Florida St - Clemson Game Notes |
Game Eight: Clemson vs. Florida State
Saturday, Nov. 3, 2001 3:30 PM (EST) Memorial Stadium (81,473) Clemson, SC In the Rankings Clemson - NR AP, #24 USA Today/ESPN Florida State - #14 AP, #14 USA Today/ESPN Television: ABC Play By Play: Brad Nessler * Color: Bob Griese Sideline: Lynn Swann Radio: Clemson Tiger Sports Network Play By Play: Jim Phillips * Color: Mike Eppley Sideline: Rodney Williams Series History: Florida State leads 12-2 Tickets: Sold Out Special Day: 20-Year Reunion of 1981 National Championship Team Clemson Personnel Update * Altroy Bodrick (LB) - Tore his ACL in a preseason scrimmage Aug. 18. Will red-shirt the season. * Airese Currie (WR) -Sprained foot at Wake Forrest. Probable for Florida State. * Tony Elliott (WR) - Suffered broken wrist vs. Georgia Tech, will miss Florida State game. Out 4-6 weeks. * Ben Hall (TE) - Strained neck at Wake Forest. Questionable for Florida State. * Marcus Houskin (CB) - Suffered broken neck vs. Wofford and is out for the season. * Kevin Johnson (CB) - Missed the Wake Forest game because of family emergency. Status to be determined later in the week. * John Leake (LB) - Sprained ankle at Wake Forest. Questionable for Florida State. * Kevin Youngblood (WR) - Suffered broken leg in Aug. 21 scrimmage. Has not played all year. Could return late in the season. Bowden Bowl III As everyone knows, when Florida State's Bobby Bowden and Clemson's Tommy Bowden take the field Saturday afternoon to coach their respective teams, it will be the third competition of father and son in NCAA Division I history. The previous two occasions have taken place the last two years when the two teams have met. The first meeting in 1999 was a festive atmosphere at Clemson as a record 86,000 fans attended the game. In addition to the hype concerning a father coaching against a son for the first time, Bobby Bowden was going for his 300th career victory. He got it, but it was a struggle, as the Tigers fought the Seminoles to the wire before Florida State came away with a 17-14 victory. It was the closest victory for the Seminoles on the way to the 1999 National Championship. Florida State won the second meeting last year in Tallahassee. Bobby Bowden has enjoyed success against Clemson in Death Valley, regardless of the opposing coach. Father Bowden is 5-0 in Death Valley, the only opposing coach with a perfect record in the facility given a minimum of two games. The Clemson vs. Florida State games the last two years are not the only times Bowdens have been on opposite sides of the field. In 1991, Auburn, with assistant coach Tommy Bowden, faced Southern Mississippi, with assistant coach Jeff Bowden. Southern Mississippi upset Auburn that day. Jeff Bowden will be at the scene this year also as he is Florida State's offensive coordinator. Clemson-Florida State Series Florida State holds a 12-2 advantage in the series with Clemson dating back to a 38-13 Florida State win in Tallahassee in 1970. Both of Clemson's wins in the series took place in Tallahassee, in 1976 by a 15-12 score and in 1989 by a 34-23 count. Florida State is 6-0 at Clemson and Clemson is 2-6 at Florida State. In four straight meetings between 1988 and 1993 both teams were ranked in the top 25. Both teams have been ranked in the top 25 in six of the last 10 meetings, including last year when Clemson was 10th and Florida State was fourth. That marked just the third time in ACC history that two league teams were ranked in the top 10 heading into a contest. The three meetings between the two teams played between 1988 and 1992, were classics. In 1988, Florida State won at Clemson 24-21, thanks in part to the famous "puntrooskie play", and a 76-yard punt return by Deion Sanders. In 1989, Clemson defeated a Florida State team that ended the season ranked third in the final AP poll by a 34-23 score. That is the only loss by Florida State at home against a non-Florida team in the last 17 years. In 1992, in front of more than 84,000 fans and a nationally televised audience at Clemson, fifth-ranked Florida State defeated 15th-ranked Clemson 24-20 in Death Valley. Florida State scored the winning TD in the final two minutes of the contest behind the passing of Charlie Ward. Clemson did pick off four passes in the game, including one that James Trapp returned for a touchdown. Trapp is still playing in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens. The1997 game featured one of the greatest individual duals in the history of Death Valley. Tony Horne gained 267 all-purpose yards in the game, while Florida State's Peter Warrick had 372 for the Seminoles, including a 90-yard punt return and an 80-yard pass reception. Horne's all-purpose running total is the second highest in Clemson history, while Warrick's total is the most ever against Clemson. Clemson-Florida State Connections There are many connections between Clemson and Florida State in terms of coaching and administrative personnel: * Clemson wide receivers coach Rick Stockstill was Florida State's quarterback between 1979-81. He passed for 1,356 yards as a senior in 1981 and was a two-year starter for FSU. He quarterbacked the 1980 team to an Orange Bowl berth. * Clemson defensive coordinator Reggie Herring played for Florida State between 1977-80. He is a member of