Game Eleven Notes: Duke at Clemson |
Game 11: Clemson vs. Duke
Saturday, Dec. 1, 2001 1:00 PM (EST) Memorial Stadium (81,473) Clemson, SC In the Rankings Clemson - Unranked Duke - Unranked Television: None Radio: Clemson Tiger Sports Network Play By Play: Jim Phillips * Color: Mike Eppley Sideline: Rodney Williams Series History: Clemson leads 29-15-1 Tickets: Available 1-800-CLEMSON Clemson Personnel Update * Altroy Bodrick (LB) - Tore his ACL in a preseason scrimmage Aug. 18. Will red-shirt the season. * Marcus Houskin (CB) - Suffered broken neck vs. Wofford and is out for the season. * Kevin Youngblood (WR) - Suffered broken leg in Aug. 21 scrimmage. Has not played all year. Dantzler Seeking 2,000/1,000 Season Woodrow Dantzler has gained 869 net yards on the ground and thrown for 2,117 yards in the first 10 games of the season. He obviously needs just 131 yards rushing to become the first player in NCAA history to throw for 2,000 and rush for 1,000 in a season. Dantzler is the only player this year with a shot at the incredible accomplishment. It would not be shocking for Dantzler to reach 131 yards rushing, as the graduate student has had six different games in his Clemson career in which he has rushed for at least 131 yards, including two this year. He had 164 at Georgia Tech and 184 at N.C. State this season. He has two other 100-yard rushing games this year and 10 in his Clemson career. 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. Mitchell has been in the NFL many years and is one of the top kick return players in the league. Dantzler also is in range for many other accomplishments and records. He needs just five completions to break Nealon Greene's single season record for completions. Greene had 180 in 1997 and Dantzler has 176 entering the Duke game. Dantzler also needs just 144 passing yards to break Greene's career yardage record. Additionally, Dantzler needs just 20 yards rushing to join the 5,000/2,500 club. H already has the 5,000 yards passing and has 2,480 rushing in regular season play. Finally, Dantzler needs three touchdown passes to break Greene's career mark. Dantzler has 33 and Greene had 35 between 1994-97. Records/Accomplishments in Range for Dantzler against Duke: * Needs 131 yards rushing to become first player in college football history to throw for at least 2,000 yards and rush for at least 1,000 yards in the same year. * Needs 20 yards rushing to become third quarterback in NCAA history to throw for at least 5,000 yards and rush for at least 2,500 in a career. * Needs 144 yards passing to become Clemson's career leader * Needs 96 yards passing to set Clemson single season passing yardage record * Needs three touchdown passes to become Clemson's career leader * Needs one 200-yard total offense game to set Clemson single season record. He has seven to tie his own record set last year. Clemson vs. Duke Moved From Sept. 15 The Clemson vs. Duke football game, originally scheduled for Sept. 15 at Clemson, will be played Dec. 1 at Clemson Memorial Stadium. The contest was postponed due to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on Sept. 11. The game will kickoff at 1:00 PM and will not have any live television. This will be the latest Clemson has played a regular season game since 1956 when the Tigers defeated Furman at Death Valley, 28-7 on Dec. 1. It will be just the sixth regular season game in the month of December in Clemson football history. The latest Clemson has had a regular season game is Dec. 8, a 1928 loss to The Citadel in Charleston. The change in schedule means that Duke and Clemson will meet in the major sports of football and men's basketball on consecutive days. The two schools will meet in men's basketball at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Dec. 2. That will be the earliest conference basketball game for the Tigers since 1966. Clemson played at North Carolina to open the 1966-67 season on Dec. 1. Clemson to Play 92-Day Regular Season As a result of the terrorist attacks on the East Coast on Sept. 11, and the subsequent schedule change, Clemson's 2001 regular season will stretch 92 days, longest in school history. The Clemson vs. Duke game originally scheduled for Sept. 15 was moved to Dec. 1, two weeks after the original season finale at South Carolina on Nov. 17. The previous longest season in Clemson history was 87 days, set in 1991 when Clemson began the season on Sept. 7, then concluded the regular season on Nov. 30 in Tokyo. That season also finished with a game against Duke. Clemson had 85-day regular seasons in 1984 and 1996. Fifteen consecutive Clemson seasons have lasted at least 78 days dating to the 1986 season that lasted 71 days. The shortest 11-game regular season took place in 1977 and 1980 when the season spanned 70 days. Six other 11-game seasons went across 71 days. Longest Regular Seasons in Clemson History
Year 1st Game Last Game Days
Bowden Coached at Duke
Clemson head Coach Tommy Bowden was the offensive coordinator and
quarterbacks coach at Duke from 1983-86. That was his third different
assistant coaching assignment, but his first job as a coordinator.
