By Frank Gogola | @FrankGogola Sports Capital Journalism Program Glendale, Ariz. – Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson walked off the field, helmet in hand. He didn’t say anything as he turned right and entered the hallway to the Clemson locker room. His face was stoic, only looking forward. The sound of the celebration happening out on the …
Read MoreBy Frank Gogola & Zach Wagner | @FrankGogola & @zachwagner22 Sports Capital Journalism Program Frank Gogola on Clemson… Watson’s Hot Start: Will He Fade? After a punt on the first drive, Clemson scored on back-to-back drives as Deshaun Watson heated up. Watson completed seven of 11 pass attempts for 108 yards and two touchdowns, and …
Read MoreBy Frank Gogola & Zach Wagner | @FrankGogola & @zachwagner22 Sports Capital Journalism Program SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Sports Capital Journalism Program students Frank Gogola and Zach Wagner have spent the last several days covering the Clemson and Alabama beats, respectively. Now, the College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T is at hand and a champion — either …
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Read MoreBy Frank Gogola | @FrankGogola Sports Capital Journalism Program PHOENIX – Ryan Norton, a fifth-year senior offensive lineman for the Clemson Tigers, has seen it more times than he can count. A pass play is called. The team lines up in shotgun. The ball is snapped. Norton and the other offensive linemen engage their blocks. They’re …
Read MoreBy Frank Gogola | @FrankGogola Sports Capital Journalism Program SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz remembered the phone call like it was yesterday. Ferentz called Grambling State’s athletic department on the night of April 23, 1993. He was the Cleveland Browns offensive line coach at the time and was hoping someone, anyone would …
Read MoreSixty minutes isn’t a long time. It’s a mere hour. That’s how long – short? – each team’s media session was during Saturday’s Media Day leading up to the College Football Playoff National Championship. That’s 3,600 seconds for Clemson. And 3,600 seconds for Alabama. Sounds like a long time. It isn’t. There are so many …
Read MoreBy Frank Gogola | @FrankGogola Sports Capital Journalism Program PHOENIX – Clemson safety T.J. Green hated everything Alabama as a kid. The team, the colors, the houndstooth hats. Didn’t like the Crimson Tide one bit. Green grew up in Sylacauga, Alabama, a pro-Crimson Tide town despite being located a nearly equal distance between Tuscaloosa and Auburn, …
Read MoreBy Frank Gogola | @FrankGogola Sports Capital Journalism Program SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Former Florida State linebacker Derrick Brooks remembered being called into head coach Bobby Bowden’s office during his freshman season. He dreaded it because he knew players were only called into the coach’s office when something bad happened. Brooks had just earned his first …
Read MoreBy Frank Gogola | @FrankGogola Sports Capital Journalism Program Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson said after the Orange Bowl that he expected to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship despite a left knee injury. During a conference call four days later, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney sounded just as optimistic about his standout defensive …
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