Game On Rewind: Clemson beat reporter WIll Vandervort stops by! 2024-10-30

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining us now is our good friend from the Clemson Insider.
It's Will Vandervoort. What's going on, my friend?

Speaker 2 (00:06):
What's going on?

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Guys?

Speaker 2 (00:07):
How y'all doing?

Speaker 1 (00:08):
We're doing fantastic. We'll lead off with a quick Halloween
question if you don't mind, do you have a favorite
Halloween candy or even a mount Rushmore that you can nominate.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Halloween candy? Not a big I'm not a big candy guy.
I never have been, but if I had to go,
I would say probably not be the the little Hershey's
candy bars and the uh and and some maybe some

(00:40):
either Reese's pieces.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Reese's pieces are criminally underrated, very underrated. Yeah, so well
let's stop into football. What we got you here? And
Avart you can find him at the Clemson Insider. Just
your progress report right now? On the Tigers, we haven't
spoken in about a month probably, And look, it's been
an interesting season so far. They had the open week,
and I guess since you know the Georgia game, they

(01:05):
have certainly made strides on offense. They've looked very potent
on defensive times. Where would you grade this team right now? Overall?

Speaker 2 (01:14):
That's safely grant them overall, maybe an A right now,
they can be better. A plus obviously would be better.
But you know, I think they're solid A because when
you win six straight and you win dominating fashion, you
know you've proven you can you through some good things
and done some good things. And defensively, I think is

(01:35):
where the defense hasn't played. It's that game yet I
do believe that. I do think they can do better,
especially with the first team guys. So that's gotta be good.
Make Twim's defense feel good because they know they're six
and one and they can still play better, and they
play I think offensively they're playing as bad as good
as they can. And you know, I don't know if

(01:56):
there's anything really you can critique negatively on the offense.
I mean, offensive line has much improved, only allowed two
sacks themselves all year. Uh the uh, that's just the
offensive line being charged with sacks, by the way. The
you know, Kate Klubmick obviously is is swinging it everywhere.
Twenty touchdown, three interceptions. You know, he's got four rushing

(02:19):
touchdowns and has really become a factor in the run game,
taking care of the football on both both sides. And
then the wide receivers, man, you know, they're much improved too,
and you know, start off with you knows, even putting
britting Steel in there. You know, Britney Steel's having a
heck of a year, so is Antonio Williams. Obviously you've

(02:39):
got more and you know Bryant west Coat doing their thing.
And then also you know Troy Stilado and Adam Randall
have been just hitch out as well and they've had
their opportunity. So I just really don't see anything on
the offensive side that I could be negative about. You know,
where defensively there's some issues. You know, obviously at defensive end,

(03:02):
they're still trying to figure some things out there. I think,
you know, Shaheen loss has come around, like where he's
at in his progression. I think on the back end,
I think they on the last game they moved Khalil
Barnes more back to the nickel position and put Griffin
back there at safety. I think that was a good

(03:24):
move because I think Khalil Barnes is more comfortable and
plays better at that nickel position, and I think it
showed against Virginia because he probably had his best game
of the season. So if they can get better on
that back end of the defense, and I think maybe
they're taking steps to do that. They're gonna be They're
gonna be challenging to get to beat. And if the
defensive line can just continue to get better and they

(03:46):
can start get more pressure on the on the quarterback
like they did the last couple of weeks, you're gonna
start seeing them get better as well. So yeah, there's
there's some good things and bad things, But overall, I say,
as seams of the age right now, Will Van.

Speaker 1 (03:58):
Der Voord, Clemson Insider joins us here game on always
great to get his perspective and have a few laughs
along the way. But on a serious note, you mentioned
the offensive line. You mentioned Kay Club Nick. They are
really playing as one right now, that whole group, and
it's great to see. And you look at Club Nick.
I think one thing Sweeney talked about I saw it
reported on your website here the Clemson Insider that Club

(04:19):
Nick's sort of willingness to be more active in the
run game Dabo. Sweeney has pointed out that that's been
a big plus for him. Just size up Club Nick
his development. It's not just the offensive line. They've done
a great job, and these receivers have stepped up big
and I think the play calling has been great. But
Clubnick on his own has really grown up in a
very short amount of time here.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, he has. I mean, and it helps him grow
up when everybody's better around him. I mean, that's just
for an insurre fact, you know. And but he's played,
he's played phenomenal, you know, as I mentioned, And I
think the difference in this offense this year is his
ability to be a factor in the run game. You know,
he's he's pulled when he needs to at the right

