Oh good, so it will be easy not to confuse them with that other school in Arkansas that plays on the field that Wal Mart built.

I'm actually excited about Clemson's Offense under new coordinator Chad Morris. For those that don't know, for the better part of a decade, with a few exceptions (Woodrow Dantzler, CJ Spiller, Jacoby Ford), the offense has been a perennial underachiever, while the D has been consistently solid.

Anyway, this Morris guys says his style is "smash mouth spread", and that his goal is to run 80+ plays a game (The O averages about 60 or so last season). So this is an up-tempo, yet run heavy offense that will utilize the Tight End/Full Back/H Back position(s). Also, the biggest concern last year was WR production, and a lot of talented WR's are coming in. They are Freshmen, so it's hard to rely on them, plus it's the QB's first year starting, so the passing game may not take off till next year. Still though, I see a bright future for the Tigers passing attack in the future. The RB position is loaded, and with the return of Andre Ellington, I think this will be the strong point of the team.

Here is the big time rushing threat that is Andre Ellington (remember the name, he's a better true running back than CJ Spiller was, and averages more ypc):




So, yep, I'm totally right now, but it's been a while since the offense had me excited.

Anyone pay attention to, read about / watch their team's Spring game? If so, how are they looking? Promising or yikes?

I'm going to Mizzou's next weekend. I have a good feeling about next year but it's going to be tough playing everyone in the Big 12 (10).

I'll be at Georgia's this weekend.

Trinton Sturdivant just tore an ACL for the 3rd time in 5 years.

I love the hope, excitement, and anticipation of Spring...Unfortunately by November all my hopes are gone, and reality of another mediocre season settles in. It a'int easy rootin' for Clemson and the Redskins. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment.

Ouch. I've torn mine once and I don't even play pick up basketball games anymore. 3 times in 5 years could be just too much. Even an 18 to 21 year old's knees aren't that resilient. Trinton may want to consider being a player / coach, then moving into the coaching realm of football. I don't know much about the guy, but I'd imagine that if he has NFL type talent, a lot of scouts must be very worried about his health. He might be one of those "best player never to play" types.

Pretty much. I just go in with lower expectations and then am pleasantly surprised.

I've tried that before too, but then have seen the teams start hot, and finish cold. Nothing worse that setting your expectations low, then watch them rip off 4 or 5 wins in a row so like a 6-1 start, only to finish the back end of the season and 3-3 or 2-4. It's just enough to pull you in, get you all wrapped up in the moment, then come crashing down with utter disappointment. Or the flip...start of cold, finish hot, get good recruiting and momentum for the next season, then the team falls short of expectations. This has been my football life since 1991 (last time The Redskins won the Superbowl, and Clemson won the ACC). It's been overall mediocre since then, with occasional poor seasons, and occasional above average seasons, but not a great season for 20 years.

I've tried that before too, but then have seen the teams start hot, and finish cold. Nothing worse that setting your expectations low, then watch them rip off 4 or 5 wins in a row so like a 6-1 start, only to finish the back end of the season and 3-3 or 2-4. It's just enough to pull you in, get you all wrapped up in the moment, then come crashing down with utter disappointment. Or the flip...start of cold, finish hot, get good recruiting and momentum for the next season, then the team falls short of expectations. This has been my football life since 1991 (last time The Redskins won the Superbowl, and Clemson won the ACC). It's been overall mediocre since then, with occasional poor seasons, and occasional above average seasons, but not a great season for 20 years.

Goddamnit, Nike. RIP, Sparky.



J, gg in AZ, any thoughts?

Those ought to be fun to play in Arizona in August.

I guess what also disappoints me is that, as much as I hate what Nike's done, to the people that matter the most, they think that it's badass.

http://espn.go.com/blog/pac10/post/_/id ... w-uniforms

Arizona State fired up about new uniforms

TEMPE, Ariz. -- A great man once sagely noted, "It is better to look good than to feel good." But Arizona State hopes to look good, feel good and play, er, well in its new uniforms.

The Sun Devils, the favorites in the Pac-12 South Division in 2011, unveiled their new uniforms and pitchfork logo on Tuesday, but a handful of players got a sneak peek last week when they were asked to don the new duds for promotional photos.

That required keeping the new look a secret, which wasn't easy.

"It was real hard," center Garth Gerhart said. "All my buddies, the offensive linemen, are like, 'Show me some pictures!' My brother [Minnesota Vikings running back Toby Gerhart], guys on the Stanford team I know. They all wanted to know."

Added receiver Gerell Robinson: "Students, fans, parents, grandparents -- everybody was trying to figure out the big secret. I'm just happy it's over."

While the all-black combination was popular among their teammates, Robinson and Gerhart both said they favored the black jersey, gold pants combo.

The pitchfork replaces Sparky, which now becomes just the team mascot.

"It's different. I like it," Robinson said. "It's more aggressive. Sparky had a smile on his face."

But does it matter? Some. Image isn't everything, but it touches on the psychology of competition: You might play better if you like the way you look. Still, new uniforms aren't going to win games.

"As far as stepping between the lines, it really doesn't," Robinson said. "All the uniform talk stops once you walk out of the locker room. You've still got to play football."

But what about recruiting?

"If it was about uniforms, I would have gone to Oregon, signed, sealed and delivered," Robinson said. "They had the best ones at that point in time. It will give us an even playing field in recruiting. Everybody wants to see what's new. Nobody wants to be characterized as an older tradition."

I hate these Arena League unis that colleges and the NFL has been going to. I'm glad Clemson went "old school" last year and switched from this:



To this:

I'm a big Sparky fan, but I can see how it can be too cartoonish nowadays. At least he's on the back of the helmet and not totally done away with. I really like the helmets, but I thought they could have done more with the jersey. I thought Nike would have totally retooled the jersey design. I'm sick of teams going with black, but it's a selling point with kids. I think a gold alternate would have been cool. Also, I would have liked to have seen more piping on pants and jersey.

Overall, they're pretty good but I expected more considering how much buzz there was up until the announcement.

Why does everything have to be black now too? Like all the teams are jumping on this bad "alt black" uniform thing...see Philly Eagles, Detriot, and people are trying to get the Redskins to do it too...I hate it.

AZ State had cool unis, and looked like old school Redskins unis:

Actually, it looks like the first photo I posted was just the Pro Combat version (which almost always sucks no matter the team). I actually like the non-black version, except that Sparky needs to be more prominent than just on the back.

I love the old, classic look. In fact, I was hoping they would bring back the old "sunburst" logo in some form.

The Cardinals went black too, and I hate it.