2010 CLEMSON TIGER FOOTBALL

Transcription

1 2010 CLEMSON TIGER FOOTBALL Clemson Tigers at Wake Forest Game 11: Clemson at Wake Forest Saturday, November 20, 2010 Kickoff: 2:00 PM Winston-Salem, NC Televsion: None Internet: ESPN3 Clemson Radio Network Announcers: Pete Yanity, Will Merritt, Patrick Sapp Series History: Overall: Clemson leads At Wake Forest: Clemson leads at Clemson: Clemson leads 34-7 at Neutral : Clemson leads 3-0 Last Meeting: Clemson 38-3 at Clemson, Last Wake Forest Win: 12-7 at Wake Forest, 2008 Last Clemson win at Wake Forest: in 2006 Streak: Clemson won 8 of last 11 Clemson 2010 SCHEDULE Date Opponent Result/TV Score/Time Sept. 4 NORTH TEXAS ESPNU Sept. 11 PRESBYTERIAN ESPN Sept. 18 at Auburn ESPN (OT) Oct. 2 MIAMI (FL) ESPN Oct. 9 at North Carolina ABC Oct. 16 MARYLAND Raycom 31-7 Oct. 23 GEORGIA TECH ABC Oct. 30 at Boston College Raycom Nov. 6 NC STATE Raycom Nov. 13 at Florida State ABC Nov. 20 at Wake Forest ESPN3 2:00 PM Nov. 27 SOUTH CAROLINA TBA TBA Clemson SID Contacts Assistant AD/SID for Football: Tim Bourret, Notre Dame 1977 Associate SID/Secondary Football Contact: Brian Hennessy, Clemson 1998 Sr. Associate SID: Sam Blackman, Clemson 1985 clemsontigers.com Libby Kehn, Clemson 2002 Associate SID: Philip Sikes, Clemson 2002 Assistant SID: Jeff Kallin, Clemson 2007 SID Office Phone: (864) SID Fax Machine: (864) Bourret btimoth@clemson.edu Press Box: (864) SID Address: P.O. Box 31, Clemson, SC Overnight Mailing Address: 100 Perimeter Road, Clemson, SC Ticket Office: CLEMSON Clemson Tigers Record, , 3-4 ACC Location...Clemson, SC Colors...Burnt Orange and Northwest Purple Enrollment... 19,111 Athletic Director... Dr. Terry Don Phillips Head Coach...Dabo Swinney, Alabama 93 Clemson Record/2nd full year as head coach Home Record Away Record Neutral Record ACC Regular Season Record Career Record/2nd full season Record against Florida State Offensive Coordinator...Billy Napier Defensive Coordinator...Kevin Steele Dabo Swinney Press Conference Head Coach Dabo Swinney holds his weekly press conference each Tuesday at the West Endzone Team Room of Clemson Memorial Stadium. He will be available at 11:00 AM. The press conference will also be available over clemsontigers.com. Clemson players will be available before and after Swinney s press conference. The first player will arrive around 10:30 AM. Coordinators Kevin Steele and Billy Napier will be available between 12:30 PM and 1:15 PM. Coach Swinney is also available each Sunday after a game at 5:45 PM. Contact Tim Bourret for the number. Swinney is also available after practice on Wednesday and Thursday. ACC Teleconference Each ACC coach is available on the ACC teleconference every Wednesday throughout the season for 10 minutes. Coach Swinnney is available at 12:10 PM each Wednesday. To get the number contact the ACC office. 10:30 AM Jim Grobe, Wake Forest 10:40 AM Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech 10:50 AM Mike London, Virginia 11:00 AM Tom O Brien, NC State 11:10 AM Butch Davis, North Carolina 11:20 AM Randy Shannon, Miami (FL) 11:30 AM Ralph Friedgen, Maryland 11:40 AM Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech 11:50 AM Jimbo Fisher, Florida State Noon: David Cutcliffe, Duke 12:10 PM Dabo Swinney, Clemson 12:20 PM Frank Spaziani, Boston College For ACC Information go to: This site will have the latest ACC release and a link to the football media guide. Media Information Wake Forest Demon Deacons Record, overall, 1-6, ACC Location... Winston-Salem, NC Colors...Old Gold & Black Enrollment...4,476 Head Coach... Jim Grobe (Virginia 75) School Record/10th season Overall (16th year) Record against Clemson Offensive Coordinator...Steed Lobotzke Defensive Coordinator... Brad Lambert Football SID... Steve Shutt Phone... (336) shuttsj@wfu.edu Website:...wakeforestsports.com Clemson Player Interviews Contact SID Tim Bourret each Sunday before 3:00 PM at (864) with specific player requests for the week. We will conduct player interviews on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10:30 to 1:30 PM at the second floor player lounge of the West Endzone at Memorial Stadium. Assistant coach interviews are also conducted on Monday and Tuesday during the lunch hour at the West Endzone. ACC Satellite Feed The ACC will provide a 90-minute weekly satellite feed during the ACC football season. The feed will consist of sound from head coaches and players of each school,as well as game highlights from the previous week Date: Every Wednesday, Sept 1 to Dec. 1 Time: 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM Satellite: AMC1, Transponder 22 KU Digital, 103 degrees West Downlink Frequency: vertical Symbol Rate: 20.0 MS Data Rate: Mbps FEC: 3/4 Trouble number: (336) Clemson Personnel Update Andre Ellington (RB)--Starting running back and leading rusher out who has missed last two games. Doubtful for Wake Forest with a toe injury. Kourtnei Brown (DE)--Suffered high ankle sprain against Boston College. Out for NC State and Florida State. Questionable for Wake Forest. Brandon Maye (LB)--Suffered concusion in second half against Florida State and did not return. Questionable for Wake Forest Clemson Tiger Football 1

2 2010 STANDINGS Atlantic Division Team ACC Home Away Over Florida State NC State Maryland Clemson Boston College Wake Forest Coastal Division Virginia Tech Miami Georgia Tech North Carolina Virginia Duke This week s ACC Games Saturday, November 20 Virginia at Boston College ESPNU Noon Clemson at Wake Forest ESPN3 2:00 PM Duke at Georgia Tech ESPN3 1:30 PM Florida State at Maryland ABC 8:00 PM Virginia Tech at Miami ESPN 3:30 PM NC State at North Carolina Raycom Noon Next week s ACC Games Saturday, November 27 Boston College at Syracuse South Carolina at Clemson North Carolina at Duke Florida at Florida State Georgia Tech at Georgia NC State at Maryland South Florida at Miami (FL) Virginia at Virginia Tech Wake Forest at Vanderbilt Clemson Pronunciations #93 DaQuan Bowers DAY-Kwahn #Dabo Swinney DAH bo SWEE knee Billy Napier NAY Pee ur Jaron Brown juh-rahn Quandon Christian KWAHN-duhn Mansa Joseph MAN-suh Darrell Smith Dayr-uhl In the Press Box: Billy Napier, Charlie Harbison