ACC: 09 ACC title game coverage
Check out this stat:
There have been 1,435 FBS games this year, and the ACC championship game between Georgia Tech and Clemson on Saturday night was the first in which both teams rushed for at least 300 yards.
Clemson had been 105-3-1 in its history when rushing for at least 300 yards and 74-0 when rushing for at least 322. The Tigers had 323 and lost, 39-34.
No bowl news yet for the Tigers as of 4:30 p.m.
There have been 1,435 FBS games this year, and the ACC championship game between Georgia Tech and Clemson on Saturday night was the first in which both teams rushed for at least 300 yards.
Clemson had been 105-3-1 in its history when rushing for at least 300 yards and 74-0 when rushing for at least 322. The Tigers had 323 and lost, 39-34.
No bowl news yet for the Tigers as of 4:30 p.m.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who missed part of last weekend's game against Georgia with an ankle injury, is healthy for ACC's championship game against Clemson, and that if Nesbitt were out of the game for some reason, he wouldn't have to change the game plan for backup Jaybo Shaw.
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, who has been bothered by turf toe all season and is just generally banged up, said he told some of his coaches this is the best he has felt.
"I was able to plant and cut and accelerate like I really wanted to before I got hurt," Spiller said. "Whenever that happens during the week, that's always a good sign for me. I'm excited to see how it is tomorrow when I go out there for pregame."
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, who has been bothered by turf toe all season and is just generally banged up, said he told some of his coaches this is the best he has felt.
"I was able to plant and cut and accelerate like I really wanted to before I got hurt," Spiller said. "Whenever that happens during the week, that's always a good sign for me. I'm excited to see how it is tomorrow when I go out there for pregame."
TAMPA, Fla. -- So as I was waiting to say hello to Paul Johnson, I overheard a bit of his conversation with Danny Ford. It was a classic, as Ford was telling Johnson he wanted to learn more about "that option, where you pull the guard, you have the quarterback ..."
It's never to late to learn, and yes, coaches are very curious as to how Johnson does what he does, and how he does it so well. Even Danny Ford.
It's never to late to learn, and yes, coaches are very curious as to how Johnson does what he does, and how he does it so well. Even Danny Ford.
It's been a while for Clemson, Georgia Tech
December, 4, 2009
12/04/09
10:00
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
There is an added sense of excitement for both Clemson and Georgia Tech players heading into Saturday’s ACC championship game, and that’s because none of the players on either roster have had the opportunity to win the conference crown.
It’s been over a decade since both programs have won the ACC title. Georgia Tech came close in 2006, but lost in the title game to Wake Forest. Georgia Tech was co-champion with Florida State in 1998 and Clemson has not won the title since 1991. Tech was last outright champion in 1990, the year the Jackets won the national championship.
“It would mean a great deal,” said Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan. “First off, for our fans. They're kind of down right now as far as the loss to Georgia. But for us, in-house, we worked so hard this offseason and the previous two years to get to this point, and the opportunity is right in front of us. It would mean a great deal to everybody associated with this program, the whole Georgia Tech family. It would mean a great deal.”
Clemson has never been to the ACC title game before, and offensive guard Thomas Austin said it’s an opportunity the Tigers can’t miss.
“Well, it's absolutely vital for us as a program,” Austin said. “We have a winning tradition here at Clemson. That's something we take pride in, as does Georgia Tech. We have won a lot of championships here. But to not have won a conference championship in 18 years is something that we see as a unique opportunity for us to capitalize on that and to play well this weekend and to have a chance to play in those big BCS January bowl games is something that is a goal as a player, and that's what we were sold on coming out of high school, that we were going to have that opportunity if we came to Clemson. To see that come to fruition the last couple years, just a lot of hard work, it's very rewarding for us.”
Both teams were picked by the media to finish second in their respective divisions this past summer. For Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, proving that pick wrong was one of the biggest reasons he came back for his senior year instead of entering the NFL draft.
“I mean, people remember champions, and that's one of the reasons I came back for my senior year is to try to win the championship game,” Spiller said. “That's something that hasn't been done here in 18 years, and I want to try to help this team accomplish that.
“I think if we win or lose, I think people are going to always have that -- I guess that fear or something about playing Clemson because they know with Coach Swinney that his team is going to be ready to play for four quarters or however long it takes to get the job done. Only time will tell if we're the powerhouse, but I think the way we played this year, teams surely have tremendous respect for us.”
Regardless of who wins the game, it will be a change in the ACC hierarchy, as Virginia Tech has won three of the past five ACC titles. The question is whether or not either Clemson or Georgia Tech can use this opportunity as a springboard for even better things or repeat championship appearances in the future.
For now, though, they’re only focused on this year.
“I know it's going to be good for our program if we win the game,” said Georgia Tech B-back Jonathan Dwyer, “and I hope we go out there and do what we're supposed to do, and hopefully luck gets on our side and we do win it.”
It’s been over a decade since both programs have won the ACC title. Georgia Tech came close in 2006, but lost in the title game to Wake Forest. Georgia Tech was co-champion with Florida State in 1998 and Clemson has not won the title since 1991. Tech was last outright champion in 1990, the year the Jackets won the national championship.
“It would mean a great deal,” said Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan. “First off, for our fans. They're kind of down right now as far as the loss to Georgia. But for us, in-house, we worked so hard this offseason and the previous two years to get to this point, and the opportunity is right in front of us. It would mean a great deal to everybody associated with this program, the whole Georgia Tech family. It would mean a great deal.”
Clemson has never been to the ACC title game before, and offensive guard Thomas Austin said it’s an opportunity the Tigers can’t miss.
