1. Recruiting hasn't been a problem for Clemson over the last five or six years. All you have to do is look at the NFL Draft numbers to see that there's been plenty of talent here. And all you have to do is take a look at the current roster to see a bunch more guys who are going to hear their names called on future draft days.
Here's something that's kind of staggering to think about: How well will this program be able to recruit if it actually starts winning at a high level?
The Tigers have been a roller-coaster for a long time, briefly flirting with greatness on a few occasions but ultimately earning a reputation as a mediocre program.
You look at the big stadium, the nice new facilities and the passionate fan base, and it's not an exaggeration to say this is a sleeping giant. These coaches are excellent recruiters; no doubt about that. But what happens if and when they have 10-win seasons and BCS appearances to add to the sales pitch? Kind of scary to think about, no?
2. When the preseason polls came out back in August, I remember some other sportswriter types being almost offended that some people had the gall to rank Florida State 15th or 16th instead of 5th or 6th.
My thought then was: What's wrong with that?
Yeah, the Seminoles had a lot of pieces coming back from a team that won 10 games. And there was a strong case to be made that they'd win the Atlantic Division again.
But what had Florida State done to show that they were an elite team? It's pretty clear now that they were significantly overrated at No. 5. Their offensive line is average at best, and E.J. Manuel didn't come close to dispelling doubts about his throwing ability before he suffered the shoulder injury against Oklahoma.
3. I was really impressed with Clint Trickett on Saturday.
Granted, Clemson's secondary is not very good right now. But if you told me Florida State would fail to establish the run and Trickett would carve up Clemson's defense by chucking it all over the lot, I wouldn't have believed you.
His deep balls were beautifully placed, and they hit their receivers in stride. Guess we should've known that a son of Rick Trickett wasn't going to wilt in the face of a hostile Death Valley environment.
Last week, when everyone was worried about Manuel playing, my response was that Clemson fans should hope Manuel plays. An injured Manuel was the better option for Clemson because he wasn't going to run, and he's not the thrower Trickett is.
4. Remember when Maryland looked like a promising team that should be feared?
Seems like a long time ago that the Terps created optimism with their sexy new offense that went up and down the field against Miami in a close loss.
Now what?
Going down big early against West Virginia is one thing. But when you let Temple come into your house and hold the ball for 41 minutes while rushing for 285 yards, you gots some issues.
A 38-7 loss at home. To Temple. Brutal.
5. Like most fans, Auburn faithful think the media has some grudge against their team.
This week's AP poll refutes that notion. Auburn somehow received 25 votes, meaning they're supposed to be the 28th-best team in the nation.
Huh?
They should've lost to Utah State. They barely beat a Mississippi State team whose stock is fading. They were smoked at Clemson. And they had some real struggles with Florida Atlantic.
Must be some Auburn homers in the media corps.
6. The schedule didn't break in Clemson's favor this year given that the Tigers' three cross-divisional opponents (Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, North Carolina) are decidedly stronger than Florida State's Coastal foes (Miami, Virginia, Duke).
But if you're a Clemson fan, you have to be breathing a little easier about those games against Boston College, Maryland and N.C. State.
So far all those teams have looked pretty putrid. You never want to chalk games up, but those three matchups look a lot easier now than they did before the season.
Yes, Florida State gets to play the same three teams. But Clemson's biggest problem the past few years has been the "What the heck?" games. The trips to College Park and Raleigh look a lot less daunting now than they did before the season.
7. So tell me how this makes sense:
Tom O'Brien doesn't have any problem with Russell Wilson bolting.
Mike Glennon has a big arm, but he has little mobility and no discernible ability to keep from throwing directly into the chest of linebackers who are making simple zone drops.
With zero running game to speak of, wouldn't the presence of a mobile quarterback who can throw on the run be kind of valuable?
8. Not a big fan of Queen, but I gotta say the guitar solo on "We Will Rock You" is one of the most exquisitely timed and executed solos in Rock and Roll history.
Clemson's press box is air tight, so you don't get to hear nearly as much when you're up there. But I went down to the camera deck during that timeout, and it was a really cool moment.
9. Clemson's defense has really struggled this year. But if you're going to pick a way to struggle -- giving up big plays and getting the heck off the field -- this would be the more desired option.
Clemson's third-down defense is actually better this year than last year; opponents are converting 36.8 of their attempts in 2011 versus 38.5 in 2010.
It could be a lot worse. The defense could be giving up long, methodical drives that keep Chad Morris' offense on the sidelines.
10. A lot of people are trying to come up with comparisons for Sammy Watkins, and the Deion Sanders one is interesting.
Both hailed from Fort Myers, Fla. One plays offense and one played defense, but both are absolutely electric. Same number.
Here's a nickname suggestion, with a nod to the Sanders comparison:
"Primetime 2"
Thoughts?
LW
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