ACC: Thomas Austin
CLEMSON
2009 overall record: 9-5
2009 conference record: 6-2, Atlantic Division champs
Returning starters
Offense: 7, defense: 6, punter/kicker: 2
Top returners
DE Da’Quan Bowers, FS DeAndre McDaniel, LT Chris Hairston, RT Landon Walker, QB Kyle Parker, DT Jarvis Jenkins, LB Brandon Maye, RB Andre Ellington, RB Jamie Harper
Key losses
RB C.J. Spiller, WR Jacoby Ford, LG Thomas Austin, TE Michael Palmer, DE Ricky Sapp, LB Kavell Conner, CB Chris Chancellor, CB Crezdon Butler, LB Kevin Alexander
2008 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: Spiller (1,212 yds)
Passing: Parker* (2,526 yds)
Receiving: Ford (779 yds)
Tackles: Conner (111)
Sacks: Sapp (5)
Interceptions: McDaniel* (8)
Spring answers
1. Meet Dwayne Allen. The Tigers appear to have a capable replacement for former first-team all-conference tight end Michael Palmer, who set a school record for receptions (43) and reception yards (507) for a tight end last year. Allen had three catches for 83 yards in the spring game. He could be a centerpiece of the offense next year.
2. Liking the linebackers. The graduation of Alexander and Conner hurt, but coach Dabo Swinney liked what he saw from this group this spring. The Tigers are deeper and more versatile here and will have the ability to increase the number of plays per linebacker.
3.Holding their own. Heading into the spring, the punter and place-kicking jobs were open, but punter Dawson Zimmerman and kicker Richard Jackson both retained their spots. Jackson was inconsistent last year and missed two extra point attempts, but he tied for second in the ACC with 20 field goals.
Fall questions
1. Will Parker return? The dual-sport quarterback won’t determine his future until baseball season has ended. As his spring home run total increases, it becomes more of a question. His batting average and home run totals -- Parker leads the ACC in home runs -- continue to be a factor.
2. Spiller’s replacements. What four people will combine to do what Spiller did last year? Kick returns, catching the ball out of the backfield, the ground game -- Mr. Versatility will be missed. Ellington had a good spring with 13 carries for 86 yards in the spring game, and expectations are high for Harper.
3. Reaching at receiver. With Ford’s graduation, Clemson is looking for a new go-to player. Swinney liked what he saw from the group, as Xavier Dye and Terrence Ashe both had productive springs. Brandon Clear was one of the most improved players on the roster and will be given a chance to make some plays this summer.
2009 overall record: 9-5
2009 conference record: 6-2, Atlantic Division champs
Returning starters
Offense: 7, defense: 6, punter/kicker: 2
Top returners
DE Da’Quan Bowers, FS DeAndre McDaniel, LT Chris Hairston, RT Landon Walker, QB Kyle Parker, DT Jarvis Jenkins, LB Brandon Maye, RB Andre Ellington, RB Jamie Harper
Key losses
RB C.J. Spiller, WR Jacoby Ford, LG Thomas Austin, TE Michael Palmer, DE Ricky Sapp, LB Kavell Conner, CB Chris Chancellor, CB Crezdon Butler, LB Kevin Alexander
2008 statistical leaders (* returners)
Rushing: Spiller (1,212 yds)
Passing: Parker* (2,526 yds)
Receiving: Ford (779 yds)
Tackles: Conner (111)
Sacks: Sapp (5)
Interceptions: McDaniel* (8)
Spring answers
1. Meet Dwayne Allen. The Tigers appear to have a capable replacement for former first-team all-conference tight end Michael Palmer, who set a school record for receptions (43) and reception yards (507) for a tight end last year. Allen had three catches for 83 yards in the spring game. He could be a centerpiece of the offense next year.
2. Liking the linebackers. The graduation of Alexander and Conner hurt, but coach Dabo Swinney liked what he saw from this group this spring. The Tigers are deeper and more versatile here and will have the ability to increase the number of plays per linebacker.
3.Holding their own. Heading into the spring, the punter and place-kicking jobs were open, but punter Dawson Zimmerman and kicker Richard Jackson both retained their spots. Jackson was inconsistent last year and missed two extra point attempts, but he tied for second in the ACC with 20 field goals.
Fall questions
1. Will Parker return? The dual-sport quarterback won’t determine his future until baseball season has ended. As his spring home run total increases, it becomes more of a question. His batting average and home run totals -- Parker leads the ACC in home runs -- continue to be a factor.
2. Spiller’s replacements. What four people will combine to do what Spiller did last year? Kick returns, catching the ball out of the backfield, the ground game -- Mr. Versatility will be missed. Ellington had a good spring with 13 carries for 86 yards in the spring game, and expectations are high for Harper.
3. Reaching at receiver. With Ford’s graduation, Clemson is looking for a new go-to player. Swinney liked what he saw from the group, as Xavier Dye and Terrence Ashe both had productive springs. Brandon Clear was one of the most improved players on the roster and will be given a chance to make some plays this summer.
Clemson's Taylor signs free agent contract
May, 5, 2010
5/05/10
2:58
PM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
Former Clemson fullback Rendrick Taylor has signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Bucs and will report to mini-camp May 17. He will work as a fullback and tight end, but also played receiver during his career at Clemson.
Taylor, who will graduate on Friday, played in 38 games for the Tigers over the past five years, 10 as a starter. He finished his career with 54 receptions for 533 yards and a touchdown and had 15 carries for 36 yards as a fullback.
Taylor is the fifth member of last year's team to sign a free agent contract and five other players were drafted two weeks ago. That's a significant bit of talent gone from last year's Atlantic Division champs:
Still, Clemson returns enough talent on both sides of the ball to repeat as division champs. The Tigers will have six starters back on defense, including four of the top five tacklers and three defensive linemen. Even though Chancellor and Butler are gone, Clemson's secondary returns players who accounted for 19 of last year's 21 interceptions.
Taylor, who will graduate on Friday, played in 38 games for the Tigers over the past five years, 10 as a starter. He finished his career with 54 receptions for 533 yards and a touchdown and had 15 carries for 36 yards as a fullback.
Taylor is the fifth member of last year's team to sign a free agent contract and five other players were drafted two weeks ago. That's a significant bit of talent gone from last year's Atlantic Division champs:
Still, Clemson returns enough talent on both sides of the ball to repeat as division champs. The Tigers will have six starters back on defense, including four of the top five tacklers and three defensive linemen. Even though Chancellor and Butler are gone, Clemson's secondary returns players who accounted for 19 of last year's 21 interceptions.
Final East-West Shrine Game rosters out
January, 14, 2010
1/14/10
9:00
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
The ACC will have 13 players among the 106 selected to play in the 85th annual East-West Shrine Game. The only problem with this game is that it's being held on the same field that provided the worst conditions of the bowl season -- the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. We'll assume they've cleaned it up.
It's a prestigious all-star game, as 90 percent of the players from last year's roster were either drafted or signed as free agents. It's sort of like a final audition for the NFL, as the game is directed by an NFL-affiliated coaching staff, NFL officials and rules.
The ACC players will be coached by Romeo Crennel, who spent four seasons as head coach of the Cleveland Browns and has won five Super Bowls as an assistant coach.
This year's game will be Jan. 23 (3 p.m. ET/ESPN2). The following players will represent the ACC on the East team:
LB Mike McLaughlin, Boston College
OG Thomas Austin, Clemson
CB Chris Chancellor, Clemson
OLB Kavell Conner, Clemson
OG Cord Howard, Georgia Tech
RB Javarris James, Miami
C A.J. Trump, Miami
DE Willie Young, NC State
DT Nate Collins, Virginia
FS Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech
OG Sergio Render, Virginia Tech
CB Stephan Virgil, Virginia Tech
OG Chris DeGeare, Wake Forest
It's a prestigious all-star game, as 90 percent of the players from last year's roster were either drafted or signed as free agents. It's sort of like a final audition for the NFL, as the game is directed by an NFL-affiliated coaching staff, NFL officials and rules.
The ACC players will be coached by Romeo Crennel, who spent four seasons as head coach of the Cleveland Browns and has won five Super Bowls as an assistant coach.
This year's game will be Jan. 23 (3 p.m. ET/ESPN2). The following players will represent the ACC on the East team:
LB Mike McLaughlin, Boston College
OG Thomas Austin, Clemson
CB Chris Chancellor, Clemson
OLB Kavell Conner, Clemson
OG Cord Howard, Georgia Tech
RB Javarris James, Miami
C A.J. Trump, Miami
DE Willie Young, NC State
DT Nate Collins, Virginia
FS Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech
OG Sergio Render, Virginia Tech
CB Stephan Virgil, Virginia Tech
OG Chris DeGeare, Wake Forest
It was yet another record-setting performance by Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, but the good news for Tigers fans is that Spiller wasn’t a one-man show in the 21-13 win over Kentucky Sunday night in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl.
