Muso Jam

Wales' James warns of Norwegian revenge in Oslo

· Yahoo Sports

James has won 68 caps for Wales since making his debut eight years ago [FAW]

Winger Dan James says Wales proved a point when they beat Norway – but is wary Erling Haaland and his team-mates are now intent on turning the tables.

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The Leeds United attacker said that Craig Bellamy's side were being written off before the eye-catching win in Cardiff last month.

James was on the scoresheet as Wales came from behind to see off the World Cup quarter-finalists, reigniting hopes of staying in the top tier of the Nations League.

It represented the biggest scalp of Bellamy's reign, ending a winless run of six and quietening some of the rumblings of discontent around the manager.

Repeating the trick in Oslo on Saturday (17:00 GMT) would inch Wales to within a whisker of securing third spot and the boost to Euro 2028 qualifying seedings that comes with it.

In contrast, Norway are on their worst run of form in a decade and in danger of dropping out of the European elite they seemed on course to challenge.

"They're a great nation and, at home especially, they've been brilliant," said James as Wales prepared for the encounter at Ullevaal Stadion.

"They're a very hard team to beat and I think after having that win in Cardiff it's something that they've had to take – and they'll be even more up for this game."

Norwegian media were critical of the side that lost in Cardiff having also been beaten in games against Portugal immediately before and after.

The defeat in Oslo – in which Cristiano Ronaldo was left on the bench by Portugal, prompting his walk out and eventual international retirement – was the first time Norway had lost in 12 competitive matches at home.

And Norway have not lost four games in a row since 2016, well before the emergence of much of their current golden generation.

Only veteran goalkeeper Orjan Nyland and fit-again Atletico Madrid striker Alexander Sorloth survive from that time.

It suggests Wales will face a side eager to end talk of such issues with a win this weekend.

James, though, says Wales will be focusing on themselves after silencing critics against the same opposition.

"We won't look to them too much - they've got great players, they've got a great squad and have been great at home – but we have full belief," said the 29-year-old set to win his 69th cap.

"That win over Norway was so important to keep us in the group and we showed what we were about."

Wales had been under fire after losing their opening League A fixtures in Portugal and Denmark, the latter seeing head coach Bellamy admit he had been "hurt" by the performance.

"The manager said it and we all knew it - we didn't perform to our best," James added.

"As a team, we lost our identity a little bit. People had started talking and writing us off a little bit, but I think we showed our reaction and people saw."

'If we can perform, we can do it'

Dan James scored in Wales' 2-1 victory over Norway in October [FAW]

A win in Oslo would leave Wales handily placed to seal at least third in the group, providing they could then either pick up a point in Cardiff against Portugal in their final fixture or hope results go their way.

Although it would likely mean Wales would still have to go to a play-off to retain their League A status, it would guarantee a pot one seeding for the Euro 2008 qualifiers – a tournament Wales will co-host.

"We're all aware of where we want to finish and how important it is going into Euro qualifiers," said James, who was part of the Wales squads that appeared at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup – the nation's last major final appearances.

"We have it in the back of our heads, but we can't put pressure on ourselves – the only thing to know is that if we perform, we can do it.

"We know we have two very important games against teams we want to be playing against. If we want to get to major finals and go far in tournaments, we have to be able to compete against these teams and the manager always reiterates that."

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Has the Christmas beetle really returned to Brisbane?

· The Age

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Clemson OC Chad Morris' hopes of turning around Tigers offense morphs into QB development project

· Yahoo Sports

Nov. 12—CLEMSON — Chad Morris said it himself: His first year back as Clemson's offensive coordinator hasn't been as fruitful as he planned.

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Morris returned to Clemson this offseason. He left for the first time after a successful stint in 2011-2014 which kicked off the 2010s dynasty. Since then, he'd bounced around as a head coach and coordinator, and spent the last few years as a staffer and analyst after last calling plays at Auburn in 2020.

It hasn't been the happiest reunion so far.

The Tigers have regressed from 2025 under former OC Garrett Riley in nearly ever major statistical category besides rushing offense, are last in the nation for passing touchdowns (tied with run-heavy Army, which has attempted 185 fewer passes than Clemson) and second-last in red zone TD rate.

