Clemson Football Directory · Clemson Football Directory ... TCU, a team ranked in the top 10 last year, and Coastal Carolina are also Note: ... Special Teams 2009

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Clemson Football

DirectoryStarters Lost on Defense (4)

2008 Career Pos Name GP-GS GP-GS NG DorellScott 12-12 47-38 CAT MikeHamlin 13-13 51-39 FS ChrisClemons 13-13 51-39 P JimmyManers 12-11 26-25

Returning Starters on Special Teams (0)

Starters Lost on Special Teams (2) 2008 Career Pos Name GP-GS GP-GS PK MarkBuchholz 13-13 26-26 p JimmyManers 12-11 26-25

Returning Statistical LeadersTop Returning Scorer C.J. Spiller (66)Top Returning TD Scorer C.J. Spiller (11)TopReturningRusher C.J.Spiller(116-629)TopReturningPasser WillyKorn(26-38-216-1)TopReturningReceiver JacobyFord(55-710)TopReturningTackler KavellConner(125)TopReturneeinTacklesforLoss JarvisJenkins(10-37) RickySapp(10-41)Top Returnee in QB Sacks several with 2TopReturneeinInterceptions CrezdonButler(4-142) ChrisChancellor(4-71)

Clemson Individuals in Final NCAA Stats Top 25, 2008MichaelHamlin,Interceptions T-11th(0.46)C.J.Spiller,KickoffReturns 14th(27.16)C.J.Spiller,All-PurposeRunners 21st(147.50)

2008 Team Results(7-6overall,4-4inACC,5-2Home,2-2Away,0-2Neutral)Date Site W-L Score Opponent(AP,Coach) Att.8/30 N1 L 10-34 Alabama(24.NR) 70,0979/6 H W 45-17 TheCitadel 76,7949/13 H W 27-9 N.C.State 77,0719/20 H W 54-0 S.C.State 78,6079/27 H L 17-20 Maryland 81,50010/9 A L 7-12 WakeForest(21,21) 33,98810/18 H L 17-21 GeorgiaTech 81,50011/1 A W 27-21 BostonCollege 41,86311/8 A L 27-41 FloridaState(24,24) 77,01311/15 H W 31-7 Duke 76,21711/22 A W 13-3 Virginia 51,97911/29 H W 31-14 SouthCarolina 82,4561/1 N2 L 21-26 Nebraska 67,282

N1 - Atlanta, GA: N2 - Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, FL

General InformationLocation Clemson,SCOvernightAddress JerveyAthleticCenter 100PerimeterRoad,Clemson,SC29634MailingAddress P.O.Box31,Clemson,SC29633Stadium ClemsonMemorial(DeathValley)Capacity 81,473Turf Natural grassEnrollment 17,585Founded 1889Nickname TigersColors BurntOrange(PMS165)andNorthwestPurple(PMS268)Conference AtlanticCoastPresident JamesF.Barker,Clemson‘70AthleticDirector Dr.TerryDonPhillips,Arkansas‘70InternetSite www.clemsontigers.comTicketInformation 1-800-CLEMSON

Publicity StaffSportsInformationDirector TimBourret,NotreDame‘77AssociateSID/Football BrianHennessy,Clemson‘98SeniorAssociateSID SamBlackman,Clemson‘85AssistantSID ChristineLong,Clemson‘05Assistant SID Philip Sikes, Clemson ‘02Webmaster Libby Kehn, Clemson ‘02

Phone Numbers/Media InformationSportsInformationOffice (864)656-2114SportsInformationFax (864)656-0299FootballPressBox (864)654-3326BourretOffice (864)656-1926BourretHome (864)888-3490BourretEmail [email protected] (864)656-1921HennessyCell (864)986-9046HennessyEmail [email protected]

Coaching StaffHeadCoach DaboSwinney,Alabama‘93RecordatClemson 4-3(.571),1yearOverall Record same

Offensive AssistantsOffensiveCoordinator/Quarterbacks

BillyNapier(Furman’03

Assistant Head Coach/Tackles, Tight ends DannyPearman(Clemson’87)

Special Teams Coordinator/Running BacksAndrePowell(Indiana’89)

AssociateHeadCoach/OffensiveGuards,CentersBradScott(SouthFlorida‘79)

Wide ReceiversJeffScott(Clemson’03)

Defensive AssistantsDefensive Line

DanBrooks(WesternCarolina‘76)

Co-Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Backs CharlieHarbison(Gardner-Webb’95)

Defensive EndsChrisRumph(SouthCarolina’94)

Defensive Coordinator/Inside LinebackersKevin Steele (Tennessee ’81)

Graduate AssistantsDefensive/Offensive _______ Daric Riley, LaDonte HarrisVideo _________________ Mike Dooley, Ryan Sulkowski

Program InformationFirstYearofFootball 1896BowlGames 31(15-16)LastBowl 2009GatorBowlvs.Nebraska L, 26-21 LastYear’sRecord 7-6overall,4-4inACCTop25Seasons 24HighestFinalRanking NationalChampionsin1981ACCChampionships 13All-AmericaPlayers 59AcademicAll-AmericaSelections 12

2009 Squad InformationLettermenLost 25LettermenReturning 53StartersLost 9StartersReturning 15OffensiveFormations MultipleDefensiveFormations MultipleAll-ACC Players Lost Aaron Kelly (2nd) Michael Hamlin (1st) JamesDavis(1st-2006,2007)All-ACCPlayersReturning ThomasAustin(2nd) C.J.Spiller(1stSpecialist;2nd-Offensive)

Returning Starters on Offense (7) 2008 Career Pos Name GP-GS GP-GS LT Chris Hairston 11-10 21-11 LG CoryLambert 13-8 39-9 C ThomasAustin 13-13 34-25 RG MasonCloy 13-12 13-12 RT Landon Walker 12-10 12-10 TE MichaelPalmer 13-10 38-24 WR JacobyFord 13-8 34-13Note: C.J. Spiller started just one game in 2008, but is a returningplayerofsignificance

Starters Lost of Offense (5) 2008 Career Pos Name GP-GS GP-GS WR AaronKelly 13-13 51-35 QB CullenHarper 13-12 31-25 RB JamesDavis 13-12 50-43 WR TylerGrisham 13-9 50-23 PK MarkBuchholz 13-13 26-26

Returning Starters on Defense (8) 2008 Career Pos Name GP-GS GP-GS DE KevinAlexander 13-10 39-10 DT JarvisJenkins 13-12 23-12 BAN RickySapp 10-9 36-22 SLB DeAndreMcDaniel 13-8 26-8 MLB Brandon Maye 12-12 12-12 WLB KavellConner 13-13 39-15 CB ChrisChancellor 13-13 39-30 CB CrezdonButler 13-13 39-26

Credits

The2009ClemsonFootballSpringProgramwaswrit-tenandeditedbySportsInformationDirectorTimBourret. Layout, design and editorial assistance pro-videdbyAssistantSportsInformationDirectorChris-tineLong.SpecialthankstoBrianHennessy,KatrinaEddieandJeffKallinfortheircontributionstothispublication.PhotosprovidedbyCrisArd,RexBrown,MarkCrammer,ZachHamby,RoyPhilpott,VernVernaandBobWaldrop.CoverdesignbyJeffKallinoftheClemsonSportsInformationOffice.ThisbrochurewasprintedbyElectricCityPrintingofAnderson,SC.

Clemson Football

2 WWW.CLEMSONTIGERS.COM

2009 Schedule Clemsonwillfacefive2008bowlteamsontheroadduringits2009footballscheduleannouncedbytheAtlanticCoastConference.TheTigerswillhavesevenhomegamesandfiveontheroadinDaboSwinney’sfirstfullseasonasheadcoach. Clemson will travel to Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami(FL),NCStateandSouthCarolinaduringthe2009seasonandthoseteamscombinedfor37winslastyear.Clemson is slated to play nine bowl teams overall during 2009. Clemson’s home ACC schedule includes visits from BostonCollege,theAtlanticDivisionChampioneachofthe last two years, division favorite Florida State, 2006 ACC Champion Wake Forest, and Coastal Division rival Virginia.Non-conferencefoesMiddleTennesseeState,TCU, a team ranked in the top 10 last year, and Coastal CarolinaarealsoslatedtoplayatClemsonin2009. “This will be a challenging schedule,” said Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney. “The ACC was the most bal-ancedandcompetitiveleagueinthecountrylastyeartoptobottomwith10ofthe12teamsgoingtobowlgames.Itwillbejustascompetitivethisyear.Sevenofour eight league opponents went to bowl games last yearandVirginia,willbemuchimprovedwiththereturnofthequarterbackwholedthemtoninewinsin2007. “Youliketogettheseasonofftoagoodstart,butwe will be challenged from the beginning with an open-er against a Middle Tennessee team that beat Maryland lastyearandourfirstACCgameisatGeorgiaTechona Thursday night so we will have a short turnaround to preparefortheiroptionoffense.Thenwehaveatop-10teaminTCUcomingtoDeathValley. “Idolikethepositionofouropendate(October10) in that it is close to the middle of the season, and I do like the fact that we never have back to back road games.” ClemsonwillopentheseasononSeptember5against Middle Tennessee, the latest start to the season onthecalendarsince1998.MiddleTennesseedefeatedMarylandlastyear,24-14,andsufferedanarrow23-21defeattoanine-winVirginiateamin2007.RickStockstill,theheadcoachforMiddleTennessee,servedasanassistantcoachatClemsonfrom1989-2002whenheservedunderfourdifferentheadcoaches,theonlyassistantcoachtoserveunderfourdifferentClemsonheadcoaches.HewasreplacedontheClemsonstaffin2003byDaboSwinney. Clemson opens its ACC slate at Georgia Tech on Thursday night, September 10 in a game that will be

televisednationallyinESPN.Georgia Tech was Dabo Swinney’sfirstopponentlast year when he took over at midseason for Tommy Bowden. Fourteen of the last19gamesintheserieshave been decided by a touchdown or less. Boston College will travel to Clemson on Sep-tember19fortheTigersfirstACC home game. The Sep-tember19dateisthethirdwinningest date in Clemson history on a percentage basis (8-1) and the game will beplayedonthe67-yearanniversary of the opening of Clemson Memorial Stadium. The Tigers defeated the Eagles in Boston last year27-21,Clemson’sfirstwinoverBostonCollegein50years.ThetwoteamswillplayfortheMcFadden-O’RourkeTrophyforthesecondtimeandthemostvalu-able player of the game will be presented the “Leather Helmet Award.” C. J. Spiller won the honor last year whenhegained242all-purposerunningyards. TCU,whofinishedseventhinthefinalpollslastyear, will travel to Clemson on September 26. This will bejustthesecondtimeinthelast20yearsthatanon-conferenceteamrankedinthetop10inthenationthepreviousyearwillplaytheTigersinDeathValley.Theonlyothertimetookplacein2003whenGeorgiacametoClemsonafterfinishingthirdinthefinalpollsin2002.Thenumber-sevenfinalnationalrankingforTCUlastyearwasthehighestfortheprogramsince1959whenitwasalsorankedseventhinthefinalAPpoll.Thatyear,ClemsondefeatedTCUinthefirstBluebonnetBowlbya23-7score.ItwasthehighestrankedteamClemsonheadcoachFrankHowarddefeatedinhis30yearswiththeTigers.Thiswillbethe50-yearanniversaryofthatgame. ClemsonwillplayatMarylandonOctober3,thenhave two weeks to prepare to play Wake Forest at home onOctober17.Clemsonhaswoneachofitslasttwogames at Maryland. Clemson has won each of the last fourmeetingswiththeDemonDeaconsatClemson. TheTigerswilltraveltoMiami,FLforthefirsttimesince2004whenitfacestheMiamiHurricaneson

October24.TheTigerswonthelastmeetinginMiamiinovertimeovera10thrankedMiamiteam,buttheHurricaneswonthelastmeetingatClemsonin2005intripleovertime,thelongestgameinClemsonhistory. Swinney’s Tigers will face Coastal Carolina at home onHalloween.ItwillbeClemson’sfirsthomegameonHalloweensinceplayingNCStatein1998andthefirstHomecominggameonHalloweensince1931.CoastalCarolina is coached by former Clemson graduate as-sistantcoachDavidBennett. The Tigers have four games in November, three againstACCteams,twoofwhichareAtlanticDivisionrivals.FloridaStatecomestoClemsononNovember7.TheSeminoleswonlastyear’smeetinginTallahassee,but they have lost three straight to the Tigers in Memo-rialStadiumbyatotalof43points. Clemson travels to North Carolina State on No-vember14.TheTigershavewonfourinarowintheseriesforthefirsttimesincethe1981-85era.Clemsonrounds out its ACC schedule on November 21 against VirginiaonSeniorDayatMemorialStadium.ItwillbethefirsttimeVirginiahasbeenthe“SeniorDay”oppo-nentsince1993whentheTigersupsetatop20Virginiateam23-14. The regular season will close on November 28 in Columbia, SC when the Tigers face South Carolina. Clem-son has won 10 of the last 12 in the series overall and nineofthelast10playedinColumbiadatingto1988.

2009 Clemson Football Schedule

Day Date Opponent Location DesignationSat. 9/5 Middle Tennessee Clemson, S.C. Youth Day/Hall of Fame DayThu. 9/10 at GeorgiaTech# Atlanta,Ga.Sat. 9/19 Boston College Clemson, S.C. Family WeekendSat. 9/26 TCU Clemson Football Reunion GameSat. 10/3 at Maryland CollegePark,MDSat. 10/17 Wake Forest Clemson, SC IPTAY DaySat. 10/24 at Miami(FL) Miami,Fla.Sat. 10/31 Coastal Carolina Clemson, S.C. HomecomingSat. 11/7 Florida State Clemson, S.C. Solid Orange DaySat. 11/14 at N.C.State Raleigh,N.C.Sat. 11/21 Virginia Clemson,S.C. MilitaryAppreciationDaySat. 11/28 at South Carolina Columbia, S.C .

Note: Home games in BOLD.KickoffforGeorgiaTechgamewillbeat7:45PMonESPN.Allotherkickoffswillbeannouncedatalaterdate.


