The Clemson Dubcast

David Hale and Corey Clark

David Hale of ESPN.com shares behind-the-scenes details on how he and Andrea Adelson conceived and executed an extraordinarily in-depth article on Florida State's free-fall from the top of the college football world over the last seven years. Hale and Adelson began reporting on the story a year ago and spoke with more than 50 sources to present the most authoritative account yet on what led Jimbo Fisher to Texas A&M, and why Willie Taggart's short tenure was such a mess. Hale and Adelson also highlight the dichotomy between FSU and Clemson over the years in the realm of spending for facilities and coaches, dating to 2013 when Fisher sensed the Tigers were taking their football commitment to a higher level with Dabo Swinney leading the program.

Corey Clark of Warchant.com joins the podcast to discuss the state of affairs in Mike Norvell's first season. Are the Seminoles even interested in playing Saturday against Clemson? How are fans processing yet another debacle of a season? Are they blaming Norvell or is there a grace period in the wake of all the craziness that preceded him and the noxious culture he inherited? And what's it like to cover this wreck for a living?

 

 

Terrell McIntyre

Former Clemson basketball great Terrell McIntyre reflects on what called him to return to Clemson to help current basketball players find their way and prepare for life after basketball.

McIntyre also details a remarkable life story of growing up early, helping raise his younger brother when he was in elementary school, and dealing with the devastation of losing his stepfather when he was a senior in high school.

Terrell's mother gave birth to him when she was 15, but she was the rock in his life and always had high standards for him. McIntyre remembers being in Clemson not very long as a freshman and deciding he was quitting the team. After he arrived home in Raeford, N.C., his mother told him: "Go ahead and get to bed. At 7:30 tomorrow morning you're going to be on the road back to Clemson."

McIntyre also shares stories of how Larry Shyatt and Rick Barnes recruited him to Clemson and secured his signing without him having ever stepped foot onto campus.

He recalls the hurt feelings that came when Barnes left for Texas, and the despair he felt when the NBA Draft came and went without his name being called.

McIntyre had an illustrious 12-year basketball career in Europe before returning to Clemson to complete his degree in 2015.

 

 

Al Adams

The reason legendary Clemson sports information director Tim Bourret ended up at Clemson in the first place was because Al Adams got a wild idea to start a Clemson-themed newsletter.

Adams, a Clemson grad, was working for Bob Bradley in the sports-information office when he stumbled on an idea. Why not capitalize on the growing fervor for Clemson football in the late 1970s by producing a weekly newspaper? Thus the Orange and White was born, and thus Bradley brought in a young Bourret from Notre Dame to replace Adams.

Adams, who for years has been a fixture as the press-box PA announcer at Memorial Stadium, tells some great stories about the old days -- including when Danny Ford flipped out on him for reporting something he didn't want out during the 1980 season.

Adams' sidekick at the Orange and White, Steve Ellis, went on to cover most of Bobby Bowden's tenure at Florida State for The Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.

J.D. Davis

Former Clemson linebacker J.D. Davis, son of Clemson legend Jeff Davis, reflects on the impact of the PAW Journey on his life and the lives of many other Clemson football players.

When Jeff Davis worked in the football office under Tommy Bowden while also doubling as a fundraiser for IPTAY, he could only dream of what has unfolded as PAW Journey has become a pioneer in preparing athletes for life after football. One of Swinney's first decisions upon getting the head-coaching job was putting Jeff Davis in full charge of preparing his players for the real world. 

J.D. recalls the day in 2003 when he first met Swinney. The Swinney family was building a house next door to the Davises, and in walked Will and Drew Swinney. "We've been best friends ever since," J.D. says.

J.D., who closed his football career by helping Clemson win the 2018 national championship, now works for Adobe. An internship with Adobe while he was at Clemson was vital in his securing of a full-time job with the multinational computer software company.

 

Brette Simmons

Brette Simmons is a former longtime assistant coach at N.C. State under Dick Sheridan and Mike O'Cain.

Simmons, who coached with Robbie Caldwell and remains close with the Tigers' offensive line coach, tells some priceless stories about what it was like to work with Caldwell.

Simmons recounts how close Sheridan was to taking the Georgia job after Vince Dooley hung up his whistle (Sheridan, in fact, had accepted the job but pulled out when the news leaked).

He also shares insight into N.C. State's casual attitude toward facilities improvements during the tenures of Sheridan and O'Cain, followed by a major emphasis once Chuck Amato took over following O'Cain's firing.

Simmons has vivid memories of what it was like to battle Clemson on the recruiting trail when Danny Ford and his staff made North Carolina a large part of their talent procurement.

