Game On Rewind: Clemson beat reporter WIll Vandervort stops by! 2025-3-6

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You've obviously got the a SEC Tournament and the SEC
Tournament in our backyard here coming around the corner and
central to that would be the Clemson Tigers. There's a
lot going on with the Clemson stuff in terms of football.
We'll get to that, and also Brad Burnell's run with
this team again this year, joining us to break it
all down, and maybe a Steelers A question or two

(00:21):
at the end of the interview is will Vandervart Clemson
insider buddy, how you been?

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Hey? Guys? How You've been a long time man?

Speaker 1 (00:28):
So I think we all had I know you in particular,
a guy that works them late night deadlines, after the
dabos WHENNY press conferences you needed a breather. We gave
you a bit of a breather after football sort of
wrapped up, and what a remarkable season it was for Clemson,
you know, out there in Austin, Texas trying to rally
and win that game. I want to get to basketball

(00:49):
in a minute, but what's your reads so far? Early?
It's very early. We know there's been some off the
field stuff that Clemson's been litigating and they're through that.
But on the football set, lost a few guys like
Barry Carter and a new defensive coordinator and Tom and
give us just a few nuggets there from from what
you've learned about the program heading into twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
My man, I think they're gonna be way better defensively.
We spoke with Tom Allen last night after practice and
you know this this is practice number That was practice
number four of the spring and so you know, they
got to do a little bit last Yesterday was the
second day they were in full pads, probably the first

(01:29):
day they actually have done you know a lot of
live work where they really got down and down to business,
if you will.

Speaker 1 (01:38):
Ben was on the field, so you know that's gonna happen.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, So it was you know, the main thing that
came out while we were there yesterday the conversations. You
know Tom Allen, you know, we get people perspective. He
walks around with the microphone in his hand and he's
fussing at the at his team, you know, during practice
and letting them know, hey, this is how you know

(02:02):
I need you to do this right, I need to
do this. I don't want to say fussing's the best way.
I should just say coaching he's coaching. He's coaching the guys,
and he's letting them you know, he's coaching his coaches,
he's coaching his players, and he walks around and goes
around to each segment making sure guys are doing what
they're supposed to do. And the main thing they're emphasizing,
and it's no surprise, is tackling. Tackling with a major issue.

(02:23):
Coach Allen said that what he did when he first
got the job at Clinton as he went watched all
the game film from last year to see what the
problems were, and then he went and watched practice because
he said he wanted to see the effort. What was
the effort like in practice, and he talked about how
the effort wasn't good in practice, which translated the game
day and and so he mentioned that as a major issue,

(02:47):
and that's one thing he wanted to correct right away.
First thing is effort in practice. And then the second
thing is, you know, how is tackling going. And they
really they do this what they call the Madden circle.
And so the whole thing these drills work around, you know,
working on tackling within one yard of the ball carrier

(03:07):
right right, and wrapping up in tackling. So it's really
interesting drills that he's doing, and he's trying to just
kind of fundamentally get it in their heads, you know
why it's important to tackle and how to tackle. I mean,
it's like going all the way back to that won't
say totally back to their pee wee days, but it's
definitely teaching them how to tackle with the how to
tackle the football, and that's what they needed. And so

(03:30):
I think that's the thing I get out of it
so far of the four practices we've been able to
watch so for we'll.

Speaker 1 (03:35):
Talk about some of the key players here in a minute,
but back to Tom Allen. Will Van Dervoort, Clemson Insider
joining us, who has been covering Clemson spring practice, and
I found it fascinating to hear some of his interviews
that the Clemson athletic folks had put on one of
the podcasts, and do you hear some of his press conferences.
He definitely has the voice that commands respect. He's obviously

(03:57):
got the bona fides working up there in the Big Ten,
has brought a lot of great defenses and has developed
a ton of star players in the NFL. But all
that is glitz and glamour and an inn window and attributes.
All that matters is tackling. You were so right about that,
because I've seen this with teams in the NFL. I've
seen it with my own Panthers. The one thing that

(04:20):
kills you in football. And I'm not trying to echo
Dabbo or Tom or speak for them, but boy, if
you start missing your tackles and taking bad angles and
you can't hold the edge, I don't care how good
you are on offense. I don't care how good dynamically
you are in the back end in terms of playmaking.
I don't care how good you can rush the passer.
It will kill your momentum. And I think you're telling

(04:41):
me in a certain way. Allen's bringing a certain attitude
to that, and we'll see if that translates. Do you
get the sense that on the offensive side of the ball,
With Garrett Riley coming into I believe it's what year
three now for Garrett Kate club coming back. Caid should
have been a Heisman finalist last year. In my opinion,
Cad will be this year if he's healthy. But what's
he working with out there? You give us an idea

