Eric Mac Lain, Former Clemson Offensive Lineman

Is there something really absurd that skeeves you out? Getting a paper cut on my eyeball. A fear you can't shake? I'm going to leak ocular fluid down my cheeks.

It's going to go into my mouth and I will perish. Whatever scares you, I want to talk about it. Join me, Larry Mullins, on my new podcast, Your Weirdest Fears. Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. What makes your skin crawl? No matter how absurd, I want to know.

Tails without fur on them, such as rats or opossums. I'm Larry Mullins, the host of a new podcast called Your Weirdest Fears. You send me your fear.

I'm just so weirded out about the texture and how they can just move around and flop. And then I go to the experts to learn how to overcome them. Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. Eric, how you been? Zach, I'm living the dream, man.

I tell you what, if I get an intro song like that, every radio hit I do, it's going to be the best radio hit of my life. Come on. I appreciate that, man. You're inspiring us. You're getting us fired up with that way that you come into the show.

So we do appreciate it. What was your reaction on Saturday when Dabo pulled D.G. Angollet and put Cade Klubnick in? Yeah, man, I thought it was the right call. I know that it's something that probably sent some shockwaves and probably got a lot of eyeballs and a lot of attention. But Clemson had to do something. It was a move of desperation. It was a move of we've got to do something to save our entire season. What's it going to be?

What are we going to do? And they needed a spark. And so you make a quarterback change.

I thought that it was something that D.J. just didn't look himself. He just didn't look like the guy that we had seen all season long with clean pocket presence, making great decisions, throwing the ball with unbelievable accuracy. And why was that? I think you got to give a lot of credit to Syracuse.

I think they disguised what they were doing. They got after him, made him move the pocket and ultimately got their hands on the football and created a lot of turnovers that put Clemson in a really adverse situation, one that they had not been in this entire season. You know, we talked about this before, that it's not just D.G. Ungill LA for the Clemson struggles on offense the last two years. But this year in that stretch against Wake Forest at NC State, he showed a lot. And it looked like he has moved on fully from 2021. And then that 2021 D.G.

Ungill LA popped right back up on Saturday against Syracuse. What is it with him that he just not been that guy that we thought he was going to be? Yeah, you know, I think this year he has been outside of that game.

And really, Zach, I thought, you know, during the game and watching it live, I thought exactly what you just said. But it was different than a year ago, because when you watch it, he was making good throws. He was shooting darts downfield, connecting with his guys. And then it was just like a lapse in judgment. And on the first, you know, interception to, you know, 10 there, Joseph and got it.

And got it should have cut the route, you know, shallow and came out, you know, really flat and steady, kind of drifted. There was a ton of air, you know, between him and the ball. And the DB slid right underneath and made it happen on the second pick. You know, Syracuse just confused them. They showed cover to D.J. kind of was blindly looking to the left and didn't see post snap that they rolled the cover one. He thinks he has a tight end, you know, screaming wide open. He leads them about four yards and there's a safety just sitting right there. And so it was super uncharacteristic, man. I'm not on the company or in the fence of, you know, going that he's reverted back at all. I think it was just unfortunately his worst day against the best defense that they played so far.

So when those two things add up, it's absolute chaos and you see what happens. And unfortunately, he got sat down and a young man came in and did enough. I don't think Cade Klubnick, you know, did anything to win the day for Clemson. I think it was the team as a whole just came together and said, hey, we got to do something. Our guys, you know, he's not doing it.

We've got to come together. And you saw that from, you know, Will Shipley, who went bananas and just absolutely balled out. And then a defense that, you know, was absolutely suffocating in the second half. Yeah, that's a great point that you bring up, Eric McLean, because you're right.

We were talking about this earlier. It's not like Cade Klubnick came in and played great, but the team just found a way to get the job done. Sherry had a very nice throw on the two-point conversion. So this wasn't Caleb Williams replacing Spencer Rattler last year in Red River, where you had to start in the next week. Do you buy Dabo? I know there's a bye week before Notre Dame that it will definitely be DJ starting up against Notre Dame. Yeah, and I think, you know, why you can look at that as not just lip service is Dabo has stood behind this young man for an entire year.

And it was terrible football. And he still defended him saying, I know this guy's got it. I know this young man, you know, can do the things necessary. He's our guy. Even a year ago when, you know, everybody was probably calling for a change.

Let's do something different to get this going. So now, you know, when he's, when you look statistically, probably the second best quarterback in the ACC because of the down game, I think you sit him, you let him think about it, you get better. And then it's his, it's his team, it's his game, everything's just fine in two weeks against Notre Dame. It will be interesting to see mentally though, is he able to just move on? You know, quarterback is a position man, a lot like, you know, pitcher in baseball.