Clemson Football

Season Outlook Mediafromcoast-to-coastevaluatingClemson’sprospectsforthe2009seasonfeeltheTigersareinarebuildingmode.Afterall,fewprogramsinthenationmust replace their top ranked receiver in history, their number-two ranked rusher, number-two ranked passer intermsofefficiency,andnumber-tworankedintercep-tionleaderandturnoverforcer.HeadCoachDaboSwinneybeginshisfirstfullyearas head coach looking for some answers at key skill posi-tionareasonoffenseandinthesecondaryatthesafetypositionondefense.AaronKelly,JamesDavis,CullenHarperandMichaelHamlinwereallrecordsettersintheirareasofexpertiseoverthelastfouryearsandwereteamleadersforaseniorclassthatledClemsonto32wins and four bowl games over the last four years. But, a closer look to the roster shows that Clemson does have some experienced players returning in key areas. While Clemson won’t appear in many preseasontop25polls,ifany,thecupboardisnotbare.Swinneywillwelcomeback53lettermen,including15startersfromlastyear’s7-6teamthatclosedtheregularseasonwithfourwinsinthelastfivegames,earningtheTigers a January 1 Gator Bowl bid.Amongthereturninglettermen,but not the returning starters, is senior running back C.J. Spiller. A candidatefortheHeismanTrophy,Spillerhascomeoffthe bench much of his career behind Davis, the only Clemson player in history to lead the Tigers in rushing fourconsecutiveyears. Spiller has had a spectacular three years and enters2009seasonrankedthirdnationallyamongactiveplayersinall-purposerunning.Hehasscored30touchdowns,accountingforscoresrushing,receiving,onkickoffreturnsandevenbythrowingapass.Heisperhapsthemostexcitingplayerincollegefootball,areputationthatstemsfromhis12careertouchdownsof50yardsormore,includingsixof80yardsormore. Joining Spiller as a returning speed demon on offenseiswidereceiverJacobyFord.Thetwo-timeACC60-meterindoorchampionand2009NCAAchampionhad55catchesfor710yardslastyearasthesecondoptionbehindKelly.Hemovesuptothenumber-onereceiveroptionin2009andiscertainlycapableofa1000-yard season. Clemson’soffensivelinewillreturnallfivestartersfrom last year and will be anchored by senior Thomas Austin,aversatile,strongandquickplayerwhohasstartingexperienceatcenterandguard.Austinwasa second-team All-ACC player last year who was a three-timeselectionasACCoffensiveLinemanoftheWeek,moreselectionsforthehonorthananyotherACC player. Swinney’s defense returns eight starters, a strong statforaunitthatrankedinthetop25inthenationintotal defense, pass defense and scoring defense in 2008. While the Tigers must replace Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemons,oneofthemostproductivesafetycombina-tionsinschoolhistory,theTigershaveastrongdefen-sive line led by defensive ends Ricky Sapp and DaQuan Bowers, leading linebacker tackler Kavell Conner and cornerbacks Crezdon Butler and Chris Chancellor. The special teams will need an over view from a kicking standpoint, but Clemson’s return game will beamongthebestinthenationwithSpillerandFordhandlingkickoffandpuntreturnduties.

Offense(27returninglettermen,7starters) Clemsonreturns27lettermenandsevenstartersfromanoffensethataveraged339.3yardspergamelastyear,219pergameintheairand120percontestontheground.ClemsonrankedinthetopfiveintheACCinto-taloffense,scoringoffenseandpassingoffenselastyearand hopes to improve on those rankings in Swinney’s

firstfullyearasheadcoach.BillyNapierwillserveasoffensivecoordinatorand quarterbacks coach. He is in his fourth year on the Clemsonstaff,hisfirstasoffensivecoordinator.Swinneywillcontinuetorunaspreadoffense,buttheattackwillfeature more running plays for the quarterback. Who will lead Clemson under center will be the biggestquestionsurroundingtheClemsonfootballprogram this spring and summer. The Tigers have three returning players from last year’s roster who will vie for theimportantposition.ClemsonisoneofjusttwoACCschools(BostonCollegeistheother)withanewstartingquarterbackandnewheadcoachin2009. “The quarterback derby will be the talk of the springandAugustpractices,”saidSwinney.“Buthowweprogress up front will be the key. We will have a tremen-douscompetitionforthestartingquarterbackposition.Ihavegreatconfidenceinallofourquarterbacks.Theyare talented players. I know some people say if you have two quarterbacks you don’t have any. But, I don’t be-lieve in that, at least this year because I know we have playerswhocangetthejobdoneatthatposition.” Willy Korn has the most experience among the quarterback candidates. The red-shirt sophomore from Byrnes High School in nearby Inman, SC has playedeightgamesfor127snaps under center as Cul-len Harper’s backup over the last two years. Korn played two gamesasafirst-yearfresh-manin2007,thensuffereda season ending shoulder injury. He played in six games last year and made one start against Georgia TechinSwinney’sfirstgame as head coach. But, during that game he was hitwhileattemptingapassandsufferedashoulderinjury that limited his per-formance the remainder of the season. For his limited ac-tion,Kornhasoutstandingstatisticswithacareerefficiencyratingof132.9thanksto34-49passingfor316yardsandtwotouchdowns.Thatisa69.4completionpercentage.He has also shown ability as a runner with a pair of touchdowns on the ground. Korn was a highly regarded quarterback coming out of Byrnes High School near Spartanburg, SC where he was ranked asthe25thbestall-aroundplayerinthenationbyTomLemming and a member of theESPN150inadditiontobeing chosen the Gatorade Player of the Year in South Carolina as a junior and senior.Hethrewfor125touchdowns in his high school career, among the

topfiguresinthehistoryofhighschoolfootball. Kyle Parker is a second quarterback on the Clem-son roster who had high rankings coming out of high school.Thered-shirtfreshmanisanativeofJacksonville,FLwhowasrankedasthe34thbestplayerinthenationregardlessofpositionbyESPN.com.Hehelpedhisteamto victory in the Under Armor All-America game in Orlandoafterhissenioryear. Parker sat out last year on the gridiron, but was one of the top players on the Clemson baseball team in the spring of 2008. He will hold that stature this spring aswellasastartingoutfielderonJackLeggett’steam.He will have eight days this spring in which he goes throughafootballpracticeandplaysabaseballgameinthesameafternoonandevening.Parkerhit.303with14home runs on the diamond last year when he became thefirstathleteinClemsonhistorytomakefirst-teamAll-ACCinthespringsemesterafterattendingthefallsemester in high school. Mike Wade is a third quarterback on the Clemson roster.Thejuniorhasletteredasasafetyandquarter-backhisfirsttwoyearsandalsoservesasClemson’sholder on placekicks.

C.J. Spiller needs 921 all-p

urpose

yards to become the ACC

career leader.

Clemson Football


Clemson’stopplayeronoffenseandtopplayeronthe team is All-ACC running back C.J. Spiller. Few Heis-man Trophy candidates are not returning starters from thepreviousyear,butSpillerisalegitimatecandidateashemovesintothecenterroleoftheClemsonoffenseforthefirsttime. “OurgameplanonoffensewillstartwithCJ.Spiller,” said Swinney. “He is perhaps the most excit-ing,versatileplayerincollegefootball.Hehadagreatsecond half of the season with the Boston College game servingasanexampleofhisall-aroundcapabilities.”Spillerhasgainedaschoolrecord4,907yardsinthreeyearsthankstohisall-aroundabilitiesasarunnerandreceiver.Lastyearhehad629yardsrushingand436yardsreceivingfor1065yardsfromscrimmage.ThereceivingyardagefigurewasthesecondbestinClemsonhistory for a season by a running back.Spillershowedhisall-aroundcapabilitiesinClem-son’sfirstwinin50yearsoverBostonCollegewhenhehad242all-purposeyards,55rushingoneightattempts,108onsevenreceptionsand82moreontwokickre-turns.Hewastherecipientofthefirst“LeatherHelmetAward” as the most valuable player of the Clemson vs. Boston College game.Afirst-rounddraftselectionhadhegoneproafterhisjunioryear,SpillerreturnstoClemsonwith2,335career rushing yards, 10th in school history and most amongactiveACCplayers,917receivingyards,secondamongrunningbacksinschoolhistory,and1,297kickoffreturns,fifthbestinschoolhistory.ThenativeofLakeButler,FLalreadyowns10Clemson records, including the mark for touchdowns of50yardsormorewith12,sixofwhichhavebeenatleast80yards.Lastfall,Spillerearneda3.5GPAintheclassroomandbecamethefirstrunningbackinschoolhistorytomakefirst-teamAll-ACCandtheDean’sListinthe same semester. While the Tigers have a running back capable of gaining 1000 yards rushing, Swinney has a receiver capable of gaining 1000 yards receiving. Clemson has had just two previous years in its history with a 1000-yard receiver and running back in the same year (2000 and2007). Ford is the top candidate to reach that 1000-yard markamongClemson’spasscatchersin2009.Alsoa

nativeofFlorida,FordandSpillermightbethefastestreceiver/runningbackcombinationinthenation.Bothhave been All-Americans for Clemson’s men’s track team over the last three years. Ford in fact hold the ACC recordinthe60metersat6.51,atimeheattainedwhenhewonthe2009nationalchampionshipintheeventatTexas A&M in March.Onthegridiron,Fordhad55receptionsfor710yards and four scores last year when he was the second optionbehindAaronKelly,thetopreceiverinACChis-tory. Ford is also an outstanding kick returner and has over3,000all-purposeyards,10thbestinschoolhistory.Hehasa9.0averageon40careerrushesandneedsjust50kickoffreturnyardstoreach1,000forhiscareer.Fordhadatleastonereceptionineverygamelastyear,includingacareerhighsevenfor72yardsinthewinatBostonCollege.Hehadjustonecatchfor50yards against South Carolina, but it might have been themostpivotalplayinClemson’s31-14winoveritsarchrival. Ford, like Spiller has a habit of making big plays. He is second to Spiller in career touchdown plays of50yardsormorewithseven. Spiller and Ford have strong support at their respectivepositions.JamieHarperisthesecondleadingreturningrusherfromlastyearwith133on34attempts.At 6-2 and 220 pounds, he gives Clemson the inside power the Tigers had the last four years with James Da-vis. Andre Ellington is a red-shirt freshman running back whowillalsoseeconsiderableactionin2009. Ford is the only one of Clemson’s top three returningreceiversfromlastyear.InadditiontoKelly,four-yearlettermanTylerGrishamhasalsograduatedwith139careercatches,ninthbestinschoolhistory. Xavier Dye, Marquan Jones and Terrence Ashe are returninglettermenatthewidereceiverposition.Dyehadsixcatchesfor75yards,whileJoneshad3-37.Ashehad3-18,buthad10catchesin2007.Red-shirtfresh-men Brandon Ford and Jaron Brown along with return-inglettermenKyleJohnsonwillalsobefactors. “Next to the quarterback race, the next biggest questiononourteamwillbethewidereceiveposition.We have talented player, but aside from Jacoby Ford, we areinexperienced.Everypracticewillcountthisspringand summer for the young players.”Clemsonwillalsouseastrongcorpsoftightends.

Michael Palmer is the most experienced. The senior who has been a member of the Academic All-ACC team had 12 catches for 160 yards last year and three touch-downs.Forhiscareerhehas30receptionsfor318yardsand four scores. “Wearesolidattightend.MichaelPalmerisa‘Jackof all trades’ who has been steady and reliable through-outhisentirecareer.IamalsoexcitedtohaveRendrickTaylorback.HewillcrosstrainasanH-back,tightendand running back this spring. We also have outstanding playersatthispositioninChadDiehl,DurrellBarryandDwayne Allen, a red-shirt freshman who will be a very good player.” DurellBarryisalsoareliabletightendandred-shirtfreshmanDwayneAllenwasanationaltop100playeraccording to ESPN.com coming out of high school. Chad Diehlisatopblockerfromthefullbackposition,whileRendrickTaylorisalsobackafterared-shirtyearandwillgive the Tigers strength as a blocker and receiver. Last year, Clemson had to replace four starters in theoffensiveline.InyearsClemsonhashadtoreplacefourreturningstartersintheoffensivelinesince1963,Clemsonhashadawinningpercentageof54percent.Lastyear,withClemsoninthatsituation,theTigersfinished7-6,a53.9winningpercentage. In2009,Clemsonreturnsfivestartersintheof-fensiveline.Since1963,Clemsonhashadawinningpercentageof76percentwhenitreturnsfivestartersintheoffensiveline.SwinneyisoptimisticClemsonwillbeabletoimprovesignificantlyintermsofitsgroundgamein2009. “The bad news for us last year was that we had to replacefourstartersintheoffensivelineandhadtoplayfivefreshmenwhohadneverplayedbefore.Thegoodnewsthisyearisthatwereturnfivestartersintheof-fensive line and all those young players are a year older and wiser.”LeadingthewayontheoffensivelineisOutlandTrophyCandidateThomasAustin.Astarterasacenterandguardoverthelasttwoyears,AustinhasledClem-son in knockdown blocks each of the last two seasons. Asecond-teamAll-ACCcenterlastyear,hewasthefirstClemsonoffensivelinemantobenamedACCoffensiveLinemanoftheWeekthreetimesinthesameyearsinceStacyLongin1989,ayearhewasnamedfirst-teamAll-

Season Outlook

Clemson should be strong in the secondary with the return of Chris Chancellor (38), DeAndre McDaniel’s (2) move to safety.


Clemson Football

American.Austinisalreadyafive-timerecipientoftheawardforhiscareer,tiedforthirdinClemsonhistory.AustinisslatedtostartthespringatguardandMasonCloywillbeatcenter.Cloywasnamedafirst-team Freshman All-American in 2008 when he had 58knockdownblocks,secondbestontheteam.Cloyplayed over 600 snaps and started all but one game as a freshman. Sophomore Antoine McClain is a strong candidate to start at right guard. McClain was a highly recruited playeroutofAlabamawhosawover100snapsofactionlastyearasafirstyearfreshman.Hehasslimmeddownto303poundsandisreadytohaveanimpactontheline. Barry Humphries and David Smith are candidates forsignificantplayingtimeaswell.HumphriesstartedsevengamesforClemson’s9-4teamof2007andrankedsecond on that team in knockdown blocks. But, he playedjusttwogamesfor42snapslastyearduetoanACL injury. He should be healthy for this year and the senior will be one of the team’s top leaders. Smith, a na-tiveofGreenville,startedfourgameslastyear,butwasalso limited the second half of the season due to injury. Chris Hairston and Landon Walker are two return-ingstartersattackleandshouldbeinthosepositionsagainin2009.Hairstonisanoutstandingred-shirtjuniorwhoplayedin11ofthe13games,10asastarter.Hesufferedtwoseparateinjurieslastyearthatlimitedhisplay,buthehadan81.4filmgradefortheyear,secondbestontheteam.Heisalreadyaveteranofover700snaps.Walkerstarted10ofthe13gameslastyearattackle as a red-shirt freshman. The son of a member of Clemson’s1981NationalChampionshipteamhadthethirdbestaveragegradeamongoffensivelinemenfromthe Clemson coaches and played over 600 snaps for the year. He might have had his best game against South Carolinaintheregularseasonfinalewhenhehadfiveknockdown blocks.Threemoreoffensivetackleswillbeinthemixen-teringspringpractice,makingthetacklepositiononeofthe deepest on the Clemson team. Jamarcus Grant was astartingtackleintheseasonopeneragainstAlabama,as was Cory Lambert, who started seven games at tackle andguardoverthe2008season.J.K.Jayisafirstyearfreshman who enrolled at Clemson in January.