(05:03):
of what the offensive wine should be looking like. And
obviously losing Brennan Stools a big deal. But some good
young receivers on that roster right now.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Man, Yeah, they're in. Uh they're fire. H Okay, I'll
say it the best way. The main thing they're looking
at on the offense there in the spring is they're working.
They're working on running back. Uh. You know, they got
they got they got obviously the pressure coming in and
they're excited about what he can do. How much can
he learn in this short amount of time to get
him ready for Paul Camp. You know obviously you know

(05:34):
you got Adams and those guys that are back. The
big news is Adam Randall is now playing running back
this spring. That's what he's focusing on. Dad's big on
that to make sure, you know, trying to see doesn't
necessarily mean that's what he's gonna play in the fall.
They're just trying it right now. As Dabo you said,
let's let's try and let's see what it is. So

(05:54):
he's been working at running back and getting I see
him with the first and second team reps. So and
then the you know, as far as the wide receivers
go to they're a great shape at wide receiver. Flintston
is the only team in the country that brings back
four receivers that had over five hundred yards receiving five
hundred yards receiving last year that there's there's nobody else

(06:18):
that that that has that number. And yeah, they got
to replace Brenting, still a tight end. But I'll be
honest with you, you know there they think they think
a lot of the young man that was here last year,
give me a second year. I'll tell you his name.
He was a red shirt freshman, played a little bit
last year and Christian Beneicure and uh, he played a
little bit last year during his red shirt season. They

(06:41):
think he's got the the ability to be really really
good and uh and right now he's getting a lot
of reps because because uh Alston pat Henry is missing
some time in practice because of some magginet injury he
had from last year. They're just kind of let him
take it easy. So that's allowing him to get some reps.
Gift Patrick Sapp excuse not Patrick Sapp, Josh Sap, Patrick's

(07:05):
son as well. And so you know, I think they
feel pretty good about that position because of the guys
they have, they're already in place. And then and then
the offensive line, they bring back four starters, but really
they bring back a fifth two and Harry Sewell, you know,
because he was you know, he played a lot last

(07:27):
year and played a lot in the year before, and
so he's pretty much gonna be penciled in, already penciling
in that left guard replacing Marcus Tate. So they feel
real good there and they feel like this year they're
gonna be able to get even more depth than they
had last year, which they had to use all of
it and then some with the injuries. But they feel
really good about who they got coming back on the

(07:47):
offensive line. Now, Tristan Lee and a couple of those
guys aren't working right now in the spring because again
they had off season surgeries and some nagging injuries that
they cleaned up. Walker Parks is not working either, So
there's a couple guys that are that are that are
getting extra work that they probably wouldn't have gotten. You know,
if those other guys weren't banged up. I want say

(08:08):
banged up, that's not the right work because they're rebilitating.
So I would say it's more rehabbing more than anything.
Don't be more than ready to go. They could play now,
Dabo just doesn't see the sense of rushing them back
or just you know, spring practice.

Speaker 1 (08:22):
And Dabo made it real clear there will be a
spring game. Oh no, there's a lot changing in college football,
but that ain't changing. So a spring game.

Speaker 2 (08:28):
And not only that, Dabo mentioned that they're trying to
figure out to a fan appreciation day as well. Yeah,
and I don't know if it to be tied in
with the spring game or not, but Dabo mentioned that,
and a lot of people haven't talked about that part.
It was kind of at the tell any because everybody
was so focused on him saying, yeah, we're keeping our
spring game that they didn't hear the part where Dada says, yeah,
we want to try to do something also not just

(08:50):
a spring game, but also do something else for the
fans when it comes to fan appreciation day kind of thing,
So you know, kind of be on the lookout for
that too as well. Davo's trying to figure out some
substitute with that.

Speaker 1 (09:01):
Sounds like we'll keep an eye on that. Let's tuck
football away to bed for a minute. As we've obviously
got the combine. Some Clemson guys are going to be
in this draft class, including Brennan Stoel and Barrek Carter.
But basketball on the men's side, it's just another special
season for Brad Burnell's team, a coach that was all
but left for dead a couple of years ago. And

(09:22):
I will tell you I haven't followed this team as
closely this year because I no longer do the WeSC pregame.
But I have followed it from a distance, and I've
caught up on the fact that you know, James Zachary
twenty one points the other night, they go twenty five
and five this season so far, seventeen and two in
the ACC chase. Hunter's doing great things. The chef is cooking,

(09:42):
breaking records again. You get the tournament time. It's unpredictable.
Is there a level of confidence Do you think that
they can lean on from what they went through last
year going all the way to the Elite eight or
is it a new season and unpredictable things, as Virginia
proved over the years, can happen. Where's the mindset with
coach Brunella and what's he telling you guys?