(05:01):
time in the run pass option part of the game.
And he's running for big yards. I mean, he's just
not running like one or two yard touchdown runs. I
mean he's running for like thirty forty yards out for touchdowns.
Well what that does that really, he's really making defenses
pay when they go man a man and he gets
outside the pocket, right, and so you know that means

(05:25):
teams have to do different things they don't want to do. Well,
that's going to open up the run game already has
you know, Clemson looks how balance Clemson has been right now,
they're one of the most balanced teams in the country.
They're averaging two hundred averaging almost three hundred yards of
game throwing the football, and they're averaging two hundred yards
of games running the football. I mean, that's all you
want out of your offense, is your averaging nearly five

(05:47):
hundred yards a game in total offense, you're averaging over
forty points. And that's counting the Georgia game, by the way,
in those numbers, so they're doing in the six game
win straight, they're actually way over those in those numbers.
So they got a good balance running the football. And
I think club Nick being a part of running the
football and being a factor in the run game is

(06:09):
why that balance is showing, because it's just opening up
everything in the offense. And when you look at Clemson
and today with Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson and Kelly
Bryant there when the quarterbacks ran the football, they were
part of the run game, yep, and they put stress
on the defense. And with all the weapons Clemton has,
you throw that factor in there now it's almost unstoppable.

(06:32):
And that's why they've been so good this first half
of the season.

Speaker 1 (06:35):
Well, it's been a couple of weeks, but I caught
your podcast Believe in Clemson Football, and every week it's
it's always a fun journey into not only you know,
the present, but the past. And a couple of weeks ago,
one of you know, your favorite people on the planet, CJ. Spiller,
was honored by this great university. Let's just take a
moment and have your perspective on what a great career,

(06:57):
not only it's been for Spiller as a player, but
off field and now in the coaching rings.

Speaker 2 (07:03):
Yeah, and he's he's a friend of mine. I got
to know CJ when he was a player. Actually, I
started working with IPT Media at the time that CJ.
You know that that Dabo's first year, say coach, and
I really got to know CJ personally and who he
is as a person, and you know, and he's just

(07:24):
a great guy, just just really is. And getting to
know that side of him was was really fun for me.
And you know it's still it's still know him today
and you know, see him through through what we do
with our job and stuff like that, and you know,
he's just one of those people man that he's just
good on every side, you know, I mean, whether he's

(07:46):
a football player, he's one of the best. Whether he's
a coach, he's one of the best, and whether as
just a person, he's one of the best. As a
dad he's one of the best, and as a husband,
one of the best. And he's just good people and
and and he and he demands and that helps him
win his run in his room, right in this running

(08:07):
back room, because that makes by him being who he
is and demands so much of himself, that forces his
players understand how much he demands of them, and they
respect it and understand it, and they want to play
for him and play hard for him. And that's what
you see out of his running back room. And uh,
just so happy for CJ. Man really am just that
he's in the not no surprise obviously that he's in

(08:30):
the Ring of Honor, and as well deserved as anybody.
He's up there with my good friend Levon now who
was the last one before him, And it's just it
was just awesome for me because he's the first player
I've been doing this twenty years, guys. I know that
sounds crazy, but I have. He's the first player during
my twenty years that's now in the Ring of Honor

(08:52):
that I covered at Clemson. So it's it is crazy,
it's it's it's pretty special to say, hey, I watched
his I remember when he played all four years at
Clemson and what he did with the program, And you know,
he is to Clemson football in this era that Steve
Fuller was in the nineteen seventies and eighties. Steve Fuller,

(09:15):
A lot of people don't know this or remember it.
The old timers will, but Steve Fuller was like c J. Spiller,
and he kind of proved everybody that, hey, a great
player can't come to Clemson and have a great career
and go on to the NFL and have a great career.
When Steve Fuller proved that and put Clemson on the
map with those seventy seven and seventy eight teams, it

