Dave Clawson Credibility Watch

[Colonel Angus]

I bet he did look good in practice. Probably similar to how he played in the first 3 quarters of the Duke game. He was 16/19 for 240 yards and no picks. I just think there are a small number of athletes that perform much better in practice than in game time, and Mitch is one of those guys.

Correct - Not everything is some vast conspiracy.

I have little doubt Griffis looked competent (or even good?) in camp and practice going against the 1st team defense.

Clawson may be stubborn (just like many coaches who have won at a high level) but he's far from stupid.

 

[TexasDeac1]

Mitch—son of a coach, strong on fundamentals, gym rat, watches film every night rather than Netflix, doesn’t have time for a social life, great kid and good student. College coaches love this profile— easy to understand why Clawson, Ruggiero gravitated this way— just didn’t translate under the lights this time.

 

[Colonel Angus]

The Grobe administration wasn’t perfect but they didn’t have many misses at QB. Other than Jamie and Sam- I don’t see a P5 level QB that DC has landed and kept- that’s 2 guys in 10 years - pretty abysmal and not sustainable especially in an offense that puts a lot on the QB. Wolford was a Grobe guy.

Where do you guys come up with this bullshit?

Wolford was committed to ECU and Lincoln Riley but verballed to Wake shortly after Clawson accepted the Wake job and signed in Feb 2014.

 

[liveanddiedeac]

Mitch—son of a coach, strong on fundamentals, gym rat, watches film every night rather than Netflix, doesn’t have time for a social life, great kid and good student. College coaches love this profile— easy to understand why Clawson, Ruggiero gravitated this way— just didn’t translate under the lights this time.

Not sure on the fundamentaIs. I made the comment 2 years ago that his throwing motion needed work. Release point too low, especially for a short QB, thought that would be addressed before he was depended on and it wasn't. We were sold, "well, he's got the ability to change arm angles and that's an advantage."

 

[JKW385]

Grobe was best coach for Wake in his era- before social media where you could really slow it down, find diamond in the rough guys, etc. DC was best coach for Wake in his era- era where Wake started spending money on facilities and we had an innovative offense where you sped it up. Both DC and Grobe excelled on having a developmental program where you take 2/3 star guys and bulk them up and coach them up and make them 4/5 star 23 year olds. We’re now in a new era of college football where you are effectively starting over every year and you get 2 maybe 3 years of every player and then they will be re-assessing options. Every program is dealing with this

 

[ironwill24]

My uninformed guess is that Clawson and his coaches believed that Mitch had a higher ceiling, in terms of running the whole offense, than either Kern or Marucci.

I don't think that is an outrageous opinion. Both Kern and Marucci have limitations. The failure here is that Mitch played way, way closer to his floor than ceiling in just about all of his game action, and the coaching staff has been unable to change that through 10 games.

I agree with this assessment with Marucci but Kern appeared to me to have the highest ceiling. Mitch's floor is just so damn low I'd go Marucci over Mitch and Kern as QB1. Think we'd be 6-4 right now with that route.

 

[liveanddiedeac]

I agree with this assessment with Marucci but Kern appeared to me to have the highest ceiling. Mitch's floor is just so damn low I'd go Marucci over Mitch and Kern as QB1. Think we'd be 6-4 right now with that route.

Probably so based on experience a lone regarding Marucci, but where is Kern limited that Mitch isn't? I'm just having a hard time imaging what that would be.

 

[Complacent Deac]

Here's my read on the Clawson's thought process. I can see his logic until the FSU game - going with Mitch because he doesn't have confidence in Kern or Mooch. Kern is a somewhat decent QB, but not made for our system. Mooch has a lot of energy - but even in the win, wasn't a good QB.

Elon - Mitch is the starter, he struggled holding the ball too much (and Clawson was disappointed in QB play per his post game), but we won and it was the first game - Mitch can improve
Vandy - Mitch was decent, not great, but our running game carried the day - still held the ball too much, but nothing to lose the starting job yet
ODU - this was a bad game, but Mitch got it together to lead the comeback - maybe things are starting to come together for him
GT - unmitigated disaster - Mitch is probably not the answer. We have a bye week coming up, so maybe it can be fixed - we'll see what he can do @ Clemson. I don't have a lot of confidence in Kern reading the offense (not yet ready to scrap the offense b/c we don't' have a QB that can run it)
Clemson - Let's see what Mitch can do after the bye
VT - Mitch is still not it, benched after the 1Q for Kern. Kern is hurt, Marucci hasn't had enough practice, so Mitch is back in - finishes the game but gets hurt himself
Pitt - Marucci is not a good QB. He has struggled seeing the field in practice, so let's limit the playbook extensively - Offensive is pedestrian, but D balls out and Marucci loses the game on an INT, then wins the game on some good throws.
FSU - Marucci is not a good QB - he won the game, but didn't look great aside from the last drive. Kern is still hurt, so let's see what Mitch can do (this is where I think he messed up and lost the team and the fans)
Duke - Mitch rebound game, but two turnovers cost us - did well enough to have a short leash against State, but I'm looking for answers this team probably doesn't have
State - absolutely abysmal - given the 1Q then benched and won't return
ND - pre locker room meeting to see if Sam will throw the game or switch teams at halftime
Cuse - who the fuck knows

