Monday 10/16/2000
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Oct. 16, 2000
CLEMSON, S.C. —
Clemson Near 300/200 Pace
Clemson is averaging 296 yards a game on the ground and 208 in he air for a 504-yard average in terms of total offense so far this year. That 504 average is second best in the nation behind Florida State.
The Tigers feature a unique balance of rushing and passing. In fact, Clemson is nearly on pace to become just the third team in college football history to average 300 yards a game rushing and 200 yards a game through the air in the same season.
The only two teams to do it are Houston in 1968 and Arizona State in 1973. In 1968, Houston averaged 361.7 a game on the ground and 200.3 in the air during that 1968 season. Five years later, Arizona State averaged 310.2 rushing and 255.3 passing. But, no college team has done it since.
Tommy Bowden has always had teams that featured balanced. At Tulane in 1998, his Green Wave team was the only team in the nation to average at least 300 passing and 200 rushing.
Polls Are Flashback to the 1980s
This week’s college football polls are a virtual flashback to the 1980s. Four of the five teams in the AP and USA Today Top five ranked among the top five winningest teams in college football in the 1980s. This year has seen a rejuvenation of the programs at Clemson, Oklahoma and Miami (FL), while Nebraska has been a strong top five team for many years.
Nebraska, Miami (FL), Oklahoma and Clemson are all ranked in the top five of both polls this week and ranked in the top five winningest programs in the 1980s. Here is a chart that makes the point:
Winningest Teams in the 1980s
Clemson’s last 4 Opponents are 19-7
Clemson has a 7-0 record so far this season, but the Tigers will face tough competition over the last four games of the season. Clemson’s first seven opponents have a combined record of 15-24 so far, but the four teams left on the schedule are a combined 19-7. That includes games against a top 10 Florida State team and a top 20 South Carolina team. North Carolina, next week’s opponent is 3-3, while Georgia Tech is 4-2 heading into its game with Duke this weekend. Florida State and South Carolina are both 6-1.
Clemson #2 in Nation in Offense and Defense
Clemson ranks second in the nation in both total defense and total offense, documentation that the Tigers are getting the job done on both sides of the ball. Clemson ranks second in total defense by a matter of a few yards. The Tigers give up 237 yards a game, while TCU, another one of the five undefeated teams remaining, gives up 236.6 per game. Clemson trails Florida State in terms of total offense by a 31 yards per game (535-504 per game).
Leading the nation in total offense and total defense in the same year would be quite an accomplishment. Four teams have done it in NCAA history. Notre Dame’s 1946 team was the first to do it. That Notre Dame team had 38 players who were eventually drafted into the NFL. Cincinnati did it in 1953, while Syracuse pulled off the national yardage double in 1959. Oklahoma was the last to do it in 1987. Notre Dame and Syracuse won the national championship in those respective seasons. Oklahoma finished third in 1987. Curiously, Cincinnati did not finish in the final AP top 20 the year they led the nation in both areas.
This level of offensive and defensive balance is fairly unusual for Clemson. Five times in history Clemson has finished in the top 25 in the nation in total offense and total defense in the same year. The Tigers last did it in 1991 when Clemson was 25th in total offense and fourth in total defense. Clemson also finished in the top 25 in both in 1957, 1960, 1963 and 1978.
The 1978 Clemson team is probably the school’s most successful from a statistical standpoint. That offense led by Steve Fuller, finished fourth in the nation in total offense, Clemson’s highest ranking in that category in history. That 1978 defense was ranked 15th in the final rankings. That is the only Clemson team to rank in the top 15 in both areas.
Clemson has been more prevalent in the total defense area than the total offense area over the years. Clemson has finished in the final top 25 in total offense, just six times, but has ranked in the top 25 in total defnse 17 times, including 11 since 1978.
Clemson’s Final Top 25 Rankings in Total Offense and Total Defense
Clemson in top 10 in 8 Categories
Clemson ranks in the top 10 in the nation in eight different statistical categories, three on offense and five on defense. As documented above, Clemson is second in the nation in total offense and total defense. In terms of scoring, Clemson is sixth in scoring offense and eighth in scoring defense. Clemson is also in the top 10 in rushing offense (5th) and rushing defense (8th). Finally, Clemson is fifth in pass efficiency defense and ninth in fewest yards allowed per game (162.3).
When it comes to a national top 50 ranking from an individual standpoint, Clemson has six different players listed 15 times in 10 different categories. Woodrow Dantzler leads the way with six different top 50 rankings, including five categories in which the quarterback is ranked among the top 13 players in the nation. Dantzler is 11th in rushing and ninth in passing efficiency.
Dantzler Had 4 Straight 100-Yard Rushing, 300-Yard Total Offense Games
After his 374-yard total offense performance against Virginia, many members of the media proclaimed Woodrow Dantzler a 2000 Heisman candidate. The interest in Dantzler grew after his 134-yard rushing, 174-yard passing performance in the win at Duke and it has continued with his 103-yard rushing, 220-yard passing game against NC State.
Dantzler four consecutive games of at least 100 yards rushing and at least 300 yards of total offense, a first in Clemson history. We are yet to find any quarterback nationally who has done it. The streak stopped against Maryland when he “only” had 87 yards rushing and 186 passing for 273 yards of total offense.
The junior from Orangeburg, SC certainly has some impressive and unusual numbers , data that is in line with those of a Heisman Trophy candidate. On October 8 Dantzler was ranked as the number-one candidate for the award by Heismanwatch.com. Clemson has had just one player rank in the final top 10 of the Heisman Trophy voting. That was Steve Fuller, who finished tied for sixth in the voting with fellow ACC player Ted Brown in 1978. The only Clemson player to win a National Award is Terry Kinard, who was named National Defensive Player of the Year by CBS and Chevrolet in 1982.
Dantzler was named National Player of the Week by CNNSI.com from his performance at Virginia. That internet site picks one player, regardless of position for the entire country. Dantzler had 220 yards rushing, an ACC record for a quarterback, and 154 yards passing in the victory at Virginia.
Dantzler is a prime reason Clemson ranks second in the nation in total offense, sixth in scoring, fifth in rushing and 15th in passing efficiency.
Dantzler Challenging for first 2000-1000 Season
Now Ranked 9th in Passing, 11th in Rushing
Heisman Trophy voters are usually attracted to an unusual and extraordinary statistical accomplishment. Clemson quarterback Tommy Bowden told members of the media that Dantzler had a chance to become the first quarterback in NCAA history to record at least 1000 yards rushing and 2000 yards passing in the same season.
