CLEMSON — Dabo Swinney loves to talk about character, and chemistry, and how much they mean to a football team’s composition and success.
We’re about to find out just how much he believes those words.
Swinney faces the biggest disciplinary crisis of his three-plus years as Clemson’s head coach, thanks to Sammy Watkins’ arrest early Friday morning on drug charges.
After the 2008 Cadillac Watkins was driving was pulled over for scraping the curb and having a burned-out license plate tag, police discovered he possessed a bag of marijuana as well as a pair of pills which are controlled substances. They are Adderall and lisdexanfetamine (Vyvanase), both of which are prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
He was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana
In a statement, Swinney said he was “mad and hurt” by Watkins’ arrest, adding that Watkins is a “model student, citizen, player and teammate. But there are consequences for your actions... and there will be in this case.”
How severe they are will say plenty about how strongly Swinney values discipline.
While we don’t have all the facts in Watkins’ arrest, it appears worthy of a suspension.
90 miles away, star Georgia tailback Isaiah Crowell got a one-game suspension last fall for failing a drug test, and Watkins was caught with not one – but three different drugs.
If so, how long should it be? A game? Two games? Three?
And when would that punishment be served?
Here’s the biggest elephant in the room: Sept. 1’s season opener in the Georgia Dome against Auburn.
Both teams are expected to be ranked in the preseason top 25, and given Clemson’s 2011 ACC title and Auburn’s dual coordinator change, the game will be hotly anticipated and debated.
A year ago, Watkins had his national coming-out party against AU, catching 10 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-24 win that snapped its national best 17-game win streak.
He is the most explosive player on virtually any field he steps on.
If Swinney sits Sammy for Auburn, it would send a distinct message: missteps simply aren’t tolerated. No player is bigger than the team.
If Sammy sits against, say, Ball State or Furman, it sets an entirely different tone – that such errors are forgivable, and correctable in “voluntary” offseason workouts, running stadium steps or gassers away from prying public eyes.
Before Friday, Swinney’s biggest disciplinary quandary was wide receiver Joe Craig, who was suspended after allegedly striking Marlena Wesh, a member of the women’s track team, with a broken-off towel bar, bloodying her face; Wesh also slashed Craig’s tricep with an eyebrow razor.
No charges were filed, but Craig was suspended from summer workouts and the first three games of the 2011 season.
In February, Swinney booted Craig after he was arrested for domestic violence against his girlfriend, the mother of his young child.
Craig was fast, and talented, but nowhere near Watkins’ five-star, game-breaking level.
Former coach Tommy Bowden liked to talk about a player having “money in the bank,” and it is clear Craig’s second arrest caused an overdraft.
By all accounts, this is Watkins’ first major misstep. Friday, Grant Redhead, who coached him at South Fort Myers (Fla.) High School, said he had one minor disciplinary issue in four years – late paperwork that forced him to miss one practice as a senior.
That’s it.
Last fall, Swinney and teammates raved about Watkins’ maturity and ability to quickly pick up the offense, in sharp contrast to fellow five-star recruit Mike Bellamy, who struggled with disciplinary problems and spent this spring just trying to earn his way back onto the roster.
Now, they’re both trying to get back in his good graces.
Clemson has a deep, talented wide receiver corps, led by junior DeAndre Hopkins, whose freshman records Watkins smashed last fall on his way to becoming an first-team All-American and national freshman of the year.
But after Watkins suffered a sprained shoulder in early November, the offense wasn’t the same.
It can survive without him; whether it can thrive is an open question.
Swinney likely knows the answer, deep in his heart.
Whether he is willing to let the world find out will tell us plenty about him – and how much he values discipline.
2014 Clemson commit Kendall Joseph
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 34
waran writes:
I am very sorry that this happened. But we all make mistakes and hopefully Sammy will learn and become a better person. As a University, the focus should be on helping the student become a better person. Football and ACC Championship are secondary considerations.
What will Sammy learn if he is not disciplined (e.g., allowed to play against Auburn) or if the discipline is mild? Most likely he will learn that Dabo’s words do not count; that Sammy is the man; and that he can do anything in this world and get away with it. Is that what we want to teach our students? Hopefully, all our answers, including Dabo’s will be “NO”.