Defense(25returninglettermen,8starters) Clemson has a new defensive coordinator in Kevin Steele,whohasservedwithdistinctionondefensivestaffsatTennessee,Nebraska,Alabama,FloridaStateand the Carolina Panthers. Clemson’s defense was outstanding in many areas lastyear,rankinginthetop20inthenationinscoringdefense, total defense and pass defense. The pass defense was especially outstanding leading to a number-twonationalrankinginfewestyardsperpassattemptallowed. Theleaderofthe2008defensewasfirst-teamAll-ACCsafetyMichaelHamlinandhewillbedifficulttoreplaceasClemson’sstartingfreesafetyforthelastfouryears.HamlinfinishedhisClemsoncareersecondindefensivetakeawaysandhewas11thinthenationininterceptionswithsix.HeandclassmateChrisClemonscombinedfor649tacklesoverthelastfouryears,themosttacklesbysafetiesinthesameclassinClemsonhistory. Whileitwillbedifficulttoreplacethatsafetycom-bination,Clemson’ssecondaryshouldbeoutstanding.TheTigersreturnstartingcornerbacksChrisChancel-lor and Crezdon Butler, who have started together in the secondary for each of the last two years and 26 consecutivegames.BotharelegitimateThorpeAward

Offense

LeftTackle61 CHRIS HAIRSTON(6-6,320,*Jr.)70 JamarcusGrant(6-4,315,*Sr.)77 J.K.Jay(6-6,285,Fr.)

LeftGuard65 THOMAS AUSTIN(6-3,315,*Sr.)73 DavidSmith(6-5,290,*So.)54 MattSanders(6-4,300,*Fr.)

Center62 MASON CLOY(6-3,310,*So.)55 DaltonFreeman(6-4,270,*Fr.)78 BenRamsey(6-4,290,*Jr.)

Right Guard74 ANTOINE McCLAIN(6-5,305,So.)64 WilsonNorris(6-4,310,*So.)68 KennethPage(6-4,300,*Fr.)

Right Tackle72 LANDONWALKER(6-5,300,*So.)76 CoryLambert(6-6,310,*Sr.)

Tight End86 MICHAELPALMER(6-5,250,Sr.)83 DwayneAllen(6-3,245,*Fr.)99 PhillipPrice(6-5,250,*So.)95 DrewTaylor(6-5,240,*So.)

Wide Receiver - X21 XAVIERDYE(6-5,210,Jr.)85 BrandonClear(6-5,205,*So.)84 BrandonFord(6-4,210,*Fr.)

Quarterback3 WILLYKORN(6-2,220,*So.)11 KYLEPARKER(6-0,210,*Fr.)16 MICHAELWADE(6-1,205,*Jr.)

Running Back28 C.J.SPILLER(5-11,195,Sr.)8 JamieHarper(5-11,220,So.)23 AndreEllington(5-10,180,*Fr.)

Full Back or Tight End5 RendrickTaylor(6-2,255,*Sr.)30 ChadDiehl(6-2,250,*So.)82 DurrellBarry(6-4,245,*Sr.)92 KaseyNobles(6-1,240,*Jr.)

Wide Receiver - Z87 TERRANCEASHE(6-2,190,*Jr.)81 JaronBrown(6-2,190,*Fr.)88 KyleJohnson(6-1,205,*Gr.)

Wide Receiver - A6 JACOBYFORD(5-10,185,Sr.)

26 MarquanJones(5-11,185,So.)

Defense

Defensive End93 DA’QUANBOWERS(6-4,275,So.)40 AndreBranch(6-5,250,*So.)

Nose Guard99 JARVISJENKINS(6-4,305,Jr.)8 JamieCumbie(6-7,270,*Jr.)94 RennieMoore(6-4,265,*So.)

Defensive Tackle98 BRANDONTHOMPSON(6-2,315,So.)89 MiguelChavis(6-5,280,Jr.)

Bandit End24 KEVINALEXANDER(6-3,255,Sr.)90 KourtneiBrown(6-4,240,Jr.)

Strongside Linebacker44 SCOTTYCOOPER(6-1,215,Jr.)41 DanielAndrews(5-11,190,So.)48 JeremyCampbell(6-1,220,Sr.)

Middle Linebacker20 BRANDONMAYE(6-2,225,*So.)46 JonathanWillard(6-1,215,*Fr.)

Weakside Linebacker33 KAVELLCONNER(6-1,225,*Sr.)17 StanleyHunter(5-11,225,So.)34 TarikRollins(6-2,210,*Fr.)

Cornerback38 CHRISCHANCELLOR(5-10,165,*Sr.)12 MarcusGilchrist(5-11,185,Jr.)15 CotySensabaugh(6-0,180,*So.)

Strong Safety2 DeANDRE McDANIEL (6-1, 200, Jr.)32 CarltonLewis(6-2,200,*Fr.)

Free Safety27 SADATCHAMBERS(5-11,190,*Sr.)31 RashardHall(6-1,190,*Fr.)

Cornerback18 CREZDONBUTLER(6-0,185,Sr.)36 ByronMaxwell(6-1,200,*Jr.)37 XavierBrewer(5-11,170,*Fr.)

Specialists

Place Kicker13 SPENCERBENTON(6-1,190,*Fr.)19 RichardJackson(5-11,190,*Jr.)

Punter96 DAWSONZIMMERMAN(6-1,200,So.)19 RichardJackson(5-11,190,*Jr.)

candidatesfor2009. Butler has 10 careerinterceptionsfor196yards,tiedforthemostinterceptionsand the most return yardsamongactiveACC players. He had fourinterceptionsfor142returnyardslastyear, the third most in-terceptionreturnyardsin Clemson history. His 196careeryardsrankthird best in Clemson historyandjust79offthe school record held byRexVarn(1976-79). ThenativeofAsheville, NC who established career rushing records at his high school, the same school that produced former North Carolina All-American Charlie Justice,had52tackleslastyearandhas147for his career. He is a veteranof39careergames and 26 career starts. Chancellor has actually started more games in his career with30,including28inarowdatingtothe2006 South Carolina game.ThenativeofFlorida has eight career interceptionsfor83re-turning yards, including four last year. He had 37tacklesinhis729plays last year and had nine passes broken up. Clemson has a strong group of veteran reserves at cornerback. Marcus Gilchrist saw a lotoftimeasanickelback last year as a sophomore and will play behind Chancellor. He had 21 tackles last yearin252playsandis also an experienced puntandkickoffreturner. Byron Maxwell might be the hardest hitterinthesecondaryand he will back up Butler.Maxwellhad54tackleslastyear,46ofwhichwerefirsthits.He had eight tackles inthewinatVirginia,including two tackles for loss, and had a caused fumble that changed the momen-tum of the game. He is

Season Outlook

*Spentoneseasonasared-shirtplayer

Clemson Football


Season Outlookalso regarded as one of the top special teams players in the ACC with 21 special teams tackles last year, and was named Clemson’s top specials teams performer in four differentgameslastyear. “Wehaveoneofthedeepestcornerbackpositionsinthenation,”saidSwinney.“Wehaveguyswhocancover and guys who can hit. These guys have shown they can make game changing plays.” WhileClemsonmustreplacebothstartingsafeties,secondary coach Charlie Harbison, who is back at Clem-son for his second tour of duty, does have one returning starteratasafetyposition.StartinglinebackerDeAndreMcDaniel has been moved from linebacker to strong safety and solve one of the safety issues. McDanielhad77tackleslastyeartorankfifthonthe Clemson team. He also had four tackles for loss and a fumble return for a score against Nebraska in the Ga-tor Bowl. He had six passes broken up from a linebacker positionlastyearandthatshoulddoublethisyear.CarltonLewis,ared-shirtfreshman,figurestobethetopreplacementatstrongsafetyenteringspringpractice. “DeAndre McDaniel might be the best all-around defensive player on our team,” said Swinney. “He was a bitoutofpositionlastyearandisanaturalsafety.Thebigbattleinthesecondarywillbefortheothersafetyposition.” SadatChambers,whohasletteredonoffenseanddefense over his Clemson career, is the prime candidate to start at free safety. Chambers was a second team safetylastyearwhenhehad21tackles.Heletteredasaproductiverunningbackin2007.RashardHall,another red-shirt freshman, is his backup entering the spring, while Carlton Lewis and Spencer Adams will also competeforplayingtime. “I think our defensive line will be the strength of thedefense,perhapstheentireteam,”saidSwinney.“Wehavetalented,athleticplayerswhoworkwellto-gether. It is a deep group. I am anxious to see what they can do in Coach Steele’s style of defense.” Clemson returns three starters across the front four ofSteele’sdefensefor2009.RickySappistheleaderandmostexperiencedatthatpositionfromhisBanditendposition.Theseniorwashavingastrongjunioryearin 2008 with 28 tackles, including a team best 10 tackles forlossthroughthefirst10games.But,hesufferedatornACLatVirginiaandmissedtherestoftheseason.Hewillsitoutspringpracticeandreturnforthefall. Forhis36-gamecareer,Sapphas26tacklesforloss,including 11 sacks to go with an even 100 tackles. He alsohas37quarterbackpressures,mostamongactiveTigers. Senior Kevin Alexander is a returning starter at defensiveendandlookstohaveanoutstandingfinalyear.ThenativeofFloridahad34tackleslastyearin13games, 10 as a starter. Kourtnei Brown is another ath-leticendwhowillmakeastrongcontribution.Hehad21tackles last season as a sophomore. Clemson really has three returning starters for the twodefensiveendpositions.DaQuanBowersstartedsixgameslastyearandfinishedwith47tackles,mostamong all Clemson front four linemen. He had a strong finishtohisfreshmanyearwithsixtackles,includingthree for loss against Nebraska and he was named Clem-son’sMostValuablePlayer. Clemson returns Jarvis Jenkins at the nose guard positionandmustreplace2008seniorDorellScottatdefensive tackle. Jenkins had a solid sophomore year whenhestarted12ofhe13gamesandhad36tackles,30ofwhichwerefirsthits.Hefinishedtheyearwith10tacklesforlosstotieSappfortheteamlead. Brandon Thompson and Jamie Cumbie are two more returning defensive linemen who will see plenty ofplayingtimethisfall.Thompsonwassupposedto

red-shirt his freshman year in 2008, but injuries forced himtoactiveduty.Herespondedwith25tacklesasabackup,includingfivetacklesforloss.Cumbiesatoutallbut one game last year and received an injury red-shirt year. A Parade All-American out of high school, Cumbie ispoisedforabreakoutseasonafterinjuringbothwrists in 2008. Miguel Chavis is another defensive line-man with considerable experience. “We should be much improved at linebacker this year. A year ago we had two players who were playing forthefirsttimeandanotherwhohadplayedasareserve, but had never been a starter. Coach Steele will coach the linebackers and he has a great track record coachingthisposition.” Clemson returns two starters at the linebacker positions,plusathirdplayerwithstartingexperience.Kavell Conner was Clemson’s top tackler last year with 125stopsandherankedamongthetop12stoppersintheACClastyear.Hestartedall13gamesayearagoandhad a lot to do with Clemson leading the ACC in fewest points per game allowed in league games. Brandon Maye had an outstanding red-shirt fresh-manseasonatmiddlelinebacker.ThenativeofAlabamahad12tacklesinhisveryfirstgamelastyearagainsttheschoolfromhishomestateandhecontinuedtobeproductivetherestoftheyear.Hefinishedwith87tackles, in 12 games to rank fourth on the team overall. Hemadefirst-teamFreshmanAll-AmericanaccordingtotheFootballWritersAssociationandalsomadefirst-teamAcademicAll-ACCaftermakingtheDean’sListinthe classroom. ScottyCooperlookstobethethirdstarteronthesecond line of defense. The junior had 28 tackles last yearasanoffanonstarteratstrongsidelinebacker.Other linebackers in the picture will be sophomore Daniel Andrews, senior Jeremy Campbell, sophomore Stanley Hunter, and red-shirt freshmen Tig Willard and Tarik Rollins.

Special Teams Clemsonmustreplacemulti-yearstartersMarkBuchholz and Jimmy Maners at the two kicking posi-tions.Buchholzmade15-21fieldgoalslastyearandwasperfecton40extrapointsinleadingtheteaminscoringwith85points.HeestablishedaClemsonrecordforcon-secutiveextrapointswithaperfect88-88performanceover his two years on the team. ManersfinishedhisClemsoncareerthirdinpuntingaveragewitha41.7average.Hehad13puntsinsidethe20lastyearand29forhiscareer.Hewasalsooutstand-ing in the classroom and was a Weaver-James Corrigan ScholarAthletebytheAtlanticCoastConferencein2009. Spencer Benton, a red-shirt freshman, looks to takeovertheplacekickingduties,butwillbepressuredby Richard Jackson. Dawson Zimmerman, who started two games and punted in three last year, should be the startingpunter.Zimmermanhada38.5averageforhis12 punts last year. Clemson is in good shape when it comes to the returngame.Spillerranked14thinthenationinkickoffreturnslastyearandhasthreecareerkickoffreturnsfortouchdowns. Ford is also experienced in both areas and hasapuntreturnandkickoffreturnofover90yardsforscores on his resume.

Kavell Conner led the Tigers in

tackles with 125 in

2008.


Clemson Football

Clemson NotesClemson Team Notes•Wonfourofitslastfiveregularseasongamestoearna January 1 Bowl bid, in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, Clemson’sfirstappearanceinaJanuarybowlgamesincethe2004Chick-fil-ABowl.•Clemson’sfourthconsecutivebowlappearanceandninthin the last 10 years.•Clemsonpostedaninthconsecutivewinningseason,oneofjust14DivisionIschoolswithnineconsecutivewinningseasons.•RankedinthetopfiveintheACCinscoringoffenseandscoring defense, the only ACC team to rank in the top four in both categories•OnlyACCschooltorankinthetopthreeintheleagueinbothpassoffenseandpassdefense.•Clemson2008seniorsfinishedwith32victoriesoverthelastfouryears,tiedforthemostwinsbyaClemsonseniorclassinthelast15years.•FirstseniorclassinClemsonhistorytopostwinningrecordagainst Florida State and South Carolina.•Ranked20thinfinalSagarincomputerpollatendofregularseason.•Playedthe16thrankedscheduleaccordingtotheNCAA.•FirstClemsonteamtodefeatBostonCollegein50years,theTigersgaineda27-21wininBostononNovember1.•FourteenseniorsontheGatorBowlrostersuitedupforthat game with their academic degrees already on their resume.*Programestablishedrecordforseasonticketsaleswith58,134andranked18thinthenationinaverageattendance.AlsoledtheACCinaveragehomeattendance.•HadschoolrecordthreeplayersnamedtotheSeniorBowl(James Davis, Aaron Kelly, Michael Hamlin) and one player named to East-West Shrine Game (Aaron Kelly).

