Tinker Town: " Something to see and read about on Christmas day as we wait for the LSU vs Clemson Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. I was wondering whether or not the college football games that we seem to really enjoy. Is going to go on to become a even bigger and better things. Or start to decline into a flag football politically correct shadow of what a college football game once was?"
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http://espn.go.com/espn/e60/
The Real McCoy
LeSean McCoy is no secret to NFL fans. But in high school, he suffered a devastating ankle injury that threatened his football future. Lisa Salters tells his story. Watch
AP Photo/Brandon Wade
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http://www.foxsportstennessee.
Fox sports
Chick-fil-A Bowl preview: Clemson-LSU
Bowl Preview Roundtable: Chick-fil-a Bowl |
ARCHIVE | EMAIL Zach Dillard is a sports writer and digital content assistant at Fox Sports South. Follow him on Twitter @zach_dillard |
If Clemson has not solved its issues along the offensive line, this will be another long night at the hands of an SEC defense.
The last time offensive coordinator Chad Morris' record-setting scoring machine took to the national stage, it was single-handedly shut down by South Carolina’s defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (4 1/2 sacks). The Gamecocks rushed Clowney from the right, from the left, from a 3-point stance and standing up. Clemson could not find an answer, and it showed on the scoreboard: Quarterback Tajh Boyd posted a season-worst 183 yards passing and threw two picks.
Now, though South Carolina’s All-American sophomore might be the most talented player in the nation, LSU pass rushers Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo are also top 15-caliber NFL Draft prospects in their own right. The two have combined for 11 sacks and 17 1/2 tackles for loss this season.
If the ACC Tigers have not sorted out a way to protect Boyd — he’s been sacked 26 times this season — expect a second straight loss at the hands of an SEC power.
Player to Watch
Amid the freshman hoopla surrounding Georgia's Todd Gurley and Alabama's T.J. Yeldon following the SEC Championship (for good reason), it's easy to forget that LSU's Jeremy Hill quickly became the go-to guy in a loaded Tigers backfield.
LSU entered the 2012 season boasting a backfield of Spencer Ware, Kenny Hilliard, Alfred Blue and Michael Ford. Those four runners combined to rush for 2,338 yards and 30 touchdowns for last season’s BCS national title runner-up.
Hill was not even in the picture.
Now, as the redshirt freshman goes, so goes Les Miles' offense. Hill has averaged 19.5 rushes over the last six games, including 100-yard performances against top-10 opponents South Carolina, Alabama and Texas A&M. He leads the team with 631 yards and 10 scores, including a season-saving three-touchdown performance against Ole Miss.
If Hill and his Tigers can control the ground game, it’s going to be that much more difficult for Clemson's offense to crack LSU's 8th-ranked defense.
Telling Stat
9 — Clemson’s explosive sophomore Sammy Watkins receives most of the media’s attention, but wideout DeAndre Hopkins was much more productive this season. Hopkins has caught a touchdown pass in nine consecutive games, tying an ACC record. Thus far, he’s amassed 1,214 receiving yards (ninth nationally) and 16 scores.
Final Analysis
In all honesty, there is not a single quality win on Clemson’s resume. That may sound harsh for a 10-2 team in a big-name bowl, but what qualifies as quality?
Auburn? Virginia Tech? NC State? Maybe in some other season, but not this time around. The ACC’s Tigers played two ranked opponents in 2012 (Florida State, South Carolina) and lost to both of them in rather convincing fashion.
LSU fell beneath its high preseason expectations, but it still beat the likes of South Carolina and Texas A&M and took No. 2 Alabama down to the final possession. The defense is still terrifying, and with its pass rush likely putting pressure on Boyd all night and a premier secondary led by safety Eric Reid forcing turnovers (31 this season), LSU holds the edge here.
If Clemson can start clicking on offense, it is one of the more dangerous teams in the country, but it has not happened yet against a top-25 scoring defense. With LSU’s running game and quarterback Zach Mettenberger playing better, LSU should squeeze out a win in this one.
The Pick: LSU 24-21 See video and read more...http://www.
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http://theadvocate.com/sports/
LSU, Clemson both claim moniker for stadiums
You could hardly call what LSU and Clemson have shared on the football field a rivalry.
The schools have met all of two times, with LSU winning 7-0 in the 1959 Sugar Bowl and 10-7 in the 1996 Peach Bowl.
A rivalry? That’s LSU/Alabama or Clemson/South Carolina. What exists between the LSU Tigers and Clemson Tigers is more of a hazy glimpse of an image in a distant mirror.
There is one point of contention, though, between LSU and Clemson, who meet New Year’s Eve in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta: Which school has the real Death Valley?
LSU’s Tiger Stadium and Clemson’s Memorial Stadium have been labeled Death Valley by their fans, nicknames that for both embody what LSU coach Les Miles said of Tiger Stadium after his team beat South Carolina in October: “That was Death Valley. That was the place where opponents’ dreams come to die.”
But which nickname was in place first?