“Well, it's absolutely vital for us as a program,” Austin said. “We have a winning tradition here at Clemson. That's something we take pride in, as does Georgia Tech. We have won a lot of championships here. But to not have won a conference championship in 18 years is something that we see as a unique opportunity for us to capitalize on that and to play well this weekend and to have a chance to play in those big BCS January bowl games is something that is a goal as a player, and that's what we were sold on coming out of high school, that we were going to have that opportunity if we came to Clemson. To see that come to fruition the last couple years, just a lot of hard work, it's very rewarding for us.”
Both teams were picked by the media to finish second in their respective divisions this past summer. For Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, proving that pick wrong was one of the biggest reasons he came back for his senior year instead of entering the NFL draft.
“I mean, people remember champions, and that's one of the reasons I came back for my senior year is to try to win the championship game,” Spiller said. “That's something that hasn't been done here in 18 years, and I want to try to help this team accomplish that.
“I think if we win or lose, I think people are going to always have that -- I guess that fear or something about playing Clemson because they know with Coach Swinney that his team is going to be ready to play for four quarters or however long it takes to get the job done. Only time will tell if we're the powerhouse, but I think the way we played this year, teams surely have tremendous respect for us.”
Regardless of who wins the game, it will be a change in the ACC hierarchy, as Virginia Tech has won three of the past five ACC titles. The question is whether or not either Clemson or Georgia Tech can use this opportunity as a springboard for even better things or repeat championship appearances in the future.
For now, though, they’re only focused on this year.
“I know it's going to be good for our program if we win the game,” said Georgia Tech B-back Jonathan Dwyer, “and I hope we go out there and do what we're supposed to do, and hopefully luck gets on our side and we do win it.”
Not to make too much out of this, but, um, here is a comparison of ticket prices for the ACC championship game and the SEC championship game on Saturday, according to StubHub:
The most expensive seats for the ACC game -- the club-level seats -- are $209.99. The cheapest seat on sale for the SEC championship game is $389. That's for the upper corner. Nosebleed. A similar seat to the ACC club level would cost you about $1,300.
Hey, at least the ACC is selling them this year. Last season it was hard to give them away.
The most expensive seats for the ACC game -- the club-level seats -- are $209.99. The cheapest seat on sale for the SEC championship game is $389. That's for the upper corner. Nosebleed. A similar seat to the ACC club level would cost you about $1,300.
Hey, at least the ACC is selling them this year. Last season it was hard to give them away.
Familiarity not necessarily an advantage
December, 3, 2009
12/03/09
10:00
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
When Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was an assistant at Alabama in 1999, the Crimson Tide went to Florida and beat the Gators, and then managed to do it again in the SEC championship game.
It was the only time Swinney had ever faced the same team twice in one season -- until now.
There will be a sense of familiarity when Clemson and Georgia Tech meet on Saturday in the ACC championship game, as Georgia Tech beat the Tigers, 30-27, on Sept. 10 in Atlanta. Whether it will be an advantage for either team remains to be seen, but both teams are better now than they were in the second week of the season, and the coaches expect a few new wrinkles from each other.
“This is a little different for them and for us in that I don't think either team really knew what we were getting into back [in the] second game of the season,” Swinney said. “Neither one of us really had a lot to go on from a film standpoint, and there's a lot of new people playing on both sides. You know, our freshman quarterback and we've got some young linemen, and some freshmen playing in the secondary and things like that. So you know, now that you've got a lot of film to really study them throughout the season, and they'll have all of ours and we'll have all of theirs, from a scheme standpoint that's a good advantage this time around.”
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he can’t remember playing a team twice in the same season since he was at Georgia Southern (1997-2001). Johnson said Appalachian State and Furman would usually make the playoffs, and his team would see them again there.
“I don't think on the 1-A level we've ever played anybody twice in the same season,” Johnson said. “That usually doesn't happen.”
Georgia Tech outscored Clemson 24-0 in the first half earlier this year, but allowed the Tigers to battle back to a 27-24 lead in the fourth quarter. The Jackets’ defense stifled rookie quarterback Kyle Parker to preserve the win, but it was kicker Scott Blair who stole the spotlight with his 34-yard touchdown pass and last-minute, game-winning field goal.
“You know, we know their personnel well,” said Clemson guard Thomas Austin. “We've gone against those guys the last couple years and this season, but from a schematic standpoint, we know what they do, they know what we do, so I think for us it'll just be a matter of not trying to hide things but just doing what we do a little bit better.”
Georgia Tech has won five of its past six games against Clemson, but this time, the Tigers will have had a full week to prepare for that triple-option offense -- again.
“It's six of one, half dozen of the other,” Johnson said. “It probably helps them, but we also know how they lined up the last time. There's no guarantee everybody is going to line up the same way or do the same thing, but at least you have a little bit of familiarity. The first time we played them with a new coordinator, we had no idea what they were going to line up in. Like I said, I'm sure they'll have some tweaks and do a few things differently, but at least you've got some idea.”
The other similarity between these two teams is that they’re both coming off a loss to their respective SEC rivals that raised questions and revealed weaknesses. Clemson’s offense all but disappeared against South Carolina, and Georgia Tech’s defense was more than welcoming to Georgia’s running game. Still, both coaches agree their teams have improved since they last met in September.
“You know, I think they've improved a whole lot offensively since they've played us,” Johnson said. “I hope that we've gotten better, too. If we haven't, it's going to be ugly.”
It was the only time Swinney had ever faced the same team twice in one season -- until now.
