CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Teammates React To Chancellor's Decision


by - Correspondent -

CLEMSON --- Just when Clemson loses one running back, it picks up another; or should we say moved some one over.

Clemson coach Tommy Bowden announced after Saturday’s practice running back Demerick Chancellor will transfer. Bowden said he tried to talk Chancellor into staying, but ultimately granted the redshirt freshman his release.

On the flip side, running back James Davis told the media Ray Ray McElrathbey started working with the running backs this past Thursday.

“I wish he would stay,” Bowden said about Chancellor’s release. “He’s a really good back, but you know. Playing (time) at his position is really tough.”

Chancellor was the third leading rusher on Clemson’s fifth ranked rushing offense with 276 yards on 45 attempts this year. He had a pair of 100-yard rushing games, including 114 against Temple, while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

Chancellor was a reserve behind Davis and C.J. Spiller, who combined for 2,048 rushing yards this year, second most in the nation by a running back combination. Spiller said he realized something was up with Chancellor when he saw him cleaning out his locker two days ago.

“He hasn’t talked to me about it, but I kind of knew he was leaving,” Spiller said. “I don’t know if he felt uncomfortable or what, but I kind of knew when I kept seeing him come clean his locker out.

“I wish him the best of luck in whatever he does.”

Spiller said he understands Chancellor’s reasons to want to leave, but he doesn’t totally believe his departure is because of him and Davis getting the bulk of the carries.

“If you come in and work hard, coaches will play you,” he said. “Right now we are probably going into the spring with three running backs so we will need some, and we will go out and try to recruit some.

“But if you come in and work hard, you will get to play.”

Davis was a little taken back when heard Chancellor was leaving the team.

“I’m kind of surprised,” Davis said. “But he always told me that he wanted to play, but I don’t want to say that he made the wrong decision if he based it on playing time.

“He is a good running back and I think he can go anywhere else and play.”

Chris Chancellor, a Clemson cornerback and Demerick’s brother, has tried to talk to his brother about transferring, but hasn’t had any success in getting him to talk about it. He said he hoped to talk with him about the matter when he went home after Saturday’s practice.

“I don’t know the direct situation. We haven’t talked about him transferring, playing time or anything like that,” Chris said.

Chris said he plans on staying at Clemson regardless of what his brother does, though he does hope to change his Demerick’s mind.

“I have tried to talk to him about staying,” he said. “It is kind of strange. I thought he was going to be here for my whole college career. We have a good career with me on the defensive side and him on the offensive side. You know, a good reputation and such, but I guess he is unhappy or something like that and he’s departing.”

With Demerick leaving, McElrathbey is now getting adjusted to being a running back. The redshirt freshman was moved from defensive back to wide receiver the week of the South Carolina game so he’s adjusting to another position for the second time in less than a month.

“You know Coach (Rob) Spence’s offense. It is a big change for him,” Davis said. “He is just trying to get everything absorbed up in his head so he can learn it as quickly as possible.”

Davis says he has been impressed with McElrathbey so far.

“He looks good. He played in Atlanta with me (in high school) and at one time Ray Ray was the second leading runner behind me until he broke his foot. I have always thought he was a running back. He is great athlete. You can put Ray Ray anywhere on the field and he will be ready to play.”

NOTES

- After Bowden said last week that seven wins at Clemson can get you fired, while seven wins at South Carolina will get you a raise, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier finally got his chance to comment about Bowden’s remarks. Spurrier basically said Bowden should go ask for a raise if he believes he is as good as he says he is.

“If Tommy Bowden wants a raise, he can just ask his AD and president if he’s as good a coach as Mark Richt, and me, and Fulmer and Tuberville and those other guys,” Spurrier said Friday. “That’s the only reason I got a raise. They think I’m that good a coach.

“That’s why I got a raise, because my bosses thought I should. He ought to go talk to his bosses.”

South Carolina’s move to improve Spurrier’s contract came after whispers of interest in the ball coach for openings at Miami and Alabama. Bowden was reported earlier in the week by The Birmingham News as a possible candidate for the head coaching vacancy there.

