For the week 4-1 straight up and 3-1 against the spread. For the season: 40-15 straight up and 26-15 against the spread. On to week 8 we go.
Florida State 17 NC State (+11 ½) 10
Ga. Tech (-2) 23 Clemson 17
Wake Forest (-1) 24 Maryland 13
Miami (-5) 27 Duke 14
Virginia (+ 5 1/2)17 North Carolina 16
Boston College (- 2 ½) 20 Virginia Tech 10
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
ACC Update
vs. FCS Teams 15-0
vs. Big 12 4-0
vs. MAC 2-0
vs. C-USA 4-1
vs. PAC 10 1-1
vs. Big East 2-2
vs. Independents 2-1
vs. SEC 2-3
vs. Big Ten 0-1
vs. Sun Belt 0-1
The ACC went a perfect 4-0 in non-conference games this week and continues to show improvement. Georgia Tech crushed Gardner-Webb 10-7, Miami and Virginia both beat Conference USA teams and of course, North Carolina beat Notre Dame.
vs. Big 12 4-0
vs. MAC 2-0
vs. C-USA 4-1
vs. PAC 10 1-1
vs. Big East 2-2
vs. Independents 2-1
vs. SEC 2-3
vs. Big Ten 0-1
vs. Sun Belt 0-1
The ACC went a perfect 4-0 in non-conference games this week and continues to show improvement. Georgia Tech crushed Gardner-Webb 10-7, Miami and Virginia both beat Conference USA teams and of course, North Carolina beat Notre Dame.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Dabo hits it out of the park
Man, what a difference a coach makes. As in one that answers questions that are asked of him and says he doesn't know when he doesn't. Dabo Swinney hit it out of the park in his first press conference as Clemson's interim coach Monday morning and then came back for more on Tuesday, announcing among other things that the Tigers will wear all orange on Saturday.
Selected Swinney comments from day 2:
You've got to coach it (toughness) every day. Toughness is hitting first and hitting harder. Toughness is getting up. Toughness is making a mistake and you come back. Toughness is keeping your poise. Toughness is not throwing your helmet on the sideline after making a mistake. Toughness is coming to work when you don't want to come to work, or walking to your class in the rain at the eight in the morning. Toughness in football is who hits the hardest, hits first and hits the longest. We've got some tough guys. It's a tough game played by tough people. That's why there is 22 on the field and 80,000 in the stands. I want every player, including the kicker, be the toughest player on the field.
and this:
I want to reach out to the students here. There are some bridges I want to build. One of the things I believe in, is having to fit into the athletic department that this is the students' football team. They pay tuition here. They take pride in their university and root for their team. Sometimes I think it's us and them and there is a disconnect. That's not the way I want to be around here. We talk a lot about one Clemson. I'm going to do everything I can to promote that. One of the ways we can do that is to reach out to the students. The negativity is gone. It's time to root for these guys. I want the students to rally behind us. We are going to wear all orange. We have a solid orange campaign around here that talks about pride and we are going to show it. It's an orange-out or whatever you want to call it. Let's show some support for this football team. You don't like us coaches that's fine. But let's show some support for this football team because they are out here working. Come to cheer. Be loud. Wear your orange. Let's create an atmosphere. We've got recruits that are still with us and lets show an atmosphere that these kids will want to play in. The other thing I'd like to do, I want to have a student practice. Come to practice. However many of them want to come. No media. Student practice. Come and hang out with the team and watch us work. Another thing- we are going to have a pep rally in the next couple of weeks in their environment. Let's come together as a group.
As I mentioned to two friends today, my new nickname for him is the anti-Bowden. Now you know why.
Selected Swinney comments from day 2:
You've got to coach it (toughness) every day. Toughness is hitting first and hitting harder. Toughness is getting up. Toughness is making a mistake and you come back. Toughness is keeping your poise. Toughness is not throwing your helmet on the sideline after making a mistake. Toughness is coming to work when you don't want to come to work, or walking to your class in the rain at the eight in the morning. Toughness in football is who hits the hardest, hits first and hits the longest. We've got some tough guys. It's a tough game played by tough people. That's why there is 22 on the field and 80,000 in the stands. I want every player, including the kicker, be the toughest player on the field.
and this:
I want to reach out to the students here. There are some bridges I want to build. One of the things I believe in, is having to fit into the athletic department that this is the students' football team. They pay tuition here. They take pride in their university and root for their team. Sometimes I think it's us and them and there is a disconnect. That's not the way I want to be around here. We talk a lot about one Clemson. I'm going to do everything I can to promote that. One of the ways we can do that is to reach out to the students. The negativity is gone. It's time to root for these guys. I want the students to rally behind us. We are going to wear all orange. We have a solid orange campaign around here that talks about pride and we are going to show it. It's an orange-out or whatever you want to call it. Let's show some support for this football team. You don't like us coaches that's fine. But let's show some support for this football team because they are out here working. Come to cheer. Be loud. Wear your orange. Let's create an atmosphere. We've got recruits that are still with us and lets show an atmosphere that these kids will want to play in. The other thing I'd like to do, I want to have a student practice. Come to practice. However many of them want to come. No media. Student practice. Come and hang out with the team and watch us work. Another thing- we are going to have a pep rally in the next couple of weeks in their environment. Let's come together as a group.
As I mentioned to two friends today, my new nickname for him is the anti-Bowden. Now you know why.
Conference Power Rankings after week 7
- SEC 37.58
- Big Ten 43.73
- Big 12 44.00
- ACC 48.92
- Big East 49.63
- Mountain West 52.56
- PAC 10 56.60
- WAC 70.11
- Conference USA 83.67
- Sun Belt 85.00
- MAC 89.15
Monday, October 13, 2008
Bowden out; search begins
Tommy Bowden resigned this morning after being told that he had to win the conference championship in order to be retained in 2009. Realizing that isn't going to happen, Bowden opted to negotiate a settlement that was very favorable for him.
