Joining us now is our good friend Will Vandervoyd. You can find us work
at the Clemson Insider at Steeler Will on Twitter, and he's here to talk
about, among other things, Clemson men's basketball. Will welcome back to the
show, my friend. Hey guys, how y'all doing today? We are
doing well. We'll get to the Steelers in a little bits. As customary
on this show, we always talk a little Steelers football with you. They've
made some changes here, albeit some I don't think you're too happy with.
But we'll get your video in a little bit. Follow you. Am I
ever happy? That's right? No, you're not there, You're not have
that last night, man, the second win all time in Chapel Hill for
Clemson. And it's been such an up and down past few weeks, in
fact, a month or so for this Clemson team, this roller coaster wins,
loss, win, loss, and they finally break through a Chapel Hill
again with a big win over the Tar Hills last night. Just your initial
impressions of what went down last night in the Dean Dome, Yeah, that
was that was a that was something else. You know. I'm watching the
game and just kind of like, when's it gonna have when's the run?
This has been fun, but you know, when's it? You know,
we've all been there, you know, I mean I've been there a lot.
You know. Again, I wasn't at the game this year because it
was on a Tuesday night. Thank you ESPN. Always appreciate these big games
putting on Tuesday nights. But I wasn't able to make it for a traveling
standpoint. So that's a little disappointing because they won again. And so basically
what I'm trying to say is I'm still like oer and eleven all time and
at the Clinton's got two wins without me. But you know, you know,
I was happy for coach brown Ll and his staff and his players.
You know, that's a hard place to go win basketball game, especially with
them coming off such a big win. You you know, and I know
a lot of people saying, well, North Carolina Coffee had to let down
after their big win. But you got to give Clempson credit because Clemson had
a disappointing loss at home where you know, that was a game against Virginia
that they had a chance to win, and you can argue maybe they should
have won it. They would have done a couple other things better, and
so that was a difficult loss to come off of. And to know you're
going on the road to a place where you were one and sixty all time
as a program. You know, that's hard to get your team to say,
hey, look, guys, we can win this game. We're just
as good, if not better than they are. And I thought Brian now
did a good job having his team mentally prepared to play that game and find
ways during the game to win. And the thing that impressed me the most,
guys about last night was after North Carolina tied it seventy to seventy.
And let's be honest, Clemson fans out there, you all thought it when
they tied it at seventy, like here it goes, North Carolina's gonna win
now. But instead Clemson went on a seventy to nothing run at that point
and took control of the game again, and they went wired to wire,
guys, without ever trailing in the game. Carolina. That's never happened never.
That's crazy. Great job by coach Brandell on them, that's awesome.
Look, if you're a Clemson fan, obviously we got another big one coming
up this weekend. We'll talk about in a minute. Against Syracuse a bit
of a homecoming for Joe Girard. That's going to be fun to watch,
but it's kind of a win. I felt like they needed to have will
And it's not just from the bubble watch standpoint, the net rankings, all
of that that goes into and just from a confidence standpoint, How vital was
it for this team to break? I don't want to see a losing street
because they had won a few, lost a few, but they're so talented
they were expected to be better than this by now, and I'm sure there's
been frustration about that. How vital was that to get their confidence back up
heading into the rest of conference play here, Well, it's big, because
guys, let's be honest. Now, this next stretch for Clemson, these
last nine games, this is the stretch that's easier on clemson schedule. This
is the stretch that everybody was saying, you know, if Clemson can survive
that first eleven games where they got you know, they got to play Duke
and North Kiss the hardest. Clinson's first eleven games are the hardest in the
ACC hands down. You know, when you look at who they played,
and the back half of the schedule. You know, it's easier, It's
much easier. Now, you still got to go out and play well.
You still got to go out and make shots because you're still playing in the
ACC and anybody can be in anybody in an even given day. But Clemtson's
gonna be favored and probably every single one of these games. Maybe wake Forest
will be favored to be Clemson at the end of the regular season, but
other than that, I think Clinton's gonna be favored in every game. So
now you got an opportunity to really get a string of wins going and to
build that momentum back that you had earlier in the year and put yourself in
position to be a higher seed. You know, I think right now they
are a number six seed in some bracketology reports and stuff like that. They're
gonna have a chance to move up and get some wins and get some confidence
going now. So this win was big for a lot of reasons. And
now that you know you went on the road and won at North Carolina,
now you feel like you know you can beat any anywhere. And guys,
look between look, we all know Clemson beat Duke Okay, we know they
did. Yes, I mean we we know what happened at the end of
the game. Oh yeah, Clempson was the better team that day. There's
no doubt in my mind about that. If Clemson Clympson's gonna get a chance
to make me play Duke and or North Carolina on a neutral tournament field,
on a neutral court here in the a SEC tournament, yep. And guy,
I think Clemson has everybody's a good chance to beat anybody. And I'm
not saying they're gonna win the AEC tournament, but this might be the best
chance they've had to win the a SEC Tournament probably in the last thirty plus
years, in my opinion. I mean, you know, I'm going back
to Eldon Champbell and Dell Davis the last time a Clemson team probably had this
good a chance to win an ACC tournament. I think so too. And
you know where seasons Will Vandervert joins us here from the Clemson Insider. It's
it's this way in the NFL too, like on a smaller scale in terms
of the schedule size, but like the same thing we were talking about with
the Bills, they were dead in the water. The same thing with the
Chiefs, so much of what Clemson's going through, I think right now,
it's just from a talent perspective, is a lot like that. They had
some stumbles here, and now you go into a stretch where you're fifteen and
seven, you're getting back on to the winning ways and conference play here,
You've got some damn good wins on your resume so far. That's South Carolina
wins looking a lot better by the day, by the way, in terms
of where they're climbing. So I think it's kind of like that for Clemson.
