Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008

Morris: Amid Spurrier's rust, in Dabo Tigers trust

CLEMSON

A Hall of Famer with 170 victory notches on his coaching belt strolled one sideline at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. A wet-behind-the-headsets coach whose experience is a mere six games with “interim” attached to his name stood across the field.

It was difficult to tell which was which during Clemson’s 31-14 thrashing of South Carolina. Clemson was much tougher than USC, much stronger than USC, made fewer mistakes and controlled the line of scrimmage.

Here is the topper of all toppers: Clemson was the better-coached team. Put bluntly, veteran Steve Spurrier got schooled by the youngster, Dabo Swinney.

Spurrier admitted as much. “What do you want me to do? I’m frustrated, too,” Spurrier said. “Yes, I thought we could play with these guys. It turned out we couldn’t. They were just better than us. That’s all you can say about that.

“They’re a better team, a better-coached team, better team.”

The reality is that Swinney created a winning atmosphere over a seven-week period. Spurrier has been unable to do the same in four seasons at USC.

Swinney is scheduled to meet today with Clemson athletics director Terry Don Phillips, who was non-committal after the game about who his next coach would be. He didn’t have to speak. His beaming smile provided the answer when he said how “happy and proud” he was of Swinney ... and his team.

Swinney said his primary goals when he took over for Tommy Bowden six games into the season were to make a difference in the players’ lives and to unite the Clemson fan base.

“I hope that’s my mark, embracing these fans, embracing these kids and making a difference in their lives and getting them to do something and believe in something bigger than themselves and be a team,” Swinney said. “I think we’re a team.”

Swinney inherited a dysfunctional club, one with a 3-3 record that included a devastating loss to Alabama in the opener and back-to-back losses to Maryland and Wake Forest that eliminated Clemson from the ACC championship picture. The Clemson fan base was as fractured as the team.

Not anymore. Not after a 4-2 finish to the regular season.

“I’m so proud of our seniors and the rest of the team because we could have quit six weeks ago, but nobody did,” Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper said. “We just kept fighting and taking it one game at a time. To finish like this was awesome.”

The finish sends Clemson to a bowl game with a 7-5 record. It creates a unification by Clemson fans solidly behind their coach. At game’s end, players carried Swinney on their shoulders to midfield as the crowd chanted “Dabo! Dabo! Dabo!”

“What I’m seeing here is I’m seeing a football team,” Swinney said “I’m seeing a group of young men starting to create the habit of winning.”

Interesting that Spurrier stood in this same stadium two years ago following a USC victory against Clemson and offered game balls to all Gamecock fans. He said it was reward for long-suffering fans who have put up with razzing from the Clemson faithful far too long.

Unfortunately for USC, it is back to suffering at the hands of Clemson. At one point during the game, Spurrier benched Jared Cook, saying his standout tight end did not display the necessary effort to win. It might have been the surest sign that a winning attitude is lacking at USC.

Spurrier’s decision to stay with quarterback Chris Smelley throughout, despite three interceptions, showed only that USC is without a top-level quarterback. Its inability to mount any sustained rushing attack showed it is without a star runner and a solid offensive line. The game also showed that one of USC’s best defenses in years could be manhandled by a Clemson offense that has struggled all season.

It made for a bitter end to a 7-5 regular season that saw USC outscored 87-20 over its final two games. It is a good thing USC has a strong fan following because I can’t imagine the Outback Bowl wanting this team based on merit.

The worst part for USC fans was that a neophyte to the sideline likely earned a permanent head-coaching position while schooling a Hall of Fame coach who continues to be frustrated by it all.

Listen to Morris Tuesdays from 4-5 p.m. on ESPN Radio 93.1 FM

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