Monday 10/22/2001
Oct. 22, 2001
Complete Release in PDF FormatDownload Free Acrobat Reader
Depth Chart in PDF FormatDownload Free Acrobat Reader
Cumulative Stats in PDF FormatDownload Free Acrobat Reader
Game Seven: Clemson at Wake Forest
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2001 12:10 PM (EST) Groves Stadium (31,500) Winston-Salem, NC
In the Rankings Clemson – NR AP, #25 USA Today/ESPN Wake Forest – Unranked
Television: Jefferson PilotPlay By Play: Steve Martin* Color: Doc WalkerSideline: Mike Hogewood
Radio: Clemson Tiger Sports NetworkPlay By Play: Jim Phillips * Color: Mike EppleySideline: Rodney Williams
Series History: Clemson leads 51-14-1Tickets: Available 1-888-758-DEACS
www.ClemsonTigers.com
Last Meeting Between Clemson and Wake Forest The Clemson offense gained 623 yards of total offense in a 55-7 victory over Wake Forest last year at Clemson. The Tigers featured a balanced attack as five different players scored touchdowns. The game was the first ACC matchup for the Tigers, who improved their record to 3-0. Clemson had not opened a season with three victories since 1991, the last time they won an ACC championship.
Travis Zachery contributed to the effort with 73 rushing yards and 86 receiving yards including a 52-yard touchdown pass from Woodrow Dantzler. Zachery was approaching 100 on the ground and through the air, a feat no Tiger had ever accomplished. Zachery did not play in the final 25 minutes of the game.
Zachery accounted for only one element of Clemson multi-faceted attack. Bernard Rambert rushed for 46 yards and two touchdowns. Keith Kelly rushed 16 times for 93 yards and one touchdown. The Tigers rushed for 436 yards against the Deacons. Dantzler amassed 166 of those yards, while passing for an additional 157.
Clemson held only a 3-0 lead for nearly the entire first quarter. Aaron Hunt connected on a 30-yard field goal on Clemson’s second possession of the game. Neither team registered a first down until Dantzler scrambled for 54 yards shortly before the second quarter. Rambert scored on a 13-yard run to finish a 6-play, 80-yard drive that took 1:56 off the clock. The drive was typical of Tommy Bowden’s no-huddle offense.
Dantzler rushed for a 39-yard touchdown on the first play of a Clemson drive to give Clemson a 17-0 lead midway into the second quarter. Tony Lazzara connected from 26 yards to give Clemson a 20-point advantage. Clemson’s offense finished the quarter with a 10-play, 81-yard drive that resulted in Rambert’s second touchdown of the day. Wake Forest gained just one first down in the in the opening half. Clemson led 27-0 at halftime.
Clemson scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second half. Nick Eason forced a fumble on Wake Forest’s first play from scrimmage. Altroy Bodrick recovered that ball on the Wake Forest seven-yard line. Dantzler capitalized on the Deacon turnover with a 1-yard touchdown run. Less than three minutes later Dantzler found Zachery for a 52-yard scoring pass that gave the Tigers a 41-0 lead 3:56 into the second half.
Wake Forest gained just 32 yards of total offense in the first three periods. Keith Adams registered his finest game of the season with 16 tackles, including three for loss. Chad Carson had 11 tackles as the linebacker duo of Adams and Carson solidified its status as one of the nations finest. First-Team All-American Robert Carswell broke Terry Kinard’s school record for tackles in a career by a defensive back. Carswell finished the game with 301 career tackles, ahead of the 294 set by Kinard from 1978-82.
