Teams 'down' when they get off bus at Auburn

[AUFan21 58]

Free article from 247. Pretty interesting to me.

 

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson is No. 2 in the national polls, but its history in Auburn is not as positive.

The ACC school has not won a game at Jordan-Hare Stadium since 1950, and though the visiting Tigers are favored to break that 66-year streak Saturday night, it does stick in the minds of the coaches here who rub Howard’s Rock for luck on game days.

“You’re kind of down when you get off the bus there,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

“There have been a lot of Clemson teams to go down to Auburn and leave with a loss,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said. “Not a lot of them have gone down and left with a win and I think I know our guys know exactly what they’re stepping into. There’s not going to be any surprises or anything like that. Our players and coaches have a lot of respect for Auburn and we know we have to play well to win the game. We’re not going to be able to go out and have a bunch of mistakes and not play well and come out with a win. We’re going to have to play well to be able to win the game Saturday night.”

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, once an Auburn target on the recruiting trail, knows all about Auburn. He grew up in nearby Georgia and took an interest in Auburn before and during his recruitment as the nation’s No. 1 quarterback in 2013. The Heisman Trophy favorite knows what it’s like on Saturday nights inside the 87,451-seat stadium on the Plains.

“Of course I visited Auburn during the recruiting process and I know how that stadium is and how their fans are,” said Watson, who finished with 4,109 passing yards and 1,105 rushing yards last season. “Of course it’s going to be a hostile environment. It’s the first game. It’s a big time matchup, primetime. It’s no surprise it’s going to be loud and really crazy, but we’re going to enjoy it. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before.”

Scott was an assistant on the Clemson staff the last time the school visited Auburn. Clemson lost to the Cam Newton-led Auburn Tigers in overtime. It was a tough pill to swallow. “I remember thinking it is one thing to see Cam Newton on film and another to see him in person,” Swinney said. “I knew we didn’t have enough. We were up 17 (points) at one point and I knew we didn’t have enough. That is what great players do. I don’t think anybody really knew how good Cam Newton was. By the end of that year everybody knew.”

Of course there was Newton to deal with in 2010, but there was also that noise — that loud, deafening roar from the Auburn faithful.

“The noise, No. 1, I can remember,” Scott said. “None of these guys were on our team the last time we went down and played at Auburn but it was very loud and you’re always worried about the pre-snap procedure, communication and all those type of things the very first game of the year. That’s something as coaches you're always concerned with.”

Clemson is breaking in two new starters along the offensive line: sophomore Jake Fruhmorgen (right guard) and Taylor Hearn (left guard).

“Then, when you’re on the road in a hostile environment, I think it just magnifies that even more,” Scott said. “That’s something we’ve been really working hard on here during fall camp and we’ll have plenty of noise out there this week while our offense is practicing getting ready for that.”

[Dshep4au 266]

I hope their ears are ringing in the 4th quarter Saturday night. I know I will do my part!!

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

We've got to be VERY loud! I am glad they are kind of "down" getting off the bus. Let's hope they are even more down getting back on the bus!

[NoALtiger 3,849]

JHS needs to be crazy off the hook come Saturday. Like dogs and cats living together bonkers crazy.

[aujeff11 6,243]

A+ article

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

11 minutes ago, AUFan21 said:

Free article from 247. Pretty interesting to me.

 

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson is No. 2 in the national polls, but its history in Auburn is not as positive.

The ACC school has not won a game at Jordan-Hare Stadium since 1950, and though the visiting Tigers are favored to break that 66-year streak Saturday night, it does stick in the minds of the coaches here who rub Howard’s Rock for luck on game days.

“You’re kind of down when you get off the bus there,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

“There have been a lot of Clemson teams to go down to Auburn and leave with a loss,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said. “Not a lot of them have gone down and left with a win and I think I know our guys know exactly what they’re stepping into. There’s not going to be any surprises or anything like that. Our players and coaches have a lot of respect for Auburn and we know we have to play well to win the game. We’re not going to be able to go out and have a bunch of mistakes and not play well and come out with a win. We’re going to have to play well to be able to win the game Saturday night.”

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, once an Auburn target on the recruiting trail, knows all about Auburn. He grew up in nearby Georgia and took an interest in Auburn before and during his recruitment as the nation’s No. 1 quarterback in 2013. The Heisman Trophy favorite knows what it’s like on Saturday nights inside the 87,451-seat stadium on the Plains.