Clemson showed promise for 2010 despite the grand finale of one of the program’s -- and the country’s -- most accomplished players.
Running back Jamie Harper had 65 yards in the first half, and averaged nearly 10 yards per rush. All but Thomas Austin (the best player) returns on the offensive line. Quarterback Kyle Parker, who will eventually have to make a decision about whether he wants to pursue a professional baseball career, finished his freshman season with 20 touchdown passes, the most in Clemson history by a freshman and fourth overall in school history.
Parker tied for first in the nation in wins by freshman quarterbacks with Matt Barkley of USC, who gained his ninth win with the victory over Boston College on Saturday night. No other freshman quarterback active in the bowl season has a chance to reach nine wins this year, so Parker and Barkley will end the year as the national leaders in that category.
DeAndre McDaniel finished with 13 tackles and was a factor throughout the entire game, and if he comes back should again be one of the top players in the country.
It’s not just the players, though. This staff, in its first year, managed to change the mindset at Clemson. Dabo Swinney and his staff got Clemson to its first ACC championship game. It coaxed the team out of a rut -- twice. Once at the beginning of the season after a 2-3 start, and again at the end of the season, after tough back-to-back losses to rival South Carolina and Georgia Tech. And Swinney suspended four backups for breaking their bowl curfew, instilling discipline along the way.
Clemson won’t be the same without Spiller and Jacoby Ford next year. The Tigers will have some work to do in the Atlantic Division. But the program took an important step forward this season under Swinney, and they did it when nobody was expecting it.
In 2010, feel free to expect something from the Tigers -- even without No. 28.
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Jim Brown/US Presswireyle Parker threw 20 touchdowns in 2009, the most ever by a freshman at Clemson.
Jim Brown/US Presswireyle Parker threw 20 touchdowns in 2009, the most ever by a freshman at Clemson.Running back Jamie Harper had 65 yards in the first half, and averaged nearly 10 yards per rush. All but Thomas Austin (the best player) returns on the offensive line. Quarterback Kyle Parker, who will eventually have to make a decision about whether he wants to pursue a professional baseball career, finished his freshman season with 20 touchdown passes, the most in Clemson history by a freshman and fourth overall in school history.
Parker tied for first in the nation in wins by freshman quarterbacks with Matt Barkley of USC, who gained his ninth win with the victory over Boston College on Saturday night. No other freshman quarterback active in the bowl season has a chance to reach nine wins this year, so Parker and Barkley will end the year as the national leaders in that category.
DeAndre McDaniel finished with 13 tackles and was a factor throughout the entire game, and if he comes back should again be one of the top players in the country.
It’s not just the players, though. This staff, in its first year, managed to change the mindset at Clemson. Dabo Swinney and his staff got Clemson to its first ACC championship game. It coaxed the team out of a rut -- twice. Once at the beginning of the season after a 2-3 start, and again at the end of the season, after tough back-to-back losses to rival South Carolina and Georgia Tech. And Swinney suspended four backups for breaking their bowl curfew, instilling discipline along the way.
Clemson won’t be the same without Spiller and Jacoby Ford next year. The Tigers will have some work to do in the Atlantic Division. But the program took an important step forward this season under Swinney, and they did it when nobody was expecting it.
In 2010, feel free to expect something from the Tigers -- even without No. 28.
Clemson refocused after back-to-back losses
December, 23, 2009
12/23/09
2:30
PM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
If there’s one thing that’s impossible to predict during bowl season, it’s which team will come the most prepared and in the right frame of mind after a significant layoff.
For Clemson, it’s one of the biggest question marks heading into the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl against Kentucky. The Tigers have the upper hand on paper, but having lost their last two games of the season -- to rival South Carolina and to Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game -- they know they missed an opportunity to play in a more lucrative bowl. Still, those within the program say practices have been upbeat and the focus is now on Kentucky.
“Obviously we’re disappointed after the loss to Georgia Tech,” said senior offensive lineman Thomas Austin. “It was one of our goals to play in a BCS game, and we didn’t do that. And losing to our rivals, coming off those games, the morale was pretty low, but what can you do? You have to go back to work. For those of us who are leaving, we want to go out on a winning note. We also want to continue to improve ourselves as football players. The underclassmen, they have to continue to work hard in preparation for next year. We didn’t show up four years ago when we played Kentucky, and we want this year to be a different story.”
The Tigers had a meeting the Tuesday following the ACC championship game and acknowledged both the players and coaches were hurting from the way the season ended. Coach Dabo Swinney reminded everyone that they started the season 2-3, including a loss to Maryland, and were able to dig themselves out of a hole to stay in the conference race.
“Yeah, you’re disappointed, because you had your eyes on the bigger prize -- the Orange Bowl,” Swinney said, “but you’ve gotta move on. You get what you earn.”
Clemson will have to correct some mistakes that led to their disappointing finish, namely an inability to stop the run and turning the ball over. The Tigers have allowed an average of 278 rushing yards in their past two losses and have four combined turnovers. Swinney and Austin agreed a few days off after finals helped them recharge and refocus.
“We put on the film and next thing you know you’re focused on this game, trying to win this game,” Swinney said. “That’s the mindset. Practice has been good.”
For Clemson, it’s one of the biggest question marks heading into the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl against Kentucky. The Tigers have the upper hand on paper, but having lost their last two games of the season -- to rival South Carolina and to Georgia Tech in the ACC championship game -- they know they missed an opportunity to play in a more lucrative bowl. Still, those within the program say practices have been upbeat and the focus is now on Kentucky.
“Obviously we’re disappointed after the loss to Georgia Tech,” said senior offensive lineman Thomas Austin. “It was one of our goals to play in a BCS game, and we didn’t do that. And losing to our rivals, coming off those games, the morale was pretty low, but what can you do? You have to go back to work. For those of us who are leaving, we want to go out on a winning note. We also want to continue to improve ourselves as football players. The underclassmen, they have to continue to work hard in preparation for next year. We didn’t show up four years ago when we played Kentucky, and we want this year to be a different story.”
The Tigers had a meeting the Tuesday following the ACC championship game and acknowledged both the players and coaches were hurting from the way the season ended. Coach Dabo Swinney reminded everyone that they started the season 2-3, including a loss to Maryland, and were able to dig themselves out of a hole to stay in the conference race.
“Yeah, you’re disappointed, because you had your eyes on the bigger prize -- the Orange Bowl,” Swinney said, “but you’ve gotta move on. You get what you earn.”
Clemson will have to correct some mistakes that led to their disappointing finish, namely an inability to stop the run and turning the ball over. The Tigers have allowed an average of 278 rushing yards in their past two losses and have four combined turnovers. Swinney and Austin agreed a few days off after finals helped them recharge and refocus.
“We put on the film and next thing you know you’re focused on this game, trying to win this game,” Swinney said. “That’s the mindset. Practice has been good.”
There are a lot of All-America teams to keep track of, but here are the top nationally recognized ones that have included ACC players. Every school but Wake Forest, Virginia, NC State and Maryland is represented here. C.J. Spiller's name shows up repeatedly.
Hopefully this helps you keep them straight:
Associated Press
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, all-purpose player, first-team
Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, first-team
Florida State OL Rodney Hudson, second-team guard
Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, third-team
Virginia Tech linebacker Cody Grimm, third-team
Miami cornerback Brandon Harris, third team
Sporting News
Spiller, first-team kick returner
Derrick Morgan, second-team
Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams, third team
Clemson OL Thomas Austin, third team
Duke DT Vince Oghobaase, third team
Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel, third team
FSU PR Greg Reid, third team
Football Writers Association of America
FSU OL Rodney Hudson, first team
Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel, first team
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, first team return specialist
Walter Camp Football Foundation
Spiller, first team kick returner
Boston College center Matt Tennant, second team
Spiller, second-team running back
Derrick Morgan, second team DE
American Football Coaches Association
Derrick Morgan, first team DE
C.J. Spiller, first-team all-purpose
SI.com
FSU OL Rodney Hudson, first-team
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, first-team returns, second-team all purpose
Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, second team
Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly, second team
Miami cornerback Brandon Harris, second team
Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel, second team
Honorable mention: Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech B-Back Jonathan Dwyer, Boston College running back Montel Harris, Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams, Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, BC OL Anthony Castonzo, Miami OL Jason Fox, Georgia Tech OL Cord Howard, UNC DL Robert Quinn, Virginia Tech LB Cody Grimm, UNC DB Kendric Burney, UNC K Casey Barth, FSU KR Greg Reid.