Clemson vs. Wake Forest Series * Clemson owns 51 wins over Wake Forest in history, its second highest victory total over any opponent. Clemson has 59 wins over South Carolina. * Clemson leads the series 51-14-1 overall, including a 16-7-1 record at Wake Forest and 9-3-1 in Groves Stadium. * Clemson has won two in a row and six out of seven against Wake Forest dating to 1994. The Demon Deacons won back-to-back games in 1992-93, the only time Wake Forest has won consecutive contests against Clemson since 1946-47. * Clemson has a 2-0 record against Wake Forest under Tommy Bowden’s. The Tigers have outscored Wake Forest 67-10 in the two games. * Clemson won by just 12-3 the last time it played at Wake Forest in 1999. Brandon Streeter led the Tigers in a reserve role to the victory. * Wake Forest has scored more than 20 points against Clemson just once in the last 12 years, the Deacs 29-19 win at Clemson in 1998. * Clemson has won three in a row and seven of eight, at Wake Forest dating to the 1976 season. * The Clemson vs. Wake Forest series dates to 1933, a 13-0 Clemson win in Charlotte. * Clemson won 15 games in a row in the series from 1977-91.
Clemson Veterans vs. Wake Forest * Chad Carson has 27 tackles over the last two years against Wake Forest. He had 16 as a sophomore in Clemson’s win at Winston-Salem, then had 11 in Clemson’s win last year at Clemson. * Travis Zachery had 73 yards rushing and 86 receiving against Wake Forest last year in Clemson’s 55-7 victory in Death Valley. His 86 receiving yards were a career high. He has 194 yards rushing in three games and has scored four touchdowns in his career against the Deacs. * Woodrow Dantzler is 2-0 as a starting quarterback against Wake Forest. He has connected on 34-58 passes for 389 yards passing and has 35-218 rushing and two scores in his career against the Deacs. He has 607 career yards combined in 69 plays against the Deacs. That includes last year when he had 157 passing and 166 rushing for 323 total in Clemson’s victory. * Nick Eason had four tackles, including two tackles for loss in the win over Wake Forest last year. * Charles Hafley had two tackles in 38 plays against Wake Forest last year. * Aaron Hunt booted a 30-yard field goal and was 7-7 on extra points in the 2000 Wake Forest game. * Brian Mance had three tackles in 39 plays as a starter against Wake Forest in 2000. * Bryant McNeal had three tackles, including a sack in the win at Wake Forest in 1999. He had four tackles in 17 plays last year. * Bernard Rambert had 6-46 rushing and scored two touchdowns vs. the Deacs in 2000. * Jackie Robinson had 3-31 receiving in the win over Wake Forest in 2000. * Willie Simmons was 1-2 for 30 yards and a touchdown against Wake Forest in 2000.
Hafley Sets Clemson Single Game Record Clemson graduate defensive back Charles Hafley set a school record for tackles in a game by a defensive back in the Tigers 38-3 loss to North Carolina on Oct. 20 at Death Valley. Hafley was credited with 19 tackles in the contest on 11 first hits and eight assists. That broke the previous record of 18 set by Leomont Evans against Georgia in 1995.
Hafley now ranks second on the Clemson team and is among the ACC leaders in tackles with 69 through six games, an average of 11.5 per game. The North Carolina game was his fourth double-figure tackle game this season and the 10th of his career. A year ago Hafley had 106 tackles, most ever by a strong safety and third best in Clemson history for a defensive back.
Hafley is on pace to break the Clemson record for tackles in a season by a defensive back. Robert Carswell, now with the San Diego Chargers, had 129 in 1999, an average of 10.75 per game. Hafley is on pace to get 138 tackles in a 12-game season (including a bowl game). Anthony Johnson had 117 tackles in 1985 and that is the only other total higher than Hafley’s figure from 1985.
Hunt Boots Longest Field Goal Clemson placekicker Aaron Hunt booted a 48-yard field goal against North Carolina, the Tigers only points of the day. The 48-yard field goal would have been good from over 50 yards and it was the longest of Hunt’s career. In fact, it was the longest by a Clemson kicker 1997 when David Richardson kicked a 48-yard field goal in the Peach Bowl against Auburn.