Ten different quarterbacks on 11 occasions have had at least 1000 of each in the same season, but none of the 1000-yard rushers has reached 2000 yards passing. The closest to reaching both levels is Brian Mitchell, who had 1311 rushing and 1966 passing in 1989 at Louisiana-Lafayette. Mitchell has gone on to an NFL career as one of the top kick returners in the league and he is still playing with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dantzler has 819 yards rushing and 1271 yards passing through seven games this year. He is on pace for a 1287-yard rushing season and a 1997-yard passing season for an 11-game regular season schedule. He leads the ACC and ranks 11th in the nation in rushing and is ranked ninth in the nation in passing efficiency .
For those of your who might doubt Dantzler’s ability to accomplish the 2000/1000 double, check the chart below. For his first 11 games as Clemson’s quarterback he passed for 2095 yards and rushed 1037. After the Duke game, his 14-game numbers in Bowden’s offense read 2675 yards passing and 1361 yards rushing. For his 14 games as Clemson quarterback he has averaged 97 yards a game rushing and 191 yards a game through the air.
Dantzler as Clemson’s Quarterback in Bowden System (14 Games)
Dantzler Already 5th in Total Offense at Clemson
Even though Woodrow Dantzler has started just 13 games at quarterback in his Clemson career, he is already fifth in school history in total offense. He has accumulated 2090 yards this year and now has 4350 for his career. That total is broken down to 1491 rushing and 2859 passing. He has played just 22 total games, meaning he averages 197.7 yards per game, an all-time Clemson record on a career basis.
Dantzler still has a long way to go to catch career record holder Nealon Greene, who had 6786 career total offense yards. But, he still has the rest of this season and all of next season. Dantzler needs just 265 yards against North Carolina to move into fourth place, ahead of Homer Jordan, the quarterback on Clemson’s 1981 National Championship team. Jordan attended the Maryland game and visited with Dantzler in the locker room after the game.
Clemson Career Leaders in Total Offense
Dantzler Ranked in Top 13 Nationally in Five Areas
Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler is ranked in the top 13 in the nation in five different statistical categories, a testimony to his all-around abilities. Dantzler ranks ninth in the nation in passing efficiency with a 149.3 figure and is sixth in points responsible for (18.0PPG). He is ranked sixth in total offense with a 298.6 figure and is tied for 13th in points per game with 10.0. Finally, Dantzler is 11th in the nation in rushing with an average of 117 yards per game.
It is safe to say that this is the highest a Clemson quarterback has ever ranked in rushing at any time in a season. With those strong rushing stats, Dantzler is even ranked in all-purpose running, standing 50th this week.
Against NC State he broke the Clemson single season rushing record for a quarterback. He now has 819 for the season, surpassing the 649 by Steve Fuller in 1978. He needs 181 yards over his last four regular season games to become the 23rd quarterback in college football history to rush for 1000 yards in a season. The last to do it was Chris McKoy of Navy in 1997 and Scott Frost of Nebraska in 1997. The record for quarterback rushing in a season is 1494 by Bea Morgan of Air Force in 1996.
Dantzler has shown his versatility in the touchdown responsibility area. In seven games he has already accounted for 21 touchdowns, 12 rushing and nine passing. That is already a Clemson record, breaking the previous best of 19 by Mark Fellers in 1974.
Dantzler the Passer
Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler gets a lot of attention for his running ability. And he should, he leads all quarterbacks nationally in rushing and is first in the ACC overall with 117 yards per game. But, not only does he lead the ACC in rushing, he ranks ninth in the nation in passing efficiency.
Dantzler is also a fine passer as his 62 percent completion percentage and 149.3 passing efficiency rating shows. He has completed 91-147 passes for 1271 yards and nine touchdowns. He has thrown just four interception this year, including one that was batted up in the air by his own receiver, in his 147 attempts.
For his career Dantzler is now first in passing efficiency (135.0), first in completion percentage (.578). Dantzler is also fifth in yards per attempt and 6th in total touchdown passes.
Clemson Career Leaders in Passing Efficiency (Minimum of 100 attempts)
Ardley Ties School Record
Cornerback Alex Ardley tied a Clemson record for interceptions in a game when he had three against Maryland on October 14, the defensive highlight of Clemson’s 35-14 victory over the Terps. Ardley had 61 interception return yards on those three thefts.
The junior from Tallahassee, FL now has four interceptions this year and ranks tied for 14th in the nation in that category. He jumped from a ranking out of the top 50 all the way to the 14th spot nationally and first in the ACC.
Ardley also had six tackles in the game, giving him 24 for the season. Ardley now has 10 interceptions for his Clemson career. He had one for 26 yards and a touchdown at North Carolina in 1998, then had five a year ago to rank 20th in the nation. His 10 career interceptions rank tied for seventh best in Clemson history.
The other Tigers who have had three interceptions in a game are Kit Jackson (vs. Wake Forest in 1965), Leomont Evans (vs. NC State in 1995), Brian Dawkins (vs. Duke in 1995). Ardley is the second Tiger this year to record three takeaways in a single game. Brian Mance had two interceptions and a fumble recovery against Missouri on September 9.
Adams a Top Butkus Candidate
Keith Adams entered this season as a top candidate for the Butkus Award and he should still be considered among the nation’s best linebackers as we enter the eighth week of Clemson’s season. He was named to CNNSI.com’s midseason All-America team last week as one of three linebackers.
Adams leads the team in tackles with 80 for his seven games, an average of 11.4 per game. He also paces the squad in tackles for loss with 13 and in sacks with six. He averages a tackle every 4.7 plays of action.
Adams has been his usual consistent self, as he has had at least one tackle for loss in every game. His streak of consecutive games with a tackle for loss has reached a school record 19 in a row. He broke the mark formerly held by Anthony Simmons, who is now with the Seattle Seahawks. Adams has been in double figures in tackles in four of the six games so far this year, including a high of 16 in the win over Wake Forest. He had three tackles for loss in that game and in the win at Duke, when all three tackles for loss were sacks.
Adams is a major reason Clemson ranks second in the nation in total defense, eighth in rushing defense and eighth in scoring defense. His pass rush also is a factor in Clemson ranking fifth in pass efficiency defense. He leads the Clemson team in quarterback pressures with 14.