Phil Steele's All-freshman team
Ryan Williams, first team
Greg Reid, first team PR
BC LB Luke Kuechly, first team
Hopefully this helps you keep them straight:
Associated Press
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, all-purpose player, first-team
Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, first-team
Florida State OL Rodney Hudson, second-team guard
Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, third-team
Virginia Tech linebacker Cody Grimm, third-team
Miami cornerback Brandon Harris, third team
Sporting News
Spiller, first-team kick returner
Derrick Morgan, second-team
Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams, third team
Clemson OL Thomas Austin, third team
Duke DT Vince Oghobaase, third team
Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel, third team
FSU PR Greg Reid, third team
Football Writers Association of America
FSU OL Rodney Hudson, first team
Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel, first team
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, first team return specialist
Walter Camp Football Foundation
Spiller, first team kick returner
Boston College center Matt Tennant, second team
Spiller, second-team running back
Derrick Morgan, second team DE
American Football Coaches Association
Derrick Morgan, first team DE
C.J. Spiller, first-team all-purpose
SI.com
FSU OL Rodney Hudson, first-team
Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, first-team returns, second-team all purpose
Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, second team
Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly, second team
Miami cornerback Brandon Harris, second team
Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel, second team
Honorable mention: Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech B-Back Jonathan Dwyer, Boston College running back Montel Harris, Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams, Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, BC OL Anthony Castonzo, Miami OL Jason Fox, Georgia Tech OL Cord Howard, UNC DL Robert Quinn, Virginia Tech LB Cody Grimm, UNC DB Kendric Burney, UNC K Casey Barth, FSU KR Greg Reid.
Phil Steele's All-freshman team
Ryan Williams, first team
Greg Reid, first team PR
BC LB Luke Kuechly, first team
It's been a while for Clemson, Georgia Tech
December, 4, 2009
12/04/09
10:00
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
There is an added sense of excitement for both Clemson and Georgia Tech players heading into Saturday’s ACC championship game, and that’s because none of the players on either roster have had the opportunity to win the conference crown.
It’s been over a decade since both programs have won the ACC title. Georgia Tech came close in 2006, but lost in the title game to Wake Forest. Georgia Tech was co-champion with Florida State in 1998 and Clemson has not won the title since 1991. Tech was last outright champion in 1990, the year the Jackets won the national championship.
“It would mean a great deal,” said Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan. “First off, for our fans. They're kind of down right now as far as the loss to Georgia. But for us, in-house, we worked so hard this offseason and the previous two years to get to this point, and the opportunity is right in front of us. It would mean a great deal to everybody associated with this program, the whole Georgia Tech family. It would mean a great deal.”
Clemson has never been to the ACC title game before, and offensive guard Thomas Austin said it’s an opportunity the Tigers can’t miss.
“Well, it's absolutely vital for us as a program,” Austin said. “We have a winning tradition here at Clemson. That's something we take pride in, as does Georgia Tech. We have won a lot of championships here. But to not have won a conference championship in 18 years is something that we see as a unique opportunity for us to capitalize on that and to play well this weekend and to have a chance to play in those big BCS January bowl games is something that is a goal as a player, and that's what we were sold on coming out of high school, that we were going to have that opportunity if we came to Clemson. To see that come to fruition the last couple years, just a lot of hard work, it's very rewarding for us.”
Both teams were picked by the media to finish second in their respective divisions this past summer. For Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, proving that pick wrong was one of the biggest reasons he came back for his senior year instead of entering the NFL draft.
“I mean, people remember champions, and that's one of the reasons I came back for my senior year is to try to win the championship game,” Spiller said. “That's something that hasn't been done here in 18 years, and I want to try to help this team accomplish that.
“I think if we win or lose, I think people are going to always have that -- I guess that fear or something about playing Clemson because they know with Coach Swinney that his team is going to be ready to play for four quarters or however long it takes to get the job done. Only time will tell if we're the powerhouse, but I think the way we played this year, teams surely have tremendous respect for us.”
Regardless of who wins the game, it will be a change in the ACC hierarchy, as Virginia Tech has won three of the past five ACC titles. The question is whether or not either Clemson or Georgia Tech can use this opportunity as a springboard for even better things or repeat championship appearances in the future.
For now, though, they’re only focused on this year.
“I know it's going to be good for our program if we win the game,” said Georgia Tech B-back Jonathan Dwyer, “and I hope we go out there and do what we're supposed to do, and hopefully luck gets on our side and we do win it.”
It’s been over a decade since both programs have won the ACC title. Georgia Tech came close in 2006, but lost in the title game to Wake Forest. Georgia Tech was co-champion with Florida State in 1998 and Clemson has not won the title since 1991. Tech was last outright champion in 1990, the year the Jackets won the national championship.
“It would mean a great deal,” said Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan. “First off, for our fans. They're kind of down right now as far as the loss to Georgia. But for us, in-house, we worked so hard this offseason and the previous two years to get to this point, and the opportunity is right in front of us. It would mean a great deal to everybody associated with this program, the whole Georgia Tech family. It would mean a great deal.”
Clemson has never been to the ACC title game before, and offensive guard Thomas Austin said it’s an opportunity the Tigers can’t miss.
“Well, it's absolutely vital for us as a program,” Austin said. “We have a winning tradition here at Clemson. That's something we take pride in, as does Georgia Tech. We have won a lot of championships here. But to not have won a conference championship in 18 years is something that we see as a unique opportunity for us to capitalize on that and to play well this weekend and to have a chance to play in those big BCS January bowl games is something that is a goal as a player, and that's what we were sold on coming out of high school, that we were going to have that opportunity if we came to Clemson. To see that come to fruition the last couple years, just a lot of hard work, it's very rewarding for us.”
Both teams were picked by the media to finish second in their respective divisions this past summer. For Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, proving that pick wrong was one of the biggest reasons he came back for his senior year instead of entering the NFL draft.
“I mean, people remember champions, and that's one of the reasons I came back for my senior year is to try to win the championship game,” Spiller said. “That's something that hasn't been done here in 18 years, and I want to try to help this team accomplish that.
“I think if we win or lose, I think people are going to always have that -- I guess that fear or something about playing Clemson because they know with Coach Swinney that his team is going to be ready to play for four quarters or however long it takes to get the job done. Only time will tell if we're the powerhouse, but I think the way we played this year, teams surely have tremendous respect for us.”
Regardless of who wins the game, it will be a change in the ACC hierarchy, as Virginia Tech has won three of the past five ACC titles. The question is whether or not either Clemson or Georgia Tech can use this opportunity as a springboard for even better things or repeat championship appearances in the future.
For now, though, they’re only focused on this year.
“I know it's going to be good for our program if we win the game,” said Georgia Tech B-back Jonathan Dwyer, “and I hope we go out there and do what we're supposed to do, and hopefully luck gets on our side and we do win it.”
See you in Tampa? ...
- It will be a homecoming of sorts for a few Georgia Tech players who are Tampa natives, including Anthony Allen.
- Bobby Bowden deserves better, and a trip to the Gator Bowl would be the least anyone could do for him, writes Lenox Rawlings.
- UNC will be the biggest loser among the bowl-eligible teams if the Gator Bowl gets its wish.
- Miami just lost a top recruit.
- What is the expectation for Maryland next year? A 7-5 record sounds reasonable to athletic director Debbie Yow.
- Here are the final ACC/SEC rankings, courtesy of writers from The State, The Raleigh News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer.
- Clemson guard Thomas Austin is one of the most mature, well-spoken players in the ACC, and that's why he's an unquestioned leader in the Tigers' locker room. I'm still waiting for an invite to fajita night, though.
- Jimbo Fisher's top two priorities as the next head coach are defense and recruits. They go hand in hand, no?
- The ACC championship game will have some competition on Saturday, and last weekend's game probably didn't help the interest, writes Travis Sawchik.
Familiarity not necessarily an advantage
December, 3, 2009
12/03/09
10:00
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
When Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was an assistant at Alabama in 1999, the Crimson Tide went to Florida and beat the Gators, and then managed to do it again in the SEC championship game.
It was the only time Swinney had ever faced the same team twice in one season -- until now.
There will be a sense of familiarity when Clemson and Georgia Tech meet on Saturday in the ACC championship game, as Georgia Tech beat the Tigers, 30-27, on Sept. 10 in Atlanta. Whether it will be an advantage for either team remains to be seen, but both teams are better now than they were in the second week of the season, and the coaches expect a few new wrinkles from each other.
“This is a little different for them and for us in that I don't think either team really knew what we were getting into back [in the] second game of the season,” Swinney said. “Neither one of us really had a lot to go on from a film standpoint, and there's a lot of new people playing on both sides. You know, our freshman quarterback and we've got some young linemen, and some freshmen playing in the secondary and things like that. So you know, now that you've got a lot of film to really study them throughout the season, and they'll have all of ours and we'll have all of theirs, from a scheme standpoint that's a good advantage this time around.”
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he can’t remember playing a team twice in the same season since he was at Georgia Southern (1997-2001). Johnson said Appalachian State and Furman would usually make the playoffs, and his team would see them again there.
“I don't think on the 1-A level we've ever played anybody twice in the same season,” Johnson said. “That usually doesn't happen.”