ACC Players of the Week: North Texas: Dawson Zimmerman, Specialist North Carolina DeAndre Hopkins, Rookie Maryland: Da Quan Bowers, Def Line Andre Ellington, Specialist Georgia Tech Andre Ellington. Offensive Back NC State: DeAndre McDaniel, Def Back Clemson vs. Wake Forest Series Clemson owns 57 wins over Wake Forest in history, its second highest victory total over any opponent. Clemson has 65 wins over South Carolina. Forty-seven of those wins against Wake Forest have taken place since the ACC was formed in Clemson is 34-7 against Wake Forest in games played in Clemson and is 29-7 in Death Valley in the series that dates to a13-0 Clemson win in Charlotte in Clemson won last year 38-3 at Clemson, but Wake Forest won the last time the two teams met at Wake Forest. That was a 12-7 victory for Wake Forest in Tommy Bowden s last game as Clemson head coach. That is also the last time Clemson failed to score at least 10 points in a game. The Tigers have a 31-game streak under Dabo Swinney, the longest streak for the Clemson program since a 34-game streak between Wake Forest Coach Jim Grobe has a 3-6 record against Clemson in his nine years at Wake Forest. All three of the wins have taken place at Wake Forest. He is 0-4 in Death Valley and Wake Forest has not won at Clemson since 1998 when Jim Caldwell (now with the Indianapolis Colts) coached the Demon Deacons to a win. Wake Forest has won just twice at Clemson since 1962 and Caldwell won both games. He also defeated Clemson in 1993, Ken Hatfield s last year as Clemson coach. This will be Dabo Swinney s second game as Clemson head coach against Wake Forest. He won last year, 38-3 in what might be Clemson s best all-around performance of the year. The Tigers were 3-3 against Wake Forest in the previous six games prior to him taking over the Clemson program. Clemson won the 2006 game at Wake Forest, That was the last time Clemson won at Winston-Salem. The late Gaines Adams had a game changing 66-yard fumble return on a botched field goal attempt in the fourth quarter to cut the Demon Deacons lead to The Tigers scored 24 points in the fourth period to gain the victory. C.J. Spiller had a 72-yard run in that game. Clemson played at Wake Forest three times in a four-year period from Clemson was 1-2 at Wake Forest during that time. The Deacs won in 2003 against a Clemson team that finished the year 9-4 and ranked in the top 25 in the nation. Clemson won four in a row after that game and Wake Forest lost its last three games. Wake Forest also won in 2005 at Winston-Salem. Clemson has a edge in the series since 1953, a.832 winning percentage. Clemson has played Wake Forest in football 57 consecutive years, as the last year the two schools did not play was The two schools are in the same division, so they will continue to play annually. Clemson has a lead in the series in games played at Wake Forest, including in games played at Groves Stadium. Only one coach in history won as many as four games against Clemson without a loss in Death Valley and the coach was from Wake Forest. Frank Howard and Peahead Walker had a close friendship, but Peahead had a 4-0 record against Howard in Death Valley. Clemson has won 12 out of 16 against Wake Forest dating to The Demon Deacons won back-to-back games in , the only time Wake Forest has won consecutive contests against Clemson since Clemson had a 7-3 record against Wake Forest under Tommy Bowden, but five of the seven Clemson wins were decided by 10 points or less. The two teams have played at three neutral sites games over the years, including Tokyo, Japan. Clemson won that game in 1982 by a score to close out an ACC Championship season. Clemson defeated a Wake Forest team coached by current Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Al Groh on Halloween Day 1981 by an score. That is the highest scoring game in ACC history involving two league teams. Clemson was on third down in that game, a school record. The Tigers went on to win the national championship that season. Most Wins by Clemson vs. Opponents Opponent Record South Carolina Wake Forest NC State Furman Virginia Duke North Carolina Last Year vs. Wake Forest Clemson 38, Wake Forest 3 C.J. Spiller rushed for 106 yards and scored two touchdowns and Clemson s defense sacked Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner five times in the Tigers 38-3 victory over the Demon Deacons at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Clemson was 2-3 entering the game, while Wake Forest was 4-2. It was Clemson s largest victory margin over an ACC team since a win over Duke at Durham in 2007 and the largest victory margin over an ACC team in Death Valley since a 52-7 win over North Carolina in It was Clemson s largest margin of victory over Wake Forest since 2000 and the Tigers continued their success against Wake Forest in games played at Clemson. The Demon Deacons have not won at Clemson since 1998 and have just two wins in Death Valley since Spiller had nine carries for 106 yards and two scores, one a 66-yard run in the second period, and the other a 14-yard run in the third period. Spiller went over 6,000 all-purpose running yards and 2,800 rushing yards during the game. He became the first ACC player in history with over 6,000 all-purpose yards. His 66-yard scoring run gave him at least one play of 60 yards or more in every game this year, five of which have gone for touchdowns. Kyle Parker quarterbacked the Tigers to the victory by completing passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. The freshman also rushed seven times for a season high 31 yards and a touchdown. Parker became the first Tiger quarterback to throw a scoring pass and rush for a touchdown in the same game since the second game of 2008 when Cullen Harper did it against The Citadel. Michael Palmer was Parker s favorite with four receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown. Jacoby Ford had just one catch, but it went for 51 yards and set up a score. Clemson had five red-zone scoring opportunities and had four touchdowns and a field goal. Clemson had scored touchdowns in the red-zone just three times in the first five games. Clemson s defense was outstanding, holding Wake Forest to just 178 total yards, including just 81 yards rushing on 44 attempts. Skinner, who entered the game as the ACC s top Clemson Tiger Football 2