the Florida State Athletic Hall of Fame and earned AP All-America honors in 1980. He played in three bowl games in his four years with the Seminoles. * Clemson assistant head coach and tight ends coach Brad Scott served as offensive coordinator of Florida State's National Championship team of 1993. He served as an assistant with the Florida State program from 1983-93. He was offensive coordinator from 1990-93. He has a master's degree from Florida State in athletics administration, a degree he earned in 1984. * Clemson Head Coach Tommy Bowden was a graduate assistant at Florida State in 1978 and 1979, then served as tight ends coach of the Seminoles in 1981 and 1982. * Clemson defensive backs coach Jack Hines was a graduate assistant at Florida State in 1985-86. He is married to Robyn Bowden, one of Bobby Bowden's daughters. Hines played for Bowden at West Virginia. * Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews served in the same capacity for Clemson between 1976-80 and held the assistant head coach title under Danny Ford in 1980. Last Year vs. Florida State Florida State propelled itself back into the national title race with an impressive 54-7 victory over visiting Clemson at Tallahassee in 2000. The Tigers were unable to contain the Seminoles' passing attack as Bobby Bowden's team gained 771 total yards, most ever against Clemson. The win preserved Florida State's 34-game winning streak and 51-game unbeaten streak at home. The Seminoles clinched their ninth straight Atlantic Coast Conference title. Bowden Bowl II turned into the most lopsided defeat of Tommy Bowden's coaching career. Following the loss to Georgia Tech, Bowden lost consecutive games for the first time at Clemson. The game was close through the first quarter. Trailing 3-0, the Tigers pinned Florida State deep inside their own territory on a 75-yard Jaime Somaini punt. Poor field position was not a problem for the Seminoles. Chris Weinke faked a hand-off that had the nearly all of the Clemson defense attacking the apparent ball carrier. Weinke then pulled the ball out from behind his hip and found Marvin Minnis for a 98-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive. Clemson drove the length of the field on the following possession. Travis Zachery's 4-yard score was the first touchdown that Clemson had scored at Florida State since the Seminoles joined the ACC. The second quarter began with Florida State in front 10-7. Among the highlights for the Clemson offense were the performances of Zachery and Justin Watts. Zachery repeatedly made defenders miss after his blockers failed to clear a path for him. The junior finished with 76 yards on 14 carries. Justin Watt recorded his finest effort as a Tiger. The fifth year senior gained 65 yards on six receptions in his final meeting with the Seminoles. Bret Cimorelli added two more field goals and Randy Golightly ran for the first of his two touchdowns to extend the lead to 23-7 by halftime. Cimorelli was perfect on the day, connecting on attempts of 28, 34, 28 and 34 yards. Chris Weinke continued to demand consideration for the Heisman. He completed 27 of 43 passes for 521 yards, most ever against Clemson in terms of passing yardage. Florida State receivers Atrews Bell, Javon Walker and Minnis all had more than 100 yards receiving. Clemson forced Florida State to punt on their opening possession of the second half. However the Seminoles got the ball right back when Woodrow Dantzler fumbled on Clemson's first offensive play of the half. The play proved to be a costly turnover. Golighty soon made the score 30-7 on his second 1-yard touchdown of the day. Dantzler entered the game hampered by a calf injury that worsened as the game progressed. The junior completed 7 of 21 passes for 91 yards before being replaced by Willie Simmons late in the third quarter. Simmons responded by going 7 of 16 for 72 yards. Florida State capped off a 44-0 scoring run with two more touchdowns in the final quarter. The 47-point deficit translated into the worse Clemson loss since the Tigers fell to the Seminoles 48-0 in 1998. Keith Adams finished with 16 tackles to lead Clemson. Robert Carswell and Chad Carson each had 11. Nick Eason and Terry Jolly recorded sacks of 14 and 11 yards, respectively. Seven Tigers finished with one tackle for loss. Clemson To Celebrate 1981 National Championship Reunion; Kinard to be Inducted into Clemson Ring of Honor Clemson will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of its 1981 National Championship on Saturday at Death Valley. More than 100 former players and coaches are expected to attend, said retired athletic trainer Fred Hoover, who is coordinating the event. The team will have a private reception on Friday evening, Nov. 2 at the Madren Center on the Clemson Campus. The team will be available for autographs outside the Fike Recreation Center on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM. Current Ring of Honor member Jeff Davis and soon to be inducted member Terry Kinard will be on the Tailgate Show at 2:00 PM located next to Littlejohn Coliseum. They will also be available for autographs. The 1981 team will march from Fike to "The Hill" at 2:45 pm where they will enter the stadium by Running Down The Hill during pre-game ceremonies. Terry Kinard will then be honored by