Georgia Tech outscored Clemson 24-0 in the first half earlier this year, but allowed the Tigers to battle back to a 27-24 lead in the fourth quarter. The Jackets’ defense stifled rookie quarterback Kyle Parker to preserve the win, but it was kicker Scott Blair who stole the spotlight with his 34-yard touchdown pass and last-minute, game-winning field goal.
“You know, we know their personnel well,” said Clemson guard Thomas Austin. “We've gone against those guys the last couple years and this season, but from a schematic standpoint, we know what they do, they know what we do, so I think for us it'll just be a matter of not trying to hide things but just doing what we do a little bit better.”
Georgia Tech has won five of its past six games against Clemson, but this time, the Tigers will have had a full week to prepare for that triple-option offense -- again.
“It's six of one, half dozen of the other,” Johnson said. “It probably helps them, but we also know how they lined up the last time. There's no guarantee everybody is going to line up the same way or do the same thing, but at least you have a little bit of familiarity. The first time we played them with a new coordinator, we had no idea what they were going to line up in. Like I said, I'm sure they'll have some tweaks and do a few things differently, but at least you've got some idea.”
The other similarity between these two teams is that they’re both coming off a loss to their respective SEC rivals that raised questions and revealed weaknesses. Clemson’s offense all but disappeared against South Carolina, and Georgia Tech’s defense was more than welcoming to Georgia’s running game. Still, both coaches agree their teams have improved since they last met in September.
“You know, I think they've improved a whole lot offensively since they've played us,” Johnson said. “I hope that we've gotten better, too. If we haven't, it's going to be ugly.”
It was the only time Swinney had ever faced the same team twice in one season -- until now.
There will be a sense of familiarity when Clemson and Georgia Tech meet on Saturday in the ACC championship game, as Georgia Tech beat the Tigers, 30-27, on Sept. 10 in Atlanta. Whether it will be an advantage for either team remains to be seen, but both teams are better now than they were in the second week of the season, and the coaches expect a few new wrinkles from each other.
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Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesKyle Parker threw for 261 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the Sept. 10 meeting with Georgia Tech.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesKyle Parker threw for 261 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the Sept. 10 meeting with Georgia Tech.Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he can’t remember playing a team twice in the same season since he was at Georgia Southern (1997-2001). Johnson said Appalachian State and Furman would usually make the playoffs, and his team would see them again there.
“I don't think on the 1-A level we've ever played anybody twice in the same season,” Johnson said. “That usually doesn't happen.”
Georgia Tech outscored Clemson 24-0 in the first half earlier this year, but allowed the Tigers to battle back to a 27-24 lead in the fourth quarter. The Jackets’ defense stifled rookie quarterback Kyle Parker to preserve the win, but it was kicker Scott Blair who stole the spotlight with his 34-yard touchdown pass and last-minute, game-winning field goal.
“You know, we know their personnel well,” said Clemson guard Thomas Austin. “We've gone against those guys the last couple years and this season, but from a schematic standpoint, we know what they do, they know what we do, so I think for us it'll just be a matter of not trying to hide things but just doing what we do a little bit better.”
Georgia Tech has won five of its past six games against Clemson, but this time, the Tigers will have had a full week to prepare for that triple-option offense -- again.
“It's six of one, half dozen of the other,” Johnson said. “It probably helps them, but we also know how they lined up the last time. There's no guarantee everybody is going to line up the same way or do the same thing, but at least you have a little bit of familiarity. The first time we played them with a new coordinator, we had no idea what they were going to line up in. Like I said, I'm sure they'll have some tweaks and do a few things differently, but at least you've got some idea.”
The other similarity between these two teams is that they’re both coming off a loss to their respective SEC rivals that raised questions and revealed weaknesses. Clemson’s offense all but disappeared against South Carolina, and Georgia Tech’s defense was more than welcoming to Georgia’s running game. Still, both coaches agree their teams have improved since they last met in September.
“You know, I think they've improved a whole lot offensively since they've played us,” Johnson said. “I hope that we've gotten better, too. If we haven't, it's going to be ugly.”
Clemson's Swinney changed Tigers' mentality
December, 1, 2009
12/01/09
9:00
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
On Dabo Swinney’s first day of spring practice as Clemson’s head coach -- his first day as anyone’s head coach for that matter -- he brought two signs with him. One said, “Believe,” the other said, “It can be done.”
“For us, we thought that was a little weird, maybe a little unconventional at first,” said guard Thomas Austin. “But every day since then we’ve seen that sign. You start believing in yourself as a team. That’s one thing I respect about coach Swinney -- when we were 2-3, people were calling for his job, our coordinator’s, all that stuff, we didn’t pay attention to that. We banded together as a team. We could’ve done two things -- we could’ve given up, or we could continue to work hard. We continued to work hard. The players took ownership of what was going on.”
Al Messerschmidt/Getty ImagesDabo Swinney has made believers out of the Clemson Tigers.And that’s been the difference under Clemson’s first-year staff. From veterans on the team like C.J. Spiller to rookies like quarterback Kyle Parker, the players agree that there is a different mentality at Clemson than in years' past under former coach Tommy Bowden, and it has been the driving factor behind the Atlantic Division championship this year. After a disappointing 2-3 start, which included an inexplicable loss to a now 2-10 Maryland team, the Tigers were able to regroup and avoided the letdowns of the past that had plagued the program for years.
Following the loss to Maryland, Clemson reeled off six straight wins to earn a trip to Tampa this weekend, where it will face Georgia Tech for a chance at the program’s first ACC title since 1991.
After last weekend’s loss to rival South Carolina, the Tigers will have to finish the season in similar fashion to how they started it, though -- rebounding from a loss.
“Win or lose, the following week he's going to continue to preach to them about believing and never giving up,” Spiller said, “and that's the thing that I love about him.”
Clemson has now lost two straight regular-season games to Georgia Tech under Swinney. Yet there doesn’t seem to be a lack of confidence heading into Saturday’s title game.
“He got us more focused,” safety DeAndre McDaniel said of Swinney. “He got us bonding better as a team. I mean, we're practicing faster, a lot harder, and he's just a great coach. He speaks to us positively, and he's just keeping our head where we're supposed to be at. I don't think too many coaches is better than him at that.”
It’s a glowing endorsement for a man who had never been a coordinator before, let alone a head coach. The former receivers coach had just five days last year to regroup the team after Bowden’s midseason departure and prepare for a 5-1 Georgia Tech team. Clemson lost 21-17 to the Jackets in that game, but Swinney finished with a 4-3 record as interim head coach.
“The biggest thing is a lot of people relate to him,” said Parker. “He does a good job of making the players feel like he really cares about them, and in return we care about him. The biggest thing is he makes everyone feel included, and we’ll go out and play for him, and that shows on the field.”
Offensive coordinator Billy Napier said Swinney has had a trickle-down effect.
“The biggest thing that stands out to me, if you really look in his background, the guy has overcome a lot,” Napier said. “His attitude and his approach day in and day out is a very positive guy who has had to be very resilient in the past. So his leadership qualities and his ability to never give up and constantly believe that good things are coming -- I think it’s rubbed off on this team. Their play reflects his attitude.”
And that has been Swinney’s goal since the first day of spring practice.
“You know, I'm thankful for these players because somewhere along the line they've bought in, and they did believe,” Swinney said. “And when we were a 2-3 football team looking at a six-game stretch where we had to win to have a chance to win our division, I'm thankful that they chose to keep believing and not listen to so many other things.”
Swinney, though, got them to listen to him.
“For us, we thought that was a little weird, maybe a little unconventional at first,” said guard Thomas Austin. “But every day since then we’ve seen that sign. You start believing in yourself as a team. That’s one thing I respect about coach Swinney -- when we were 2-3, people were calling for his job, our coordinator’s, all that stuff, we didn’t pay attention to that. We banded together as a team. We could’ve done two things -- we could’ve given up, or we could continue to work hard. We continued to work hard. The players took ownership of what was going on.”
Al Messerschmidt/Getty ImagesDabo Swinney has made believers out of the Clemson Tigers.Following the loss to Maryland, Clemson reeled off six straight wins to earn a trip to Tampa this weekend, where it will face Georgia Tech for a chance at the program’s first ACC title since 1991.
After last weekend’s loss to rival South Carolina, the Tigers will have to finish the season in similar fashion to how they started it, though -- rebounding from a loss.
“Win or lose, the following week he's going to continue to preach to them about believing and never giving up,” Spiller said, “and that's the thing that I love about him.”
Clemson has now lost two straight regular-season games to Georgia Tech under Swinney. Yet there doesn’t seem to be a lack of confidence heading into Saturday’s title game.
“He got us more focused,” safety DeAndre McDaniel said of Swinney. “He got us bonding better as a team. I mean, we're practicing faster, a lot harder, and he's just a great coach. He speaks to us positively, and he's just keeping our head where we're supposed to be at. I don't think too many coaches is better than him at that.”