Adams, just a junior, is now tied for fourth in Clemson history in tackles for loss with 48 and is tied for fourth in school history in sacks with 22. All 48 of his tackles for loss and 22 of his sacks have taken place over the last 19 games.
The native of College Park, GA is currently 10th in Clemson history in career tackles with 311, but he will probably jump all the way to seventh after Saturday’s game at North Carolina. Doug Brewster (312), Jim Stuckey (314) and Henry Walls (316) are certainly in range this weekend. Clemson’s career leader is Bubba Brown with 515, followed by Anthony Simmons (486) and Jeff Davis (469).
Clemson Career Tackles for Loss Leaders
Carson Second in Tackles
Chad Carson, a second-team Academic All-American last year, has 79 tackles in seven games, second on the team behind All-American Keith Adams by just one tackle. Carson had a career high 18 tackles in the win over Missouri in the second game of the year and had 11 against Wake Forest. He had a 16-tackle performance in the win over Maryland, the high total of the Tigers in that game.
Carson and Adams are quite a duo. Both are juniors from Georgia. In fact, they used to tackle each other in high school games. Carson was a running back most of his career at Woodward Academy in Georgia. Adams was the top linebacker at rival Westlake High School in College Park, GA. Carson is seocnd on the team in tackles for loss behind Adams with seven. Both players have averaged a tackle every 4.7 snaps of action. Both have 37 assists, Adams has one more first hit.
Carson has his own weekly column on ESPN.com in conjunction with the Bowl Championship Series site.
Three Tigers Averaging Over 100 All-Purpose Yards/Game
Clemson’s offense features the performances of three outstanding playmakers, quarterback Woody Dantzler, running back Travis Zachery and wide receiver Rod Gardner. All three are averaging over 100 yards a game in all-purpose running. Zachery leads the way with 127.6 yards a game, thanks to 662 rushing and 201 receiving. Dantzler averaged 117.4 in terms of all-purpose running, while Rod Gardner averages 105.6. He has 565 yards receiving and 168 in kickoff returns. No Clemson team has ever had three players average over 100 yards a game in all-purpose running. Last year’s team has three players with over 1000 yards in that area, but they did not average 100 yards a game.
Zachery Sets One Record, Nearing Another
Zachery Ties Clemson Touchdown Record
Travis Zachery scored two more touchdowns in Clemson’s win over Maryland. It gave the junior running back 34 career touchdowns, 30 rushing and four receiving. He became Clemson’s career touchdown scorer in that game, breaking the record of 32 held by Lester Brown, who had 32 from 1976-79.
Zachery went ahead of Ring of Honor inductee Fred Cone with his three-touchdown performance against NC State. The legendary Cone, played three years on the varsity, and had 31 scores between 1948-50. With his two touchdowns against Duke on September 30, Zachery moved ahead of such well known Clemson players as Ray Mathews, Terry Allen and Kenny Flowers.
Zachery is having another solid all-around season. He had a career high 151 yards against Maryland in 29 carries. That was after a carer high 147 yards rushing on 31 attempts against NC State. For the season, he now has 662 yards in seven games and has scored 13 touchdowns, 10 rushing and three receiving. He actually leads Clemson in receiving touchdowns this year.
Zachery is now 8th in the country in scoring at 11.0 points a game and is 29th in rushing with 94.6 yards per game. He is on pace to gain 1040 yards rushing for the season. The junior from Georgia went over the 2000 career rushing mark with his performance against Maryland, and now has 2117 for his career, 14th best in school history. He should jump all the way to 10th this weekend. He needs just 57 yards against North Carolina to move ahead of Cliff Austin, Terrence Flagler, Fred Cone and Rodney Blunt.
Zachery needs just one catch to become Clemson’s career leader in receptions by a running back. He is the team’s third leading receiver this year with 14 catches for 201 yards. The yardage total is actually second. He now has 45 career catches, tied for first among Clemson running backs with Ray Yauger (1968-70) and Raymond Priester (1994-97).
Clemson Career Touchdown Leaders
Clemson Leads ACC In Nine Areas
Clemson has been successful on both sides of the ball in running up this 7-0 record. The Tigers lead the ACC in nine statistical areas, four on offense and five on defense. Additionally, three Tigers lead theACC in three different areas.
Offensively, Clemson paces the conference in scoring (43.9 PPG), rushing offense (296.0), total touchdowns scored (42) and third down conversion percentage (.500). Defensively, the Tigers lead the league in total defense (237.0), pass efficiency defense (86.8), passing yards allowed per game (162.0), 3rd down conversion percentage (.245) and fewest first downs allowed (87).
Individually, quarterback Woodrow Dantzler leads the ACC in rushing yards per game (117), while Travis Zachery is the scoring leader at 11.1 points a game. Quarterback Alex Ardley leads the conference with four interceptioins.
Clemson 7-0 for First Time Since 1981
Clemson has started this season with a 7-0 record, its best start to a season since the 1981 campaign, the year Clemson won the National Championship. The Tigers had been 6-0 on six previous occasions in history and had just a 2-4 record in the seventh game in those seasons. In other words, Clemson is 7-0 for the first time since 1981 and for just the third time in history. Clemson was also 7-0 in 1948, a season in which Clemson ran the table, finishing with an 11-0 ledger. Clemson has had three perfect seasons in history. In addition to the 1981 and 1948 seasons, Clemson had a perfect 6-0 record under John Heisman in 1900.
It is interesting to note that the beginning and middle of a century means a special season at Clemson. Heisman’s 1900 teams was 6-0, then Frank Howard’s 1950 team finished with a 9-0-1 ledger and a #10 final ranking. This is the 50-year anniversary of that season and that club will be honored at the Georgia Tech game in two weeks. Now we are in the year 2000 and Clemson has a 7-0 record.
Clemson Ranking Best since 1988
Clemson is ranked third in USA Today and fifth in AssociatedPress this week. That is Clemson’s highest ranking since September of 1988 when Clemson was third in the AP poll heading into the Florida State game in Death Valley. That was the famous “Puntrooskie Game” when Bobby Bowden defeated Danny Ford’s Tigers. It took another Bowden to get Clemson back to the top five in the nation.
The last time Clemson was ranked in the top five in the nation this late in the season was 1981. Clemson was ranked number-one in the final regular season poll and the final poll that year. Clemson’s number-five AP ranking this week is Clemson’s highest in the month of October since Clemson was third on October 26th of 1981 with a 7-0 record.