There will be a sense of familiarity when Clemson and Georgia Tech meet on Saturday in the ACC championship game, as Georgia Tech beat the Tigers, 30-27, on Sept. 10 in Atlanta. Whether it will be an advantage for either team remains to be seen, but both teams are better now than they were in the second week of the season, and the coaches expect a few new wrinkles from each other.
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Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesKyle Parker threw for 261 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the Sept. 10 meeting with Georgia Tech.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesKyle Parker threw for 261 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the Sept. 10 meeting with Georgia Tech.Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he can’t remember playing a team twice in the same season since he was at Georgia Southern (1997-2001). Johnson said Appalachian State and Furman would usually make the playoffs, and his team would see them again there.
“I don't think on the 1-A level we've ever played anybody twice in the same season,” Johnson said. “That usually doesn't happen.”
Georgia Tech outscored Clemson 24-0 in the first half earlier this year, but allowed the Tigers to battle back to a 27-24 lead in the fourth quarter. The Jackets’ defense stifled rookie quarterback Kyle Parker to preserve the win, but it was kicker Scott Blair who stole the spotlight with his 34-yard touchdown pass and last-minute, game-winning field goal.
“You know, we know their personnel well,” said Clemson guard Thomas Austin. “We've gone against those guys the last couple years and this season, but from a schematic standpoint, we know what they do, they know what we do, so I think for us it'll just be a matter of not trying to hide things but just doing what we do a little bit better.”
Georgia Tech has won five of its past six games against Clemson, but this time, the Tigers will have had a full week to prepare for that triple-option offense -- again.
“It's six of one, half dozen of the other,” Johnson said. “It probably helps them, but we also know how they lined up the last time. There's no guarantee everybody is going to line up the same way or do the same thing, but at least you have a little bit of familiarity. The first time we played them with a new coordinator, we had no idea what they were going to line up in. Like I said, I'm sure they'll have some tweaks and do a few things differently, but at least you've got some idea.”
The other similarity between these two teams is that they’re both coming off a loss to their respective SEC rivals that raised questions and revealed weaknesses. Clemson’s offense all but disappeared against South Carolina, and Georgia Tech’s defense was more than welcoming to Georgia’s running game. Still, both coaches agree their teams have improved since they last met in September.
“You know, I think they've improved a whole lot offensively since they've played us,” Johnson said. “I hope that we've gotten better, too. If we haven't, it's going to be ugly.”
The ACC took one on the chin last week, and so did I. It was my worst week of picks. Ever. With a 2-6 record, now I know how Ralph Friedgen feels. Ugh. Florida State and Virginia Tech were the only teams I got right last week. That dropped my season percentage to 65.9 percent. I’ve got one conference pick left, and we all know it’s a coin toss. Here goes:
Clemson 28, Georgia Tech 24: First, about the score. Eleven of the past 14 games in this series have been decided by five points or less, so expect that trend to continue. This game features the ACC’s top two scoring offenses, two of the top three rushing offenses, three of the top five rushers in the ACC, and three of the top five touchdown scorers. That means this game will be about defense, and that’s where Clemson wins. Georgia Tech’s best counter is defensive end Derrick Morgan, but the Tigers go deeper on defense and have been more consistent. The last time these teams met, Clemson forced seven straight three-and-outs. That’s an impressive feat against the country’s leader in time of possession. The best matchup in this game will be on the sidelines between Paul Johnson and Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.
Clemson 28, Georgia Tech 24: First, about the score. Eleven of the past 14 games in this series have been decided by five points or less, so expect that trend to continue. This game features the ACC’s top two scoring offenses, two of the top three rushing offenses, three of the top five rushers in the ACC, and three of the top five touchdown scorers. That means this game will be about defense, and that’s where Clemson wins. Georgia Tech’s best counter is defensive end Derrick Morgan, but the Tigers go deeper on defense and have been more consistent. The last time these teams met, Clemson forced seven straight three-and-outs. That’s an impressive feat against the country’s leader in time of possession. The best matchup in this game will be on the sidelines between Paul Johnson and Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.
What to watch in the ACC title game
December, 3, 2009
12/03/09
8:00
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
There’s only one game, but it features two teams that haven’t won the conference title in at least a decade. Clemson and Georgia Tech are the only two teams to finish with a 4-0 home conference record in the ACC this year. They have the top two scoring offenses in the ACC, and two of the top three rushing offenses in the ACC.
There is still plenty worth watching …
1. Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. ACC fans have seen this before. Remember when Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams fumbled in the fourth quarter in the loss to UNC? Thomas had an equally costly drop last weekend against Georgia. How he responds and rebounds will be key. If he learned anything from Williams, Thomas should be OK, but the Jackets will need their top target focused.
2. Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt’s pass plays. Paul Johnson has proven he’s not afraid to throw it deep, but Nesbitt completed just 1 of 7 passes for 17 yards on attempts of throws greater than 10 yards last weekend against rival Georgia. For the season, Nesbitt has completed 33.3 percent of his passes (21-of-63) greater than 10 yards for four touchdowns and four interceptions. Two of those completions, though, came late in the regular-season game against Clemson, and for the Tigers, it was costly. Clemson was not efficient on third-and-long in the last meeting.
3. Fourth downs. Johnson has developed a reputation for going for it on fourth down -- just ask Wake Forest. The Jackets have been successful on 13 fourth-down conversions this year, 56.52 percent of the time. Clemson is fifth in the country, though, on stopping fourth downs, holding opponents to just 4-of-15 (26.67 percent).