It’s a glowing endorsement for a man who had never been a coordinator before, let alone a head coach. The former receivers coach had just five days last year to regroup the team after Bowden’s midseason departure and prepare for a 5-1 Georgia Tech team. Clemson lost 21-17 to the Jackets in that game, but Swinney finished with a 4-3 record as interim head coach.
“The biggest thing is a lot of people relate to him,” said Parker. “He does a good job of making the players feel like he really cares about them, and in return we care about him. The biggest thing is he makes everyone feel included, and we’ll go out and play for him, and that shows on the field.”
Offensive coordinator Billy Napier said Swinney has had a trickle-down effect.
“The biggest thing that stands out to me, if you really look in his background, the guy has overcome a lot,” Napier said. “His attitude and his approach day in and day out is a very positive guy who has had to be very resilient in the past. So his leadership qualities and his ability to never give up and constantly believe that good things are coming -- I think it’s rubbed off on this team. Their play reflects his attitude.”
And that has been Swinney’s goal since the first day of spring practice.
“You know, I'm thankful for these players because somewhere along the line they've bought in, and they did believe,” Swinney said. “And when we were a 2-3 football team looking at a six-game stretch where we had to win to have a chance to win our division, I'm thankful that they chose to keep believing and not listen to so many other things.”
Swinney, though, got them to listen to him.
ACC all-conference team announced
November, 30, 2009
11/30/09
4:19
PM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
Here is the ACC's all: conference team, as voted upon by 40 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Please keep in mind that this is not the ESPN.com list.
FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech (50)
RB: Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (67)
RB: Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech (63)
WR: Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech (63)
WR: Donovan Varner, Duke (50)
TE: George Bryan, NC State (39)
TE: Michael Palmer, Clemson (39)
OT: Jason Fox, Miami (57)
OT: Anthony Castonzo, Boston College (53)
OG: Rodney Hudson, Florida State (54)
OG: Cord Howard, Georgia Tech (47)
C: Sean Bedford, Georgia Tech (45)
K: Matt Waldron, Virginia Tech (27)
K: Matt Bosher, Miami (27)
Spc: C.J. Spiller, Clemson (76)
Defense
DE: Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech (76)
DE: Robert Quinn, North Carolina (69)
DT: Nate Collins, Virginia (47)
DT: Allen Bailey, Miami (38)
LB: Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech (65)
LB: Luke Kuechly, Boston College (53)
LB: Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina (44)
LB: Alex Wujciak, Maryland (44)
CB: Kendric Burney, North Carolina (59)
CB: Brandon Harris, Miami (41)
S: DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson (57)
S: Deunta Williams, North Carolina (53)
P: Brent Bowden, Virginia Tech (57)
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB: Thaddeus Lewis, Duke (18)
RB: C.J. Spiller, Clemson (62)
RB: Montel Harris, Boston College (39)
WR: Torrey Smith, Maryland (25)
WR: Jacoby Ford, Clemson (24)
TE: Greg Boone, Virginia Tech (16)
OT: Ed Wang, Virginia Tech (31)
OT: Chris Hairston, Clemson (26)
OG: Thomas Austin, Clemson (39)
OG: Sergio Render, Virginia Tech (37)
C: Matt Tennant, Boston College (29)
K: Casey Barth, North Carolina (21)
K: Will Snyderwine, Duke (21)
Spc: Torrey Smith, Maryland (17)
Defense
DE: Ricky Sapp, Clemson (29)
DE: Willie Young, NC State (24)
DE: Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech (24)
DT: Marvin Austin, North Carolina (32)
DT: John Russell, Wake Forest (29)
LB: Vincent Rey, Duke (29)
LB: Darryl Sharpton, Miami (21)
LB: Bruce Carter, North Carolina (17)
LB: Colin McCarthy, Miami (17)
LB: Dekoda Watson, Florida State (17)
CB: Ras-I Dowling, Virginia (26)
CB: Patrick Robinson, Florida State (26)
S: Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech (51)
S: Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech (24)
P: Matt Bosher, Miami (37)
FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech (50)
RB: Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (67)
RB: Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech (63)
WR: Demaryius Thomas, Georgia Tech (63)
WR: Donovan Varner, Duke (50)
TE: George Bryan, NC State (39)
TE: Michael Palmer, Clemson (39)
OT: Jason Fox, Miami (57)
OT: Anthony Castonzo, Boston College (53)
OG: Rodney Hudson, Florida State (54)
OG: Cord Howard, Georgia Tech (47)
C: Sean Bedford, Georgia Tech (45)
K: Matt Waldron, Virginia Tech (27)
K: Matt Bosher, Miami (27)
Spc: C.J. Spiller, Clemson (76)
Defense
DE: Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech (76)
DE: Robert Quinn, North Carolina (69)
DT: Nate Collins, Virginia (47)
DT: Allen Bailey, Miami (38)
LB: Cody Grimm, Virginia Tech (65)
LB: Luke Kuechly, Boston College (53)
LB: Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina (44)
LB: Alex Wujciak, Maryland (44)
CB: Kendric Burney, North Carolina (59)
CB: Brandon Harris, Miami (41)
S: DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson (57)
S: Deunta Williams, North Carolina (53)
P: Brent Bowden, Virginia Tech (57)
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB: Thaddeus Lewis, Duke (18)
RB: C.J. Spiller, Clemson (62)
RB: Montel Harris, Boston College (39)
WR: Torrey Smith, Maryland (25)
WR: Jacoby Ford, Clemson (24)
TE: Greg Boone, Virginia Tech (16)
OT: Ed Wang, Virginia Tech (31)
OT: Chris Hairston, Clemson (26)
OG: Thomas Austin, Clemson (39)
OG: Sergio Render, Virginia Tech (37)
C: Matt Tennant, Boston College (29)
K: Casey Barth, North Carolina (21)
K: Will Snyderwine, Duke (21)
Spc: Torrey Smith, Maryland (17)
Defense
DE: Ricky Sapp, Clemson (29)
DE: Willie Young, NC State (24)
DE: Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech (24)
DT: Marvin Austin, North Carolina (32)
DT: John Russell, Wake Forest (29)
LB: Vincent Rey, Duke (29)
LB: Darryl Sharpton, Miami (21)
LB: Bruce Carter, North Carolina (17)
LB: Colin McCarthy, Miami (17)
LB: Dekoda Watson, Florida State (17)
CB: Ras-I Dowling, Virginia (26)
CB: Patrick Robinson, Florida State (26)
S: Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech (51)
S: Kam Chancellor, Virginia Tech (24)
P: Matt Bosher, Miami (37)
Clemson leaves no doubt in Atlantic Division
November, 21, 2009
11/21/09
8:33
PM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
CLEMSON, S.C. -- They were watching the Boston College-North Carolina game in their hotel rooms. They were checking the score on their cell phones on the way to Memorial Stadium.
And in Clemson coach Dabo Swinney’s pregame speech, he informed the Tigers that Boston College had lost, in turn making the Tigers this year’s Atlantic Division champs before they even set foot on the field.
But Saturday was about Clemson -- about avoiding yet another embarrassing letdown when the Atlantic Division was in the palm of their hands, about proving all of the doubters wrong, and about earning their first appearance in the ACC championship game -- not having BC hand it to them.
“We wanted to win it the real way,” said senior wide receiver Jacoby Ford, who did his part in making that happen with a career-high 211 all-purpose yards in the Tigers’ 34-21 win over Virginia.
“We wanted to win it outright,” said offensive guard Thomas Austin. “We didn’t want it to come to a tiebreaker. That’s what championship teams do.”
Now, for the first time since 1991, Clemson has a chance to be a championship team again. Clemson will meet Coastal Division winner Georgia Tech at 8 p.m. on Dec. 5 ACC championship game. The Tigers did it with a group effort on offense, and with adjustments in the second half on defense. They did it on a senior day that bid farewell to some of the program’s most accomplished players. They did it with a first-year coach who just turned 40 on Friday, a 30-year-old first-year offensive coordinator, and a redshirt freshman quarterback.
Sometimes, though, change is good.
“Our first goal was to clinch the ACC Atlantic Division, and we did that,” said Swinney, who received a rendition of “Happy Birthday” from the crowd with about three minutes left in the game. “Our next goal is to win a state championship against South Carolina next weekend. Our third goal is to win the ACC championship game. Our fourth goal is to win a bowl game. We’re happy today, but we’re not done yet.”
They can finally exhale, though.
After watching the Atlantic Division title slip away in 2005, 2006 and 2007, despite being in position to win it, even some of Clemson’s most loyal fans had lingering concerns heading into Saturday’s game against Virginia. Clemson did little to assuage those fears in the first half, holding a precarious 24-21 edge over a Virginia team that entered with a 3-7 record and hadn’t won a game since mid-October. Those 21 points were more than UVa had scored in each of its previous four games. The Cavaliers surprised Clemson with a lot of gimmick plays in the first half, but ran out of them in a scoreless second half.
