The Clemson Dubcast

Paul Strelow

Paul Strelow, one of the foremost recruiting analysts and reporters in the country, sits down to share what it's like to cover recruiting while raising a family and taking part in his children's many activities.

Paul also shares his thoughts on the extension of the recruiting dead period, his gut feeling on whether Ty Simpson will choose Alabama or Clemson, and the general perception of Dabo Swinney as Clemson's program has risen to perennial juggernaut status.

Also: What is college football going to look like in the age of athletes profiting off their name, image and likeness?

 

 

 

 

 

Yusef Kelly

For more than 16 years, Yusef Kelly has been known largely for a moment -- a moment that occurred when he was in college, and before he knew better.

Kelly, who is now a police officer in Easley and married with two kids, reflects on his part in the infamous 2004 brawl between Clemson and South Carolina.

A perfect storm of events and timing led to a picture of him serving as the face of an ugly moment in time, but in the end Kelly was just a typical college kid whose missteps were magnified in an atypical way.

Kelly said the brawl wasn't viewed as a big deal among the participants in the immediate aftermath: He was among a large group of Tigers and Gamecocks players who went out that night in downtown Clemson and had a good time.

 

DeShawn Williams

Former Clemson defensive lineman DeShawn Williams joins the podcast to share misgivings that he, DeAndre Hopkins, Shaq Lawson and Jarvis Jenkins have about not being properly recognized by their high school alma mater, Daniel High.

All four are in the NFL, an almost astounding achievement for players from one high school during the same time period. Daniel has policies for its Hall of Fame inductions and doesn't typically retire jerseys, but Williams said he and his three former teammates strongly believe something more can be done to honor their achievements.

Williams also shares personal details of how hard it has been to go through the emotional rollercoaster of being cut by NFL teams time and again. When he spent a year away from football awaiting calls from teams, he worked as an Amazon delivery driver in Denver and he believes that was a big part of his ascent to a starting role for the Broncos this past season.

Mickey Plyler

Mickey Plyler of WCCP joins the podcast to reflect on the mess at Tennessee, and how close Tony Elliott came to saying yes to the Volunteers.

We also discuss the rapidly changing landscape of college football and how well Clemson is positioned to adjusting to the realities of increased player mobility.

Will it make more sense for college coaches to jump to the NFL where they won't have to spend all year recruiting not just prospective players but their own players?

 

Terrence Oglesby

Terrence Oglesby gave up coaching and is now pouring everything he has into his dream of becoming a national TV color basketball analyst.

He started from scratch and taught himself how to produce his own weekly video show. He came up with his own ACC Basketball preview magazine last summer. And he's honing his chops on radio and TV broadcasts of basketball games, including some recent Clemson games.

Basically, he's grinding away just like he did when he was a cold-blooded shooter in high school and then for Clemson's high-achieving basketball teams under Oliver Purnell before he went overseas to play professionally.

Oglesby lives in Clemson with his wife and two children. He recounts some vivid stories of the Purnell days, including some of the huge wins, the NCAA Tournament flameouts, and Purnell's abrupt departure for DePaul.

Oglesby, now 33, also recalls Purnell hanging up the phone on him when he told his coach he was turning pro early. They didn't talk again until 10 years later.

 

Mark Schlabach

Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com joins the podcast to talk a wide array of topics:

-- Why he voted Clemson No. 1 in his Way Too Early Top 25 for 2021.

-- How much of an accomplishment it was for college football to reach the finish line in a pandemic.

-- His take on the recent craziness at South Carolina, Auburn and Tennessee.

-- His take on why some national voices are calling Dabo Swinney one of the most polarizing figures in the sport.

-- Growing up near South Bend as a die-hard Notre Dame fan, then moving to Atlanta when the Georgia Bulldogs were in their heyday.

-- As a rookie writer for the student newspaper at the University of Georgia, writing an opinion column saying the basketball coach needed to be fired. And then being summoned to Hugh Durham's office to be told by the coach: "You don't know (excrement)."

