It's simple...we all overlooked USCeast including players

#53
#53
Speak for yourself. I've followed this program for over 60 years. Any of my peers will agree with me....you don't take any opponent for granted.... especially an SEC foe on the road. You won't hear my generation calling opponents garbage or trash much less calling for a boat race ok skull drag. We sure as hell know better because we've lived it and seen it way too many times.
Ok but the generation you raised did. I grew up with Bama fans talking about how sucky everyone was (and they never watched those teams play but they weren't Bama, son).
 
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#54
#54
I don't doubt that, but if that was the whole problem, you'd think that the 3rd, 4th or 5th TD would've been enough to refocus them.

The thing about football is its too late to get refocused after the game starts. You play the way you practice. They probably practiced (especially the defense) with no intensity all week and were distracted by all the hype about the playoffs rather than watching film and working on their reads and assignments. Once USCe came out and dictated the intensity and physicality of the game, you can't just suddenly flip a switch and say okay I wanna play now. SC also had a better game plan than us. They ran that wildcat for which we had no answer and then came back with Rattler and max protected and bet their big physical WRs could beat our CB's on the outside. Rattler had time to throw and we couldn't cover. Hats off to the Gamecocks they just WOA.
 
#55
#55
That was Steele and what was perceived to be a mini-stroke sometime prior to the game.
Steele was the DC, yes. The stroke rumors were never confirmed and seem far-fetched. Pretty sure another assistant would have been given play-calling duties if that were true. But hey.... it's not a bad idea. Maybe we should just say Banks had a mini-stroke and started calling plays from his days at Penn State and everyone was confused.
 
#56
#56
Steele was the DC, yes. The stroke rumors were never confirmed and seem far-fetched. Pretty sure another assistant would have been given play-calling duties if that were true. But hey.... it's not a bad idea. Maybe we should just say Banks had a mini-stroke and started calling plays from his days at Penn State and everyone was confused.
My roommate at Clemson was on the staff at that time and still is today; Steele called plays from his Carolina Panthers days that weren’t in the Clemson playbook. The players and staff were baffled at the calls because they didn’t exist.
 
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#57
#57
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#58
#58
Ok but the generation you raised did. I grew up with Bama fans talking about how sucky everyone was (and they never watched those teams play but they weren't Bama, son).

I didn’t assume we would just win, and he could be my dad (I’m 38). I said something similar a few times before the game in a few threads because I kept seeing people getting stressed over playoff scenarios, worrying about who would rob us of our chance, when we had to take care of two conference games before we could be robbed.

I felt that speculation was fine since we are just fans, but worrying about those scenarios (letting the possibilities bother you) had no point until the conference championships were over. For the team though, speculating on potential futures instead of handling their preparations for the next opponent is not something they can afford to do.

Now, I did absolutely believe we should win those, and still think we should have. I even admit I thought we would. So I guess that is to say, sure plenty did take for granted we would blow past them, but don’t blame all the kids of that generation haha. I wish the ones who assumed we would crush them were right though.
 
#59
#59
Not buying it.

I know it sucks because it happened to us, but games like this (well maybe not quite that bad) literally happen every season; because it's hard to even go 10-2 in colllege football, much less just lose once or go undefeated.
 
#61
#61
After listening to some of the interviews, it sounded to me like they didn't expect to have to play hard to beat uscjr. It seemed like they thought they were a lot better, and just had to handle business as usual. I think the ky and mizzou games gave them a false sense of confidence, and it bit them in the ass.
Beasley admitted it. That’s all media and fans were talking about the last couple weeks. How we were getting in the playoffs. It was assumed we would win out. This was the feeling on the team as well. That rarely turns out good
 
#62
#62
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney takes a shot at Tennessee

We were all already thinking about who we would play in the playoffs in the first round. Even the players mentioned they were not focused enough on USC...we haven't been in this position in forever so USC was basically a trap game and we were caught looking ahead
Never bought the “whole team over looked the other team”…maybe in middle school or something. They had a better plan the executes their offense and tackled outstanding without much YAC. We didn’t scheme them up right and then didn’t execute well.
 
#65
#65
Yeah right. Overlooked them and gave up 63 ---TDs on 8 of 9 possessions. You evidently insist on denial of the Banks attack on Hooker; Banks Suspension and subsequent "Team" choosing sides and not showing up in SC. That game was MORE than an overlook. Most rational people can get that.

Banks attacked Hooker? Got proof of that?
The team chose sides? Got proof of that?
 
#66
#66
It's simple, defense didn't care they were getting embarrassed!!!! No leadership on defense!!! Aaron Beasley only defensive player who even tried!!
 
#68
#68
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney takes a shot at Tennessee

We were all already thinking about who we would play in the playoffs in the first round. Even the players mentioned they were not focused enough on USC...we haven't been in this position in forever so USC was basically a trap game and we were caught looking ahead
UT's DC got outcoached badly. Start there. Whatever else happened was minor in comparison.
 
#69
#69
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#70
#70
Correction, 9 out of 10.

And in addition: I heard Atlanta sports talk radio yesterday report we set a new record for the AP Poll. Since its creation in 1936 no Top 5 team has given up more points to an unranked team..........ever. Four days later we're still the talk of the town.
 
#71
#71
Speak for yourself. I've followed this program for over 60 years. Any of my peers will agree with me....you don't take any opponent for granted.... especially an SEC foe on the road. You won't hear my generation calling opponents garbage or trash much less calling for a boat race ok skull drag. We sure as hell know better because we've lived it and seen it way too many times.

You forgot 'curb stomp'. I hear and see a lot of the UT fan base complaining about Georgia fans coming on here trash talking and being obsessed with us, and that is 100% true, but much of this fan base started to get that superior attitude since the Alabama game as well, going on other teams' sites and talking trash.

Sometimes lessons are learned the hard way, and we found that out on Saturday night, from the same players going from playing with a chip on their shoulders to feeling entitled and wondering when to start packing for Arizona, to a fan base starving for acceptance and a return to prominence to acting like we had already arrived there. Hopefully the lesson was learned.
 
#72
#72
Became the hunted and didn't handle it well. Start to worry if we look like a lifeless team again this week. Going to be tough anyway. Backup QB , god awful defense. Going to be tough game. Hope they're mentally prepared to play, because Vanderbilt will be.
 
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#73
#73
Became the hunted and didn't handle it well. Start to worry if we look like a lifeless team again this week. Going to be tough anyway. Backup QB , god awful defense. Going to be tough game. Hope they're mentally prepared to play, because Vanderbilt will be.

And add bad weather to that. This is a real gut check, and hopefully the team responds.
 
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