TigerNet All-Time Clemson Football Teams: #5 |
1990 (10-2-0, 5-2-0 Tied for 2nd in ACC)
Ranked 9th by AP, UPI, and USA Today
S 1 59-0 W H L Bch St (10-NR)
The 1990 Clemson football season marked the end of an incredible college
football era and the career of head coach Danny Ford. Ford left Death Valley
tied for first in ACC career victories with 96, and he was also second in
overall winning percentage. But as Danny Ford and the 1980's came to an end,
a new decade and a new era in Clemson football was about to begin under head
coach Ken Hatfield.
Hatfield left a coaching position at his alma mater of Arkansas in 1990,
and became the 22nd head coach of the Clemson Tigers. He would go on to post
an impressive record during his 4 season career at Clemson, but his first
season as head coach was the perhaps the finest of his career.
The 1990 Clemson Tigers finished the season with a 10-2-0 overall record,
and a tie for 2nd in the ACC with a 5-2-0 record within the conference.
Clemson opened up the season against Long Beach State in Death Valley on
September 1st and made
quick work of the 49er’s in a 59-0 rout. The next game proved to be a struggle as the Tigers lost to Virginia by a
score of 7-20. The only other loss of the season came in a close game
against Georgia Tech, in which the Tigers lost 19-21.
The Clemson offense was led by Junior quarterback DeChane Cameron, who
competed solidly throughout the 1990 season, although his greatest season
would be during 1991. Cameron completed 98 passes for 1185 yards on the
season, and was 12-14 in the game versus South Carolina. But what made this
offense so effective was the talent working with Cameron in the offensive
backfield, and together they rushed for over 300 yards in 5 separate games.
First year Freshman Ronald Williams had a record setting season at
tailback, and he showed great promise as he routinely rushed 100 plus yards a
game. He ran for 183 yards in the 48-0 win over Appalachian State, 128 yards
against Georgia, and 124 yards in the South Carolina win. Williams
finished his first season at Clemson with a total of 941 yards and 8
touchdowns, averaging a freshman-record 85.6 yards per game.
Receiver Doug Thomas also made the history books
during the 1990 season by returning two kickoffs for 98 yards against Long
Beach State and the Maryland .
Freshman wide receiver Terry Smith also set a record by catching 34
passes on the season for 480 yards, and he pulled down 9 passes in the
Maryland game alone for 84 yards.
Kicker Chris Gardocki was the leading scorer for the 1990 Tigers with 96
points. He kicked 22 field goals for 769 total yards, including a record
tying 57 yarder against Appalachian State, a 53 yarder against Maryland, and
a 51 yarder against Duke. Gardocki was also 100% effective at extra point
attempts at 30-30.
The 1990 Tiger offense could undoubtedly do battle and put points on the
scoreboard with the best teams in college football, but the defense had its
most impressive season yet as they finished 1st in total defense and 2nd in
rushing defense in the entire NCAA.
On the line was defensive tackle Vance Hammond, who had 8.5 sacks for a
total loss of 63 yards, and the linebackers caught anyone that escaped the
line trying to run up the middle. Ed McDaniel led the team in tackles with
109, and Doug Brewster finished his career at Clemson with 312 tackles.
Defensive powerhouse Chester McGlockton had 3 sacks in the South Carolina
game alone. Defensive back Dexter Davis finished the season with 6
interceptions, and Arlington Nunn had 3 interceptions with returns for 115
yards.
Clemson posted its 500th victory in the 24-6 win over Wake Forest during
the 1990 season, and they met Illinois in the Tiger's first Hall of Fame Bowl
appearance. Clemson went on to beat the Illini 30-0, highlighting the
largest margin of victory in a bowl game for the Tigers, and the win gave
Clemson the #9 position in the final AP poll of the season.
Offense
TE: Stacy Fields, 6-3, 233, Sr. (11)
LT: Bruce Bratton, 6-5, 265, Jr. (12)
LG: Jeb Flesch, 6-3, 266, Jr. (12)
C: Curtis Whitley, 6-1, 260, Jr. (9)
RG: Eric Harmon, 6-1, 282, Sr. (12)
RT: Stacy Long, 6-2, 275, Sr. (11)
FLK: Doug Thomas, 5-10, 181, Sr. (9)
QB: DeChane Cameron, 6-1, 191, Jr. (12)
TB: Ronald Williams, 6-1, 195, Fr. (9)
FB: Howard Hall, 6-0, 232, So. (9)
WR: Terry Smith, 6-1, 180, Fr. (9)
PK: Chris Gardocki, 6-2, 193, Jr. (12)
Defense
OLB: Levon Kirkland, 6-2, 230, Jr. (12)
LT: Chester McGlockton, 6-5, 310, So. (8)
MG: Rob Bodine, 6-1, 240, Jr. (11)
RT: Vance Hammond, 6-7, 285, Sr. (12)
OLB: John Johnson, 6-3, 220, Sr. (12)
SLB: Ed McDaniel, 6-0, 225, Jr. (12)
WLB: Doug Brewster, 6-2, 205, Sr. (12)
LC: Jerome Henderson, 5-11, 187, Sr. (12)
SAF: Robert O'Neal, 6-2, 185, So. (12)
RC: Dexter Davis, 5-9, 175, Jr. (12)
ROV: Arlington Nunn, 5-10, 190, Sr. (12)
P: Chris Gardocki, 6-2, 193, Jr. (12)
Number in parentheses is games started by that player regardless of position in that season.
Clemson All-Time Teams
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