Through the Eyes of Spurrier

By: Roy Philpott

Today I should be taking a serious approach to South Carolina football.

I should be telling you that Blake Mitchell completed 135-of-202 passes for 1,789 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago. I should be telling you he may put up even bigger numbers than that.

I should be telling you South Carolina fans think they signed a better quarterback than Willy Korn in Stephen Garcia.

I should be telling you Garcia, like Korn, may see the field as a true freshman this year.

But I’m not. I’m taking a different approach.

Love him or hate him, you have to admit Steve Spurrier brings something to the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry. With that in mind, let us pretend we are a mosquito on the wall of the locker room of the practice facility in Columbia. And let us pretend we are listening to the old ball coach talk to his quarterbacks just moments before taking the field for the first practice of the 2007 season.

What would those conversations sound like?

Perhaps something like this…

SPURRIER TALKING TO BLAKE MITCHELL: Blake, we’re gonna pitch it and catch it this year. I know we lost Sidney but he disappeared in most of the big games anyway. You’ve got Mike and Cory coming back, and an offensive line that can lead us to our first ever SEC Championship. Most importantly, you’ve got me. Do what I say and you’ll be just fine. I can’t have you throwing the ball to the other team like you did against that Clemson team that one time. You almost cost us that one. I’ve seen you be good and I’ve seen you be bad. Son, I need you to be good this year because if you can’t get the job done I’ve got three other guys that can. We are trying to build a new tradition here at Carolina. A winning tradition. And I want you to be a part of it. You do what I say this year and they’ll re-name Bluff road, “Mitchell road.” Wouldn’t that be great? You’ll be right up there with George Rogers. You’ve been on Bluff road right? Yeah that’d be great.

SPURRIER TALKING TO TOMMY BEECHER: Son you had a good spring but spring is for losers. Go home and grow a couple of inches and then we’ll see if you can play in the SEC. Maybe you should join that music group that played at our spring game. That’s a fine music group we’ve got here in the Palmetto state. What is that group? Hootie? Yeah they are a fine music group and we are happy we had them play at Williams-Brice. Or maybe you should take up golf next offseason and work on your game. They got this fine course down there in that place they call Augusta. Real fine course. Just leave your camera at home.

SPURRIER TALKING TO CHRIS SMELLEY: You being able to redshirt last year while throwing 11 passes in a game is almost as confusing as the confederate flag flying atop our statehouse. I’m still trying to figure that one out. But Smelley, you made some progress this spring and we need to be ready because we may need you this year here at Carolina. We are trying to win our first ever SEC Championship and you could be a part of that. Blake is still our starter but you be ready. If Blake doesn’t listen to me the way he’s supposed to, you be ready to listen to me because I’ll put you in the game to listen to me. And you do what I say and we’ll win our first ever championship here at Carolina.

SPURRIER TALKING TO STEPHEN GARCIA: Stephen you’ve already had your share of fun this year but we need this to be a fun year for the Gamecocks, not just you. We don’t need you mouthin’ around telling people we’re going to win the SEC or this or that. And we don’t need to go bailin’ you out of the slammer again. And we don’t need to see pictures of you on that stupid internet. I tell you, it’s always that stupid internet crap. We’ve never won an SEC Championship here at this fine university and I can’t have you doing things that are going to make it harder for us to win one. But I’ll tell you what I told that Smelley kid, you be ready to listen to me. You listen to me and they’ll rename the Farmer's Market after you one day. Wouldn’t that be great? The Stephen Garcia Farmer’s Market!

Next week we’ll listen to what the old ball coach had to say to his running backs.

2007 ACC QB Rankings

By: Roy Philpott

It seems like a safe bet to assume the Atlantic Coast Conference will be a defensive-dominated league in 2007. Nowhere is that evident more than at quarterback, where only a handful of proven starters return to lead their teams.

Today, we look at the best, and the worst teams in the ACC when it comes to quarterbacks:

1. BOSTON COLLEGE: Matt Ryan
Ryan, a senior, is clearly the class of the league entering the 2007 season. While the Eagles lack the team speed of many of their ACC counterparts, Ryan was THE reason Boston College led the ACC in passing yards last season at 240 yards/game. He's a tough kid with plenty of experience that makes the big plays with the game on the line. What more could you want in your starting quarterback?

2. WAKE FOREST: Riley Skinner
Skinner, a third team quarterback a year ago returns for his sophomore season after capturing the ACC Rookie of the Year award over C.J. Spiller. While not the most physically gifted athlete, he runs Jim Grobe's offense to perfection. All he did during his first year as a starter is lead the Deacs to an ACC Championship and BCS berth. He's tough, can move around in the pocket or run the option if needed.

3. VIRGINIA TECH: Sean Glennon & Ike Whitaker
Glennon threw for over 2,100 yards last season but must reduce his interceptions. He was also named the top offensive performer of spring practice. Whitaker, who could challenge for playing time should Glennon falter, is electric with the ball in his hands but suffered from off-the-field problems a year ago. Glennon threw 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last year- but those numbers will improve with a year of experience under his belt in addition to many of Tech's top players returning.

