Game On Rewind: Chapel Fowler joins the show! 2025-5-12

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining us now, first time are here on Game On.
We've read his work so many times with the State,
and he covers not only the Clemson Tigers, but the
ACC and so many other stories out there. It's our friend, Chapel, Fowler, Chapel,
welcome into the show, my friend.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Thank you guys, appreciate you having me. I'm happy to
be a first time caller on this gloomy day. Hopefully
we can bring a little more cheer than what I've
been feeling looking outside my window here in Greenville on days.

Speaker 1 (00:23):
Yes, boy, it's been a crummy day weatherwise, but no,
we're going to brighten it with the presence of mister
Fowler here, who covers the world of college football for
the State and so much more. And you know, we
can get right down to the burning question about the
Clemson Tigers. Obviously there's a lot to size up with
this off season. What a run it was last year
into the playoffs. But let's not bury the lead. Ian

(00:45):
Shefflin is on the football roster. What a remarkable story.
Let's kind of show your perspective on how we got
here and handicap his chances on making an impact.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yes, the chef is now a football player. I can't
believe I'm saying that. Last fall at the a SEC
Basketball Media Days, knowing it was his last year on
campus as a basketball player, I thought, you know, it
would be nice to do a story on this football
passion of his that I've heard about. You know that
Davis Sweeney has openly joked about and talked about unprompted,

(01:18):
without people even pushing him on the topic, like let's
let's look into this. So I had a really fun
story last fall on on Ian and kind of his
football past and how you know it was a thing
of the past, and you know, he loves playing basketball,
but he could be a pretty good tight end, you know,
if that opportunity ever came about. But who ever thought
it would, Like this is a all a SEC power forward.

(01:40):
And then suddenly I'm seeing reports and hearing myself that
this is this is going to happen because of this
fifty year of eligibility, that that's been a thing for
a super long time. That just went over my head,
like the Greg Paulus thing is, it's not new, it's
not some weird house settlement related change. People can do this.
So I was very surprised. I do love a good
dual sport ass though. Yeah, I'd put his chances of

(02:02):
making an impact at I don't know. I'd give it
like a twenty five thirty percent. You know. I think
it is a really fun story. There's nothing to lose
by doing this, but that transition is hard. You know,
it would be surprised if he plays like, I don't know,
five to seven to ten snaps against LSU like Mats.

(02:22):
I think maybe some more playing time comes later in
the year, but it'll it'll take some time, maybe up
until that senior day against Furman they play when it's
an SCS team and it's the third or fourth quarter,
that maybe he can get in there and get a
jump ball. But I think it'll be a bit of
a long road to impact. But he could prove me
wrong because a lot of guys have done it a
lot sooner.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
Yeah, well, let's shift cook, I say, you know, good
about there with that six to eight frame and just
put him with the go on. Trey here is a
big Steelers fan, and we've been talking about Darnel Washington
for the Steelers. Just worship. Yeah, those six eight tight ends,
like we feel like it's on Madden We just put
him out there flex them wide on on tight end
screens and then put him out there on a fade.
Let's chef cook Man looking forward to seeing if he
can make an impact. Chapel Fowler covers the Clemson Tigers

(03:05):
and much much more for the States. Let's talk about
this Clemson team just on a broad perspective here. Obviously,
last season was quite interesting. The one thing that held
them back in so many ways was the run defense.
A big change of defensive coordinator with Tom Allen. Your
perspective on that change and just getting to know him
a little bit, the intensity he brings to this program

(03:26):
on that side of the ball.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yeah, it was very Greek mythology esque. You know that
one brother guy is doomed to like reach up for
the food and then the water goes below him whenever
he reaches up to the food, and if he goes
down to drink, he can't reach the food. It's kind
of like that was something last year because they finally
had an explosive offense, you know, a truly explosive downfield,
big time receivers, big plays offense, elite quarterback play for

(03:52):
the first time since Trevor Lawrence was a junior there
in the in the nineteen twenty season. So you get
all that you know groove and then you have your
worst rushing defense in terms of opponents yards per carry
since like nineteen seventy five. So everything was coming together
until it wasn't, and you're right, that really did cost them.
I think back to the Georgia game, the South Carolina game,

(04:15):
the Texas game, the three SEC games they played last year.
They were zero and three in those games. They got
out rushed and all of them they couldn't make tackles,
they couldn't feel the edge. That's the type of stuff
that you need to do if you're going to really
contend for a national title, which they want to do
this year and kind of have a lot of the
roster in place to do so. I've seen Tom Allen
come in and really emphasize run defense, intensity, set in

(04:39):
the edge. We heard him all the time in practice
say during our open media viewing periods, you know we're
going to be the best tackling team in football. Every
tackle matter is four matters. All this stuff. He's drilling
this end of the guys over and over. He is
a little bit more Brent Vinnable's esque than west Good
when their former DC was. That's obviously followed Allen everywhere
He's been as that kind of and tense fire persona.