3 NATIONAL RANKINGS Associated Press Top 25 (Nov. 14, 2010) Rk School (First Place) W-L Pts LW 1. Oregon (38) Auburn (12) Boise State (9) TCU (1) LSU Wisconsin Stanford Ohio State Nebraska Alabama Michigan State Oklahoma State Arkansas Virginia Tech Missouri Oklahoma South Carolina Texas A&M Nevada Southern Cal NR 21. Iowa Mississippi State Arizona Miami (FL) NR 25. Utah Others receiving votes: Northwestern 99, Florida State 69, NC State 38, Northern Illinois 37, San Diego State 32, Temple 9, Michigan 4, Tulsa 2, Syracuse 2, Maryland 1, Delaware 1. USA Today/Coaches Top 25 Coaches Poll (November 14, 2010) Rk. Team (1st place) Rec Pts. Prv 1. Oregon (46) Auburn (6) Boise State (5) TCU (2) Wisconsin LSU Ohio State Stanford Nebraska Oklahoma State Michigan State Alabama Arkansas Oklahoma Virginia Tech Missouri South Carolina Nevada Texas A&M Iowa Miami (FL) NR 22. Mississippi State Arizona Utah Northwestern NR Others: Florida State 87, Michigan 72, North Carolina State 55, Northren Illinois 30, Temple 23, San Diego State 20, Maryland 18, Syracuse 13. Hawaii 10, Navy 6, Kansas State 5, UCF 5, Southern Miss 4, Baylor 3, Air Force 2, Penn State 1. passer, was for 82 yards and two interceptions. He was also sacked five times by Clemson s defense. Kavell Conner was Clemson s top tackler with eight, while reserve linebacker Tig Willard had seven. DeAndre McDaniel ha five stops and a 26-yard interception return that set up a field goal. DaQuan Bowers had a career high tying three tackles for loss. The Clemson defense had 12 tackles for loss as a team, the top total this season. Swinney Faces Deacons on his Birthday Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney will face Wake Forest on his 41 st birthday. He is just the second Clemson coach to have a game on his birthday. The only other time it has taken place was October 26, 1974 when Red Parker coached the Tigers in a road game against Tennessee. Tennessee won that game on a late touchdown. Swinney is the third ACC coach to have a game on his birthday this year. Mike London of Virginia and Jimbo Fisher of Florida State both had games on October 9 earlier this year. London lost his game and Fisher won his. Swinney turns 41 on Saturday and he is the youngest head coach in the ACC. One other note concerns Clemson basketball coach Brad Brownell. He coached for the Tigers against Wofford earlier this week on Monday, November 15 on his birthday. Parker at his best vs. Wake Forest Clemson starting quarterback Kyle Parker will play his second football game against Wake Forest on Saturday. He is also a veteran of eight games against the Demon Deacons in baseball over the last three years. Parker had his best baseball stats against Wake Forest out of all the ACC schools. In eight career baseball games against Wake Forest he hit 13-29, a.448 average, with 12 runs scored, 16 RBIs and six home runs. He hit a home run at Wake Forest last year in a Clemson victory. He had arguably his best career game as a Clemson baseball player at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem on March 9, 2008 in the second game of a doubleheader. Playing in just his ninth career game and making his eighth career start, Parker was 5-5 at the plate with a Clemson record tying three home runs and seven runs batted in. His three-run home run in the top of the ninth tied the game at 11. Clemson then scored another run in that inning and won Parker helped the Tigers to a 38-3 win at Clemson on the gridiron last fall. He connected on passes for 132 yards and a touchdown, and also had seven rushes for 31 yards and a touchdown. That is the only rushing touchdown of his Clemson football career. If Parker throws a touchdown pass against Wake Forest it will be the fourth road city where he has thrown a touchdown pass and hit a home run. He also has done that at South Carolina, Auburn and Georgia Tech. One other interesting note on Parker s career concerns Wake Forest. In March of 2008 he played his first ACC road baseball series at Wake Forest. Now he will play his final ACC road football game at Wake Forest. So he will start and finish his road game athletic career against ACC competition against Wake Forest. Freeman s Father Played for Wake Forest This will be a special game for Clemson center Dalton Freeman. Freeman s father, Ben Freeman, played for Wake Forest and lettered as an offensive lineman in That year Clemson defeated Wake Forest in Winston-Salem in one of the most unusual games in Clemson history. Clemson had a 35-7 lead in the fourth quarter, but Wake Forest scored the last 26 points or the game, all in the fourth, to cut the lead to before Clemson hung on. Terry Kinard had to intercept a pass late in the game to preserve the victory. Dalton Freeman has had a solid year for the Tigers and has started at center in every game this season. The red-shirt sophomore has started 19 games in a row and played in 23 in a row over the last two years. He played 547 snaps as a freshman and has played 642 so far this year for a total of 1189 in his career. He has 85 knockdown blocks in his career. Clemson Defense Has Streak Going Clemson s defense has allowed just one touchdown in each of its last five games. Clemson and West Virginia are the only schools in the nation who have done that. This is the longest streak by the Clemson team since 1989 when Clemson did not allow more than one touchdown in each of the first five games. The longest streak in Clemson history allowing one touchdown or less is seven straight games, set by the 1981 National Championship team. That team allowed one touchdown or less in each of the first seven games that year, and did it a total of 10 times in the 12 games that year. Clemson s defense has allowed just 19 touchdowns this year, tied for sixth best in the nation. West Virginia has allowed the fewest with 11 and Alabama is second with 13. TCU and Boise State are third, allowing 16, while Ohio State is fifth with 17. Clemson, LSU and Iowa have allowed 19 