4. Pure talent. This will be the highlight of the game, as it features three of the ACC’s top five rushers in Jonathan Dwyer, C.J. Spiller and Nesbitt. Defensively, Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett has 14 career interceptions, and Clemson’s DeAndre McDaniel has eight this year. Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan has 17 tackles for loss, and Clemson’s Ricky Sapp has 13. Both Sapp and Morgan rank in the top five in the ACC.
5. Time of possession. Georgia Tech leads the country in time of possession with 34:03 per game. Nobody holds onto the ball longer. And yet the first time these two teams met, Clemson’s defense forced eight three-and-outs in 13 possessions. The Tigers have been one of the few teams able to get Paul Johnson’s offense off the field. Clemson had seven straight three-and-outs in the last meeting. Whether the Tigers can have a repeat performance will go a long way in determining the winner.
There is still plenty worth watching …
1. Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. ACC fans have seen this before. Remember when Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams fumbled in the fourth quarter in the loss to UNC? Thomas had an equally costly drop last weekend against Georgia. How he responds and rebounds will be key. If he learned anything from Williams, Thomas should be OK, but the Jackets will need their top target focused.
2. Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt’s pass plays. Paul Johnson has proven he’s not afraid to throw it deep, but Nesbitt completed just 1 of 7 passes for 17 yards on attempts of throws greater than 10 yards last weekend against rival Georgia. For the season, Nesbitt has completed 33.3 percent of his passes (21-of-63) greater than 10 yards for four touchdowns and four interceptions. Two of those completions, though, came late in the regular-season game against Clemson, and for the Tigers, it was costly. Clemson was not efficient on third-and-long in the last meeting.
3. Fourth downs. Johnson has developed a reputation for going for it on fourth down -- just ask Wake Forest. The Jackets have been successful on 13 fourth-down conversions this year, 56.52 percent of the time. Clemson is fifth in the country, though, on stopping fourth downs, holding opponents to just 4-of-15 (26.67 percent).
4. Pure talent. This will be the highlight of the game, as it features three of the ACC’s top five rushers in Jonathan Dwyer, C.J. Spiller and Nesbitt. Defensively, Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett has 14 career interceptions, and Clemson’s DeAndre McDaniel has eight this year. Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan has 17 tackles for loss, and Clemson’s Ricky Sapp has 13. Both Sapp and Morgan rank in the top five in the ACC.
5. Time of possession. Georgia Tech leads the country in time of possession with 34:03 per game. Nobody holds onto the ball longer. And yet the first time these two teams met, Clemson’s defense forced eight three-and-outs in 13 possessions. The Tigers have been one of the few teams able to get Paul Johnson’s offense off the field. Clemson had seven straight three-and-outs in the last meeting. Whether the Tigers can have a repeat performance will go a long way in determining the winner.
For all of the ACC fans out there who might have missed a second of Clemson or Georgia Tech football this season, here are some links to catch you up in preparation for the ACC title game. We've got every game on ESPN360.com, including the regular-season matchup between the Tigers and Jackets. Enjoy. (Make sure your pop-up blocker isn't on.)
Clemson
@MTSU
vs. Georgia Tech
vs. BC
vs. TCU
@Maryland
vs. Wake
@Miami (FL)
vs. Costal Carolina
vs. Florida State
@NC State
vs. UVA
@South Carolina
Georgia Tech
vs. Jacksonville State
vs. Clemson
@Miami (FL)
vs. UNC
@Miss St.
@FSU
vs. Va Tech
@UVA
@Vandrebilt
vs. Wake
@Duke
vs. UGA
Clemson
@MTSU
vs. Georgia Tech
vs. BC
vs. TCU
@Maryland
vs. Wake
@Miami (FL)
vs. Costal Carolina
vs. Florida State
@NC State
vs. UVA
@South Carolina
Georgia Tech
vs. Jacksonville State
vs. Clemson
@Miami (FL)
vs. UNC
@Miss St.
@FSU
vs. Va Tech
@UVA
@Vandrebilt
vs. Wake
@Duke
vs. UGA
Jackets' Morgan focused on title game, not NFL
December, 2, 2009
12/02/09
10:30
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
The most Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan will admit right now is that playing for the NFL was always a dream of his. He isn’t ready to let the world know whether or not he’ll return for his senior season or leave early for the NFL draft, but considering his talent, there’s a strong possibility Saturday’s ACC championship game against Clemson will be Morgan’s last appearance in a conference game.
He is currently considered by ESPN’s Scouts Inc. as the No. 1 defensive end in the upcoming NFL draft, and the No. 6 player overall. Mel Kiper has Morgan at No. 10 on his latest Big Board -- a jump of five spots from the previous week.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said recently that last week, he spoke to all of his juniors about their futures, and whether or not the NFL might be a part of it.
“Oh I think we’ll know fairly early,” Johnson said of his juniors’ decisions. “If a guy is going to be a top 10 pick or a top 12 pick, they’re probably going to go. It would be hard to advise them not to.”
Based in the city of Atlanta, Morgan said he’s easily accessible to people trying to influence his decision, but that the school does an excellent job of monitoring who gets in and keeps track of it all in the compliance office. Those within the program have left the decision entirely up to him.
“It gets kind of hectic, but that’s only if you let it,” Morgan said. “A lot of people are contacting you or trying to contact you, not even agents, it’s all types of people. It gets hectic but you have to remain focused. There’s a time and place for everything, and it’s not the time for that yet.
“That’s something that has to be paid attention to at the end of the season. If you get caught up in looking at that, you kind of get off your game a little bit. I’m going to focus on the goal at hand for our team.”
That’s bad news for Clemson.