the College Football Hall of Fame, and will be inducted into the Clemson Ring of Honor at Memorial Stadium. Kinard will be formally inducted into the College Hall of Fame in New York City in December. Each inductee has an on-campus ceremony during the season and this will be Kinard's. Mrs. A.C. Brown and Mrs. Coral Harper will dot the "i" during the pregame ceremonies in memory of former player Gary Brown and Coach Tom Harper who have passed away since the 1981 National Championship season. Clemson to Face Top-25 Team Three Weeks in Succession To say Clemson is heading into the tough part of its schedule is an understatement. The next three Clemson opponents are all ranked in the top 20 of both polls. Florida State, this week's opponent, is ranked 14th in both polls. Maryland, with a 7-1 record, will be Clemson's opponent on Nov. 10 in College Park. The Terps are 16th by USA Today and 15th by AP. Finally, South Carolina will be Clemson's opponent on Nov. 17 in Columbia. The Gamecocks are 20th by USA Today and 17th by AP. You don't have to go back very far to find the last time Clemson played three straight top-25 opponents, but it is a rare occurrence. Clemson played against a fourth-ranked Florida State, 25th-ranked South Carolina and sixth-ranked Virginia Tech in consecutive games to end last season. However, that is the only previous time that Clemson has played a ranked team in three straight games. It almost happened in 1966. Clemson played a ninth-ranked Georgia Tech, fourth-ranked Alabama and fifth-ranked Southern Cal during a four-week segment in the 1966 season. What was Coach Frank Howard thinking when he made that schedule? Clemson has played well against ranked teams over the years. The Tigers already own a win over then ninth-ranked Georgia Tech on the road this year. Clemson has defeated at least one top-25 team all but one season (1995) since 1986.
Clemson Wins over Top 25 Teams Since 1990
Florida State Overview
Florida State enters this weekend's game at Clemson with a 5-2
record. As usual, Bobby Bowden's team gets better as the season
progresses. Florida State is 16-1 in the month of November since
1996. Last week they defeated undefeated Maryland 52-31 in
Tallahassee. Since a 49-27 loss to #1 ranked Miami, FSU has scored 95
points in two victories.
The Seminoles have averaged 37.6 points a game this year to lead the
ACC in scoring. They rank third in total offense, second in passing.
Florida State has also been strong on defense, allowing just 316
yards per game.
Freshman quarterback Chris Rix has been strong of late, especially in
the victory over Maryland when he threw five touchdown passes. The
rookie averages 230.7 yards per game through the air and he is second
in the ACC in total offense, averaging 261 yards per game. He
actually leads the ACC in passing efficiency with a 158.8 figure. He
has thrown a league best 14 touchdown passes.
Florida State always has many outstanding receivers. The Seminoles
had three players top 100 yards against the Tigers last year,
including current senior Javon Walker. He has 24 catches for 529
yards, and a league best 22-yards per catch average. The top rusher
for Florida State is Nick Maddox, high school All-American from North
Carolina who averages 5.3 yards per rush. Greg Jones recently had a
100-yard rushing performance in a victory over Virginia and is 10th
in the league in rushing yards per game.
Kendyll Pope is the top tackler for the Seminoles with a 10.3
average. Bradley Jennings also averages 10 tackles per game. Stanford
Samuels leads the club in passes defensed, while Darnell Dockett and
Travis Johnson pace the team in tackles for loss.
Florida State has been a model of consistency. The Seminoles have now
been ranked in 206 consecutive AP polls dating to the fifth week of
the 1989 season. Coach Bowden is now 320-89-4 in his 36 seasons as a
college coach, including 247-57-4 at Florida State. Much has been
made about Joe Paterno breaking Bear Bryant's record with Penn
State's win over Ohio State last week. But, Coach Bowden is just four
wins behind Paterno.
Dantzler the Runner
Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler is the greatest running
quarterback in ACC history. He is working on making a name for
himself from a national standpoint. Dantzler had 119 yards rushing at
Wake Forest and now has 678 for the season. Dantzler is 31st in the
nation in rushing yards per game with his 96.86 average.
That figure is second best nationally among all quarterbacks. The
only signal caller with a higher average is Keith Boyea of Air Force,
who has an average of 97.86 yards per game. He has just seven more
rushing yards than Dantzler. Eric Crouch of Nebraska is third among
rushing quarterbacks with an average of 88.67 yards per game.
Dantzler now has 2289 career rushing yards in regular season play.
That is the 17th-highest quarterback rushing total in NCAA history.
Only 13 quarterbacks in history have at least 2,500 rushing yards.
Dee Dowis of Air Force is the career leader with 3,612, but Antwaan
Randle-El of Indiana is on his tail. The Indiana senior who started
the year as a wide receiver has 3,418 entering this weekend's game.
Dantzler had his ninth career 100-yard rushing game at Wake Forest.
He and Joe Burns of Georgia Tech lead all active ACC players in that
category.
