CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Clemson vs. Maryland postgame notes

Clemson vs. Maryland postgame notes


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Team Notes

* Clemson's 31-7 victory today was the Tigers largest victory margin and most points scored against the Terps since Ralph Friedgen became head coach in 2001. The previous high was 30 points in a 30-17 win at Maryland in 2007.

* This is the first time Clemson has had two returns for touchdowns since last year's Miami (FL) game. It is the third time Clemson has done this since Dabo Swinney became head coach in 2008. Clemson also did it last year against Middle Tennessee. Clemson had just two games with two returns for touchdowns in the last 17 years prior to him taking over in the middle of the 2008 season.

* Clemson committed nine penalties against North Carolina last week. However, the Tigers did not commit a penalty until the third quarter in today's game and finished the game with just three penalties.

* Since 2002, Clemson is now 35-13 in regular season games played after October 15 and 26-21 in games played before October 15.

* Andre Ellington had an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown today, his first career kick return for a score. He accomplished this on the day C.J. Spiller's number was retired. Spiller is the NCAA career leader in kickoff returns for touchdowns with seven.

* Ellington's kickoff return for a score was the fifth punt or kickoff return for a touchdown against Maryland since 1990. Clemson had lost each of the last two games against Maryland when a Tiger ran a kickoff back for a score. Derrick Hamilton went 100 yards on a kickoff return for a score at Maryland in 2001, a game Clemson lost. Then last year, C.J. Spiller went 92 yards with a kickoff return for a score, but the Tigers lost 24-21.

* Clemson was 2-2 in the red-zone today. On the season, the Tigers have scored 18 touchdowns in 20 red-zone possessions this season, 90 percent. Clemson scored touchdowns in the red-zone at a 57 percent rate last year. Maryland entered the game having allowed just five touchdowns in 20 opponent red-zone possessions and ranked seventh in the nation in red-zone defense.

* The 13 play, 80-yard, and 6:52 drive that resulted in a Jamie Harper touchdown in the second quarter was the longest Clemson drive of the season in terms of plays and time of possession.

* In the third quarter, Clemson stopped Maryland on a fourth-and-four play. This was the first time this season Clemson had stopped an opponent on a four-down play. Entering today, opponents were 5-for-5 on fourth down plays against the Tigers.

Individual Notes

* Chandler Catanzaro made a 42-yard field goal, his fourth of the season, in the first quarter of today's game. All of his field goals this season have been between 40-49 yards.

* Andre Ellington scored two touchdowns today and finished with a team best 163 all-purpose yards. He now leads the team in touchdowns with nine.

* Da'Quan Bowers recorded three sacks and four tackles for loss in today's game. He now has a total of nine sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss on the season. Bowers sack total is already the most by a Clemson player since 2006 when Gaines Adams had 12.5. The Clemson single season record is 16 by former linebacker Keith Adams in 1999. Bowers has nine sacks this year. The Clemson team had just 14 for the entire 2008 season. Bowers has recorded a sack and at least two tackles for loss in all of Clemson's games this season except Presbyterian, a contest in which he played just 21 plays. Today was a career high for sacks in a game for Bowers. In fact, he was the first Clemson player to record three sacks in a game since 2001 when Bryant McNeal had three against Duke on Dec. 1. Gaines Adams, who also wore number-93, never had more than 2.5 in a game.

* Jaron Brown had the longest punt return of his career and the longest punt return of the season for Clemson with a 41-yard punt return in the third quarter. He finished the game with three punt returns for 52 yards, also a career-high for punt return yards.

* Kyle Parker had a career-high in both carries (11) and rushing yards (39) and was tied for the leading rusher in today's game. Parker is now 12-8 as a starting quarterback.

* DeAndre McDaniel recorded his second interception of the season and the 13th of his career. He is now tied with Justin Miller for fourth place in Clemson history in career interceptions.

* Xavier Brewer, who attended the same high school as Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker, intercepted his second pass of the season in the third quarter and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. The last time Clemson had an interception return for a touchdown was against Miami (FL) last season when DeAndre McDaniel returned an interception 23 yards for a touchdown in the Tigers' 40-37 win in overtime.

* Darius Robinson recorded the first interception of his career in the fourth quarter of today's game. The true freshman had played just 41 snaps entering today's game.

* Rashard Hall had a team-high eight tackles in today's game. Hall was also the leading tackler against Miami (FL) when he recorded 10 tackles.

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