Hunt has kicked the ball 27 times this year and it has gone through the uprights 26 times. The sophomore is 22-22 on extra points and 4-5 on field goals. His only miss was from 31 yards against Virginia. He has three field goals of 43 yards or more after not making a field goal over 40 yards all of last year.
Hunt made 45-47 extra points last year and is now 67-69 for his career. His 45 made extra points last year set a Clemson record for a season. His attempt total tied the Clemson record. Hunt made 5 of his last 6 a year ago and is 4-5 this year, meaning he has made 9 of his last 11 over two years. He was 10-16 last year overall and is now 14-21 in two years. His 25-yard field goal with three seconds left gave the Tigers a 16-14 win over South Carolina in Death Valley last year.
Clemson Offense Averages 418 Yards Under Bowden Clemson struggled on offense against North Carolina, gaining just 209 yards and scoring just three points, 30-game lows for the Clemson offense under Bowden. However, the Tigers still have impressive offensive averages in the Bowden era, better than any other three-year period in school history.
Under Bowden, who came to Clemson for the beginning of the 1999 season, Clemson has averaged 30.53 points per game, 22.8 first downs and 418.6 yards of total offense per game. Clemson has run 77 plays per game, and averaged 186.5 yards rushing and 233.1 passing per game. Clemson has scored 121 touchdowns in the 30 games, over four per game. Eighteen of the 30 games Clemson has had at least 400 yards of total offense.
Dantzler Stats Better on the Road The ACC has seen a lot of success for the road team this year. Through games of Oct. 20 the home team had won just eight of 20 games. Clemson certainly has contributed to that with a 2-0 record on the road and a 0-2 mark at home.
Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler has been a player who does not let the visiting crowd bother him, in fact it must motivate him because his stats on the opponent’s home field are considerably better than they are at home. Clemson hopes the trend continues this weekend when the Tigers travel to Wake Forest.
Over the last three years, seasons Dantzler has been the starter, or a factor in the Clemson lineup, Dantzler has averaged 304.6 yards of total offense per game in 11 contests on the road and has averaged just 213.3 yards per game in 15 games played in Death Valley.
Dantzler has averaged a 100-yard rushing, 300-yard total offense game on the road for those 11 games in the opponent’s home facility. He has averaged 204 passing and 100.5 rushing. His passing efficiency is 140.1 on the road and 130.1 in Death Valley. He has averaged 2.27 touchdowns rushing and passing on the road and 1.73 in Death Valley since 1999.
In two road games this year, Dantzler has had 418 yards total offense at Georgia Tech and 517 at N.C. State, two of the top three total offense games in Clemson history. The third game in that list was Dantzler’s 435-yard game at Maryland in 1999. Each of Dantzler’s top four total offense games have been on the road. He had 374 at Virginia in 2000.
Dantzler the Runner Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler is the greatest running quarterback in ACC history. His 2,259 yards on the ground are an ACC record. Among the active ACC players, he is second to Georgia Tech’s Joe Burns in career 100-yard rushing games with eight. Burns got his ninth as a Yellow Jacket against N.C. State on Oct. 20.
Dantzler is already tied for fifth in Clemson history in career 100-yard rushing games with his eight. Raymond Priester has the record with 15, while Kenny Flowers and Buddy Gore both had 11. Terry Allen had 10. Dantzler is tied with Ray Yauger, Ronald Williams, Lester Brown and Fred Cone with eight.
Dantzler’s 2,259 rushing yards rank 10th in Clemson history. He went ahead of Lester Brown in the North Carolina game and needs just four yards to go ahead of Ken Callicutt into eighth place on the all-time list. He needs just 241 yards rushing to become just the sixth player in Clemson history to reach 2,500 in his career.
Zachery Closing in on Scoring Record Clemson running back Travis Zachery is closing in on a number of milestones. The senior all-purpose running back has scored 46 touchdowns in his Clemson career, already a school record. He has 38 rushing and eight receiving and obviously needs four touchdowns to become the first Clemson player to reach 50 touchdowns.