apiece. Clemson Defense National Rankings 9 th in Scoring defense, th in total touchdowns allowed, 19 8 th in tackle for loss per game, th in total interceptions, th in sacks, 2.6 per game Da Quan Bowers, 1 st in sacks per game Da Quan Bowers, 2 nd in TFL/game DeAndre McDaniel, 23 rd in ints/ game Clemson Veterans vs. Wake Forest Dwayne Allen (TE) Had one reception for 10 yards in 17 plays as a starter against Wake Forest in Da Quan Bowers (DE) Had four tackles in 33 plays at Wake Forest in Had six tackles, including three tackles for loss and three quarterback pressures against Wake Forest in Andre Branch (DE) Had two tackles, including a sack, a tackle for loss, and quarterback pressure against Wake Forest in Kourtnei Brown (DE) Had four tackles, including a sack and a tackle for loss in 22 plays against Wake Forest in Xavier Dye (WR) Had one reception for 19 yards in 22 plays at Wake Forest in Had one reception for 32 yards against Wake Forest in Andre Ellington (RB) Had two carries for 34 yards against Wake Forest in Marcus Gilchrist (CB) Had five tackles in 26 plays against Wake Forest in Had six Clemson Tiger Football 3

4 tackles in 65 plays against Wake Forest in Mallicah Goodman (DE) Had two tackles, including a sack and a tackle for loss in 31 plays against Wake Forest in Jamie Harper (RB) Had three carries for 13 yards and a touchdown and two receptions for 15 yards against Wake Forest in Rashard Hall (S) Had four tackles, including a tackle for loss and an interception against Wake Forest in Jarvis Jenkins (DT) Had five tackles, including two tackles for loss and two quarterback pressures at Wake Forest in Had four tackles in 23 plays against Wake Forest in Byron Maxwell (CB) Had three tackles, including a tackle for loss and caused a fumble in 24 plays against Wake Forest in Had seven tackles and a pass breakup in 38 plays at Wake Forest in Had one tackle and a pass breakup in 19 plays against Wake Forest in Brandon Maye (LB) Had 13 tackles, including a tackle for loss at Wake Forest in Had five tackles in 41 plays against Wake Forest in DeAndre McDaniel ( S) Had six tackles, including a tackle for loss at Wake Forest in Had four tackles and an interception against Wake Forest in Rennie Moore (DE) Had four tackles, including half of a sack and half of a tackle for loss in 23 against Wake Forest in Kyle Parker (QB) Complete passes for 132 and a touchdown pass in addition to rushing the ball seven times for 31 yards and a rushing touchdown against Wake Forest in Brandon Thompson (DT) Had three tackles in 29 plays against Wake Forest in Jonathan Willard (LB) Had three tackles, including a tackle for loss in 12 plays against Wake Forest in Jacksonville Area strong Recruiting Base for Both Teams Perhaps Saturday s game should be played at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL. A look to the rosters of both teams shows us that there are 21 players from the two teams from the Jacksonville, FL area. Wake Forest has 14 players from the Jacksonville, FL area and Clemson has seven. The list includes Clemson starting quarterback Kyle Parker, who led the Tigers to victory last year against Wake Forest. One oddity is the fact that both teams have players from the same Jacksonville, FL high school with the same last name, but they are not related. Clemson s Parker and Wake Forest s Andrew Parker are close friends who played at Bartram Trail, but they are not related. The same goes for Clemson snapper Matt Skinner and former Wake Forest quarterback Riley Skinner. Both attended Bolles School in Jacksonville, but they are not related. Clemson Players from Jacksonville, FL Area (7) Name Pos High Jamie Harper RB Trinity Christian Academy Kyle Parker QB Bartram Trail Xavier Brewer CB Bartram Trail Daniel Andrews LB Trinity Christian Academy Matt Skinner SN Bolles Rashard Hall DB St. Augustine Carlton Lewis DB St. Augustine Wake Forest Players from Jacksonville, FL Area (14) Name Pos High Scho Neil Basford TE Bishop Kenny Scott Betrols LB Bolles Ramon Booi MG Nease Desmond Cooper Saf Bolles John Gallagher DT Nease Hunter Haynes LB Nease Riley Haynes LB Nease D.J. Jones CB First Coast Andrew Parker TE Bartram Trail Chance Raines C Bolles Frank Souza DT Nease Ted Stacjotas QB Mease Jordan Williams WR Raines Alex Wulfeck P Bolles Clemson s Last Game Florida State 16, Clemson 13 Dustin Hopkins booted a 55-yard field on the last play of the game to give Florida State a victory over Clemson at Doak Campbell Stadium. The victory kept Florida State alive in the Atlantic Division race of the Atlantic Coast Conference, while the loss eliminated the Tigers from contention. Clemson fell to 5-5 overall, 3-4 in the ACC. It was a frustrated loss for the Tigers, who had a 100-yard rusher (Jamie Harper) and a 100-yard receiver (DeAndre Hopkins, yet lost the contest. Clemson had won 20 consecutive games when it had a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver in the same game, the first time since the North Carolina game of Clemson finished the day with 391 yards of total offense, 25 first downs and a advantage in offensive plays. Clemson completed 64 percent of its passes, converted 9-18 third down opportunities, and had 152 yards rushing to go with 239 yards passing. Clemson s offensive line allowed just one sack against a Florida State defense that entered the game first in the nation in quarterback sacks. Clemson s biggest problem was scoring in the red-zone. Clemson did not score a touchdown in four red-zone possessions. Jamie Harper had the best game of his career with 143 yards rushing in 27 rushes and nine receptions for 54 yards for 36 total touches for a career high 197 yards from scrimmage. Quarterback Kyle Parker completed passes for 239 yards, while Hopkins had eight catches for 106 yards. It was his first career 100-yard receiving game. Defensively, Clemson allowed just one touchdown for the fifth consecutive game, and held the Seminoles to 97 yards rushing and just 16 first downs. Florida State entered the game averaging 33 points per game, but scored just 16 against the Tigers. Da Quan Bowers led the Tigers with nine tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and