you had the opportunity to attend games in Death Valley or follow the Tigers on the road since your playing days at Clemson?

RM: I've been to several games this year but none more memorable than Dabo's first win against the cocks! But yes, I've been to a few games to watch Spiller and Davis do their thing.

JM: You had countless big plays and big games during your playing career as a Tiger including 3 TD's against SC and 3 TD's against then #10 Miami in the Orange Bowl, both in 2004. What game stands out to you as your personal best and what win means the most to you?

RM: Every game was one to remember and I can't really think of one that meant more than the other. My whole career was a great one and I wouldn't change a thing. If I had to choose one to dwell on it would probably be the SC game in 2004. That game was so hyped up and it was really my first game against SC since I had gotten to Clemson and actually got a chance to show my stuff. It was the most memorable because of trash talk and a bunch of folks who said I couldn't play for Carolina and I'd never compare to SEC talent, so yeah it was a touchy game.

JM: I'm sure there were a few disappointing losses to you along the way as well. Any that stand out to you?

RM: That's one to dwell on. We lost a lot of games in my career but there are two that stick out the most: VT and SC- both in my senior season (2006). The only reason I say these games is because I didn't play. [Note: Merriweather in fact did not play against VT due to injury. However, he did have three carries in the SC game. I'm sure what he meant was that he didn't play much - he went in late in the 4th quarter and was yanked after 3 rushes gained an average of 7.7 yards per carry] I'm not saying if I did play, we would have won but when I signed with Clemson, I told Rick Stockstill [who recruited him] that I would give my all to Clemson- mind, body and heart. Just seeing my team struggle and knowing that I can contribute......it cut me even deeper when he [Bowden] took me out of the Carolina game. When we got into the locker room, he gave a speech and at the end he goes , "Can't win them all, guys". I about lost it. I forgive him for that but will never forget.

JM: Okay, since you brought it up, I have been wondering about this for over two years, so let's go back in time: You are a senior playing against SC in your final game in Death Valley. The Gamecocks have just kicked a FG to go up by 3 with just under eight minutes left in the game. The kickoff goes for a touchback. At this moment, you have no carries in the game. Sophomore James Davis has seven carries for 14 yards for a 2.0 yard average and Freshman C.J. Spiller has six carries for 116 yards for a 19.33 yard average. Finally, you get an opportunity and on the first play of this final, crucial series you run for 10 yards and a first down. On the very next play, you run for seven yards. C.J. then gets the next four carries, for 23, 9, -1 and 8 yards but on that last run has to leave the game with an ankle injury. On 1st and 10, you get the carry and run for six yards to the SC 17 yard line. So, at this moment, we have momentum, the crowd is going crazy and chanting your name and you have rushed three times for 10, 7 and 6 yards. You are then taken out of the game and replaced by James Davis, who gets four straight handoffs for 1, 3, 2 and -1 yards. Facing 3rd and 9 with only 27 seconds left, Proctor gets sacked for a 10 yard loss, which forced the failed FG attempt. After the game, there was a huge uproar by the fans who said you should have never been taken out. My question is, given the circumstances, did you question being taken out of the game and were you upset about it afterwards?