During that time, Duke was 0-4 against Clemson, including a 21-9
Tiger victory at Duke in 1985.
In Bowden's first year as Clemson Head Coach, the Tigers defeated
Duke in Death Valley 58-7. Last year, he improved his record as a
head coach against Duke to 2-0 with a 52-22 victory. Clemson has
scored 110 points in his two games against the Blue Devils.
Clemson vs. Duke Series Notes
* Clemson holds a 29-15-1 lead in the series with Duke, a series that
dates to a 20-6 Duke win in Durham in 1934. Duke won the first four
games of the series, all played at Duke.
* Duke never played at Clemson until 1959, a 6-0 Tiger victory.
* While Clemson holds a commanding 15-4-1 lead in the series at
Clemson, Clemson has a narrow 12-11 advantage in games played in
Durham.
* Clemson has won nine of the last 11 overall and 16 of the last 20.
* Duke last defeated Clemson in 1998 at Duke, 28-23.
* Duke has not won at Clemson since 1980, a 34-17 Blue Devil triumph
that was led by Blue Devil quarterback Ben Bennett. In Clemson's nine
straight wins over Duke at home since 1982 the Tigers have outscored
the Blue Devils 355-112, an average victory of 39.4 to 12.4.
* The closest Duke has come to winning at Clemson since 1982 was the
Tigers 29-20 overtime victory in 1997. Rahim Abdullah ended the game
by returning an interception 63 yards for a touchdown. That was the
first overtime game in Clemson history and the only overtime game
until this year's win at Georgia Tech.
* Duke defensive coordinator Bob Trott was Clemson's defensive
coordinator in 1990, the year Clemson led the nation in total
defense. The Tigers finished that season with a 10-2 record, the last
time Clemson had a 10-victory season.
Last Year vs. Duke
Clemson jumped out to a 35-0 halftime lead and coasted to a 52-22 in
at Duke last year. Woodrow Dantzler eluded Duke defenders for 22
rushes for 134 yards and three touchdowns. He was again effective
through the air, connecting on 11 of 19 passes for 174 yards and one
touchdown. The game marked the third consecutive outing in which
Dantzler had accounted for over 300 total yards; a feat never
previously accomplished in Clemson history.
Dantzler's first completion of the game came early on the team's
second drive. He found Rod Gardner for a 17-yard pass that put the
Tigers' in Duke territory. Dantzler handed off to Travis Zachery on
three consecutive plays of 27, 4 and 1 yards. The one-yard plunge put
Clemson in front 7-0.
Clemson held a seven-point lead at the end of the opening period. The
Tigers rebounded with their biggest quarter of the year. Clemson
scored 28 points in a 7:18 time span and opened at 35-0 lead by
intermission. Dantzler rushed for his first score of the day on the
opening play of the second quarter.
On Duke's next drive sophomore cornerback Brian Mance returned an
interception 57 yards to the Duke 4. Zachery made the score 21-0 on
his second one-yard rushing touchdown of the day. Dantzler broke free
for a 34-yard rush on the third play of the Tigers' next possession.
The Tigers scored their 28th point of the period when Dantzler found
Morgan Woodward for an eight-yard Woodrow to Woodward touchdown. The Tigers lost the shutout early in third quarter. Duke registered a
safety after blocking a Jaime Somaini punt into the Clemson endzone.