Offense•LedtheACCinpassingoffensewith219yardspergame.TeamrankedsecondintheACCincompletionpercentagewith 62 percent mark. Team ranked third in the ACC in pass efficiencyoffense.•LedtheACCinredzoneoffenseinleaguegameswithscoreson18of19redzonepossessions.•AchievedatopfourrankingintheACCintotaloffenseeventhoughtheTigersfacedsixofthetop25teamsinthenationintotaldefenseduringtheregularseason.•HadtwoofthetoppassreceiversintheACCinAaronKelly(3rd) and Jacoby Ford (6th). Both were also in the top six in receptionyardage.•TeamfeaturedClemson’scareerleaderinreceptions(Aaron Kelly), number-two ranked player in passing ef-ficiency(CullenHarper)andnumbertworankedplayerinrushing (James Davis).

Defense•LedtheACCinscoringdefenseinconferencegames,allow-ing just 16.8 points per game.•LedtheACCinpassdefenseinconferencegames,allowingjust139.4yardspergame.•Alsoledinpassefficiencydefenseinleaguegameswith94.8ratingpoints.•Allowedjust21touchdowns,thefewestallowedintheACC. •LedtheACCinredzonedefenseinleaguegames,theTigersallowed just nine touchdowns in 22 redzone defensive op-portunities.•SecondintheACCintotaldefenseinconferencegames,allowingjust279.5yardspergame.•SecondintheACCandinthetop15inthenationinscoringdefense,allowing17.3pointspergame.•LedtheACCandrankedsecondinthenationinfewestyardsallowedperpassattempt.Teamallowedjust5.24yardsperpassattemptfortheseason,secondbestbyaClemsondefensesince1964.•Rankedinthetop20inthenationintotaldefense,scoringdefenseandpassefficiencydefense.•Didnotallowanopponenttopassformorethan200yardsinnineconsecutivegames,thebeststreakbyaClemsonteaminthelast30years.•LedtheACCinkickoffreturncoverageoverallandinleaguegames,thefirsttimeClemsonhasledtheACCinthatcategory.

Nine Straight Winning Seasons With its win over South Carolina in the final regular-seasongame,Clemsonclinchedaninthconsecutivewinningseason. The streak goes back to 2000when Clemsonwas 9-3.The last non-winning season was 1999, Tommy Bowden’sfirstyear,whenClemsonwas6-6.Thelastlosingseasonwas1998(3-8). Entering this year, Clemson was one of 16 teams who had a winning season every year of the 21st Century. Two of the 16,MichiganandAuburn,droppedoffthelistafter3-9and5-7seasons,respectively. SouthernMississippiwonits lastfivegames,includingabowlvictorytogetto7-6andkeepitsstreak going. The 14 schools who have had a winning season everyyear of this decade are Boise State, Boston College, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Louisiana State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Southern Mississippi, Texas, Texas Tech,andVirginiaTech.Asyoucansee,fiveofthe14onthelist are from the ACC.

Clemson Ranked 16th in Strength of Schedule Clemson’s 2008 schedule ranked as the 16thmostdiffi-cultinthenationin2008accordingtotheNCAA.Clemson’sschedule included games against six ACC teams that went to bowl games, plus non-conference teams Alabama and South Carolina, meaning the Tigers faced eight bowl teams in 2008. Clemson’s Division I-A opponents had a combined recordof70-52whennotplayingClemsonin2008fora.574winningpercentage,16thbestinthenation.Clemsonplayed eight teams that had winning records in 2008. MostDifficultSchedulesin2008 Rk School W-L Pct 1. Oklahoma 95-50 .655 2. Florida 93-53 .637 3. Texas 89-54 .622 4. Georgia 83-51 .619 5. Arkansas 76-47 .618 6. OhioState 80-52 .606 7. Kansas 79-53 .5985 8. FloridaState 73-49 .5984 9. Syracuse 73-50 .593 Virginia 73-50 .593 11. Pittsburgh 86-60 .589 12. OregonState 86-62 .581 13. TexasTech 70-51 .579 14. Purdue 71-52 .577 15. Mississippi 76-56 .576 16. Clemson 70-52 .574 17. Baylor 71-53 .573 18. VirginiaTech 80-60 .571 19. Missouri 81-62 .566 20. Colorado 68-53 .562 Illinois 68-53 .562Source NCAA

Five Clemson Football Players Named Academic All-ACCSpiller, First-team on Field and Off C.J.SpillerledfiveClemsonfootballplayersonthe2008 ACC’s Academic All-ACC football team. Spiller, also a first-teamAll-ACCselectiononthefield,wasafirst-teamselectionintheclassroomaswell. The Clemson junior was joined on the team by team-matesThomasAustin,MarkBuchholz,JimmyManersandBrandonMaye.Withfiveselections,Clemsonwassecondamong league teams, trailing only Maryland, who had eight. Austin,BuchholzandManersallmadetheAcademicteamfor the second straight year. SpillerpostedaDean’sListGPAof3.5insociologyforthefallsemesterandbecamethefirstClemsonfootball

Clemson led the ACC in scoring defense in ACC games

Clemson Football


Clemson Notesplayersince2000tomaketheDean’sListandfirst-teamAll-ACCinthesameyear.Spillerwasthefirst-teamAll-Purposeplayer on the All-ACC team this year when he led the league inall-purposerunningwith1,770yards.Hehasnowestab-lished 10 Clemson records as he enters his senior year as oneofthetopreturningplayersinthenationregardlessofposition. ThelastClemsonfootballplayertomakefirst-teamAll-ACConthefieldandintheclassroominthesamesemesterwas Kyle Young, a center who accomplished the feat as ajuniorin2000.SpillerbecamethefirstrunningbackinClemson history to accomplish the feat. He was one of four ACCplayersthisyeartomakefirst-teamAll-ACConthefieldand in the classroom, joining Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, Maryland center Edwin Williams and Mary-land punter Travis Baltz. Austinmadesecond-teamAll-ACConthefieldandfirst-teamintheclassroom.TherisingseniorledClemsonin knockdown blocks when he started at center and guard over the course of the season. MayewasClemson’sfourthleadingtacklerwith87stops,includingfivetacklesforloss.Ared-shirtfreshman,Mayemadefirst-teamFreshmanAll-AmericanaccordingtotheFootballWritersAssociation. Both of Clemson’s kickers were named to the team. MarkBuchholzmade15-21fieldgoalslastyearandmadethe Academic All-ACC team for the second straight year. Jimmy Maners, Clemson’s fourth ranked punter in school history,alsomadefirst-teamAcademicAll-ACC. ClemsonFootballPlayersFirst-teamAll-ACConfieldandinClassroom, same year Year Player Pos 1957 HarveyWhite QB 1958 JimPadgett T 1960 LowndesShingler QB 1961 TommyKing E 1970 DonKelley E 1977 SteveFuller QB 1978 SteveFuller QB 1981 TonyBerryhill C 1984 MikeEppley QB 1987 DavidTreadwell PK 1988 MarkDrag MG 1993 StacySeegars OG 1996 JimBundren OT 1997 JimBundren OT 2000 Kyle Young C 2008 C.J.Spiller RB

Spiller Third Most Explosive Player in College Football for 2009 Clemson running back C.J. Spiller is ranked as the third mostexplosiveplayerincollegefootballforthe2009seasonaccording to Rivals.com. Spiller, a senior from Lake Butler, FL, is listed behind just Jahvid Best of California and Dez Bry-ant, a wide receiver from Oklahoma State. Spillerwasafirst-teamAll-ACCplayerasaspecialistlastyearwhenheledtheACCinall-purposerunningwith1,770yards.HehasaClemsonrecord4,908all-purposeyardsandneedsjust921tobecometheACC’scareerleader.Therecord is currently held by Leon Johnson of North Carolina whohad5,828fortheTarHeelsbetween1993-96. Spiller holds 10 Clemson records, including the most touchdownplaysinacareerof50yardsormorewith12,including six career touchdown plays of at least 80 yards, alsoaClemsonrecord.Hehas30careertouchdowns,fifthin school history.

Most Explosive Players in College Football by Rivals.com for 2009 Rk Player School Pos 1. Jahvid Best California RB 2. Dez Bryant Oklahoma State WR 3. C.J.Spiller Clemson RB 4. MardyGilyard Cincinnati WR 5. NoelDevine WestVirginia RB 6. Jonathan Dwyer Georgia Tech RB 7. DesmondBriscoe Kansas WR 8. T.Y.Hilton FloridaInternational WR 9. JermaineGresham Oklahoma TE 10. Dexter McCluster Mississippi RB

Tigers Ranked in Top 20 in 6 Defensive Areas Clemsonrankedinthetop20inthenationinsixdifferentdefensivecategoriesduringthe2008season.Clemsonfin-ishedtheyearsecondinthenationinfewestyardsperpassattemptallowed(5.24),10thinpassefficiencydefense,12th in pass defense (yards allowed per game), 11thininterceptions(19),13th in scoring defense, and 18th in total defense. Themostimpressivenationalrankingwascertainlythenumber-two ranking in fewest passing yards allowed per at-tempt.OnlySouthernCaliforniaat4.57yardsperattempt,wasbetterthanClemson.The5.24figurebytheTigerswasalsothesecondbestbyaClemsonteamsince1964.Onlya5.16figurebythe1990ClemsondefensethatrankedfirstinthenationintotaldefenseandincludedeightfutureNFLplayers,isbetteroverthelast45years. On an individual standpoint, two Tigers ranked in the top25invariousstatisticalcategories.MichaelHamlinranked 11thinthenationininterceptionspergamewithsixin13gamesfor0.46pergame.C.J.Spillerranked14th in the nationinkickoffreturnaveragewitha27.16figure,andheranked 21stinthenationinall-purposerunningyardspergameat147.5. Clemsonfinishedtheyearrankedinthetop25inthenationinpassdefense,scoringdefenseandtotaldefensefor the fourth straight year. Clemson was one of just nine schoolsnationallytorankinthetop20inthenationinallthree categories in 2008.

NationalLeadersinFewestYards/PassAttemptAllowed,2008 Rk School Yds Att Y/Att 1. SouthernCalifornia 1747 382 4.57 2. Clemson 2243 428 5.24 3. OhioState 2386 440 5.42 4. BoiseState 2472 449 5.51 5. Florida 2518 456 5.52 6. Alabama 2651 467 5.68 7. BostonCollege 2477 435 5.69 8. SanJoseState 2043 356 5.74 9. TCU 2219 384 5.78

ClemsonBestYards/PassÅttemptAllowedSince1964 Rk Year Yards Att Y/A 1. 1990 1782 345 5.16 2. 2008 2243 428 5.24 3. 1981 1854 349 5.31 4. 1989 2925 379 5.34 5. 1964 1105 202 5.47 6. 1971 1282 232 5.52

Clemson’sNationalDefensiveRankingsYear Rushing Passing Scoring Total2005 25 18 11 202006 18 17 16 132007 23 20 10 92008 36 10 13 18

Clemson Had Six Former Players at NFL Combine ClemsonhadsixformerplayerswhoattendedtheNFLcombine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN February 18-24.ThelistofformerTigersattendingincludedJamesDavis, Michael Hamlin, Cullen Harper, Aaron Kelly, Dorell ScottandChrisClemons. Withsixformerplayersattending,Clemsonrankedinatieforninthamongallschoolsasfarasschoolsrepresenta-tionattheannualeventthatwillhelpNFLscoutsmakedraftdecisionsinApril.SouthernCaliforniahadthemostrepresentativeswith11,whileLSUwassecondwithnine.Penn State, Georgia, Ohio State, and Oklahoma, had eight apiece, while Wisconsin and Oregon had seven apiece. ClemsonhadsixrepresentativesalongwithCalifornia,Cincinnati,Maryland,Mississippi,Missouri,Nebraska,SouthCarolina and Tennessee. Daviswaswiththerunningbacks.HefinishedhisClemson career ranked second in school history in career touchdownsandcareerrushingyards.HarperfinishedhisClemsoncareersecondincareerpassingefficiencyandtouchdownpasses,whileHamlinfinishedsecondincareertakeawaysandthirdininterceptions.KellyfinishedasnotonlyClemson’s,buttheACC’scareerreceptionleader.Scottand Clemons were three-year starters for the Clemson program.

ClemsonFootballAwardWinnersAnnouncedSpiller Recipient of Three Awards at Annual Banquet Clemson held its annual football banquet on Saturday, January 10 at The Madren Center on the Clemson campus. HeadCoachDaboSwinneyandhisstaffpresentedmanyawards for the 2008 season. RunningbackC.J.Spillercarriedoffthemosthardware.Thejuniorwhowasnamedfirst-teamAll-ACCwasnamedthemostvaluableplayeronoffense,wasnamedafirst-teamStrength All-American and also was the co-recipient of the VickeryHallAwardforacademicaccomplishment.SpillermadetheDean’sListinadditiontohisfirst-teamAll-ACChonorsonthefield,thefirstClemsonplayertodobothin the same semester since Kyle Young in 2000. Brandon Maye,afirst-teamfreshmanAll-Americalinebacker,alsomade the Dean’s List and was a co-recipient with Spiller of theVickeryHallAward. MichaelHamlinwasnamedtheMostValuablePlayeroftheDefense.Hamlinfinishedheyearwith110tacklesandsixinterceptions.Heranked11thinthenationinintercep-tions. 2008ClemsonFootballAwardsSummaryOffensiveAwardsSolid Rock Award—QB Cullen HarperSolid Rock Award—RB James DavisSolid Rock Award—WR Aaron KellySolid Rock Award—TE Michael PalmerSolidRockAwardOL ThomasAustinHustle Award Tyler Grisham12th Man Award Bobby HutchinsonIron Man Award Chad DiehlRookie of the Year Mason CloySpecial Teams Nelson FaerberScout Team Rennie MooreOffensiveMVP C.J.SpillerDefensiveAwardsSolid Rock Award - DB Chris ChancellorSolid Rock Award - OLB DeAndre McDanielSolid Rock Award - ILB Kavell ConnerSolidRockAward-DL DorellScottHustle Award Jock McKissic12th Man Award Byron MaxwellIron Man Award Chris ClemonsRookie of the Year Da’Quan Bowers, Brandon MayeSpecial Teams Byron MaxwellScout Team Player of the Year Preston Stone

Thomas Austin made First-

Team Academic All-ACC in

2008.