RM: The oh so dreaded question. Well, first off, the season for me was kind of a bust from the coaches stand point. When I signed with Clemson, they said I was going to be the only back they took but they ended up taking Duane Coleman also. For as long as I played at Clemson, I was behind some good backs but never got a chance to start a whole bunch. Not that it means a whole lot but when you're a senior and it's your last go-round, it has an affect on you. So, going into my senior year, coaches told me to lose 10 lbs. and come back to camp in the best shape of your life! I did that and more. I reported to camp weighing 203 lbs, running a 4.40 yard 40, benching 415 and squatting about 590! So I was amped. We had, to me, the best back-field in the nation. Imagine Reggie Bush, Mike Turner, and Edgerrin James in one backfield- (laughs) just nasty! That's how I viewed us. I had a great camp but sat in the back seat every game and didn't mind much because we are a team. I contributed and we won, so life was good. I didn't mind much until mid-season and the run game was non-existent. I mean, VT shut us down and so did a few other teams. After my injury earlier in the season, I cried and thought this was it. They tried to rush me back but my ankle was no good. I got healthy about the VT game but we got crushed and it was a long flight back to Clemson. That Monday morning I went and talked to Bowden about the running game and told him I felt hurt and wanted to help my team get out of this hole. After that, nothing changed. We still didn't run the ball, just put everything on Proctor's back and that didn't work out too well. But the Carolina game was hard. I dislike those guys with a passion. When he [Bowden] put me in, I was a man on a mission to conquer and win. When he took me out, I thought it was just for a breather and it surely wasn't. I tugged and pulled on his shirt a few times but he never turned around and looked at me. In the locker room after the game, after he was talking all week about winning and all that stuff, he says," Well, guys, we can't win them all." I about lost it! I was like, "Wow"! I can't believe he just said this, but who knows what would have happened if I would have stayed in. Ever since I was little, I just wanted a chance to prove that me, this little half-pint of a guy could do something big- that I could put Clemson football on my broad "Joey Batson-made" shoulders and take them to the promise land! I'd like to think I was a super hero or something. But yes, it was a heart-breaking game and a bad moment for me and I forgive but won't forget, so all is well.

JM: In 2005, you were credited with making the following quote: "They (fans and media) are seeing James Davis and other freshmen coming in and making a direct impact and forgetting about us". You went on to say that you hoped he and other freshman did have an impact because it would mean you were a better team. You were always a team player and an ambassador for the program but was there ever any tension, jealousy or resentment coming from either side between you and James Davis?

There has always been fight in me and I've always had something that I had to accomplish. The funny thing about life is that there is only a few special ingredients: hard work; perseverance, compassion and tenacity. I learned this when I was young from my dad. We have a wood furnace at home that we burn during the winter, so we'd always have to cut wood and stuff during the summer to get ready for winter. Sometimes we'd have to split the wood because it was too big for the furnance, so my dad is like cock diesel and can split wood with ease. I was a shrimp back in the day and couldn't even lift an axe. Once I could, he let me split a piece of hickory and it was so hard I couldn't crack it. He told me, once you start keep chipping away and if you are persistent, you will break it soon enough. I love competition and it's always been in our group. Burton Burns has always kept it in our room because competition breeds excellence! I love them boys, especially C.J. He's a man after Gods own heart and he's an awesome friend but no there no animosity there.

JM: This is somewhat of a follow up question: In 2006, Tommy Bowden was quoted as saying this about you: "He's in a position where it is tough to get three guys a whole bunch of work, but he's a guy that I would like to get more work, because there is not a lot of separation between him and the others (Davis and Spiller)". However, in looking back at just the first three games of your senior season before your injury, you had 17 carries while Davis had 57 and Spiller had 13. Did you express frustration or let Bowden or any of the other coaches know that you wanted the ball more or were you content to just try and make an impact when you did get it?

RM: I'm not a complainer and I don't say much. I let my playing and my attitude do my walking and talking. However, just as Jeff Davis told me one time: " You have four tires on your car and one of them is squeeking really bad. Which one are you going to pay more attention to? No, I didn't say much to the coaches- just Bowden.

JM: Give us your thoughts and opinions on the announcement of Dabo Swinney as Clemson University's new head football coach.

RM: I know it's a great fit for Dabo. Clemson needed change and he's the man with the plan. I have witnessed him first hand take control of the team and he's brought so much to the program already.

JM: Well, thank you, Reggie. I appreciate you taking the time to let all the Tigers fans catch up with you and we certainly wish you the best in whatever you decide to do in the future.

TUESDAY TRIVIA- ANSWER: TERRENCE FLAGLER

Can you name this former Tiger football player? Here are ten hints:

1. Born in New York, NY

2. Played for same high school as former OC Rick Stockstill, Fernandina Beach High School (FL)

3. Set a FL state record with 408 rushing yards and 7 TD's in one game

4. Third Clemson player to score four TD's in one game

5. Holds Clemson record for all-purpose running yards in a game with 274

6. Played for head coach Danny Ford

7. Took handoffs from QB Rodney Williams

8. All-American and All ACC his senior year

9. Selected in the 1st round of the NFL draft, 25th overall pick

10. Won two Super Bowl Championship rings with the San Franciso 49ers.

Check back on Wednesday for the answer.