“Of course I visited Auburn during the recruiting process and I know how that stadium is and how their fans are,” said Watson, who finished with 4,109 passing yards and 1,105 rushing yards last season. “Of course it’s going to be a hostile environment. It’s the first game. It’s a big time matchup, primetime. It’s no surprise it’s going to be loud and really crazy, but we’re going to enjoy it. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before.”

Scott was an assistant on the Clemson staff the last time the school visited Auburn. Clemson lost to the Cam Newton-led Auburn Tigers in overtime. It was a tough pill to swallow. “I remember thinking it is one thing to see Cam Newton on film and another to see him in person,” Swinney said. “I knew we didn’t have enough. We were up 17 (points) at one point and I knew we didn’t have enough. That is what great players do. I don’t think anybody really knew how good Cam Newton was. By the end of that year everybody knew.”

Of course there was Newton to deal with in 2010, but there was also that noise — that loud, deafening roar from the Auburn faithful.

“The noise, No. 1, I can remember,” Scott said. “None of these guys were on our team the last time we went down and played at Auburn but it was very loud and you’re always worried about the pre-snap procedure, communication and all those type of things the very first game of the year. That’s something as coaches you're always concerned with.”

Clemson is breaking in two new starters along the offensive line: sophomore Jake Fruhmorgen (right guard) and Taylor Hearn (left guard).

“Then, when you’re on the road in a hostile environment, I think it just magnifies that even more,” Scott said. “That’s something we’ve been really working hard on here during fall camp and we’ll have plenty of noise out there this week while our offense is practicing getting ready for that.”

Alas, I will not be there in person.

If, however, any there were to hear me (only a few hundred miles away?),

please pass it on for me!

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

I'll be yelling from Eugene!

[aubiefifty 16,740]

nothing really mean meant but i hope dabo doo is crying for another reason at the end of this game. when he decides to show some class i will start giving him a break. until then i say let him eat fish heads...

[keesler 5,924]

5 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

nothing really mean meant but i hope dabo doo is crying for another reason at the end of this game. when he decides to show some class i will start giving him a break. until then i say let him eat fish heads...

Dabo wears his feelings on his sleeve way too much, to the point of showing immaturity IMO.  That whole pizza party business while they were waiting or the playoff committee to name the final 4 teams last year was cheesy as hell to me, but the CU folks loved it.  

He's only bee a HC for a short time, but he appears to be pretty dang good and looks like he knows how to run top level program.  

[lionheartkc 6,150]

Just now, keesler said:

He's only bee a HC for a short time, but he appears to be pretty dang good and looks like he knows how to run top level program.  

Next year will be the telling year. He's either the real thing, or the ACC version of Mullen.  Watson leaving will tell us which one.

[aubiefifty 16,740]

oh yes he is a winner. and i liked clemson once upon a time

[AuburnSoldier 117]

42 minutes ago, AUFan21 said:

Free article from 247. Pretty interesting to me.

Scott was an assistant on the Clemson staff the last time the school visited Auburn. Clemson lost to the Cam Newton-led Auburn Tigers in overtime. It was a tough pill to swallow. “I remember thinking it is one thing to see Cam Newton on film and another to see him in person,” Swinney said. “I knew we didn’t have enough. We were up 17 (points) at one point and I knew we didn’t have enough. That is what great players do. I don’t think anybody really knew how good Cam Newton was. By the end of that year everybody knew.”

He didn't look so unsure on the sideline.  Dabo and his assistants were laughing, back-slapping, and having a good ole time when they were up 17.  That's when I started to dislike him.

[aujeff11 6,243]

25 minutes ago, keesler said:

Dabo wears his feelings on his sleeve way too much, to the point of showing immaturity IMO.  That whole pizza party business while they were waiting or the playoff committee to name the final 4 teams last year was cheesy as hell to me, but the CU folks loved it.  

He's only bee a HC for a short time, but he appears to be pretty dang good and looks like he knows how to run top level program.  

"I told my team to have a BYOG night, Bring Your Own Guts."

 

[AlaskanFAN 1,665]

1 hour ago, AUFan21 said:

Clemson is breaking in two new starters along the offensive line: sophomore Jake Fruhmorgen (right guard) and Taylor Hearn (left guard).

Looks like this is where big ole #1 Monty Adams is gonna eat like a freakin grizzly bear, during the salmon run!! Heck he might even invite a few friends with him. 

[AUBwins 10,074]

I just have that feeling Monty is going to be a beast Saturday night.  I hope he makes that "Fairley" jump in his game we saw in 2010

[GTNupe11 2,033]

1 hour ago, AUBwins said:

I just have that feeling Monty is going to be a beast Saturday night.  I hope he makes that "Fairley" jump in his game we saw in 2010

Fairly was basically unstoppable that year. Was a thing of beauty. 