“We got in at halftime and made some adjustments,” said first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. “There were some technical things we needed to help them on, some calls, so we dusted off a few calls and gave it to them.”
Kavell Conner finished with a career-high 15 tackles, and the defense finished with seven sacks for 54 yards. It was a pedestrian performance for C.J. Spiller’s Heisman hopes -- he set the ACC single-season record for all-purpose yards, but finished with 58 rushing yards and one touchdown. Still, he got what he came back for -- the division title.
“I think people were still on the edge of their seats,” Spiller said. “I’m pretty sure a lot of people probably still doubted us, that we would have a letdown, but the good thing about this team, we never worry about what people say about our team. We worry about what we can control and the main thing for us is having a great week of preparation and going out and proving everyone wrong.”
That seemed to be the theme on Saturday -- quite a change from the program’s previous disappointments.
“It feels good to prove people wrong,” said Ford. “Can Clemson do it? Obviously yes, we can.”
And in Clemson coach Dabo Swinney’s pregame speech, he informed the Tigers that Boston College had lost, in turn making the Tigers this year’s Atlantic Division champs before they even set foot on the field.
AP Photo/Richard ShiroClemson wide receiver Jacoby Ford's career-high 211 all-purpose yards led the Tigers to a victory over Virginia.
But Saturday was about Clemson -- about avoiding yet another embarrassing letdown when the Atlantic Division was in the palm of their hands, about proving all of the doubters wrong, and about earning their first appearance in the ACC championship game -- not having BC hand it to them.
“We wanted to win it the real way,” said senior wide receiver Jacoby Ford, who did his part in making that happen with a career-high 211 all-purpose yards in the Tigers’ 34-21 win over Virginia.
“We wanted to win it outright,” said offensive guard Thomas Austin. “We didn’t want it to come to a tiebreaker. That’s what championship teams do.”
Now, for the first time since 1991, Clemson has a chance to be a championship team again. Clemson will meet Coastal Division winner Georgia Tech at 8 p.m. on Dec. 5 ACC championship game. The Tigers did it with a group effort on offense, and with adjustments in the second half on defense. They did it on a senior day that bid farewell to some of the program’s most accomplished players. They did it with a first-year coach who just turned 40 on Friday, a 30-year-old first-year offensive coordinator, and a redshirt freshman quarterback.
Sometimes, though, change is good.
“Our first goal was to clinch the ACC Atlantic Division, and we did that,” said Swinney, who received a rendition of “Happy Birthday” from the crowd with about three minutes left in the game. “Our next goal is to win a state championship against South Carolina next weekend. Our third goal is to win the ACC championship game. Our fourth goal is to win a bowl game. We’re happy today, but we’re not done yet.”
They can finally exhale, though.
After watching the Atlantic Division title slip away in 2005, 2006 and 2007, despite being in position to win it, even some of Clemson’s most loyal fans had lingering concerns heading into Saturday’s game against Virginia. Clemson did little to assuage those fears in the first half, holding a precarious 24-21 edge over a Virginia team that entered with a 3-7 record and hadn’t won a game since mid-October. Those 21 points were more than UVa had scored in each of its previous four games. The Cavaliers surprised Clemson with a lot of gimmick plays in the first half, but ran out of them in a scoreless second half.
“We got in at halftime and made some adjustments,” said first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. “There were some technical things we needed to help them on, some calls, so we dusted off a few calls and gave it to them.”
Kavell Conner finished with a career-high 15 tackles, and the defense finished with seven sacks for 54 yards. It was a pedestrian performance for C.J. Spiller’s Heisman hopes -- he set the ACC single-season record for all-purpose yards, but finished with 58 rushing yards and one touchdown. Still, he got what he came back for -- the division title.
“I think people were still on the edge of their seats,” Spiller said. “I’m pretty sure a lot of people probably still doubted us, that we would have a letdown, but the good thing about this team, we never worry about what people say about our team. We worry about what we can control and the main thing for us is having a great week of preparation and going out and proving everyone wrong.”
That seemed to be the theme on Saturday -- quite a change from the program’s previous disappointments.
“It feels good to prove people wrong,” said Ford. “Can Clemson do it? Obviously yes, we can.”
Here are the guys who are down n' out for Week 12 ...
BOSTON COLLEGE
OUT FOR SEASON
LB Mark Herzlich (illness)
FOR NORTH CAROLINA GAME
RB Rolandan Finch (illness) - DOUBTFUL
DE Alex Albright (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE
DT Kaleb Ramsey (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE
FB James McCluskey (leg) – QUESTIONABLE
OT Mike Goodman Jr. (illness) – PROBABLE
CB Isaac Johnson (illness) – PROBABLE
DE Jim Ramella (ankle) – PROBABLE
LB Dan Williams (back) – PROBABLE
FS Wes Davis (leg) – PROBABLE
RB Montel Harris (back) – PROBABLE
CLEMSON
Probable
DaQuan Bowers, DE, knee
Thomas Austin, OG, ankle
DUKE
WR Austin Kelly (upper body) -- Probable
LB Abraham Kromah (leg) -- Probable
QB Thaddeus Lewis (leg) -- Probable
LB Vincent Rey (leg) -- Probable
K Will Snyderwine (leg) -- Probable
RB Re'quan Boyette (leg) -- OUT
DT Vince Oghobaase (leg) -- OUT
WR Johnny Williams (knee) -- OUT
RB Kyle Griswould (leg) -- OUT FOR SEASON
OG Mitchell Lederman (foot) -- OUT FOR SEASON
QB Sean Rengree (knee) -- OUT FOR SEASON
WR Tyree Watkins (leg) -- OUT FOR SEASON
S Anthony Young-Wiseman (knee) -- OUT FOR SEASON
FLORIDA STATE
Out
76 OT Garrett Faircloth (hip)
70 OT Antwane Greenlee (knee)
51 LB Aaron Gresham (knee)
44 LB Maurice Harris (neck; out for the season)
62 OG Rodney Hudson (knee)
97 DT Demonte McAllister (knee)
94 DT Justin Mincey (knee)
81 TE Caz Piurowski (knee; out for the season)
7 QB Christian Ponder (shoulder; out for the season)
74 OT John Prior (knee)
27 CB Xavier Rhodes (thumb)
11 LB Vince Williams (back)
Questionable
9 WR Richard Goodman (groin)
MIAMI
Probable
DB Ray-Ray Armstrong – Lower Extremity
QB Jacory Harris – Upper Extremity
Questionable
LB Sean Spence – Lower Extremity
DB Vaughn Telemaque – Upper Extremity
Out
RB Lee Chambers – Lower Extremity
WR Thearon Collier – Lower Extremity
FB Patrick Hill – Lower Extremity
DB Sam Shields – Lower Extremity
Surgery and Out for the Season
DL Dyron Dye – Lower Extremity
DL Marcus Forston – Lower Extremity
LB Jordan Futch – Lower Extremity
TE Richard Gordon – Upper Extremity
LB Shayon Green – Lower Extremity
DE Gavin Hardin – Upper Extremity
DB Ryan Hill – Upper Extremity
DB JoJo Nicolas – Upper Extremity
DE Adewale Ojomo – Jaw
NORTH CAROLINA
Out
Joshua Adams WR Shoulder
AJ Blue RB/QB Knee
Curtis Campbell DB Wrist
David Collins OL Foot
Shaun Draughn TB Shoulder
Carl Gaskins OT Knee
Matt Merletti S Knee
Trevor Stuart DS Knee
Ryan Taylor TE Knee
Jamal Womble TB Wrist
Questionable
Devon Ramsay FB Ankle
Gene Robinson DB Back
NC STATE
OUT FOR SEASON
Mario Carter, TE - knee
Ryan Cheek, LB - hip
Denzelle Good, OL – shoulder
T.J. Graham, WR – stress fracture/leg
Steven Howard, WR - knee
Nate Irving, LB - leg
Colby Jackson, FB – knee
R.J. Mattes, OG - knee
Everett Proctor, QB – shoulder
Jeff Rieskamp, DE – sports hernia
Rashard Smith, CB - knee
Javon Walker, S – knee
James Washington, HB - knee
VIRGINIA
Questionable
Vic Hall (hip)
Probable
Kris Burd (shoulder)
Darren Childs (neck)
Matt Conrath (ankle)
Colter Phillips (leg)
Jameel Sewell (shoulder)
VIRGINIA TECH
Out for Season
Darren Evans (ACL)
Probable
Beau Warren (knee)
BOSTON COLLEGE
OUT FOR SEASON
LB Mark Herzlich (illness)
FOR NORTH CAROLINA GAME
RB Rolandan Finch (illness) - DOUBTFUL
DE Alex Albright (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE
DT Kaleb Ramsey (ankle) – QUESTIONABLE
FB James McCluskey (leg) – QUESTIONABLE
OT Mike Goodman Jr. (illness) – PROBABLE
CB Isaac Johnson (illness) – PROBABLE
DE Jim Ramella (ankle) – PROBABLE