Young All-America Candidate On and Off the Field
Center Kyle Young has been Clemson’s highest graded offensive lineman in four of the seven games this year. Young has been named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week twice this year, against Missouri when he had 10 knockdown blocks and graded 80 percent, and for his performance against Virginia, when he helped the Tigers to a 31-10 victory.
He played his finest game as a Clemson Tiger in the win at Virginia in the fourth game of the season. He registered a then career high 15 knockdown blocks, most by a Clemson lineman in seven years. He graded 93 percent for his 65 plays and had a 100 percent grade in terms of effort from the Tiger offensive line coaches.
Young played another solid game against Maryland with 14 knockdown blocks and a 74 percent grade. For the year, he leads the team in knockdown blocks with 85. He has an average film grade of 81 percent for his 471 snaps this year.
Young was Clemson’s highest graded lineman in eight of the 12 games last year. The native of Clemson is the grandson of Ed McClendon, who was a member of Clemson’s 1939 Southern Conference Championship team. His brother, Will Young, was an All-ACC player for the Tigers in 1995.
Merritt Playing His Best Football
Clemson offensive guard Will Merritt had his top game as a Tiger player when he had 20 knockdown blocs in the win over NC State. For his efforts he was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, the first time the junior has received this honor. It is the highest knockdown block total on record. The junior played 100 snaps in the game, as the Tigers ran 95 plays, third highest total in school history. Merritt was graded at 75 percent and had 100 percent effort grade from the Clemson coaches.
It was another a special weekend for the Merritt family when Clemson met Maryland. His mother, Lynn, was honored by Clemson University’s Tiger Brotherhood Association as the Clemson Mother of the Year. It is believed to be the first time an active player’s mother has received this honor. Merritt followed that up with another strong game with eight knockdown blocks and an 80 percent grade, helping Clemson to a 35-14 win.
Clemson Bowl Eligible
Clemson had a very successful September. Clemson’s win at Duke gave the Tigers five wins in September for the first time ever. This was just the fourth month in school history in which Clemson won five games.
Clemson last had had a 5-0 month in November of 1991. Clemson used the perfect November to finish the regular season 9-1-1 and capture the ACC Championship. That was the last time Clemson won the ACC title.
Other 5-0 months are October of 1977 and October of 1981. Clemson ended the 1977 season with an 8-3-1 record and advanced to the Gator Bowl, Clemson’s first bowl season in 18 years. Clemson won the National Championship in 1981.
Clemson’s seventh win of the season, its sixth against a Division I team, made the Tigers bowl eligible. This is the earliest Clemson has been bowl eligible in terms of the calendar date. Clemson has been to 23 bowls in its history and has a 12-11 record in those bowl games. Clemson has been to a bowl game, 16 of the last 23 years.
Clemson one of Five Unbeaten Teams
Clemson enters this weekend’s game as one of five undefeated teams nationally. The ranks thinned last weekend when Oklahoma beat previously unbeaten Kansas State, and Minnesota downed previously unbeaten Ohio State.
All five teams are ranked in the top 11 in the nation in both polls. It is interesting to note that there have been exactly two undefeated teams each of the last three years. One of those programs, Tulane in 1998, was coached by current Clemson mentor Tommy Bowden. The 1990 season was the last time no team went undefeated during the regular season.
Clemson vs. North Carolina Series
Clemson holds a 30-17-1 advantage in the series with North Carolina that dates to 1897, the second year of football at Clemson. That 1897 game was just the sixth game in Clemson football history and the Tar Heels won the contest 28-0. It was the first game for the Tigers against a team that is currently in the ACC. Obviously the league was not formed until 1953.
Clemson has won 10 of the last 14 games and 14 of the last 19 in the series, but North Carolina has won three of the last four. Clemson won last year 31-20 at Clemson.
Prior to the 1997 17-10 North Carolina victory, the Tar Heels had not won at Clemson since 1980, a 24-19 victory on ABC TV. Lawrence Taylor provided the key play of that game for North Carolina, a sack of Clemson quarterback Homer Jordan late in the fourth period with Clemson inside the Tar Heel 10. Clemson had won seven in a row over North Carolina in Death Valley by a combined score of 188-69.
In 1995, the Tigers were victorious,17-10. It was a classic defensive game. Brian Dawkins, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, provided the big play with a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown. Nealon Greene threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Joe Woods and Anthony Simmons had 19 tackles. Mond Wilson, playing for the injured Andye McCrorey, had 16 tackles for the Clemson defense, which intercepted five North Carolina passes, two by Peter Ford and one by Andy Ford.
Clemson has six wins over North Carolina when the Tar Heels enter the game as a ranked team. The most shocking took place in 1992 when a Clemson team that would end the season with a 5-6 record, earned a 40-7 victory over 18th-ranked North Carolina. It is the largest margin of victory for Clemson in the series.
North Carolina Games Have Been Landmark for Dantzler
The North Carolina games of the last two years have shown the progression of Tiger quarterback Woodrow Dantzler. In 1998 at Chapel Hill, Dantzler made his first and only start of the 1998 season. He struggled, gaining just 26 yards of total offense for his three quarters of action. He gains that on an average possession this year.
Dantzler, then a freshman, gained just eight yards rushing in 14 attempts and completed just 2-6 passes for 18 yards in that game. Clemson had just 214 yards of total offense in the 21-14 loss. Over 100 yards of that final figure came with Brandon Streeter at quarterback in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Last year, the North Carolina game was a coming out party of sorts for Dantzler. Streeter started the game, but was injured, bringing Dantzler off the sidelines. He responded with 131 yards pasing and 82 rushing, leading Clemson to all 31 of its points in a 31-20 victory. He threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Rod Gardner and also raced 56 yards for a score toice the game with 8:35 left.
Last Year vs. North Carolina: Clemson 31, North Carolina 20
Clemson had 236 yards rushing and 208 yards through the air as the Tigers (2-2, 2-0) downed North Carolina 31-20 before 81,737 fans on Homecoming in Death Valley. The win proved costly, though, for Clemson. Graduate quarterback Woodrow Dantzler sparked the Tiger offense to the tune of 31 points. He dazzled the crowd with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Rod Gardner and 56-yard run for six. Dantzler had 82 yards rushing on 11 carries and 131 yards passing on 7-15 passing.
Travis Zachery and Gardner had 100-yard days to complement Dantzler. Zachery had a career-high 129 yards rushing on 28 carries and a touchdown. Gardner also had a career-high 127 yards receiving on seven catches.