I think we have a good Team, especially receivers. I think the Team will be more motivated if Sammy is disciplined to show how much they care for him. I doubt we will lose to Auburn with or without Sammy. Even if we do lose, this will be a learning experience for Sammy, the entire team and even the Clemson student body that discipline counts.
I hate what happened. Sammy is a great player and a good person. All of us make mistakes. But there are consequences in real world. Unless we are taught the correct message when we are young we will continue to make bigger and bigger messages. I want Sammy to grow up not only as a great football player but also as a great person. He needs to have serious disciplinary action. Go Tigers.
Tiger79 writes:
I am glad Coach Swinney is gathering as much information as he can before deciding. If it turns out discipline in needed I believe he will do the right thing. Sitting Sammy for the Auburn will affect the entire team but the team will realize that their indvidual actions do affect the entire team.
ffstreetdoc writes:
Blah-Blah-Blah..... would you be so "willing to forgive" and quick to defend if the story was about Marcus Lattimore?
DerekEvans writes:
how in the world is this a crisis?? Sammy Watkins is not the first Clemson star to get in trouble and I'm sure he won't be the last...article like this make me sick
Rabbitjack writes:
Sammy Watkins made a mistake...he is also an 18 year old young man, and many 18 year old young men make mistakes. I trust Dabo's judgement in deciding Sammy's punishment. Some good may yet come out of this incident as to Sammy learning from his mistake and becoming a better man for it. There is also the opprotunity here for other young people to learn a life lesson from the mistake of Sammy Watkins. Hopefully a negative will be turned into a positive and all will move forward.
savagetiger writes:
I wish dabo would punish him an get it over with, theres no reason to drag this negative situation out.
changedman711 writes:
Mr. Wallace, apparently you don't know our coach very well or you would not portray this as a crisis. This is not a crisis for a man who lives by faith. Dabo knows exactly what he has to do and there is no indecision about it. He will deliver the appropriate punishment regardless of how it affects the team or him personally. It's just who he is. Try to get to know him before you create sensational headlines to get your byline noticed. You see Dabo knows you get noticed by your actions not how sensationalistic you can be.
TRUTH4U2 writes:
It will disappear just like a broken shower curtain rod. Relax Clemson fans, the good ole boy club will come to the rescue. Greg if you get a chance try and find out how how a guy from such a poor hood with a family with no money drives a 2008 Caddy. Now that would be an interesting story!
campusfriar writes:
To: Greg Wallace and kindred spirits
There are many styles of discipline through which life's lessons are taught. Some people internalize the consequences and learn on their own and others have to be made accountable. I believe Sammy to be of the former. Dabo's discipline of Sammy must not meet our need's yet Sammy's. It isn't what the public eye sees fit but what fit's Sammy's style of learning and personality. To say that he must be punished harshly or Dabo's words mean less is ridiculous. It also doesn't make much sense to say he must miss 3 games because he had three drugs. Those drugs could be broken down into their ingredients, which neighbor in the hundreds, in which case should he then sit out his whole career?! Let's leave the judgment up to those with the authority to do so and not infringe upon them with our personal convictions and judgement of character.
savagetiger writes:
I thought you were a clemson fan?! Why do you wanna add fuel to the fire? He drives a brokedown worthless caddie. He is NOT a paid athlete. He works hard and pays his dues. He is not perfect, as we all aren't. The person who has never made a mistake, throw the first stone!!! As clemson fans we all cheered run Sammy run all last season, so lets not forget where our bread is buttered.
PtownDawg writes:
Mr. Wallace is a sensation seeking, wanna-be "sports" writer. Seldom do his articles offer any insight, or wisdom - just prejudicial, arrogant, garbage. Sammy messed up, got caught, and will suffer (probably for way too long)because of his bad choice. Many who are haters will never forgive Sammy, others will see an opportunity to beat down a good kid, some will use this as fodder to justify their "team's" status (USC) or imagined superiority, and those who care about learning from mistakes will move on and let Sammy do the same thing. I hope Greg finds other topics to spout his ignorance about, and I hope he never features Clemson in any of them. He is, by the nature of the fact that he works for AIM, a small paper writer writing about stuff he neither participated in or understands. What a joke for a sports writer.