an interception. Clemson had a 10-6 lead at intermission and a 10-6 lead going into the fourth period. But Florida State went 85 yards in 12 plays behind quarterback E.J. Manual, who was in for an injured Christian Ponder. Manual scored on an eight-yard run to give FSU a lead with 10:08 left. Clemson tied the game with 53 seconds left in regulation on a 29- yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro. Clemson drove 68 yards in nine plays to set up that tying field goal. Florida State then drove 34 yards in seven plays in just 50 seconds before Hopkins nailed the 55-yard game winner on the final gun. Rodney Smith had four catches for 121 yards for Florida State, while Manual had 71 yards rushing and 210 yards passing to lead the Seminoles, who were coming off a heart breaking loss the previous week to North Carolina. Hopkins had missed a 40-yard field goal to win the game in the final seconds in that game. November 13 not Clemson s Lucky Day November 13 has not been a good date for the Tigers the last three times Clemson has played that day. Clemson lost at Florida State on a 55-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins on the last play of the game on November 13, Six years earlier and the last time Clemson had played on that November 13 date, Duke defeated the Tigers by that same score on a 53-yard field goal by Matt Brooks. On November 13, 1999, Clemson suffered a loss at Georgia Tech. Harper Has Top Game Running back Jamie Harper wanted to carry the ball when he came to Clemson in 2008 as a reserve behind James Davis and C.J. Spiller. He had been splitting time with Andre Ellington the first eight games of the season, but Ellington suffered a toe injury at Boston College and has not played the last two week. Harper had 36 touches for the Tigers at Florida State, 27 rushes for 143 yards and nine catches for 54 yards. That was a career high in rushing yards for Harper and just his second career 100-yard rushing game. The nine receptions set a Clemson record for receptions in a game by a running back. The previous mark was seven by Dick Bukowsky against Florida State in 1970 and by C.J. Spiller against Duke in Harper s 197 yards from scrimmage were also a career high and most by a Clemson player all season. It is the most since C.J. Spiller had 238 yards from scrimmage against Georgia Tech in the 2009 ACC Championship game in Tampa. Harper s 36 touches on scrimmage plays were the most since Raymond Priester had 36, all rushing plays, against Maryland in The record for touches on scrimmage plays in a game is 38. Jim Shirley had 36 rushes and two receptions vs. NC Sate in 1951, and Ray Yauger had 36 rushes and two rushes against Wake Forest in Harper went over the 1000-yard mark in terms of career rushing yardage at Florida State, which is close to his hometown of Jackson Bowers Named Finalist for Lombardi Award, Semifinalist for Bednarik Clemson defensive end Da Quan Bowers was named one of four finalists for the 2010 Rotary Lombardi Award on November 10. The honor, which has been given each year since 1970, goes to the nation s Clemson Tiger Football 4

5 top college lineman and is presented by the Rotary Club of Houston, TX. The award honors the memory of Vince Lombardi, legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers. In addition to Bowers, the finalists are Adrian Clayborn, a defensive end from Iowa, Nick Fairley, a defensive lineman from Auburn, and Jake Kirkpatrick, a center from TCU. Bowers is the first player from Clemson to be named a finalist for the Lombardi Award since William Perry in Bowers was also named one of 16 semifinalists for the Bednarik Award, which goes to the top defensive player in college football. Bowers leads the nation in quarterback sacks with 13.5 and is second in tackles for loss with 22. His sack total has already set a Clemson record for a defensive lineman in a season and he needs just three more to break Keith Adams (linebacker) overall record of 16 set in His 22 tackles for loss are the most by a Clemson defensive lineman since 1991 when Rob Bodine had 27. Bowers, a junior from Bamberg, SC, is first on the Clemson team in tackles this year with 60 and he has a team best 16 quarterback pressures. Earlier in November he was named a national semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, which is presented to the top defensive player in college football. Semifinalists for 2010 Chuck Bednarik Award Name, Pos, Jr Sam Acho, DE, Sr. Prince Amukamara, DB, Sr Da Quan Bowers, DE, Jr. Chimdi Chekwa, DB, Jr Adrian Clayborn, DE,Sr, Nick Fairley, DL, Jr. Justin Houston, DL, Jr. Brandon Jenkins, DL, Jr. Greg Jones, LB, Sr. Ryan Kerrigan, DL, Sr. Luke Kuechly, LB, So, Drake Nevis, DL, Jr. Stephen Paea, DT, Sr. Patrick Peterson, DB, Jr. Manti Te OO, LB, So. J.J. Watt, DL, Jr. School Texas Nebraska Clemson Ohio State Iowa Auburn Georgia Florida State Michigan State Purdue Boston College LSU Oregon State LSU Notre Dame Wisconsin Zimmerman Semifinalist for Ray Guy Award Clemson punter Dawson Zimmerman has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award, the honor presented each year to the nation s top punter. The Ray Guy Award is presented by the Augusta Sports Council. Three finalists will be announced on November 22 and the award will be presented December 9 in Orlando, FL at the Home Depot Awards Show. Zimmerman is the only ACC punter in the final top 10. Zimmerman has averaged 43.4 yards per punt on 45 attempts this year. He is on pace to record the fourth best punting average in Clemson history and the best since Chris Gardocki averaged a Clemson record 44.5 yards a punt in Zimmerman has a net punting average of 41.7 yards per punt and 15 of his 45 punts have been downed inside the 20. He is the major reason Clemson is 14th in the nation and first in he ACC in net punting. Opponents have just 75 total punt returns against Zimmerman s 42 punts this year and opponents have not had any punt return yards against the Tigers in the last four games. Zimmerman s season has included two punts of at least 76 yards. He had a 79-yarder in the season opener against North Texas, the second longest punt in Clemson history, and