Defense Suffers Setback with Adams' Injury

Adams set a school record for tackles in last year's SC game with 27.

by Dan Scott - Correspondent - Wed Nov 15 22:18:05 GMT-04:00 2000

CLEMSON - As bad as Clemson's defense has struggled in recent weeks, the last thing the team needed was an unexpected injury to its star player. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened.

All-American linebacker Keith Adams is being listed as questionable for Saturday's game with arch-rival South Carolina due to a concussion, coach Tommy Bowden said Wednesday. The injury actually occurred during Tuesday's practice when Adams made contact with redshirt tackle Derrick Brantley during a drill.

"I was surprised he had the concussion," Bowden said. "We have injuries like this due to contact in practice all the time...he had an MRI done and the findings were that he had a concussion. We will evaluate his status as the week goes on. We probably won't know anything for sure until just before the game."

If Adams is unable to play, Bowden said sophomore Rodney Feaster would start in his place. Feaster's only career start came last year at South Carolina, a game in which Adams set a school record for tackles in a game with 27.

Playing without Adams would be a serious blow to a defense already reeling from a pair of embarrassing performances. Georgia Tech quarterback George Godsey and Florida State's Chris Weinke combined to throw for over 1,000 yards against the Tigers in the last two games, both Clemson losses.

Notes:

- While Rich Rodriguez is widely considered to be the leading candidate for the soon-to-be vacant West Virginia head coaching position, don't count out the other Bowden just yet.

According to published reports in the Mountain State, Terry Bowden has been contacted about the job by WVU athletic director Ed Pastilong and is said to be reconsidering his stance on the job.

Bowden told the Charleston Gazette in Tuesday's edition that he originally told Pastilong he wasn't interested in the job, however due to the overwhelming number of phone calls and e-mail's he received from WVU fans last week he began re-thinking his options.

Then Wednesday, the Gazette reported that Bowden met briefly with Pastilong in the Pittsburgh airport Monday to discuss the job, and that Bowden was now deciding whether or not he wanted to officially throw his hat in the ring.

If he does, sources say Bowden and Rodriguez would be in a dead-heat for the title of front-runner.

- If you drive by Death Valley any evening this week you'll notice the stadium lights beaming full force.

Midnight practices? Late strategy sessions?

Try anti-vandalism protection.

Clemson Sports Information Director Tim Bourret said the lights stay on during the week prior to the South Carolina game to discourage any chicanery during Rivalry Week.

"We always do it," Bourret said. "It's been standard operating procedure here since 1992 when someone tried to chisel (Howard's) Rock off its stand." 0