4. FLORIDA STATE: Drew Weatherford & Xavier Lee
Weatherford and Lee have been huge disappointments and have seemingly regressed since signing with Florida State. So why would FSU be No. 4 on this list? Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher. Fisher will give the Seminoles an identity this year while rebuilding the game both of these signal callers. It may take time, but by the end of the year Florida State will be a dramatically improved team.

5. GEORGIA TECH: Taylor Bennett
New offensive coordinator John Bond will have Bennett, a prototypical passer clicking on all cylinders this season. He had a strong Gator Bowl, throwing five touchdown passes against West Virginia, and looked good this spring as well. Plenty of talent exists at wide receiver to give Bennett the weapons he needs to move the ball. Bennett will be one of the biggest surprises in the league this year.

6. MIAMI: Kyle Wright & Kirby Freeman
Both quarterbacks are battling for the No. 1 spot entering the start of fall practice under new coach Randy Shannon and offensive coordinator Patrick Nix. Wright is just 2-6 against ranked opponents during his career and has had problems with his decision making, not to mention lack of mobility. Freeman had some success stepping in last year. There's talent here, but much like Florida State, it's gone undeveloped in recent years.

7. CLEMSON: Cullen Harper & Willy Korn
The Tigers are in the middle of the pack with Harper, a largely unproven third-year player as the starter, and Korn, a highly rated prospect with no gameday experience No. 2 on the depth chart. Both have talent, but not enough proven experience to move up this list. It's not out of the realm of possibility for Clemson to utilize a two-quarterback system through the early part of the season.

8. DUKE: Thaddeus Lewis & Zach Asack
Lewis tied for the fourth most passing yards by a freshman in ACC history last season, throwing for 2,134 yards. He needs to cut down on his interceptions (16) but has good athleticism and a year of experience under his belt. Asack missed last season after being kicked out of school and should provide ample depth should Lewis falter. There's more talent at other schools but somewhat surprisingly, the Blue Devils have two reasonable options at quarterback entering the 2007 season.

9. N.C. STATE: Daniel Evans, Justin Burke & Harrison Beck
Evans helped win over N.C. State fans last season by leading the Pack to surprise wins over Florida State and Boston College early season, but did little after that (3-9 record). His six touchdown passes and 11 interceptions also left plenty to be desired. New head coach Tom O'Brien has already said this year's starter is up in the air. Nebraska transfer Harrison Beck could figure in the competition but if he doesn't work out the ACC may be known as the graveyard of Husker quarterbacks (see Joe Dailey at North Carolina). Inexperience and lack of success dominate the quarterback depth chart at N.C. State.

10. MARYLAND: Jordan Steffy & Josh Portis
Steffy's stats from a year ago tell you all you need to know- 0-for-5 passing for zero yards and an interception. Once viewed as a challenger to former starter Sam Hollenbach, Steffy sat the bench the last two seasons and didn't fare well in limited opportunities. Portis, a transfer from Florida, has a chance to claim the starting spot this fall, but neither quarterback will be as good as Hollenbach. Ralph Friedgen will have to work his magic once again for Maryland to challenge in the ACC, but then again, that may not be too hard with running backs Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball returning.

11. VIRGINIA: Jameel Sewell
Sewell, a sophomore, has a strong arm, but struggled with his accuracy at times in 2006. As a result, the Cavaliers finished last in the ACC in passing offense at 156 yards/game. Head coach Al Groh is on the hot seat and has failed to secure the kind of talent needed in Charlottesville to get off.

12. NORTH CAROLINA: Cam Sexton, B.J. Phillips & T.J. Yates
Sexton, in his first year as a starter completed just 41 percent of his passes for 840 yards. On the field, he looked like a high school quarterback playing at the college level. Phillips and Yates will get their chance for the starting position, but neither has experience. No experience and poor play last year put the Heels at the bottom of the league.

PARTING SHOT: From a Clemson perspective, it would be easy to move Cullen Harper and Willy Korn higher on this list- but remember Harper has limited experience and Korn has none. Experience is absolutely critical when discussing quarterbacks. Even though Riley Skinner led Wake Forest to the conference championship last season, he's more of an exception to the rule. Many highly rated QBs struggle during their freshman season- just look at Georgia's Matt Stafford as a prime example.

REMINDER: It’s quarterbacks week on our morning show, RUSH HOUR. Today we ranked the ACC while tomorrow we will take a closer look at South Carolina. Later in the week we will discuss the SEC as well as the national scene. Tune in from 6 to 9 AM or at 104.9 FM The Drive in upstate South Carolina or anywhere in the world at http://www.wccpfm.com/.

2007 Clemson Quarterback Outlook

By: Roy Philpott

Give Tommy Bowden and offensive coordinator Rob Spence credit.

From day one, they let it be known that freshman quarterback Willy Korn wouldn’t be given a free pass to the top of the depth chart. Of course, Korn knew that from the beginning, but many fans did not.