(09:36):
really sparked what we saw in the nineteen eighties and
what Clemson did winning the national championship in eighty one
and then going on and just having a dominant decade
there under Danny Ford. Well, c J. Spiller is the
guy that did that for Dabo Sweeney. He came back,
he came to Clemson over Florida, and when everybody in
America wanted him. He was a five star guy, and

(09:59):
he came to Clemson and he ended up having a
great career, went on to the NFL, had a great
career as well. And then and what that did is
that just showed the CJ. Excuse me, the TAJ Boyds
and the Sammy Watkins and you know New Hopkins, those guys.
It started it right and then by CJ doing it,

(10:21):
those guys followed in line. And then Clemson came in
and then you got to Shaun Watson, you got Trevor Lawrence,
you got all those great receivers and Christian Wilkins, and
I can go on and on and on, and then
we see where they're at right now. And yeah, c J.
Spiller is the guy that started it all man, and
he did. You know, he deserves that credit.

Speaker 1 (10:39):
You can make the argument that, ya, he's one of
the top two or three most instrumental players in the
Sweeney era. I mean, as you mentioned, because it was
right in that important time for Dabbo to spring that
program forward in his formative years. And certainly congrats to CJ.
Spiller in his entire family as he's honored by the
University there. Shifting gears now you got Louisville coming up here,

(11:00):
an interesting team with some some good offensive weapons. Let's
get your perspective on what lies ahead for Clemson here,
seven thirty kickoff down at the Valley this Sunday or
this Saturday. I should say, by the way.

Speaker 2 (11:11):
And get right to that. I would be remiss though,
if I didn't mention that this week, sit in your
seats at halftime because Sammy Watkins and Tyj's boy, we're
going to be honored in the Clinton Hall of Fame,
in the Athletic Hall of Fame. So I want to
give those guys their credit to Yeah, as they were,
they're like CJ. They kind of got this whole thing going,
and they deserve that credit. It's good to see those

(11:33):
guys looking forward to obviously I see Taj a lot,
but obviously looking forward to seeing Sammy back in Clemson.
But as far as the game goes, this is a
huge game, guys, for Clemson as they start that stretch
here in the season where they got Louisville this week.
Next week they go to Virginia Tech, and then two
weeks ago they go two weeks from now, they go

(11:54):
to Pittsburgh. Listen, if Clemson. We've already found out by
the way the tiebreaker works, the possibility to have a
three way tie in the ACC. So regardless, if Clemson
can win these next two games, regardless Clymtson's going to Pittsburgh,
We're into orange pants. I mean, it's a championship game,
a chance to clinch a birth in the a SEC
Championship game, going to Pittsburgh here in a few weeks.

(12:17):
So it starts with Louisville first. I mean, they got
to win this game. I mean it's huge and what
they want to do, and they want to get to
the AC Championship game. They want to make the colleg
football playoff and they need to get there. They got
to win this game. But also this game is huge
in the sense of what's happening on Tuesday night. And
I'm not talking about the elections. I'll talk about the
colleg football payoffs because that's what we care about, and

(12:39):
the college football playoffs. Initial rankings are coming out on
Tuesday night.

Speaker 1 (12:43):
I'm excited, man, I can't wait for that. The ones
that something.

Speaker 2 (12:48):
Yeah, this means something. So it's important that Clemson play
well this week and show off themselves to the committee.
They don't have to blow Louisville out because it was
a good team. The committee knows Louisville is a good team.
The important thing is that Clemson shows themselves how what
kind of team they are to the committee. Win the
game and he play well winning the game. That's going

(13:08):
to do wonders, I think for Clemson. And add that
to what they've already done. And I know people have
to say, well, well, what's Clinton's strength to schedule is
not any good? Well, here's the thing, we don't know
what this committee is looking for yet. We're going to
find that out on Tuesday night. Because some committees in
the past have been big on strength to schedule. Some
committees in the past have been big on yeah, you

(13:29):
don't got a very good strength to schedule, by how
dominant have you been in your wins? Well, Clinton's been
dominant in their wins. And if Clemson's able to play
well against a good Louisville team and win and look
good doing it, I think that's going to bode wonders
for Clemson. And what you hope is they start off
this rankings in the top ten, because then that'll give
them opportunities with Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh and South Carolina

(13:52):
in the next few weeks to get some good wins
to add on to that resume. And I know people
are saying John Rofe, people like yeah, but well about
the automatic birth. You don't got to worry about that,
you do because you don't know what's going to happen
in the championship game. You just can't assume Clinton is
winning the ACC anymore. So you want Clinton's resume to
look good to when they get DACY championship game. They're

(14:14):
sitting in the top six. They don't have to get
in the top five in this there, but they're in
that top six. When the regular season is over, going
to Charlotte, then Clinton, I think, is in the playoff
regardless of what happens in d ACY championship game. That's
why these next few weeks are so big for Clemson.