Morgan ranks first in the ACC and sixth nationally in sacks (12.5), and he ranks second in the ACC and is tied for 17th nationally in tackles for loss (17.0). Morgan is three sacks shy of breaking the Georgia Tech single-season sacks record of 15.0, held by Pat Swilling in 1985. His 12.5 sacks are the most by a Yellow Jacket since Greg Gathers had 13.0 in 2000.
And he’s done it while facing double coverage for most of the year. That’s why Clemson coach Dabo Swinney voted for Morgan as an All-American.
“He's outstanding,” Swinney said. “He can play the run. He's excellent versus the pass. I thought he was their best player last year. I mean, he's just a really, really good football player that you'd better know where he is and you'd better have a plan for him. You've got to slide the protection to him, you've got to chip him with a tight end, you've got to play-action him, you've got to cut him with the back. I mean, there's different things that you have to do to try to keep him from just getting in a rhythm. If you just go in and you've just got one thought, he's going to have a big night on you. So you have to change up what you do from a protection standpoint.”
Morgan, though, is still looking for more from himself.
“I’m still not satisfied with my performance,” he said. “It’s a real humbling experience to be recognized and noticed, but I’m still not where I want to be. I still have a lot of goals I want to achieve. It varies by week. I turn on the game film and see I could’ve done this better or I could’ve done that better. I’m my biggest critic. I’m always trying to be a student of the game and learn and better myself every week.”
Unfortunately for Georgia Tech, it could be one of his final weeks.
Paul Abell/US PresswireGeorgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan is a potential first-round NFL draft pick.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said recently that last week, he spoke to all of his juniors about their futures, and whether or not the NFL might be a part of it.
“Oh I think we’ll know fairly early,” Johnson said of his juniors’ decisions. “If a guy is going to be a top 10 pick or a top 12 pick, they’re probably going to go. It would be hard to advise them not to.”
Based in the city of Atlanta, Morgan said he’s easily accessible to people trying to influence his decision, but that the school does an excellent job of monitoring who gets in and keeps track of it all in the compliance office. Those within the program have left the decision entirely up to him.
“It gets kind of hectic, but that’s only if you let it,” Morgan said. “A lot of people are contacting you or trying to contact you, not even agents, it’s all types of people. It gets hectic but you have to remain focused. There’s a time and place for everything, and it’s not the time for that yet.
“That’s something that has to be paid attention to at the end of the season. If you get caught up in looking at that, you kind of get off your game a little bit. I’m going to focus on the goal at hand for our team.”
That’s bad news for Clemson.
Morgan ranks first in the ACC and sixth nationally in sacks (12.5), and he ranks second in the ACC and is tied for 17th nationally in tackles for loss (17.0). Morgan is three sacks shy of breaking the Georgia Tech single-season sacks record of 15.0, held by Pat Swilling in 1985. His 12.5 sacks are the most by a Yellow Jacket since Greg Gathers had 13.0 in 2000.
And he’s done it while facing double coverage for most of the year. That’s why Clemson coach Dabo Swinney voted for Morgan as an All-American.
“He's outstanding,” Swinney said. “He can play the run. He's excellent versus the pass. I thought he was their best player last year. I mean, he's just a really, really good football player that you'd better know where he is and you'd better have a plan for him. You've got to slide the protection to him, you've got to chip him with a tight end, you've got to play-action him, you've got to cut him with the back. I mean, there's different things that you have to do to try to keep him from just getting in a rhythm. If you just go in and you've just got one thought, he's going to have a big night on you. So you have to change up what you do from a protection standpoint.”
Morgan, though, is still looking for more from himself.
“I’m still not satisfied with my performance,” he said. “It’s a real humbling experience to be recognized and noticed, but I’m still not where I want to be. I still have a lot of goals I want to achieve. It varies by week. I turn on the game film and see I could’ve done this better or I could’ve done that better. I’m my biggest critic. I’m always trying to be a student of the game and learn and better myself every week.”
Unfortunately for Georgia Tech, it could be one of his final weeks.
Clemson's Swinney changed Tigers' mentality
December, 1, 2009
12/01/09
9:00
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
On Dabo Swinney’s first day of spring practice as Clemson’s head coach -- his first day as anyone’s head coach for that matter -- he brought two signs with him. One said, “Believe,” the other said, “It can be done.”
“For us, we thought that was a little weird, maybe a little unconventional at first,” said guard Thomas Austin. “But every day since then we’ve seen that sign. You start believing in yourself as a team. That’s one thing I respect about coach Swinney -- when we were 2-3, people were calling for his job, our coordinator’s, all that stuff, we didn’t pay attention to that. We banded together as a team. We could’ve done two things -- we could’ve given up, or we could continue to work hard. We continued to work hard. The players took ownership of what was going on.”
Al Messerschmidt/Getty ImagesDabo Swinney has made believers out of the Clemson Tigers.And that’s been the difference under Clemson’s first-year staff. From veterans on the team like C.J. Spiller to rookies like quarterback Kyle Parker, the players agree that there is a different mentality at Clemson than in years' past under former coach Tommy Bowden, and it has been the driving factor behind the Atlantic Division championship this year. After a disappointing 2-3 start, which included an inexplicable loss to a now 2-10 Maryland team, the Tigers were able to regroup and avoided the letdowns of the past that had plagued the program for years.
Following the loss to Maryland, Clemson reeled off six straight wins to earn a trip to Tampa this weekend, where it will face Georgia Tech for a chance at the program’s first ACC title since 1991.