Those touchdowns translate into scoring. He now has 276 points in his Clemson career and needs 26 to break Nelson Welch’s career record of 301. Welch was a placekicker for the Tigers from 1991-94. He booted a school record 72 field goals and added 85 extra points for his 301 total.
As you can see by the chart below, Zachery is already third on the Clemson scoring list. He recently passes Chris Gardocki, who had 261 points. Gardocki will be inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame on Feb. 1.
Zachery had his streak of 13 consecutive games with at least one touchdown rushing or receiving, snapped when he failed to score against North Carolina. That is the Clemson record for consecutive games with at least one score. He shattered the mark, as the previous best was a streak of nine straight games by Lester Brown, 1978-79. Zachery has 45 regular season touchdowns in his career. Only two ACC players in history have reached 50 touchdowns in regular season play.
Five more TDs in the last five regular season games would give Zachery an even 50. The others to do it are Ted Brown, who had 51 for N.C. State between 1975-78, and Leon Johnson, who had 50 at North Carolina between 1993-96.
Zachery Approaching 3,000/1,000 Club Clemson senior running back Travis Zachery is among the best all-around ball carriers in the nation. That is one reason he was listed among the preseason candidates for the Doak Walker Award.
So far this year Zachery has 333 yards rushing and 275 yards receiving, giving him 608 yards from scrimmage. It ranks him fifth in the ACC in all-purpose running. He has had five touchdowns rushing and got his second receiving at N.C. State for seven total touchdowns. Zachery now has 2,815 yards rushing in his career and 918 receiving.
No Clemson player in history has had at least 3,000 yards rushing and 1,000 receiving. It is quite a difficult accomplishment, something only three players in ACC history have accomplished. The others to do it are Leon Johnson, a former running back from North Carolina (1993-96), Warrick Dunn of Florida State (1993-96), and Terry Kirby of Virginia (1989-92). Zachery needs 185 yards rushing and 82 receiving to pull off the 3,000/1,000 double.
Zachery scored three touchdowns at Tech and one more at N.C. State, giving him 46 for his career, already a Clemson record. He has scored 40 touchdowns in his last 30 games. His three scores at Tech gave him eight for his career against the Yellow Jackets, including six at Grant Field in Atlanta. Zachery is from nearby Marietta, GA.
Zachery enters the Wake Forest game with 2,815 career rushing yards, third best in school history. He moved ahead of Terry Allen (now with the Baltimore Ravens) on the all-time list in the win over N.C. State. Now, only Kenny Flowers and Raymond Priester have more rushing yards than Zachery.
Zachery went over the 4,000-yard mark in all-purpose running in the loss to North Carolina. He now has 4,009 for his career, just the second Clemson runner to reach 4,000 yards. Raymond Priester is the career leader in all-purpose running with 4,282.
Kopp Punting Improved There weren’t many positives in Clemson’s performance against North Carolina on Oct. 20. However, Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden’s did compliment the special teams. Aaron Hunt booted a career best 48-yard field goal, and punter Wynn Kopp averaged 40.7 yards per punt on seven boots and he allowed just three total punt return yards, meaning he had a 40.3 net punting average.
Kopp has now had a net punting average of at least 40 yards in four of the first six games. Opponents have just 45 total punt return yards in eight returns out of his 23 punts so far this year. His 37.7 net punting average is best by a Clemson punter since Chris McInally had a 38.3 net punting average for the 1995 season.
All punters are compared to Clemson great Chris Gardocki, who now is in his 11th year in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. Gardocki’s final season at Clemson, 1990, he had 39.3 net punting average for the season.
Mance Should Return Starting cornerback Brian Mance missed the North Carolina game after his brother, Kenny was tragically killed in an automobile accident in the early morning hours of Oct. 14. He was just two miles from his home and fell asleep at the wheel.
Mance missed all of last week’s practice. He came to the North Carolina game and sat on the bench, but was not in uniform. He is expected back at practice this week and should be ready to play against Wake Forest.
