CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Clemson - Duke Pregame Notebook


by - Correspondent -

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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