-- As an 18-year-old, being hired at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to cover the Bulldogs.

-- His recollections of the early days following Widespread Panic, the Athens-based band that would go on to become one of the most successful touring acts in the industry.

 

 

 

Dustin Laemmlen and Steven Lo

Filmmaker Dustin Laemmlen was behind DJ Uiagalelei's splendid commitment announcement video in May of 2019. Laemmlen also happens to be DJ's cousin, giving him rare access to the superstar as he became one of the most sought-after prospects in the country. Laemmlen's production company recently produced "Into the Spotlight," a documentary on DJ's senior year at St. John Bosco High School.

Laemmlen shares stories about DJ's childhood, and goes into how the commitment video took shape -- and how they kept DJ's commitment a secret despite it happening in the middle of the Death Valley football field the day before the spring game (DJ announced his commitment a month later, on his mother's birthday).

Steven Lo, the offensive coordinator at Bosco, remembers when DJ broke the coach's hand when the two were going through a routine throwing drill during DJ's junior year. When Lo came from the Bay Area to interview for Bosco's vacant offensive coordinator position, DJ was the first player he met. And the hour-long conversation left a lasting impression.

 

 

Dave Coggin and Pete Thamel

Meet Dave Coggin, who calls himself "Clemson's secret weapon on the West Coast." Coggin's story is remarkable in itself, as he signed with Clemson in 1995 and planned to be a two-sport star for Tommy West and Jack Leggett before he was drafted in the first round by the Phillies and made the gut-wrenching decision to go the professional route.

Coggin always wanted to make up for leaving Clemson hanging, and then he met a sixth-grader named DJ Uiagalelei. Coggin shares more about his work with DJ in Upland, Calif., and his role in DJ taking an early liking to the team in orange and purple on the other side of the country.

Pete Thamel of Yahoo has distinguished himself not only for being on top of college football breaking news, but for using his relationships with coaches to get excellent insight into big-stage playoff matchups.

Thamel also shares more about the reporting that went into this week's article on Clemson's alleged sign stealing under Brent Venables.

"It's really the ultimate compliment that so many teams including Ohio State are so bothered by it," Thamel said, "because it's abundantly clear that Clemson is totally in their heads."

 

Tonya McElrathbey

Tonya McElrathbey, mother of Ray Ray and Fahmarr McElrathbey, joins The Dubcast to reflect on the wild ride that led to her sons' celebrity -- and her sobriety.

Disney has produced a movie based on Ray Ray's decision to take custody of his younger brother in 2006 when Ray Ray was a member of Clemson's football team.

This quickly became a national story. Oprah Winfrey traveled to Clemson. The NCAA even waived its rule against extra benefits to allow for the establishment of a trust fund for Ray Ray and Fahmarr (it generated $100,000).

On the other side of that uplifting story is Tonya's story of drug addiction. Tonya said she didn't learn until years later how much her depression contributed to her yearning for drugs, and she says she has been sober for three years and has a full-time job.

Tonya and her children remain close: She, Ray Ray and his 7-year-old son recently watched a director's cut of the movie.

"It was crazy," she said. "We laughed. And we cried. We would just hit pause and try to soak it in. It was emotional."

The movie "Safety" is scheduled for release Friday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt Connolly and Norm Wood

Matt Connolly recalls the long drive to Tallahassee -- and then the long drive back the next day after the Clemson-FSU game was cancelled. Connolly shares what it was like to go through that surreal experience, and gives his opinion on the torrent of media criticism toward Dabo Swinney over the next week.

Connolly also shares what he learned recently in reporting a profile of Billy Napier, the former Clemson assistant who now appears to be a strong candidate at South Carolina. Connolly spoke with Tommy Bowden for the article, and Bowden gave Napier glowing reviews.

Norm Wood, who covers Virginia Tech for the Daily Press of Newport News, gives his take on whether Justin Fuente will get fired after this season. He also delves into the sentiment in Blacksburg about Shane Beamer, and just how much push there is for the Hokies to make a pre-emptive move to bring Beamer home before South Carolina can get him.