Players Care or No? Tigers Out to Prove Culture Matters in Cheez-It Bowl
There's a good chance you've heard, read or maybe even said the following statements over the last few weeks:
- "There are so many postseason games."
- "Most of them are meaningless."
- "The College Football Playoff is all that matters."
- "I can't compete in my bowl pick'em pool because I have no idea who's playing."
- "I don't even know who's coaching in this game."
This is the era of postseason college football, and it's something many folks struggle to find interest or enjoyment out of these games. And it's hard to blame them or argue. We all want to see the best possible games with the best players on the field, but that's just not the overwhelming case.
Opting out of the postseason has become so commonplace that there are websites out there that run constant trackers to keep you up to date on who's sitting. So many players are skipping their last game to prep for the NFL or entering the NCAA transfer portal.
Take Iowa State, for example. No. 19 Clemson's Cheez-It Bowl opponent on Wednesday will be without running back Breece Hall, the Cyclones' best weapon. They've also had 10 players opt to transfer out of the program since the regular season ended.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has had his share of players leaving the program as well. Ajou Ajou, Ray Thornton III, Kane Patterson, Taisun Phommachanh and Frank Ladson have entered the portal since Nov. 29.
Factor in the countless injuries Clemson's endured this year, and the bowl-game roster isn't loaded. Many of the players in Wednesday's game will have to play a ton of snaps in a game that isn't for something bigger.
Sure, the Tigers are going for 10 wins, which would increase the streak to 11 consecutive seasons of double-digit victories, but a Cheez-It Bowl trophy and rings don't bring the same cache of Clemson's previous six seasons when it went to a CFP bowl.
The difference was felt immediately by the players. There was no red carpet rolled out when they arrived. Heck, the school didn't even charter a flight. The Tigers had to find their own way to Orlando, which is common for these games right around Christmas.
Their offensive and defensive coordinators from the last 12 games are gone. This won't have a big-game feel, and the stakes aren't what this program is used to, so how will Clemson react to that?
This could easily be declared one of those "meaningless," full of excuses kind of games where the Tigers choose not to show up.
But there's one big reason why that likely isn't the case. Nobody's opted out. When the media was allowed into practice, there was Andrew Booth Jr., a potential first-round NFL draft pick, working out with his teammates.
Veterans Xavier Thomas, K.J. Henry and Tyler Davis were going hard in drills. Receiver Joseph Ngata was doing all that was allowed while wearing a green jersey in hopes of getting back on the field for the first time since early November.
When the depth chart was released, everybody's name who's supposed to be on it was there.
"I know we use 'all-in' all the time, but these guys are program guys. They're really committed," Clemson defensive coordinator Wesley Goodwin said. "That's just a testament to the players that we've brought into our program and the standard that's been set by Coach Swinney."
Swinney's culture is being put to the test, and Wednesday's game can show that this isn't a power program that looks down on lesser opportunities.
The gauge for proving if they truly care or not isn't necessarily winning, but if the depth chart and commitment are indications, putting forth the right effort is a victory many bowl teams miss out on this time of year.
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