Tiger Stadium is older, the first game played there Nov. 25, 1924, when Tulane blanked LSU 13-0. Memorial Stadium didn’t open until Sept. 19, 1942, when Clemson beat Presbyterian 32-13.
Clemson’s stadium was built against the advice of former coach Jess Neely, who on his way out the door to become coach at Rice advised school’s administration to dismiss the notion of building a big stadium.
“Put about 10,000 seats behind the YMCA,” he said. “That’s all you’ll ever need.”
Today, Clemson’s Death Valley seats 81,500. Tiger Stadium seats 92,542.
Presbyterian, a small college from Clinton, S.C., factors most prominently in the Death Valley moniker.
In 1943, little Presbyterian went to Clemson and sprang a 13-12 upset on a Tigers team depleted by players who had entered the service for World War II. The next year, Clemson crushed the Blue Hose 34-0.
As his team practiced for the 1945 opener, a game Clemson would win 76-0, Presbyterian coach Lonnie McMillian remarked to his players that they had to get ready to go back to “Death Valley” to play Clemson.
“Then the media kind of picked up on it and (Clemson coach) Frank Howard picked up on it and it snowballed,” said Sam Blackman, longtime senior associate sports information director at Clemson.
According to Clemson, the stadium has been officially referred to as Death Valley since 1948.
But what prompted McMillian to call Clemson’s stadium Death Valley in the first place? Blackman said the story goes that McMillian visited Death Valley in California in 1932 on his way to the Summer Olympics that year in Los Angeles.
Callie Gault, a Presbyterian player in the mid-1940s and later the school’s coach, said McMillian remarked that playing a day game at Clemson early in the season was so hot that it was like playing in Death Valley.
“(Gault) said you haven’t felt hot until you’ve played in (Clemson’s) stadium in September,” Blackman said, adding that Memorial Stadium is built in a natural valley that tends to hold heat, especially in early-season games. Read more...http://theadvocate.com/
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| All-American Bowl Rundown | ||||
Rashard Robinson
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The nation's elite football prospects will be showcasing their talents at the upcoming All-American games. See where the LSU commits and targets will be playing. | |||
The start of the new year means All-American bowl season, with just about every elite recruit in the nation displaying their talents in one of four showcase games. Here’s a rundown of the four games and where the LSU commits will be playing. I’ll be attending the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in Houston, Texas and will also provide some player tidbits from I what expect to see there. ***All times CST OFFFENSE-DEFENSE ALL-AMERICAN BOWL – HOUSTON, TEXAS Schedule Wednesday Dec. 26 – Players Arrive Thursday Dec. 27 – Practice 10:00 a.m. – Noon, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Friday Dec. 28 - Practice 10:00 a.m. – Noon, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Saturday Dec. 29 - Practice 10:00 a.m. – Noon, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Sunday Dec. 30 – Game 7:07 p.m. LSU Commits Lewis Neal – He has been considered one of the more underrated prospects in LSU’s 2013 class. He holds a three-star rating on this network, though many believe he deserves a fourth. Neal shined in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas a couple weeks ago and another breakout performance in the OD game would go a long way in boosting his ranking. Michael Patterson – It will be interesting to see how Patterson is used in this game. Primarily used as a defense end in a 4-3 defense, Winnfield also stood him up at times when they went to a three-man front. Patterson has the speed to be a hybrid type blitzer — he’s been compared to Barkevious Mingo — but has the frame to add enough to weight to be a true defensive end. His athleticism could turn heads in Houston. Rashard Robinson – A LSU commit since the summer, Robinson became a casue for concern for Tiger fans when he took an official visit to Miami earlier this month. A product of the same high school that produced Patrick Peterson and Avery Johnson, Robinson has plenty of ties to LSU and still appears a safe bet to sign with LSU in February. But it appears he’s become a high priority for Miami and will be one LSU fans sweat until Signing Day. Tevin Lawson – With all of the additions along the defensive line for LSU, Lawson has somewhat been lost in the fold. Committing to the Tigers in March, Lawson will certainly provide another big body to a position the Tigers may be strapped for depth in 2013. Though he still has work to do in the classroom, he could make a name for himself with a solid performance at the OD game. Other Prospects of Interest Jamal Carter – Miami commit – LSU entertained Carter on an official visit a couple weeks ago, though he still appears solid to Miami Kaleb Blanchard – Former Arkansas commit and Denham Springs native who had his scholarship pulled by new coach Brett Bielema Deondre Skinner – Arkansas commit and Patterson native Trevell Dixon – Former Nebraska commit from West Saint Mary Darian Claiborne – Texas A&M commit and Port Allen native US Army ALL-AMERICAN BOWL – SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS SCHEDULE Sunday Dec. 30 – Players arrive Monday Dec. 31 – Practice 10:00 a.m. – Noon, 1:00 p.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday Jan. 1 - Practice 10:00 a.m. – Noon, 1:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Thursday Jan. 3 - Practice 10:00 a.m. – Noon, 1:00 p.m. – 3 p.m. Friday Jan. 4 – Junior Combine 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday Jan. 5 – Game Noon on NBC LSU Commits Josh Boutte Hayden Rettig John Diarse Frank Herron Desean Smith Tre'Davious White Other Prospects of Interest Tahaan Goodman Ricky Seals-Jones UNDER-ARMOUR ALL-AMERICAN – ST. PETERSBURG, Florida SCHEDULE Practice schedule TBA Friday Jan. 4 – Game 4:00 p.m. on ESPN LSU Commits Jeryl Brazil Ethan Pocic Greg Gilmore Other Prospects of Interest Kendell Beckwith - Will announce commitment Maquedius Bain - Will announce commitment Priest Willis - Will announce top four Josh McNeil Robert Nkemdiche Reuben Foster Dee Liner Antonio Conner Tim Williams Noel Ellis SEMPER FIDELIS ALL AMERICAN BOWL – LOS ANGELES, California SCHEDULE Sunday Dec. 30 – Players arrive Monday Dec. 31 – Practice 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Tuesday Jan. 1 - Practice 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 2 - Practice 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Thursday Jan. 3 - Practice 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Friday Jan. 4 – Game 8:00 p.m. on NFL Network LSU Commits Christian Lacouture Jeremy Cutrer Other Prospects of Interest Tashawn Bower |
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Related Stories
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http://recruiting.scout.com/a.
