Harper keeps cool under pressure

CLEMSON

FOR A GUY WHO HAS lived in a goldfish bowl and analyzed from every perspective for six months, Cullen Harper stepped into the big arena for the first time with remarkable calmness Monday night.

He earned Clemson’s starting quarterback job in spring practice, but his three college seasons consisted of 20 pass attempts in 75 plays. In addition, injuries restricted him to two games his senior year in high school.

Now, he would start for the Tigers in an anything-but-normal season’s opener. The made-for-TV date pitted Clemson against Florida State, and the Seminoles’ defense usually feasts on inexperienced quarterbacks.

Harper did just fine, thank you.

He completed 14 of 24 passes, two for touchdowns and no interceptions, contributed an 18-yard run on a scramble and managed the Tigers’ offense efficiently. Most important, the Tigers claimed a 24-18 triumph that helped erase the sting of last year’s dreary finish.

The doubt turned into excitement for the Tigers, and Harper’s performance contributed greatly to the critics’ attitude adjustment.

Best of all, he knows what he called “a pretty good first night” can get better.

An average Monday. On the morning after the big party, Harper (a) watched game tape of the Atlantic Coast Conference victory, (b) waited to hear if the Tigers jumped into the national rankings, (c) slept in or (d) attended class.

Ah, a Monday night hero received no breaks Tuesday. Although replaying the game in his mind and winding down before finally getting to sleep about 3:30 a.m., he made his 8:30 a.m. class a few minutes early.

Of course he did. If he did not get a case of nerves before the biggest game of his life, the next day would be normal, too.

Harper reflected on Monday night’s performance Tuesday and said, “I thought I made some good plays, but obviously there are things I need to work on. There are things I didn’t do as well as I would have like, but overall I thought it was a pretty good first night.”

Coach Tommy Bowden agreed, saying, “I was really pleased overall, especially since it’s hard to see Florida State’s speed in practice.”

After 2006 starter Will Proctor struggled in the passing game late last season, coaches converted the Clemson offense into a study in conservatism. They vowed to change that this year, and Harper showed the potential to loosen defense.

“We called more (18-20-yard pass patterns) than ever before,” Bowden said.

Harper’s 160 yards, including 41 on one play, does not sound overly impressive, but the passing possibilities are promising.

Pregame jitters. The hours leading to the biggest game in Harper’s life included a tough time “getting the pre-game meal down” and some antsy moments before leaving the hotel for the stadium.

“Laying on the bed watching TV, it got a little crazy,” he said. “I thought, ‘We have to play Florida State in a couple of hours in the biggest game of my life.’ So, yes, I was a little nervous then.

“But at the stadium, I felt that I was prepared... . Coach (Rob) Spence (offensive coordinator) had a great game plan, and it was time to go out there and do it. Once we were on the bus (to circle the stadium to run down the hill), I thought, ‘This is what I have been waiting for since I got here.’ That’s when it hit me, that it was time to go out and perform.”

The Tigers dominated early, racing to a 21-0 lead. The defense stuffed Florida State and the offense operated efficiently.

His only anxious moment came with the Tigers backed up to their goal and the nearby Florida State fans and band making communication difficult. He responded with what he called his best pass of the night, a 10-yard completion to Aaron Kelly that provided some room for punter Jimmy Maners.

A bad snap on a punt skewed the statistics, knocking 49 yards off the Tigers’ rushing total. The numbers, then, are better than they seem.

Those are not important, Harper said. Keeping focus matters more, whether the opponent is Saturday’s Louisiana-Monroe or the more talented teams in the future.

“We’re going in with the same mind-set we had for Florida State,” Harper said. “We have to build on (the opening win).”

For that to happen, Harper must continue to grow. His first start suggests he will.