Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Why do teams kick to Spiller?

It is the million-dollar question surrounding Clemson football these days: Why do teams continue to kick and punt the ball to C.J. Spiller?

Spiller has three kickoff returns for touchdowns of 90 or more yards and one punt return that went 72 yards for a score. With six touchdowns, he is one kickoff return from setting an NCAA career record. Every time he touches the ball on a return, he is a threat to finish the play in the end zone.

"He's an unbelievable return guy because he's zero to 60 in a flash," Dabo Swinney says. "He's so explosive. He's got excellent vision, and he's very strong. He can run through tackles."

The alternative to kicking to Spiller seems pretty simple . . . and smart. Punt and kick the ball out of bounds, you fools. You might surrender some field position on punts. On kickoffs, you will pay dearly by giving Clemson the ball at the 40.

But based on Spiller's returns this season, kicking out of bounds is a small price to pay. Otherwise, you run the risk of seeing the back side of Spiller's No. 28 jersey. Yet, other than Wake Forest and Coastal Carolina, every Clemson opponent has taken that chance at least twice.

"I don't know why they keep kicking it to him," Swinney says, "but I root for it every week. I wouldn't kick it to him. I'm a believer. He's made me a believer. Somebody else would have to beat me."

Amazingly enough, Clemson's average starting position following a kickoff is the 41-yard line. So, it stands to reason that teams would be better off kicking it out of bounds and avoiding the high risk of Spiller taking one 90 yards, or just for his average. He ranks second nationally with 38 yards per kickoff return.

Included in his 12 kickoff returns was the season-opener for 96 yards against Middle Tennessee, a 92-yarder against Maryland and a 90-yarder against Miami. Of his five punt returns, one was for 50 yards against Middle Tennessee and one was for 72 yards and a touchdown against Boston College.

If Florida State kicks or punts it to Spiller on Saturday, there is good chance he will have the NCAA career record for touchdown returns, one more than the six apiece by Anthony Davis of Southern California (1972-74) and Ashlan Davis of Tulsa (2004-05).

Six Clemson opponents have kicked or punted the ball Spiller's way. Georgia Tech probably did the best job containing him since he returned kicks for 35, 22 and 21 yards.

That kind of Spiller coverage likely makes other teams believe they can keep him from breaking a big one.

"Sometimes, you just challenge your guys," Swinney says of a team's coverage. "You say, 'We've got to do our jobs and go cover, and let's keep this guy from the 30-yard line in because we can't afford to let them start drives on the 40-, 45-yard lines.'

"It's an interesting cat-and-mouse game."

It's a game in which Spiller usually plays the cat.

When asked if he was surprised teams continue to kick the ball to him, Spiller at first laughed.

"Not really. That's what they're coached to do," Spiller says. "I can't control if they do or not. Georgia Tech did a great job of covering kicks. . . . So, I'm not surprised because teams have to have confidence in their guys being down field and covering."

Confidence is one thing. Stupidity quite another.

You have to believe Florida State will play it smart and either kick and punt out of bounds or to a place on the field where Spiller can't be found. Jody Allen is the special teams coach at Florida State and was the lead recruiter for Spurrier when the running back was coming out of Lake Butler, Fla., four years ago.

Spiller, who chose Clemson over Florida State and Florida, said he has not talked to Allen this week, but he might corner him on the field Saturday and urge him to kick the ball deep.

Allen is not revealing Florida State's strategy.

But he said Spiller is a weapon in part because Clemson puts speedsters Jacoby Ford and Andre Ellington on kickoff returns as well.

"You know how dangerous (Spiller) is," Allen says. "But the short guys are dangerous, too. You've got Jacoby Ford and (Ellington). You kick it to them and they get their hands on it quicker and farther up the field, and they are dangerous."

No doubt, Clemson puts opponents in a compromising position with Spiller returning kickoffs and punts.

Pooch kicks. Dribblers. Out-of-bounds boots. Onside kicks. They all seem like better options than letting Spiller get his hands on the ball.

Palmer expected back

Clemson starting tight end Michael Palmer is expected back this week against Florida State after missing the Tigers last game with a concussion.

Palmer was hurt in Clemson's 40-37 overtime win at Miami on Oct. 24 and did not play against Coastal Carolina last Saturday.

But Palmer was back at practice Monday.

He's also listed as the starter on the team's depth charts for the Florida State game at Death Valley on Saturday night.