After last weekend’s loss to rival South Carolina, the Tigers will have to finish the season in similar fashion to how they started it, though -- rebounding from a loss.
“Win or lose, the following week he's going to continue to preach to them about believing and never giving up,” Spiller said, “and that's the thing that I love about him.”
Clemson has now lost two straight regular-season games to Georgia Tech under Swinney. Yet there doesn’t seem to be a lack of confidence heading into Saturday’s title game.
“He got us more focused,” safety DeAndre McDaniel said of Swinney. “He got us bonding better as a team. I mean, we're practicing faster, a lot harder, and he's just a great coach. He speaks to us positively, and he's just keeping our head where we're supposed to be at. I don't think too many coaches is better than him at that.”
It’s a glowing endorsement for a man who had never been a coordinator before, let alone a head coach. The former receivers coach had just five days last year to regroup the team after Bowden’s midseason departure and prepare for a 5-1 Georgia Tech team. Clemson lost 21-17 to the Jackets in that game, but Swinney finished with a 4-3 record as interim head coach.
“The biggest thing is a lot of people relate to him,” said Parker. “He does a good job of making the players feel like he really cares about them, and in return we care about him. The biggest thing is he makes everyone feel included, and we’ll go out and play for him, and that shows on the field.”
Offensive coordinator Billy Napier said Swinney has had a trickle-down effect.
“The biggest thing that stands out to me, if you really look in his background, the guy has overcome a lot,” Napier said. “His attitude and his approach day in and day out is a very positive guy who has had to be very resilient in the past. So his leadership qualities and his ability to never give up and constantly believe that good things are coming -- I think it’s rubbed off on this team. Their play reflects his attitude.”
And that has been Swinney’s goal since the first day of spring practice.
“You know, I'm thankful for these players because somewhere along the line they've bought in, and they did believe,” Swinney said. “And when we were a 2-3 football team looking at a six-game stretch where we had to win to have a chance to win our division, I'm thankful that they chose to keep believing and not listen to so many other things.”
Swinney, though, got them to listen to him.
“For us, we thought that was a little weird, maybe a little unconventional at first,” said guard Thomas Austin. “But every day since then we’ve seen that sign. You start believing in yourself as a team. That’s one thing I respect about coach Swinney -- when we were 2-3, people were calling for his job, our coordinator’s, all that stuff, we didn’t pay attention to that. We banded together as a team. We could’ve done two things -- we could’ve given up, or we could continue to work hard. We continued to work hard. The players took ownership of what was going on.”
Al Messerschmidt/Getty ImagesDabo Swinney has made believers out of the Clemson Tigers.Following the loss to Maryland, Clemson reeled off six straight wins to earn a trip to Tampa this weekend, where it will face Georgia Tech for a chance at the program’s first ACC title since 1991.
After last weekend’s loss to rival South Carolina, the Tigers will have to finish the season in similar fashion to how they started it, though -- rebounding from a loss.
“Win or lose, the following week he's going to continue to preach to them about believing and never giving up,” Spiller said, “and that's the thing that I love about him.”
Clemson has now lost two straight regular-season games to Georgia Tech under Swinney. Yet there doesn’t seem to be a lack of confidence heading into Saturday’s title game.
“He got us more focused,” safety DeAndre McDaniel said of Swinney. “He got us bonding better as a team. I mean, we're practicing faster, a lot harder, and he's just a great coach. He speaks to us positively, and he's just keeping our head where we're supposed to be at. I don't think too many coaches is better than him at that.”
It’s a glowing endorsement for a man who had never been a coordinator before, let alone a head coach. The former receivers coach had just five days last year to regroup the team after Bowden’s midseason departure and prepare for a 5-1 Georgia Tech team. Clemson lost 21-17 to the Jackets in that game, but Swinney finished with a 4-3 record as interim head coach.
“The biggest thing is a lot of people relate to him,” said Parker. “He does a good job of making the players feel like he really cares about them, and in return we care about him. The biggest thing is he makes everyone feel included, and we’ll go out and play for him, and that shows on the field.”
Offensive coordinator Billy Napier said Swinney has had a trickle-down effect.
“The biggest thing that stands out to me, if you really look in his background, the guy has overcome a lot,” Napier said. “His attitude and his approach day in and day out is a very positive guy who has had to be very resilient in the past. So his leadership qualities and his ability to never give up and constantly believe that good things are coming -- I think it’s rubbed off on this team. Their play reflects his attitude.”
And that has been Swinney’s goal since the first day of spring practice.
“You know, I'm thankful for these players because somewhere along the line they've bought in, and they did believe,” Swinney said. “And when we were a 2-3 football team looking at a six-game stretch where we had to win to have a chance to win our division, I'm thankful that they chose to keep believing and not listen to so many other things.”
Swinney, though, got them to listen to him.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who left the Georgia game briefly with an ankle injury, should be ready for the ACC championship game on Saturday.
"I just talked to the trainer, and right now, like I said, we've still got some guys beat up and banged up a little bit, but I think we're going to have most of them available for the game," Johnson said on Sunday night. "They might miss a day of practice or so, just like anytime you play a physical game. But I think Stephen (Hill) is going to be okay. I think he's got a mild bruise really is what it is. I think he'll be okay.
"The one guy who might be a little more serious injury is Ben Anderson. I think he's a guy that might be doubtful. I think the rest of the guys will be fine."
Here is the Jackets' latest injury report:
Out
Austin Barrick, r-Jr., OT (heel)
Kevin Cone, r-Jr., WR (ankle)
Malcolm Munroe, r-Fr., LB (knee)
Doubtful
Ben Anderson, r-Jr.
