By William Qualkinbush.
By William Qualkinbush.
It’s become a common occurrence this spring.
Every time the media floods to the indoor practice facility for interviews, somebody says it. It could be a player, a coach, or an onlooker.
In this particular case, it was co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott who uttered the magic words of Spring Practice 2015:
“Hunter Renfrow, he’s a guy nobody really wants to talk about or think about, but he’s just consistently, day after day, making plays. He’s working to find his way to a seat on that bus.”
Those magic words—the name of Clemson’s redshirt freshman walk-on wide receiver—have become the mark of spring practice. It’s always someone different, but every year, it’s the same song and dance around these parts.
Players no one has ever heard about suddenly start getting praise. Because Clemson’s practices are closed to the general public and the media, we don’t have any way to know whether the praise is genuine or not. Many times, the messenger matters, and Dabo Swinney has the tendency to be a bit of an optimist.
But this wasn’t Dabo Swinney. This was Jeff Scott.
The sunshine-pumper element goes away when it comes from multiple people. Call me crazy, but I don’t assume there’s a big staff meeting regarding which players the coaches will praise in interviews today. I’m pretty sure that’s just how he feels.
So do we trust what the coaches say about Renfrow? Do we truly believe C.J. Fuller can contribute as a running back? Is Justin Falcinelli really in the mix for playing time up front?
In years past, I’d say no. Now, though, I’d reconsider that position. I’m a believer.
There are examples to the contrary, of course. We all remember the Joe Gore love that turned out to be a bit of a smoke screen last August. People will turn to the Cole Stoudt appraisals coming from his practice performance, but I’m willing to buy those comments, as well.
See, I used to be a skeptic. I’d seen enough Paul Macko stories coming out of spring practice that didn’t matter one iota once the ball was kicked off in the fall. I wasn’t buying what was being sold, so I started asking questions. I still ask questions, to multiple people, just to see what individual observers are noticing in practice.
What I’ve found is this: Swinney isn’t simply a Polyanna trying to make everybody in Tiger Nation feel good about his team. He’s saying things other people agree with in principle based on their own observations.
Hearing from others that guys like Fuller, Falcinelli, Kevin Dodd, Nick Schuessler, and yes, even Renfrow have looked really good in drills verifies what Swinney says about these players. All are players who fans seem to doubt as far as ability to impact the 2015 season goes, but all have garnered praise from different corners of the Clemson football world.
We don’t know how Hunter Renfrow will play in 2015, or even if he will see the field at all. We don’t know that about any of these guys. But at this point, I think the reputation of Swinney as a used car salesman when it comes to the relevance of some less-heralded players needs to go away.
When Scott and Tony Elliott start saying the same things, it seems more credible. When Brent Venables starts saying the same things, everyone’s words mean more.
So I’m buying Hunter Renfrow as a guy legitimately turning heads in spring practice now. I suggest you do the same, because Swinney might not be as unreasonably optimistic as we thought.
God Bless!
WQ