Front Porch FootballClemson Sins, Too
by Chris Paschal
I have been messaged before being told I am a complete idiot and that I don’t know what I’m talking about. That was their right. We live in America, and according to the Supreme Court, the only restrictions on someone’s free speech is speech that either incites violence or causes immediate danger (like yelling fire in a crowded theater). It is OK to disagree with me. Many of you are going to disagree with me on this very post. And while some of you may think that I have a few wires touching in my brain that shouldn’t be, my opinions don’t originate from an extreme bias, hatred, or agenda.
Last year, following the 2017 Carolina-Clemson game, I wrote, “What those [South Carolina] students did when they threw bottles and debris onto the field was not only a disgrace to themselves, their families, and the University, but it was a disgrace to the United States of America. The way some Carolina students behaved is similar to that of citizens from a third world country in the middle of a soccer match. A total disgrace and shame.” I call it as I see it. And from my seats in Death Valley and after re-watching the game, I have come to the conclusion that Dabo Swinney handled himself poorly at the end of this year’s reenactment of the Palmetto Bowl.
Image from USA Today.
I like Dabo. I think he is a good guy. His faith, his service to others, and his example of what it looks like to be a Christian should be commended. But we all make mistakes. And Dabo made a mistake at the end of the game.
With three minutes left in the game, Tee Higgins caught an impressive outside fade for the game-clinching first down. Clemson was up two touchdowns and South Carolina had used all of their timeouts. The game was basically over. But instead of run the clock out, the very next play Clemson dialed up another pass play into the end zone, which fell incomplete. That confused me mostly because it stopped the clock. Clemson could have easily run the ball three times or even kneeled it three times and killed most of the clock. Clemson then had to go for it again on fourth down after running the ball on second and third, completing the pass for a first down. I didn’t have a problem with that play call seeing as they had already missed a field goal earlier in the game, but of course, they probably wouldn’t have needed to convert the fourth down had they just run the ball on first down.
Clemson running back, Travis Etienne. Image from Getty Images.
Interestingly, that sequence of playcalling really wouldn’t have meant anything had Clemson kneeled the ball on first down and ended the game. But that didn’t happen. Instead, Dabo told his quarterback to hurry up to the line and pound the football in for another touchdown with just seconds left.
What strikes me is how everyone was kind of perplexed at the play calling. First, there is Steve Levy, the play-by-play announcer for ESPN. When Renfrow caught the fourth down conversion with a minute left, Levy chuckled at the fact that Renfrow was still in the game. Then, after the first down conversion, Clemson quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, started to organize the offense into the “victory formation” to kneel the ball and end the game. Only after looking over towards the sideline did Lawrence realize that Dabo was telling him to hurry up to the line and run another play. Lawrence got the team lined up and snapped the ball. Levy then commented, “they snap it right away,” as Clemson bullied their way into the endzone.
— Bun G. Hook (@BunGHook) November 25, 2018
To be perfectly clear, Dabo was trying to run up the score on South Carolina.
I am not entirely sure why Dabo did this. Like I said, I think Dabo is a good guy. But that was not right. I would like to think he wasn’t trying to embarrass a defense with a bunch of gassed, injured freshman. Instead, I think it is very possible that Dabo himself was embarrassed. Coaches always act like they don’t listen to outside noise and that they don’t know things like the point spread or pregame predictions. But I would not be shocked if Dabo was looking up at that scoreboard, seeing that his vaunted Clemson defense gave up 35 points and 600 yards of offense to a team many predicted would be lucky to score ten points, and thought, “screw this, let’s get another score and win by 21.” I don’t know for sure. That’s my guess. But I think Dabo got caught up in his emotions a little bit. I think he was upset his defense played poorly and in the heat of the moment he decided to run up the score to make it look better.
I know that this is a rivalry, but Dabo displayed poor sportsmanship. I think this stuck in my crawl because it came from a coach and a program and a school that hold themselves to a “higher standard.” I didn’t even go to South Carolina, but listening to Clemson fans continually beatdown the Gamecock fan base for being classless or hicks or rude, is tough to stomach after seeing a Clemson fan flipping Keil Pollard the middle finger as he runs by the student section, or watching a Clemson fan move into the South Carolina section of the stadium, stand next to me, and trash South Carolina players in front of their parents, or witnessing Dabo run up the score, or observing their students rush the field before the game was over.
Image from the Greenville News.
Plausible Hypothesis: While the AP did it occasionally (Auburn in 2015, Nebraska 2014), the new rankings seem to be a lot more willing to allow a team to drop spots after a less than stellar win. While I think Carolina is a good team, at the end of the day the de jure description of this game is the #2 team in the nation versus an unranked team, albeit a rival. I do not know his full intention, but it would make sense to me that an extra touchdown could be a signal that Clemson got off to the wrong foot, but once they established themselves later on (read: Carolina simply was too tired to be able to compete due to lack of depth on defense which is not entirely their fault) they are still the high-flying Clemson we have seen in other parts of the season. I believe the LSU and Michigan loss, combined with Georiga’s weak opponent would have protected Clemson from dropping, there was no need to risk it and create even more questions about Clemson’s right to be in the #2 spot.