The Blue Devils gained only four yards before punting the ball back
to the Tigers. The Tigers then marched 93 yards on a 13-play drive
that resulted in a one-yard Dantzler touchdown run. Dantzler rushed
five times for 49 yards on the drive. The Tigers led 42-2.
Duke bounced back with their first touchdown of the afternoon.
Douglas escaped for a 41-yard touchdown run. Willie Simmons took over
for Dantzler late in the third quarter. Simmons connected with Kevin
Youngblood on a 38-yard touchdown pass.
Duke scored two touchdowns in the last two minutes of the contest.
Douglas rushed for his second score of the day to complete a 10-play,
80-yard drive. Jackie Robinson fumbled the ensuing kickoff. Ben
Erdeljac scored on a five-yard run to make the score 52-22 with 46
seconds remaining.
Keith Adams had an enormous day in the Duke backfield. The Butkus
Award candidate recorded four tackled for a loss of 28 yards and
three of those were sacks. Braxton Williams tallied two sacks for a
loss of 10 yards.
Clemson veterans vs. Duke
* Jovon Bush had a sack for nine yards in 27 snaps against Duke in 1999.
* Chad Carson has 16 tackles in three games against Duke, including
eight tackles in 57 snaps in 1999.
* Woodrow Dantzler hs completed 14-23 passes for 214 yards and two
scores, and has 26 rushes for 158 yards and three scores in three
games vs. Duke. He has 49 plays for 372 yards in his career vs. Duke.
He had 308 yards at Duke last year in three quarters of play.
* Nick Eason had three tackles, including two tackles for loss vs.
Duke last year.
* Charles Hafley has nine tackles and two PBUs in three career games vs. Duke.
* Aaron Hunt booted a 22-yard field goal and was 5-5 on extra points
vs. Duke in 2000.
* Brian Mance had a 57-yard interception return at Duke last year. He
also had four tackles in that 2000 game.
* Bernard Rambert has 12 carries for 47 yards in two years vs. Duke.
* Jackie Robinson caught his first career TD pass vs. Duke in 1999.
He has five career catches for 59 yards against the Blue Devils.
* Braxton K. Williams has eight tackles, including two sacks against
Duke. Both sacks took place at Duke last year.
* Morgan Woodward caught an eight-yard scoring pass at Duke last year.
* Travis Zachery has 288 yards on 40 rushes and seven touchdowns
against Duke in three years. That includes a 141-yard day against
Duke at Clemson in 1999. He scored a career-high four touchdowns that
day.
Clemson Seniors Close Out Regular Season vs. Duke
Clemson's 23 seniors will make their final appearance in Death Valley
against Duke on December 1. The class includes some of Clemson's top
players in history. Woodrow Dantzler already holds 32 Clemson records
and could set more on Saturday. Kyle Young has started 38 straight
games and is a two-time All-American at center. Will Merritt and T.J.
Watkins are three-year starters on three of the five Clemson offenses
in history to average at least 400 yards per game.
The defense has been led by Chad Carson, a two-time academic
All-American who ranks fifth in school history in tackles, and
Charles Hafley, one of just two defensive backs in school history to
have two different seasons of at least 100 tackles.
The class has been to two bowl games and a win against Duke could
give them a third bowl bid. The class won three out of four games
against South Carolina and defeated every other ACC team except
Florida State. The win over a #9 Georgia Tech team in Atlanta was the
highest ranked Clemson victory in 20 years, the second highest ranked
road win in school history.
Six of the members of the class already have earned their
undergraduate degrees and others will be receiving their degree in
December and May.