Probable
Stephen Hill, Fr., WR
Josh Nesbitt, Jr., QB
Embry Peeples, So., RB
Jason Paters, r-So., DE
Omoregie Uzzi, r-Fr., OG
Out For Season
Robert Hall, r-Jr., DE (knee)
Kyle Jackson, r-So., LB (foot)
Cooper Taylor, So., S (Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome)
"I just talked to the trainer, and right now, like I said, we've still got some guys beat up and banged up a little bit, but I think we're going to have most of them available for the game," Johnson said on Sunday night. "They might miss a day of practice or so, just like anytime you play a physical game. But I think Stephen (Hill) is going to be okay. I think he's got a mild bruise really is what it is. I think he'll be okay.
"The one guy who might be a little more serious injury is Ben Anderson. I think he's a guy that might be doubtful. I think the rest of the guys will be fine."
Here is the Jackets' latest injury report:
Out
Austin Barrick, r-Jr., OT (heel)
Kevin Cone, r-Jr., WR (ankle)
Malcolm Munroe, r-Fr., LB (knee)
Doubtful
Ben Anderson, r-Jr.
Probable
Stephen Hill, Fr., WR
Josh Nesbitt, Jr., QB
Embry Peeples, So., RB
Jason Paters, r-So., DE
Omoregie Uzzi, r-Fr., OG
Out For Season
Robert Hall, r-Jr., DE (knee)
Kyle Jackson, r-So., LB (foot)
Cooper Taylor, So., S (Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome)
One play doesn't define GT's Thomas
November, 30, 2009
11/30/09
11:30
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
As a former wide receiver and receivers’ coach, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney knows not every ball will be caught. He can empathize with Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, whose fourth-down drop on what would become the Jackets’ final offensive play against Georgia will be hard to forget.
In a rare, uncharacteristic moment, Thomas let the ball slip through his fingers. Had Thomas caught it, Georgia Tech would have had a first down at the Georgia 36 with 1:22 left to play. Thomas is so good I’d be willing to bet most of us watching assumed he would catch it. He usually does.
“I'd go over and say, ‘Listen, big boy, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for you,’” Swinney said. “It's never one play, and that's unfortunately -- that's what people will remember because it was the last play, but … dadgum, he's not perfect. But I’d put my arm around him and tell him, ‘Hey, it happens, let's move on.’ Tiger Woods misses an easy putt every now and then, or Michael Jordan missed a free throw. You go on to the next catch and just realize that there's 65 other plays that count, as well.”
And anyone who has been paying attention to Thomas this year knows he’s made every one of those plays count, and he is still one of the best receivers in the country. Despite having only 44 receptions this year, Thomas still leads the ACC with 89.8 receiving yards per game and has an astounding 24.5 yards per catch. He is No. 16 in the country in receiving yards per game, and 12 of the players ranked ahead of him have at least 78 catches. Nobody has fewer than 51.
Had Georgia Tech’s entire team executed better for the previous 58 minutes, it wouldn’t have had to come down to one catch. Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he talked to Thomas “for a good bit” on Saturday night.
“You know, there's not much to say,” Johnson said. “He's one of the best players on our team, and if it wasn't for him, we certainly wouldn't be 10 and 2 and going to the championship game. Like I told him (Saturday) night, you don't worry about that, pal, you move on. If it hadn't been for him, we wouldn't have been in the game to begin with.
“You know, he's made a zillion plays for us, and things happen. Just like we're all disappointed we lost the game, you just have to move on. I think he'll do that. I mean, he's that kind of player, and he's been invaluable to our team.”
He still is.
Sean Meyers/Icon SMIGeorgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas' coach Dabo Swinney doesn't blame him for a rare drop in Saturday's game.
“I'd go over and say, ‘Listen, big boy, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for you,’” Swinney said. “It's never one play, and that's unfortunately -- that's what people will remember because it was the last play, but … dadgum, he's not perfect. But I’d put my arm around him and tell him, ‘Hey, it happens, let's move on.’ Tiger Woods misses an easy putt every now and then, or Michael Jordan missed a free throw. You go on to the next catch and just realize that there's 65 other plays that count, as well.”
And anyone who has been paying attention to Thomas this year knows he’s made every one of those plays count, and he is still one of the best receivers in the country. Despite having only 44 receptions this year, Thomas still leads the ACC with 89.8 receiving yards per game and has an astounding 24.5 yards per catch. He is No. 16 in the country in receiving yards per game, and 12 of the players ranked ahead of him have at least 78 catches. Nobody has fewer than 51.
Had Georgia Tech’s entire team executed better for the previous 58 minutes, it wouldn’t have had to come down to one catch. Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he talked to Thomas “for a good bit” on Saturday night.
“You know, there's not much to say,” Johnson said. “He's one of the best players on our team, and if it wasn't for him, we certainly wouldn't be 10 and 2 and going to the championship game. Like I told him (Saturday) night, you don't worry about that, pal, you move on. If it hadn't been for him, we wouldn't have been in the game to begin with.
“You know, he's made a zillion plays for us, and things happen. Just like we're all disappointed we lost the game, you just have to move on. I think he'll do that. I mean, he's that kind of player, and he's been invaluable to our team.”
He still is.
Clemson, GT looking to rebound from losses
November, 30, 2009
11/30/09
10:14
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
In Georgia Tech’s locker room Saturday night following the Jackets’ 30-24 loss to Georgia, coach Paul Johnson wanted to make one message very clear. It was the same message he had delivered every week during the regular season -- move on.