The search has begun for a replacement.
The search has begun for a replacement.
Stats are for champions
“Stats are for losers”. That’s the word. But really, are stats for losers? Or are there some stats that can lead you to predict who has the best chance to win the National Championship?
Looking back at the national title winners beginning with the 2000 season some trends definitely stand out. Of those 8 title winners only one (Ohio State in 2002) finished below 10th (23rd) in total defense. The average ranking of the total defense for those 8 teams was 8th.
Interestingly enough offense has not been as important statistic in determining the national champion. The average rank for those 8 offenses was 23rd and only 2 of the 8 champions (Miami in 2001 and Texas in 2005) had offenses finish in the top 10. The 2002 Ohio State team actually won the national title while being ranked 70th in total offense. The 2007 LSU team finished 26th in offense and the 2003 LSU team finished 31st in total offense.
So while offense usually gets the headlines and highlights on Sports Center, it’s apparent that defense, particularly top 10 ranked defenses, win championships. The odds of winning a championship without a defense in the top 10 are remote, probably in the 10-15% range. Could it happen? Sure, just as it did in 2002. Will it happen? That’s doubtful.
Which leads me to looking at the teams that still have a shot at the national championship in 2008 at the midway point of the season.
Here are the teams, in my opinion, that remain with a realistic chance at the national title and their current defensive rankings:
USC - 4
Penn State - 8
Alabama - 10
Ohio State - 12
Georgia - 15
Florida - 18
Oklahoma - 23
LSU - 32
Kansas - 34
Vanderbilt - 39
Texas - 40
Texas Tech - 64
Oklahoma State - 62
Michigan State – 68
Missouri – 82
To take this a step further, over the last 8 years the average rankings for the National Champions has been:
Total Defense - 8
Rushing Defense - 15
Passing Defense - 26
Total Offense - 23
Rushing Offense - 29
Passing Offense - 40
There is one team that meets or exceeds all of those through week 7 of the 2008 schedule - Penn State. True, the schedule has been weak, hence the 23rd ranking in this weeks power rankings.
We'll keep track of this as the season progresses to see if stats really are for losers...or are they for National Champions.
Looking back at the national title winners beginning with the 2000 season some trends definitely stand out. Of those 8 title winners only one (Ohio State in 2002) finished below 10th (23rd) in total defense. The average ranking of the total defense for those 8 teams was 8th.
Interestingly enough offense has not been as important statistic in determining the national champion. The average rank for those 8 offenses was 23rd and only 2 of the 8 champions (Miami in 2001 and Texas in 2005) had offenses finish in the top 10. The 2002 Ohio State team actually won the national title while being ranked 70th in total offense. The 2007 LSU team finished 26th in offense and the 2003 LSU team finished 31st in total offense.
So while offense usually gets the headlines and highlights on Sports Center, it’s apparent that defense, particularly top 10 ranked defenses, win championships. The odds of winning a championship without a defense in the top 10 are remote, probably in the 10-15% range. Could it happen? Sure, just as it did in 2002. Will it happen? That’s doubtful.
Which leads me to looking at the teams that still have a shot at the national championship in 2008 at the midway point of the season.
Here are the teams, in my opinion, that remain with a realistic chance at the national title and their current defensive rankings:
USC - 4
Penn State - 8
Alabama - 10
Ohio State - 12
Georgia - 15
Florida - 18
Oklahoma - 23
LSU - 32
Kansas - 34
Vanderbilt - 39
Texas - 40
Texas Tech - 64
Oklahoma State - 62
Michigan State – 68
Missouri – 82
To take this a step further, over the last 8 years the average rankings for the National Champions has been:
Total Defense - 8
Rushing Defense - 15
Passing Defense - 26
Total Offense - 23
Rushing Offense - 29
Passing Offense - 40
There is one team that meets or exceeds all of those through week 7 of the 2008 schedule - Penn State. True, the schedule has been weak, hence the 23rd ranking in this weeks power rankings.
We'll keep track of this as the season progresses to see if stats really are for losers...or are they for National Champions.
Power Rankings after week 7
1. Alabama 158.1232
2. Texas 152.9412
3. Michigan State 151.3806
4. Boise State 149.7479
5. Oklahoma State 148.5995
6. Utah 146.9388
7. BYU 140.4762
8. Pittsburgh 140.1681
9. Vanderbilt 138.9356
10.Ohio State 138.2953
11.Georgia 137.5350
12.North Carolina 136.5546
12.Missouri 136.5546
14.Florida 136.1344
15.South Florida 135.1843
16.Oklahoma 134.8740
17.USC 133.7815
18.Minnesota 132.6531
19.Virginia Tech 131.3726
20.Connecticut 130.5322
21.Texas Tech 129.5518
22.Ball State 128.6915
23.Penn State 127.4910
24.Kansas 127.0308
25.Northwestern 126.6107
2. Texas 152.9412
3. Michigan State 151.3806
4. Boise State 149.7479
5. Oklahoma State 148.5995
6. Utah 146.9388
7. BYU 140.4762
8. Pittsburgh 140.1681
9. Vanderbilt 138.9356
10.Ohio State 138.2953
11.Georgia 137.5350
12.North Carolina 136.5546
12.Missouri 136.5546
14.Florida 136.1344
15.South Florida 135.1843
16.Oklahoma 134.8740
17.USC 133.7815
18.Minnesota 132.6531
19.Virginia Tech 131.3726
20.Connecticut 130.5322
21.Texas Tech 129.5518
22.Ball State 128.6915
23.Penn State 127.4910
24.Kansas 127.0308
25.Northwestern 126.6107
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