North Carolina (1-3, 0-3) was led by quarterback Ronald Curry. He rushed for 65 yards on 17 carries and threw for 162 yards on 12 of 28 passing, but was intercepted four times, sacked seven times, and pressured 19 times. Twenty-one of the Tigers’ 31 points came off Curry interceptions. Clemson’s defense limited the Tar Heels to 275 total yards and 3-15 on third-down conversions. Only 32 of the Tar Heels’ 70 plays resulted in positive yardage.
Clemson marched down the field in nine plays and 76 yards on the game’s opening drive. Streeter hit Zachery over the middle for 31 yards to the North Carolina eight, but on the next play, Julius Peppers deflected Streeter’s pass and intercepted the loose ball.
After Dextra Polite intercepted a Curry pass, the Tigers drove 67 yards in 10 plays for the game’s first score. Streeter was injured on the drive when linebacker Tim Burgess fell on top of him while scrambling. Streeter actually remained in the game for one more play, a 13-yard run. The offense didn’t miss a beat when Dantzler entered the game. Zachery capped the drive with an eight-yard touchdown run over the right side.
The Tar Heels responded on the next drive to tie the score. Curry’s 31-yard keeper to the Clemson one set up Deon Dyer’s one-yard plunge. Clemson tied the score with 17 seconds left before halftime on Chris Campbell’s 21-yard field goal. Mal Lawyer set up the score when he returned a punt 32 yards to the Tar Heel 14.
North Carolina gained momentum early in the third quarter. After taking over in Clemson territory, Curry completed a 37-yard pass to Greg Harris and Daniel Davis carried in from seven yards on the next play to give North Carolina a 17-10 lead.
But the Tigers responded with a three-play, 55-yard scoring drive capped by a 49-yard pass from Dantzler to Gardner. Jason Holloman then set the Tigers up deep in Tar Heel territory when he picked off a pass broken up by Polite. Five plays later, Terry Witherspoon carried in from one yard to give Clemson a 24-17 lead.
After McGee cut the Tiger lead to four points on a 21-yard field goal, Clemson was forced to punt. The Tar Heels took over in Tiger territory, but Charles Hafley came up big with an interception and returned it 19 yards to midfield. Two plays later, Dantzler scampered 56 yards, dodging would-be tacklers and tip-toeing the sideline in the process, for six.
Keith Adams had another outstanding game, totaling a team-high 16 tackles, five for loss, three quarterback pressures, and two sacks. The five tackles-for-loss tied a Clemson game record.
Last Trip to North Carolina (1998): North Carolina 21, Clemson 14
North Carolina’s defense held Clemson from scoring twice from inside the five-yard line in the final minutes to give the Tar Heels a 21-14 victory over Clemson in Chapel Hill. The win was the Tar Heels’ first in four tries in ’98 and was Clemson’s fourth straight defeat, its longest losing streaking since 1975.
Both defenses dominated for most of the game, as neither team had 300 yards of total offense. Despite Clemson’s 33:05 of time of possession, North Carolina had six more plays and 65 more yards. Clemson’s offense could only muster 3.3 yards per play and one third-down conversion in 13 tries, while North Carolina rushed for 45 yards on 30 carries. The Tar Heels longest rush was only five yards as well.
The Tar Heels finally capitalized in the first half when Oscar Davenport hit Kory Bailey on a 20-yard crossing route early in the second quarter. The score was set up by a fourth-and-three fake punt that gained five yards.
On the Tar Heels’ next drive, Davenport’s pass on third down went threw the hands of linebacker Chris Jones, but into the waiting arms of red-shirt freshman Alex Ardley, who returned his first career interception 26 yards for a touchdown to even the score.
After the two teams traded punts, Tar Heel running back Rufus Brown was stripped by Jones and Adrian Dingle recovered on the North Carolina 14. Red-shirt freshman Woodrow Dantzler, who was starting his first career game at quarterback, kept the ball for nine yards to the one-yard line to set up Terry Witherspoon’s one-yard touchdown run, putting Clemson ahead 14-7.
Neither team threatened until early in the fourth quarter when Davenport led the Tar Heels for the game-tying score. The key play of the drive was Daunta Finger’s finger-tip catch, just over the outstretched arms of Ardley, and run for 25 yards. Brown carried around right end from the four-yard line, evening the score with 11:08 remaining.
Disaster struck on the ensuing drive when Dantzler was stripped at the Tiger 13. Davenport connected with Deon Dyer on the next play to give the Tar Heels the eventual game-winning score. The two Tar Heel fourth quarter touchdowns came just 1:02 apart.
It appeared that Clemson would tie the game thanks to the arm of Travis Zachery out of the backfield between two Tar Heel defenders for 28 yards. After Zachery took an option pitch 11 yards to the Tar Heel six, it looked like Clemson would tie the game. But the Tar Heel defense held on four straight plays, including a fourth-down option pitch to Zachery.
The Tigers got the ball back again with 3:13 to play thanks to a three-and-out by the Clemson defense. A Streeter to Zachery fourth-down pass and Streeter to Marcus Martin hook-up moved the ball to the 12-yard line. Streeter then connected with Brian Wofford on a “slant-in.” He appeared to be on his way to the end zone, but was stripped at the two-yard line, and the ball squirted out of the end zone for a touchback.
Tigers from North Carolina
Clemson has had some outstanding players from the Tar Heel state over the years. In 1996, Clemson fans selected the school’s all-time team. Five players on the team came to Clemson after playing high school football in North Carolina. The list includes Perry Tuttle (Winston-Salem), Jeff Bostic (Greensboro), Joe Bostic (Greensboro), Jeff Davis (Greensboro) and Donnell Woolford (Fayetteville). The 1981 National Championship Clemson team had 21 players on its roster from North Carolina.
Clemson has four players on its roster from North Carolina. The only starter is Braxton K. Williams, a Clemson starting linebacker. Terry Witherspoon is the first team fullback from Monroe, NC. Nathan Gillespie is a reserve tight end who will see action, while DuJuan Polk is a reserve defensive lineman.
Tigers from North Carolina on 2000 Team
Name Pos Hometown High School Nathan Gillespie DL Dallas North Gaston Braxton K. Williams LB Greensboro Dudley DuJuan Polk DE Wadesboro Anson County Terry Witherspoon RB Monroe Monroe
Son Ranked Higher than Father
Clemson is ranked higher in both the AP and USA Today polls than Florida State. The Tigers are third in the USA Today/ESPN Coach’s poll and fifth in the Associated Press poll, while Florida State is sixth in both polls.