Dantzler is now fifth in Clemson history in career 100-yard rushing
games with his nine. Raymond Priester has the record with 15, while
Kenny Flowers and Buddy Gore both had 11. Terry Allen had 10.
Dantzler Stats Similar to Ward Heisman Numbers
Woodrow Dantzler received rave reviews for his performance against
N.C. State on Oct. 13.
N.C. State strongside linebacker Brandon Jamison told The State
Newspaper, "He has got to be one of the best athletes in America...
That is why he is up for the Heisman. The man can run. He can pass.
He has moves. He has speed. He can break tackles. There is nothing
bad you can say about him."
During the broadcast on Jefferson Pilot television, guest commentator
and legendary former ACC coach Bill Dooley remarked, "If I had him as
a quarterback, I'd get back into coaching."
Another person who was impressed was N.C. State coach Chuck Amato. "I
had the fortune to be around Charlie Ward (at Florida State, 1992-93)
and Dantzler has more athletic ability. He is their football team.
He's their inspiration.
"He put on a display out there today that I don't know if we'll ever
see again in this stadium. I hope not by an opposing quarterback. I
can't imagine a better player in the country in America. We must have
set a record for missed tackles on him."
Ward, now the starting point guard for the NBA's New York Knicks, won
the Heisman Trophy in 1993 when he led Florida State to the national
championship and a 12-1 record. He did so with an all-around game as
he had the ability to run as well as pass. Dantzler has had similar
success as a runner and passer this year.
A look to the stats shows that Dantzler is ahead of Ward's pace in
total offense/game, touchdown responsibility per game, rushing yards
per game. They have similar stats in passing efficiency and
completion percentage.
Comparison of 2 Quarterbacks Category Ward, 1993 Dantzler, 2001 Passing Yards/Game 275.6 212.0 Rushing Yards/Game 30.8 97.0 Total Offense/Game 306.5 309.0 Touchdowns/Game 2.82 2.57 Passing Efficiency 157.82 140.4 Completion % .695 .640 Yards/Attempt 7.97 7.2
Carson Records 23 Tackles, Moves to Fifth on Tackle List
Chad Carson had the top tackle game of his career and the third best
single game in Clemson history in the victory over Wake Forest on
Oct. 27. Carson had 15 first hits and eight assists in helping the
Tigers hold down Wake Forest's outstanding rushing defense. The Demon
Deacons entered the game averaging 235 yards per game on the ground,
sixth best in the nation.
But, Carson and his teammates held Wake Forest to 193 on the day and
344 yards of total offense. It was the second lowest total offensive
figure this year for Wake Forest. Carson had a lot to do with the run
defense and he also contributed to the pass defense by intercepting a
pass, his first career interception in 42 games as a Tiger.
Carson's tackle total was third best in Clemson history. The only
higher are the 27 by former teammate Keith Adams against South
Carolina in 1999 and by Jeff Davis against North Carolina in 1980.
That is pretty good company for Carson as both players were not only
All-Americans, but also won ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Carson now has 395 tackles for his career, fifth best in school
history. He moved ahead of Robert Carswell, Adams and Randy Scott in
his big game at Wake Forest. Carson now trails only Bubba Brown,
Anthony Simmons, Davis and Ed McDaniel. Simmons and McDaniel are
still in the NFL, while Davis played five years with the Tampa Bay
Bucs.
Clemson Career Tackle Leaders
Rk Player, Pos Years No 1. Bubba Brown, LB 1976-79 515 2. Anthony Simmons, LB 1995-97 486 3. Jeff Davis, LB 1978-81 469 4. Ed McDaniel, LB 1988-91 489 5. Chad Carson, LB 1998-01 395 6. Randy Scott, LB 1975-78 382 7. Keith Adams, LB 1998-00 379 8. Robert Carswell, FS 1997-00 374 9. Tim Jones, LB 1991-94 338 10. Henry Walls, LB 1983-85 316
Clemson Single Game Tackle Bests
Rk Player Yr/Opponent No 1. Keith Adams 1999 vs. South Carolina 27 2. Jeff Davis 1980 vs. North Carolina 24 3. Chad Carson 2001 vs. Wake Forest 23 4. Chad Carson 2000 vs. Georgia Tech 22 Jeff Davis 1980 vs. Maryland 22 Bubba Brown 1978 vs. Ohio State 22 Bubba Brown 1979 vs. N.C. State 22 8. Henry Walls 1985 vs. Georgia Tech 21 Willie Anderson 1974 vs. South Carolina 21
Hamilton Sets Freshman Receiving Record
Freshman wide receiver Derrick Hamilton continued his outstanding
rookie season with six catches for 91 yards at Wake Forest. The
red-shirt freshman from Dillon, SC now has 37 receptions for 430
yards and two touchdowns. He set a Clemson freshman receiving record
with his performance at Wake Forest, breaking the single season mark
of 34 receptions by Terry Smith in 1991. Smith needs just 51
receiving yards to break Smith's freshman receiving yardage mark.
