Life is good

CLEMSON -- Last year against Florida State, Barrett Carter grabbed a fumble at the 3-yard line and leaped into the end zone for the closing flourish.

The ball was there because the Seminoles' last-gasp lateral festival was going backwards.

The touchdown made the final score of 30-20 look much more convincing than the play on the field.

Just as Saturday's final score of 34-28 made the score look much closer than the play on the field.

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Aside from some anxious moments early and late, there was never any doubt as to which team was better two days ago.

And there is no doubt about how far this team has come since last year when they were reeling and playing more like a four-win team than one that would scratch and claw its way to 10 victories.

A part of the fan base -- certainly not all, and probably not even a majority -- has been on a bit of a yo-yo lately. They're edgy. They're angsty. They're quick to panic and see the worst in a group of coaches that has done almost nothing to earn such cynicism.

Maybe this is less a function of Clemson specifically and more an encapsulation of how we passionately follow sports in 2022.

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But this web site is devoted to chronicling Clemson, so let us count the ways that the passion has overflowed into condemnation that has proved to be almost laughably premature:

After Week 1, there was no way the coaches knew what they were doing if they continued to believe DJ Uiagalelei was the best option at quarterback.

After Week 2, there was no way the defense was ever going to stop a screen pass again after Furman feasted via that route.

After Weeks 3 and 4 the verdict was in Dabo Swinney's decision to promote Wes Goodwin after Brent Venables' departure: Horrible move, and yet another instance of the head coach sacrificing the good of the program for his desire to promote his buddies.

After the trip to Boston College there was more angst about the offense after too many three-and-outs.

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And now after the Tigers let their guard down for a few minutes at Florida State we're being asked if we have the guts to grill the staff about the complacency that infected the team once it was up 20 points.

Here we are in mid-October, and it feels like there's been just one week of unadulterated, unanimous celebration of this team. That came after the Tigers flexed against N.C. State in that joyous night-game spectacle at Death Valley.

That feels like ... not enough joy and celebration.

Again: In no way, shape or form are we suggesting that this pinball machine of cynicism is representative of the majority of fans. And maybe we're reaching a bit in considering this undercurrent big enough to even write about.

But it's enough to warrant some perspective. And perspective should be easy to come by after the jarring decline last season.

Do you remember what it was like to be 4-3 and feel like the thing might be headed off the rails for the first time in a long time (turned out it wasn't).

Do you remember what it was like to see Carter cross that goal line and consider it almost a miracle that Clemson reached 30 points that evening against FSU (it was)?

Do you remember last December when it seemed not that crazy to wonder if the program was in decline given the departure of some vital coaching pieces?

Do you remember, just a couple months ago, thinking that if this offense could just average 28 points a game that it might be what the team needed to get back into the business of playing for championships?

Seven games in, Clemson is averaging 38.6 points per game. How many of us thought that was possible entering the season?

(Hand not raised here.)

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Given the absolute tumult taking place just about everywhere else in college football, how cool is it that Clemson is right there in the thick of the playoff conversation at 7-0? With a chance to make another statement Saturday against suddenly formidable Syracuse?

Life in these parts is pretty good, folks.

Just a friendly reminder to some folks that need it, and even those who don't.

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