a 76-yarder at Boston College, the fourth longest punt in Clemson history. He had a 51.5 yard average on six punts in the first game of the season against North Texas, the best performance in the nation that week. His biggest play of the season might have come against NC State on a 38-yard attempt. Zimmerman caught an errant snap with the one hand with the game on the line and got a rugby style punt off that travelled to the NC State 15. Clemson won the game, Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney presented Zimmerman with a game ball after the contest for that play. The Ray Guy Award was created in 2000 to honor Ray Guy, and All-American at Southern Mississippi and an All-Pro in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders. Guy was a native of Thomson, Ga. In addition to Zimmerman, the 10 semifinalists are Bryan Anger of California, Drew Butler of Georgia, Ryan Donahue of Iowa, Reid Forrest of Washington State, Chas Henry of Florida, Dan Hutchins of Pittsburgh, Kyle Martens of Rice, Anthony Santella of Illinois, and Quinn Sharp of Oklahoma State. Butler won the award last year. Clemson s Top Punting Games Avg Att-Yds Player Ste-Opponent Year Dale Hatcher H-Kentucky Banks McFadden a-george Washington Dale Hatcher H-Georgia Dawson Zimmerman H-North Texas Dale Hatcher a-kentucky Joe Paglieli H-Maryland Dale Hatcher a-duke Jamie Somaini a-virginia Chris Gardocki h-south Carolina 1990 Minimum 3 attempts Zimmerman s Net Punting Best Since 1984 Clemson punter Dawson Zimmerman is on pace to record the fourth best single season punting average in school history. His ranking is even better in terms of net punting. If the season ended today, his 41.7 net punting figure would be second best in school history. Dale Hatcher had a 42.4 net average for the 1984 season, a year in which he was named All-American and that is the only figure that is better than Zimmerman s current figure. Hatcher actually has three of the four seasons with 40 yards or more as far as net punting is concerned in Clemson history. David Sims 40.6 net figure in 1979 is the only other net punting average over 40 yards a boot in Clemson history. It should be noted that net punting statistics for Banks McFadden s 1939 season are not available when he had a 43.5 gross average. Top Individual Net Punting Averages in Clemson History Rk Player Year Net 1. Dale Hatcher Dawson Zimmerman Dale Hatcher David Sims Dale Hatcher Longest Punts in Clemson History Yds Player Opponent Year 81 Mitch Tyner H-Texas A&M Dawson Zimmerman H-North Texas Chris Gardocki H-South Carolina Dawson Zimmerman a-boston College Banks McFadden a-army Jamie Somaini a-florida State Joe Pagliei a-south Carolina David Sims H-Virginia David Sims h-south Carolina 1978 Best Single Season Punting Averages Rk Player Year Att Yds Avg 1. Chris Gardocki David Sims Dale Hatcher Dale Hatcher Banks McFadden Dawson Zimmerman Bowers 6th in Tackles for Loss Per Game among Active FBS Players Da Quan Bowers has 41 tackles for loss in his 35 games at Clemson, an average of 1.17 tackles for loss per game. That ranks sixth best among active FBS players in that category. He is ninth among active players in total tackles for loss. Active FBS Players in Tackles for Loss Per Game Rk Player School Yr GP TFK /Game 1. J.J. Watt Wisconsin Jr Josh McNary Army Sr Aldon Smith Missouri So Nate Irving NC State Sr Ryan Kerrigan Purdue Sr Da Quan Bowers Clemson Jr Dontay Moch Nevada Sr Jeremy Beal Oklahoma Sr Justin Houston Georgia Jr Bowers Ties One Record, Sets another When Da Quan Bowers had a seven-yard sack in the third period he Clemson Tiger Football 5

6 tied one Clemson record and set another. It gave Bowers 13.5 sacks for the year, breaking the school record for sacks in season by a defensive lineman. Gaines Adams, who also wore number-93, had the previous best with 12.5 in It was also the eighth straight game with a sack for Bowers. That ties the Clemson record of eight, also set by Adams in Adams actually started his streak at Florida State that year. Bowers had two tackles for loss at Florida State and now has 22 for the season, most by a Clemson player since 2003 when Leroy Hill had 27. it is the most by a Clemson defensive lineman since Rob Bodine had 27 in Clemson Single Season Sack Leaders Rk Player Year Sacks-Yds 1. Keith Adams, LB Da Quan Bowers, DE Gaines Adams, DE Adrian Dingle, DE Jim Stuckey, DT NA Michael Dean Perry, DT William Perry, DT Gaines Adams, DE Michael Dean Perry, DT Bryant McNeal, DE Hopkins Sets Clemson Record DeAndre Hopkins had eight catches for 106 yards at Florida State and now has 31 receptions for the year. He has established a Clemson record for receptions by a first year freshman in a season. The previous record was 27 by Roscoe Crosby in His reception total at Florida State was a career high for the freshman and just one catch off the Clemson single game record for a freshman. The record is nine in a game by a freshman. Terry Smith, Hopkins uncle, had nine against Maryland in 1990 and Derrick Hamilton had nine against Virginia in Clemson 5-5, but in Every Game Clemson has a 5-5 record so far this year, but has been in every game. The five losses are by a combined 26 points, just 5.3 points per loss. That includes four losses on the road by a total of 17 points. Clemson lost by three in overtime at number-two ranked Auburn, and by three points at Florida State on a 55-yard field goal on the last play of the game. Clemson s largest margin of defeat this year is by just nine points (30-21) to Miami (FL). Dabo Swinney has been the Clemson head coach for 31 games in his Clemson career and Clemson s worst margin of defeat is just 17 points, a loss at South Carolina in Clemson also lost by 14 at Florida State in 2008 when he was the interim head coach. Those are the only losses by double digits for the Tigers since Swinney became the head coach. Steve Fuller to be Clemson Legend at ACC Championship Former Clemson All-American Steve Fuller will be Clemson s Legend representative at the 2010 ACC Football Championship weekend in Charlotte, NC. The Legends will be honored at the Dr. Pepper ACC Championship game weekend December 3-4. The