Ask TCI
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net September 4, 2015

It is 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:  Beyond the expected (Lawson, Watson, Kearse, Gallman, Williams, Scott, etc), who will be a household name by end of season?

TCI:  The easy answers are McCloud, Cain and Wilkins.  Thompson will also be a name that is known well by Clemson fans if he plays the way he has in preseason.  His play has kept Cain off the two-deep at receiver.

Kendall Joseph should have a big season at linebacker.  He is a big part of the future there.

Question: Beyond the fact that App State has a massive 20 starters returning, what or who should we focus on to prevent that game from going bad?

TCI:  We may sound like coach Swinney on this one, but just like every game it will be about Clemson, not the opponent.  The Tigers are on a different talent level than Appalachian State even though they have a lot of experience.

The Tigers just need to focus, execute their game plan and prevent mental mistakes like turnovers and that game shouldn’t be too close.

Question: This season will be the first full test of the co-OC duo’s ability to share the tasks and be successful. Is there any indication Swinney has plans to change the hierarchy or call out a full OC if needed?
TCI:  We don’t expect that to be an issue at all.  Coach Scott and coach Elliott have a great relationship going back to when they both played for the Tigers.  They have done a good job of separating the duties.  Coach Elliott will call the plays with input from coach Scott and the other offensive coaches.
Both coaches will help with preparations of the game plan.
The bigger question is will coach Swinney be able to withstand the temptation to get involved if things aren’t going well.
Coach Elliott is one of the smartest coaches you will find.  We look forward to seeing what he does with the play calling this season.

Question – When does the baseball team get to occupy their new locker room, showers, lounge, etc.? Currently they don’t even have the space they occupied in Jervey last year. They are in a managers’ locker room fully equipped with 8 lockers and a shower with 2 shower heads for in excess of 40 guys right now. This means that most of them dress at home and return there after workouts to shower. Full team fall practice starts Sept. 25. Will they have full access to their facility by this date?

TCI – From what we have heard they should have access to the new facility when fall ball begins later this month.  The new facility is outstanding from the sources we have talked with that have seen the inside.

There have certainly been plenty of delays with the facility.  If you remember we were originally told the locker room would be ready for opening day last year.  Obviously they missed that mark by about eight months.

Questions – Any hints so far of new plays and strategy post-Morris? I know the line uttered in pressers is that they will continue to run hurry-up and follow the general plan as before, yadda yadda. But a new OC and especially a duo always like to tweek and adjust. We got a taste of that already in the bowl game.

TCI – One thing we expect to see this year is more use of the tight end.  Clemson has tremendous depth.  As you said coach Elliott and coach Scott want to continue to keep the tempo going, even go faster if they can at times.

One of the things Clemson did in the bowl game was simplify the offense.  We will see if that continues.  Another thing we will see more this year is Watson making more calls on the field.  The staff has talked about how he is ready to be a coach on the field.