Those are the two hardest, I think, in all of sport that there's so much mental aspect of it. If he's having any doubts, if he's having any reflection back on that at all, I mean, he's going to struggle against Notre Dame, but I really, Zach, I don't see that happening. Well, there's one thing for Dabo to vocally say that he's our guy, he's our guy, but he showed you that there can be a short leash up against Syracuse. So that could have a mental effect because if Kate Clubnick, let's say, gets into Notre Dame and plays well, then how don't you go with the guy? Yeah, well, I think that, you know, short leash, I mean, five turnovers is a lot, man.

It just, it honestly was the worst hit. You've seen him decision making wise play in quite some time. So I think the only way Cade would go in is if we see something of that nature. And again, I just, I don't foresee that happening. Call me crazy.

Maybe it does. And then, you know, if Cade goes in and balls out, it's just Dabo Swinney has proved that he will do what's best for his team. Not just, you know, this year in that game against Syracuse, but historically. I mean, 2014, he puts in a true freshman to Sean Watson to kind of save the season there. In 2018, he replaces Kelly Bryant, you know, with Trevor Lawrence there, which ended up being a national championship year.

I don't think this situation is anywhere close to either of those. But certainly it's an example of, you know, Coach Swinney making a hard decision, replacing a senior, you know, for a younger guy. If they do put in Cade Club, they could he win a national title? Because I look at Clemson right now and they may very well go undefeated and get into the college football playoff, but they don't have the feel of a national championship contending team to me. You know, I think, man, when I look at them and I see what Cade has been able to do, I don't think he's quite ready for that.

I think he needs more time. But I probably disagree with you, obviously, being a alum, but also just covering this team and seeing, OK, what happened in Wake Forest? They had to go shot for shot with somebody.

That's somebody like an Ohio State. What did they do against an NC State team? They had to flex their muscles defensively and really be able to rile up and rise up and get that going. And then what did they do against the Syracuse team? Come back from 11 points, overcome five turnovers. So the testing is there. And this team, man, when you give them time, you give them time to prepare, you know, look out in anybody's race, it could happen.

So I'm not with you. I think certainly Clemson squaring the playoff race and thinking that, you know, they're going to be contending, no question. Talking to Eric Macklin right now, I do think they'll get in. But this is like one of those years where I think the Big 12 is better than the ACC. I think the Pac 12 is better than the ACC. These debates are they're going to be fun because, you know, two SEC teams are going to get in. You know that either Michigan or Ohio State is going to get in. So that's one spot left.

It's going to be fun in a month or two. Sure. I mean, I don't know, man, about the Big 12 and the Pac 12. I mean, you know, the Atlantic has, you know, the most teams ranked of any division in all of college football. So that's a pretty bold statement. And then you see a North Carolina team that can score on anybody that has the best quarterback statistically, you know, in the country with the things that he can do.

So I think you need to take another look, man. The ACC is playing really well this year. And it's a lot of good complimentary football. It's offense and defense. It's not just, you know, Big 12 will score a hundred on anybody.

It's complimentary. These guys will hit you. Who's the best team in the country in your opinion? I think Ohio State, man. I think, you know, everybody wants to say, Hey, they haven't played anybody. Look at their schedule, this and that.

Well, it doesn't matter because they beat the crap out of everybody. Their offense is so explosive. And we saw them just go against an Iowa team that, you know, everybody was telling me, Hey, this is going to be tough. It's going to be really hard to score on these guys. And then you see what they did.

They absolutely obliterate them. I think two is Tennessee. I don't know how you can argue with, you know, their strength of record and the things that they've been able to do. And then I have Clemson three, Georgia four.

So I'm excited, man. I think like you, it's going to be a fascinating race, you know, to see who's in this playoff and it's going to be, it's going to be a wild finish. You put Clemson. I know that you're a school over Georgia though. Who has more ranked wins in the country? Clemson with three. Who wins though, if they play tomorrow, I saw that game a year ago when DJ couldn't sniff anybody. George George is not caring to me like they were a year ago, man. They're just not.

Okay. So at the end of the year, you think those, those four teams that you just said, that's what the college football playoffs going to be. I don't know if two teams from the East would get in. I mean, you, you would have to see an amazing game between Georgia and Tennessee and the regular season, which surely that's going to happen. And then of course, somebody going to have to beat Bama, Tennessee, maybe for a second time, you know, Georgia for the first time. So Alabama, they always find a way, but I surely man would love, like you said, the PAC 12 and you know, the big 12 playing so well, I'd love to see a TCU, maybe an Oregon somehow. I know they play George and everybody will lose their mind if they get in and Georgia just absolutely mopped the floor with them, but they've gotten better.