Hamilton's 106 yards receiving at N.C. State broke Ray Williams
single game freshman receiving yardage mark. Ironically, Williams
mark had been recorded against N.C. State, a 105 yard effort in 1983.
Hamilton is now 38th in the nation in receptions per game with 5.29
and is second among freshmen. He trails only Kelley Washington of
Tennessee, who averages 6.33 receptions per game. Reggie Williams of
Washington is third among freshmen with 4.43 per game.
It was a big day for Clemson freshman receivers at Wake Forest.
Clemson had 16 completions as a team and 13 were by freshmen. In
addition to Hamilton's six catches for 91, Roscoe Crosby had 3-36,
Ben Hall had 3-17 and a touchdown, and Airese Currie had 1-36.
Freshmen have already combined for 59 catches for 805 yards and four
scores this year. The freshmen had 12 receptions for 224 yards and
two touchdowns at N.C. State in Clemson's 45-37 victory.
Sampson Comes Off the Bench to Help Defense
While Clemson freshmen have had an impact in the receiving aspect of
the game, there have been some positives on the defensive side. That
was certainly the case at Wake Forest. Eric Sampson came off the
bench for an injured John Leake and contributed 14 tackles on six
first hits and eight assists in 69 snaps of play. Leake played the
first nine plays before suffering a sprained ankle that shelved him
for the game.
Sampson had played just 54 plays from scrimmage over the first six
games and had eight total tackles. He also had two quarterback
pressures in the impressive performance. His 14 tackles were the most
by a first-year freshman since Anthony Simmons had 19 in a victory at
South Carolina in 1995.
Sampson is trying to continue a long line of outstanding players from
Jacksonville, FL who have excelled at Clemson. Sampson was a
SuperPrep All-American at White High School in Jacksonville. He had
109 tackles, four interceptions and 12 sacks during his senior year.
Recent Clemson Tigers who have come to the university from
Jacksonville include Rod Gardner, now the top rookie receiver in the
NFL with the Washington Redskins, Brian Dawkins, now an All-Pro
safety with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Patrick Sapp, who played
three years in the NFL at the conclusion of his Clemson career.
Washington Leads Young Defensive Linemen
Freshman Donnell Washington had another solid game from the defensive
tackle position in the win at Wake Forest. The 320-pounder had four
tackles, including a tackle for loss, as he helped stop Wake Forest's
strong running game. The Deacs entered the contest sixth in the
nation in rushing.
Washington now has 23 tackles for the season, 17 first hits and six
assists. He leads all freshmen on the Clemson team in tackles. He now
has six tackles for loss for the season, at least one in five of the
seven games. He also has three sacks and three quarterback pressures.
He had just one pressure at Wake Forest, but it was huge. He got to
Wake Forest quarterback James MacPherson just as he released the
ball, forcing the ball to flutter into the arms of Chad Carson. It
put a stop to momentum the Deacs had gained after a Clemson fumble.
Clemson had just a seven point lead at the time.
Clemson Offense Averages 418 Yards Under Bowden
Clemson has a 20-11 record under Tommy Bowden and a consistent
balanced offense has been a big reason. Over the nearly three years
he has been the head coach the Tigers have averaged 417.7 yards per
game in total offense. Clemson has gained 186 rushing and 232 passing
over the 31 games. In an average game under Bowden the Tigers have
averaged 30.2 points a game and scored four touchdowns. On average,
the Tigers run the ball 45 times and throw it 32 times. Clemson has
scored 124 touchdowns in the 31 games, exactly four per game.
Eighteen of the 31 games Clemson has had at least 400 yards of total
offense.
Clemson Offense in the Tommy Bowden Era
Category Total Per Game Points 937 30.23 Touchdowns 124 4.00 First Downs 702 22.65 Rushing Atts 1395 45.0 Rushing Yards 5771 186.2 Pass Attempts 991 32.0 Pass Comps 569 18.4 Passing Yards 7202 232,3 Completion % .574 .574 Plays 2386 77.0 Total Offense 12,947 417.65 Record 20-11 .645
Hafley Sets Clemson Single Game Record
Clemson graduate defensive back Charles Hafley set a school record
for tackles in a game by a defensive back in the Tigers 38-3 loss to
North Carolina on Oct. 20 at Death Valley. Hafley was credited with
19 tackles in the contest on 11 first hits and eight assists. That
broke the previous record of 18 set by Leomont Evans against Georgia
in 1995.
Hafley now ranks third on the Clemson team and is among the ACC
leaders in tackles with 75 through seven games, an average of 10.7
per game. The North Carolina game was his fourth double figure tackle
game this season and 10th of his career. A year ago Hafley had 106
tackles, most ever by a strong safety and third best in Clemson
history for a defensive back.
Hafley is on pace to break the Clemson record for tackles in a season
by a defensive back. Robert Carswell, now with the San Diego
Chargers, had 129 in 1999, an average of 10.75 per game. Hafley is on
pace to get 130 tackles in a 12-game season (including a bowl game).