It is a rarity when any ACC team is ranked higher than Florida State. Since the Seminoles joined the ACC, a span covering 146 polls, an ACC team has been ranked higher than Florida State just three times. That first instance took place on September 13, 1998 when Virginia was ranked 10th in the AP poll and Florida State was ranked 11th. Each of the last two weeks Clemson has been ranked higher than Florida State. The two teams meet November 4 at Tallahassee.
This is the first instance (second straight week) a Tommy Bowden coached team has been ranked higher than a Bobby Bowden coached team. Tommy’s Tulane team got close in 1998, as the Green Wave were ranked 10th in the final regular season poll, while Florida State was second.
This is not the first time a Bowden son has been ranked higher than father. In 1994, Terry Bowden coached Auburn and those Tigers (with Tommy Bowden as offensive coordinator) were ranked higher than Florida State for six consecutive weeks from October 10 to November 14 in 1994. Florida State ended the year ranked higher than Auburn, however.
The Tigers have been ranked in the top five of the AP poll 20 times (including this week). Clemson was first ranked in the top five in 1959, a number-five ranking under Frank Howard on September 21, 1959. Clemson was ranked in the top five for eight rankings in 1981, for the first four polls of 1988 and for the first four polls of 1988.
Bowden Undefeated in Second Year with a Program
Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden has won 18 straight games in the second year with a program. In his first head coaching stint, at Tulane, he led the Green Wave to an 11-0 record in the regular season of 1998. So far this year he has the Tigers 7-0 and now ranked third in the nation (USA Today).
His 1998 Tulane team was record setting offensively and had many high national rankings in various categories. His 2000 Clemson team is doing the same thing, as the Tigers are currently ranked second in the nation in total offense, sixth in scoring, and fifth in the nation in rushing. His 1998 Tulane team finished the season second in the nation in scoring and fourth in total offense.
Clemson’s 2000 statistics are similar to his 1998 Tulane team in many areas. His 1998 Tulane team averaged 45.4 points a game, Clemson has a 43.9 average this year. His Tulane team of 1998 averaged 507 yards a game of total offense, the Tigers stand at 504 per game this year. Both teams convert third-down situations 50.0 percent of the time.
Here is a per game comparison between Bowden’s 1998 Tulane team and the
Category 1998 Tulane 2000 Clemson Points/Game 45.4 43.9 Touchdowns/Game 6.2 6.0 Total Offense/Game 507.1 504.0 Yards/Play 6.84 6.2 Passing Offense/Game 304.7 208.0 Rushing Yards/Game 202.4 296.0 First downs/Game 26.7 25.6 3rd Down Conversion % .521 .500
Bowden’s Offense Averages 36.7 points a Game
Offenses coached by Head Coach Tommy Bowden and coordinated by Rich Rodriguez have sustained a 36.7 scoring average over a 41-game period. When you take the offensive figures for Tulane in 1997-98 and Clemson the last 18 games you come up with some impressive numbers.
For the 40 games Bowden has been a head coach, his teams have averaged 36.7 points a game, 4.78 touchdowns per game and 452 yards of total offense per game. On average his team’s run 75.3 plays a game, 43.2 rushing plays and 32.1 pass attempts.
Bowden Offense Production Chart
(40 Games at Clemson and Tulane) Category Total Per Game Points 1,503 36.7 Touchdowns 196 4.78 Rushing Offense 8,122 198.1 Passing Offense 18,269 455.6 Total Plays 3,092 75.41 Rushing Plays 1,788 43.6 Pass Attempts 1,304 31.8 Completions 784 19.12 First Downs 971 23.68
Scoring Points Nothing New for Bowden Teams
Scoring a lot of points is not a new experience for Tommy Bowden coached teams. Between his 22 games at Tulane and his 19 games as Clemson head coach, he has had 18 games in which his team has score at least 40 points in a game. Even the 62 points the Tigers scored against Missouri were not the most by a Bowden coached team. His Tulane team of 1998 defeated Southwest Louisiana, 72-20. The last game he coached at Tulane, the Green Wave scored 62 in a 62-30 win over Louisiana Tech.
Overall, Bowden coached teams have scored in the 70s on one occasion, scored in the 60s three times, scored in the 50s on six occasions and scored in the 40s eight times. For his 41 games as a Division I head coach his teams have scored 1503 points, an average of 36.7 points per game.
Clemson on/close to Record Pace in Many Areas
It is still just a little past midseason, but Clemson has been operating at a record rate in many areas, especially on offense. Clemson has averaged 43.9 points a game through seven games, far ahead of the 38.0 per game put up by Clemson’s 1901 team under John Heisman. The 504 yards a game are nearly 100 yards a game ahead of the standing record of 427.8 yards a game. Below are some areas where Clemson is operating at near or above the record rate:
Category 2000 Record Points/Game 43.9 38.0 (1901) Touchdowns/Game 6.0 4.8 (1948) Total Offense/Game 504 427.8 (1978) First downs/Game 25.6 22.75 (1978) Passing Efficiency 143.0 148.2 (1950) Yards/Play 6.2 6.1 6 (1950)
Relatively Speaking
Clemson’s success so far this year could be tied to the fact that many Tiger players have a sports-related pedigree. There are 12 players on the Clemson team who are related to someone with playing or coaching ties to college or professional sports. The list includes leading tackler Keith Adams, who is the son of Julius Adams, who played 16 years with the New England Patriots.
The list also includes Joe Don Reames, whose brother Britt is a pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals. While Joe Don was returning punts, helping Clemson to the win over NC State in last Saturday, Britt was gaining the win for the Cardinals against the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta.
Keith Adams–Hisfather, Julius Adams, played 16 years in the NFL with the NewEngland Patriots. Chad Carson–His father, Tom, lettered threeyears at Georgia Tech, 1969-72. Robert Carswell–His brother,James, was a starting player with Presbyterian College. GaryChildress–His brother, O.J., played for Clemson between 1995-98,then played for the New York Giants in 1999. Buddy Gore–Walk-onkicker who is the son of former Clemson running back and ACC MVPBuddy Gore. Tony Lazzara–His father, Dick, played two years ofcollege football at Florida. Joe Don Reames–His brother, Britt, isa pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and earned the win in theseries clinching third game against the Atlanta Braves on October7. Brad Scott, current Clemson Assistant Head Coach and tight endscoach. Brady Washburn–His father, Jim, is an offensive line coachwith the Tennessee Titans. Justin Watts–His father is the headcoach at South Florence High School in Florence, SC. Braxton K.Williams–His father, Braxton Williams, was a member of Clemson’s1982 ACC Championship team as a fullback. Kyle Young–His brother,Will, was an All-ACC guard for the Tigers between 1992-95. Hisgrandfather, Ed McClendon, played on Clemson’s 1939 Cotton Bowlchampionship team.
