seam attack, the return of Stokes would lengthen the batting

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson returned to work this week, eager to finish on a lot more upbeat note than it did last year.The Tigers won the Atlantic Coast Conference title, rose to No. 1 in the country in starting 14-0. But they fell to national champion Alabama 45-40 in the title game, leaving a sour aftertaste to one of the programs best seasons.Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said that has fueled his team ever since it returned to campus as Arizona runner-ups last January.Theyve had a sense of urgency from day one that has not changed, Swinney said. It has not changed from anything weve done. Ive never had to say, `Hey, lets go. When I walk into meetings, theyre ready.The Tigers start with an experienced offense filled with playmakers, beginning with quarterback Deshaun Watson, who became the first Football Bowl Subdivision player to throw for more than 4,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards.The 6-foot-2, 216-pound junior was third in last years Heisman Trophy race, but is already a favorite to capture this years award.Watson has said as long as he graduates -- on track to do that in December -- and helps Clemson achieve its goals, he will likely fulfill his life-long dream and jump to the NFL.All that, Watson said, is for later. Now, hes fully focused on leading the Tigers on another successful college football run.Im very excited with the skill guys and the all the weapons we have on this team, Watson said.The Tigers look like an offensive juggernaut rarely seen in the college game. Besides Watson, Clemson returns tailback Wayne Gallman and tight end Jordan Leggett -- both who took good looks at the NFL before choosing to come back.Gallman set Clemsons single-season rushing mark with 1,527 yards. Leggett had a career-best 40 catches for 525 yards and eight touchdowns.Also back is junior receiver Mike Williams, a 1,000-yard pass catcher who missed all but 15 minutes of the season when he injured his neck while crashing into a goalpost stanchion making a touchdown catch in Clemsons opening game.Williams said watching last year from the sidelines was difficult. But he used the time to better learn defensive schemes and work on the little things that can make a difference on the field.Im real hungry right now, Williams said.Watson and Williams showed what might be this season, the quarterback lofting a pitch-perfect pass into Williams arms for a touchdown during the session.For all the offensive optimism, Clemson has plenty of defensive questions. The Tigers lost eight starters, six who left early for the NFL draft including standouts in defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd and cornerback Mackensie Alexander.Sophomore defensive lineman Albert Huggins said the Tigers have brought in top-level talent on defense the last several years and gave young guys enough opportunities for them to be ready when called to play.Look at linemen Christian Wilkins and Austin Bryant, two sophomore who played key roles in last years run to the College Football Playoffs. Bryant filled in for an injured Lawson early on in the CFP semifinals win over Oklahoma and held tough throughout.We have to replace those key guys and starters, but we have competitive depth, Wilkins said. Its next man up.And next season up for the Tigers.If there was any lingering hangovers, positive or negative, after last season, Clemson addressed that on the scoreboard at the indoor practice facility as practice began. A video recounted the season, including the loss to Alabama and closed with the words, Finish With No Regrets. Air Max 270 Mens Sale Australia . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. Air Max Deluxe Australia .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. http://www.outletairmaxaustralia.com/nike-off-white-buy-australia.html . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. Air Max 720 Australia . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. Nike Air Max 1 Australia . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. It will be of little consolation to an England team smarting from defeat in the short term but, in years to come, when they look back on this match, they may reflect with some gratitude that they were involved in one of the more compelling Tests of recent times.Four days of enthralling cricket, featuring patches of brilliance, moments of awfulness and several shifts in the balance of power were watched by full houses who applauded the achievements of both sides. In a country that has been divided and against a team that, on their last visit, made few friends, it was a hugely encouraging, restorative experience. In the grand scheme, these things matter a great deal more than results.Pakistan didnt just beat England: they charmed their supporters with their flair and joy. Responding to dropped catches and near misses with smiles, they demonstrated outrageous skills at times - Yasir Shah and Wahab Riaz, in particular, were wonderful on the final day - as well as unity and good humour. They may have left Lords in 2010 in disgrace. But their rehabilitation is complete. They are impossible not to like and admire.But while it is no disgrace to lose to such a side - a side who may well have the best bowling attack in Test cricket - England will know that their batting let them down in this match. Not for the first time, their vulnerability was exposed but this time, with no Ben Stokes and both Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root pushed a place up the order, they lacked the depth to rebuild. It has been an accident waiting to happen for some time.Alastair Cook called the batting naive. Reasoning that England were 100 runs light in their first innings, he blamed poor shot selection for his teams low totals and admitted frustration at losing six wickets to legspin on a first-innings pitch offering Yasir Shah little assistance.It was a 350 or 400 wicket, Cook said. So for a legspinner to get a six-for on day two is frustrating. We allowed Yasir to get six wickets when he wasnt turning the ball. It cost us.We played too many bad shots. There was some poor shot selection and we played some na?ve shots at times. Nobody scored a hundred for us in this game and you dont win too many games when you dont score hundreds.Perhaps the key moment - and certainly one of the defining moments - of the game came when England were well-poised at 118 for 1 in their first innings. With the opportunity to build an imposing first innings, Root attempted a slog-sweep and top-edged the ball to midwicket. Englands inexperienced middle-order was exposed and what could have been a first-innings lead became a deficit.It was a moment that goes a long way to summing up the current character of this England side. They are inventive and brave, for sure. And when it comes off, they are a joy to watch.But they are also, as Cook put it, naive. While the best sides show a ruthlessness to shut opposition out of the game,, England are still struggling to find the balance between the positive cricket that reflects the natural style of their game and the disciplined cricket that characterises the best sides.dddddddddddd Instead of seeing off bowling and accumulating, there is still a tendency to try to hit bowlers out of the attack. It was demonstrated again in the second innings. Root, ignoring the man placed for the stroke, fell pulling, Alex Hales went cutting and Moeen Ali was bowled after he skipped down the pitch to his fourth ball and attempted to hit Yasir back over his head. It was oddly reckless batting for a side that had almost 180 overs to score 283.While Gary Ballance looked reassuringly solid in contributing 43, James Vinces streaky 42 was less convincing. As well as being dropped on 9, the result of reaching for a drive well outside off stump, he survived a sliced drive off Yasir that flew just over point and another edge of Wahab that passed between slip and gully.Though his cover drive is pleasing, his inclination to play it against the swinging ball with limited foot movement is not. He is likely to win another chance at Old Trafford but, bearing in mind he has also dropped four chances (albeit tough ones), he might consider himself fortunate to be playing under the current selection regime.Despite the batsmen letting England down, it will probably be two bowlers who are dropped for Manchester. Steven Finn and Jake Ball are the most vulnerable as England look to make space for the return of James Anderson (whose absence here is a red herring; England lost because of weak batting not the absence of another good swing bowler) and Stokes.While there may be some concern about including two men coming back from injury in a four-man seam attack, the return of Stokes would lengthen the batting order. Chris Woakes emergence means there is no need to hurry him, though. Adil Rashid may also replace Moeen, or perhaps join him in the squad.Another option would be to select a solid top-order batsman in the mould of Cook. With the selectors unlikely to go back to Nick Compton - who is expected to return to cricket with Middlesex in the next few days - there might be some wisdom in looking to Sam Robson, who has been one of the most impressive batsmen in county cricket this season. That would allow Hales to move to No. 3 and Root back to No. 4 and provide a little of the ballast that England seem to be missing.It is unlikely to happen, though. This England team appears so committed to picking positive players and playing aggressive cricket, that it is in danger of overlooking players who might help provide the best chance of winning. The flair of Root et al is wonderful, but only if it is tempered by a bit of restraint and patience will it be fulfilled. ' ' '