I would have made the change after GT, but I can see why Clawson didn't. Rolling Mitch back out after Pitt was a big mistake for momentum.

The first time I seriously questioned Griffis' ability was Vanderbilt.

Mustapha gets the pick, almost returns it for a score. Place is rocking, here we go and Mitch gets the ball on first down at about the 9 yard line (?) and immediately just turns and throws it to...a Vanderbilt DB. Like he barely noticed the Vandy DB BETWEEN himself and our WR.

Luckily the DB dropped it or it had the potential out in the flat, to turn into a pick-6.

Lightning delay...

Clemson we win with almost ANY D-1 quarterback since the entire field opened up on that scramble and he could not get into the end zone. Like shoes stuck in mud.

 

[PhDeac]

I think Clawson dismisses Marucci's performance because Pitt is such a bad team, but Pitt is by far the best team we've beaten all season.

 

[Deaconblue]

I think Clawson dismisses Marucci's performance because Pitt is such a bad team, but Pitt is by far the best team we've beaten all season.

S
Also, Clawson has said the playbook had to be cut way down for Marucci.

 

[PhDeac]

S
Also, Clawson has said the playbook had to be cut way down for Marucci.

Yeah. This bothers me too. Clawson seems to put a lot more stock on knowledge of the playbook (which presumably favors Griffis) than the execution of whatever plays they use (which should have favored Marucci). To me, the reasonable step forward after Pitt would have been to build on momentum and spend the week adapting the playbook around Marucci.

 

[LesJohns3D]

Why has practice not transferred to the playing field? Why did he think the Line would be good but they are not. Why have the WRs been underwhelming (he started on this one last night). It’s not that damn difficult. I don’t blame the media if they are serving crab legs and shrimp up there.

I have zero interest in getting into a back-and-forth with anyone here, and it's incredibly difficult to not be defensive after being a virtual punching bag on this site from a handful of posters over the last couple of months, but I'll try my best to address this politely.

I'd argue that many of the questions you feel should be asked. . .have indeed been asked, if not by me, then by others who cover the team regularly.

For instance, in the post-Georgia Tech press conference, after Conor asked about Griffis holding onto the ball too long, I asked Clawson "What is the biggest difference between 'Fall Camp Mitch Griffis' and 'First Four Game Mitch Griffis.' I followed up asking a question about if the offensive line gave him enough time in the pocket that game. So I addressed both the QB/practice question you had and the offensive line just in that single press conference. You can hear me ask those two questions starting at the 3:49 mark of this video:

I've never been told I can't ask a question and haven't been admonished over my line of questioning aside from the old basketball SID during the Manning era. In my opinion, asking good/tough questions to coaches is good for everyone:
1) It's my job
2) It's actually GOOD for the coach, because it gives him a chance to get his message out on the issues troubling the program
3) The fans deserve it

There's never a time where I felt like my credential was on the line if I were to ask a question that was 'too tough.' That's really not a thing. And the food is quite unremarkable overall. For basketball, for instance, it's just a concession stand voucher, and I eat at home either before or after the games 95 percent of the time.

I've been covering Wake Forest Athletics for 10 seasons now. It's been a dream job. There's not a day that goes by where I go to bed feeling like I've done all I could for the fans/readers or that there's not something I could have done better. I've given this everything I've had for a decade. I'm sorry it hasn't been good enough for you so far. I'll try to do better.

I sincerely am going back to Demon Deacon Digest and will return to being a virtual punching bag for you folks. Have at it.

 

[BigDeacEnergy]

Well, like any professional, Currie wants a consistent message from his organization. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say "control the messaging" but I guess one could infer that. Plus, some things literally may not come to fruition and those can be hard to walk back once they're broadcast to the world. There were no secret handshakes or skull and bones. I ain't at that level in giving! I'm a Tier 2 guy unlike Donnie Greensboro. .

Getting ready to hop on a plane soon. Hope to make it to South Bend next Saturday but that may not work out.


