The State of the Valley: Life after "Nuk"

By David Yannarella on January 22, 2013

photo courtesy of Adam Drewes

Hey, Tiger fans! I’m back and ready to roll in 2013 with a greater purpose in mind. This may seem like just about every article I’ve put out, but I promise that you will see more than just football coming from my keyboard. That being said, let’s get back to football.

Clemson fans nearly had a collective heart attack when Tajh Boyd announced a press conference where he would relay his decision to either stay for another year or enter the NFL draft early. Many read the tweets he posted before the press conference as hints that he was going to leave. Students with a 2:30 class skipped it, opting instead to sit on their laptops and watch Tajh stand behind the podium and make his decision known to the world. And at approximately 2:32 p.m., Tiger Nation let out a sigh as a whole, as Boyd announced he was going to stay another year.

As great as that news was, many still took the news that DeAndre “Nuk” Hopkins was leaving early as a blow to the chest. Nuk broke records set by freshman phenomenon Sammy Watkins a year ago, and in a big way. He came out of his sophomore slump ready to shock the world, and he did, especially in the Chick Fil A Bowl. He caught 13 passes for 191 yards and was a  part of what was, in my opinion, the greatest play of bowl season: the 4th and 16 catch. Nuk is a spectacular wide receiver, and will be an asset to any team.

With that being said, I’m not surprised that he’s entering the draft early, and I definitely don’t blame him. Draft stock can be very volatile, and playing in college another year while risking injury is very dangerous. I sincerely wish Nuk the best of luck and much success in the NFL. The team that drafts him will be glad to know they have a record-setting wide receiver on their roster.

Now the big question from fans is, “What will we do without Nuk?” That is a valid question, as the rest of our receivers did not have a spectacular year. Sammy Watkins missed nearly a third of the season due to suspension and injury (including all but one play of the Chick Fil A Bowl). Martavis Bryant was suspended for the bowl game, and did not have as many receptions as he probably would have liked. However, he made every catch and went for a first down or touchdown. Jaron Brown, a very reliable receiver, is graduating. And as bad as this may sound, I’m still confident that the upcoming season will be one for the record books, and it could involve a National Championship, in my opinion. Here are some reasons not to fear next season:

1. Tajh is staying: While Nuk was a great receiver, his record breaking was assisted by Tajh Boyd. Tajh has become an impressive pocket passer, demonstrated in his nearly flawless performance in the win over LSU. Tajh will develop relationships with these players like the relationship he developed with Nuk, and that relationship will help to keep the offense going.

2. Sammy will be back with a vengeance: Sammy had a tough year, no matter how you look at it. He did set the record for receiving yards in a game, but take that game away and he had less than 50% of the total receiving yards he had as a freshman. That’s a perfect example of a “sophomore slump,” and I guarantee you he will be breaking every record in the books next year.

3. Variety at the #2 spot: With Nuk leaving, there is a lot of potential to turn the #2 WR spot on our roster into a dynamic position. Many players could fill that spot, including a tall vertical threat like Martavis Bryant, a receiver that can make defenders miss in the style of  Adam Humphries while outrunning any defender, just as Charone Peake or Germone Hopper would do. It will be very exciting to see how the roster plays out.

Now, I can understand your concerns about Nuk leaving, and I will agree that it will be interesting to see if the dynamics of the offense change, but I believe it will change for the better. If you don’t believe me, come to this year’s Orange and White game. If you don’t see any glimpse of hope for our offense next season, track me down and I’ll buy you an overpriced Death Valley soda. But until then, don’t worry. As Darius Robinson and Martin Jenkins once said, “WE TOO DEEP!”

Until next time, God Bless and Go Tigers!

 

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