The above image is a rendering of a proposed indoor practice facility at Florida State.
Late last month, the school announced plans to build a $17.8 million facility that would be in place by the summer of 2012.
Florida State is Clemson's chief competition in the ACC's Atlantic Division, and it could be argued that indoor facilities are the latest frontier in college football's so-called "arms race."
Dabo Swinney has gone on record as saying Clemson needs an indoor facility -- or, at least, a better one than the cramped, dangerous facility whose inadequacies were exposed last year during the annual Pro Day.
Terry Don Phillips has gone on record as saying an indoor facility is not atop the priority list because it would be used such a small percentage of the time.
Could Phillips' views on the topic be changing? I don't know the answer, but some of the stuff that's been said this week has pointed to a potential shift in philosophy from the man running the show.
In the aftermath of Swinney's press conference Monday, everyone was focused on his evaluations of what went wrong, his thoughts on the state of the program and all that.
One part that was overlooked was his response when asked about Phillips and all the stuff that was circulating last week.
Swinney expressed total support for his AD, as you'd expect.
Then he said this:
"He's shared some things with me in private that have been extremely encouraging."
Since we don't know what was shared, we can only speculate. You have to wonder if these encouraging things included more support being devoted to the football program.
President Jim Barker told reporters earlier this week that Phillips has successfully revitalized facilities, and he said "there are more phases coming." Maybe he was speaking solely of the third phase of the West End Zone facility, which would include a museum and other amenities.
But maybe other plans and ideas are in the works, too. We know that Swinney, upon taking over as head coach, had a grand plan to "modernize" his staff by adding full-time player-development positions. The positions he was granted were part-time.
Clemson will get a substantial boost to its coffers when the money starts rolling in from the ACC's new-and-improved televisions contracts. Maybe Phillips and Barker have made a new-and-improved commitment to the football program.
Should be interesting to follow.
A few Friday links...
Here's an interesting tidbit from yesterday in The Post and Courier:
Dan Scott might not return as part of the Clemson radio network's baseball broadcast team. According to a source familiar with the situation, Scott, who is well known for his morning sports talk show, is in a "sort of dispute" with the network.
Scott announced several weeks ago he had been offered the No. 1 baseball broadcast position. Scott declined to speak on the issue Wednesday.
Wow.
Disclaimer: Dan is a friend. I'm on his radio show for two hours each week.
But our friendship in no way influences my completely objective opinion that he is an excellent baseball play-by-play guy.
The network's broadcasts of Tiger baseball would be greatly diminished without Scott's passionate, knowledgeable presence.
If it's true that Dan was offered the top spot and then had it rescinded, shame on whoever did the offering and rescinding.
My jaw hit the floor when I heard the report/rumor/whatever that Vanderbilt has offered Gus Malzahn $3 million to coach the Commodores.
Here's an interesting tidbit from this Vanderbilt beat writer:
Robbie Caldwell reportedly interviewed and was a finalist for the Furman job as well. Now we'll see if Caldwell joins Fowler, takes a job as a Clemson assistant as rumored, or decides to stick around Williamson County. If he's shopping for a job, one of those first two options would make sense.
Mistuh College Football explains why he voted Cam Newton for the Heisman.
Newton's father will be incognito when his son is presented with the trophy.
And this Gainesville columnist got to drink a yearly beer wit Urban Meyer.
LW
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