LB Dan Williams (back) – PROBABLE
FS Wes Davis (leg) – PROBABLE
RB Montel Harris (back) – PROBABLE
CLEMSON
Probable
DaQuan Bowers, DE, knee
Thomas Austin, OG, ankle
DUKE
WR Austin Kelly (upper body) -- Probable
LB Abraham Kromah (leg) -- Probable
QB Thaddeus Lewis (leg) -- Probable
LB Vincent Rey (leg) -- Probable
K Will Snyderwine (leg) -- Probable
RB Re'quan Boyette (leg) -- OUT
DT Vince Oghobaase (leg) -- OUT
WR Johnny Williams (knee) -- OUT
RB Kyle Griswould (leg) -- OUT FOR SEASON
OG Mitchell Lederman (foot) -- OUT FOR SEASON
QB Sean Rengree (knee) -- OUT FOR SEASON
WR Tyree Watkins (leg) -- OUT FOR SEASON
S Anthony Young-Wiseman (knee) -- OUT FOR SEASON
FLORIDA STATE
Out
76 OT Garrett Faircloth (hip)
70 OT Antwane Greenlee (knee)
51 LB Aaron Gresham (knee)
44 LB Maurice Harris (neck; out for the season)
62 OG Rodney Hudson (knee)
97 DT Demonte McAllister (knee)
94 DT Justin Mincey (knee)
81 TE Caz Piurowski (knee; out for the season)
7 QB Christian Ponder (shoulder; out for the season)
74 OT John Prior (knee)
27 CB Xavier Rhodes (thumb)
11 LB Vince Williams (back)
Questionable
9 WR Richard Goodman (groin)
MIAMI
Probable
DB Ray-Ray Armstrong – Lower Extremity
QB Jacory Harris – Upper Extremity
Questionable
LB Sean Spence – Lower Extremity
DB Vaughn Telemaque – Upper Extremity
Out
RB Lee Chambers – Lower Extremity
WR Thearon Collier – Lower Extremity
FB Patrick Hill – Lower Extremity
DB Sam Shields – Lower Extremity
Surgery and Out for the Season
DL Dyron Dye – Lower Extremity
DL Marcus Forston – Lower Extremity
LB Jordan Futch – Lower Extremity
TE Richard Gordon – Upper Extremity
LB Shayon Green – Lower Extremity
DE Gavin Hardin – Upper Extremity
DB Ryan Hill – Upper Extremity
DB JoJo Nicolas – Upper Extremity
DE Adewale Ojomo – Jaw
NORTH CAROLINA
Out
Joshua Adams WR Shoulder
AJ Blue RB/QB Knee
Curtis Campbell DB Wrist
David Collins OL Foot
Shaun Draughn TB Shoulder
Carl Gaskins OT Knee
Matt Merletti S Knee
Trevor Stuart DS Knee
Ryan Taylor TE Knee
Jamal Womble TB Wrist
Questionable
Devon Ramsay FB Ankle
Gene Robinson DB Back
NC STATE
OUT FOR SEASON
Mario Carter, TE - knee
Ryan Cheek, LB - hip
Denzelle Good, OL – shoulder
T.J. Graham, WR – stress fracture/leg
Steven Howard, WR - knee
Nate Irving, LB - leg
Colby Jackson, FB – knee
R.J. Mattes, OG - knee
Everett Proctor, QB – shoulder
Jeff Rieskamp, DE – sports hernia
Rashard Smith, CB - knee
Javon Walker, S – knee
James Washington, HB - knee
VIRGINIA
Questionable
Vic Hall (hip)
Probable
Kris Burd (shoulder)
Darren Childs (neck)
Matt Conrath (ankle)
Colter Phillips (leg)
Jameel Sewell (shoulder)
VIRGINIA TECH
Out for Season
Darren Evans (ACL)
Probable
Beau Warren (knee)
What to watch in the ACC: Week 12
November, 19, 2009
11/19/09
8:00
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
The ACC race is close to being wrapped up, but that doesn’t mean the other teams aren’t worth watching this week. Here are a few things to keep an eye on in the conference:
1. Virginia’s defense vs. Clemson’s ground game. Since 1990, Virginia has won eight of 11 games when holding Clemson under 200 yards on the ground. Last year was an anomaly -- Clemson won despite only rushing for 56 yards. Virginia held C.J. Spiller to 18 yards rushing and a season-low 1.3 yards per carry last year.
2. UNC’s red zone offense in Chestnut Hill. UNC’s offense hasn’t exactly been prolific, but it’s gotten the job done inside the 20. UNC is first in the ACC and ninth in the country in red zone efficiency, converting 29 of 31 attempts. Carolina has converted its last 19 red zone opportunities. BC, though, is No. 2 in the ACC in red zone defense, holding opponents to a 76.7 percent success rate on 23 of 30 chances.
3. Super sophs. FSU running back Jermaine Thomas became the first FSU player since Greg Jones to rush for at least 100 yards in three consecutive games when he rushed for 149 last weekend against Wake Forest. Thomas has rushed for more yards in the last three games (454) than he did in the first seven games of the season (192) and has totaled nearly as many rushing yards over the past three weeks as he did in 12 games as a true freshman (482). BC sophomore running back Montel Harris needs just 19 yards to gain 2,000 in his career. Andre Callender was the last player to do it. He gained 2,971 yards from 2004-07.
4. The Bazooka. Speaking of BC’s Harris, the Eagles have been running their own version of the Wildcat formation this year with Harris, only they call it the Bazooka. It was extremely effective against NC State on October 17 as BC ran the formation five times and gained 167 yards. One of those rushes was a career-long 70-yard scamper down the right sideline for Harris, who set new Boston College records with 264 rushing yards and five touchdowns. That was NC State’s defense, though. UNC’s is significantly better, but Harris will still get his chances.
5. Final farewells. It will be Senior Day at several schools throughout the ACC, and there are two farewells that will be tougher for two particular fan bases. FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews is retiring after 26 seasons and he and his family will be recognized before Saturday’s game against Maryland, and record-setting Clemson running back C.J. Spiller will give his final performance in Memorial Stadium. The emotion involved could be an added inspiration to both Clemson’s offense and FSU’s defense.
6. Turnovers in LandShark Stadium. Miami has hurt itself the past few weeks with turnovers, and enters this week with a minus-four turnover margin. Duke is plus three. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris has accounted for nine interceptions in the past four games.
7. Broken records in Death Valley. DeAndre McDaniel is one interception away from the school record for picks in a season. Thomas Austin suffered an ankle injury against NC State and his streak of 33 consecutive starts is in jeopardy. And C.J. Spiller needs 140 all-purpose yards to reach 7,000 for his career. He also needs one more kickoff return for a touchdown to set an NCAA record.
8. The coin toss in Blacksburg. No, seriously. Virginia Tech is 0-for-10 this year in the coin toss (0-4 when calling the flip; 0-6 when the opponent calls it). The chances of losing 10 straight coin tosses are 1 in 1024 and it’s a 1 in 2048 chance of losing 11 straight. While not a stat tracked by the NCAA, Virginia Tech’s sports information director noted that Duke lost its first 10 coin tosses last year before winning the toss in its 11th game, which oddly enough came against Virginia Tech.
9. Hokies’ pass defense against Russell Wilson. Virginia Tech has the ACC’s No. 1 pass defense, holding opponents to 157.2 yards per game and seven touchdowns. Opponents are converting just 45.2 percent of their passes against Virginia Tech. Wilson, though, is completing 58.2 percent of his passes, and has thrown 26 touchdown passes. NC State is third in the ACC in passing offense.
10. Sacks in the Sunshine state. Maryland backup quarterback Jamarr Robinson was sacked six times last week against Virginia Tech. Miami has allowed 28 sacks this season -- only three more than Maryland.
1. Virginia’s defense vs. Clemson’s ground game. Since 1990, Virginia has won eight of 11 games when holding Clemson under 200 yards on the ground. Last year was an anomaly -- Clemson won despite only rushing for 56 yards. Virginia held C.J. Spiller to 18 yards rushing and a season-low 1.3 yards per carry last year.
2. UNC’s red zone offense in Chestnut Hill. UNC’s offense hasn’t exactly been prolific, but it’s gotten the job done inside the 20. UNC is first in the ACC and ninth in the country in red zone efficiency, converting 29 of 31 attempts. Carolina has converted its last 19 red zone opportunities. BC, though, is No. 2 in the ACC in red zone defense, holding opponents to a 76.7 percent success rate on 23 of 30 chances.
3. Super sophs. FSU running back Jermaine Thomas became the first FSU player since Greg Jones to rush for at least 100 yards in three consecutive games when he rushed for 149 last weekend against Wake Forest. Thomas has rushed for more yards in the last three games (454) than he did in the first seven games of the season (192) and has totaled nearly as many rushing yards over the past three weeks as he did in 12 games as a true freshman (482). BC sophomore running back Montel Harris needs just 19 yards to gain 2,000 in his career. Andre Callender was the last player to do it. He gained 2,971 yards from 2004-07.