Mance is a valuable member of the Clemson lineup. He has 23 tackles and three passes broken up in five games, all as a starter in the secondary. He also is Clemson’s top kick returner. According to this week’s NCAA stats, Mance is 24th in the nation and first in the ACC in kickoff returns with a 26.86 average. He is 26th in punt returns with a 11.92 average.
Bowden 7-1 Week After a Loss Clemson will travel to Wake Forest for its first game since suffering a loss to North Carolina. Earlier this year the Tigers showed an ability Clemson faced an uphill battle when it went to Georgia Tech. The Tigers were trying to defeat a top-10 team on the road after suffering a heart-breaking loss to Virginia with one second left. But, the Tigers have done well coming off a loss under Bowden. In his two and a half years as Clemson head coach the Tigers are now 7-1 in regular season games coming off a loss. The lone loss, and thus the only two-game losing streak of Bowden’s career came last year at Florida State. After a loss to Tech at Clemson, the Tigers dropped a 54-7 decision at Florida State. Clemson broke the streak against South Carolina. Bowden was 3-1 at Tulane coming off a loss. Thus, he is 10-2 in his head coaching career the week after a loss.
Former Walk-on Francis Contributing Clemson has received considerable contribution in its secondary from former walk-on Toure Francis the last two weeks. Francis, a sophomore from Columbia, SC and Richland Northeast High School, has started each of the last two weeks and played at least 50 plays in each game. In the win over N.C. State, Francis replaced cornerback Kevin Johnson, who had suffered a broken rib in the win at Georgia Tech. Francis had five tackles in 54 plays and broke up two passes at N.C. State. He then started the North Carolina game and played 50 plays as the starter replacing Brian Mance. Mance missed the game after his brother, Kenny, was killed in an automobile accident in the early morning hours of Oct. 14.
Francis had four tackles in 50 plays against North Carolina. For the season, Francis has 15 tackles, including 13 first hits. He has one tackle for loss and three passes broken up in his 153 plays of action. Francis is now on scholarship. He was put on aide in the spring of 2000. He entered Clemson as a walk-on in 1999 and red-shirted that season. An impressive performance in the spring of 2000 led to the scholarship.
Dantzler Dazzling at N.C. State Clemson quarterback’s performance in the Tigers 45-37 victory in Raleigh is hard to put into words. It was the greatest combination of rushing and passing for a Clemson football player in history and ranks among the best in college football history.
How can we make such a statement? A look to the NCAA record book tells us that only one player in one game has ever had at least 300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in the same game. Washington’s Marques Tuiasosopo had 302 yards passing and 207 rushing against Stanford on Oct. 30,1999, the only player in history to achieve the 300/200 in the same game.
At State, Dantzler passed for 333 and 184 net yards rushing. Had it not been for two sacks in the second quarter, one of 13 yards and another of 11, Dantzler would have joined Tuiasosopo in that exclusive club. As it was, Dantzler’s performance was the fifth best in ACC history in terms of total offense, and a Clemson record. The ACC mark is 554 yards of total offense by Rusty LaRue for Wake Forest against N.C. State in 1995. LaRue threw 78 passes in that game.
Dantzler did more than just pick up yardage, he led the Tigers to six touchdowns. He ran for two and passed for four, and the six touchdowns combined broke the Clemson single game record that had stood since 1947. Dantzler tied the Clemson single game record for touchdown passes in a single game, a mark he now co-owns with his backup, Willie Simmons.
It was Dantzler’s top passing game as a Tiger, and in many ways the best by any Clemson quarterback. The graduate student from Orangeburg, SC completed 23-27 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns. His passing efficiency rating of 237.6 was a Clemson record for a minimum of 20 attempts. His stats included a 79-yard pass to freshman Airese Currie, the longest pass play for the Tigers in five years.