Speaker 2 (10:03):
Well, you know who's telling us just basically what you said,
because you know, you know coaches are they're not going
to come out there and tell us they think they
can win a national championshipslator that's what I need. But
you know, I will say this, he likes his team
a lot. He likes the direction they're in and they're going,

(10:25):
and that they've been at at at this point. Personally,
what I think this team is. I think this team
has a chance to go very far in the tournament
because they are built with all the things you need
to succeed in tournament basketball. They got good guard play,
they can shoot the three pointer, they can play defense,
and they got it. They got a good strong inside

(10:45):
interior game. And when you have those three things, oh
and they protect the rim. Well you know, so when
you have those elements, it allows you to, uh to
to be a matchup problem for a lot of teams.
Where there's not many teams where Clemson's gonna be they're
gonna have a matchup problem. More teams are gonna have
a matchup with Clemson a problem with Clemson than the

(11:06):
other way around.

Speaker 1 (11:07):
You say more so this would you say it's a
better condition for them now than this time of year ago.
In that regard.

Speaker 2 (11:13):
Oh yeah, I mean again, you don't know what's gonna happen,
Like you were saying, that's why no coach you ever
hear no coach said they're just gonna roll through.

Speaker 1 (11:19):
The term there's always air.

Speaker 2 (11:22):
Is this team prepare? Does this team have what it
takes to make a run? Absolutely more so than last
year's team did, which made a run. I think this
team when you look at the offense and efficiency numbers,
you know, Kim Palm had this out yesterday and they said,
here are the teams that the last twenty five years
have won the national championship. Here's what their numbers are.

(11:44):
Whether it's like seven or eight teams this year that
fit that same description, Clemson is one of those teams. Now,
I'm not saying Clemson's gonna go win the national championship,
but what it tells me is because of the way
Clemson plays on offense, because of the way Clemson plays
on defense, they do both very well in the top
thirty in both areas. I think because of that, it

(12:08):
gives them a chance to go far. According to what
Kim Thomas saying, gives them a chance to go far
in the tournament like it has teams before them. And
so with that said, if there's only eight teams that
match these numbers, then you're looking Clemson as should be
an the lead eighteam at worst case scenario, right and
maybe and then if you get to that far, then

(12:30):
you got a chance to get to the final four
and then do some special things with that as well.
So I know coach Brownell, he said take it one
game at a time, and that's what they're gonna do.
But John, I really like this basketball team. I think
they got a chance to be really really good and
go on deep runt here in this postseason.

Speaker 1 (12:46):
Well, quickly, I want to get your about one hundred
and twenty second thoughts on the Steelers and primarily what
to do with quarterback. Russell Wilson's a free agent. Justin
Field is a free agent. The season ended in typical
Steeler fashion. Get a good, competitive team not quite equipped
to pass the torch to a guy that's ready to
be the quarterback of the future. Do you think that's

(13:06):
the route or is it the veteran route, or is
it Russell Wilson all over again? Where are you at
right now? With these Steelers.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
Man, well, I don't think Russell Wilson's happening. Everything I'm
reading that's gonna be justin Fields. That's gonna they're gonna
keep because they're looking at the future. However, justin Fields
isn't the answer either. I can tell you that right now. Uh,
he'll he'll be a placeholder this year. I don't have
any expectations for this team to do anything next year.

(13:32):
So I'm thinking probably I'm gonna go ahead and say this,
this will be the first losing season. It might be
wow and y' and they'll probably at best win six games.

Speaker 1 (13:44):
What I call the this is vintage Vandervoord. There really
a new segment, vintage Vandervard. We bring out like a
cabdet vintage vander Word. And I mean that sincerely is
a compliment because under Cell over perform and keep your
expectations because the Steelers look it ain't like the Panther
where it's been ten straight losing seasons, but that ten
win stuff's got to get a little tired after a while.

(14:05):
So I don't blame you for going in. We'll see
what happens draft around the corner, and maybe Jackson Dark
you know.

Speaker 2 (14:12):
Oh my gosh, I don't know. I mean, I mean,
you never know if a rookie could come in and
if he's got I mean, there are pieces in place
for the Steelers to be successful, but I don't know
how much we're in place. And I just right now
had no level of confidence if this team could do
anything they need to. They need to get a high
level quarterback. You know, they made the mistakes several years

(14:34):
ago when they could have gotten Lamar Jackson. Instead, they
didn't want to hurt Ben Roethlisberger's feelings and they let
him go get drafted by the Ravens, fighting them in
the butt twofold if you will, and you know so,
I don't know what they're gonna do, but you know
it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing if they only
go six and eleven and get a top ten draft pick,

(14:57):
where maybe they can go get themselves a franchise quarterback.

Speaker 1 (14:59):
Finally, Steelers Vintage Vandervoar had brought to you by a
couple of beers. Will Vandivore clips it insider. It's great
to catch up with you, man. Let's do it in
studio soon. But come see us.

Speaker 2 (15:10):
Yeah, absolutely, man, that's fun too, Yeah, try to do that.