Spence wasn't the problem

CLEMSON --The conventional wisdom of Pickens County and other orange precincts around the state went something like this:

--Former offensive coordinator Rob Spence was a goofball.

--He called too many bubble screens.

--Any lack of production after Spence and head coach Tommy Bowden were fired midway through last season was excused by the transition process.

--And once head coach Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Billy Napier had an offseason to prepare, the Clemson offense would be better, or more exciting. Hopefully, both.

But there is more to it than one guy.

The problem Saturday during the Tigers' 14-10 loss to No. 15 Texas Christian was execution.

Again.

Just like last week, the plan was OK.

But the players made too many mistakes.

This time, one C.J. Spiller touchdown over four quarters on a soggy field was not enough.

You can only go to the Richard Jackson field goal well so often.

When it rains, it pours.

"This week it was just a matter guys going and making plays," Napier said. "We gave them opportunities to make plays, and our players will tell you that. These guys, they know. We have guys that are growing up and we have a quarterback that's growing up. I think it's just a matter of guys going and making plays."

Downfield potential

Give Napier credit for frank analysis, and some bold play calls.

No question, the Clemson football program is better off without Spence, now the offensive coordinator at Syracuse. He was too closely tied to Bowden and the offense needed a change.

The Napier promotion, with Swinney reserving the right to change play calls, remains promising.

They take more chances downfield, a missing part of the Clemson attack the last few seasons.

They do not throw as many passes that fly horizontally.

Oops.

There it is again, that Spence-bashing stuff.

Uncalled for, the numbers say.

Over all three full seasons in which Spence was offensive coordinator -- 2005, 2006 and 2007 -- Clemson led the ACC's Atlantic Division in scoring in conference games. That's a fairly key statistic, one future Clemson offensive coordinators will find hard to duplicate unless lots of players play well.

Napier accepted his share of the blame Saturday.

"I have to coach harder," he said.

Smarts vs. speed

But if play-calling was easy these days, master play-caller Steve Spurrier and his suffocating South Carolina defense would be winning games by three or four touchdowns, not the kind of low-scoring nail-biters the Head Ball Coach detests. Play-calling takes players who can run faster than the many fast guys most teams have on defense in a modern college football world full of linebackers and defensive ends who run faster than the defensive backs of a generation ago.

It is hard trying to outsmart speed.

The splendid Spiller had 227 all-purpose yards. Redshirt freshman quarterback Kyle Parker coolly scrambled to buy time for some nice first-down throws.

But more incompletions (20) than completions (17) is never good.

Blocking still is a big part of football.

Fellow running backs should account for more than two yards on two carries when Spiller doesn't touch the ball.

"I think we can do a better job coaching, and some of those plays that are left out there to be made, we'll make those plays," Napier said. "The good thing is, our kids battled till the very last second. I'm proud of them. But the bottom line is, you have to go win games like that if you want to be an elite program."

Sound familiar?

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com or 937-5593.