Clemson
Football 2005 Wrap-Up:
24 28
Letting the Cat Out of the Bag
My take on the game:
Overall:
This one is going to hurt for a long time. With 9 minutes to go the Terps had the Tigers down by 10 and had a chance to put them away, but it wasn’t to be. This one could have been huge giving us a 2-0 record heading into the WVU showdown, however Charlie Whitehurst led the Tigers back to score not once, but twice to take the W in this pivotal early season Atlantic Division game.
Game Highlights:
It is hard to take away some positives after this horrible defeat, but I will say this. Sam Hollenbach is the man for 2005. Unless something unforeseen happens in the near future he is the QB for 2005. He struggled when our backs were up against the wall at the end, but otherwise he looks solid. You give him time to set his feet and he makes good decisions. Even when he turns it over it is usually down field. Another point I would like to …uhhh… point out is that he moved the Terps when the ground attack was stagnant. The Terps live by the run, and when was the last time we were able to pass without a balanced run game? (The answer isn’t 2004). The Clemson fans we brought commented on his solid play and I agree. Sam is the man for 2005 season, end of story. (Stay tuned for Bob’s editorial in a few weeks titled “Sam must go!”).
Game Lowlights:
The lowlight of the game was sitting there taking a 10 point lead into the 4th quarter and trying not to think ahead. I wanted to sit there and imagine us perhaps being ranked, or going 3-0 against WVU, but I wouldn’t allow it. I knew Clemson was not dead yet and that proved to be the case. On the field the lowlight had to be the Clemson TD run on the 3rd and long. Merriweather was practically untouched as he scored the winning TD. That was painful. The honorable mention for lowlights were the 8 penalties for 98 yards. A little more discipline could have won us the game boys!
Game MVP:
If you are reading this and wondering who it is going to be, you obviously didn’t make it into the game. Vernon Davis hands down was the MVP. VD “burned”* the Tigers for 140 yards on 6 catches. Every single ball thrown his way was caught. He found holes in the Tigers zone and after the catch he would carry 4 or 5 men down the field. A great day, not enough for the win but he does get the Official D-7 MVP of the game award. I am sure that helps ease his pain from the loss.
*my official 100th Venereal Disease reference when talking about Vernon Davis.
Around
the ACC:
Boston College 44 Army 7- Really not a game of interest,
but I bet it felt good for BC Coach Tom O’Brien, who
attended the Naval Academy, as well as coached there.
Georgia Tech 27 UNC 21- Damarius Bilbo had 8 catches for 131 yards and a TD as Dangerous Georgia Tech pulls to 1-0 in the conference. Bilbo who saw sometime last year as a QB benefited from the Tarheels focusing on 2004 ACC rookie of the year Calvin Johnson. UNC had a chance to take the lead late, but their hopes ended after a Dawan Landry interception.
Virginia Tech 45 Duke 0- Shocker, another Saturday, another game where the Blue Devils show absolutely no life. Marcus Vick threw for 3 TD’s and the Hokies rolled for their second road win of the year.
ACC Standings:
Atlantic
Clemson 1-0 2-0
FSU 1-0 1-0
BC 0-0 2-0
NC St 0-0 0-1
Wake 0-0 0-1
Maryland 0-1 1-1
Coastal
VT 2-0 2-0
GT 1-0 2-0
Virginia 0-0 1-0
Miami 0-1 0-1
UNC 0-1 0-1
Duke 0-1 0-2