Clemson Senior Class of 2001
No Name Pos Hometown 80 *Matt Bailey WR Stone Mountain, GA 95 *Jovon Bush DL Hardeeville, SC 46 *Chad Carson LB Newnan, GA 57 Bo Charpia P Summerville, SC 1 *W Dantzler QB Orangeburg, SC 81 Joel Gardner WR Lancaster, SC 40 *Charles Hafley FS Pompano Beach, FL 39 Tony Lazzara PK St. Petersburg, FL 62 Micah Lewis OG Inman, SC 50 *Will Merritt OG Easley, SC 93 Tif Miller P Charleston, SC 91 Matt Moler LB Atlanta, GA 51 Brian Outlaw C Gaffney, SC 63 Henry Owen SN Clover, SC 15 Matt Schell QB Covington, GA 69 R Stuermann DT Moore, SC 46 Bradley Vaughan CB Greenville, SC 73 *T.J. Watkins OT North Augusta, SC 13 Tore White RB Andrews, SC 48 B K. Williams SS Greensboro, NC 83 *M Woodward TE Florence, SC 59 *Kyle Young OG Clemson, SC 8 *Travis Zachery RB Marietta, GA * Denotes starters
Dantzler Needs 20 Yards Rushing for 5,000/2,500 Club
Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler needs just 20 yards rushing to
become just the third player in college football history to reach
5,000 yards passing and 2,500 yards rushing (regular season games
only). Dantzler went over the 5,000 yard passing mark against Florida
State and now 5,391 in regular season games. He has 2,480 yards
rushing for his career and thus needs just 20 to reach the 2,500-yard
rushing mark.
The only other quarterbacks in college football history with at least
5,000 yards passing and 2,500 rushing are current Indiana quarterback
Antwaan Randle-El and former Louisiana-Lafayette quarterback Brian
Mitchell. Randle-El has 7,275 passing and 3,852 rushing for his
career at Indiana. He still has one regular season game left against
Kentucky on Dec. 1. Mitchell had 5,447 yards passing and 3,335 yards
rushing in his career that spanned 1986-89.
Dantzler now ranks 14th in NCAA history in rushing yards by a
quarterback. Dantzler is third among active Division I players in
quarterback rushing behind Randle-El and Nebraska's Eric Crouch.
Crouch's season and regular season career is finished.
NCAA Career Leaders in Quarterback Rushing Net Yards
Rk Name Team Yrs Pass Rush 1. A Randle-El Indiana 1998-01 7,275 3,852 2. Dee Dowis Air Force 1986-89 2,870 3,612 3. Kareem Wilson Ohio U. 1995-98 2,105 3,597 4. Eric Crouch Nebraska 1998-01 4,481 3,434 5. Chris McKoy Navy 1995-97 2,486 3,401 6. Beau Morgan Air Force 1994-96 3,248 3,379 7. Brian Mitchell LA-Lafayette 1986-89 5,447 3,335 8. Fred Solomon Tampa 1971-74 2,430 3,299 9. Stacey Robinson N Illinois 1988-90 1,724 2,727 10. J Holieway Oklahoma 1985-88 2,154 2,699 11. Bill Hurley Syracuse 1975-79 3,398 2,551 12. Michael Carter Hawaii 1990-93 3,504 2,528 13. Corby Jones Missouri 1995-98 3,697 2,533 14. W Dantzler Clemson 1998-01 5,391 2,480 15. Chad Nelson Rice 1994-97 1,079 2,415 Active players in bold face
Clemson Schedule Ranked 25th by Sagarin
Through games of Nov. 24, Clemson has played the 25th-toughest
schedule in the nation according to the USA Today/Sagarin rankings.
Clemson just finished a stretch of three straight games against
top-25 teams in Florida State, Maryland and South Carolina. It marked
just the second time in school history that Clemson has faced three
straight top 25 teams.
This is the second year in three seasons that Clemson has faced a
top-25 schedule under Tommy Bowden. The Tigers faced the seventh
toughest schedule in the nation in Tommy Bowden's first year. That
year the Tigers faced three teams who were undefeated in the regular
season and four teams who were ranked in the final top 12 of the AP
poll.