Anthony Johnson had 117 tackles in 1985 and that is the only other
total higher than Hafley's figure from 1985.
Hunt Boots Longest Field Goal
Clemson placekicker Aaron Hunt booted a 48-yard field goal against
North Carolina, the Tigers only points of the day. The 48-yard field
goal would have been good from over 50 yards and it was the longest
of Hunt's career. In fact, it was the longest by a Clemson kicker
1997 when David Richardson kicked a 48-yard field goal in the Peach
Bowl against Auburn.
Hunt has kicked the ball 30 times this year and it has gone through
the uprights 29 times. The sophomore is 25-25 on extra points and 4-5
on field goals. His only miss was from 31 yards against Virginia. He
has three field goals of 43 yards or more after not making a field
goal over 40 yards all of last year.
Hunt made 45-47 extra points last year and is now 70-72 for his
career. His 45 made extra points last year set a Clemson record for a
season. His attempt total tied the Clemson record. Hunt made five of
his last six a year ago and is 4-5 this year, meaning he has made
nine of his last 11 over two years. He was 10-16 last year overall
and is now 14-21 in two years. His 25-yard field goal with three
seconds left gave the Tigers a 16-14 win over South Carolina in Death
Valley last year.
Dantzler Stats Better on the Road
The ACC has seen a lot of success for the road team this year.
Through games of Oct. 20 the home team had won just 10 of 23 games.
Clemson certainly has contributed to that with a 3-0 record on the
road and a 0-2 mark at home.
Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler has been a player who does not
let the visiting crowd bother him, in fact it must motivate him
because his stats on the opponent's home field are considerably
better than they are at home.
Over the last three years, seasons Dantzler has been the starter, or
a factor in the Clemson lineup, Dantzler has averaged 306.8 yards of
total offense per game in 12 contests on the road and has averaged
just 213.3 yards per game in 15 games played in Death Valley.
Dantzler has averaged a 100-yard rushing, 300-yard total offense game
on the road for those 12 games in the opponent's home facility. He
has done that each of his last three road games. He has averaged
204.7 passing and 102.1 rushing. His passing efficiency is 142.4 on
the road and 130.1 in Death Valley. He has averaged 2.33 touchdowns
rushing and passing on the road and 1.73 in Death Valley since 1999.
In three road games this year, Dantzler has had 418 yards total
offense at Georgia Tech and 517 at N.C. State, two of the top three
total offense games in Clemson history. He added a 330-yard effort at
Wake Forest. Each of Dantzler's top five total offense games have
been on the road.
Dantzler Stats Breakdown since 1999
Category Home Away Games 15 12 Comp/Att 179-304 182-303 TD/Int 14/8 16/7 Pass yards 2219 2456 Yds/Game 147.9 204.7 Completion % .589 .601 Efficiency 130.13 142.4 Rush-Yds 221-980 222-1225 Yds/Game 65.3 102.1 Rushing TDs 12 12 Plays 525 525 Yds/Play 6.09 7.01 Total Off/Game 213.3 306.8 TDR 26 28 TDR/Game 1.73 2.33
Zachery Closing in on Scoring Record
Clemson running back Travis Zachery is closing in on a number of
milestones. The senior all-purpose running back has scored 46
touchdowns in his Clemson career, already a school record. He has 38
rushing and eight receiving and obviously needs four touchdowns to
become the first Clemson player to reach 50 touchdowns.
Those touchdowns translate into scoring. He has 276 points in his
Clemson career and needs 26 to break Nelson Welch's career record of
301. Welch was a placekicker for the Tigers from 1991-94. He booted a
school record 72 field goals and added 85 extra points for his 301
total.
As you can see by the chart below, Zachery is already third on the
Clemson scoring list. He recently passes Chris Gardocki, who had 261
points. Gardocki will be inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of
Fame on Feb. 1.
Zachery had his streak of 13 consecutive games with at least one
touchdown rushing or receiving, snapped when he failed to score
against North Carolina. That is the Clemson record for consecutive
games with at least one score. He shattered the mark, as the previous
best was a streak of nine straight games by Lester Brown, 1978-79.
Zachery has 45 regular season touchdowns in his career. Only two ACC
players in history have reached 50 touchdowns in regular season play.
Five more TDs in the last four regular season games would give
Zachery an even 50. The others to do it are Ted Brown, who had 51 for
N.C. State between 1975-78, and Leon Johnson, who had 50 at North
Carolina between 1993-96.
Clemson Career Leaders Scoring
Rk. Name Years TDs PATs FGs Pts 1. Nelson Welch 1991-94 0 85-92 72-102 301 2. Obed Ariri 1977-80 0 99-103 63-97 288 3. Travis Zachery 1998-01 46 0-0 0-0 276 4. Chris Gardocki 1988-90 0 72-72 63-89 261 5. David Treadwell 1985-87 0 92-93 47-66 233 6. Bob Paulling 1979-83 0 107-109 23-41 209
Zachery Approaching 3,000/1,000 Club
Clemson senior running back Travis Zachery is among the best
all-around ball carriers in the nation. That is one reason he was
listed among the preseason candidates for the Doak Walker Award.