GO DEACS!!!! BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF NOTRE DAME!!

His "fastest growing brand in the ACC" comments are kind of embarrassing. Tons of ACC fan bases have used it as a running joke this season

 

[Mt. Olive]

Good job on the Ga Tech game. I'm looking forward to this weeks press conference. I agree that the current coaches can handle it. I also believe that Clawson opened the door for you or any other media to ask tough questions this week. I was truly impressed with his post game answers.

 

[Kent]

I have zero interest in getting into a back-and-forth with anyone here

A couple of things.

Yes, you asked those questions. Also, yes, I agree with Cam that berating (or even close) Clawson at some press conference is not going to get the results some seek. People get emotionally twisted about WFU sports because we have been tortured by it for decades. It's inevitable and comes with the territory.

Yes, I hate the subscription model you guys (I assume are forced to) use, and hope that approach to customer relations dies an agonizing death so it can be replaced with something from this century***. But that is not your doing, and I am grateful you guys cover WFU sports. I think you do a good job on the press conference questions (which is all I can see or hear).

Having said all of that, I cannot imagine starting a communication with my current and prospective customers with that sentence.

*** I wish you and Connor would team up, leave those shitty networks behind and do a Patreon thing. I have to believe there are people who'd pay more for good, targeted, cancellable content. MacMost is probably my favorite content provider (if you are an Apple person, it's a must-read), and he does it via Patreon.

 

[WindyCityDeac]

I have zero interest in getting into a back-and-forth with anyone here, and it's incredibly difficult to not be defensive after being a virtual punching bag on this site from a handful of posters over the last couple of months, but I'll try my best to address this politely.

I'd argue that many of the questions you feel should be asked. . .have indeed been asked, if not by me, then by others who cover the team regularly.

For instance, in the post-Georgia Tech press conference, after Conor asked about Griffis holding onto the ball too long, I asked Clawson "What is the biggest difference between 'Fall Camp Mitch Griffis' and 'First Four Game Mitch Griffis.' I followed up asking a question about if the offensive line gave him enough time in the pocket that game. So I addressed both the QB/practice question you had and the offensive line just in that single press conference. You can hear me ask those two questions starting at the 3:49 mark of this video:

I've never been told I can't ask a question and haven't been admonished over my line of questioning aside from the old basketball SID during the Manning era. In my opinion, asking good/tough questions to coaches is good for everyone:
1) It's my job
2) It's actually GOOD for the coach, because it gives him a chance to get his message out on the issues troubling the program
3) The fans deserve it

There's never a time where I felt like my credential was on the line if I were to ask a question that was 'too tough.' That's really not a thing. And the food is quite unremarkable overall. For basketball, for instance, it's just a concession stand voucher, and I eat at home either before or after the games 95 percent of the time.

I've been covering Wake Forest Athletics for 10 seasons now. It's been a dream job. There's not a day that goes by where I go to bed feeling like I've done all I could for the fans/readers or that there's not something I could have done better. I've given this everything I've had for a decade. I'm sorry it hasn't been good enough for you so far. I'll try to do better.

I sincerely am going back to Demon Deacon Digest and will return to being a virtual punching bag for you folks. Have at it.

oh please.

 

[PhDeac]

If it wasn’t a joke then, it’s certainly a joke now. This season eroded any claim that Wake football is an entertaining brand for neutral fans and betters who took the over.

 

[wakelaw13]

I am glad Les stopped by.

My only criticism about the coverage of Wake Forest football this season - notice I'm not talking only about Les - has been the attempts to water down just how bad Mitch Griffis really is, despite what any competent observer can see with their own eyes. I totally agree that the line isn't good, as we are reminded every time the offense tries to run a short yardage play, and the play calling has been uncreative and predictable. But I really didn't care to be lectured about how it wasn't really Griffis' fault when much of this comedy of errors is a direct result of his many limitations. He's just not a Power 5 quarterback. He probably does not belong at the D1 level. That became obvious to me during the GT game, and I did not have the benefit of watching every practice.

So, we have a perfect storm of high expectations followed by very low results, and naturally some people have questioned how and why those expectations were created. It's obviously not any journalist's fault, but it is fair to question why the coverage didn't create cause for concern about the quarterback position weeks before reality hit the fanbase. Maybe the fault lies with how we practice and prepare quarterbacks. Maybe there was some journalistic bias. I don't know the answer, but it's certainly fair to question it.

 

[Deaconman]

Is there a list of the players that participated in the graduation walk prior to NC State game? Thanks

 

[liveanddiedeac]

Is there a list of the players that participated in the graduation walk prior to NC State game? Thanks

Yes there is a list.