Speaker 3 (14:29):
Steve Will on Twitter, Will, I've got some Pittsburgh questions
here for you, right A lot of the focus, rightfully, so,
is there on the offense, especially with the you know,
the quarterback changes. And I do want to get your
take on Russell Wilson and what he brings to this
offense and how he has performed, at least in the
two starts that he's had here in Pittsburgh. But I

(14:50):
also want to ask you and get your take on
this defense, this Pittsburgh defense, namely kind of in the
first half of games and also when it comes to
stopping teams on third downs. Obviously, the defense has been
really well when it comes to I mean, obviously third
quarters they're holding teams to zero points, but just second
half in general, this team really dominates on defense.

Speaker 4 (15:11):
What do you what do you contribute?

Speaker 3 (15:14):
At least from my perspective, kind of a slower start
there in the first half of these games for the defense.

Speaker 2 (15:21):
Well, one thing is they got to show up the
run game it you know, teams are coming out Dallas
did it to them, and then the Giants the other day.
Teams that you don't expect to run the football that
well against Pittsburgh had done it. Yea, And so you
got a couple of weeks here. You better figure it
out during this off week because you know, in two
weeks are playing you know, the Ravens who do nothing

(15:41):
but run the football till everybody they're doing so you know,
they got to figure it out here pretty fast. But
I think part of it is just guys are getting
out of their gaps and are just the run laying.
Integrity is not there, and I think, you know, they're
just just getting killed on that back side of it.
And you saw that the other night against the Giants,
and so I think that's the number one thing they

(16:02):
got to get better at stopping the run and then
allowing those chunk plays. When they do it, seems like
they'll have a team second and you know, and I
think part of us because they got such a great
pass rush, but they'll have a team second and fifteen
and they're thinking, Okay, they're gonna throw the football and
then guys just rush up field. And the Giants killed
them with the delayed draw, and so did Dallas, and
so there's an issue there self. Scouting this week's going

(16:24):
to be able to find it probably what's actually happening,
so they can concentrate on fixing it. They did a
better job adjusting to that, I think, more so in
the second half, even though they did give that long
touchdown run when they got up two scores there, So
you know, that's part of the problem for him on defense.
But then they you know, they make adjustments, and that's

(16:46):
one good thing they've been good after this year. And
like you said, they've been good at getting off the
field when those opportunities have come up, and that's been
much better this year too. Limiting the penalties as well.
You know, the Steelers don't don't. They don't get penalized
too much knock on wood with my jinx and anything here,
you know, But they've been really good about, you know,
not being penalized, especially on the big stupid plays like

(17:08):
a pass interference penalty or a holding bells out you know,
when the bell out plays is what I call them, Yeah,
you know, And so they they've been real good about
limiting those things. And then of course, guys, they got T. J.
Watt and if teams would start allowing, would start official
would called a hole at least. Yeah, I think I
think it would least help this. I can't. I've been

(17:30):
keeping a running count throughout the last five or six teams,
and so like, the Steelers will get called on the
average three times for holding during the game and the
opposing team only one. And I'm sitting there thinking, are
you trying to tell me that the Steelers pass rush
on defense is not as good as the other teams.
I mean, I don't believe that to be the case.
Obviously he's got t J. Watt and Alex high Smith

(17:53):
and Alex high Smith by the way, twelve pressures.

Speaker 1 (17:55):
The other day, he was a crazy game those Jets,
those Giants off offensive tackles that I know. Alamelor was
sort of saying, I'm ready, I'm ready.

Speaker 4 (18:05):
Afterwards he came back, he said he didn't do anything.
I held him on an island.