Clemson Football

Clemson NotesDefensiveMVP MichaelHamlinSpecialist of the Year Mark Buchholz

AcademicAwardsTop GPA, Freshman Class Dawson ZimmermanTop GPA, Sophomore Class Caleb SimmonsTop GPA, Junior Michael WadeTop GPA Senior Brian HillTop GPA, Team Jimmy ManersVickeryHallAcademicAward C.J.Spiller, Brandon MayeStrength All-Americans: C.J. Spiller, Chris ClemonsStrengthRoomDedicationAwards: KavellConner, ThomasAustin

LandmarkFirstWinforSwinney DaboSwinneygainedhisfirstwinasaheadcoachwhenthe Tigers defeated Boston College on the road on Novem-ber1,2008.TheTigerswonthecontestbyascoreof27-21thanks to a fourth-quarter comeback. Not only was it Swin-ney’sfirstvictory,itwasClemson’sfirstwinoverBostonCol-legesince1958,itsfirstwinintheBostonareasince1952anditsfirst-everwinatAlumni Stadium. ItwasClemson’sfirstfourth-quarter-comebackwinsincethe2007SouthCarolinagame,acontestClemsonwon23-21ona35-yardfieldgoalby Mark Buchholz on the last play of the game. SwinneytookovertheheadcoachingpositiononOctober13.HisfirstgamewasthefollowingSaturdayagainstGeorgiaTech.GeorgiaTechcamefrombehindtowin21-17. Swinney coached against some outstanding coaches in his seven games. The list started with Paul Johnson, who al-ready has over 100 victories as a head coach, including his timeatGeorgiaSouthern,Navy,andGeorgiaTech.Swinneydefeated Jeff Jagodzinski at Boston College in his secondgame, a coach who took Boston College to the ACC Champi-onshipgameeachofhisfirsttwoyearswiththeEagles.HethenfinishedtheyearwithwinsoverDavidCutcliffe,AlGroh,and Steve Spurrier.

All In When Dabo Swinney took over as Clemson’s head coach, oneofhisfirsttaskswastoconnecthisteamwiththecom-munity,oncampusandoff. Hehasbeensuccessful in thisendeavor on many fronts. Below is a rundown on some of the things he and the Tigers have done in this area since he tookoverasinterimheadcoachonOctober13.

•October18 -BegantheTigerWalktradition,wherebytheteamgetsoffthebusongamedayatPerimeterRoadattheentrancetoLot5,theparkinglotbehindtheWestendzone.The team then walks through the parking lot and greets Ti-ger fans, who line a path for the team. Fans were 10 deep oneithersidefortheentire200-yardwalk.

• October 21 - Swinney invited the Clemson student-body to attendpracticetheTuesdayofClemson’sopen-dateweekinOctober.Over700studentsattended,andhehadthreeClemsonstudentsattemptafieldgoalagainsta live rush,fieldapunt,andattemptapunt.

•October 22-Swinneycancelledpractice(open-dateweek)and brought the entire team to a children’s hospital inGreenvilletovisityoungpatientsfightingcancer.

•November 12-AfteraWednesdaynightteammealpriortothe Duke game, Swinney and members of the team brought 40pizzastostudentsastheywaitedinlineintentsfortick-ets to the Clemson vs. South Carolina game.

•November 12,13 - Members of the football team registered ontheNationalBoneMarrowRegistry inthe lockerroomafterpractice.AaronKellyandhisroommate(TreyRobin-son) led the drive.

•November 14 - Took the team to Tigerama, Clemson’s homecomingpeprallyandentertainmentshowatLittlejohnColiseum the Friday night before the Duke game. Swinney along with Michael Hamlin and Aaron Kelly spoke to the crowd.ItwasthefirsttimeaTigerfootballteamattendedthe event.

•November 21 -Onthewaytotheairport for theVirginiagame, the team stopped at Clemson Elementary School to visit with children and sign autographs.

•November 28 - Former Clemson President Dr. Robert C. Edwards met the team before it departed for the hotel in

Anderson. Edwards was in ill health and had wished Tiger teamsinallsportswellbeforetheyleftonroadtrips. Heaccomplished his goal with the help of EMS, as he and Swin-ney greeted just about every player from a stretcher as they walked onto the team buses. Just six days later, Edwards passedawayattheageof94.

Alabama Grads Have Coached at Clemson Dabo Swinney was named Clemson’s interim head coach onOctober13afterTommyBowdenresigned.Swinneywasthen named head coach at a press conference the Monday (December1)aftertheTigersdefeatedSouthCarolina31-14intheregular-seasonfinale. SwinneyisthefifthAlabamagraduatetoserveasClem-son’sheadcoach.Heisa1993AlabamagraduatewhoplayedfortheCrimsonTidebetween1989-92.Fourofthefivewerepromotedfromtheexistingstaff,includingSwinney. The list of Alabama grads who have been the leader on the Tiger sidelines includes the two winningest coaches in school history and a third who led Clemson to its resurgence in1977.TheTigershavehadfournamedACCCoach-of-the-Year twice apiece, and three are Alabama graduates. FrankHowardwas amemberofAlabama’s 1930unde-featedteamthatdownedWashingtonStateinthe1931RoseBowl. He then came toClemson in1931when JessNeelybecamehead coach. Neely came to Clemson after havingservedonWallaceWade’sstaffatAlabama. Howard served as the line coach under Neely at Clemson between the 1931-39 seasons, then he became Clemson’sheadcoach in1940whenNeely left forRice. HowardwasClemsonheadcoachfrom1940-69andwoneightconferencetitles,twoSouthernConferenceandsixACC.Hehadarecordof165-118-12andisstill#1inClemsonhistoryinvictories. InDecemberof1969afterHowardretired,Clemsonad-ministratorshiredanotherAlabamagraduate,HootieIngram.Ingramisa1955AlabamagraduateandservedasClemson’shead coach from 1970-72. He posted a 12-21 record andlaterservedasathleticdirectoratbothFloridaStateandAla-bama. CharleyPell,a1961Alabamagraduate,servedasClem-son’sheadcoach from1977through the1978regular sea-son. HetooktheTigerstotheGatorBowl in1977,endingClemson’s 18-year drought without a bowl appearance. Pell thencoachedtheTigerstoa10-1regularseasonin1978.Hetookthehead-coachingpositionatFloridainDecember.HewasnamedACCCoach-of-the-Year inboth1977and1978,and he finished with an 18-4-1 record in his two years atClemson. Pellwassucceededbyhisoffensivelinecoach,DannyFord,another Alabama graduate. Ford played for Bear Bryant from 1967-69andgraduatedfromAlabamain1970.Hehada96-29-4recordatClemson,andthe96winsaresecond-mosttoHowardinTigerhistory.TheTigerswerethefifth-winningestteaminnationinthe1980sandFordcoachedeverygameinthat decade. Ford coached Clemson to the National Championshipin 1981, theonly national title in school history. Heownsthe school record for wins over top-20 teams (20) and also coachedClemsontoa6-2recordinbowlgames.HewonfiveACCtitles,allinthe1980s.HeledClemsontoa30-2-2recordbetween1981-83aswell.

ClemsonAll-ACCSelections Clemsonhadfourplayersearnfivespotsonthe2008All-ACCfootballteam.TheTigershadtwofirst-teamselectionsand three second-team selections, tied for the third-mostoverallselectionsintheACC.C.J.SpillerandMichaelHamlinwerethefirst-teampicks,whileAaronKellyandThomasAus-tinweresecond-teamchoices. Spiller was named First-Team All-ACC specialist and sec-ond-team running back. The junior from Lake Butler, FL led theACCinall-purposeyardspergame.Heisinthetop15intheACCinrushing,receivingyards,touchdowns,kickoffre-turns, punt returns, and all-purpose yards. He had over 1000 yards from scrimmage on rushing and pass plays. Overall, he scored 11 touchdowns, seven rushing, three receiving, and oneonakickoffreturn. Hamlin is the leader of Clemson’s defense that ranked in thetop15inthenationinscoringdefenseandpassingde-fense.HeledtheTigersandwas11thinthenationininter-ceptionsandreturnedthepicksfor111yards.Hefinishedhis

careerthirdinClemsonhistoryincareerinterceptions(14)andhis18takeawaysaresecondonlybehindall-timegreatTerry Kinard. He had 110 tackles, second-most on Clemson’s defensethatis13thinthenationinscoringdefenseand12thinpassefficiencydefense. Austin isthe leaderofClemson’soffensive lineandwasnamed Second-Team All-ACC center. He has started at center andoffensiveguardover thecourseof the seasonand ledtheoffensivelineinsnapsstarts(13),andknockdownblocks(97). He was a three-time ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Weekselection,tiedforthemostselectionsintheleague. KellywasClemson’stopreceiverwith67catchesfor722yards and four scores in 2008. He was third in the ACC in catches and sixth in receiving yards per game. He became theACC’scareerreceptionleaderearlierthisyearand fin-ishedwith232inhiscareer.HealsosettheClemsoncareerrecordforreceivingyardsandreceptiontouchdowns.

Seventeen Former Tigers on NFL Rosters Seventeen former Tigers were on NFL rosters in 2008. That includesthreeonpracticesquads. ThreemembersofClemson’sstartingoffensive linefrom2006areonNFLros-ters,NathanBennett,DustinFry,andBarryRichardson. The list includes safety Brian Dawkins of the Eagles and defensive tackle Trevor Pryce of the Ravens. Dawkins was in his13thseasonintheNFLandwasnamedtotheProBowlthisyear,hisseventhcareerselection,mostinClemsonhis-tory. Pryce has played in four Pro Bowls and has two Super Bowl Championship rings. Clemson had two rookies on NFL rosters, Phillip Merling of the Dolphins and Barry Richardson of the Chiefs. Merling wasthe#32overallpickoftheNFLdraft,whileRichardsonwent in the sixth round to the Chiefs. Wideout Chansi Stuckey caught a touchdown pass from BrettFavreineachofthefirsttwogamesfortheNewYorkJetsin2008.GainesAdamsreturnedaninterception45yardsforatouchdownintheBuccaneers’overtimewinagainsttheBears.Merlingalsohadaninterceptionreturnforascorein2008.

FormerTigersintheNFLin2008Player Pos. CU Years Exp. TeamGainesAdams DE 2003-06 2 BuccaneersNathanBennett OG 2003-06 2 RavensCharlesBennett DE 2002-05 3 TitansVinceCiurciu LB 1998,99 6 VikingsBrianDawkins S 1992-95 13 EaglesNickEason DT 1999-02 6 SteelersDustinFry C 2003-06 2 RamsJamaalFudge S 2002-05 3 FalconsLeroyHill LB 2001-04 4 SeahawksTyeHill CB 2002-05 3 RamsPhillipMerling DE 2005-07 1 DolphinsJustinMiller CB 2002-04 4 RaidersTrevorPryce DL 1996 12 RavensBarryRichardson OT 2004-07 1 ChiefsChansiStuckey WR 2003-06 2 JetsAnthonyWaters LB 2003-06 2 ChargersCharlieWhitehurst QB 2002-05 3 ChargersNotes:Includespracticesquadplayers.

Accomplishments of Tiger Seniors•Hada32-19record,themostwinsbyaTigerclasssincetheseniorsof2003hadtheexactsamerecord.

•ThefirstclassinClemsonhistorytopostawinningrecordagainst both Florida State and South Carolina. Clemson is 3-1againstbothschoolsduringthelastfouryears.

•Wenttofourconsecutivebowlgames,thefirstclasstodothatsince2003.

•Hadsixvictorieesovertop-20teams,includingaroadwinat #9 Florida State in 2006, tied for the second-highestranked road win in school history.

•Won five straight games against top-25 teams to tie aschool record.

•Rankedinthefinaltop25polltwiceandrankedinthetop25in34oftheweeklyrankingsinthelastfouryears.

•Defeated the ACC Champion in 2005 (Florida State) and2006(WakeForest)alongwithdowning2008AtlanticDivi-sion Champion Boston College on the road.

•Finished.500orbetterallfouryearsinACCplayandover-all.

Clemson Football


Clemson Notes•Defensewasinthetop20inscoringdefenseallfouryears.•Had Clemson’s all-time leading receiver (Aaron Kelly), #2rusher (James Davis), #2 player in forcing turnovers (Mi-chaelHamlin), and#2player inpassingefficiency (CullenHarper).

•DefeatedBostonCollegeontheroadin2008,thefirstwinovertheEaglesin50years.

•14membersoftheclassreceivedtheirundergraduatede-gree before they played their last game.

EightFirst-YearFreshmenSawAction Clemson’s class of 24 new freshman scholarship play-erswas rated#2 in thenationbyESPN.com in February of 2008.Sixofthoseplayerssawactioninthefirstgameoftheyearagainst#24Alabama.ThelistincludesDa’QuanBowers,rated as the #1 player in the nationbyESPN.com, startingpunter Dawson Zimmerman, Jamie Harper, Stanley Hunter, Marquan Jones, and Antoine McClain. Two more, Daniel An-drews and Brandon Thompson, played against The Citadel. Inthelast27years(including2008),Clemsonhasplayed159first-yearfreshmen,anaverageof5.9peryear.Sixty-sixofthemhavebeenoffensiveplayers,88havebeendefensiveplayers,andfivehavebeenkickers. Therecordforfirst-yearfreshmenplayedinoneseasonis11(1985,07).Themostwinsforateamthathasplayedatleasteightfirst-yearfreshmenis10,setin1989,ateamthatplayedeightfirst-yearfreshmeninits10-2season. TheTigershaveplayedat leastonefirst-year freshmenall 26 years of the rule. The fewest was the one used in 2002 (JustinMiller).

