Talking Clemson with Todd Blackledge

Todd Blackledge is one of my favorite color analysts.

In my mind, the best measure of an analyst's value is how often he leaves you feeling like you learned something.

It's almost stunning how many TV "personalities" out there -- even personalities who had careers in football -- simply wing it and often sound like stooges as a result.

(Cough, cough ... MARK MAY!!! ... cough, cough.)

Blackledge actually takes time to study, to do his homework. Novel concept.

The former Penn State quarterback -- dude had had a cannon for an arm, by the way -- was in Clemson recently, doing his homework on the Tigers in preparation for their Sept. 18th game at Auburn.

I gave Blackledge a call last week, and we played phone tag before finally connecting yesterday. Wanted to pick his brain on Clemson, figuring he'd have some good insight.

I figured correctly. Here's Part 1 of the conversation:

HACK: Overall, what's your impression of Clemson right now? Just your state-of-the-program kind of take?
BLACKLEDGE: "I think overall, my feeling is they're in pretty good shape. They're a very athletic-looking team. I was at Miami the day before I came to Clemson, and I watched them run around and scrimmage. There's not a whole lot of difference in the look of those teams. And I think that's a tribute to Dabo and his staff and recruiting. They're an athletic-looking group. I was impressed with the way their first defense looked. They're solid up front, and they've got some skill guys in the back end that are going to make plays -- some really play-making kind of defensive backs.

"Obviously offensively, Parker coming back is huge for them. Not only does he have the game experience, but I think he's growing in the knowledge of the offense and what they're doing. I think he's going to be that much further along than he was a year ago. The absence of Spiller and Ford, their speed and big-play ability, will be missed. But some of that will be offset a little bit by the development and maturity of Kyle Parker."

HACK: You mentioned the Miami comparison. Not sure how much you've looked at the rest of the ACC, but how do you think this team stacks up overall in the conference from a talent standpoint?
BLACKLEDGE: "I would put them in the upper echelon of the league. I haven't seen everybody, but if I had to name the teams right now that I thought had the most athletes position by position, I would say Miami, Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech and probably North Carolina. Those would be the top five teams that have that athleticism across the board. So yeah, I put them in that category."

HACK: You're an offensive guy. What's your take on Clemson's offensive philosophy, based on what you saw last year and what you saw here recently?
BLACKLEDGE: "Last year, you had two marquee players in terms of their ability to make plays (Spiller and Ford). So you go into a game slanted that way a little bit thinking, 'OK, we've got to get C.J. and Jacoby a certain number of touches a game.' Particularly C.J. So you build your game plan around that. I think they've got talent there now, but they don't have that standout kind of guy right now. They've got other guys who can play. So I think now it's going to be an approach of, 'OK, let's find out what Kyle is really most comfortable with, the throws he likes.' You can maybe open up the playbook a little bit more for him in his second year of starting, and just be able to attack in a variety of different ways, mainly leaning on the experience of the quarterback."

HACK: What do you think of Kyle, based on what you saw last year and what you saw during August camp?
BLACKLEDGE: "I liked him from when I saw him last year. I really like his arm. I really like his release. He's obviously not very tall, so he's got to get throwing lanes and he's got to get in position where he can see what he needs to see. But I really like his ability to throw the football. And I like his demeanor. He's got a pretty cool, calm demeanor. Seems to be kind of an unflappable guy. I'm a big multi-sport guy and believe in the value of that. I think just the fact that he competes at a high level in another sport, that requires a different temperament and a different concentration level and a different approach. I just think that plays very well into what he does on the football field."

To me, the most interesting part of this was Blackledge basically saying there's not much difference between Clemson and Miami from a talent standpoint.

The Hurricanes have a load of talent, and a lot of folks say they're the most talented team in the ACC. I'm not disagreeing with that take, but I do think a lot of folks out there are underestimating the talent Clemson possesses.

Part of the reason for that underestimation is the loss of C.J. Spiller. Kid was only the most dynamic player in college football last year, so that loss tends to get magnified by regional and national observers who haven't taken the time to watch Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper.

I also think Clemson's history of underachievement is at play here when it comes to preseason predictions. The Tigers did finally break through last season and get to the ACC title game, and that was a big step. But Clemson is still viewed with a skeptical eye because, despite all the talent they've had over the past few years, they've fashioned a habit of tripping through the doorway when it appears they've arrived.

It's dangerous to attach lofty expectations to a team that lost someone whose impact on a game was as monumental as Spiller's. And the 2010 Tigers aren't without serious question marks (receiver ... LB ... PK).

But I think this could end up being a more complete team than last year's. This is still a highly talented, athletic bunch, and that's reinforced by Blackledge's observations.

Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow.

On to some Tuesday linkage...

Speaking of talent (or lack thereof), N.C. State's starting tailback is a redshirt freshman who began August camp as a starter at cornerback.

Coach Tom O'Brien said Monday night on his weekly radio show that he was disappointed with the performance of N.C. State's running backs after the team's third scrimmage.

Junior Curtis Underwood and sophomore James Washington, respectively, began the preseason as the first- and second-team backs.

Haynes had caught O'Brien's eye running the ball on the scout team last season.

"He opened a lot of eyes, especially on the defensive staff, so I had that in the back of my mind," O'Brien said on his radio show. He refused to talk to reporters before and after the show.

Hilarious exchange here at Jimbo Fisher's Monday news conference.

Maryland is practicing without a ball as it tries to come up with a way to stop Navy's triple option.

Even without Ben Tate, Auburn looks pretty darn potent at tailback.

The Brave New World of Gus Malzahn arrived at Auburn with mystery and the promise of points.

Ben Tate brought reality to it all.

The Auburn tailback rushed for 1,362 yards last season in an offense that had plenty of designed distractions before the snap, but could play old-fashioned power football once the play got under way.

There were reverses, to be sure, and quarterback Chris Todd set a single-season record for TD passes. But, all the while, Malzahn, the offensive coordinator, and Curtis Luper, the running backs coach, said Auburn would return to being a running team in their first year on the job, and they delivered.

Luper said before last season that Tate would rush for 1,000 yards, and, now, he says Mario Fannin will follow suit.

In this Auburn blog, great quote from Kodi Burns when asked about Cam Newton's moped.

“I wanted one back in the day … when I was in fifth grade.”

And more:

So how does Burns travel? “I just walk. No umbrella when it rains. Man stuff.”

Man, this Cam Newton kid must be really good if he's already starting to refer to himself in the third person.

“I don’t think you can say: `OK, I finally got everybody’s trust.’ I still haven’t played a snap. There are a lot of people, even on this team, that are waiting to see if Cam is going to do what everybody is hoping he’s going to do.”

In The Washington Post, the ACC finally hopes to be a player on the national scene.

"We have got a lot of teams getting better," Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer said. "I don't know that we have had a great, great team the last couple years. But I think we are moving our way there. I think we'll be in the [national] conversation. Hopefully soon."

Butch Davis reveals T.J. Yates as the starter ... but little else.

Ron Morris of The State says Clemson's offensive line play should be solid.

Listened to North Texas coach Todd Dodge yesterday on the Sun Belt teleconference, and the dude seems awfully confident for a guy who's backside is planted squarely on the hot seat.

Speaking of the Mean Green, quote of the week goes to QB Nathan Tune:

“Playing last year reinforced that you never know when your time will be,” Tune said. “You could be on the sideline with a dip in, picking your nose and get the call to go in.”



LW