SI: Re-ranking the 2009 Class

by TigerNet Staff - Wednesday, February 8, 2012 12:26 PM

Tajh Boyd
Pos: QB Height: 6-1 Weight: 225 Hometown: Hampton, VA (Phoebus HS) Years Played: 2009 - 2013

From SI.com :

9. Clemson
Original Rivals rank: 37
Record since 2009: 25-16
BCS bowl appearances: 1
Conference titles: 1

2011 starters: QB Tajh BoydTajh Boyd
RS So. Quarterback
#10 6-1, 225
Hampton, VA
View Full Profile, LB Quandon ChristianQuandon Christian
RS So. Linebacker
#34 6-2, 220
Lake View, SC
View Full Profile, DE Malliciah GoodmanMalliciah Goodman
Jr. Defensive End
#97 6-4, 280
Florence, SC
View Full Profile, LB Corico HawkinsCorico Hawkins
Jr. Linebacker
#42 5-11, 230
Milledgeville, GA
View Full Profile, S Jonathan MeeksJonathan Meeks
Jr. Safety
#5 6-1, 210
Rock Hill, SC
View Full Profile, OG Brandon ThomasBrandon Thomas
RS So. Offensive Line
#63 6-3, 300
Spartanburg, SC
View Full Profile

This class earns extra points for having the highest batting average. The firing of Tommy Bowden on Oct. 13, 2008 wreaked havoc on this class. Dabo Swinney, the interim coach after Bowden's firing, got the job on a permanent basis in early December, but that didn't stop several players -- including future Gamecock Holloman -- from bailing on the Tigers. Swinney, saving his scholarships for the 2010 recruiting cycle, signed only 12 players. Six of those players wound up starting on the team that won the ACC title in 2011. Try to find another class in which 50 percent of the signees wound up starting for a good team. You'll be looking for a long time. Boyd, the best player in the class, could have been at West Virginia instead of Smith. But Boyd decommitted from the Mountaineers and committed to Tennessee days before the firing of Phillip Fulmer. Kiffin didn't want Boyd, so Boyd wound up choosing Clemson instead of Oregon.