“If (Bowden) wants a raise, he ought to go and say, ‘Am I as good a coach as all them guys?’ And they’ll probably say, ‘Why sure you are.’ ‘Well, why don’t you pay me like that?’ And they’ll probably pay me like that. So they’ll probably pay him like that. Or else they’ll say ... it could be the other answer, right?”

When told of Spurrier’s remarks, Bowden got quiet.

“I gave (the media) one Christmas gift, no more,” he said. “That’s out of character for me.”

- Clemson offensive lineman Tim DeBeer now knows what caused him to loose 25 pounds in the last two weeks. He has been diagnosed with a bacterial infection in his stomach that was caused from something he ate.

The senior hopes to return in time for the Music City Bowl.

- Spiller said he is near 90 percent from his ankle injury, and said without a doubt he will be ready for the bowl game on Dec. 29. Wide receiver Rendrick Taylor is still about 85 percent and practiced again Saturday in a green jersey, which means no contact.

Clemson is off today and will resume practice Monday morning.

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Subject (Replies: 41) Author
spacer Teammates React To Chancellor's Decision
Crump®
spacer It would be so much fun if Bowden would relent and get
Justwannaread
spacer He doesn't have much of an argument
Treybeck
spacer And he lost to all 3 this year***
OrleansDawg
spacer We lost to Fulmer and Richt this year?
tomerafan
spacer I think he maens Spurrier lost to Richt, Turbville, Fulmer..***
64Tiger®
spacer Tomera, do you really think I was talking about
OrleansDawg
spacer I don't know what he thought, but I didn't understand what
kktigers
spacer What is hard to understand about saying they lost to all
OrleansDawg
spacer what can Bowden say?
T22Bone22
spacer Bury your head in the sand.***
tomerafan
spacer Re: what can Bowden say?
grilldoggy
spacer Re: It would be so much fun if Bowden would relent and get
madmac03
spacer His response was actually very cutting.
Tigergal85
spacer Spurrier was right. Bowden doesn't have what it takes
Rowdyman
spacer Dang Rowdy, you must really be on a tangent against TB
clemsonfan69
spacer Kinda like you not knowing how to make a good post***
darkhuntingtiger
spacer Re: It would be so much fun if Bowden would relent and get
zachrdurham
spacer Question are Demerick and Chris twins?***
Classof09®
spacer I'm probably wrong, but...
tdrake®
spacer Re: I'm probably wrong, but...
D210tiger
spacer they are 11 months apart in age. I looked it up in the media
clemsonsuzi
spacer Bowden doesn't deserve a raise,but hey......
Prime T. Tiger
spacer You wait, Spurrier will earn it. As for Bowden............***
Rowdyman
spacer Give me a break***
AirRaidRat
spacer Exactly.
Centennial Tiger
spacer You're dead wrong. Spurrier was in every game the #####
Rowdyman
spacer Don't disagree with either of those points ...
Centennial Tiger
spacer One more observation.
Centennial Tiger
spacer and bowden was in every game but 1.
Treybeck
spacer wow 7-5.....
THS Athlete 50®
spacer Yep. You were in that UGA game. Oh that's right...
NCTiger1990
spacer What about 18-0? Were they IN that one?***
darkhuntingtiger
spacer Nothing Huh? OK Rowdyman. Go have some more Kootaide!***
attheesso®
spacer Holtz almost beat a lot of teams too and USC in its
OrleansDawg
spacer Uh, Bowden's 2nd year he went 9-3.o what's your point again?***
64Tiger®
spacer SCREW Spurrier! Go Tigers.***
Clemson_Orange
spacer Re:matured
lrbostic
spacer DeBeer "loosed" 25 pounds...how do you do that?
bigal1
spacer Re: Teammates React To Chancellor's Decision
Carolinafan53186
spacer Re: I love how this convo has gone into rabbit trails
Throw_it_on_kentucky
spacer Bowden as a Coach
awoffordterrier