CLEMSON, S.C. — A tired-looking Vic Koening met with reporters earlier this week, explaining that his lack of sleep was due to anxiety over facing South Carolina State. Clemson’s defensive coordinator and his fellow coaches pushed the right buttons with their players as the Tigers matched the underdog Bulldogs’ intensity Saturday. Early in the second half it was most of those in attendance at Death Valley stifling yawns during No. 23 Clemson’s 54-0 win.
“We did what we needed to do,” head coach Tommy Bowden said. “We were focused and played with a lot of energy, and that’s all we can ask for right now from the players.” Clemson’s coaching strategy was to preach all week that S.C. State featured many players who had been recruited by the Tigers and the talent level was not to be taken lightly. “I think Coach Koenning did (over-hype the Bulldogs),” senior safety Michael Hamlin said. “That’s any coach’s job, to blow them up bigger than they really are. He told us how good they were and really opened everybody’s eyes up.”
S.C. State head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough has been stomped 143-6 in four "practices" with Clemson, Central Florida, South Carolina and Air Force Academy the past two seasons. Should SCSU spare themselves and their fans the embarrassment and cancel the Georgia Tech game for '09, as the Bulldogs have proven they are not competitive with middle of the pack FCS and FBS teams? Clearly the Bulldogs are pretenders and are guilty of being over-hyped by their AD and SID. CONTINUE READING, CLICK BLOG TITLE.
ATTENDANCE: 78,000 (97.2%) at Death Valley (Memorial Stadium), Clemson, S.C. (Capacity: 80,301)
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