First-YearFreshmanParticipantsSince19991999 (5)DavidEllis(LB),RodneyFeaster(LB),BrianMance

(CB), Bernard Rambert (TB), Rodney Thomas (LB)2000 (4)AaronHunt(PK),YusefKelly(RB),JohnLeake(LB),

Ronnie Thomas (WR)2001 (9)EricColeman(DT),RoscoeCrosby(WR),AireseCur-

rie (WR), Maurice Fountain (DE), Ben Hall (TE), Leroy Hill (LB), Tavaghn Monts (DB), Travis Pugh (FS), Eric Sampson (LB)

2002 (1)JustinMiller(CB)2003 (5)TramaineBillie(LB),JadDean(PK),MarionDukes

(OT), Sergio Gilliam (CB), Brandon Pilgrim (OG)2004 (2)La’DonteHarris(WR),BarryRichardson(OT)2005 (8)AntonioClay(LB),JamesDavis(RB),TylerGrisham

(WR), Haydrian Lewis (CB), Jock McKissic (DT), Phillip Merling (DE), Josh Miller (LB), Rendrick Taylor (WR)

2006 (8) Kevin Alexander (LB), Crezdon Butler (CB), Jeremy Campbell (LB), Jamie Cumbie (DE), Jacoby Ford (WR), Michael Palmer (TE), Ricky Sapp (DE), C.J. Spiller (RB)

2007 (11)KourtneiBrown(DE),MiguelChavis(DT),ScottyCooper (LB), Chad Diehl (FB), Xavier Dye (WR), Marcus Gilchrist (CB), Jarvis Jenkins (DT), Willy Korn (QB), Brian Linthicum (TE), DeAndre McDaniel (S), Rennie Moore (DE)

2008 (8) Daniel Andrews (LB), Da’Quan Bowers (DE), Jamie Harper (RB), Stanley Hunter (LB), Marquan Jones (WR), Antoine McClain (OL), Brandon Thompson (DT), Dawson Zimmerman (P)

Five Tigers Named Permanent Captains Seniors Michael Hamlin, James Davis, Tyler Grisham, Cul-len Harper, and Jock McKissic were all named permanent co-captains of the 2008 team. The announcement was made afterateamvoteinDecember. It is the second straight year that Hamlin and Harper were namedco-captains. Theyarethefirsttwo-timecaptainsatClemson since Chad Carson was named a co-captain in 2000 and2001.Allfiveplayersareseniorsin2008andhavehadmuchtodowiththeTigers’strongfinishtotheseason. Hamlin and McKissic were named co-captains of the de-fense, while Davis and Harper were named co-captains of the office.Grishamrepresentsthespecialteams. Injury Summary OneofthereasonsforClemson’s3-4startwasarashofinjuries,especiallyontheoffensiveanddefensivelines. Asyoucanseebythelistbelow,Clemsonhad13differentplay-ersmissgamesthisyearduetoinjury,andeightareoffensiveor defensive linemen. As a result, Clemson started seven dif-ferentoffensivelineunitsinthefirstninegames.TheTigers

had42differentplayersstartagamein2008andonlyeightplayersstartedall13games. StartingdefensivetackleRashaadJacksonmadehisfirstappearance of the year at Boston College on November 1. Clemson wonfouroffivetoclosetheregularseasonwithhim in the lineup. JamieCumbiestartedtheAlabamagame,sufferedawristinjury, andwas lost for the season. On the offensive line,starters Chris Hairston, Barry Humphries, and David Smith missedacombined167games. CoryLambertdidnotmissa game, but he suffered a foot injury on the second playat Wake Forest and did not return. Humphries played two games, due to a torn ACL. Smith played against Boston Col-lege, but he was held out of the Florida State game because he had a slight injury to his other ankle. In termsof the skill-positionplayers,C.J. Spillermissedthe last three quarters of the Wake Forest game and all of the GeorgiaTechgame.HeisarguablyClemson’stopoffensiveplayer. Overall,13differentTigersmissed47totalplayer-gamesthis year. That list includes eight players who had been a starter.Thoseeightstartersmissed34combinedgames.An-otherstarterwaslostfortheseasoninthewinoverVirginia,asRickySappsufferedatornACL. LastyearwhenClemsonhada9-3regular-seasonrecord,ithadsevendifferentplayersmissatleastonegameduetoinjury.Thosesevenplayersmissedatotalof39gamesdur-ingthe13-gameschedule.Onlythreeofthoseplayerswereconsidered starters, however, and they missed just a total of seven games. Themost significant injury last yearwas anankleinjurytostartingwideoutJacobyFord,whomissedthelastfivegames.

Clemson’s2008InjurySummary # Player Pos. Injury GM 87 TerranceAshe WR Ankle 3 8 JamieCumbie DT Wrist 12 61 Chris Hairston OT Knee 2 71 Barry Humphries OG Knee 11 17 StanleyHunter LB Flu 1 91 RashaadJackson DT Knee 7 20 Brandon Maye LB Flu 1 57 AntwonMurchison DT Hamstring 1 7 Ricky Sapp DE Shoulder 2 97 DorellScott DT Knee 1 15 CotySensabaugh CB Shoulder 1 73 DavidSmith OG Ankle 4 28 C.J. Spiller RB Hamstring 1 Total 47Note: Starters in bold.

Clemson Breaks Season-Ticket Record Clemson broke the season-ticket record for the secondstraightyearin2008.Atotalof58,134seasonticketsweresold,nearly150more than the57,991sold in2007,whichwas the previous record-breaking number. Clemsonfinishedtheyearwithanaverageof78,000fansperhomegame,18thbestinthenation.Clemsonhasrankedinthetop20inthenationinaveragehomeattendenceeveryyearsince1983.

Clemson’s Top Season-Ticket Seasons Rk Year Tix 1. 2008 58,134 2. 2007 57,991 3. 1988 57,625 4. 1985 57,578 5. 1989 57,529

Special Teams Improvement The most consistent area of the Clemson football team thisyearmightbespecialteams.Thiswasthefirstyearin10seasons that Clemson has had a special teams coordinator on itsstaff,asRunningBacksCoachAndréPowellwasnamedtothatpositionpriortotheseason.Belowaresomehighlightsin each area.

•Placekicks-MarkBuchholzmissedjustsixkicksallseason.Hewas40-40onextrapointsand15-21onfieldgoals.

•Blocked Kicks - Clemson had one blocked extra-point at-tempt and one blocked punt this year. The blocked punt

DaQuan Bowers was

Clemson’s MVP of the

Konica

Minolta Gator Bo

wl.


Clemson Football

Clemson Notes

came against South Carolina by Jamie Harper. Clemson also blockedanextrapointforthefirsttimesince1995.

•Kickoff Coverage - Opponents had an average start at itsown25afterakickoffcomparedtoanaveragestartoftheClemson31fortheTigers.Twenty-onetimesin64kickoffs,theoppositionhasstartedatitsown21orless. ClemsonledtheACCinkickoffcoverage.

•KickoffReturns-C.J.Spilleraveraged27.2yardsperkickoffreturnandfinished14thinthenation.Hereturnedakick-off96yards fora touchdownagainst#24Alabama in theseason-opener,histhirdkickoffreturnforascoreasaTiger.Healsohada64-yardkickoff return in thewinatBostonCollege.

Spiller&FordHaveBreakawayPotential Juniors Jacoby Ford and C.J. Spiller are two of the top “home run” threats in college football and both return for the 2009season.Spillerhas12careertouchdownsof50yardsormore, already more than any other player in school history, while Ford has six, third-most in school history. Spiller had six as a freshman to establish a Clemson single-season record, while Ford had four that year. Spillerhada96-yardkickoffreturnforascoreinthesea-son-openeragainst#24Alabama,histhirdkickoffreturnforascoreofmorethan80yards.Headdedan83-yardtouch-down catch from Cullen Harper against Duke, the longest re-ceptionbyarunningbackinTigerhistory. In terms of plays of 80 yards or more, Spiller has seven, also a Clemson record. He is the only player in Tiger history to recordaplayof80yardsormorethreedifferentways.Spillerhadan82-yardcatchin2006atBostonCollege,an83-yardrunagainst#21Auburninthe2007Chick-fil-ABowl,an80-yardrunagainstSouthCarolinain2006,andtwokickoffre-turnsforscoresin2007.Hehadan84-yardreturnforascoreagainstDukeanda90-yardkickoffreturnforascoreagainstWakeForestinconsecutivegamesin2007.Headdedthe83-yard catch against Duke this season. Ford has three plays of at least 80 yards in his career. He hada92-yardpuntreturnagainstFloridaAtlanticanda94-yardkickoffreturnagainstLouisianaTechin2006.Hehadan82-yardkickoffreturnagainstCentralMichiganin2007.

Spiller’s50-YardTouchdowns(12)Year Opponent Type Yds2008 Alabama KOR 962007 WakeForest KOR 902007 Duke KOR 842007 Auburn Run 832008 Duke Catch 832006 Boston College Catch 822006 South Carolina Run 80

2006 WakeForest Run 722007 Louisiana-Monroe Catch 682006 N.C.State Run 522006 GeorgiaTech Catch 502006 GeorgiaTech Run 50

Ford’s50-YardTouchdowns(6)Year Opponent Type Yds2006 LouisianaTech KOR 942006 FloridaAtlantic PR 922006 SouthCarolina Catch 762006 Temple Catch 552007 Louisiana-Monroe Catch 522008 SouthCarolina Catch 50

AustinThree-TimeACCOL-of-the-Week Offensive lineman Thomas Austin was named ACC Of-fensive Lineman-of-the-Week three times during the 2008season. This marks the second straight year a Tiger has been namedACCPlayer-of-the-Weekthreetimes.PhillipMerlingwonthehonorthreetimesasadefensivelinemanin2007.AustinisthefirstTigeroffensivelinemantobehonoredthreetimes in the sameyear sinceStacy Longearned thehonorthree times in 1989, a year he was named first-team All-American. AustinwontheawardforhisperformancesagainstN.C.State,BostonCollege,andVirginiaearlierthisyear. Hefin-ishedtheregularseason leadingtheoffensive line instarts(13), snaps (795), average grade (81.7), and knockdownblocks (98). Noother Tigerhadmore than60 knockdownblocks. ThejuniorfromCamden,SChaswontheawardfivetimesin his career, as he was the recipient against Central Michigan andSouthCarolina in2007. Thefivetiedforthird-most inschool history. The record for a career is seven, held by Keith Adams,whowaschosenseventimesfrom1998-00.

BuchholzBreaks18-Year-OldRecord A third major record went by the boards in Clemson’s victory at Boston College on November 1. Mark Buchholz wasaperfect3-3onextrapoints in thevictory,givinghim73consecutivemadeextrapoints.HislastextrapointbroketheTigerrecordforconsecutivemadePATs.ChrisGardockihadtherecordat72inarowfrom1988-90.Gardockiwasaperfect72-72 inhiscareerandBuchholz finished88-88 inhiscareer.BobPaullinghadastreakof70inarowbetween1979-81aswell. Davis Finishes 2nd in Rushing, TDs Senior running back James Davis entered the 2008 season secondinschoolhistoryincareerrushingyards(3,130).Hefinished in thatpositionaftergaining751netyards for theseason. He concluded his careerwith 3881 yards, just 85yardsshortofRaymondPriester’scareerrecordof3,966setbetween1994-97. Davis set a school record in the win at Boston College. He scoredona23-yardrun inthefirstquarter,which washis42ndcareerrushingtouchdown.Thatbroketherecordof41thathadbeenheldbyTravisZachery(1998-01). Davis finished with 47 career rushing scores and 49touchdowns overall. He established a record for rushing touchdowns and was just one score short of Travis Zachery’s overalltouchdownrecordof50. Davis is ninth in rush-ing in ACC history. C.J. Spiller moved into 10th place on the Clemson career rushing list when he had 88 yards against South Carolina. He has2,335inhiscareerandisinninthplaceinschoolhistoryenteringthe2009season.

Clemson Leaders in Career Rushing Yards Rk Player Years Car. Avg. TD Yards 1.RaymondPriester 1994-97 805 4.93 21 3966 2.JamesDavis 2005-08 753 5.20 47 3881 3.TravisZachery 1998-01 691 4.43 41 3058 4.KennyFlowers 1983-86 590 4.94 26 2914 5.TerryAllen 1987-89 523 5.31 28 2778 6.WoodrowDantzler 1998-01 591 4.67 27 2761 7.BuddyGore 1966-68 600 4.29 15 2571 8.RayYauger 1968-70 555 4.39 16 2439 9.C.J.Spiller 2006-08 390 6.00 20 233510.ChuckMcSwain 1979-82 483 4.80 23 2320

ClemsonLeadersinCareerRushingTouchdowns Rk Player Years Car. Yards TD 1.JamesDavis 2005-08 741 3855 47 2.TravisZachery 1998-01 691 3058 41 3.LesterBrown 1976-79 505 2228 31 4.FredCone 1948-50 466 2172 30 5.TerryAllen 1987-89 523 2778 28 6.CliffAustin 1978-82 423 2139 27 WoodrowDantzler 1998-01 591 2761 27 8.KennyFlowers 1983-86 590 2914 26 9.EmorySmith 1993-96 358 1568 2510.ChuckMcSwain 1979-82 483 2320 23 TracyJohnson 1985-88 377 1579 23

HamlinSecondinCareerTakeaways SeniorMichael Hamlin had six interceptions in 2008andfinishedwith18careertakeaways,second-mostinClem-sonhistory. Onlyall-timegreatTerryKinardhasmorewith19.Hamlinwas11thinthenationininterceptionsthisyearas well.

ClemsonLeadersinCareerTakeaways Rk Player, Pos. Years Int RF Tot 1.TerryKinard,FS 1979-82 17 2 19 2.MichaelHamlin,S 2005-08 14 4 18 3.FredKnoebel,DB 1950-52 15 * 15 BrianDawkins,SS 1992-95 11 4 15 5.EddieGeathers,CB 1977-80 12 2 14 RobertO’Neal,FS 1989-92 12 2 14 JustinMiller,CB 2002-04 13 1 14

Harper Moves Up Career Charts Cullen Harper moved into second place on Clemson’s ca-reercompletionslistandfourthonthecareerpassingyard-agelistwithhisoutingagainstDuke.Harperhad20comple-tionsfor292yards inthatgame. Hispassingyardagetotalwasthesecondbestofhiscareer,trailingonlythe372pass-ingyardshehadagainstVirginiaTechin2007. Harperfinishedhiscareerwith5762yardspassing,third-most in school history, trailing only Charlie Whitehurst, and WoodrowDantzler. He is second in completions (518) andtrailsonlyCharlieWhitehurst(817). Harper is also second in Clemson history in career passing efficiencyandfirstincompletionpercentage.Hehasa63.6careercompletionpercentage,faraheadofthe59.7comple-tionpercentagebyWhitehurst.His135.0careerpassingef-ficiencyisjustbehindthe137.0markbyWillProctor(2003-06), his former teammate. Harper is also second in career passingtouchdowns(42), trailingonlyWhitehurst (49). Hemoved ahead of Woody Dantzler with two touchdown passes inhisfinalgameagainstNebraska.