He also recalls the surreal day in 1987 when an N.C. State team that would finish 4-7 went to Clemson and was up 30-0 at halftime and barely survived a rare passing assault by Rodney Williams in a 30-28 Wolfpack victory. Sheridan's teams won three straight over Clemson in 1986, 1987 and 1988.

Simmons has written a book on legendary South Carolina high school coach Doug Bennett, who coached Swansea High from 1954 to 1989 and had the courage to stand up and battle massive resistance to public-school integration in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Bennett is a recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the state's highest civilian honor. He is one of six brothers who served WWII, and remarkably all six survived.

Simmons' book about Bennett's remarkable life is titled "Man in the Gap."

Kelly Quinlan

Kelly Quinlan, publisher of the Georgia Tech Rivals site and several others in the Rivals network including Mississippi State, South Florida, Wake Forest and Cincinnati, shares what it's like to juggle so many sites serving so many different fan bases.

Quinlan also reflects on what it was like to develop a close relationship with Paul Johnson, close enough that Johnson would share some rather memorable off-the-record thoughts -- including being angry when Dabo Swinney parted ways with Kevin Steele ("I own that guy," Johnson told Quinlan).

Quinlan was also close with Dan Radakovich when he was AD at Georgia Tech. He shares insight into what made Radakovich jump at the chance to take the Clemson job.

And finally, Quinlan gives his take on second-year Tech coach Geoff Collins and the momentum he's built as a starkly different leader than his predecessor.

 

 

Dr. Jerry McGee

Jerry McGee was a college football referee from 1972-2009. He was also a university president.

He developed countless relationships with coaches and players during that time, including some of the game's most decorated figures.

McGee recently co-authored a book with his two sons entitled: "Sidelines and Bloodlines: A Father, His Sons, and Our Life in College Football."

McGee often took his sons Ryan and Sam on road trips in the ACC and beyond. Ryan became a sportswriter and is now a distinguished writer and personality at ESPN.

Jerry McGee knew Danny Ford and his assistants well and witnessed firsthand the transformation of Clemson's football program in the late 1970s. 

He also has a great appreciation for not just Dabo Swinney's reviving of the glory days, but how he's done it.

Dr. McGee gives his thoughts on the best team he ever saw, the best player, the loudest stadium and -- yes, the nastiest fans.

 

 

 

 

Keith Jennings

Keith Jennings calls from the road as he scouts college football players for the Buffalo Bills (He's in Alabama but won't say who he's scouting).

The former Tiger receiver and NFL veteran looks back at the Danny Ford days of Clemson football, his recruitment to Clemson (he was going to Florida State until Seminoles assistant Art Baker took the head job at East Carolina), his relationship with Deion Sanders and the rivalry with South Carolina.

Jennings, who worked on Dabo Swinney's staff in 2015 and 2016, recounts what he learned from being on the inside of an ascending college football powerhouse.

He also shares news of a health scare recently when he learned he has an enlarged heart. He believes it's from COVID and says he now has a defibrillator at age 54.

Jennings also gives his take on how Swinney has handled turbulent times over the past few months.

 

 

 

Woody Dantzler

When he was about to leave for Clemson, Woody Dantzler sat down for a talk with his father.

"Don't go up there and just be a football player," his father told him.

Dantzler lived out that command not just as a student, but in his post-football life.

He was a force of nature on the field, and now he seeks to be a force of change off it as he works with Greenville County schools to better accommodate the needs and talents of teachers and students alike.

Dantzler also is a motivational speaker and a mentor to current Clemson football players.

He is also pursuing a master's degree.

And on top of all that, he has a full-time job as a pharmaceutical sales rep.

Dantzler, who lives in Greenville with his wife and two girls, gives his ideas for making the world a better place.

He also shares his thoughts on how Dabo Swinney and Clemson have handled a turbulent spring and summer.

 

 

 

Don Munson and Tim Bourret

The play-by-play voice and color analyst for Clemson's radio network prepare themselves to broadcast games without actually being there. Starting with Saturday's season opener at Wake Forest, the radio broadcasts for road games will originate from Clemson's athletics department studios.

Munson gives insight into a tumultuous spring and summer for Clemson football, and shares just how hard it was on Dabo Swinney and his family.

Bourret, who retired as Clemson's sports information director two years ago, tells of what life is like working part-time on TV broadcasts of the PGA Tour. He also gives his thoughts on the relationship between the sports media and coaches they cover, and how media access is different than it was 20 and 30 years ago.