Tribal Warfare
04-06-2010, 07:48 PM
Meet C.J. Spiller, the NFL's next 'all-purpose dynamo' tailback (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-04-05-sw-cj-spiller_N.htm)
By Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY
He entered the world as Clifford Spiller Jr. He'll enter the NFL draft as the more familiar C.J. Spiller, and his name figures to be called early in the first round.
As a senior running back last season at Clemson, Spiller was the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. He racked up big yards and touchdowns as a runner, receiver and kick-return man. Of his 51 career touchdowns at Clemson, 21 came on plays of 50 yards or more.
Heisman Trophy voters took some notice, but he finished sixth in the 2009 balloting. Clemson fans took issue. Spiller does not.
"I'll let everybody else in Clemson be disappointed, but to me, they voted who they thought was the best," he said.
MOCK DRAFT: Our analysts project NFL's first round
PHOTOS: Best RBs available in the draft
NFL teams begin to cast their ballots April 22. Spiller is ranked as the No. 1 running back available and the No. 6 prospect overall, according to NFLDraftScout.com, USA TODAY's scouting service.
Last season, Spiller had 1,212 yards rushing and 503 yards receiving. His 21 touchdowns included four on kickoff returns and one on a punt return. On a 92-yard kickoff return against Maryland, he ran most of the way to the end zone with one shoe. "I wasn't going to let that stop me from running," he said.
RUNNING BACKS IN DEPTH: Cream of the 2010 draft class
Obviously, he's fast. He made that official at the NFL combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds. He felt no need to run for the stopwatches again at Clemson's March 11 pro day. "Everyone knows that I'm fast," he said.
The combination of speed and versatility reminds ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper of two current NFL game-breakers.
"Spiller to me is the all-purpose dynamo that a Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints) was, that a Felix Jones (Dallas Cowboys) was," Kiper said. "He gives you so many dimensions and so much versatility as a runner, receiver, return man — not just a kickoff returner but a punt returner. To me, he can do all those things and give you that all-purpose yardage and be a great decoy when he's in the game just like Reggie Bush is at New Orleans.
"He'll take (defenders) with him. That's what happens when you have a guy with that kind of speed and explosiveness."
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock offers similar praise for Spiller and has advice for his future employer.
"You've got to make a commitment to this guy as a three-phase player," Mayock said. "You've got to get him his touches as a running back, you've got to throw him the football — whether he's in-line as a tailback or you split him out wide — and think about the return game. Just this past year, he only had 31 touches in the return game — he took five to the house.
"He's special."
Spiller has heard the comparisons to Bush.
"Like I tell people all the time, every running back is different. I can't go to an organization and try to be Reggie Bush. It's just not going to happen. The only thing I can do is just try to go be C.J. Spiller," he said.
Just as with Bush, there are questions about whether Spiller, who is 5-11 and 196 pounds, will have the durability to be an every-down NFL back.
"The only thing I can do is just go out there and perform," Spiller said. "I can't worry about that. I know I play the game with a lot of passion, and I'm going to go out there and compete at the highest level, no matter my size or my height."
He says that includes tough inside running.
"That's pretty much what we did at Clemson," he said. "We ran inside, did a lot of zone blocking inside, did a lot of power downhill running. I think by me doing that, hopefully I showed people I can also be an inside runner as well as a good outside runner."
Though he could have entered the draft a year ago, Spiller opted to return for his senior season. He earned his degree in sociology in December, graduating in 3½ years.
"Hard work, doing a lot of late-night studies, just going to the classroom and doing everything the teacher asks me to do," he said.
Music to an NFL coach's ears.
"I took a whole lot of classes my freshman year and didn't hardly go home that much," Spiller said. "It just took a lot of hard work, and it paid off for me in the end."
He said the degree was his big motivation in coming back.
"I wanted to be an example to younger guys and to my younger sister as well," he said. "Education can take you a long way."
On his graduation day, Spiller got a standing ovation from Clemson's board of trustees.
"I wasn't expecting that at all," he said. "To get that, something I'd never been a part of, was a humbling experience and an exciting time. Hopefully my younger teammates were able to see that so they can see what it takes to grab those guys' attention, because those are the guys who really run the university."
He now is on the verge of graduating to the NFL. One typical adjustment for rookie running backs is handling the blocking required against blitzing pass rushers.
"It all comes down to a guy (who has) the will that you want to do it. You can have great technique and all, but the ultimate goal is you've got to have to do it," Spiller said.
He was schooled on blitz pickups while with the Tigers.
"The coaches put me in a great position the past two years of pass protection," he said. "It's all about recognizing the blitz."
He's also eager to return kicks in the NFL.
"That's something I love to do," he said. "Special teams can win or lose a game for you. That's something I enjoy doing. I think I'm pretty good at doing it."
Spiller is good at doing a lot of things. That's why he figures to go early on draft day.