POLL RESULTS- TIGERS vs. THE ECONOMY

Thanks to everyone who voted in the most recent poll. The question was: Will your 2009 season game attendance and/or IPTAY donations be affected by the current state of the economy? As much as we all love tailgating and attending games on Saturdays in Death Valley and following the Tigers on the road and to bowl games, I began to wonder if the sad state of financial affairs we find ourselves in would affect the average fan's ability to continue to paying IPTAY dues and/or ticket costs and all the other expenses associated with game days. So, I decided to ask. The majority of the respondents, 45%, said it's a priority no matter what the economy is doing. However, 23% said that the economy would definitely affect their game attendance and/or dues. Another 4% said that they were planning on attending/donating less and another 26% said that their plans for 2009 would possibly be affected unless the economy improved soon.

So, in essence, the results indicate that roughly half the respondents are going to continue to carry on with business as usual while the other half are either possibly or definitely going to have to alter their plans unless things improve soon. It's hard to define exactly what "improvement of the economy" means to all people. For some, it may mean that they're gainfully employed or have a reasonable assurance of continued employment. For others, it may be easier access to credit that has tightened substantially this year or recouping losses suffered in the stock market decline. I want Death Valley to be filled to capacity for every 2009 game, so my Christmas wish is that we see the overall economic turnaround necessary.

Be sure to vote in the new poll regarding your favorite content on this site. If you have suggestions about specific content that you would like to see on the site in the future, just send me an email: jmesser4@gmail.com

TRIBUTE VIDEO- REGGIE MERRIWEATHER

TIGERS IN THE NFL- WEEK 16 UPDATE

Nick Eason- DE Pittsburgh Steelers
Nick Eason had one tackle in limited playing time in a 31-14 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night. Eason now has 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks in the 2008 season. Pittsburgh has already clinched their division title and now finish up the regular season against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Phillip Merling- DE Miami Dolphins
NFL rookie Phillip Merling had two tackles and sacked Kansas City QB Tyler Thigpen in a win over the Chiefs, 38-31. Merling now has 26 tackles and two sacks in the 2008 season. In order to secure a playoff spot, the Dolphins need to win the regular season finale against division rival NY Jets.

Gaines Adams- DE Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Gaines Adams had two tackles in a crushing 41-24 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. For the season, Adams now has 36 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 2 interceptions, one returned for a TD. The Bucs have now dropped three games in a row and must win their final regular season game against Oakland and have help by Philadelphia beating Dallas in order to make the playoffs.

Justin Miller- KR Oakland Raiders
Kickoff return specialist Justin Miller fielded 4 returns for a 23 yard average in a 27-16 win over the Houston Texans. Miller is the only player in the NFL to return two kickoffs for touchdowns this season. He is averaging 25 yards per return and that average is 14th in the league among players who have returned 25 or more kickoffs. The Raiders finish up the regular season on the road against the Tampa Bay Bucs but are out of the playoff picture.

Jamaal Fudge- DB Atlanta Falcons
3rd year player Jamaal Fudge got on the field Sunday and had one tackle in the Falcons 24-17 win over the Vikings. The Falcons are assured of a wild card playoff berth but can also win the NFC South division if they win at home against St. Louis this Sunday and the Panthers lose on the road to the Saints.

Brian Dawkins- S Philadelphia Eagles
7-time Pro Bowl selection Brian Dawkins had five tackles on Sunday in a 10-3 loss to the Redskins that severely hurt their playoff chances. Dawkins now has 70 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and an interception in the 2008 season. The Eagles must beat Dallas on Sunday and hope that both Tampa Bay and Chicago both lose in order to get a wild card berth into the playoffs.