ClemsonLeadersinCareerCompletions RkPlayer Years Att. Yards Co. 1.CharlieWhitehurst 2002-05 1368 9665 817 2.CullenHarper 2005-08 815 5762 518 3.WoodrowDantzler 1998-01 796 6037 460 4.NealonGreene 1994-97 805 5719 458 5.RodneyWilliams 1985-88 717 4647 333 6.TommyKendrick 1969-71 644 3893 303 7.BrandonStreeter 1996-99 519 3504 294 8.SteveFuller 1975-78 554 4359 287 9.DeChaneCameron 1988-91 470 3300 25710.MikeEppley 1980-84 449 3354 252

Clemson Leaders in Career Passing Yards RkPlayer Years Att. Co. Pct. Yards 1. Charlie Whitehurst 2002-05 1368 817 59.7 9665 2. Woodrow Dantzler 1998-01 796 460 57.8 6037 3.CullenHarper 2005-08 815 518 63.6 5762 4.NealonGreene 1994-97 805 458 56.9 5719 5.RodneyWilliams 1985-88 717 333 46.4 4647 6.SteveFuller 1975-78 554 287 51.8 4359 7.TommyKendrick 1969-71 644 303 47.0 3893 8.HomerJordan 1979-82 479 250 52.2 3643 9.BrandonStreeter 1996-99 519 294 56.6 350410.MikeEppley 1980-84 449 252 56.1 3354

Clemson Leaders in Career Passing TDs RkPlayer Years Att. Int. TD 1.CharlieWhitehurst 2002-05 1368 46 49 2.CullenHarper 2005-08 815 20 42

James Davis finished his career

as Clemson’s #2-ranked rusher.

Clemson Football


Clemson Notes 3.WoodrowDantzler 1998-01 796 24 41 4.NealonGreene 1994-97 805 26 35 5.MikeEppley 1980-84 449 26 28 6.BobbyGage 1945-48 278 27 24 TommyKendrick 1969-71 644 42 24 8.SteveFuller 1975-78 554 21 22 9.WillProctor 2003-06 338 11 1910.HarveyWhite 1957-59 289 12 18

Spiller Chasing Miller’s Record C.J.Spillerraced96yardsforatouchdownwiththeopen-ingkickoffofthesecondhalfagainst#24AlabamaonAugust30 in theGeorgiaDome. Itwashis thirdcareerkickoffre-turnforatouchdown,tyingtheschoolrecordsetbyJustinMiller,whohadthreefrom2002-04.MillerisnowintheNFLwith the Oakland Raiders and made the Pro Bowl as a return specialistin2006.Hehadhisfifthcareerkickoffreturnforascore this year. Itwas the thirdkickoff return fora score ina six-gameperiod for Spiller dating to last year. He had an 84-yardkickoffreturnforascoreagainstDukeanda90-yardkickoffreturnforatouchdownagainstWakeForest inconsecutivegameslastyear.Thatwasthefirsttimeinschoolhistorythataplayerhadkickoffreturnsfortouchdownsinback-to-backgames.

Spiller had 152 kickoff return yards in the loss to #24Alabama,tiedfortheseventh-highesttotalinschoolhistory.Ironically,hetiedMiller,whohad152yardsonfourkickoffreturns against Maryland in 2002. Miller has the single-game record with 282, a total that is in fact an NCAA record. Spillerhas1,297careerkickoffreturnyards,fifth-mostinschoolhistory.HeisinsixthplaceinTigerhistoryinkickoffreturnaverage(25.4). Clemson has been outstanding in returning kicks the last 10years.Spiller’skickoffreturnforascoreagainst#24Ala-bamawastheteam’sninthinthelast10years.From1951-98,Clemsonhadjustfivekickoffreturnsforscores.Clemsonalsowentfrom1963-86withoutone. In terms of punt returns for scores, Clemson has had six inthelast10yearsafteronlytotaling12between1951-98.

Spiller’s Four Ways to Score Running back C.J. Spiller joined elite company on Novem-ber22whenhethrewatouchdownpassinClemson’s13-3winatVirginia.Onhisfirstcareerpassattempt,hethrewa15-yard touchdownpass toTylerGrisham. Itwas theonlytouchdown for either team in Clemson’s victory. Itwas thefirsttimesince1999 thatanon-quarterbackthrew a touchdown pass for the Tigers. Placekicker Tony Laz-zaradiditonafakefieldgoalatVirginiaTechthatyear.Itwas

thefirsttime since 1989 that a Clemsonrunning back threw a touchdown pass. Terry Allen threw a 66-yard scoring pass to GaryCooperatVirginiaTechthatseason. So, each of the last three Clemson touchdown passes by non-quarterbacks havetakenplaceinthestateofVirginia. That touchdown pass meant that Spiller has now accounted for a touch-down four different ways in his career.He has scored 20 rushing touchdowns, caught seven touchdown passes, and had threekickoffreturnsfortouchdownforatotal of 30 touchdowns. He still has an-other opportunity if he can return a punt for a touchdown. Only three other Tigers in history have accounted for a touchdown four dif-ferentwaysduringtheirrespectivecareer.Bobby Gage (1945-48) accounted for atouchdownviaarun,pass,reception,andkickoffreturn,whileRayMathews(1947-50)accountedforatouchdownviaarun,pass,reception,andpuntreturn. ChansiStuckey(2003-06),nowwiththeNewYorkJets, accounted for a touchdown via a run, pass,reception,andpuntreturn.

SpillerSetsReceptionYardageRecord C.J.Spillerfinishedtheseasonwith436receivingyards.ThatisaTigersingle-season record for a running back, breaking therecordof414byTravisZachery(2001).Spiller led all ACC running backs in receiv-ing yards and is in the top 10 in the ACC in receiving yards per game in ACC play. Spiller had two 100-yard receiving games in the second half of the regular season. There had been just two 100-yard receiving games by Tiger running backs in the first 112 years of Clemson football.In 1948, Ray Mathews had 105 receiv-ing yards against Mississippi State. In 1950,JackieCalverthad100yardsagainstDuquesne. Spiller had 105 receiving yardsat Boston College on November 1 on six catches and 108 yards on seven catches againstDuke.ThesevenreceptionstiedaClemson single-game record by a running back. Dick Bukowsky had seven catches againstFloridaStatein1970. On a career basis, Zachery is Clem-son’s career leader among running backs in receptions and receiving yards. Hehad105catchesfor1,057yardsandnine

touchdowns.Spillerhas87catchesfor917yardsandseventouchdowns. Spiller is second to Zachery in all three catego-ries among running backs.

KellySetMultipleRecords Aaron Kelly broke the Clemson career touchdown recep-tion record at Boston College when he caught a four-yardscoringpassfromCullenHarperwith7:10leftinthegame,acatchthatgaveClemsona24-21leadonthewaytoa27-21victory.Itwashis19thcareertouchdowncatchanditbrokethepreviousmarkof18setbyGlennSmith(1949-51).KellyhadtiedthemarkwithtwoscoresagainstGeorgiaTechonOctober 18. He was on the cover for that gameday program and there was also a feature on Smith in that program. Kellyfinished theGeorgiaTechgamewith seven recep-tionsfor122yardsandtwotouchdownsandaddedfivere-ceptionsat#24FloridaState.HethenbroketheACCrecep-tion recordwith 10 againstDuke. He nowhas an all-timeACC-best232careercatches. The last record left for Kellywas the receiving yardagebyaTiger.HebroketherecordagainstNebraskainhisfinalgameandfinishedwith2733.

ACCLeadersinCareerReceptions Rk Player School Years Rec 1. AaronKelly Clemson 2005-08 232 2. DesmondClark WakeForest 1995-98 216 3. BillyMcMullen Virginia 1999-02 210 PeterWarrick FloridaState 1996-99 207 5. JerrichoCotchery N.C.State 2000-03 200 6. KellyCampbell GeorgiaTech 1998-01 195 7. JermaineLewis Maryland 1992-95 193 8. TorryHolt N.C.State 1995-98 191 9. ClarkstonHines Duke 1986-89 18910. RickyProehl WakeForest 1986-89 188

ClemsonLeadersinCareerReceptions Rk Player, Pos. Years Yards Avg. TD Rec. 1.AaronKelly,WR 2005-08 2733 11.8 20 232 2. Derrick Hamilton, WR 2001-03 2312 13.8 16 167 3.RodGardner,WR 1997-00 2498 15.0 13 166 4.TerrySmith,WR 1990-93 2681 16.5 15 162 5.PerryTuttle,WR 1978-81 2534 16.9 17 150 6. Kevin Youngblood, WR 2000-03 1713 12.1 6 142 7.ChansiStuckey,WR 2003-06 1760 12.5 7 141

Clemson Leaders in Career Receiving Yards Rk Player, Pos. Years Rec. Yards 1.AaronKelly,WR 2005-08 232 2733 2.TerrySmith,WR 1990-93 162 2681 3.PerryTuttle,WR 1978-81 150 2534 4.RodGardner,WR 1997-00 166 2498 5.DerrickHamilton,WR 2001-03 167 2312 6.JerryButler,WR 1975-78 139 2223 7.AireseCurrie,WR 2001-04 138 2030 8.BrianWofford,WR 1996-99 138 1857 9.ChansiStuckey,WR 2003-06 141 176010.TonyHorne,WR 1994-97 120 1750

Clemson Leaders in Career Receiving TDs Rk Player, Pos. Years TD 1.AaronKelly,WR 2005-08 20 2.GlennSmith,TE 1949-51 18 3.PerryTuttle,WR 1978-81 17 4.TerranceRoulhac,WR 1983-86 16 DerrickHamilton,WR 2001-03 16 6.TerrySmith,WR 1990-93 15 7.TonyHorne,WR 1994-97 13 BrianWofford,WR 1996-99 13 RodGardner,WR 1997-00 1310.JohnMcMakin,TE 1969-71 12

Spiller Three-Time Player-of-the-Week Eachweek,Clemsoncoachesselectanoffensive,defen-sive, and special teams player-of-the-week. A life-size poster is made to signify the award and it is hung in the football officeintheMcFaddenBuilding. C.J.Spillerwasnamedoffensiveplayer-of-the-weekthreetimesthisyearandspecialteamsplayer-of-the-weektwice.He was offensive player-of-the-week against The Citadel,Maryland,andBostonCollege.Hehad242all-purposeyards

Aaron Kelly finished as

the ACC’s

leader in career rec

eptions (232)


Clemson Football

Clemson NotesatBostonCollege,including105onsixreceptions.Hehada96-yardkickoffreturnforascoreagainst#24Alabamatoearnthe special teams honor. Therewere11differentrecipientsforthedefensiveplay-er-of-the-week in 2008, an example of how balanced Clem-son is defensively.

ClemsonPOTWSelectionsFromCoachesOpp. Offense Defense SpecialTeamsALA Grisham Clemons SpillerCIT Spiller Hamlin ChancellorNCS J. Ford Conner Grisham, MaxwellSCS Palmer Maye FaerberUMD Spiller Sapp SensabaughWFU J. Ford Alexander MaxwellGAT Kelly Scott ClemonsBOC Spiller McDaniel FaerberFSU C. Harper none RoedigerDUK Austin Hamlin,Maye MaxwellUVA Davis Maxwell BuchholzUSC OL, Diehl, Palmer Chancellor, Clemons ManersNEB Kelly Bowers/Maye SpillerNote: Home games in bold.

Maye, Cloy Named First-team Freshman All-American Clemson red-shirt freshman linebacker Brandon Maye hasbeennamedtothefirst-teamFreshmanAll-AmericateambytheFootballWritersofAmerica.Mayehad87tackles this year in the 12 games he played, all as a starter, and he led all ACC freshmen in tackles this past season. Maye’s tackle total was the most by a Clemson freshman sinceAnthonySimmonshad150in1995.Hewasalsonamedasecond-teamFreshmanAll-AmericanbySportingNews, College Football News and Rivals.com and was a third team choice by Phil Steele’s College Football Magazine. ThenativeofMobile,ALplayed545snapsin12gamesandhadfivetacklesforloss,twosacksandninequarterbackpressures. He also contributed three fumble recoveries to rankinthetop10inthenationinthatcategory.Itwasalsoa Clemson freshman record for fumble recoveries. MasonCloy,astartingguardontheTigersteamwasnamedafirst-teamFreshmanAll-AmericanbyCollegeFootball News. He has also been named a second-team Freshman All-American by Rivals.com and is a third team choice by Phil Steele’s College Football Magazine. Cloy started the last 12 games for the Tigers and ranked secondinknockdownblockswith57.HetiedtheClemsonrecordforgamesstartedinaseasonbyafreshmanoffensivelineman.EricHarmonstarted12gamesin1987.

Da’QuanBowerswasnamedanhonorablementionfreshman All-American by College Football News. The startingdefensiveendhad47tacklesthisyeartorankfirstamong Clemson defensive linemen and was a big reason, along with Maye, that the Tigers ranked 10thinthenationin scoring defense. Bowers had six tackles in the Gator Bowl against Nebraska and had three tackles for loss. He wasnamedClemson’sdefensiveMVPofthebowlgamebymediaattendingthegame.

DawkinsNamedtoProBowlforSeventhTime Former Clemson All-American Brian Dawkins has been namedtotheNFLProBowlfortheseventhtimeinhiscel-ebratedcareer.Withtheselection,Dawkinshasnowbeennamed to his league’s all-star game more than any other former Tiger in any sport. Dawkins and former Clemson All-American Michael Dean Perryhadthepreviousrecordwithsixselectionsapiece.But,Dawkinsnowstandsalonewithaseventhselection.DawkinshasalsomadetheProBowlafterthe1999,2001,2002,2004,2005,2006and2008seasons. Thisseason,Dawkinshad123tackles,thirdbestontheteam,aninterception,ateambestfourcausedfumbles,afumblerecoveryandfivepassesdefensed,helpingthePhiladelphiaEaglestotheNFLplayoffs.Hehasplayed181games, all with the Eagles, a recently established franchise record.Hehas34careerinterceptionsand20careersacks. DawkinswasalsonamedoneofthreefinalistfortheWalter Payton Award, which is given to the NFL Man of the Year.

