CHARLIE WHITEHURST: FASTER, STRONGER...

Rob Spence, the offensive coordinator who merited the most "mad scientist" comparisons of any new coach in the offseason in previews and puff pieces, looks like he's a good ways along in his rebuilding of Charlie Whitehurst at Clemson. Or almost there, at least:

Charlie Whitehurst has been around long enough to see a good thing.

And Tuesday night, at the beginning of the team’s two-hour scrimmage, the senior quarterback said he felt the offense “really clicking.”

“We went down the field; we really couldn’t be stopped,” Whitehurst said. “We sputtered there about the 5-yard line, but that was hopefully what we’ll see."

Okay, so Spence hasn't reminded Charlie that you DON'T want to sputter at the five yard line. But did you see the guy last year? The "all-FG" offense would have been a better approach than the nightmare they put together for Whitehurst on offense. Trauma victims need time to heal, according to the experts.

Don't forget that Clemson added Vic Koenning, the architect of Troy's blackout defenses of the past few years, too. Between him and Spence, Bowden looks to be following in the tracks of another sketchy CEO-type coach, Tommy Tuberville, who switched out OCs and DCs in hopes of finding the right combo. Eyes on Bowden to see if he gets as lucky as Tuberville did.

Looks crazy, right?