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
Opp Year Site Rk Score Opponent 1990 N4 18 30-0 Illinois 1991 H 19 9-7 Georgia Tech H 12 29-19 N.C. State 1992 A 10 29-28 Virginia H 18 40-7 North Carolina 1993 H 16 23-14 Virginia 1994 A 12 28-17 North Carolina 1996 H 22 28-25 Georgia Tech A 15 24-16 Virginia 1997 A 25 19-17 N.C. State 1999 H 19 33-14 Virginia 2000 H 25 16-14 South Carolina 2001 A 9 47-44 Georgia Tech
Clemson Has Four Wins over Teams with Winning Records
Clemson has four wins over teams with winning records this season.
The Tigers have defeated a 6-5 Central Florida team, a 6-5 Wake
Forest team, a 7-4 N.C. State team and a 7-4 Georgia Tech team. Three
of the four wins over teams with winning records have come on the
road.
This is the most wins over teams that have finished the year with
winning records since 1990 when Clemson had a school record tying six
wins over teams that finished the year with a winning record. Clemson
also had six wins over teams with a winning record in 1989, Danny
Ford's final season. The chart below includes bowl games, and only
includes wins over Division I-A opponents.
This year marks just the 10th time in school history that Clemson has
defeated as many as four teams with winning records in the same
season. It is just the ninth time Clemson has done it in regular
season play.
Wins over Division I Teams with Winning Record in One Season
Wins Season Teams Beaten 6 1990 Long Beach St, Maryland, N.C. State, N. Carolina, S. Carolina Illinois 6 1989 Florida State, Virginia Tech, Virginia, N.C. State, S. Carolina West Virginia 5 1988 Virginia Tech, Duke, Wake Forest, S. Carolina, Oklahoma 5 1981 Tulane, Georgia, Duke, N. Carolina, Nebraska 5 1939 Presbyterian, George Washington, Furman, Boston College, Wake Forest 4 2001 Central Florida, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest 4 1987 Georgia, Virginia, Wake Forest, Penn State 4 1982 Duke, N.C. State, North Carolina, Maryland 4 1979 Georgia, Wake Forest, N. Carolina, Notre Dame 4 1938 Presbyterian, Tulane, S. Carolina, George Washington
Clemson Attendance near Record Rate
Clemson has averaged 81,667 fans per game for five contests at Death
Valley so far this year. If the season ended today, that would be the
second highest average season attendance in Clemson history. The
record is 81,750 set during the 1988 season. That year Clemson played
Florida State and South Carolina at home. Clemson still has one home
game left against Duke on Dec. 1.
That 1988 season is the only season Clemson has averaged 80,000 fans
for a complete season. Clemson must draw 71,666 fans for the Duke
game to finish the year with an average of 80,000 or better. Clemson
has averaged more than 78,000 each of the first two years of the
Bowden era.
Here is Clemson's game by game attendance for home games so far this year:
Sept. 1 Central Florida 81,482 Sept. 8 Wofford 79,156 Sept. 22 Virginia 77,791 Oct. 20 North Carolina 84,869 Nov. 3 Florida State 85,036 Total 408,334 Average (81,667)
Clemson Has Sold Tickets for Bowls
Clemson needs to defeat Duke to become bowl eligible. If the Tigers
become bowl eligible many feel the Tigers will be invited to a bowl.
Clemson's strong fan following has a lot to do with that. Clemson has
been to a bowl game seven times in the last 10 years and in every
case the Clemson athletic department sold at least 17,500 tickets. The totals listed below do not include Clemson fans who bought
tickets directly from the bowl. Clemson has averaged 19,400 tickets
sold through its athletic department for the last seven bowl games,
or all its appearances since 1991. The high figure came in 1999 when
24,227 tickets were sold through the athletic department for the 1999
Peach Bowl game with Mississippi State. That was Tommy Bowden's first
year as Clemson head coach and the Tigers had a 6-5 record entering
that game. Clemson sold 17,767 tickets to last year's Gator Bowl game
against Virginia Tech.
The record number of tickets sold for a bowl game came in 1977 when
Clemson sold 36,600 to its Gator Bowl game with Pittsburgh. That was
Clemson's first bowl game in 18 years. Clemson sold 26,000 to the
Orange Bowl in Miami against Nebraska. Many Clemson fans bought their
tickets straight from the bowl that year.