Exactly!
Dont forget, ND played a 5-6 unranked team and had a much tougher game.
Agreed. The system is set up to take margin of victory or defeat into consideration. Especially when it looks at the four spots in the College Football Playoff.
A last minute touchdown where the defense had already given up doesn’t say anything positive about Clemson football. First they take out their first string then put them back in to run up the score. The committee doesn’t care. Clemson didn’t cover the point spread and were played competitively at home by the 50th ranked team in the nation. A basement team in the SEC.
What is the problem? If the tables were turned they would do the same thing. It is football and each team plays to win and that means play til the clock runs down. I was disappointed in our defense. I was also impressed that Dabo confronted Christian after the NON SPORTSMANSHIP penalty. Yes he yelled at him and wanted him to know he was wrong and would not tolerated that conduct. That was good. Dabo treats everyone the same.
Because this is such a high rivalry game between the two colleges, I do not doubt that Carolina would have done the same thing. JUST SAYING….GO TIGERS.
Play til the clock winds to zero, right!? That’s what you said! Well, why then did the rude, obnoxious Clemson fans storm the field before the clock hit zero? Carolina potentially had another play and shot at the end zone.
Check out what Carolina did at the end of the game in 2011. They could have scored with 3 minutes to go in the game to run up the score but instead took a knee and ran out the clock.
My opinion on the USC-Clemson rivalry changed this week. My son told me the instructions the USC Band were given for arrival at Death Valley: 1.) They’ll be escorted at all times by Clemson & USC PD; 2.) Stay together and don’t go anywhere alone; 3.) Do not retaliate if something is thrown, poured, or spit on them; 4.) Do not leave instruments unattended.
I’m sure the Clemson band is told something similar when they come to Williams-Brice.
To me, these instructions tell me that this rivalry is toxic. He was really worried about his (and his girlfriend Lauren’s) safety. He shouldn’t have to be. It is fine to pull for your team. It is even OK to pull against the other team. But to cause or threaten to cause harm to kids who were there to play music is just too much. People need to just calm down. You’re life tomorrow will not be appreciably impacted regardless of the outcome of the game. It is not life or death.
Cheer for your team. Boo the other team. Is it fun to win? Sure. Does it stink to lose? Yup. But, please remember this is just a football game and act like it.
My son said a guy got into his face and started screaming at him when we was in line to march into the stadium. He had to stay calm until the police could shove the guy away.
He also said the fans behind them were nice. Some of the other people around have thrown stuff at them as they played in the stands.
Very sorry to hear that. The point was made on College Gameday earlier on Saturday that many of us could take a lesson from Army-Navy. That definitely is the case for this rivalry.
You are just a talking head with another slanted opinion. Reality is you don’t know anymore than anyone else what happened. Why don’t you talk about that hothead coach on the other sideline. Your opinions, like your article is worthless. Never hear of front porch football anyway!
What about the Clemson fans throwing trash on the field after a pass interference call. No that mush have been a Carolina fan dressed in orange cause Clemson fan don’t act like that.
Completely understand your point but… Coach Swinney -yea, lets extend him some respect since we don’t simply say “Will”(Muschamp)- has frustrated many fans in years past bc he called it off much earlier than other coaches. Lets face it, in 2016 CU could’ve put up 77+ on SC but settled for 56 as they basically called it off with 6 min remaining in the 3rd. I’ve noticed a different approach this yr and I don’t think it’s running it up but instead a mind-set to “step on the throat”. That’s something CU has been criticised for, not having a killer instinct. The 4th string RB(Dixon)had just fumbled. As in any other part of the game, he sat on the next drive and the 3rd string RB(Choice) got the call. These guys earn the right to do more than lineup in victory formation. Like I said, I see your point but like Spurrier would say, ” Then stop us”.
This is the same thing Steve Spurrier did many times when he coached at Fla. and when he came to Carolina he brought that trend with him. He was notorious for running the score up the whole time he was at Carolina. Plus he walked off from the team when they were had a losing season, that would have been his first one at Carolina! So I feel it is wrong to rag Dado. During all the games where Clemson had a large lead he always played the second and third string players. As far the fans, as you said I’ve never see Clemson fan throwing bottles at the players. I’ve been to several games at Carolina and the fans there cussed, used the finger and rag the opposing the visiting team. That’s happens especially during rivery game. Cogratulations to Carolina for a well played game, better than a lot though they would, but again that’s the way rivery game go.
Don’t come here that holier art though crap. Plenty of Clemson fans have threw stuff on the field, spit on fans, cursed fans, threw stuff at fans.
We’ll see what clempson can do during the playoffs with some real defences
Hey Todd you mean defense?
The more points scored in a season the bigger bonus Bobo gets! He’s a jerk. No, I am not a USC fan. So, don’t even go there.
This is comical!! Always someone else’s fault. 🤦♀️
I think you mean “craw” and not “crawl.” But you did make the point that Dabs is classless so all is good!
Ya’ll want some cheese with that “whine”!? How silly can you get! Making a big deal out of one TD? I just don’t get it!! Run the score up??? What??? Spot the ball and lets play some more football!!! Don’t mess with Dabo!