(05:02):
Guys seem to love it. So I'd imagine there will
be some level of improvement. Just because Clemson's coming from
such a bad spot rushing defensive pies from last year,
you know, you should improved at least a little bit,
otherwise something's wrong. But a big step there could do
a lot for their fortunes of going, you know, from
ACC champion, first round CFP partestipant, you know, to maybe

(05:23):
advancing and getting farther and putting themselves truly in that
national you know, final eight, final four conversation.

Speaker 1 (05:30):
Well, and Tom just sounds like a defensive coordinator, right
if we could do a whole index on how a
defensive coordinator should speak. See when you talk like you're
got gravel in your throat, there that that that is
a true voice of a defensive coordinator who doesn't tolerate
bad tackling. He did a hell of a job at
Penn State. We'll see what happens here at Clemson Chapel.

(05:51):
Fowler joining us from the State here talking some tigers
and some acc Hey. You know, on the offensive side
of the ball, you know you got Kate Clubman coming
back in a good young rision. Even core the arrow
is pointing up on this offense, is it none?

Speaker 2 (06:04):
It is?

Speaker 1 (06:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
I think they have a question at running back that
they've partially solved by bringing Adam Randall over, signing a
really good recruit in Gideon Davidson, and having a few
guys outside of those two that have kind of been
in the system for a few years and maybe shown
a little bit at times. I'm thinking like a Jarvis
Green he caught a touchdown on the CFT game last year.
Jay Haynes has been an okay change of payback and

(06:27):
kick returner. They need some some mix to replace film.
Offic You know that this is going to be not
a pass heavy offense, but like if Clemson goes far
this year, it will be because Kate Clubmick is throwing
beautiful passes to those star receivers you mentioned who are
making great catches. You know, it's not going to be
because Adam Randall is rushing for one hundred and fifty
yards per game. You know, they just need some combination

(06:49):
of guys that are able to get them. So whatever
that target goal is, I don't know, a eighty five
ninety ten rushing yards per game like this is not
exactly going to be a ground and pound Clemson team.
But Randall has showing them some stuff. You know, he
ripped off that forty plus yard run against Texas in
the CFP game. I thought that was indicative that, you know,
this six two receiver may actually have a little bit

(07:11):
of running back to film in him. And they're high
on Davidson. And you add all that into the fact
that they returned four out of five offensive line starters
and have a number of younger guys who got playing
time last year and did well, and the arrow is
definitely definitely pointing up. This will be year three for
Garrett Riley with Kate Clubman. You know that pairing. You'd
imagine that they want to take another step forward and

(07:32):
probably can. At the same time, you know there could
be a little bit of drop off. Club Mix stats
last year were so ridiculous forty three total touchdowns. Just
to hear that number associated with him after what his
first season was still kind of blows my mind sometimes.
But the arrow is pointing up and it deservedly is
so because they put a lot on paper last year
that has a lot of people really excited.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
Oh, Chapell, you covered the Clinton Tigers, which means, out
of respect to the ACC, you'll be covering the U
and see tar heels, which means you'll be covering Bill Belichick.
So welcome into the circus. We have to ask you
about this just remarkable story that involves the greatest NFL
coach of all time making his way to the ACC

(08:14):
of all places. Let's just define from your perspective. We
don't want to get salacious here and too much into
the weeds, but he's apparently appearing on Good Morning America
Friday with Michael Strahan for an exclusive interview. It's a
safety zone for him. Strayhan's not going to give him
too many hardball questions. But what do you make of this?
Is this going to turn into a circus a mess

(08:34):
during the season. Will Belichick be able to, in classic
Belichick fashion, go back to the New England roots and
get back to just football and handle your job, do
your job, as he always says, or does this have
the makings and feelings of something that might get a
little bit dicey for Belichick and the tar Heels.

