Clemson holds practice at Panthers facility

Tigers at the Carolina Panthers practice facility on Tuesday afternoon.

by CU Athletic Communications - Tue Dec 28 18:11:18 GMT-04:00 2010

Dabo Swinney after practice audio(mp3 Format)

Clemson OL Dalton Freeman after practice audio (mp3 Format)

Charlotte, NC—Clemson held a full pads practice for nearly two hours on the artificial surface at the Carolina Panthers practice facility on Tuesday afternoon. It was the second major practice in Charlotte for the Tigers, who are preparing to face South Florida in the Meineke Car Care Bowl on Friday at noon at Bank of American Stadium.

Clemson will hold its final practice in Charlotte on Wednesday afternoon at Charlotte Country Day High School.

“We had a very good practice today,” said Head Coach Dabo Swinney. “We were very focused yesterday at Charlotte Country Day, but the conditions were a bit slippery so it was tough to have a physically sharp practice. Today we had both.”

The Tigers went through a normal “Wednesday” practice on Tuesday with 18 periods in full pads at the facility that is adjacent to Bank of America Stadium. The practice was held in 50 degree temperatures and brilliant sunshine.

The practice finished up with a two-minute drill. Quarterback Kyle Parker directed the number-one offense to a touchdown against the number-one defense in the two minute drill.

Swinney commented on Parker’s play when he met with the media after the practice. “’Kyle is a competitive young man and I expect him to play well on Friday in his final football game. He has worked hard during the bowl preparation and I know he wants to lead us to a victory in his final game as our quarterback. He will leave Clemson with quite a legacy, an athlete who has done some things no one else has done as a two-sport athlete.”

Parker is eighth in Clemson history in career home runs on the baseball diamond with 46 and is fifth in school history in career touchdown passes on the gridiron with 32. He was Clemson’s top home run hitter on the Tigers College World Series team last year. He needs just 10 completions against South Florida to become the fifth player in Clemson history with 400 career completions. “People forget that KP is really just a sophomore when it comes to football.”

Parker, a first-round draft pick of the Colorado Rockies last June, will begin his professional baseball career this spring.

Among the visitors at practice on Tuesday were former Tigers All-American wide receiver Perry Tuttle, former All-ACC defensive tackle Brentson Buckner, who also played on the Panthers NFC Championship team a few years back, and former defensive tackle Otis Moore.

Reserve wide receiver Brandon Clear is questionable for the game with a knee injury, an injury he suffered during a practice at Clemson last week.