As one of the most highly rated quarterbacks to ever sign with the Tigers, some expected Korn to be anointed the starter immediately after setting foot on campus- especially with senior quarterback Will Proctor moving on at the conclusion of the 2006 season.

However, both Bowden and Spence maintained throughout spring practice that Korn would have to earn every move he made up the depth chart.

And move he did. By the time spring practice came to an end, Korn have moved from the fourth team to the second team, nipping at the heels of starter Cullen Harper.

Still, as spring practice came to a close, Bowden maintained that Harper was his guy … or did he?

"He will have to do something to lose it (starting position) between now and then and that would be out of character for Cullen,” he said after the Orange & White game. “He is a hard worker who has been consistent all spring. We will meet next week to determine a pecking order at that position."

Just moments later, Bowden said the following about Korn:

“A high school guy coming in and doing the things we ask our quarterbacks to do like run checks, protections, reads and things like that, it has been an awful heavy opportunity thrown his way and we have been really pleased with the way he has responded,” Bowden said. “He definitely has shown that he belongs in the hunt.”

What does it all mean? It means Clemson fans should keep their seatbelts fastened during fall practice because the Tigers will have two quarterbacks competing for playing time.

Harper may get the start against Florida State, but don’t be surprised if Korn plays.

Here’s a quick recap of each scholarship quarterback currently on Clemson’s roster:

CULLEN HARPER: Entering the start of fall camp, redshirt junior Cullen Harper is THE starting quarterback. During spring practice he was the top performer of all signal callers, including a strong showing in the Orange & White game where he completed 15-of-25 passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns. Is Harper more talented than his back up, Willy Korn? No. But he has more experience and seems to be a good game manager. Considering the Tigers will start two of the top running backs in the country next year in C.J. Spiller and James Davis that may be the best skill for Clemson’s starting quarterback to have. From what I saw in three major scrimmages this spring, Harper is accurate in the pocket and on the move but may need to improve his touch on the deep ball to strengthen his hold on the starting position.

Keep in mind Harper completed 42-of-66 passes for 457 yards and five touchdowns in Clemson’s three stadium scrimmages. The most impressive statistic of all – NO interceptions. How you’d like to put those stats into those last three games last season? I know I would. I realize it’s spring practice, but Harper’s demeanor, control of the offense and generally delivery of the football was encouraging.

WILLY KORN: A true freshman, Korn is clearly the quarterback of the future at Clemson. The question remains, does that future include the upcoming season? Many would argue “yes,” pointing to the fact he jumped from fourth on the depth chart to second in just 15 practices this spring. He also has a good arm and produced at a high level this spring. Some would argue “no” given that Harper seems to have a good grasp of the offense and Korn would be better suited to red-shirt his freshman year. The truth is Korn will likely see the field this fall, regardless of what Harper does. He is too talented and understands the game off the field- including leadership and work ethic to have him sit on the bench a year. However to compete more effectively with Harper, he will have to prove he isn’t what he is- a freshman. That means not forcing the ball into double coverage, throwing the ball away when given the opportunity and using his mobility to create first downs when the pocket collapses.

TRIBBLE REESE: Reese was expected to be the starter by this point in his career after signing with Clemson in 2005 out of Alabama’s Mountain Brook High School. For whatever reasons, that hasn’t happened. While his stock did increase this spring, he does not figure into Clemson’s game plan this season unless the unthinkable occurs to either Harper or Korn. All things considered, he’s a good option for a No. 3 guy and he has some tools to get the job done.

MICHAEL WADE: A redshirt freshman, Wade is currently fourth on the Tigers’ post-spring depth chart. A serviceable quarterback that caught the eye of Spence during camp last year, Wade figures to continue to work on his game this year in hopes of playing on down the line. The problem is with Korn ahead of him on the depth chart that may be difficult to do.

OVERVIEW: Hate the two-quarterback system? It may be something Clemson fans have to deal with through the first half of the 2007 season, if not lot longer. Harper is good but Korn offers more long term potential. How that translates into the 2007 season is anybody’s guess, but don’t be surprised if Bowden lets both quarterbacks play in the season opener against FSU. The good news is that both Harper and Korn know how to hand the ball off to Spiller and Davis. Judging how the season ended last year, it seems like a safe bet the focus this year will be on the ground game.

REMINDER: It’s quarterbacks week on our morning show, RUSH HOUR. Today we discussed Clemson’s quarterback situation while tomorrow we will breakdown the entire ACC. Later in the week we will talk about South Carolina’s quarterbacks, as well as the SEC. Tune in from 6 to 9 AM or at 104.9 FM The Drive in upstate South Carolina or anywhere in the world at http://www.wccpfm.com/.

PARTING SHOT: Have you watched the Boston College and Florida State games from last year? It's hard to believe the quarterback that started those two games was the same one that started the last five. For as much as I've heard Will Proctor thrown under the bus (yes I did it too), he did have some strong performances in just one year of action as a starter. Still, the bottom line is whoever Clemson's starting quarterback is in '07 needs to maintain a certain level of confidence - even when things go bad. Harper and Korn appear to have the mentality to do just that.