You be the coach: Stop Spiller

CLEMSON — So you play a fine Sunday morning quarterback.

So you think you can coach?

Well, here's a challenge — stop C.J. Spiller.

Spiller's Heisman candidacy has slipped, though he has one final stage against Georgia Tech before the Dec. 7 Heisman Trophy voting deadline.

Whether or not he is invited to New York, Spiller is one of the nation's most versatile and dangerous scoring threats. Spiller has nine touchdowns of 50 yards or more this season. That's more than

How would you slow down Spiller?

Heisman winner Tim Brown had for his career, and three times as many as Reggie Bush had in his Heisman- winning season.

Think you have the answers to slow Spiller? Choose your own adventure below.

1. Do you kick to Spiller?

Yes

Spiller has already set the NCAA career record for touchdowns on kickoff returns with seven. More remarkable is this: Spiller has returned four kicks for touchdowns on just 18 returns this season. On average, there is one touchdown return every 50 kickoffs.

No

Seems like a no-brainer, right? But consider this: The Tigers' average starting field position this season is the 38-yard line, nine yards better than their opponents.

It's a direct measure of the hidden yards Spiller accounts for.

Clemson offensive coordinator Billy Napier notes Spiller often affects the game 'without the ball.' The excellent field position has benefited an offense with a rookie quarterback. Sixteen of Clemson's touchdown drives have started inside the 50.

1. How do you defend Spiller the receiver?

Aggressive

Playing man or man- hybrids against Clemson invites trouble.

See: the wheel route.

The wheel route has been the ACC player of the year's signature play from scrimmage. All four of Spiller's touchdowns via pass have come off the play.

Isolated one-on-one against a linebacker, Spiller has beaten Miami, Florida State and Georgia Tech for touchdowns of at least 56 yards.

Spiller also scored via the wheel route on a blown coverage against N.C. State.

If anything, Clemson has underutilized Spiller as a receiver (32 catches in 12 games).

'As an offensive staff they do a great job of creating different pictures, moving him around,' N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien said. 'You have to create as many two-on-situations as possible. Going against him one-on-one, he is going to win 90 percent of the time.'

Passive

Perhaps the best way to defend Spiller is with cushions and zones.

'You need about 14 guys to stop him,' said former Virginia coach Al Groh, who was not fired this week for his work against Spiller. In two career meetings, Virginia neutralized Spiller with shell coverage.

This season, Spiller was limited to 39 receiving yards on five catches against the Cavaliers, and held to two catches and 16 yards last season. That's 7.8 yards per catch against Virginia, well below his season average of 13.8.

Boston College often plays zone and limited Spiller to one catch and two yards this season.

But it isn't foolproof.

Spiller totaled 100 yards receiving last year against Boston College and beat TCU's three-safety arrangement for a 60-yard gain earlier this season.

1. How do you slow down Spiller the runner?

Load the box

Might Clemson defensive coordinator Kevin Steele possess the secret to stopping Spiller? As Alabama's defensive coordinator last season, Steele limited Spiller to seven yards on two carries.

'Go watch the Alabama film last year and you'll see,' Steele said. 'You gotta load the box on him and keep him funneled.'

For three years, defenses dared Clemson quarterbacks to beat them.

Yet, Spiller has averaged 5.7 yards per carry for his career. And this season it's not as simple as just targeting Spiller. Freshman quarterback Kyle Parker has big-play ability with a strong and accurate arm, amassing the sixth-highest freshman passing total in ACC history.

Play seven

Again, surprisingly, it's Virginia which has had the most success in the ACC containing Spiller, limiting him to 58 rushing yards on 19 carries this season (3.1) and 14 carries for 18 yards last season.

Virginia is also the only 3-4 defense in the ACC, and it has the biggest defensive front due to hybrid outside linebackers like former OLB Clint Sintim.

But Spiller has also become a better inside-the-tackles runner, and if a team only plays seven in the box, Spiller's cutback ability and burst is a problem. He has accounted for 24 runs of 10-plus yards this season.

How would Spiller slow down Spiller?

'Gang tackle,' Spiller said.

Perhaps, a defense's best chance is to hope Spiller's nagging injuries slow him. Health might be the greatest question mark surrounding Spiller.

'There are always going to be questions surrounding any athlete,' Spiller said 'What he can and cannot do?'

In Spiller's case, the problem for opposing coaches is this — what can't he do?

Reach Travis Sawchik at tsawchik@postandcourier.com and check out his Clemson blog at www.postandcourier.om/blogstiger_tracks.