Dantzler achieved the 517 yards of total offense one game and two weeks after gaining 418 yards in Clemson’s thrilling 47-44 win over a ninth ranked Georgia Tech team in Atlanta. Obviously it is the top total offense figure for consecutive games in Clemson history.
Here is a list of Clemson Records Dantzler Set in the win at N.C. State * Single game passing efficiency (Min 20 attempts)-237.58 * Single game total offense-517 yards (333 passing, 184 rushing) * Single game touchdown responsibility-6 * Tied single game touchdown passes-4 * Single game completion percentage (min 20 attempts)-.851 * Career total offense-6874 * Career total offense vs. same team-1127 vs. N.C. State
Below is a chart that documents Dantzler’s stats the last two Road games
Dantzler Stats Similar to Ward Heisman Numbers Woodrow Dantzler received rave reviews for his performance against N.C. State on Oct. 13.
N.C. State strongside linebacker Brandon Jamison told The State Newspaper, “He has got to be one of the best athletes in America…That is why he is up for the Heisman. The man can run. He can pass. He has moves. He has speed. He can break tackles. There is nothing bad you can say about him.”
During the broadcast on Jefferson Pilot television, guest commentator and legendary former ACC coach Bill Dooley remarked, “If I had him as a quarterback, I’d get back into coaching.”
Another person who was impressed was N.C. State coach Chuck Amato. “I had the fortune to be around Charlie Ward (at Florida State, 1992-93) and Dantzler has more athletic ability. He is their football team. He’s their inspiration.
“He put on a display out there today that I don’t know if we’ll ever see again in this stadium. I hope not by an opposing quarterback. I can’t imagine a better player in the country in America. We must have set a record for missed tackles on him.”
Ward, now the starting point guard for the NBA’s New York Knicks, won the Heisman Trophy in 1993 when he led Florida State to the national championship and a 12-1 record. He did so with an all-around game as he had the ability to run as well as pass. Dantzler has had similar success as a runner and passer this year.
A look to the stats shows that Dantzler is ahead of Ward’s pace in total offense/game, touchdown responsibility per game, rushing yards per game. They have similar stats in passing efficiency and completion percentage.
Comparison of 2 Quarterbacks
Dantzler Ranked in Top 35 in Three Categories Woodrow Dantzler is ranked in the top 25 in the nation in three different statistical categories, including. The Tiger signal caller who now owns 30 school records is seventh in the country in total offense, 30th in passing efficiency and 32nd in rushing. That’s right, 32nd in rushing.
Dantzler has gained 559 net yards on the ground for an average of 93.2 yards per game. That is ahead of his record setting pace last year. He is on pace for 1,025 yards rushing in the regular season. He is on pace for 2,332 passing. No player in NCAA history has had 1,000 yards rushing and 2,000 yards passing in the same season.
He had 947 rushing and 1,691 passing last season during the regular season. If he is to achieve the distinction he will have to do it in the regular season as NCAA records do not count bowl games. The closest to achieve the milestone is Brian Mitchell of Lousiana-Lafayette, who had 1311 rushing and 1966 passing in 1989.
Dantzler Reaches 4,000/2,000 mark, Now Owns 30 Clemson Records Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler became the first quarterback in ACC history to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 2,000 when he had his 517-yard total offense game at N.C. State.
Including bowl games, Dantzler has 2,259 rushing and 4,731 passing in his four-year career. So far this season, Dantzler has 559 yards rushing and 1,272 passing for 1,833 total, an average of 305 yards per game in total offense. He ranks first in the conference in total offense per game and is seventh in the nation. He is third in the ACC in rushing and fourth in passing efficiency.
The graduate student has connected on nearly 65 percent of his passes this year, a record pace, and is now at 58.1 percent for his career, also best in school history.
Dantzler became Clemson’s all-time leader in total offense with his performance at Tech and now has 6,990 career yards, ahead of the previous record held by Nealon Greene. He is also second in school history in passing efficiency.