game will be played at Banks of America Stadium at 7:45 PM on December 4. Fuller, who played for the Tigers between , was a dangerous pass-run threat as a quarterback, who was one of the centerpieces of the Clemson teams of the late 1970 s that brought the Tigers back to national prominence in college football. One of only five two-time ACC Football Players of the Year (1977, 1978), he led Clemson to a record in his final three seasons with the Tigers including an 11-1 mark, an ACC Championship and a No. 6 national ranking in One of only three players in Clemson history to be named both an Academic All-America (twice, ) and a football All- America (1978, 3 rd -team) in the same year, Fuller was chosen to the prestigious NCAA Top Five Award in 1978 for excellence in athletics and academics. A charter member of Clemson s Ring of Honor, Fuller lettered four times ( ) for the Tigers and was a first-round draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs and the 23 rd overall selection in the 1979 NFL Draft. He went on to an eight-year NFL career with Kansas City, Chicago and the L.A. Rams, throwing for 7,156 yards, 28 TDs and a 56.8 completion percentage in 86 NFL games. While in Chicago, he was a member of the 1985 NFL Champion Chicago Bears. In 2003, he was named to the ACC s 50 th Anniversary Football Team. Originally a native of Enid, Oklahoma, Fuller currently lives in Bluffton, S.C. ville, FL. He now has 1077 career rushing yards in 251 attempts and 10 scores in his career. He also has 42 catches for 327 yards and three scores. Parker Records 14 th Victory as Starter Clemson starting quarterback Kyle Parker won his 14 th game as a starting quarterback (14-10) on November 6 when the Tigers defeated NC State, It was his second win against the Pack and quarterback Russell Wilson, who like Parker, was drafted by the Colorado Rockies baseball team last June. NC State was 6-2 and ranked 23 rd in the nation entering the game. Parker and Wilson had nearly identical stats and the game was as close as it can be in the final outcome. Parker was for 214 yards passing, a 69 percent completion percentage for the game. He had one touchdown pass and one interception. Wilson completed 22 of 36 passes for 212 yards, a 61 percent completion percentage. He also had one touchdown and one interception. Clemson Defense Has Been Strong Last Five Weeks Clemson s defense has been strong all year, but especially effective in the last five weeks. Over the last five games Clemson has allowed just 65 total points, 13 points per game, allowed just 4.90 yards per play and 3.51 yards per rush. Clemson has improved in its defense in the red zone and on third down and that is a big reason for the improvement and why the Tigers have won three of their last four. Clemson has allowed opponents to convert on third-down just.347 of the time (25-72) and opponents have scored just four touchdowns in 14 red zone possessions over the last five games. Opponents scored touchdowns 12 of 17 opportunities in the first five games of the year. Clemson allowed 14 touchdowns in the first five games and just five in the last five. Clemson allowed 36 runs of 10 yards or more in the first five games and just 24 in the last four. And that includes 10 by run oriented Georgia Tech. Defensive Comparison Category First 5 Last 5 Record Points/Game Touchdowns Allowed 14 5 Total Defense Yards/Play Rushing Yds/Game Yards/Rush Yard Rushes Pass Defense Pass Efficiency Defense Third Down % Defense Red Zone TDs Allowed Second Half Defense Outstanding Clemson has been strong on defense the last five games and that has especially been the case in the second half. The streak of strong defensive performances in the second half actually dates to the fourth period of the Auburn game. Clemson gave up 21 points in the third period to Auburn. That was 21 of the 24 points the Auburn Tigers scored in regulation (Auburn won in overtime). Since that third period, opponents have scored just 36 total points in 15 second half periods against the Tigers defense. That is three touchdowns and five field goals. Miami scored 30 points against the Tigers back on October 3, but scored just three in the second half. North Carolina scored just seven points in the fourth period, Georgia Tech scored 10 in the third period and NC State had a field goal in the third period and a field goal in the fourth period. Maryland and Boston College were scoreless in the second half against Clemson. Clemson Defense Holds Down NC State s #1 Ranked Offense Clemson might have had its most impressive defensive performance of the season against NC State. The Wolfpack entered the game leading the ACC in total offense with yards per game and ranked second in scoring offense at 35 points per game. But, Clemson s defense held NC State under its season average by a large margin in the Tigers victory. Clemson s Front Four was especially outstanding and was given a game ball after the game by Head Coach Dabo Swinney. Florida State averaged 33 points a game entering its game with Clemson and scored just 16 against the Tigers Clemson Tiger Football 6

7 Category NC State Avg vs. Clemson Scoring Average Touchdowns/Game Total Offense Passing Yards/Game Rushing Yards/Game Yards/Play Third Down % First Downs/Game Time of Possession 32:52 29:26 NC State average is average entering the Clemson game. Tigers Get a One-Point Win Clemson defeated NC State by a score on November 6. That was Clemson s first victory by one point since a win over Texas A&M in the season opener of the 2005 season. It was just the sixth Clemson win by one point since 1987 when the Tigers defeated Georgia, at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Clemson Wins by One Point Since 1987 Year Opponent (Rank) Site Cu-Opp 1987 Georgia (18) H Maryland N Virginia (10) A Kentucky N Texas A&M (17) H NC State (23) H Clemson Defense Balanced Clemson has one of the best defenses in the nation based on its #9 ranking in scoring defense. Da Quan Bowers has been a standout and leads the nation in sacks (13.5) and is second in tackles for loss (22), and DeAndre McDaniel is tied for 23 rd in the nation in interceptions. But, by and large