Pulling the "Okidoke"
By: Roy Philpott
If you aren’t familiar with the word, “okidoke” allow me to take a moment to tell you what it means. “Okidoke,” pronounced, “oak-ee-doak,” is a slang term that carries several different meanings.
While the word certainly has more than one interpretation, I take it to mean having something unexpected happen to you in a dramatic fashion. You may think it means something different, and that’s okay. Again, it is a slang term. For the purpose of today’s blog, I’m using it to mean what I wrote above.
On with the show…
When Tommy Bowden first arrived at Clemson, he was known to be in the same mold of his father. Maybe the phrase “riverboat gambler” is taking it a bit too far, but indeed he was known as a coach that wasn’t afraid to pull out all the stops to win games.
From fake punts to double reverse passes, Bowden always seemed to have a trick up his sleeve when you least expected it. Now that the Tigers have recruited more talented players in recent years, he hasn’t gone to his bag of tricks quite as often.
Still, there are enough good memories to relive some of the best of the Bowden era in today’s blog. With that in mind, I present you the top “okidoke” plays of the Bowden era. These are plays that occurred when you least expected that worked out in Clemson’s favor. Again, it’s called pulling the "okidoke.”
#5. 2001 CLEMSON VS. CENTRAL FLORIDA: Jeff Scott TD
It wasn’t against a highly ranked national power, but it was critical in an eight-point win over Central Florida in the 2001 season opener. With a 14-7 lead in the second quarter, Clemson lined up for what appeared to be a 39-yard Aaron Hunt field goal attempt. Instead, holder Jeff Scott took the ball and ran 22 yards for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in a 21-13 win. At that point in his career, Scott rushed three times for 40 yards and a touchdown on fake field goals.
#4. 2002 CLEMSON VS. FLORIDA STATE: Unexpected Onside Kick
Just seconds after Willie Simmons connected with Airese Currie on a 28-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7 in the second quarter, Bowden elected to roll the dice with an unexpected onside kick. Reserve kicker Stephen Furr lofted a short kickoff directly at the opposite sideline that would be recovered by J.J. McKelvey. Five plays later, Yusef Kelly scored from two yards out to give the Tigers a 14-7 lead. It was the first successful onside kick for Clemson since 1979. While Clemson would go on to lose the game 48-31, it was another exciting play.
#3. 1999: CLEMSON VS. VIRGINIA TECH: Lazarra’s TD Pass
Trailing eighth ranked Virginia Tech 14-3 on the road entering the fourth quarter, the Tigers needed a spark to have any chance at pulling the upset. Three minutes later that’s exactly what they got. Facing a 4th-and-4 from Virginia Tech’s 9-yard line, it looked as though Clemson was lining up for a short field goal to pull within eight points of a team that played for a national championship later in the year. However instead of a field goal, kicker Tony Lazarra took a direct snap and passed to fullback Vince Ciurciu alone in the end zone. While the Tigers would go on to lose the game on a barrage of turnovers courtesy of Corey Moore, this play symbolized a change in philosophy with Clemson football. The three-yards and a cloud of dust mentality, the flexbone, and yes even the option were tossed aside for a wide open attack where any play could be called at any time. Yes, you could say it was the first okidoke of the Bowden era.
#2. 2003 PEACH BOWL: Panther Play vs. No. 6 Tennessee
It was a play that little-used Kyle Browning will always be remembered for by Clemson fans. Facing a third down from Tennessee’s 8-yard line late in the second quarter, Browning, all 5-feet-6 inches of him, scored on a “rooskie” play to put the Tigers up 24-14. Lining up directly behind QB Charlie Whitehurst behind center, he took the ball between his legs from Whitehurst and then raced to the left side of the end zone for six points. It was the third time the play had been used for a touchdown under Tommy Bowden, but the first by Browning. It was a solid okidoke, but not the best.
#1. 2004 CLEMSON VS. MIAMI: Chason’s No Look Flip
Who even thinks of plays like this? Imagine sitting in the film room, whipping up a fake field goal that involves your punter throwing a behind the back, no-look pass to your kicker on a sweep, on the road against one of the top programs in college football history. Are you serious? Sorry Miami, you had the biggest okidoke of the Tommy Bowden era thrown right in your face.
Early in the fourth quarter, trailing 17-10, Jad Dean lined up for what seemed to be a 26-yard field goal and holder Cole Chason took the deep snap as usual. But instead of placing the ball to the ground, Chason did a blind flip over his head to Dean, who was sprinting to the right. Dean caught the flip and, aided by a Steven Jackson block, ran past to the Miami 3 for a first down. A facemask penalty on the play moved it even close to the 1, where on the very next play, Merriweather recorded his second touchdown of the game to tie it make it 17-17 with 13:47 left to play.
The Tigers went on to win the game 24-17 in overtime.
