Spiller passes the torch

NASHVILLE -- Not content with merely winning a bowl game -- no small Clemson accomplishment these days -- the Tigers on Sunday night while conquering Kentucky in the Music City Bowl offered a fairly impressive preview of life without C.J. Spiller.

The Man amassed 172 all-purpose yards, was named MVP of Clemson's 21-13 victory and presumably rewarded with the finest meats and cheeses. But Spiller was bottled up for much of the cold night as underclassmen took showcase roles in the backfield.

Kyle Parker, a redshirt freshman from Florida, didn't seem bothered by the frosty air. He completed 8 of 14 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown, and, most importantly, did not make a big mistake.

Sophomore running back Jamie Harper, suddenly an outside speed threat, led Clemson with 79 yards rushing on only eight carries. Showing vivid versatility, he smashed through a wall of Kentucky players for a 1-yard touchdown run with the

push of an old, reliable fullback.

Taking advantage of opportunities, redshirt freshman Andre Ellington ran for 20 yards on four carries.

All during a 31-degree night featuring a few snowflakes.

"Our whole year we played in bad weather," said Ellington, a Berkeley High School graduate. "We played in the rain. We played in the cold. So why not just continue to play in the cold? The weather is not a factor for our playmakers."

Receiver issues

It was the strangest nine-win season in Clemson history, four months of football requiring perspective, asterisks and explanation.

The Tigers in Dabo Swinney's first full year as head coach almost won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and the prize trip to the Orange Bowl.

They almost beat a Texas Christian team that might wind up No. 2.

But maybe Jacoby Ford's overtime touchdown catch on a long October afternoon at Miami was the real aberration.

Pathetic Maryland's win over Clemson stands, computer rankings-wise, as one of the biggest upsets in college football this season.

Oh, and there was that South Carolina game.

Going forward, a lot will depend on how the Tigers replace an irreplaceable player on offense.

The backfield and line should be OK.

Receivers?

Let's put it this way: No wide receiver or tight end due back in 2010 caught a Music City Bowl pass. All eight of Parker's completions went to seniors (Spiller, Jacoby Ford and Michael Palmer). Ouch.

Offseason spin

Spiller, now 1-3 in bowl games, is bullish.

"Now these guys have the taste of winning a bowl game going into the offseason," he said on his way off of LP Field. "Now they know what it takes."

The bittersweet offseason, however, will include questions about the South Carolina game.

And why the defense got worse instead of better.

Maybe Kyle Parker has some friends on the baseball team who might be willing to catch a few footballs.

But nine wins are better than eight. Alternative Music City Bowl scenarios for Clemson included three losses in a row to end the 2009 season and four bowl losses in a row dating to 2005.

"We had big expectations to play in Miami," Ellington said. "We fell short so we just made the best of what we had."

The same bounce-back attitude will come in handy in 2010.