So it'll be fascinating to see who the foreground I'd hate in a game in a year where everybody's playing so well, you know, just to, just to give the SEC too, because historical, whatever, let's see who's playing the best football and make it happen. I've been impressed this year and before this season, I thought he was one of the more confusing players in college football, Bo Nix, and with after what happened in week one to Georgia, but I never thought we'd still be talking about Bo Nix in a positive way this way into the year, but he's really responded. He's the most confusing player in college football.

He's hot or cold, baby. And, you know, seeing her performance against UCLA, five touchdowns, just super gritty, man is the best way to describe him. And you know, a guy who's a great college football player that sometimes makes some crazy decisions, but I think that just is the beauty of this game. Long-term, where's your confidence with Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame, by the way?

Man, I, you know, I talked to Jordan Cornette all about this all the time, you know, the leading shot blocker in Notre Dame history. He hosts our show, The Huddle on ACC Network. He's a very cerebral guy. And right now he's kind of, you know, he's sold on this guy's learning to be a head coach. He's learning to be a coach. He's a fantastic recruiter. He's learning how to manage and get going and all these different things. I think when you look at the recruiting class, it certainly is something where you can't debate it because at the end of the day, if you don't have the Jimmys and the Joes, you're not much of a coach.

So I think the jury's still out. It's certainly something where I didn't expect quite this, you know, from him in the opening year and to see this team. But quarterback play is important, man. And I think that they have well below average play at that position and certainly why we're seeing some struggles with that team.

Wrapping up with Eric McLean on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. You brought up Alabama. I've never seen a year like this with Alabama. Uncharacteristics, penalties, turnovers in big spots, defense giving up big plays when the game is on the line. This is not what a Nick Saban program that I'm accustomed to. No, it's really weird. I mean, you talk about giving up penalties.

I think they leave the country in penalties and penalty yards. I mean, it's not. It's very uncharacteristic. It's something that we don't think I've ever seen from a Nick Saban led team here. Their defensive backfield is super young, although very talented.

Just guys that we saw in Tennessee, I mean, just absolutely abused those guys. So it's something where I think losing for them and nobody wants to lose, but losing might have been the best thing that happens to them. So where we see this new focus and see a guy like Will Anderson just go absolutely nuts the rest of the year.

I think one of the best college prospects we've seen in a while, just the abilities that that young man has. So it's going to be fascinating. Like I said, this race at the end of the year, you can never count Alabama out until you have to. If they lose again, obviously.

But it's just you're going to see kind of a new flame from that team, I think, moving forward. We talk a lot about what jobs on this show. Arizona State, Wisconsin, Nebraska. Eventually, Auburn's going to open up at the end of this year. But inside the ACC, Jeff Collins already got fired at Georgia Tech. Do you have a few names that you think maybe Georgia Tech should zero in on since that's your conference? Yeah, man, it's super interesting with who they hired at the AD position. A gentleman who has ACC roots, played soccer, won a national championship at the University of North Carolina, has had unbelievable success in fundraising and getting really massive funds created and going for athletic departments and obviously having the history at Alabama with such a football-focused university. I think when you look at it, man, that there's going to be a lot of attention on Deion Sanders, which is the obvious and easiest name to throw out there. But I wouldn't be shocked at all if we see like a Bill O'Brien or given the guy that's there now and Brent Key, who is an Alabama guy.

And I think Jay and he were there at the same time a shot. It's cheap. It's safe. And then you can make another decision in a couple of years. So it's going to be fascinating to see where they go. I don't know if it has to be the splashiest of hires, but certainly someone who can get in this market can get the recruits that is just a massive Atlanta area.

You've got to lock that down and keep those guys staying at home. Eric McLean from the ACC Network. Always enjoy our conversations. Thanks so much.

Yeah. Appreciate you, brother. Have a great night.

Bye. What makes your skin crawl? No matter how absurd I want to know.

Tails without fur on them, such as rats or opossums. I'm Larry Mullins, the host of a new podcast called Your Weirdest Fears. You send me your fear.

I'm just so weirded out about the texture and how they can just move around and flop. And then I go to the experts to learn how to overcome them. Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. Is there something really absurd that skeeves you out? Getting a paper cut on my eyeball. A fear you can't shake? I'm going to leak ocular fluid down my cheeks.

It's going to go into my mouth and I will perish. Whatever scares you, I want to talk about it. Join me, Larry Mullins, on my new podcast, Your Weirdest Fears. Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from.