Clemson Bowl Game Ticket Sales History
Year Bowl Opponent Tix Sold 1977 Gator Pittsburgh 36,600 1978 Gator Ohio State 25,000 1979 Peach Baylor 20,000 1982 Orange Nebraska 26,000 1985 Indep Minnesota 8,000 1986 Gator Stanford 18,000 1987 Citrus Penn State 20,000 1988 Citrus Oklahoma 20,000 1989 Gator West Virginia 18,000 1990 HofFame Illinois 14,000 1991 Citrus California 19,292 1993 Peach Kentucky 19,059 1995 Gator Syracuse 20,312 1996 Peach LSU 17,618 1997 Peach Auburn 17,502 1999 Peach Miss. State 24,227 2000 Gator Virginia Tech 17,767
*Numbers prior to 1991 are estimates made by Clemson ticket office
Carson, Hafley in Top 30 in Tackles
Clemson linebacker Chad Carson and safety Charles Hafley both rank in
the top 30 in the nation in tackles. Carson ranks in a tie for 16th
with Glenn Sumter of Memphis. They both have 123 tackles in 10 games
so far this season. Hafley is 30th in the nation with an average of
11.3 per game. The Clemson graduate student has 113 in 10 games.
Hafley is also 18th in the country in first hits with 7.8 per game,
78 in 10 games.
Carson ranked fourth in the nation in tackles last year when he
averaged 13 tackles per game. He led the Tigers in tackles a year ago
with 156. Hafley has 113 tackles this year, ahead of his 106 last
year, which was a record for a strong safety. Hafley has played both
free and strong safety this year.
Young Named All-American by Football News
Clemson center Kyle Young has been named a third-team All-American by
The Football News. It marked the second straight year that Young had
been honored by the publication. The announcement was made Nov. 22. Young, a graduate student and a native of Clemson, was one of nine
ACC players named to the three teams. Young was joined on the
third-team offense by Maryland center Melvin Fowler and Virginia wide
receiver Billy McMullen.
North Carolina lineman Julius Peppers and Maryland linebacker E.J.
Henderson were named first-team All-Americans by Football News. The
second team included Maryland running back Bruce Perry, Georgia Tech
defensive end Greg Gathers, N.C. State linebacker Levar Fisher and
Maryland punter Brooks Barnard.
Young leads the Tigers in knockdown blocks with 128, a figure that
broke his own Tiger record. He has been Clemson's highest rated
blocker in nine of the 10 games this year, including eight in a row.
He has led the team in knockdown blocks in six games.
A candidate for the Rimington Award, which goes to the top center in
college football, Young has started 38 games in a row heading into
his home finale against Duke on Dec. 1. A Summa Cum Laude graduate
from Clemson last May, he will receive a National Football Foundation
Scholarship in December, one of eight Division I players to receive
the scholarship.
Facts on Clemson's Youth
Clemson has one its youngest teams in years. There is good leadership
from the senior class of 20 players on the travel roster, but 34 of
Clemson's 44 players on the two-deep are slated to return next year.
Out of the nine ACC schools, only Duke has more players expected to
return with 35.
When it comes to defense, the youth notes are considerable. Nineteen
of Clemson's top 22 are expected to return next season. That can be
confusing because starting defensive tackle Nick Eason is listed as a
graduate student. Most graduate students are in their final year of
eligibility, but not Nick. He graduated in three years and had a
red-shirt year athletically, so he still has another year and is
expected to return. Clemson and Duke are the only players in the ACC
with 19 of its top 22 players on defense expected to return next
season.
Clemson has seven freshmen listed as first or second team on defense.
Clemson and Wake Forest are the only ACC schools to have seven
freshmen on their defensive two-deep. These freshmen, five of whom
are first-year freshmen, see significant playing time.
Donnell Washington is a defensive tackle who has seven tackles for
loss this year, tied for third on the team. Moe Fountain has six and
is tied for fourth on the club. Ryan Hemby has started two games at
cornerback and has 11 tackles, while linebacker Eric Sampson had 14
tackles off the bench to key the defensive effort in the win over
Wake Forest. He has 31 tackles for the season.
