Monday August 11, 2008

One Hit Wonders? / Ryan Update

Ryan Update 8-11
The weekend was Ryan’s best so far and gave us a glimpse of what life will be like very soon. Ryan was allowed to come home from 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM yesterday so we could get a feel of what his issues will be when he comes home full-time this Thursday. The day could not have gone any better.

Ryan loved being home. We decided to keep the wheel chair in the car and he walked with assistance all say. He was able to sit on the couch and watch some of the Olympics. He ate two good meals at home and was about to get in his bed for a short time.

This morning Ryan said he had a great time and really enjoyed having his friends come over for the afternoon. He also enjoyed spending the day with his black lab, Daisey. I did not realize Daisey would be so good for Ryan in terms of his occupational therapy.

Ryan’s short-term memory is made a big jump this weekend. This was perhaps his biggest improvement this weekend.

This week Ryan has a different week for his last week in the hospital. Today is his 70th in the hospital but should be his last exhausting day. Ryan will have a full day of rehab today. Tuesday he will get fitted for his wheel chair. Wednesday he goes a field trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods. Thursday he is discharged before 10 AM to come home for good.

We want to remind all that you are invited to Ryan’s Birthday party Saturday. We are having a drop-in Saturday fro 4-7PM at Valley Walk and the Park at Valley Walk behind the Esso Club. No presents but we would love for you to get a chance to see Ryan and most importantly we would like a chance to thank everyone for their kindness.

One Hit Wonder?
Clemson has a chance to have a special football team this season. This is one of those years where everything could come into place and a special season could be on the horizon. This team has talent and experience. It also has play makers who have proven it on the field.

How often does a team return a senior running back that has a chance to become the school and maybe conference’s all-time leading rusher and rushing touchdown leader?

How many years does a senior quarterback return after breaking 22 school records as a junior?

How many times does a receiver who has a chance to break the school record for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns come back as a senior?

How about a pair of senior safeties that have started 56 games between them or a couple of senior defensive tackles that are All-conference candidates?

How about returning all of these guys on one team? This is how special football teams are made. Special opportunities come when talent joins with experience. Special football teams have their special players come back for their senior seasons instead of jumping to the NFL.

Clemson has a chance to have a special season this year but I am not sure this is a one-hit wonder. In many cases if you had this many talented seniors then you may talking about a rebuilding year the following season but I am not sure that is the case for this program.

Cullen Harper represents the first time Rob Spence will have a returner at quarterback and hopes are high that Harper may have another great year. There will be a drop off in experience level in 2009 but I am not sure you will see a big drop in the level of talent. Willy Korn continues to impress with his all-around game and Kyle Parker has wasted little time in making a big impression on the staff.

James Davis might be the best in school history and C.J. Spiller could opt to take his big-play ability to the next level after this season. There will be a void in experience but I am not sure there will be a big void in talent at running back. Jamie Harper and Andre Ellington have already turned heads with very impressive camps through the first ten days.

Aaron Kelly and Tyler Grisham have combined for over 250 catches in their careers and they will be missed. Jacoby Ford might have a chance to leave early but if he returns and if Rendrick Taylor red-shirts and moves back to wide receiver then I really like this wide receiver corps. You can win a lot of games with Ford, Taylor, Xavier Dye, Byron Clear, Marquan Jones, Brandon Ford, Jaron Brown and Terrence Ashe.

Akeem Robinson is the only senior among the five talented tight ends on scholarship and you have to believe Dwayne Allen will be much improved there.

Clemson has 14 scholarship offensive linemen this season and all 14 should come back next season so mark this group as improved next season.

Dorell Scott, Rashaad Jackson and Jock McKissic are seniors at defensive tackle but this cupboard is not bare. Jarvis Jenkins, Jamie Cumbie, Miguel Chavis, Antwon Murchison, Rennie Moore and Brandon Thompson is still a pretty salty group at defensive tackle.

Ricky Sapp may have a chance to leave early but even if he does then Da’Quan Bowers, Kevin Alexander, Kourtnei Brown and Andre Branch make up another talented group.

Josh Miller is the only senior on scholarship at linebacker so this group will continue to get better in 2009.

There is little doubt the Tigers will miss Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemens but the secondary will return all six corners return and young safeties have impressed in camp.

Add to the list what looks like another impressive recruiting class and I think you are talking another talented football team in 2009.

The schedule also appears to be manageable once again next season. Clemson has home games with Middle Tennessee, Coastal Carolina, Central Michigan, Wake Forest, Florida State, Boston College and Virginia. The Tigers go on the road to South Carolina, Maryland, NC State, Georgia Tech and Miami.

I am not saying the 2009 Tigers will be as good as this year’s team but I am saying I don’t expect a rebuilding campaign. This program has recruited well in the past four classes and I think this might be the beginning of something special in Tigertown.

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