4. The Bazooka. Speaking of BC’s Harris, the Eagles have been running their own version of the Wildcat formation this year with Harris, only they call it the Bazooka. It was extremely effective against NC State on October 17 as BC ran the formation five times and gained 167 yards. One of those rushes was a career-long 70-yard scamper down the right sideline for Harris, who set new Boston College records with 264 rushing yards and five touchdowns. That was NC State’s defense, though. UNC’s is significantly better, but Harris will still get his chances.
5. Final farewells. It will be Senior Day at several schools throughout the ACC, and there are two farewells that will be tougher for two particular fan bases. FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews is retiring after 26 seasons and he and his family will be recognized before Saturday’s game against Maryland, and record-setting Clemson running back C.J. Spiller will give his final performance in Memorial Stadium. The emotion involved could be an added inspiration to both Clemson’s offense and FSU’s defense.
6. Turnovers in LandShark Stadium. Miami has hurt itself the past few weeks with turnovers, and enters this week with a minus-four turnover margin. Duke is plus three. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris has accounted for nine interceptions in the past four games.
7. Broken records in Death Valley. DeAndre McDaniel is one interception away from the school record for picks in a season. Thomas Austin suffered an ankle injury against NC State and his streak of 33 consecutive starts is in jeopardy. And C.J. Spiller needs 140 all-purpose yards to reach 7,000 for his career. He also needs one more kickoff return for a touchdown to set an NCAA record.
8. The coin toss in Blacksburg. No, seriously. Virginia Tech is 0-for-10 this year in the coin toss (0-4 when calling the flip; 0-6 when the opponent calls it). The chances of losing 10 straight coin tosses are 1 in 1024 and it’s a 1 in 2048 chance of losing 11 straight. While not a stat tracked by the NCAA, Virginia Tech’s sports information director noted that Duke lost its first 10 coin tosses last year before winning the toss in its 11th game, which oddly enough came against Virginia Tech.
9. Hokies’ pass defense against Russell Wilson. Virginia Tech has the ACC’s No. 1 pass defense, holding opponents to 157.2 yards per game and seven touchdowns. Opponents are converting just 45.2 percent of their passes against Virginia Tech. Wilson, though, is completing 58.2 percent of his passes, and has thrown 26 touchdown passes. NC State is third in the ACC in passing offense.
10. Sacks in the Sunshine state. Maryland backup quarterback Jamarr Robinson was sacked six times last week against Virginia Tech. Miami has allowed 28 sacks this season -- only three more than Maryland.
Clemson's Spiller invaluable to Tigers' postseason opportunities
October, 27, 2009
10/27/09
11:10
AM ET
By
Heather Dinich | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com’s Heather Dinich
In order to understand just how valuable Clemson running back C.J. Spiller is to his team, look on the sideline during a game, not at the box score after it. On Saturday against then-ranked No. 10 Miami, several of Spiller’s teammates approached him and asked him to make a play for them, to get the Tigers back into the game.
“Once you have your teammates come and do that to you, say things like that,” Spiller said, “you have no choice but to go out and play hard.”
If it sounds like pressure, it’s not -- at least not to one of the most explosive, versatile players in the country.
“That’s why I came back,” Spiller said of his decision to put the NFL on hold. “This is the type of game I came back for to be a part of. I realized I could be one of the leaders on this team and make plays to give us a chance to win each Saturday.”
After what he did on Saturday -- amassing a school record 310 all-purpose yards with 125 in kickoff returns, 104 receiving and 81 rushing against a Miami defense ranked in the top 25 in the nation in total defense -- Spiller has done more than just give his team a chance to win games. He’s put the Tigers in position to win their first ACC title since 1991. His performance in Saturday’s 40-37 overtime win against the Hurricanes was worthy of Heisman Trophy consideration, and with former frontrunners Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy struggling to match last year’s success, the door is wide open for college football’s most prestigious award.
“If you’re looking at MVPs, Heisman and all that, I don’t know of any player in the country that’s more valuable to their team than C.J.,” said Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. “Sometimes I feel kind of guilty because this is my first time being a head coach and there’s a lot of coaches who coach their whole lives and don’t get the opportunity to coach a guy like C.J. Spiller. For me to have the opportunity to coach a guy like this in my first year as a head coach is just very special. … Nobody impacts his team more than this guy.”
The problem has been Clemson’s consistency, and it’s been an annual trend in Death Valley. After stringing together back-to-back wins against Wake Forest and Miami, though, the Tigers suddenly look a lot more convincing as a contender in the Atlantic Division. With wins over Florida State, NC State and Virginia, Clemson will head to the ACC championship game in Tampa on Dec. 5. Those within the program realize what needs to happen in order for Spiller to get the national recognition he deserves.
“A lot of that, we have to do well as a team,” said left guard Thomas Austin. “If we continue the momentum and continue to win games and he continues to play the way he has, which I know he will, then I think he has to be in consideration for the Heisman. To me, it’s more impressive for a guy like C.J. who’s playing on a team that might not have as much talent as some of those other teams. Then you say what would our team be without that player?”
It’s a scary thought for the Tigers, considering Spiller has taken four of his 17 returns this year into the end zone. He has eight plays of 60 yards or more -- seven of which have gone for touchdowns. He leads the nation in all-purpose running with 208 yards per game, and he’s done that against a schedule that has included three Top 15 teams.
Spiller's list of accolades is far too long to list, and he’s literally breaking records almost every weekend. What he did last Saturday against Miami was another first.
“That was probably my best performance I’ve had since I’ve been playing football,” he said.
That’s saying a lot, considering Spiller is on pace to become just the fifth player in NCAA history to reach 7,000 yards in a career.
And it’s time the rest of the country took notice of it.
In order to understand just how valuable Clemson running back C.J. Spiller is to his team, look on the sideline during a game, not at the box score after it. On Saturday against then-ranked No. 10 Miami, several of Spiller’s teammates approached him and asked him to make a play for them, to get the Tigers back into the game.
 | |
| Dale Zanine/US Presswire | |
| Clemson running back C.J. Spiller is someone his teammates and coaches can count on. |
If it sounds like pressure, it’s not -- at least not to one of the most explosive, versatile players in the country.
“That’s why I came back,” Spiller said of his decision to put the NFL on hold. “This is the type of game I came back for to be a part of. I realized I could be one of the leaders on this team and make plays to give us a chance to win each Saturday.”
After what he did on Saturday -- amassing a school record 310 all-purpose yards with 125 in kickoff returns, 104 receiving and 81 rushing against a Miami defense ranked in the top 25 in the nation in total defense -- Spiller has done more than just give his team a chance to win games. He’s put the Tigers in position to win their first ACC title since 1991. His performance in Saturday’s 40-37 overtime win against the Hurricanes was worthy of Heisman Trophy consideration, and with former frontrunners Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy struggling to match last year’s success, the door is wide open for college football’s most prestigious award.
“If you’re looking at MVPs, Heisman and all that, I don’t know of any player in the country that’s more valuable to their team than C.J.,” said Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. “Sometimes I feel kind of guilty because this is my first time being a head coach and there’s a lot of coaches who coach their whole lives and don’t get the opportunity to coach a guy like C.J. Spiller. For me to have the opportunity to coach a guy like this in my first year as a head coach is just very special. … Nobody impacts his team more than this guy.”
The problem has been Clemson’s consistency, and it’s been an annual trend in Death Valley. After stringing together back-to-back wins against Wake Forest and Miami, though, the Tigers suddenly look a lot more convincing as a contender in the Atlantic Division. With wins over Florida State, NC State and Virginia, Clemson will head to the ACC championship game in Tampa on Dec. 5. Those within the program realize what needs to happen in order for Spiller to get the national recognition he deserves.
“A lot of that, we have to do well as a team,” said left guard Thomas Austin. “If we continue the momentum and continue to win games and he continues to play the way he has, which I know he will, then I think he has to be in consideration for the Heisman. To me, it’s more impressive for a guy like C.J. who’s playing on a team that might not have as much talent as some of those other teams. Then you say what would our team be without that player?”
It’s a scary thought for the Tigers, considering Spiller has taken four of his 17 returns this year into the end zone. He has eight plays of 60 yards or more -- seven of which have gone for touchdowns. He leads the nation in all-purpose running with 208 yards per game, and he’s done that against a schedule that has included three Top 15 teams.
Spiller's list of accolades is far too long to list, and he’s literally breaking records almost every weekend. What he did last Saturday against Miami was another first.
“That was probably my best performance I’ve had since I’ve been playing football,” he said.
That’s saying a lot, considering Spiller is on pace to become just the fifth player in NCAA history to reach 7,000 yards in a career.
And it’s time the rest of the country took notice of it.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
