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Orange Bowl 2012: Clemson Fans Call For Coordinator’s Head After Embarrassing Loss

Jan 5, 2012, 2:17 PM UTC

Orange Bowl, Clemson Vs. West Virginia: ‘Eers Gun Down Record Book, 70-33

Here is a list of all of the teams who have given up 70 points in a bowl game: The 2011-12 Clemson Tigers. That's the list. The West Virginia Mountaineers broke a bowl scoring record in their 70-33 win over Clemson in the Orange Bowl, embarrassing the Tigers in the process. While West Virginia have a very good offense, it hasn't shown itself to be capable of putting up the kind of points they put up on Wednesday night, even while playing some weak opposition.

Unsurprisingly, Clemson fans are unhappy. Clemson Tigers blog Shakin’ The Southland spent a lot of time breaking down the West Virginia offense ahead of the Orange Bowl, so they’re more angry than most. They’re calling for defensive coordinator Kevin Steele’s head, and they’re using some strong language to do so.

Kevin Steele, pack your bags and get the f--- out of town. Nothing we saw from West Virginia is something they haven’t shown to me in the 7 games I watched of them this season. The jet sweep was their best run play, and our guys looked like they had not seen it once. I think I watched more film than this football team did. hell we pointed these things out in our previews so the fans would know it was coming ... You’re from SC. You’re a good recruiter. You’ve coached under the best defensive minds around, but you ain’t gettin it done here. Record points given up in the Orange Bowl? Giving every offense that plays Clemson their best day of the year? Get out. Go to Tennessee.

While this was the worst performance that the Clemson defense has put in this season, it’s not their first poor performance by any stretch of the imagination. Generally, when fans call for the heads of coordinators after bad losses, it’s extremely reactionary and they end up calming down a few days later. In this case, Shakin’ The Southland probably won’t be issuing a retraction.

For more on the 2012 Orange Bowl, visit Clemson blog Shakin’ the Southland and West Virginia blog The Smoking Musket.

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