In response to thread below about this year telling the tale

Jun 26, 2005, 7:00 PM

about Coach Bowden: This year will tell a whole lot, but next year will be the year IMHO. Sure, we have the talent to win this year. But 2006 should be better overrall because of:

1) The Offensive Line should return every starter if Roman Fry holds off Chip Myrick and starts this year. This unit will all be Sr. except for Richardson and will have solid depth and experience. I can promise you if Clemson would have been in better shape on the OL when Tommy came here and if the staff would have done a better job recruiting the OL, we would have won more games in the TB era. That's in the past and the future should be bright on the OL.

2) The Schedule: We trade Texas A@M for Ball State. Still dont know who the 12th game will be, but I imagine it will be against a lower tier Div IA or a IAA school.

In the conference though, we trade Miami and Duke for Va Tech and UNC, so that will be an upgrade IMHO. But the OOC games plus having 1 extra game in the Valley should help.

3) Offense will have had 2 spring's and 1 year under Spence. Everyone should be on the same page. Our skill position players will be laden with upperclassmen:
WR: Kelvin Grant SR., Chansi Stuckey SR., Aaron Kelley a Soph., and all the stud recievers we bring in this year will have at least a year or RS year and a spring under their belt. RB much the same: Reggie M. will be a Sr., Coleman could come back if he grads. this year, and James Davis will have a year under his belt. QB will lack experience big time with Charlie leaving, but hopefully the staff will get Proctor and one of the RS Fresh. Qbs plenty of experience this year. This is also one of the reasons it would be nice to bring in Brent Schaeffer this year--he has game experience starting in the SEC and would have a RS and spring under his belt going into 2006--I would feel much better going into 06 with him and Proctor on the 2 deep.

4) The defense line will be solid with depth, albeit some young depth. DT will should be solid with DClark Sr., CMcDuffie JR., DScott, RJackson, JMckissic Soph. EETawo Fr. And its no telling with the Jumbo athletes we have who could grow into a DT--if the young DE step up, I could see Brandon Cannon, EGabriel, or ARobinson growing into a Tackle. Possibility for incoming freshman Merling or Murchison to grow into a DT too. Utlra wild card call at DT is that if needed, Barry Humphries could play DT--thats a big could though.

5) DE--Gaines Adams will be a SR., after that it will be inexperienced. CVincent is going to be a good player, but I would think if others step up he would move back to LB possibly--but maybe not. Same for RJackson at DT. BCannon will be a SR., Kwam Williams a Jr., EGabriel a Soph. XLittelberry should have a year plus one Spring under his belt provided he comes back this year. PMerling, AMurchison should have a good shot at playing time in 05 at DE too. I hate to have to depend or project a true fr. to play right away, but if our current commits hold and sign and get into school, RSapp should be immediately no less than 2 at Bandit if Vincent moves form there. Sapp is tailor made for the Bandit position. Whitehead and Cumbie should be able to contribute right away if they are ready. APatterson, if he chooses to come to Clemson, could see immeditate playing time at either DE or DT.

6) Lbs should return all current players except for DDunham, LRichardson, and RNelson. Waters and Billie will be SR. Clay, Miller, KConner could possibly have one playing year and spring under their belt. Also, some of the 05 incoming Fr. class at WR and DB could grow into LB, which would infuse some more depth and speed into the position.

7)Losing THill and JFudge will be huge, huge. But there are a lot of young, albeit inexperienced bodies waiting to step up. Gaddis, Hamlin, Walker should have the Safety positions set, and Gilliam, Clemons, and Crolley CB. Incoming 05 freshmen like Ray Ray M, CChancellor, SChambers, and HLewis will have had an opporutnity at playing time in O5 and a spring under their belts. Some WR and RB could play DB too.

well I could go on and on--and this is not a WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR POST EITHER!!! Simply on paper, except for the huge losses of Whitehurst, Hill, Fudge, and Bennett--on paper, with the schedule and experience we will have in 06--plus the players we currently have, coming in, and possibly going to sign, 06 looks to be POSSIBLY the biggest and most successful in the TB era.

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In response to thread below about this year telling the tale

1) replacing tommy sharpe***

sorry 2006 typed too soon***

Am I the only one who's sick/tired of the TB hot seat stuff?

TDP has already put an end to it. . . too bad media types

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