Dantzler on Clemson career Records Lists Rank/Category/Figure Left for Record * 1st in quarterback rushing (2216) has record * 1st in completion percentage (.589) has record * 1st in touchdown responsibility (52) has record * 1st in total offense (6874) has record * 2nd in passing efficiency (130.41) 131.30 rating points * 2nd in interception avoidance (2.67) 2.55 percent * 2nd in total plays (1119) 40 plays * 2nd in completions (369) 90 completions * 2nd in passing yards (4731) 991 yards * 3rd in touchdown passes (29) 7 TD passes
Clemson Records Held by Dantzler (30) Single Game (8) * Touchdown Responsibility-6 vs. N.C. State, 2001 * Total Offense-517 vs. N.C. State, 2001 * Completion % (Min 20 attempts)-.851 vs. N.C. State, 2001 * Completion % (Min 15 attempts)-.941 vs. The Citadel 2000 * Yards rushing by a quarterback-220 vs. Virginia, 2000 * Passing Efficiency (Min 15 attempts)-247.2 vs. The Citadel, 2000 * Passing Efficiency (Min 20 attempts)-237.6 vs. N.C. State, 2001 * Touchdown Passes-#4 vs. N.C. State, 2001
Season (13) * Total offense-2899, (2000) * Quarterback rushing-1028, (2000) * 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback-4 (2000) * Touchdowns rushing and passing-24 (2000) * 200-yard total offense games-9 (2000) * 300-yard total offense games-4 (2000) * Consecutive 200-yard total offense games-7 (2000) * Consecutive games throwing a TD pass-6 (2000) * 100-yard rushing, 300-yard total offense games-4 (2000) * Most yards rushing in series of 3 games-520 (2000) * Most yards rushing in series of 4 games-623 (2000) * Most total offense/game in season-241.6 (2000) * Most total offense plays in season-434 (2000)
Career (9) * Completion percentage in career-.589 * Career passing efficiency-133.4 * Total offense-6874 * Yards rushing by a quarterback in a career-2216 * 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback-8 * Most total offense/game in career-214.8 * Most 300-yard total offense games in career-8 * Most 100-yard rushing, 300-yard total offense games in a career-8 * Most touchdowns rushing and passing in a career-52 #tied record
Dantzler Named National Player of the Week Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler was named National Player of the Week by USAToday.com for his performance against Georgia Tech.
Dantzler gained 418 yards of total offense in Clemson’s 47-44 victory at Atlanta, 164 rushing and 254 passing. He ran for two scores and threw for two. His 11-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw on the last play of overtime gave the Tigers the victory.
Dantzler trumped that accomplishment with a 517 yard effort against N.C. State. He was named National player of the week by ESPN.com. He was also named the top player in the country for the first half of the season by CBS.Sportsline.com and ESPN.com.
Dantzler’s performance against Georgia Tech marked the first time a Clemson player had won the National Player of the Week from USA Today.com. Dantzler was also the ACC Player of the Week according to the site, the third time in three years he has won that honor. He won it again for the N.C. State game, giving him four player of the week selections. He was the ACC Player of the Week according to the site in 1999 for his 435-yard performance against Maryland, and in 2000 when he led the Tigers to a 62-9 win over Missouri.
Dantzler was named National Player of the Week in 2000 by CNNSI.com for his performance at Virginia. He had 220 yards rushing, an all-time ACC record for a quarterback, and 154 passing in Clemson’s 31-10 win over the Cavs.
Dantzler is the first Tiger in history to be named a National Player of the Week three times. A Clemson player has been named National Player of the week 10 times in history, including Dantzler’s performance last week. Here is a listing:
Clemson Offense Proficient in Second Half Last Two Road Games Clemson has scored at least 45 points and gained at least 500 yards of total offense in each of its last two road games, a 47-44 overtime win over Georgia Tech and a 45-37 victory over N.C. State. Clemson’s point total against Tech was its high total against the Yellow Jackets since 1903, a 73-0 win behind coach John Heisman. Clemson’s 45-37 victory against N.C. State was the highest point total Clemson has ever scored against the Pack.