Did not play or no stats available:
Leroy Hill- LB Seattle Seahawks (neck injury)
Tye Hill- CB St. Louis Rams (injured reserve)
Chansi Stuckey- WR NY Jets
Barry Richardson- OT Kansas City Chiefs
Anthony Waters- LB San Diego Chargers
Charlie Whitehurst- QB San Diego Chargers

TIGERS IN THE 2009 NFL DRAFT

There are several seniors on the Tigers football team who will declare themselves eligible for the 2009 NFL draft. Even though it is a few months away before the actual draft dates in April, I thought it would be interesting to find out where the current "mock drafts" have some of those Tigers projected to be drafted or how they are ranked according to the number of players expected to be in the draft at their playing position. If you are not familiar with how the draft works, each of the 32 NFL teams has a certain number of selections or "picks" of the players in the draft. There are seven total rounds and somewhere between 30 and 45 selections within each round. Last year's draft had 252 total players selected, which means that each team drafts about 8 players.

Typically, the most talented players are taken early in the draft and command bigger dollar value contracts. Earlier round picks are obviously considered more desirable and these are allotted according to a variety of factors such as the team's win-loss record the previous year. However, a top 10 draft pick that seems like a "sure thing" can be a bust for the team if the player doesn't perform up to expections (example: Ryan Leaf). On the flip side, there are also "hidden gems" found in the later rounds (example: Tom Brady). Below is a list of the Tigers (Seniors only) and the round/pick/team projections and/or their ranking within the number of players expected to be in the draft at their playing position, such as RB.

JAMES DAVIS, RB
NFL Draft Source: #2 RB in the draft
Draft Countdown: #1 RB in the draft, 32nd overall pick
Consensus Draft Services: #1 RB in the draft
New Era Scouting: 2nd Round, 63rd overall pick, NY Giants

DORELL SCOTT, DT
Walter Football: 2nd Round, 62nd overall pick, Carolina
New Era Scouting: #8 DT in the draft
Consensus Draft Services: #6 DT in the draft
Draft Countdown: #14 DT in the draft, 98th overall pick

MICHAEL HAMLIN, SS
New Era Scouting: 2nd Round, 51st overall pick, Dallas
Walter Football: 3rd Round, 91st overall pick, Atlanta
Consensus Draft Services: #1 SS in the draft
New Era Scouting: #2 SS in the draft
NFL Draft Source: #6 S in the draft
Draft Countdown: #5 SS in the draft, 53rd overall pick

CULLEN HARPER, QB
NFL Draft Source: #7 QB in the draft
New Era Scouting: #11 QB in the draft
Consensus Draft Services: #4 QB in the draft
Draft Countdown: #2 QB in the draft, 66th overall pick

AARON KELLY, WR
Consensus Draft Services: #2 WR in the draft
NFL Draft Source: #14 WR in the draft
Draft Countdown: #18 WR in the draft
New Era Scouting: #19 WR in the draft

TYLER GRISHAM, WR
NFL Draft Source: #37 WR in the draft
Draft Countdown: #44 WR in the draft

CHRIS CLEMONS, FS
Draft Countdown: #23 S in the draft
NFL Draft Source: #15 S in the draft
New Era Scouting: #9 FS in the draft
Consensus Draft Services: #10 FS in the draft

RASHAAD JACKSON, DT
Consensus Draft Services: #25 DT in the draft
New Era Scouting: #16 DT in the draft
NFL Draft Source: #25 DT in the draft

UPDATE ON BOWL NEWS

It's always a good idea to know your enemy, I mean opponent. Here are some links to articles of interest from Nebraska Cornhuskers sports sites. First, an article on Nebraska's game plan from Husker Locker. Next, an article from the HuskerExtra site on the Cornhuskers' bowl practices, injury update on RB Marlon Lucky and Clemson info. Another article on the HuskerExtra site discusses Clemson receivers Aaron Kelly and Jacoby Ford. One more interesting article from HuskerExtra here.

ESPNU.com has a nice preview of the upcoming Konica Minolta Gator Bowl matchup with stats. for both teams that you can see by clicking here. Another preview article from College-sportsfans picking Nebraska over Clemson can be viewed by clicking here (not sure why they're terming it the 2008 Gator Bowl when it's being played in 2009). Here is a link to the Nebraska's depth chart and another link to Clemson's depth chart to compare the matchups.