Most recently, Clemson (6-3, 4-2 ACC) failed to score an offensive touchdown in an 18-13 win at Syracuse on Nov. 7.

Despite the struggles, Morris said nothing about this year has been a surprise. If anything, the challenge has been tailoring the offense to a young, developing unit that will see zero starters pushed out due to lack of remaining eligibility.

"Here's who we are, here's what we're doing, here's what we can do, and now let's adapt to that," Morris said. "Just putting those guys and and just forcing the growth on them, so that's probably been the biggest thing."

In any program, the offense starts with the quarterback. For Clemson, producing a full-strength offense starts there, too. Developing freshman QB Tait Reynolds has become the focal point of Morris' work in 2026.

"Obviously, we're a long way from where we want to be, but watching the growth, watching the growth of Tait, and just seeing him grow as the offense grows, I think that's been definitely a bright spot."

Morris and Reynolds don't exactly come across as an obvious friendship.

There's 38 years separating the pair. Morris (57) is Texas born-and-bred and drinks Red Bull with his Fruit Loops for breakfast. Reynolds (19) is a West Coast kid from Arizona who'd be comatose if he was any more relaxed.

But seemingly, the two have developed a close bond. During the week before a 36-24 win at Florida State on Oct. 31, in which Reynolds iced the game with a 79-yard touchdown run (a program record for a QB), Morris called Reynolds at 10:30 p.m. to encourage that type of aggression with his legs.

"I said, 'I'm watching somebody run around, a highlight, that's playing high school football in Arizona. Do you know who this guy is?' And he starts laughing," Morris said. "And I'm like, 'No, I'm not laughing. I'm being serious, because I want to see you start running this way.'"

The open line of communication goes both ways. Morris said one of Reynolds' biggest areas of growth this season is gaining the confidence to tell his coach "no," and share which parts of the offense he's more or less comfortable with. Morris said he'll learn to like some of these more complex concepts one day, but for now, they can pull back and focus on maximizing his confidence level.

"I think he doesn't see all the things I see down on the field. He does a great job all game of planning, and all week, actually," Reynolds said. "I need to help them out there and just get a little more comfortable, and help them out as much as he can help me."

Clearly Reynolds and Morris are happy with where their relationship has grown. It hasn't always translated on Saturdays, particularly in the red zone. The solution to that issue is something the pair, and the rest of the offense, are still working on.

"I think that's kind of been the story this year," Reynolds said. "We're moving the ball like crazy on everybody. ... We kind of just beat ourselves, you know?"

Reynolds, Morris, Dabo Swinney — you name it — have all expressed faith that, at one point or another, Clemson's offense will explode. But it hasn't. And there's only three games left.

At what point do you start framing development not in terms of what can happen next game, but what can happen in future seasons with a QB Swinney has said Clemson plans to build around?

According to Morris, never. His focus isn't on the next season or the next game. Instead, he narrows his view to the next day, and he's trying to get his offense to do the same.

"You're trying to get these guys better every day, whether it's meetings and how we do our meetings, and keeping these guys locked in," he said. "That'll take care of itself. If you just focus on today and getting a little better, that's all we're asking."

With a freshman quarterback — just one of six to start a game in college football this season — you can't realistically ask for much else. But one day, Reynolds will be asked to do more. Morris will have to hope his day-by-day approach prepares Reynolds for that call.

Otherwise, what else have the Tigers gotten out of this season offensively?

"You got to take some of the the kid gloves off of you too, as a play caller, and just — 'Hey, you're going to make a mistake. Let's go make a mistake,'" Morris said.

"But we can't be afraid to call plays. We can't be afraid to go out and execute. And so I think that's been a growing process with him, and me and our whole offense."

Next up

Next up

What: Clemson (6-3, 4-2 ACC) vs. Georgia Tech (2-7, 1-5)

When: Saturday, 12:30 p.m.

Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson

TV: The CW

Reach Jackson Castellano at [email protected]. Follow him on X @jaxacastellano. Want more Clemson news delivered to your inbox? Subscribe to The Tiger Take.

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