Gardner Coming Off Best Game
Clemson wide receiver Rod Gardner had his best game of the season in the win over Maryland. The 6-3 receiver had five catches for a career high148 yards and now has 15 catches for 285 yards over the last two games. The 6-3 senior had 10 receptions for 137 yards against NC State, and both figures were just one unit off his career high in each area.
Gardner has 142 receptions for his career. He is just 20 receptions short of tying the Clemson career record of 162 by Terry Smith from 1990-93. He is now third in career catches and fourth in reception yardage. He moved ahead of Tony Horne and Brian Wofford in terms of yardage with his performance against NC State. He now has 2013 career yards. He went over the 2000 yard mark against Maryland and is just the fourth 2000-yard receiver in Clemson history. Gardner is now also returning kickoffs for the Tigers. He had 64 kickoff return yards against NC State, giving him 201 all-purpose running yards in that game. He had 80 against Maryland, giving him back to back 200-yard all-purpose running games. He had 231 all-purpose yards against Maryland, 9th highest in Clemson history and most by a Tiger since 1997 when Tony Horne had 267 in a loss to Florida State.
Clemson career Reception Leaders
Rk Player Years Rec 1. Terry Smith 1990-93 162 2. Perry Tuttle 1978-81 150 3. Rod Gardner 1997-00 142 4. Jerry Butler 1975-78 139 5. Brian Wofford 1996-99 138 6. Tony Horne 1994-97 120 7. Phil Rogers 1965-67 106 8. Mal Lawyer 1996-99 99 9. John McMakin 1969-71 93 10. Terrance Roulhac 1983-86 92
Clemson career Reception Yardage Leaders
Rk Player Years Rec 1. Terry Smith 1990-93 2681 2. Perry Tuttle 1978-81 2534 3. Jerry Butler 1975-78 2223 4. Rod Gardner 1997-00 2013 5. Brian Wofford 1996-99 1857 6. Tony Horne 1994-97 1750 7. Gary Cooper 1985-89 1592 8. Glenn Smith 1949-51 1576 9. Terrance Roulhac 1983-86 1487
Tigers Have 7 Straight 450-yard Games
Led by Heisman Trophy candidate Woodrow Dantzler, Clemson has gained at least 450 yards in each of the first seven games this year. This is the first time in history that Clemson has had seven consecutive 400-yard total offense games, never mind 450 yards. Ironcially, Clemson’s low total offense figure this year is against Division I-AA team The Citadel, who “held” Clemson to 458 yards of total offense.
Clemson tied a school record for 400-yard games in a season when it had 464 against Maryland on October 14. Three Clemson teams (1950, 1978 and 1982) also had seven 400-yard games in one season. Clemson has also averaged at least five yards per play in each of the first seven games, also a first in Clemson history.
In four of the first seven games, Clemson has had at least 200 yards passing and 200 yards rushing. Clemson is undefeated in its history when it has at least 200 of each. Clemson is now 33-0-1 in its history when gaining at least 200 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in the same game. Clemson has done that 200-double 34 times in its history, six in the last 19 games under Bowden after doing it just 28 times in its first 985 games.
Clemson Looks for 6-0 ACC Start
Clemson is 5-0 in the ACC for the first time since 1983. The Tigers went 7-0 against the ACC that year. Clemson was perfect against ACC teams in 1982, 1981, 1967 and 1978. Clemson opened its ACC schedule with a 3-0 start in 1986, 1987 and 1988. NC State ended those 3-0 starts each time. They came close to ending the 3-0 streak again on October 7, but the Tigers came away with the seven point victory.
Clemson ended a streak of its own in the win over NC State. Clemson had lost 13 straight games decided by seven points or less, dating to a 19-17 win over the Pack in 1997. Last Saturday’s game marked the fourth straight time Clemson and NC State had played a game decided by seven points or less.
Clemson on Record Pace in Terms of Scoring
Clemson is scoring points at an incredible rate through the first seven games. The Tigers rank sixth in the nation in scoring with an average of 43.9 points per game. The school record for scoring average per game is 38.0 set back in 1901 by John Heisman’s second Tiger team. That club had a perfect 6-0 record and outscored the opposition 222-10. As far as total points scored is concerned, the record is 368, a mark held by the 1989 and 1978 Clemson teams. Both of those teams played 12 games.
Here are some quick facts on Clemson’s scoring offense so far this year:
Clemson has scored 307 points so far this year. That totalthrough seven games is already more points than Clemson scored in94 or its 104 previous seasons. Clemson already has had threedifferent games in which it has scored more than 50 points. Theonly other team in Clemson history that has had three 50-pointgames is the undefeated team of 1950. Ironically, this is of coursethe 50-year anniversary of that team, and it will be honored at theOctober 28 Georgia Tech game. Clemson already has scored 42touchdowns. The record for a season is 48, set in 1950. Clemson’s307 points is the most ever scored by a Tiger team through thefirst seven games of the season. Clemson’s 52 points scored at Dukerank as the sixth most ever by a Clemson team on the opponent’shome field. It is the most points scored on the road since 1984when Clemson won at Virginia, 55-0. Eleven different Clemsonplayers have scored at least one touchdown this year. This is thefirst time in history Clemson has scored at least 30 points in eachof the first seven games of the season. In fact, it is the firsttime in history that Clemson has scored at least 30 points in sixconsecutive games at any point in the season. The 1950 Clemson teamhad a streak of four straight games of at least 35 points.
Adams on Display at College Football Hall of Fame
Clemson linebacker Keith Adams is one of 10 active players featured in the “Race for the Pantheon 2000” exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana. The display, located in the main exhibit hall, includes Adam’s jersey and photos of the Clemson junior linebacker. It was unveiled September 8.
The “Race for the Pantheon Display” features what the College Football Hall of Fame considers to be the top 10 players in college football. Adams was the only linebacker listed and is one of four juniors involved. He is a first-team preseason All-American for 2000 after earning All-America honors last year as a sophomore when he led the nation in tackles for loss and total tackles.