Speaker 2 (08:51):
This already is a little dicey, But I think more
than anything else, winning cures everything. You know, winning has
caused a lot of programs and schools and franchises and
fans at every pro and college level to sweep a
lot worse stuff under the rug for the cost of
a few wins on the scoreboard. You know. I think
if UNC is what, that's four or five games into

(09:14):
Clemson schedule five or six games in. If you UNC's
five and one, when that game comes around, I don't
think anybody's going to be caring about this. And maybe
Jordan Hudson is like the celebrated first late of UNC
football instead of the one who who's the subject of
all these excellent you know, shout out to all the
reporting on this topic, like welcome to FOYA, Bill Melisay,
this is how we're when you're coaching at a public
university as a journalist. That really warrants my heart to see,

(09:37):
like all the great stuff that people have done on
this topic using FOYA alone like a what a wonderful
tool makes me happy. This is kind of the way
it goes. But at the same time, I think, you know,
it has been a fiasco, one hundred percent agree with that.
You know the fact that they have multiple pr people
for the football team. You know one guy who's following
him around spring meetings this week that's kind of been
like his own personal pr assistant on top of the

(09:59):
team they already have, and everybody else like this is
the type of stuff they probably weren't totally expecting. But
you know, you sign up for it, you pay a
lot of money, and you deal with this best you can.
And again, if they win eight games, nine games, ten games,
I think this is just a funny little footnote. But
if that doesn't happen, it's gonna be entertaining to watch,

(10:20):
as it already has been. Here.

Speaker 1 (10:22):
We're here for it the entertainment as always, and you
know you're a guy who likes all sports. I mean,
the NBA playoffs have been great to watch this season,
I think in terms of some of the competitiveness in
this semi final round. But the lottery is tonight and
near and dear to your heart, I'm sure to a
certain degree is the city of Charlotte and the Charlotte Hornets.
Much like me, I've been following this team since I
was basically a teenager, and I think it's one time

(10:46):
they've had the first overall pick. And here we sit
with Cooper flag right there lotteries at seven pm? Is
it gonna be the year? Chapel? Is this final the
year the Hornets get the lucky break and get that
lottery ball that they're looking for a number one?

Speaker 2 (11:01):
Man, I'm so glad you're asked me that, because I'm
a lifelong Hornets fan. I have lived with so much
disappointment and I've convinced myself I'm just going to be
disappointed again. So my expectations are very, very low. I'm
expecting like the number three pick or something. I'm convinced
we can't have good things with professional basketball and Charlotte,
as it was with Anthony Davis, as it was with

(11:23):
wimben Yama, as it was with God Forget, there's one
other number one pick they've missed out on, maybe the
Robinson Draft or something when they got Mourning or he
was a good number two pick. But there's been all
these wonderful it's almost been there, it's almost been perfect
scenarios and it just doesn't work out. So is there
any more perfect scenario than than a homegrown superstar go

(11:44):
and number one overall to that state's franchise. No, not really,
So in my mind that means it's not going to happen.
I would wish, I wish, I'll hope, I'll watch it.
I'll be on my knees like praying if they get
down to the did with Yama a few years ago.
But I'm ready to be hurt. But I do think

(12:05):
Flag will be a great player, so I'll be happy
to see him at the pro level. I just don't think,
based on our recent history it'll be in Charlotte. But
a man can dream and dream, apparently because y'all are
hoping for the same thing.

Speaker 1 (12:17):
Yes, so Bank, you manca dream and hopefully this turns
the entire trajectory of Charlotte's sports around. This would be
the catalyst. This would be the moment where it is
you know what, Yes, you've had enough. The Panthers have
been very bad for a long time for a lot
of reasons. The hornet same thing. Let's get it all
turned around and get him on par with where the
soccer team obviously has been in a short amount of time. Yeah,
we'll see if that gets FC steal in the show

(12:39):
right now, Chapel Fowler from the State has been our guest. Chapel,
let's promote some stuff out for you. Where can we
find your work and what's cooking these days with you?

Speaker 2 (12:46):
Bud, Yeah, appreciate the opportunity. You can find me on
Twitter at Chapel Fowler first same last time. I'm blessed
with a unique one, so don't need apostrophe or underscore anything.
And all of my work Clem Center. Otherwise, like you said,
I do hit on some larger stuff at times, venturing
in some South Carolina now and then, but Clemson football, basketball, sports,

(13:08):
that's kind of my main stuff. All that is at
the State dot com slash sports. That's our website homebage
for all sports stuff. You can find my stuff and
all our other colleagues great work on Gaine, Cox Tigers
high schools. All that stuff is available for You're right there.
So yes, we're in our summer lull to some degree
that we've got some baseball softball postseason and who knows,

(13:31):
you know, something crazy will probably happen tomorrow with the
way college sports are nowadays, so always something to write about.

Speaker 1 (13:36):
Which I enjoy something crazy happens. We know who to call.
We've got you speed down on the batphone. You're ready
to go. Chapel Fouler from the state. Thanks for stopping by.

Speaker 2 (13:44):
Man. Thanks guys, appreciate you having me.