Three of Clemson's top five receivers are freshmen. Derrick Hamilton
leads the team with 49 catches for 590 yards. Airese Currie is fourth
on the team in receptions with 17 for 315 yards. His 315 receiving
yards are a Clemson first-year freshman record, as is his team
leading 18.5 yards per reception. Roscoe Crosby is tied for fourth on
the team in receptions with 17 for 257 yards. The Clemson first-year
freshman mark for total receptions is 21 so both Currie and Crosby
have a chance to break that mark against Duke.
Bowden Seeking Third Straight Bowl Bid
Clemson needs one more victory to become bowl eligible. If the Tigers
are selected for a bowl game in December, it would give Clemson three
bowl bids in the three seasons Tommy Bowden has been the head coach.
He would become the first coach in Clemson history to take the Tigers
to a bowl game in each of his first three years as head coach. Danny Ford had a 26-9 record through his first three full seasons as
Clemson head coach, but his 1980 Tigers had a 6-5 record and were not
selected for a bowl game. Ken Hatfield was 24-10-1 in his first three
years, but his third Tiger team was 5-6 and did not go to a bowl.
Frank Howard was 16-10-2 in his first three years, but he did not
take the Tigers to a bowl game until his ninth season, 1948. Of
course, there were very few bowl games in those days.
With one regular season game to go and perhaps a bowl game, Bowden
trails only Ford, Hatfield and Josh Cody (1927-29) as far as total
victories after three seasons. Cody was 21-9-1 for his first three
years. Bowden is 20-14 in his first two years plus 10 games. Bowden finds himself in the same situation he was in his first year,
having to win the last game of the regular season to become bowl
eligible. That year he defeated South Carolina in the regular season
finale, 31-21, to reach six wins and qualify for a bid to the Peach
Bowl.
Dantzler Ranked Among Winningest Clemson QBs
Woodrow Dantzler has a 17-11 record as a starting quarterback over
the last three years, currently tied for eighth in total wins by a
Clemson starting quarterback with All-American Bobby Gage, who led
the Tigers from 1946-48.
Dantzler would tie Harvey White, an All-ACC performer from 1957-59 if
he can lead the Tigers to victory over Duke. DeChane Cameron is next
on the list with 19. The only 20-game winners in Clemson history are
Rodney Williams (32), Nealon Greene (24), Homer Jordan (22), Mike
Eppley (21) and Steve Fuller (21).
Dantzler has actually been a starter in 18 Clemson victories the last
three years. However, one of his starts (vs. Duke in 1999) was as a
wide receiver and he does not get credit as the starting quarterback
in that game.
Clemson's career leader in victories for a starting quarterback is
Rodney Williams, who started 32 Clemson wins between 1985-88. That is
a mark that could stand for a while since someone would have to
average eight wins a year as a starter for four seasons just to tie
Williams. Williams is tied with Chris Weinke of Florida State for the
ACC record. The NCAA leader is Peyton Manning, who started 39
victories at Tennessee.
Clemson's Winningest Starting Quarterbacks
Name Years Record Rodney Williams 1985-88 32-10-2 Nealon Greene 1994-97 24-16 Homer Jordan 1979-82 22-6-1 Mike Eppley 1980-84 21-5-1 Steve Fuller 1975-78 21-11-3 DeChane Cameron 1988-91 19-4-1 Harvey White 1957-59 18-7 Bobby Gage 1946-48 17-7 W Dantzler 1998-01 17-11
Carson Records 23 Tackles vs. Wake Forest, 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. He was named the ACC Defensive Player of
the Week for the second time in his career for that performance. 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 434 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. A Simmons, LB 1995-97 486 3. Jeff Davis, LB 1978-81 469 4. Ed McDaniel, LB 1988-91 489 5. Chad Carson, LB 1998-01 434 6. Randy Scott, LB 1975-78 382 7. Keith Adams, LB 1998-00 379 8. R 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
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