The Little Things

By: Roy Philpott

One of the most popular topics Clemson fans discuss this time of year is getting to the proverbial next level. I'm as guilty as anyone else. Like many fans, I've scratched my head this offseason wondering how an 7-1 start in 2006 turned into an 8-5 finish. I too wonder what it will take for the Tigers to get to the ACC Championship game.

If you are like me, you like quick fixes. You like to fix things without having to spend 17 hours actually fixing whatever it is that needs fixing.

So my quick fix, without breaking down the X's and O's, without discussing why Clemson should run the ball more or play more man-to-man on defense, can be best be said with just one sentence:

Do the little things it takes to win.

In each of the last two seasons, if the Tigers had done the little things they would have competed for the ACC Championship both years.

Sounds easy enough, right?

I would make the argument it’s actually easier than that.

In each of the last two seasons, a handful of close losses can be traced back to penalties, missed blocks or incomplete passes. If you are the diehard Clemson fan, you know them by now.

2005- at home against Boston College, the Tigers had multiple opportunities to beat the Eagles but failed to push the ball across the goal line in the second half. Moments after Reggie Merriweather was stopped for a loss on third and two deep in Boston College territory in overtime, the Eagles scored the game-winning touchdown in a 16-13 slugfest.

A win that day would have sent the Tigers to the first ever ACC Championship game.

The Tigers could have easily picked up another conference win on the road against Georgia Tech later that season when Charlie Whitehurst's 22-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Hunter was called back for not having enough players on the line of scrimmage. Clemson would go on to lose the game 10-9. (TE Cole Downer, who missed much of the season after having his spleen removed, was not in the game at the time resulting in just six men on the line of scrimmage instead of the required seven.)

And it doesn't stop there.

The Tigers also had a great chance to beat Miami earlier that year, before losing in triple overtime. That game saw a potential game-winning touchdown pass from Charlie Whitehurst to Chansi Stuckey fall incomplete in the closing stages of the fourth quarter.

In 2006, a penalty against Maryland, cost the Tigers another touchdown and ultimately led to a 13-12 loss. This time, freshman Michael Palmer, failed to report in the game causing an illegal formation. Clemson would kick a field goal, providing an uncomfortable two-point lead instead of a six-point advantage. The Terps, of course, marched straight down the field on the ensuing possession, converting a 30-yard field goal as time expired to win the game by a single point.

Again, a win there sends the Tigers to the ACC Championship game.

You could also argue an overturned replay against Boston College earlier in the year also cost the Tigers a chance at playing for the conference championship.

It’s the little things. It’s the stupid penalties negating big plays. It’s the inconsistent play on special teams leading to kickoff returns and blocked kicks for touchdowns. It’s turnovers in bunches. It’s missed field goals.

Sure, I’ll be the first to admit there were other games that Clemson could have easily lost that it won during the last two seasons– the Wake Forest game last year. The Texas A&M game in 2005. The Tigers were fortunate to win both of those games. Nobody can argue otherwise.

But for the most part, it’s been the little things that have kept this program from reaching greatness.

To further illustrate my point, consider this: it’s not like Clemson has faced an insurmountable schedule the past two seasons. Yes, there have been tough stretches, but no team on Clemson's 2005 or 2006 schedule was unbeatable.

And once again in 2007, no team on Clemson's schedule will be unbeatable. Virginia Tech, with nearly every key play returning, is certainly scary, but not unbeatable- especially at home.
10 years ago you couldn't say that. 10 years ago Clemson had to play the perfect game to stay within two touchdowns of Florida State. 10 years ago Clemson was overmatched by ~gasp~, North Carolina.

The Tar Heels! The same program that looked like a high school team in a 51-7 massacre last year in Death Valley was once a major thorn in the side of Clemson football.

Chances are if you are reading this blog, you follow college football recruiting. Chances are you know Clemson has recruited at a higher level during the last three seasons than it has at any point in the last 15 years.

Chances are you also know that Clemson’s recruiting efforts this year look as strong as any as the last four.

Simply put, the talent has been in place for quite some time and should be there for the foreseeable future.

But for this program, for this season, it’s all about doing the little things. It’s about turning special teams from a liability into a strength. It’s about staying mentally sharp against underdogs. It’s about putting teams away when you build a 14-point second half lead. It’s about not letting one loss ruin an entire season!

It’s not about talent.

My honest belief is that Tommy Bowden has recruited the players AND hired the coaches he needs to the next level.

James Davis and C.J. Spiller told me as much during a photo shoot for our magazine last month.

“We know we are capable of winning the ACC and going to the BCS,” Davis said. “We believe that about ourselves and the coaches believe in us. We just have to go out there and do it. This is the year we have to do it.”

“We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot,” said Spiller. “When something goes wrong we have to pick ourselves back up and make it right. We didn’t do that last year. It’s like something would go wrong and guys on the team would start to hang their head. We can’t do that.”

James and C.J. know what I’m talking about. Do the little things and the championships will follow.