I don't foresee this team missing the tournament, and I don't foresee this
team being a one and done in the tournament. I know a couple of
years ago what happened against Rutgers, but your thoughts on that, I mean,
I think this team has enough talent, as you mentioned, to make
that kind of run. I really do. Yeah, look at it this
way. I mean, Clemson's beat the two teams that lead the SEC right
now is Alabama and South Carolina, and Clemson's got wins against both of them,
and one of them was on the road against Alabama, so you know,
they know they can play elite level basketball. And they just beat the
number three team in the country last night, not like they beat a team
who was like barely five hundred North Carolina team or no, they beat the
number three team on the country in the country. Is that the first time
since seventy six? Is that what I saw in nineteen seventy six that happened.
That's first time since nineth that they've won a true road game. Now
they beat Kentucky number two Kentucky back in the tournament, back in the nineteen
ninety six I believe ninety five or ninety six, But that's the first time
they won a true road game against a top you know, a team ranked
that high. So you know, yes, to answer your question, this
team has a chance to go on a run and really build some confidence going
into the postseason. And this is a darn good basketball team. They got
all the pieces. They're not they're not as good defensively as they normally are
for Brad Brownell, but he's they're better offensively and they can still play good
defense as we saw last night, as we saw against Virginia, they can
play defense, you know, so that they're good enough to play defense,
and they shoot the ball lights out. That's why they have a chance to
really make a run. I think, especially if they get the right matchups.
And one thing I'll tell you, because of the mergence of Ian Shefflin,
Clemson is like they're more physical inside than people think they are, even
I think more physical than Brad thinks they are. Because when you hear other
coaches talk about Clemson, when you hear Tony Bennett talk about him, when
you hear you know John Shire talking about him, they both talk about how
physical they are and how tough it is for their team to beat cumpson inside.
And I think that gives Clemson another element. And now what you hope
guys, and you saw it last night with Chase Hunter. He really showed
more aggressiveness last night. He was good with the basketball. He took care
of the basketball, five assists, one turnover. He only had seven points,
but when he drove the lane, he drove with purpose and that really
allowed things to open up. Of course, making three point shots helped.
Two those are elements they have. They got all the elements in point They
got the point guard that can create shots and create things. They got shooters
and Joe Girard that can make threes. And then they got Then they got
PJ. Hall and Ian Shefflin inside that really allows him to play with the
physical brand of basketball that most teams in college basketball don't have. Well,
they got Syracuse coming up this Saturday. That's a twelve pm tip off.
Of course, the Engles Countdown to tip Off show featuring Yours Truly and Richmond
Weaver Trey Fanco comes your way at ten thirty am on ninety two point five.
Weesc shifting years here, will Let's talk Steelers, all right, this
team once again entering a vital offseason with a lot of question marks. But
hey, you got your high flying offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Baby, are
you excited? Yeah? No, I'm not excited at all, and I
think most Steeler fans aren't. But like I told you guys in the break
in between, like you know, it's hard to make the Steeler been happy.
Right now. We're a very spoiled fan base and I admit that,
but you know, I do like that they're going to hire a passing game
coordinator. Uh, They're going to bring in a new wide receivers coach.
You know, maybe it's Hines Ward. Let's hope we're all I think a
lot of steel the Nations praying that's the case. I think that's just rumored
and all. But we'll see, yeah, you know, so you know,
we'll see what happens. You know, my whole the whole thing.