Terri (Inactive) writes:
Boy, do I agree with you!!!
This is an atypical student doing a typical student thing.
We get self-appointed oracles such as this author sermonizing about "dicipline" and his conclusion as to the character of Swinney if he does this and not that.
I hearken back to a previous article by Greg Wallace in which he concluded that Swineey was some sort of miscreant for whooping it up with Tribble Reese before Military Appreciation Day. Liberal newsrooms, and the sports rooms are infested, are awash in political correctness and guilt finding.
Watking didn't hurt anyone. Make him run the steps.
TigerTed writes:
My take away from the Greg Wallace article regarding Sammy Watkins is that this sports writer believes that possession of a controlled substance (2 ADHD pills) and possession of marijuana requires a justified 3 game suspension of important games to properly teach Sammy a lesson and to hold Swinney accountable for his statements. I guess if there were 3 pills in the bottle instead of just 2, Sammy would not grow up to be a good adult unless he missed 4 important games. Maybe he would truly grow into a model citizen if Swinney also taught him a lesson for allowing his tail light to go out. Just think how truly irresponsible that action was, as it triggered the cascading events that followed. Clearly, something must be done so Sammy remembers to keep his car in good working order. And how about allowing the car to hit the curb? Shouldn't that demand an additional game suspension? Greg Wallace could care less about Sammy Watkins. His purpose of this article is to box Swinney in to take actions that will hurt the team. Suspending Watkins 1, 2 or 3 games has very little to do with helping Watkins to become a great adult and a positive member of the Clemson Football team.
lhaselden writes:
I think sammy will be disciplined and he will learn from it. He also has the arrest to deal with and university discipline as well. Usually Dabo waits till legal and university discipline is announced before announcing any team punishments.
johnsmyth writes:
His "legal issues" will be handled with minimal impact. I am sure there are IPTAY lawyers lined up from Clemson to Greenville waiting to represent him for free (another perk to being "Sammy" that us working grunts will never have)all working to get his charges dropped on some trumped up technicality.
simpleman303 (Inactive) writes:
good Lord... all these bleedin' heart clemtech fans....give the guy his 1 game against auburn and SHUT UP. It's not the first time or the last time it's going to happen. If it had been a big fat clemtech lineman you wouldn't have even heard about it...grow up.....
tigersniff87 writes:
The facts are in. No one is judging. We all love sammy, but he was in the wrong.
DMM writes:
To ffstreetdoc, truth4U2, and simpleman303: why do deadbeats like you Three Stooges continuously troll Clemson sites to go out and post? Like I've said before - save your lunch money/paper route money/aluminum can recycling money and subscribe to gogamecocks.com where people might really enjoy reading what you spew. What a bunch of d-bags.
understand writes:
Okay, he fell down! No he didn't make a mistake!
In the sports world, when a player falls the officials rushes in to assure there is no more contact/ punishment handed out! If this happens we all know that flags will fly! In the game of life we are required as christian brothers and sisters to rush in when a brother/sister falls just to assure them that we are not going to kick you while you're down and we are here to help you up!! The only time we should look down on a man/woman is when we are picking them up!! SAMMY JUST REMEMBER: EVERYBODY WILL SEE YOU WHEN YOU FALL BUT VERY FEW WILL SEE YOU WHEN YOU GET UP! A just man falls not 1 time but 7 times. well some may ask;what makes him/her so just? and the answer is; because he/she has since enough to know that they can get back up again!!!
simpleman303 (Inactive) writes:
I believe this forum is open to all, unless the anderson/clemtech independent wants to close it. And with the freedom of speech, to you sir I say...you are the d-bag for trying to stop us. Don't be jealous, it's not very becoming of you. I don't "patrol" the clemtech site, but after all the b/s I got from d-bags clemtech fans when this happened to Isiah Crowell, it's called PAYBACK.... MORON....deal with it....oh yes and HAVE A NICE DAY!!