Speaker 1 (18:08):
I was there by constantly. It's amazing. Dexter Lauren. I
mean they kept him in check. Dexter huh. He unbelievably
led the league in sacks coming to that game with nine.
A Clemson product will, I mean, this guy's been on
fire this year.

Speaker 2 (18:22):
Well, they did a good job against Dexter Lawrence, says
Night as far as not letting him sack Russell Wilson. Yeah,
but he's still but Dexter Lawrence still dominated that game there.
He was still there. He was making plays. Dexter Lawrence
is just unbelievable. There's one play where he took the
Steelers center and right guard shoved him aside. It was

(18:46):
it was unbelievable. He's that. He is so fun to
watch play. Man. I wish he was wearing black and gold,
I know it, and not that blue and white, because man,
he was. Man, if you had him with Cam Haywood,
forget about, it would be fair. Forget about you know,
in the middle of that defense, it wouldn't be fair.
So yeah, dex is launch playing well. But I thought
I thought Russell Wilson, you know, in the offense, I

(19:08):
thought was much better. Again, as they continue to get better,
I was a guy in the camp you know that.
You know, with Russell Wilson got healthy, you need to
put him in the lineup and you and because I
felt like the offense needed that because he just sees
the game better than justin field. Bill gives you, Yeah,
the electrifying runs and stuff like that, and that's great.
But the NFL is about passing the football, and you

(19:30):
got to be able to throw the football. If not,
teams are gonna just load up the box and eventually
going to stop you. Dominant. Yeah, look how dominant you know,
Nagie Harris has been. Now you know, you're getting better
and better each week. And so I mean, and George
Pickens now and and and Donnelle Washington. Oh my gosh,
you know these weapons are coming out of nowhere, and

(19:50):
those students were this good. I'm like, yes they are.
They just didn't quarterback. I could throw it to him.

Speaker 1 (19:56):
Problem was running angry in that game A left over.

Speaker 2 (20:01):
Yeah, he's run angry. He's run angry in every game
this year. You could tell the contract year and also
the Steelers that picked up that year the offer. See you,
I guarantee you by the end of the season. The
way he's running, he's gonna get it. He's going to
get signed before Steven by the Steelers, before brilliancy starts Ie.

Speaker 1 (20:18):
Make him mad and then cash in on the Yeah.

Speaker 4 (20:21):
Will uh?

Speaker 3 (20:22):
With one extra question, with all the all the wide
receiver trade rumors that keep going around and Steelers have
landed Cooper Cump and I you can everybody, how's the
feel that, Uh, Deontay Johnson's going to the Ravens hurts
a little bit and it stings a little bit.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
It's things it does because it's Deontay Johnson's own fault.
So I can't really I can't really be like all
mad at the Steelers about it because he was being
he was being a brat and all he had to
do is just wait a week and they signed Russell Wilson,
you know, and.

Speaker 1 (20:54):
Y'all and y'all got Dante Jackson out of it, who
has three picks right now, and the Panthers got I'm.

Speaker 2 (20:59):
Saying, I can't feel bad because Jackson all he's doing
is lead the team interceptions.

Speaker 1 (21:03):
He's so good.

Speaker 2 (21:03):
Yeah, and it's playing very well opposite Joey Porter Jr.
I can't complain about it. I mean, good luck to
him over there in Baltimore. I hope we beat the
crap out of him in a couple of weeks. I'm
gonna be up there watching that game and I'll be
booing him with the rest of I think.

Speaker 4 (21:19):
Joey Porter Junior is going to follow him that week.

Speaker 1 (21:21):
Yeah, No, it'll be to be Dante Jackson Yontay Johnson,
the battle of former Panthers. How about that? Will we
taking too much of your time?

Speaker 3 (21:28):
Man?

Speaker 1 (21:28):
You too kind. He's the host of the Believe in
Clemson Football podcast and just great work with the Clemson Insider,
and he's a Rabbit Steelers fan. There's six and two, baby,
Let's ride will Vanvo first place going into bye week
feeling good man.

Speaker 2 (21:42):
Feeling great, feeling great, and we'll see fun Man.

Speaker 1 (21:45):
We'll see in Clemson on Saturday.

Speaker 2 (21:46):
Brother, all right, man, we'll see you guys.