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Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks
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Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 10, 2013, 10:23 AM

Clemson's Best Tailbacks

Clemson's Best Tailbacks
I started watching Clemson football in 1974 and can remember all of the great players over the last forty years. In the next couple of weeks I am going to give my thoughts on the greatest Tigers at every position over that 40 year span. I think it is only fair for


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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 10, 2013, 10:25 AM

good article but you did not mention Kevin Mack who was very good in college and in the pros

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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 10, 2013, 10:30 AM

Mack was outstanding, but I guess Plyler is limiting the picks to those who played tailback. Mack was primarily a fullback.

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If that were the case, it'd be hard to leave Woody Dantzler


Jun 10, 2013, 11:06 PM

off the list as well. Woody could fly, crazy lateral quickness, made great cuts, could be at full speed in 2 steps it seemed like, and good vision. Obviously a QB isn't in the running, but he beat people more with his legs than his arm. Figured I'd throw it out there anyways.

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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 10, 2013, 10:31 AM [ in reply to Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks ]

I guess cause he was a freaking fullback...if you knew half as much as you thought you did, you wouldve known this

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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 10, 2013, 10:48 AM

Please don't mistake this as a defense of 74Tiger, but Wesley McFadden and Chad Jasmin were technically fullbacks as well, weren't they? Not that they made the top 10 list but both were mentioned in the article.

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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 10, 2013, 11:54 AM [ in reply to Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks ]

Mickey is not old enough to remember Buddy Gore, a pretty good back in his time.

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Yea Buddy Gore, Ray Yauger, Bill Mathis & others say hello!


Jun 10, 2013, 3:50 PM

When you say best ever it should be ever. Tailback = halfback = running back. Why is Banks in ROH?

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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 10, 2013, 10:52 AM

Can't argue with that list.......the thing that I remember about Raymond Preister was that teams KNEW he was going to get the ball and he was that productive. I have seen him break about 5 tackles to get a first down on 3rd and short.

Wish we had him now!!!!!

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Priester was a tough runner. But I also remember him


Jun 10, 2013, 1:01 PM

getting caught from behind frequently. The buy was a bell cow. But he was also helped by being the only back. When he took over as starter, he averaged 20 carries a game.

By comparison, Priester ended ended with 200 more carries than Spiller, but only 400 more yard rushing. He had 180 more carries than Ellington and about 600 more yards. 50 more carries than James Davis but only about 100 more yards. The analysis holds up with other backs in the 80s that had to share carries.

I guess that is what stands out for me (and what had to be 40 carries against LSU in the Chick Fil A bowl). He was a solid, dependable back - great for 3 yards and a cloud of dust, but was not going to take it to the house from 70 yards out unless we were playing Duke.

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I know many of you may not remember...


Jun 10, 2013, 10:58 AM

but in the late 60's Clemson had pretty good back by the name of Ray Yauger. He was a primarily a fullback but one year against Ga. Tech Coach Howard played him at halfback and he almost single handed beat the bees during a time when wins against Tech were few and far between. Rushed for almost 150 yards. Jim Brown type of runner. Just thought he was due some remembrance.

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Re: I know many of you may not remember...


Jun 10, 2013, 11:16 AM

Not sure how Kenny Callicutt from Chester got left out, but if we are talking all backs, Marvin Simms was a fullback from what I read was never tackled for loss at Clemson....

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Don't ever forget Marvin Simms. Ask Danny.***


Jun 10, 2013, 1:41 PM



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Absolutely - and he replaced (more or less) another great


Jun 10, 2013, 12:22 PM [ in reply to I know many of you may not remember... ]

one by the name of Buddy Gore (or "Buddy Go", as Frank Howard called him). I think either of them could have been stars in today's game.

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CJ best Clemson player ever?


Jun 10, 2013, 12:12 PM

He mentions how some people feel CJ is the best player Clemson's ever had. I will agree that he's right up there with being the best offensive player.

But how can you say the best overall? How/why is he better than Terry Kinard? TK was a consensus A-A, etc. - one of our best defensive players ever.

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Re: CJ best Clemson player ever?


Jun 10, 2013, 1:21 PM

I agree. CJ is probably the best offensive player we have had at Clemson.As far as defensive players, don't forget the Fridge or his brother Michael Dean. Both were All Americans who were absolute forces.

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Ray Yauger?***


Jun 10, 2013, 12:16 PM



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Buddy Gore***


Jun 10, 2013, 4:53 PM



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Re: Buddy Gore***


Jun 10, 2013, 6:56 PM

The Conway Comit

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The "best" back, Terry Allen. Everyone else looking at 2nd*****


Jun 10, 2013, 1:35 PM



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I have the exact same top 4 in the same order but I had


Jun 10, 2013, 3:06 PM

Flagler ahead of Flowers. You are probably right there, though, thinking back.

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Paul Macko...he was a freight train***


Jun 10, 2013, 3:38 PM



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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 10, 2013, 3:43 PM

I would have like to have seen Ronald Williams play all four years. I played High School ball with him. He got hurt and Coach Ford left, so Hatfield let him waste away. He was a beast as a Freshman and got ACC player of the year if I'm not mistaken.

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Am I alone in thinking that CJ Spiller was NOT ...


Jun 10, 2013, 5:09 PM

... the best "running back" in Clemson history?

Spiller may very well have been the best all-around player we ever had, but I can think of several former Tiger "running backs" I'd select over him.

Maybe it's just me.

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no, you're not alone... Spiller was explosive, and probably


Jun 10, 2013, 10:17 PM

"the most dangerous player when he gets the ball in space and has an opportunity to take it to the house".

But if I'm picking a RB, there are several that come to mind before him. Terry Allen being at the top of the list. Best I ever saw at CU.

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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 10, 2013, 9:19 PM

I think I agree with most of those names except T. Zachery. I just never thought he was that great of a back. Austin and McSwain were definitely better, IMO.

Even though the article title says “tailbacks,” Pyler mentions Jasmin, so I would throw in Chris Lancaster and Tracy Johnson – those boys NEVER had negative yards. Of course, Kevin Mack belongs there if we are talking fullbacks. FYI, I think Wesley McFadden played tailback and fullback, didn’t he?

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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 11, 2013, 12:18 AM

Mickey, taking absolutely nothing away from CJ... but in my eyes, Teery Allen was the best I ever saw at Clemson! He ran with the heart of a champion! Also, how could you leave out Kevin Mack? Unless you were counting him as a fullback? Marvin Sims should also get some love! Love the list, keep them coming. Many, many great memories of Death Valley and the players who made the magic happen on beautiful Saturday afternoons!

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Re: Mickey Plyler's Blog: Clemson's Best Tailbacks


Jun 11, 2013, 1:42 PM

Before 1974 but you can't leave out Ray Yauger, Buddy Gore.

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