"As a little kid, it's something that you always dreamed about, playing in the NFL," he said.
"You just do whatever it takes to get to that level."
By Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY
He entered the world as Clifford Spiller Jr. He'll enter the NFL draft as the more familiar C.J. Spiller, and his name figures to be called early in the first round.
As a senior running back last season at Clemson, Spiller was the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. He racked up big yards and touchdowns as a runner, receiver and kick-return man. Of his 51 career touchdowns at Clemson, 21 came on plays of 50 yards or more.
Heisman Trophy voters took some notice, but he finished sixth in the 2009 balloting. Clemson fans took issue. Spiller does not.
"I'll let everybody else in Clemson be disappointed, but to me, they voted who they thought was the best," he said.
MOCK DRAFT: Our analysts project NFL's first round
PHOTOS: Best RBs available in the draft
NFL teams begin to cast their ballots April 22. Spiller is ranked as the No. 1 running back available and the No. 6 prospect overall, according to NFLDraftScout.com, USA TODAY's scouting service.
Last season, Spiller had 1,212 yards rushing and 503 yards receiving. His 21 touchdowns included four on kickoff returns and one on a punt return. On a 92-yard kickoff return against Maryland, he ran most of the way to the end zone with one shoe. "I wasn't going to let that stop me from running," he said.
RUNNING BACKS IN DEPTH: Cream of the 2010 draft class
Obviously, he's fast. He made that official at the NFL combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds. He felt no need to run for the stopwatches again at Clemson's March 11 pro day. "Everyone knows that I'm fast," he said.
The combination of speed and versatility reminds ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper of two current NFL game-breakers.
"Spiller to me is the all-purpose dynamo that a Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints) was, that a Felix Jones (Dallas Cowboys) was," Kiper said. "He gives you so many dimensions and so much versatility as a runner, receiver, return man — not just a kickoff returner but a punt returner. To me, he can do all those things and give you that all-purpose yardage and be a great decoy when he's in the game just like Reggie Bush is at New Orleans.
"He'll take (defenders) with him. That's what happens when you have a guy with that kind of speed and explosiveness."
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock offers similar praise for Spiller and has advice for his future employer.
"You've got to make a commitment to this guy as a three-phase player," Mayock said. "You've got to get him his touches as a running back, you've got to throw him the football — whether he's in-line as a tailback or you split him out wide — and think about the return game. Just this past year, he only had 31 touches in the return game — he took five to the house.
"He's special."
Spiller has heard the comparisons to Bush.
"Like I tell people all the time, every running back is different. I can't go to an organization and try to be Reggie Bush. It's just not going to happen. The only thing I can do is just try to go be C.J. Spiller," he said.
Just as with Bush, there are questions about whether Spiller, who is 5-11 and 196 pounds, will have the durability to be an every-down NFL back.
"The only thing I can do is just go out there and perform," Spiller said. "I can't worry about that. I know I play the game with a lot of passion, and I'm going to go out there and compete at the highest level, no matter my size or my height."
He says that includes tough inside running.
"That's pretty much what we did at Clemson," he said. "We ran inside, did a lot of zone blocking inside, did a lot of power downhill running. I think by me doing that, hopefully I showed people I can also be an inside runner as well as a good outside runner."
Though he could have entered the draft a year ago, Spiller opted to return for his senior season. He earned his degree in sociology in December, graduating in 3½ years.
"Hard work, doing a lot of late-night studies, just going to the classroom and doing everything the teacher asks me to do," he said.
Music to an NFL coach's ears.
"I took a whole lot of classes my freshman year and didn't hardly go home that much," Spiller said. "It just took a lot of hard work, and it paid off for me in the end."
He said the degree was his big motivation in coming back.
"I wanted to be an example to younger guys and to my younger sister as well," he said. "Education can take you a long way."
On his graduation day, Spiller got a standing ovation from Clemson's board of trustees.
"I wasn't expecting that at all," he said. "To get that, something I'd never been a part of, was a humbling experience and an exciting time. Hopefully my younger teammates were able to see that so they can see what it takes to grab those guys' attention, because those are the guys who really run the university."
He now is on the verge of graduating to the NFL. One typical adjustment for rookie running backs is handling the blocking required against blitzing pass rushers.
"It all comes down to a guy (who has) the will that you want to do it. You can have great technique and all, but the ultimate goal is you've got to have to do it," Spiller said.
He was schooled on blitz pickups while with the Tigers.
"The coaches put me in a great position the past two years of pass protection," he said. "It's all about recognizing the blitz."
He's also eager to return kicks in the NFL.
"That's something I love to do," he said. "Special teams can win or lose a game for you. That's something I enjoy doing. I think I'm pretty good at doing it."
Spiller is good at doing a lot of things. That's why he figures to go early on draft day.
"As a little kid, it's something that you always dreamed about, playing in the NFL," he said.
"You just do whatever it takes to get to that level."