MostNFLProBowlSelectionsbyFormerClemsonFootballPlayersBrianDawkins PhiladelphiaEagles 7Michael Dean Perry Cleveland, Denver 6TrevorPryce DenverBroncos 4ChesterMcGlockton OaklandRaiders 4CharlieWaters DallasCowboys 3RayMathews PittsburghSteelers 3

EasonSuperBowlChampion21st Different Former Tiger to Win a Super Bowl Title Former Clemson defensive tackle Nick Eason won his firstSuperBowlChampionshipringasamemberofthewinningPittsburghSteelers.TheSteelersdownedtheArizonaCardinals27-23inTampa.Easonplayedasareservedefensive tackle in the contest. AClemsonstartingdefensivetacklebetween1999-02,Easonwasafirst-teamAll-ACCplayerfortheTigersin2002

when he had 62 tackles and seven sacks. He graduated in threeyearsandplayedhisfinaltwoseasonsasagraduatestudent.Forhiscareerhehad153tackles.HewasalsonamedtheMostValuablePlayerofClemson’s2000seasondefense. Thisyear,Easonplayedin15ofthe16regularseasongamesandhad17tackles,allasareserveonPittsburgh’snumber-one ranked defense. He had a season high four tacklesinthefirstgameoftheyearagainstHouston.ItwashissecondyearwiththeSteelersafterthreeyearswiththeCleveland Browns and one year with the Denver Broncos. Eason is the 21stdifferentClemsonplayertowinaSuperBowlChampionshipring,thefirstsinceChrisGardockiwasthestartingpunterfortheWorldChampionSteelersof2005.EasonisactuallythefourthdifferentformerTigertowinaSuperBowlRingwiththeSteelers.InadditiontoGardocki, Bennie Cunningham was a member of the Steeler championshipteamsof1977and1978andJohnMcMakenwasamemberofthe1974SteelersteamthatwonaSuperBowl Championship.

Clemson’sSuperBowlChampions(29 rings for 21 Players) Name Year (s) Team #DanBenish,DT 1987 WashingtonRedskins JeffBostic,C 1982,87,91WashingtonRedskins DwightClark,WR 1981,84 SanFrancisco49ers Bennie Cunningham, TE 1977,78 PittsburghSteelers NickEason 2008 PittsburghSteelers TerrenceFlagler,RB 1988,89 SanFrancisco49ers SteveFuller,QB 1985 ChicagoBears ChrisGardocki,P 2005 PittsburghSteelers AndyHeaden,DE 1986 NewYorkGiants TonyHorne,WR 1999 St.LouisRams TerryKinard,FS 1986 NewYorkGiants BillMathis,RB 1969 NewYorkJets DexterMcCleon,CB 1999 St.LouisRams JohnMcMakin,TE 1974 PittsburghSteelers WilliamPerry,DT 1985 ChicagoBears TrevorPryce,DT 1997,98 DenverBroncos WayneSimmons,LB 1996 GreenBayPackers ArchieReese,DT 1981 SanFrancisco49ers JimStuckey,DT 1981,84 SanFrancisco49ers JamesTrapp,DB 2000 BaltimoreRavens CharlieWaters,S 1971,77 DallasCowboysNote: Year is regular season not year game was played#-Replacementplayerduringregularseason,butNFLconsidershimtobememberoftheteam’sofficialrosterforthat season.

Brandon Maye had 87

tackles in 2008,

most by a freshman since A

nthony Sim-

mons had 150 in 1995.

Clemson Football


Head Coach Dabo Swinney

Dabo Swinney (pronounced DA-boh SWEE-nee) became Clemson’s interim head coach on October13,2008whenTommyBowdensteppeddownafterguidingtheprogramfornearly10sea-sons. Then on December 1, 2008, the “interim” tagwasremoved,ashetookoveronafull-timebasisastheTigers’25thall-timeheadcoach.The39-year-oldhadbeenClemson’sassistantheadcoach for two years and had been in charge of the widereceiverssincethe2003season. Swinney, who had never been a head coach priortothe2008season,ledClemsontoa4-3re-cord in 2008. That mark included four wins in the lastfiveregular-seasongames,withitsonlyloss

at#24FloridaState.That4-1recordtoendtheregularseasontiedforthebestmarkintheACC.Four of his six regular-season opponents were laterbowlparticipants.His4-3recordincludeda 2-1 road record, wins over Boston College and Virginia. Swinneyhitthegroundrunninginhisfirstweek as interim head coach, as he prepared for a 5-1GeorgiaTechteam.Hehadtoreorganizehisstaff,andregrouphisfootballteamandClemsonNationinjustfivedays.WhiletheTigerslosta four-point decision, he accomplished many goalsinthatfirstweekthroughhisoutstandingleadershipqualities.Oneofthemostimpressivedemonstrationsofunitycameduringtheteam’s“Tiger Walk.” Prior to the game, Swinney decided to have histeamdepartbusesoutsidetheLot5parkinglot near the WestZone at Memorial Stadium and experience the gameday atmosphere. Dressed injacketsandties,theteamwasembracedbythousands of Tiger fans who stood 10 deep for the 200-yard march to the stadium. It was the centerpieceofhis“AllIn”themeinhisfirstweekasheadcoach.Itisatraditionthatwillcontinuein the future. Inhissecondweekasheadcoach,anoff-week, he invited the Clemson student body to a practice,andnearly1,000studentsshowedup.

He spoke to the group and actually allowed some studentstoparticipateduringpractice,astheywereselectedtoattemptafieldgoal,puntagainstaliverush,andfieldapunt.HealsotooktheentireteamtotheGreenvilleChildren’sHospitalforavisitwithyoungmenandwomenfightingcancer. The Tigers played at Boston College in Swin-ney’sfirst-everroadgameasheadcoachonNo-vember1.Despitecommittingfourturnoversandtrailing in the fourth quarter, Swinney’s troops ral-liedfora27-21win,givingClemsonitsfirstvictoryovertheEaglessince1958.ItalsocameagainsttheeventualACCAtlanticDivisionchampion. TheTigerssuffereda41-27defeatat#24Florida State a week later, but they rebounded to trounceDuke31-7atMemorialStadiumbyout-gainingtheBlueDevils466-168underSwinney,whoalsoservedasoffensivecoordinatorduringthe second half of 2008. Clemson showed its road prowessthefollowingweekendbyclaiminga13-3victoryatVirginia. RivalSouthCarolinaawaitedforthefinalregular-season game. Against one of the SEC’s bestdefenses,theTigersusedabalancedattack(184rushingyards,199passingyards)totoptheGamecocks31-14atMemorialStadium.ClemsonalsohadfourinterceptionsagainstSteveSpur-rier’soffenseandheldittojust22-47passing


Clemson Football

Head Coach Dabo Swinney

for 212 yards. The following week, the Tigers acceptedaninvitationtoplayintheGatorBowlagainst Nebraska, a game in which the Cornhusk-ers were victorious by a score of 26-21. The1993AlabamagraduatejoinedtheClemsonstaffpriortothe2003season.Inhissixyears,theTigershavefinishedinthetop25ofthefinalpollsthreetimesandtotaled10winsovertop-25teams,includingvictoriesoverFloridaState(4),Miami(FL)(1),andTennessee(1),duringhis tenure in Tigertown. Swinney has coached his wide receiver positiontoalevelofconsistencythathasnotbeen seen previously at Clemson. He has had a wideoutfinishfirstorsecondintheACCincatcheseachofthelastfiveyears.Inhisfirstyear,hehadthreeofthetop-10receiversintheACC,afirstin Tiger history. He coached a First-Team All-ACC wideouteveryyearfrom2004-07(threedifferentplayers), also an unprecedented feat at Clemson. In2004and2005,SwinneycoachedtheACCreceptionchampion(AireseCurriein2004,ChansiStuckeyin2005).ItwasthefirsttimeClemsonhadtwodifferentwideoutsleadtheACCinrecep-

tionsinconsecutiveyears.In2007,AaronKelly led the league in yardage, giving Swinney an ACC receiving king three out of four years. Stuckey earned First-Team All-ACC honors in back-to-backyears,afirstforaClemsonwide-outin25years.Heisnowoneofthetopwidereceivers for the New York Jets. The play of Swinney’s wideouts was a big reasonClemsonledtheACCintotaloffense,rushingoffense,andscoringoffensein2006,justthesecondtimeanACCteamledtheconference in all three areas in the previous 25years.ClemsonalsoledtheACCandestab-lishedschoolrecordsfortouchdowns(55)andyardsperplay(6.5). In2007,hecoachedKelly,aFirst-TeamAll-ACCselectionwholedtheconferenceinreceiving yards per game and touchdown catches(11).Healsofinishedsecondinreceptionspergamewithaschool-record88catches,tiedforthesecond-highesttotalinACC history. His 11 touchdown catches were a Tiger record as well. Kelly is Clemson’s and the ACC’s career receptionleaderwith232catches.Healsoownstheschooltouchdownreceptionrecordwith 20. The previous record of 18 was held by Glenn Smith, who established the record in 1951. TheAlabamanativehasareputationasoneofthetoprecruitersinthenation.InFebruaryof2006,hewaslistedasthefifth-bestrecruiterinthenationbyRivals.com. It marked the second straight year that he had beenlaudedbythewebsiteasatop-25na-tionalrecruiter.Hehassigned38playersinhisfiverecruitingseasonsandwasamajorreasonClemson’s2008recruitingclasswasrated#2inthenationbyESPN.com when he signed 11players.Hewasnamedoneofthetop-25recruitersinthenationbyRivals.comin2007as well. When Swinney accepted the interim headcoachingpositiononOctober13,2008,hedescribedhisfeelingsas“bittersweet”because he was taking over for Bowden, who hadbeenhisfirstpositioncoachatAlabamain1989.HehadalsobroughtSwinneybacktothecoachingprofessionin2003andhashadaprofoundeffectonhislife.Bothhadfollowedsimilar paths as players, as Bowden was a walk-onatWestVirginiaandSwinneywasawalk-on at Alabama. Swinney received a commerce & busi-nessadministrationdegreefromAlabamain1993afterletteringthreetimes(1990-92).Awalk-on who went on to earn a scholarship, Swinney was a wide receiver on Alabama’s 1992NationalChampionshipteam.Hewasalso named Academic All-SEC along with being an SEC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll member in 1990and1992. Alongwithhisappearanceinthe1993Sugar Bowl, his Alabama teams played in the

Playing ExperienceLettered three years atAlabama (1990-92); also amemberof the1989 team...memberof the1992NationalChampionship team...SECScholar-AthleteHonorRollmemberin1990,92.

BowlParticipationasaPlayer1990 Sugar Bowl...1991 Blockbuster Bowl...1991FiestaBowl...1993SugarBowl.

EducationB.S.degreeincommerce&businessadministrationfromAlabamain1993...masterofbusinessadministra-tionfromAlabamain1995.

Coaching ExperienceGraduateassistantcoachatAlabama(1993-95)...widereceivers/tightendsatAlabama(1996)...tightendsatAlabama (1997)...wide receiversatAlabama (1998-00)...widereceiversatClemson(2003-06)...assistantheadcoach/widereceiversatClemson(2007-October13,2008)...interimheadcoach/offensivecoordinatoratClemson(October13-December1,2008)...headcoach at Clemson (December 1, 2008).

BowlSeasonsasanAssistantCoach1994Gator Bowl...1995 Citrus Bowl...1997Out-back Bowl...1998Music City Bowl...2000OrangeBowl...2004 Peach Bowl...2005 Champs SportsBowl...2006MusicCityBowl...2007Chick-fil-ABowl.

BowlSeasonsasaHeadCoach2009GatorBowl.

Head Coaching Record4-3(.571)inoneseasonatClemson.

Personal DataBornNovember20,1969inBirmingham,AL...marriedtotheformerKathleenBassett...thecouplehasthreesons(Will10,Drew8,Clay5).

The Swinney File

Clemson Football


1990SugarBowl,1991FiestaBowl,and1991Blockbuster Bowl. Both Sugar Bowl appearances cameafterwinningtheSECChampionshipgame. Afterhisplayingcareer,Swinneyservedasagraduateassistantcoachfrom1993-95atAla-bama,wherehecoachedinthe1994GatorBowland1995CitrusBowl.InDecemberof1995,hereceived a master’s degree in business administra-tionfromAlabama. Hebecameafull-timeassistantcoachatAlabamainFebruaryof1996underHeadCoachGeneStallingsandcoachedatotaloffiveseasonsthereonafull-timebasis.HewasassignedtocoachtheCrimsonTide’swidereceiversandtightendsin1996,aseasonthatsawAlabamawintheSECWesternDivisiontitleandmakeanOutbackBowl appearance. The following year, he solely coachedthetightendsunderHeadCoachMikeDuBose. In1998,hecoachedAlabama’swidereceiv-ers,apositionheheldforthreeseasons.Attheendofthe1999campaign,Swinneycoachedthe

Head Coach Dabo SwinneyYear School Position(s) W-L Bowl1993 Alabama GA 9-3-1 Gator1994 Alabama GA 12-1 Citrus1995 Alabama GA 8-31996 Alabama WR,TE 10-3 Outback1997 Alabama TE 4-71998 Alabama WR 7-5 Music City1999 Alabama WR 10-3 Orange2000 Alabama WR 3-82003 Clemson WR 9-4 Peach2004 Clemson WR 6-52005 Clemson WR 8-4 Champs Sports2006 Clemson WR 8-5 Music City2007 Clemson AHC,WR 9-4 Chick-fil-A2008 Clemson AHC,WR 3-3 Clemson HC 4-3 Gator

Years as a coach: ...................................................14Years as a head coach: ............................................1Record as an assistant coach: .............. 77-51 (.602)Record as a head coach: ........................... 4-3 (.571)Record at Clemson:................................ 47-28 (.627)

Swinney’s Coaching RecordsCrimsonTideinthe2000OrangeBowlafterwin-ning the SEC Championship game. Wide receiver FreddieMilonswasthegameMVP. Since1997,hehashad15formerplayersei-therdraftedorsignfree-agentcontractswithNFLteams. The list includes Currie, Derrick Hamilton, Kevin Youngblood, Stuckey, and Milons, an All-Americanwhoisstillsecondincareerreceptionsat Alabama. DuringhistimeatAlabama,Swinneywasapartofsixyearsofatleast10wins,fivetop-10finishes,onenationaltitle(1992),threeSECcham-pionships(1989,92,99),andfiveSECWesternDivisiontitles(1992,93,94,96,99)asaplayerandcoach.Hehascoachedthe#2receiveratAlabama(Milons)alongwiththe#1(Kelly)and#2(Hamilton) receivers in Tiger history. From April of 2001 through February of 2003,SwinneywasinprivatebusinessinAlabama.HemarriedtheformerKathleenBassettin1994.They have three sons, Will (10), Drew (8), and Clay (5).

Documents

Clemson Football Directory · Clemson Football Directory ... TCU, a team ranked in the top 10 last year, and Coastal Carolina are also Note: ... Special Teams 2009