Clemson - Duke Pregame Notebook |
CLEMSON - The NCAA currently is considering legislation that would change the
way high school athletes gain college eligibility. One of the items under the proposed plan would involve placing more emphasis on a recruit's high school grade point average in his or her core curriculum, while at the same time lowering the score necessary to gain eligibility on the SAT or ACT. Those who support the rule argue it will aid those students who make good grades but, perhaps, don't test well. Those opposed worry that the legislation would lead to an artificial inflation of the high school GPA. Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden this week said he has kept up with the proceedings only from a distance. "I'm familiar (enough to know) that they're trying to do something," he said. "I have memos, but they get pretty long. I do know they're upgrading the GPA, but there would be a sliding test score. I understand it to that extent. "We've got a faculty advisor, administrative people, admissions people along with an athletic director who got a good feel. They pursue that agenda more than I do. If it's passed I've got what everybody else has got. So it's not like it's more stringent than another conference or a competitor in recruiting." CLOSE TIES Duke sophomore linebacker Jim Scharrer signed a national letter of intent to play baseball at Clemson in 1995, but opted to sign with the Atlanta Braves after they made the Erie Cathedral Prep graduate a second round pick in the 1995 MLB Amateur Draft. Meanwhile, Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden spent four seasons on the staff at Duke from 1983-86, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach while the Blue Devils posted an overall record of 13-31. Other ties between the schools include: - Clemson assistant coach Rodney Allison coached Duke’s running backs from 1984-86; - Clemson assistant coach Mike O’Cain served as the head coach at N.C. State from 1993-99, compiling a 6-1 record against the Blue Devils; - Bowden served as the position coach of current Duke Radio Network sideline reporter Anthony Dilweg for two seasons before departing for an assistant coaching slot at Alabama. SHORT STUFF CLEMSON Derrick Hamilton has three 200 all-purpose yardage games this season and leads the ACC in all purpose yardage at 155.2 yards per game which is 6.7 yards per game ahead of Tony Horne's school record of 148.5 yards per game set in 1997 ... Hamilton is third on the team in rushing with 177 yards and is averaging 10.4 yards per carry ... PK Aaron Hunt is seventh on Clemson's all-time scoring list with 199 points ... the Tigers are second in the ACC and 23rd in the nation in total defense (323.1) ... junior Kevin Youngblood leads the team in receiving and is one of three receivers with 30 or more catches - Youngblood (36), McKelvey (34) and Derrick Hamilton (32) ... Brian Mance leads the ACC and is 11th nationally in interceptions per game (0.62). DUKE Two of Duke's remaining three games are at home against opponents with a combined 11-13 mark ... the Blue Devils lead the ACC in time of possession (32:27) and are the second-least penalized team in the ACC (45.7) ... over the last four games, the Blue Devils are allowing only 92.5 yards rushing per contest ... in Saturday's loss to Maryland, freshman Malcolm Ruff became the fifth different player to lead the team in rushing with 44 yards rushing on nine attempts ... Alex Wade leads the team and is fourth in the ACC in rushing (81.6) while Chris Douglas is sixth (55.0) ... sophomore Karry Sharpe is the team's leading receiver with 22 catches for 292 yards and five touchdowns ... Sharpe has a TD reception in four of his last five games.
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