So far this year Zachery has 362 yards rushing and 287 yards
receiving, giving him 649 yards from scrimmage. He has had five
touchdowns rushing and got his second receiving at N.C. State for
seven total touchdowns.
Zachery now has 2,844 yards rushing in his career and 930 receiving.
No Clemson player in history has had at least 3,000 yards rushing and
1,000 receiving. It is quite a difficult accomplishment, something
only three players in ACC history have accomplished. The others to do
it are Leon Johnson, a former running back from North Carolina
(1993-96), Warrick Dunn of Florida State (1993-96), and Terry Kirby
of Virginia (1989-92). Zachery needs 156 yards rushing and 70
receiving to pull off the 3,000/1,000 double.
Zachery scored three touchdowns at Tech and one more at N.C. State,
giving him 46 for his career, already a Clemson record. He has scored
40 touchdowns in his last 30 games. His three scores at Tech gave him
eight for his career against the Yellow Jackets, including six at
Grant Field in Atlanta. Zachery is from nearby Marietta, GA.
Zachery enters the Florida State game with 2,844 career rushing
yards, third best in school history. He moved ahead of Terry Allen
(now with Baltimore Ravens) on the all-time list in the win over N.C.
State. Now, only Kenny Flowers and Raymond Priester have more rushing
yards than Zachery.
Zachery topped the 4,000-yard mark in all-purpose running in the loss
to North Carolina. He now has 4,050 for his career, just the second
Clemson runner to reach 4,000 yards. Raymond Priester is the career
leader in all-purpose running with 4,282.
Clemson Career Rushing Leaders
Rk. Name Years Att Avg TD Total 1. R Priester 94-97 805 4.93 21 3966 2. Kenny Flowers 83-86 590 4.94 26 2914 3. Travis Zachery 98-01 653 4.36 38 2844 4. Terry Allen 87-89 523 5.31 28 2778 5. Buddy Gore 66-68 600 4.29 15 2571 Clemson Career All-Purpose running Leaders Rk. Name Years Rush Rec KR-PR Total 1. R Priester 94-97 3966 316 4282 2. Travis Zachery 98-01 2844 930 0-276 4050 3. Buddy Gore 66-68 2571 65 637-0 3273 4. Kenny Flowers 83-86 2914 192 40-0 3146 5. Ray Mathews 47-50 1886 650 294-298 3128
Kopp Punting Improved
There weren't many positives in Clemson's performance against North
Carolina on Oct. 20. However, Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden did
compliment the special teams. Aaron Hunt booted a career-best 48-yard
field goal, and punter Wynn Kopp averaged 40.7 yards per punt on
seven boots and he allowed just three total punt return yards,
meaning he had a 40.3 net punting average.
Kopp has now had a net punting average of at least 40 yards in four
of the first seven games. Opponents have just 58 total punt return
yards in nine returns out of his 27 punts so far this year. His 37.2
net punting average is best by a Clemson punter since Chris McInally
had a 38.3 net punting average for the 1995 season.
All punters are compared to Clemson great Chris Gardocki, who now is
in his 11th year in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. Gardocki's
final season at Clemson, 1990, he had 39.3 net punting average for
the season.
Mance In Top 25 in Punt, Kickoff Returns
Starting cornerback Brian Mance missed the North Carolina game after
his brother, Kenny was tragically killed in an automobile accident in
the early morning hours of Oct. 14. He was just two miles from his
home and fell asleep at the wheel.
Mance was back in the lineup at Wake Forest and helped the Tigers to
victory. Mance is a valuable member of the Clemson lineup. He has 26
tackles and three passes broken up in six games, all as a starter in
the secondary. He also is Clemson's top kick returner. According to
this week's NCAA stats, Mance is 22nd in the nation in punt returns
with a 11.9 average and is 25th in kickoff returns with a 26.5
average. He leads the ACC in kickoff returns and is second in punt
returns.
Bowden 8-1 Week After a Loss
Tommy Bowden continued his ability to bring his team back after a
loss when his team defeated Wake Forest on Oct. 27. Clemson had lost
to North Carolina 38-3 the previous week. Bowden is now 8-1 at
Clemson the game after a loss. He is 11-2 in his coaching career
including his career at Tulane. The only time he has suffered a
two-game losing streak at Clemson took place last year when the
Tigers lost consecutive games to Georgia Tech and Florida State.
