Clemson Football 2009 Final Notes

by CU Athletic Communications - Fri Jan 08 09:25:20 GMT-04:00 2010

Team Notes

• Won ACC's Atlantic Division championship, the first Division Championship for Clemson program. Won Division with 6-2 conference record, tied for best ACC record by Clemson program since 1991.

• Won Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl with 21-13 win over Kentucky. It was 16th bowl win in school history, the 18th best total in college football history.

• Tied for 22nd in nation and third in ACC in wins with nine.

• Clemson closed first decade of the 21st century with winning season every year of the decade, one of 14 schools to accomplish the feat.

• First Clemson team to defeat Miami (FL) and Florida State in same year, Tigers scored at least 40 points against each team.

• Win over eighth ranked Miami tied for highest ranked team Clemson has defeated on the road.

• Ranked in top 20 of Final Sagarin Computer Poll.

• Schedule ranked in top 20 according to Warren Nolan computer ranking and NCAA. Clemson played four games against top 15 teams, just the second Clemson team to do that (1999).

• Ranked as high as 15th in the nation on November 22.

• Had six-game winning streak, second longest streak by an ACC team in 2009.

• Had five First-team Freshman All-ACC selections on Rival's team, more than any other school.

• Three freshmen, Dalton Freeman, Rashard Hall, and Kyle Parker, made various freshman All-America teams.

• Had eight selections on first or second-team All-ACC teams, second most in the ACC. All-ACC selections included C.J. Spiller, Michael Palmer, DeAndre McDaniel, Chris Hairston, Ricky Sapp, and Jacoby Ford.

• Eleven players on the 2009 Music City Bowl roster had their degrees, including leading rusher, C.J. Spiller, leading receiver Jacoby Ford and All-America offensive lineman Thomas Austin.

• Had seven returns for touchdowns in 2009, tying school record. Clemson finished in top 25 nationally in punt returns and kickoff returns.

• C.J. Spiller and DeAndre McDaniel both named first-team All-American by Football Writers Association. Clemson joined Alabama, Florida and Texas as only schools with at least two Football Writers All-Americans.

• C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford finished career with 11,671 all-purpose yards, more than any other duo in college football history and over 1,000 yards more than previous record.

• Spiller finished sixth in Heisman Trophy balloting, tied for highest finish by a Clemson player.

Notes on Clemson Offense

• Highest scoring team in Clemson history with 436 total points.

• Scored 54 touchdowns, third most in Clemson history.

• Third in school history in yards per play at 5.7.

• Seventh team in Clemson history to gain 5000 yards.

• Had school record streak four straight games of scoring at least 40 points and record six straight games with at least 34 points.

• Third team in Clemson history to gain at least 2300 yards rushing and 2300 yards passing in same year.

• Most balanced team in Clemson history in terms of scoring. Had 24 rushing touchdowns and 23 passing.

• Just the fourth team in Clemson history with three 500-yard receivers.

• Set record for most completions and yards to tight ends in school history (60) and (617)

• Michael Palmer set Clemson record for receptions and reception yards by a tight end with 43-507.

• Kyle Parker earned second-team Freshman All-America honors and threw for 2526 yards, fifth best for a freshman in ACC history.

• Parker tied for most wins by a freshman quarterback in the nation.

• Thomas Austin made third-team All-American. Dalton Freeman made first-team freshman All-American.

Notes on Clemson Defense

• Led ACC in interceptions with 21, Tigers finished tied for third in the nation.

• Ranked in the top 25 in the nation in seven different categories.

• Ranked sixth in the nation in pass defense, first in the ACC.

• Had 4-0 record against the ACC's top four passers.

• Ranked 10th in the nation in forcing turnovers with 30

• Ranked 13th in the nation in tackles for loss and second in ACC in sacks.

• Ranked 20th in nation in total defense, allowing 314 yards per game

• Ranked 25th in nation in scoring defense and 21st in pass efficiency defense.

• Held a Boston College team that would win eight games to 54 yards total offense, best defensive performance by a Clemson team since 1963.

• Held TCU, the nation's fifth highest scoring team, to just 14 points, their low total of the regular season.

• Brandon Maye established school record for caused fumbles in a season with five.

• Safety DeAndre McDaniel tied Clemson record for interceptions with eight and ranked fourth in the nation.

• McDaniel made five different All-America teams, including first-team Football Writers.

• Freshman Rashard Hall was first-team Freshman All-American and ranked 19th in nation in interceptions

• Cornerback Crezdon Butler finished career second in school history in interception return yards.

Head Coach Dabo Swinney Notes

• Led Clemson to its first ACC Atlantic Division Championship.

• Named ACC Coach of the Year by Sporting News

• One of 10 Finalists for Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year.

• His Nine wins ranked second nationally in most wins among coaches in first full season.

• The nine wins were second most in Clemson history and fourth most in ACC history for a first-year head coach.

• Defeated Hall of Fame Head Coach Bobby Bowden, the second winningest coach in college football history.

• First coach in Clemson history to defeat a top 10 team (Miami) in his first full season.

• Tied Clemson record for ACC wins by Tigers coach in his first year as head coach.

C.J. Spiller Notes

• Unanimous First-Team All-American (3rd in Clemson History).

• Sixth in Voting for Heisman Trophy (tied for highest finish by Clemson player).

• Player of the Year in Atlantic Coast Conference by ACC Sports Media Association.

• Most Valuable Player of the ACC Championship game when he rushed for championship game record 233 yards.

• First Player on losing team to win ACC Championship game MVP honors.

• Most Valuable Player of the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl.

• National All-Satellite Player of the Year by ESPN's Todd McShay.

• Winner of Banks McFadden Award as top college player in South Carolina.

• National Kick Returner of the Year by College Football Performance Awards.

• Finalist for Doak Walker Award (top running back).

• Offensive Player of the Year in Atlantic Coast Conference by ACC Sports Media Association.

• First-team All-American All-Purpose player by Associated Press.

• Also first-team All-American by Football Writers Association, Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, College Football News, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, and CBS Sportsline.

• First College Player in History to Make Walter Camp All-American teams at two positions.

• First-team All-ACC Kick Returner by ACC Sports Media.

• First-team All-ACC RB by Sporting News.

• National Offensive Player of the Week vs. Miami (FL) by Walter Camp Foundation.

• National Offensive Player of the Week vs. Miami (FL) by Rivals.com.

• Runner-up for AT&T All-American of the Week vs. Miami (FL).

• First player in ACC history with 1000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in same season.

• Finished career second in NCAA history and first in ACC history in all-purpose yardage with 7,588.

• Averaged 191.4 yards per game in 2009, breaking an ACC record that had stood for 41 years.

• First player in college football history with 3,000 yards rushing, 2,000 yards in kickoff returns, 1,000 yards receiving, and 500 in punt return yards.

• Ranked third in nation in kickoff returns, fourth in all-purpose running and fifth in touchdowns scored in 2009.

• Only player in the nation to score a touchdown in every game this year.

• Established over 30 Clemson game, season and career records.

• Received standing ovation from Clemson Board of Trustees at graduation ceremonies on Dec. 17, the first Clemson athlete so honored.