Scout.com College Football Team Recruiting Rankings
| Class: | Team Rankings | Conference Rankings | Position Rankings |
| Team Rankings | |
 | School | Commits | Conf | Points | Top 100 |   | |
|
Off | Def | SpT | HS | JC | Avg |
| 1. | Michigan | 24 | Big Ten | 4635 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 3.83 |
| 2. | Texas A&M | 34 | SEC | 4352 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 0 | 30 | 4 | 3.50 |
| 3. | Georgia | 30 | SEC | 4080 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 16 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 26 | 4 | 3.47 |
| 4. | Notre Dame | 21 | Indep | 4011 | 6 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 3.86 |
| 5. | USC | 16 | Pac-12 | 3944 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 4.38 |
| 6. | Florida | 24 | SEC | 3679 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 3.58 |
| 7. | Ohio State | 19 | Big Ten | 3639 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 3.84 |
| 8. | LSU | 22 | SEC | 3590 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 3.68 |
| 9. | Alabama | 20 | SEC | 3562 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 3.80 |
| 10. | UCLA | 19 | Pac-12 | 2916 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 3.47 |
| 11. | Washington | 20 | Pac-12 | 2607 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 3.25 |
| 12. | Mississippi State | 21 | SEC | 2505 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 3.29 |
| 13. | Texas | 13 | Big 12 | 2431 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 3.85 |
| t14. | Oklahoma | 18 | Big 12 | 2395 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 3.28 |
| t14. | Vanderbilt | 23 | SEC | 2395 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 3.04 |
| 16. | Nebraska | 16 | Big Ten | 2318 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 3.44 |
| 17. | Florida State | 17 | ACC | 2292 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 3.35 |
| 18. | North Carolina | 19 | ACC | 2257 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 3.16 |
| 19. | Mississippi | 20 | SEC | 2251 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 3.20 |
| 20. | Oklahoma State | 19 | Big 12 | 2224 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 3.16 |
| 21. | Auburn | 13 | SEC | 2146 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 3.62 |
| 22. | Clemson | 14 | ACC | 2120 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3.50 |
| 23. | Arizona | 26 | Pac-12 | 2088 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 21 | 5 | 2.77 |
| 24. | West Virginia | 22 | Big 12 | 2086 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 2.95 |
| 25. | South Carolina | 19 | SEC | 2053 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 3.11 |
| << Prev Next >> | ||||||||||||||
615tider
Alabama Fan
Antioch, TN
Member since Oct 2012
524 posts
I like Les MIles even more after today (Posted on 12/24/12 at 10:48 a.m.)
SEC official Lane Thomas spoke at our church's Mens Pancake Breakfast and he had a lot of great things to say about Les. He said he was definitely the most unique coach in the SEC and also said he was very funny and friendly to all the refs.
He told us a few stories concerning Miles that had everybody cracking up. Just wanted to say that I'll most likely never meet Les but I'd shake his hand if I did, sounds like a great guy.
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FamousAmos
LSU Fan
Member since Feb 2010
1462 posts
re: I like Les MIles even more after today (Posted on 12/24/12 at 10:51 a.m. to 615tider)
Any stories you can share?
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615tider
Alabama Fan
Antioch, TN
Member since Oct 2012
524 posts
re: I like Les MIles even more after today (Posted on 12/24/12 at 11:02 a.m. to FamousAmos)
I think it was during the 2010 Auburn game but he said Les called him over to the sideline saying, "Hey, did you see that?". The ref was looking around like, "see what?". Miles pointed about 5 or 6 rows up and said, "That guy in the white shirt just made his wife go get him a hot dog. And you know what, he'll probably complain when she gets back that there ain't enough mustard on it."
The ref couldn't believe it cause the tension was so high in this game. He said he was scared to death of making a bad call while Les was over there cracking jokes.
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