The Steelers have the offensive pieces in place. They got the great running game,
they got dynamic wide receivers, they got a tight end that can be
a playmaker. Their offensive line is much improved. Defensively, they have all
the pieces on defense. The only thing they're missing, guys, for being
a contender is a quarterback. And you know, we don't know. We
got Kenny Pickett Steel We still don't know because of his injury and we didn't
get to see it. At the end of the year. Mason Rudolph I
thought showed a lot, But I don't think Mason enough. The guy's gonna
lead you to the super Bowl. So what are they going to do at
quarterback? There's rumors out there that the Steelers could trade that. Dan Rooney
came on radio show today that he did not he did not rule out trading
for a quarterback. Now, what does that mean? He'd better not be
trading j what or I'm done? It'd be a Panthers type of right there,
Sim McCaffrey off and DJ Moore, let's let's do that. They'll do
it, bull do it. So yeah, what does that mean? You
know, what do they mean by they're gonna they still not closing the door
and trading for a quarterback, so you know, we'll see it. Sounds
like the next couple of months are gonna be fun for the Steelers and and
that's fun for the off season. And and look, I can't complain too
much, guys, because a lot of people talk crap about us, but
you know what, we won ten games, we made the playoffs, we
beat We are five and three against playoff teams, and we are eight and
five against teams with winning records. And people, can you know, shove
it up their new know what if they keeping the Steelers did all that?
Guys? The Steelers did all that was out their starting quarterback, out their
three starting inside life Packers Mika Fitzpatrick was gone for seven games, and they
didn't have their other starting safety for four games. Tell me any team in
the NFL that can handle all those injuries and stuff and still make the playoffs
and win ten games. Mike Tomlin can't I'll tell you that he's always He's
always Mike Tomlin's gold man. To be able to do that with all that
and that that stretched down the back half of that season was so impressive.
They had to simplify things a little bit, get back to the running game.
And I was glad that George Pickens didn't blow a gasket in the last
game of the year in the pouring rain when he had zero targets. I
even heard Dan Orlowski, yeah, stupidly saying, and I like, damn,
but he's up there, like, you gotta get George Pickens a target.
I'm like, dude, you get a field goal here, the game's
over. You're I'm throwing the ball on the poor George Pickens. But absolutely,
and I know, and hey, Pickens is gonna get better. And
Mike Tomins a guy. The kid is not. He's not over the top.
I don't think he's Antonio Brown over the top. I think they can
work with him and get him. He's a wide receiver. They're all divas,
let's just be honest. Of course they want the ball. Yeah right,
they all want the ball. So it could be worse. We could
be Dallas Cowboys. You know, and I'm doing that for Billy. I
know Billy calls the show a lot, so that's that's for him. And
probably you know, you know, so it could be worse. We could
be the Dallas Cowboys and so you know, we're the Steelers that we find
a way to do things. You could be the pan you know what.
No, only it's double whammy with the Panthers because you could be bad like
the Panthers are now and you could always beat the Panthers. Since you guys
do you guys we have to beat you since ninety six? The curse continues,
Uh, well, well before we continues. I hope, yeah,
I hope it doesn't, but we'll see what Happenstport joins us here on Game
on. You can find his work at the Clemson Insider. Before we let
you go. I tried to stump Don Munson the other day with this and
and I was some what's successful? I doubt I'm gonna get you. Can
you name at least three players that are on the rosters between these two Super
Bowl teams this weekend? Three players that are on the roster, Three Clemson
players that are on rosters, three Clemson former Clemson players that are on Super
Bowl rosters this weekend super Bowl rosters. There you go. They don't have
to be they don't have to be active. They don't have to be active
either, they can Justin Justin Ross is the other two. Yeah, and
uhis ab How about a B initials or a B A B mm hmmm.
What year did he finish? Oh? Yeah, which this show is turning
into quickly clean Farrell Cleveland Farrell, Yes, he done it. Austin Bryant
is also on one of the rosters too. Yeah, Austin Brian is with
San Francisco. So he got picked up. Now that's the true question the
four because Bryan got picked him way started and that would have really threw some
people off. And you know what, the Raven clearly of course got hurt.
He was having a really good year and got hurt. And that's a
shame because he can think piece. Yeah he was. The forty nine ers
were doing. Ray struggled stopping the run, guys, because because Cleveland,
ever since Cleveland's been out of the game, they struggled stopping the run.
Ye, Kansas City is gonna attack that part. I'm telling you right now.
So by the way, I know you didn't ask me, but I'm
picking the Chiefs to win this game. I was good. I forgot to
ask you. The Kansas City Chiefs will win this game, per will Vandervod
from the Clemson Insider. And you know what, I'm probably gonna go to
the same direction. I'm done betting against Andy Reid and my homes. I
just I've done it too many times this year and they've messed up everything for
me. But hey, we roll on. Uh you're gonna be covering,
of course. So the rest of this Clemson basketball slate, we'll get you
in your talk some Clemson football as we close to the spring game. My
friend, best of luck to you, buddy. All right, guys,
thanks for having me. Man, We'll talk to you' all next time.