If you aren’t familiar with the word, “okidoke” allow me to take a moment to tell you what it means. “Okidoke,” pronounced, “oak-ee-doak,” is a slang term that carries several different meanings.While the word certainly has more than one interpretation, I take it to mean having something unexpected happen to you in a dramatic fashion. You may think it means something different, and that’s okay. Again, it is a slang term. For the purpose of today’s blog, I’m using it to mean what I wrote above.
On with the show…
When Tommy Bowden first arrived at Clemson, he was known to be in the same mold of his father. Maybe the phrase “riverboat gambler” is taking it a bit too far, but indeed he was known as a coach that wasn’t afraid to pull out all the stops to win games.
From fake punts to double reverse passes, Bowden always seemed to have a trick up his sleeve when you least expected it. Now that the Tigers have recruited more talented players in recent years, he hasn’t gone to his bag of tricks quite as often.
Still, there are enough good memories to relive some of the best of the Bowden era in today’s blog. With that in mind, I present you the top “okidoke” plays of the Bowden era. These are plays that occurred when you least expected that worked out in Clemson’s favor. Again, it’s called pulling the "okidoke.”
#5. 2001 CLEMSON VS. CENTRAL FLORIDA: Jeff Scott TD
It wasn’t against a highly ranked national power, but it was critical in an eight-point win over Central Florida in the 2001 season opener. With a 14-7 lead in the second quarter, Clemson lined up for what appeared to be a 39-yard Aaron Hunt field goal attempt. Instead, holder Jeff Scott took the ball and ran 22 yards for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in a 21-13 win. At that point in his career, Scott rushed three times for 40 yards and a touchdown on fake field goals.
#4. 2002 CLEMSON VS. FLORIDA STATE: Unexpected Onside Kick
Just seconds after Willie Simmons connected with Airese Currie on a 28-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7 in the second quarter, Bowden elected to roll the dice with an unexpected onside kick. Reserve kicker Stephen Furr lofted a short kickoff directly at the opposite sideline that would be recovered by J.J. McKelvey. Five plays later, Yusef Kelly scored from two yards out to give the Tigers a 14-7 lead. It was the first successful onside kick for Clemson since 1979. While Clemson would go on to lose the game 48-31, it was another exciting play.
#3. 1999: CLEMSON VS. VIRGINIA TECH: Lazarra’s TD Pass
Trailing eighth ranked Virginia Tech 14-3 on the road entering the fourth quarter, the Tigers needed a spark to have any chance at pulling the upset. Three minutes later that’s exactly what they got. Facing a 4th-and-4 from Virginia Tech’s 9-yard line, it looked as though Clemson was lining up for a short field goal to pull within eight points of a team that played for a national championship later in the year. However instead of a field goal, kicker Tony Lazarra took a direct snap and passed to fullback Vince Ciurciu alone in the end zone. While the Tigers would go on to lose the game on a barrage of turnovers courtesy of Corey Moore, this play symbolized a change in philosophy with Clemson football. The three-yards and a cloud of dust mentality, the flexbone, and yes even the option were tossed aside for a wide open attack where any play could be called at any time. Yes, you could say it was the first okidoke of the Bowden era.
#2. 2003 PEACH BOWL: Panther Play vs. No. 6 Tennessee
It was a play that little-used Kyle Browning will always be remembered for by Clemson fans. Facing a third down from Tennessee’s 8-yard line late in the second quarter, Browning, all 5-feet-6 inches of him, scored on a “rooskie” play to put the Tigers up 24-14. Lining up directly behind QB Charlie Whitehurst behind center, he took the ball between his legs from Whitehurst and then raced to the left side of the end zone for six points. It was the third time the play had been used for a touchdown under Tommy Bowden, but the first by Browning. It was a solid okidoke, but not the best.
#1. 2004 CLEMSON VS. MIAMI: Chason’s No Look Flip
Who even thinks of plays like this? Imagine sitting in the film room, whipping up a fake field goal that involves your punter throwing a behind the back, no-look pass to your kicker on a sweep, on the road against one of the top programs in college football history. Are you serious? Sorry Miami, you had the biggest okidoke of the Tommy Bowden era thrown right in your face.
Early in the fourth quarter, trailing 17-10, Jad Dean lined up for what seemed to be a 26-yard field goal and holder Cole Chason took the deep snap as usual. But instead of placing the ball to the ground, Chason did a blind flip over his head to Dean, who was sprinting to the right. Dean caught the flip and, aided by a Steven Jackson block, ran past to the Miami 3 for a first down. A facemask penalty on the play moved it even close to the 1, where on the very next play, Merriweather recorded his second touchdown of the game to tie it make it 17-17 with 13:47 left to play.
The Tigers went on to win the game 24-17 in overtime.
posted by Roy Philpott @ 9:00 AM
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As mentioned in a previous blog, the ACC, while not the stronger conference, does have more talent and overall depth among its 12 institutions than the SEC at the running back position.
