Ask TCI
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net January 30, 2013

Time for the latest edition of Ask TCI.  Each week we will take questions on the message board The Rock.

Each weekend we will run our Ask TCI feature with answers to some of the questions asked by the Clemson Insiders.  Make sure to get your questions in next week.

 

Question – Is Sammy back up to 100%?

TCI – Dabo said in his press conference a couple of weeks ago that he expects Sammy to be ready to go when spring practice starts in March.  This will be a huge year for Sammy as it is basically his “contract” year.  Sammy’s success will have a lot to say about how special the season is.  Although the Tigers showed several times this year they could win without Sammy including the huge win over LSU in the Chick-Fil-A bowl.

Question – 1. What order of importance (at this time) do you place the eight players you are tracking in the “Countdown to Signing Day Daily Recruit Tracker” thread, if you had a wish list of importance. eg. Adams, Lawson, Crowder, Alexander, and etc

TCI – Our wish list would start with Montravius Adams.  Although the Tigers have some very good young depth at defensive tackle they haven’t had a player as talented as Adams at this position in a long, long time.  He is a franchise player.

Next we would go with Alexander.  A shutdown corner would do wonders for the Clemson defense.

Carl Lawson would be next as he is one of the top players in the nation and Clemson could use another great defensive end.  We have him at No. 3 because the Tigers already have two outstanding defensive ends in this class in Shaq Lawson and Ebenezer Ogundeko.

Question – Robert, a lot of people on the boards talk about silent commits. How common is this practice? Is the main purpose to allow the recruits to reserve their slot while still getting the signing day hype?

TCI – Silent commitments happen every year.  We can tell you based on our experience in many cases if a commitment is silent they aren’t as solid as commitments where the prospect is ready to go public with the commitment.

The reasons for a silent commitment are many.  In some cases the recruit wishes to keep it quiet so they can later have their press conference.  In some cases it actually benefits Clemson for the commitment to stay silent.  Believe it or not sometimes heat actually increases on certain prospects once the commit to a certain school.

There are many others.

Question – Morris is back, and the offensive depth chart appears very strong for 2013! With a full season to check the numbers, will Clemson discontinue the use of the fireworks for home games? Would love to see that money spent elsewhere.

TCI – Unfortunately we have heard they will likely continue to fireworks.  You can count TCI in the group that does not like this idea.

Question – Robert and Friends….Do you think our New AD will push for more night games in the future or does TV control the game times?

TCI – Clemson has no control over the game times for games that are televised.

Question – What happened with Ole Miss and Nkemdiche? I thought the entire reason he decommitted was b/c he wanted to play with his brother and now he is visiting Florida and LSU?

 TCI – Robert will still sign with Ole Miss.  That deal was sealed several months ago.

Question – I think the new recruiting rules with no early signing day is going to be a disaster with harassed recruits and overworked coaching staffs.  What is it going to take to get an early signing day for football? Why isn’t there more demand for this?

TCI – Great question.  Dabo and most coaches I have talked with are in favor of the rule.  It makes a lot of sense on many fronts.  It will come at some point in the future, not sure when.  There is plenty of demand from the coaches.  The trick will getting there to be demand from the Presidents.

Question – Seems like we will be stacked at WR this coming season. Assuming the commits follow thru, who do you think will start at WR? Does Priester, or Williams, or Clark (if we get him) have starting potential from day 1?

TCI – Clemson is stacked at receiver for 2013.  Sammy will of course start.  Peake, Bryant and Humphries will battle it out this spring/camp for the other starting positions.  Hopper will also be in the mix, but will play a role similar to Sammy’s.

We will have to see if Humphries is moved around.

As for the true freshmen Williams, Priester and Green will all get a chance to compete during camp.  We would expect at least one of them to see some playing time next fall.