The 10 players Featured in the exhibit are:
Name Pos Yr. SchoolKeith Adams LB Jr. Clemson Drew Brees QB Sr. Purdue Alex Brown DT Jr. Florida Jamar Fletcher DB Jr. Wisconsin Casey Hampton DT Sr. Texas Steve Hutchinson OG Sr. Michigan Freddie Milons WR Jr. Alabama LaDainian Tomlinson RB Sr. Texas Christian Michael Vick QB So. Virginia Tech Chris Weinke QB Sr. Florida State
Clemson Rushing Numbers at a Record Rate
When Tommy Bowden became Clemson head coach he said the Tigers would win a lot of games when they had seasons when they gained at least 2000 yards rushing. Clemson is already over 2000 yards rushing for the season (2072). Clemson’s offense is wide open with four wide receivers on most plays, thereby giving the impression that it is a pass-happy attack.
To the contrary, at least statistically, Clemson has used the running game to gain nearly 60 percent of its total offense so far this year. It is an offense that has averaged 504 yards per game, second only to Florida State.
Clemson has averaged 296 yards a game on the ground so far this year, a Clemson record pace. That is right, a higher average than any team coached by Danny Ford or Ken Hatfield. The Clemson record for the course of a season is 289.1 yards a game by the 1978 team that finished 11-1. As you can see by the chart below, success in rushing usually translates into victories and a national ranking.
Clemson’s has finished in the top 15 in the nation in rushing 11 of the last 22 years. The highest ranking Clemson has ever had in rushing per game is number-four by the 1995 team. Clemson is fourth in the country in rushing this week.
Clemson’s Top Rushing Seasons
Rk Year Record NCAA Rk Avg Coach 1. 2000 7-0 5th 296.0 Tommy Bowden 2. 1978 11-1 6th 289.1 Charley Pell 3. 1986 8-2-2 6th 270.4 Danny Ford 4. 1988 10-2 9th 270.1 Danny Ford 5. 1950 9-0-1 NA 264.8 Frank Howard 6. 1992 5-6 6th 257.1 Ken Hatfield 7. 1991 9-2-1 8th 251.6 Ken Hatfield 8. 1983 9-1-1 12th 250.2 Danny Ford
Clemson Politically Correct Team
Clemson might be the most politically correct team in the country. The Tigers are the only school in the nation with a Gore and Bush on its roster. Buddy Gore III is a walk-on placekicker who has never played in a game, while Jovon Bush is a second team defensive tackle who has seven tackles in the first five games.
Gore is the son of former Clemson All-ACC running back Buddy Gore, who was Clemson’s first 1000-yard rusher back in 1967. He is still fourth in Clemson history in rushing and still holds the career record for all-purpose running yards per game.
No word on who Gore and Bush will vote for in the upcoming election.
Clemson Records Second Greatest Total Offense Day
Clemson had its second most productive total offense day in school history in the win over Wake Forest on September 16. The Tigers gained 623 yards of total offense in the 55-7 win, 436 on the ground and 187 in the air. The only total offense figure that is higher is the 756 yards Clemson accumulated against Wake Forest in 1981, Clemson’s National Championship season. Clemson now has just four games of 600 yards or more.
The 436 yards rushing ranked in a tie for seventh best single game total in school history. The record is 615 against Georgia Tech in 1903. The modern record (since 1937) is 536 against Wake Forest in 1981. The 436 yards against Wake Forest were the most by a Clemson team since 1992 when the Tigers had 440 in a win over UT Chattanooga.
Clemson Head Coach Tommy Bowden often states that when Clemson is gaining a lot of yards on the grounds the result is usually a victory. That has been the case for the Clemson program overall. In he 105-year history of Clemson football the Tigers are now 98-3-1 when gaining at least 300 yards rushing. The 436 yards against Wake Forest were a high for the Tigers in the Tommy Bowden era. Clemson added 327 more rushing yards in the win at Virginia and 315 at Duke.
Clemson had 30 first downs in the win over Wake Forest, most first downs by a Clemson team since the Tigers had 30 against Maryland in a victory in 1983.
Clemson Outstanding in the Redzone
One of the reasons for Clemson’s success this year has been scoring in the redzone. Clemson has been in the opponent’s redzone 36 times already this season and has scored 27 touchdowns and five field goals. One missed field goal, and the end of the game when Clemson had a large lead, are two of the four times Clemson has failed to convert when getting in the red-zone. Clemson has had first and goal 18 times this year and has 16 touchdowns and two field goals.
Carswell Breaks Kinard’s Record
Senior safety Robert Carswell eclipsed a record held by one of Clemson’s all-time greats in the Wake Forest game. With his eight tackles, Carswell moved ahead of Terry Kinard to set the school record for tackles in a career by a defensive back. Carswell now has 320 career tackles, ahead of the 294 set by Kinard from 1978-82. Kinard was a two-time consensus All-American at Clemson, including a unanimous selection in 1982 when he was National Defensive Player of the Year. Kinard was named Clemson’s greatest player of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated earlier this summer.
That said, Carswell certainly should take pride in this record. He had 129 tackles last year to set the Clemson record for stops by a Tiger defensive back. But, Carswell can do more than just tackle, he had six interceptions last year to tie for the ACC statistical championship in that category. He was named a preseason first-team All-American by Playboy, Clemson’s first Playboy All-American since Anthony Simmons.
Carswell now is ranked seventh in Clemson history in total tackles regardless of position with his 320 total.
Top Career Tackle Totals by Clemson Defensive Backs
Rk Player Years Tot 1. Robert Carswell 1997-00 320 2. Terry Kinard 1978-82 294 3. Robert O’Neal 1989-92 252 4. Brian Dawkins 1992-95 251 5. Gene Beasley 1985-88 241
Points Off Turnovers Impressive
While turnover margin is important, points off turnover might be even more important. Clemson was about as productive as you can get in terms of converting turnovers into points in its 62-9 win over Missouri.
Clemson forced six turnovers in the game, most forced by a Tiger team since 1995 when Clemson forced seven in a win over NC State in Raleigh. Clemson scored 34 points off those six Missouri turnovers. When you figure the maximum you can score (assuming you try to kick the extra points and not go for two) is 42 points, that is good production. Missouri scored just three points off Clemson’s one turnover.
This year, Clemson has a 90-19 advantage when it comes to points off turnovers. In the 19 games Tommy Bowden has coached at Clemson the margin is 190-63.
April 11, 2024
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