From: trev@hubcap.clemson.edu (Trevor Bauknight)
Subject: Re: Clemson RUNS
Organization: Jes Grew Carriers -- Metaphysical Bunko Squad 
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 03:07:01 GMT

tnrogers@mtu.edu (Rogers) writes:

>improvement in Virginia football.  Saturday's game with Clemson was very 
>unusual, but I hope it points to a bright Clemson future. It really is the 
>first time I've heard of a team overcoming a 0-28 deficit by running the 
>football.  400+ yards rushing!  

Most of those 400+ in the second half, too.  Coming back from 0-28 by
rushing is perfectly reasonable when your defense comes through.  UVa's
offense didn't even take the field in the second half that I can 
remember.  

>It's starting to appear that Clemson is a lone hold-out resisting the 
>change to so-called modern pro-style drop-back passing scheme.  

I don't know about "lone" hold-out, but they are certainly one of the
few successfully resisting flash-football.  Until recently, the same
could be said of most southeastern teams, but unfortunately, not anymore.
The reason they don't abandon it here is because we have had success
with it...the philosophy is that:  three things can happen when you 
throw the football, and two of them are bad...so why do it if you don't
have to?

>I get a very positive nostalgic feel when i see the emphasis placed 
>on good line play, rushing, and the kicking game.  

I do, too.  That's why I'm a big fan of small-college football here
in the south...most of the teams are still run-oriented and many of
them are hugely successful at their level.  The Citadel is one good
example...they methodically pound away with the QB and fullback, five
and six yards at a time, up and down the field, dragging opposing
defenses through the mud.  It's a very demoralizing way to defeat
the other team.  Some of the small colleges down here routinely 
rush for upwards of 400 yards...

>older fans who like football the way it used to be (and still should be!) 
>would like Clemson's style if they saw it.  Maybe some long-suffering 
>Southwest conference fans ought to adopt a new team! 

Bite your tongue!

>Anyway, Clemson is still in a rebuilding year, and may yet struggle to get 
>through the season, but the future looks a little brighter now.  My advice 

In other news, Coach Hatfield has named (Saint) Louis Solomon the starter
for Saturday's homecoming game against Duke.  Solomon replaces ailing QB
Richard Moncrief, who had -3 rushing yards and no completions in the
first quarter against Virginia.  Solomon was 5/17 passing for 88 yards and
he carried the ball for 116 yards on 16 carries.  Solomon directed 461
yards and 29 points of total offense after replacing Moncrief.  On the
season, Solomon has, in 100 offensive snaps, directed the Clemson Tigers
to seven touchdowns and two field goals, two turnovers and 749 yards.

>One final plus to a conservative run-oriented game plan: hardly anyone plays 
>that way anymore, so it's difficult to prepare for!  And if your linemen are 
>strong and aggressive, no scout team can simulate that in practice.  I think 
>that's why many teams fool themselves into thinking they can stop Clemson on 

Clemson still lines up in the wishbone every now and then, and it looks so
wonderfully odd.  At the very least, it has to make defenses go "wait a 
second..."  A team with a hefty offensive line and some crafty running backs 
could do worse than run a wishbone...mix that up with a good triple-option 
system and a smothering defense and you can plod up and down the field with 
the ball at will.  For so long, it has been enough for Clemson to execute its
game-plan.  Other teams know what they were going to do, but, until recently,
nobody else in the ACC could really stop us.  When it's really on, as it was
Saturday, it is still unstoppable.  It's fun to watch, notwithstanding the 
complaints of those who would continue the perversion of this great game by 
abandoning the power aspect.
 
Trevor Bauknight         trev@hubcap.clemson.edu    ...gatech!hubcap!trev
 
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