SPIDER FEVER IN KNOXVILLE
Phil Fulmer’s first candidate for offensive coordinator is not Mike Debord, but rather the head coach of the Richmond Spiders, Dave Clawson. Clawson turned around both the Fordham and the Richmond program, leading Richmond to an 11-3 record and to the Division 1-AA (new terminology be damned) title game semi-finals against Appalchian State. (Which they lost, but no shame in that. Transitively, so did Florida.)
If you’re looking for a taste of what Clawson brings to the table as an offensive coordinator, Youtube’s not helping much. Here’s what we did find, notable for its peeks at what appears to be your standard, multiform offense in the Cutcliffe mode and some of the excellence you’ve come to expect from student broadcasting. At one point, he uses the phrase “SIKE!” We don’t know whether to praise him for this, or push him from the parapets screaming.
(HT: Luke, Tom.)
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1
Biggus Rickus says:
He’s turned around two separate I-AA programs and the best he can get is an OC offer? Is he black or something?
January 11th, 2008 at 10:24 am
2
gerry dorsey says:
hey biggus,
charlie strong doesn’t get it.
January 11th, 2008 at 10:27 am
3
Chips O'Toole says:
#1
Actually, Clawson played football at Williams College (of 2007 gameday fame), a member of the whitest football conference in all the land – the D3 NESCAC. Known in some circles as the “New England Slow Caucasian Athletic Conference.” On a positive note, Belicheck and Mangino both played ball in the NESCAC, so it has spawned some talented coaching minds.
January 11th, 2008 at 10:46 am
4
Brian says:
Spider Fever sounds deadly, the CDC should investigate that shit.
January 11th, 2008 at 10:57 am
5
Holly says:
[rocking back and forth in the corner clutching teddy bear named Trooper Taylor]
January 11th, 2008 at 10:58 am
6
Coop says:
This sort of thinking worked for Oregon this year, well it did until Dennis Dixon’s knee had other plans, as we saw yesterday.
As for Charlie, go find some video footage of him speaking.
If Ron English had Strong’s defensive mind, players at Florida, etc…
he would be the head coach at a BCS school by now and the BCA would have a bit less to complain about.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:01 am
7
Tricky Dick says:
FAIL! Richmond lost to the Goons from Boone in the semi-finals.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:01 am
8
Coop says:
Oh, and to clarify, I would say the exact same thing about Bud Foster that I said about Strong.
Nobody wants to hire a guy with a nasty goatee who wears his “ball cap” on backwards on the sidelines, has a chaw in, well unless you are Clemson circa 1981, and could not put two complete sentences together with an English professor and Microsoft Word by his side.
Holly, you got Drayton, Taylor will be expendable if you win, as the recruiting will take care of itself up there.
Taylor needs to continue pursuing other OC jobs, if he wants to be an OC.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:07 am
9
Scalz1 says:
Transitive football herpes !! Catch the fever !!!
January 11th, 2008 at 11:12 am
10
Kenny says:
Given that most college sportscasters are hoping Sportscenter discovers them, we have to vote for the parapets on the SIKE call.
I mean Stuart Scott might use it, but that’s about where they’d draw that line.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:22 am
11
Biggus Rickus says:
Holly,
On the bright side, should Taylor leave you no longer have to root for a grown man named Trooper.
Sorry FSU fans, it looks like you’ll be saddled with a Jimbo for a long time to come.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:29 am
12
DevilGrad says:
This gives Orson a reason to keep the phrase “fuck dat Spider” in his vocabulary next fall.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:29 am
13
drewky says:
“Nobody wants to hire a guy with a nasty goatee who wears his “ball cap” on backwards on the sidelines, has a chaw in.”
Speak for yoself. That description gave me semi-wood.
I think the one requirement for coaching on UT’s staff is that you have to be able to beat KY. Only 14,000 coaches even meet that criteria.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:41 am
14
Techie says:
“Sike”?
I vote for parapets. Quick, before he ends up on Sportscenter.
January 11th, 2008 at 11:57 am
15
PW says:
12
I had absolutely no doubt in my mind after reading the article, but before reading the comments, that the phrase “fuck dat spider” would appear before comment #15.
Thank you, sir.
January 11th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
16
Nickel says:
What happened to the guy who did the “transitive football herpes” and “transitive football crabs (can go backwards)” comparisons? With the Michigan win in the Cap. One Bowl those crabs must have ended up infecting most of the SEC and probably spread to some other conferences via bowl wins as well right? Was anyone spared?
January 11th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
17
JCCW Jerry says:
Off-topic, but I’d always assumed it was spelled “PSYCH!” since, you know, you were screwing with somebody via PSYCHology, i.e. PSYCHing them out, etc.
On-topic, first usage gets Generation Xish childhood nostalgia props. Second usage, parapets. And pikes at the bottom.
January 11th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
18
WarCardinals says:
The announcer apparently thought a 17-14 game with 5:36 left was “over”
January 11th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
19
Mitch Cumstein says:
I heard someone mention Clawson to UT and I prayed it was Casey. I hear he can coach offense with one hand tied behind his back.
January 11th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
20
etsuVol says:
I’m kinda glad UT didn’t get the Meechigan guy and bring Ryan Mallet, so there’s no drama next year. Cromptonites of the World Unite!
But I’ll admit I’m also sorta disappointed that UT didn’t find a OC that runs the spread option. Florida proved that it really can work in the ESS EEE SEE……..(for 3 losses and a 3rd place finish in the division.)
January 11th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
21
PW says:
etsuVol,
until you change your name to etsuTiger.WarEagle/Plainsman, etsuDawg, or etsuWolverine, you don’t have much room to talk.
January 11th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
22
NMS says:
I saw Richmond play at App and there were a good team but I can’t really tell you anything specific about their offense because style-wise it was fairly standard. I don’t mean that in a bad way, it was a good O and they played fundamental football and used the talent they had as well as possible.
Their team was lead by a bruising RB who App shut down early. This lead them to go to the air, the got a few big plays that way because App ( a team that had struggled against the ground game this year) was focusing on stopping the RB so their QB got some 20 and 30 yard completions despite being only and average pure thrower. He was mobile though and he ran for several first downs. Richmond did keep pounding the RB between the tackles all game, despite it initially being unsuccessful, enough to eventually wear down Apps small frontline enough for the run to be effective in the second half.
Overall it was a fundamentally sound run-first attack but one that was perfectly capable of throwing effectively. Despite the QBs speed they didn’t seem to run too many designed QBs runs besides a draw or three, so don’t look for an option to come to Knoxville or anything
January 11th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
23
etsuVol says:
I have plenty of room to talk. Who were the SEC East champions again?
January 11th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
24
PW says:
No, no, you’re right. An SEC East championship ring is a beautiful piece of jewelry.
However, I’d say that an offense capable of putting up 59 points and over 550 yards against the SEC East champions can “work” in the ESS EEE SEE.
January 11th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
25
Flawda apologist says:
#24 quit making excuses for the Urban legend’s ZOOK-like 2007 season.
January 11th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
26
etsuVol says:
Yeah it worked great against the Vols that day. Unstoppable. But we all saw as the season wore on that as Tebow took and delivered hits that it wore down. I mean, Georgia won for only the 2nd time in like 15 years?
If somebody said before the season your team is going to get 2 pummellings but still go to the championship game, who wouldn’t take that? If Erik Ainge could tell white jerseys from orange he’d be an SEC champion right now.
January 11th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
27
PW says:
I’ll give you that. Tebow did take a beating and the wear and tear didn’t help us out much as the season went on. However, I think our defense was more to blame than our offense.
January 12th, 2008 at 11:02 am