DMM writes:
Simpleman -
You don't 'patrol'(aka troll) but you comment AND come back to respond ? Hmm ....and the 'PAYBACK', all caps ? All this bitterness ... someone needs a nap.
simpleman303 (Inactive) writes:
You have a problem with this? And why? 'cause you can (and so can I) and apparently you are coming back to see as well...or the pot calling the kettle black huh? Payback in all caps was so even a clemtech fan could understand.....HAVE A NICE DAY!
oh yeah, and I can always use a nap!! LOL.....geeze...
TRUTH4U2 writes:
It's called the Anderson Independent, not "tiger beat". So I wouldn't call it an official Clemson forum. As for as trolling I comment on all articles not just about Clemson. IMHO I think he should be suspended one game (and I don't give a crap which one) and made to attend some type of drug education classes.
Oh and BTW I do pay my subscription to the gogamecocks.com maybe they will make a concession and take your EBT card so you can join as well.
TRUTH4U2 writes:
All I keep hearing is the mention of the pot. The pills would be of much greater concern to me. We're talking possible heart attack conditions if used incorrectly! As much as you wanted it Cannotstop Chicken U did not get the penalty you so desired. So yes you will have to face them again this year.
GregWallace (staff) writes:
For the record, I'm the Clemson University beat writer, not the University of South Carolina beat writer. I never wrote a word about South Carolina's NCAA case, because it is not my beat.
TRUTH4U2 writes:
That's to confusing for him Greg.
ffstreetdoc writes:
First of all, I am on neutral ground on the Clemson sports program, could care less whether they win or loose! Secondly, last I looked this was the Anderson Independent NOT "The Tiger". This is a big story to the upstate, not just Tiger fans and will draw comments, not all the comments will be in support of his actions like you think they should be. Some will criticize him!
BigBud52 writes:
I'm sure Dabo will do what he feels is the right thing. We, however, this includes the writer of the article, should not rush to judgement. Since Watkins was arrested, let the legal system do its job. His punishment should be based on the outcome of the investigation. Does he have a medical problem? Why did he have drugs for ADHD without a prescription? Who did the pills and the pot belong too? Did he test positive for taking any of this stuff? Was the person in the car with him free of any blame? Lets get a few more answers before we crucify Watkins or Dabo. Remember, giving part of a story is good only if you are running for public office.
simpleman303 (Inactive) writes:
Thank you sir! Finally a clemson fan who gets it!! Sir I sincerely hope you have a nice day!!
ClemsonGirl416 writes:
I don't believe this article is about disciplinary action at all. It APPEARS to be a blast. As Clemson family, we should be here to encourage and uplift each other. Sammy is the same guy that made many, if not all of us even greater Clemson fans, just when we thought we couldn't love Clemson more! He made a mistake, okay yes. However, this does NOT make him a "bad person". Even programmed robots can make a mistake. PLUS, its May, the first game isn't until SEPTEMBER, there is plenty of time for punishment from now until then. This punishment isn't even for public satisfaction, and neither is it the public's situation to deal with. EVERY time I have seen him in public, he was always setting an example. The good definitely overshadows this mistake in my eyes. But how about this....the next time you want to write an article about "Sammy" don't dig up old situations about other players that have been handled, and try not to describe them like you were THERE. Clemson is a FAMILY and you seem to have missed that part. Maybe this site shouldn't be called Orange and White. You seem like you are for another team.
excuer writes:
So he is a STUDENT-athlete and I'd be curious to know how the university disciplinary process handles the case. For students this runs independent of the legal process and disciplinary actions are meted out prior to conclusion of the legal process. And the student is not allowed legal representation at the university disciplinary hearing. Watkins should get the same treatment as other students. If other students are asked to leave the university for one or more semesters for possession on campus, then so too should Watkins. This should not be simply a matter of what punishment Dabo decides.
clemsongirl99 writes:
This post is SO true! Prayer works! I've seen PLENTY of people fall, but only my Christian friends are quick to get back up! Sammy will get back up,keep faith in him! He's a role model to me!
simpleman303 (Inactive) writes:
Was that said in your best clint (hearbreak ridge) Eastwood voice?
mwat935139 writes:
I wouldn't suspend him at all. He's a good kid that made a teenager mistake and I'm of the belief he will never make this mistake again. I'm sure the internal punishment such as constant drug testing that he'll be facing along with the shame he feels inside is punishment enough for this first and last infraction.
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