Both Johnson and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney will bring their teams to Tampa for Saturday’s ACC championship game hoping they leave their disappointment behind them after disappointing losses to their respective rivals on Saturday. Clemson fell out of the BCS standings following its 34-17 loss to South Carolina, and Georgia Tech dropped from No. 7 to No. 10.
Both coaches conceded on Sunday that there is a little bit of concern about the losses having a lingering effect, but both are intent on making the title game this week’s only focus.
“Well, it's always a concern,” Johnson said. “I think when you have a big game like that and you come out on the wrong end, and certainly it's a game that we all wanted to win and take very seriously, but you have to turn the page.”
Swinney said he’s more worried about his staff rebounding than he is the players.
“When we get older we're not quite as resilient as those players,” Swinney said. “Our players will bounce back. They always do. You just hate to lose. I mean, it just makes you sick.
“But you've got to look at the big picture. You've got to keep things in perspective. I know it's always difficult to lose a rival game. I've been here seven years, and we're 5-2 against Carolina, and I'm not going to let the bitterness of the two losses outweigh the great feeling of the five wins. I think you've got to be careful with that and keep things in perspective.”
Perspective, as Johnson points out, is in the eye of the beholder. Some might argue that the losses to their SEC rivals this past weekend will diminish the luster of the ACC title game on the national scale. The ACC entered the weekend 2-2 against the SEC, but was 0-for-3 on Saturday with losses to Florida, South Carolina and Georgia, the latter two which have struggled to finish with 7-5 records.
“I think a year ago we beat Georgia and Clemson beat South Carolina and nobody made a big deal about the SEC being diminished,” Johnson said. “So I think you can take whatever you want.
“We've played six SEC teams since I've been here, and I think we're 4-2. I can tell you Clemson has got players every bit as good as Georgia. Don't think for one minute they don't. It is what it is. Give them credit; we got beat [Saturday] night. But it wasn't -- I don't think it was a dominating steamroll performance. They played better than we did, and that's what happens. Last year we played better than them.
“And if you go back and look, Virginia Tech beat Nebraska; does that diminish the Big 12 championship game? Wake Forest beat Stanford; what does that say about the Pac-10? You could go through every league if you wanted to make a case probably.”
And Georgia Tech and Clemson can still make a case for the ACC’s most compelling title game to date. Georgia Tech hasn’t won the title outright since 1990. Clemson has never played in the championship game, and hasn’t won the title since 1991. Swinney says that should be motivation enough.
“We haven't won a conference here in 18 years, so these kids have an opportunity to do something that hasn't been done here in a long time,” Swinney said. “… So it's something that I think our guys will be excited about. They know that there's two teams out of 12 that are playing for the championship and the right to be the conference champion, so we won't have a hard time getting them refocused. I'd be very surprised with that. Same thing for Georgia Tech.”
Both Johnson and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney will bring their teams to Tampa for Saturday’s ACC championship game hoping they leave their disappointment behind them after disappointing losses to their respective rivals on Saturday. Clemson fell out of the BCS standings following its 34-17 loss to South Carolina, and Georgia Tech dropped from No. 7 to No. 10.
Both coaches conceded on Sunday that there is a little bit of concern about the losses having a lingering effect, but both are intent on making the title game this week’s only focus.
“Well, it's always a concern,” Johnson said. “I think when you have a big game like that and you come out on the wrong end, and certainly it's a game that we all wanted to win and take very seriously, but you have to turn the page.”
Swinney said he’s more worried about his staff rebounding than he is the players.
“When we get older we're not quite as resilient as those players,” Swinney said. “Our players will bounce back. They always do. You just hate to lose. I mean, it just makes you sick.
“But you've got to look at the big picture. You've got to keep things in perspective. I know it's always difficult to lose a rival game. I've been here seven years, and we're 5-2 against Carolina, and I'm not going to let the bitterness of the two losses outweigh the great feeling of the five wins. I think you've got to be careful with that and keep things in perspective.”
Perspective, as Johnson points out, is in the eye of the beholder. Some might argue that the losses to their SEC rivals this past weekend will diminish the luster of the ACC title game on the national scale. The ACC entered the weekend 2-2 against the SEC, but was 0-for-3 on Saturday with losses to Florida, South Carolina and Georgia, the latter two which have struggled to finish with 7-5 records.
“I think a year ago we beat Georgia and Clemson beat South Carolina and nobody made a big deal about the SEC being diminished,” Johnson said. “So I think you can take whatever you want.
“We've played six SEC teams since I've been here, and I think we're 4-2. I can tell you Clemson has got players every bit as good as Georgia. Don't think for one minute they don't. It is what it is. Give them credit; we got beat [Saturday] night. But it wasn't -- I don't think it was a dominating steamroll performance. They played better than we did, and that's what happens. Last year we played better than them.
“And if you go back and look, Virginia Tech beat Nebraska; does that diminish the Big 12 championship game? Wake Forest beat Stanford; what does that say about the Pac-10? You could go through every league if you wanted to make a case probably.”
And Georgia Tech and Clemson can still make a case for the ACC’s most compelling title game to date. Georgia Tech hasn’t won the title outright since 1990. Clemson has never played in the championship game, and hasn’t won the title since 1991. Swinney says that should be motivation enough.
“We haven't won a conference here in 18 years, so these kids have an opportunity to do something that hasn't been done here in a long time,” Swinney said. “… So it's something that I think our guys will be excited about. They know that there's two teams out of 12 that are playing for the championship and the right to be the conference champion, so we won't have a hard time getting them refocused. I'd be very surprised with that. Same thing for Georgia Tech.”
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