Dantzler Ranked in Top 35 in Three Categories, On Pace for 2,000/1,000 Season
Woodrow Dantzler is ranked in the top 35 in the nation in five
different statistical categories, including. The Tiger signal caller
who now owns 31 school records is fifth in the country in total
offense, 24th in passing efficiency and 31st in rushing. That's
right, 31st in rushing. He is second among all quarterbacks in
rushing and is the only quarterback in the nation with 600 yards
rushing and 1,400 yards passing. Dantzler is also 13th in points
responsible for, and 25th in completions per game.
Dantzler has gained 678 net yards on the ground for an average of
96.86 yards per game. That is ahead of his record setting pace last
year. He is on pace for 1,065 yards rushing in the regular season. He
is on pace for 2,330 passing. No player in NCAA history has had 1000
yards rushing and 2000 yards passing in the same season.
He had 947 rushing and 1,691 passing last season during the regular
season. If he is to achieve the distinction he will have to do it in
the regular season as NCAA records do not count bowl games. The
closest to achieve the milestone is Brian Mitchell of
Lousiana-Lafayette, who had 1311 rushing and 1966 passing in 1989.
Dantzler Reaches 4,000/2,000 mark; Now Owns 31 Clemson Records
Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler became the first quarterback in
ACC history to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 2,000 when he had
his 517-yard total offense game at N.C. State.
Including bowl games, Dantzler has 2,378 rushing and 4,942 passing in
his four-year career. So far this season, Dantzler has 678 yards
rushing and 1,483 passing for 2,161 total, an average of 309 yards
per game in total offense. He ranks first in the conference in total
offense per game and is fifth in the nation. He is third in the ACC
in rushing and third in passing efficiency.
The graduate student has connected on 64 percent of his passes this
year, a record pace, and is now at 58.2 percent for his career, also
best in school history.
Dantzler became Clemson's all-time leader in total offense with his
performance at Tech and now has 7320 career yards, ahead of the
previous record held by Nealon Greene. He is also second in school
history in passing efficiency and interception avoidance.
Dantzler on Clemson career Records Lists
Rank/Category/Figure Left for Record * 1st, quarterback rushing (2,378) has record * 1st, completion percentage (.581) has record * 1st in touchdown responsibility (55) has record * 1st in total offense (7,320) has record * 1st in total plays (1,166) has record * 2nd in passing efficiency (131.18) 131.30 rating points * 2nd in interception avoidance (2.58) 2.55 percent * 2nd in completions (385) 74 completions * 2nd in passing yards (4,942) 780 yards * 3rd in touchdown passes (31) 5 TD passes
Clemson Records Held by Dantzler (31)
Single Game (8)
* Touchdown Responsibility-6 vs. N.C. State, 2001
* Total Offense-517 vs. N.C. State, 2001
* Completion % (Min 20 attempts) -.851 vs. N.C. State, 2001
* Completion % (Min 15 attempts) -.941 vs. The Citadel 2000
* Yards rushing by a quarterback-220 vs. Virginia, 2000
* Passing Efficiency (Min 15 attempts)-247.2 vs. The Citadel, 2000
* Passing Efficiency (Min 20 attempts)-237.6 vs. N.C. State, 2001
* Touchdown Passes-#4 vs. N.C. State, 2001
Season (13)
* Total offense-2,899, (2000)
* Quarterback rushing-1,028, (2000)
* 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback-4 (2000)
* Touchdowns rushing and passing-24 (2000)
* 200-yard total offense games-9 (2000)
* 300-yard total offense games-4 (2000)
* Consecutive 200-yard total offense games-7 (2000)
* Consecutive games throwing a TD pass-6 (2000)
* 100-yard rushing, 300-yard total offense games-4 (2000)
* Most yards rushing in series of 3 games-520 (2000)
* Most yards rushing in series of 4 games-623 (2000)
* Most total offense/game in season-241.6 (2000)
* Most total offense plays in season-434 (2000)
Career (10)
* Completion percentage in career-.582
* Total offense-7,320
* Yards rushing by a quarterback in a career-2,378
* 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback-9
* Most total offense/game in career-215.3
* Most 300-yard total offense games in career-9
* Most 100-yard rushing, 300-yard total offense games in a career-9
* Most touchdowns rushing and passing in a career-55
* Most total offense plays in a career-1,166
* #Most 200-yard passing games-9
#tied record
Clemson Career total Offense leaders
Rk. Name Years Plays Rush Pass Total 1. W Dantzler 98-01 1166 2378 4942 7320 2. Nealon Greene 94-97 1158 1067 5719 6786 3. Steve Fuller 75-78 1089 1737 4359 6096 4. Rodney Williams 85-88 1024 863 4647 5510 5. Homer Jordan 79-82 859 971 3643 4614 6. DeChane Cameron 88-91 765 926 3300 4226 Clemson Career Leaders in Completion Percentage Rk. Name Years Com Att Pct 1. W Dantzler 98-01 385 662 .582 2. Nealon Greene 94-87 458 805 .569 3. Chris Morocco 86-89 89 157 .567 4. B Streeter 96-99 294 519 .566 5. Mike Eppley 80-84 252 449 .561
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