it is has been a balanced effort when you look at the tackles chart. In 10 games this year, Da Quan Bowers is the only Clemson player to lead the team in tackles in a game more than once and that was just twice. Bowers leads the Tigers in tackles with 60 for a 6.0 per game average. No Clemson defender ranks in the top 20 in the ACC in tackles. The top nine tacklers for the season are separated by just 19 tackles. McDaniel Chasing Interception Record Clemson senior DeAndre McDaniel had his fourth interception of the season in the win over NC State. It was a clutch pick in the Clemson endzone off of State quarterback Russell Wilson. The Pack had recovered a fumble at the Clemson seven, but the interception denied NC State a score of any kind. That was the 15 th interceptions of McDaniel s career. He is now tied for second in school history with his 15 picks and is now just two short of Terry Kinard s career record of 17 set between Kinard is in the Clemson Ring of Honor and has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Kinard is now tied with Fred Knoebel, a two-sport Clemson star of the 1950s, who had 15 between McDaniel is also second in that nation in career interceptions among active FBS players. Clemson Career Leaders in Interceptions Rk Player, Pos Years Yds Avg TD Int 1. Terry Kinard, FS DeAndre McDaniel, FS Fred Knoebel, DB Michael Hamlin, FS Justin Miller, CB Eddie Geathers, CB Robert O Neal, FS Alex Ardley, CB Brian Mance, CB Active FBS Leaders, Interceptions Rk Name Team Int Yds 1. Sean Baker Ball State Brian Lainhart Kent State DeAndre McDaniel Clemson Rahim Moore UCLA Brandyn Thompson Boise State Mansa Silva Hawaii Tyler Sash Iowa Gilchrist in Top 27 in Kickoff and Punt Returns Clemson cornerback Marcus Gilchrist is one of the Clemson leaders on defense, but he is also a key to Clemson s success in the kick return game. So far this year, Gilchrist averages 26,5 yards per kickoff return and 11.4 yards per punt return. He is ranked 27th in the nation in kickoff returns and is 23rd in punt returns. Gilchrist is trying to become just the third Clemson player to finish the season in the top 25 in both kickoff returns and punt returns in the same year. The only other Tigers to do it are Antwuan Wyatt in 1995 and Justin Miller in Tigers Ranked in Top 25 in Both Kickoff Returns and Punt Returns Player Year PR Avg (Rk) KR Avg (Rk) Antwuan Wyatt (15 th ) 25.0 (12 th ) Justin Miller (21 st ) 33.1 (1 st ) Marcus Gilchrist (23rd) 26.5 (27th) Three Former Tigers Score NFL Touchdowns on November 7 Former Clemson players Jacoby Ford, Michael Palmer and Chansi Stuckey all scored touchdowns in NFL games on Sunday, Nov. 7. It was the first career scores for Ford and Palmer, teammates on Clemson s 2009 Atlantic Division Championship team. Ford scored on a 94-yard kickoff return for the Oakland Raiders against the Kansas City Chiefs. It was the opening kickoff of the second half and gave the Raiders a lead. Ford finished with four kickoff returns for 158 yards and also had a career high six receptions for 148 yards. His 29-yard reception with seven seconds left set up a 41-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski that sent the game into overtime. His 47-yard reception in overtime set up Janikowski s game winning 33-yard field goal in overtime. Ford s receptions set up the winning kicks for Janikowski, a former Florida State kicker. Clemson and Florida State renew their rivalry on the gridiron this coming Saturday. Ford led the Raiders in receiving with 148 yards and he finished the day with 306 all-purpose yards. He became just the second player in NFL history to have at least 140 yards receiving and 150 yard on kickoff returns in the same game. Ford is the second former Tiger to return a kickoff for a touchdown this year. In September, C.J. Spiller took a kickoff 95 yards for a score in a game at New England. It marks just the second time in the last 40 years that took rookies from the same school returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the same year. Palmer scored on a five-yard reception from quarterback Matt Ryan for the Atlanta Falcons in their victory over the Tampa Bay Bucs. He finished the game with two receptions for 11 yards. There was a bit of irony in Palmer taking the pass from Ryan. Ryan was the quarterback for Boston College, and ACC rival, when Palmer was a freshman and sophomore. Stuckey scored on an 11-yard run on a Panther Play for the Cleveland Browns against the New England Patriots in the Browns upset victory. It was just the second loss of the season for the Patriots. Stuckey finished with that 11-yard run and had two catches for six yards. Charlie Whitehurst started at quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday against the New York Giants. It was Whitehurst s first career start and he completed passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. With Whitehurst s touchdown pass, it means a former Clemson player accounted for a touchdown, rushing (Stuckey), receiving (Palmer), passing (Whitehurst) and on a kickoff return (Ford). Whitehurst was the first former Tiger to start at quarterback in an NFL game since November 3, 1986 when Steve Fuller started against the Los Angeles Rams for the Chicago Bears. Tigers Without Ellington for Last Two Games Clemson was without its leading rusher when the Tigers faced Florida State on Saturday. Andre Ellington has a ligament problem near a toe in a foot that will force him to miss at least the next two games. Through last Saturday, Ellington was still first in the ACC in allpurpose running with 129 yard per game. He is third in the ACC in rushing with 85.8 yards per game. He has 686 yards on the ground in 117 attempts, an average of 5.9 yards per carry. He has 10 touchdowns rushing 12 total. He was leading the ACC in touchdowns at the time of the injury with 12 and is still 15th in the nation in scoring. Tiger Special Teams in Top 25 Nationally Clemson has been outstanding in special teams this year under Special Teams Coordinator Andre Powell. Clemson ranks 14th in the nation in net punting and 22nd in punt returns. Individually, punter Dawson Clemson Tiger Football 7