[doc4aday 1,887]

When Dabbo loses Venables in a season or 2, you will see Clemson fall back into the 8-4 seasons no doubt. I remember not too many years removed when FSU racked up 59 points on a Venables defense and shut down a Chad Morris offense. I hope we show him another 59 point game and show the country we are back and ready to start mowing down SEC teams one game at a time.

[alexava 6,973]

2 hours ago, GTNupe11 said:

Fairly was basically unstoppable that year. Was a thing of beauty. 

I put that hope on gabe wright and it didn't pan out. I would love to have a Nick Fairley II. Most dominant DT we ever had. 

[atl-tiger 655]

To sum up Clemson's OC, Jeff Scott, "they need to play well to win."

[Tiger 8,818]

16 hours ago, lionheartkc said:

Next year will be the telling year. He's either the real thing, or the ACC version of Mullen.  Watson leaving will tell us which one.

Interesting comparison.  I think you're understating Dabo a little bit here IMO. I don't think they are on the same level. I don't think Mullen would've had 5 straight 10+ win seasons. Even at Clemson. Dabo is a hell of a recruiter and his success spans over multiple QBs  and coordinators. So I personally don't think Watson is the magic man holding the program together.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

15 minutes ago, Tiger said:

Interesting comparison.  I think you're understating Dabo a little bit here IMO. I don't think they are on the same level. I don't think Mullen would've had 5 straight 10+ win seasons. Even at Clemson. Dabo is a hell of a recruiter and his success spans over multiple QBs  and coordinators. So I personally don't think Watson is the magic man holding the program together.

I don't think he's holding the program together, but until he came along, even with Dabo at the helm, Clemson was known for never being able to close the deal, even when they basically face one real in conference threat every year. I agree that he's a hell of a recruiter, and it was a rock star move to land Venables, but I think he gets A LOT of extra credit for the past year where they had the top QB in the nation making up for any flaws they might have had.

2014 - Lost to every decent team they played
2013 - Lost to 2 of the 3 decent teams that they played (Georgia was ranked in the opener but ended up being a bust that year)
2012 - Lost to 2 of the 3 decent teams that they played (Auburn was ranked in the opener, but you know the story...)
2011 - Lost to 2 of the 4 decent teams that they played and 2 they shouldn't have lost to - Only managed 10 wins because they played 14 games
2010 - Lost to every decent team they played that year and some that they shouldn't have lost to

So... tell me again how Dabo an Mullen aren't on the same level? If, when Watson leaves, he is able to continue to compete on a national level, then I'll give him the credit instead of his star QB.
 

[Tiger 8,818]

3 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

I don't think he's holding the program together, but until he came along, even with Dabo at the helm, Clemson was known for never being able to close the deal, even when they basically face one real in conference threat every year. I agree that he's a hell of a recruiter, and it was a rock star move to land Venables, but I think he gets A LOT of extra credit for the past year where they had the top QB in the nation making up for any flaws they might have had.

2014 - Lost to every decent team they played
2013 - Lost to 2 of the 3 decent teams that they played (Georgia was ranked in the opener but ended up being a bust that year)
2012 - Lost to 2 of the 3 decent teams that they played (Auburn was ranked in the opener, but you know the story...)
2011 - Lost to 2 of the 4 decent teams that they played and 2 they shouldn't have lost to - Only managed 10 wins because they played 14 games
2010 - Lost to every decent team they played that year and some that they shouldn't have lost to

So... tell me again how Dabo an Mullen aren't on the same level? If, when Watson leaves, he is able to continue to compete on a national level, then I'll give him the credit instead of his star QB.
 

Not going to counter your points, but I'd say that recruiting is half of the coaching profession -- it's virtually impossible to have great seasons without great players. I understand you want to wait until he doesn't have a great QB before judging him and that's fine. But he deserves props for landing that QB that we ourselves couldn't. And yeah, Clemson had a history of dropping games that they shouldn't before Dabo and for Dabo's first few years but they didn't have an episode of Clemsoning last year (most recent data point), and their stud QB is a major reason, But they also had 9 players drafted from that roster. Dabo had been building that program and now it is fully his program with his guys in it and they are full of next level players and recruiting comparable to SEC teams. He may have recruited his way out of Clemsoning. He also hires good coordinators and lets them do their thing. I think it's deeper than a QB but of course time will prove both one of us right or wrong, I'm just stating how I see it.