A reason for the high scoring on the road has been proficiency in the second half. Clemson scored four touchdowns in the second half after halftime in each game. Clemson has had 12 possessions in the second half the last two games combined (not including possessions when trying to run out the clock) and has nine touchdowns. Once Clemson was held on downs and once Clemson kicked a field goal. Clemson has had to punt in the second half just once in the last two games. Some of the touchdown drives have been deliberate and some have been time consuming, as the chart below shows:
Clemson Gains 500 Yards In Consecutive Road Wins Clemson has had at least 500 yards in each of its last two road games. That is certainly an accomplishment anywhere, but especially on the road. Clemson gained 502 yards at Georgia Tech and 567 at N.C. State in gaining consecutive victories. It marks the first time in Clemson history that the Tigers have had at least 500 yards in consecutive road games. The 567 yards gained at N.C. State were the most recorded on the road since 1903 when John Heisman coached Clemson to a 73-0 victory with 615 yards, all on the ground. Clemson had one of its top offensive games in the Tommy Bowden’s era in the 47-44 win over Georgia Tech on Sept. 29. The Tigers gained 502 yards of total offense, third highest figure under Bowden and second best in an ACC game.
It marked just the second time in Clemson history that the Tigers had at least 500 yards of total offense against a top 25 team. The only other occasion came in 1983 when Clemson had 544 yards against an 11th-ranked Maryland team in a 52-27 Clemson victory.
It was a balanced attack for the Tigers, perhaps the most balanced in Clemson history for a 500-yard performance. Clemson had 248 rushing and 254 passing in the contest. It marked just the fourth game in Clemson history that Clemson had at least 240 yards rushing and passing in the same game.
Clemson has now had four 500-yard total offense games under Tommy Bowden. Clemson is now 40-0-1 in its history when gaining at least 500 yards of total offense. The only non-victory came in 1991 when Clemson gained 511 yards in a 20-20 tie with Virginia.
Hamilton Approaching Freshman Record Freshman wide receiver Derrick Hamilton continued his outstanding rookie season with eight catches for 106 yards at N.C. State. The red-shirt freshman from Mullins, SC now has 31 receptions for 339 yards and a touchdown. He needs just four catches against Wake Forest to break Terry Smith’s freshman record. Smith had 34 catches in 1990. He needs 142 yards to break Smith’s freshman receiving yardage mark. Hamilton’s 106 yards receiving at State broke Ray Williams single game freshman receiving yardage mark. Ironically, Williams mark had been recorded against N.C. State, a 105 yard effort in 1983. Hamilton is now 21st in the nation in receptions per game with 6.2 and is second among freshmen. Hamilton is third in the ACC in receptions per game and is sixth in yardage.
It was a big day for Clemson freshman receivers at N.C. State. In addition to Hamilton’s heroics, freshman tight end Ben Hall had three catches for 39 yards and his first college touchdown. Airese Currie had a 79-yard reception in the fourth period from Woodrow Dantzler to put the quarterback over the 300-yard mark for the first time in his career.
Clemson freshman receivers caught 12 passes for 224 yards and two scores on the day.
Bush Had Best Game vs. N.C. State Senior defensive tackle Jovon Bush had his most productive day as a Tiger in the win at N.C. State. The native of Hardeeville, SC is in his senior year, but it is his first year as a starter. He has made the most of it and that included the game in Raleigh.
Bush had eight tackles in the game, most by a Clemson down lineman this year. His total included two tackles for loss and four quarterback pressures. He ranked third on the Clemson defense in tackles for the day in his 62 plays on defense.
Bush now has 31 tackles for the season, more than any other defensive tackle. He also has nine quarterback pressures in his 255 snaps on the field. Bush had 20 tackles as a reserve each of the last two years, meaning he has taken just five games to exceed his previous high tackle total for a season.
Offensive Line Playing Well One of the reasons for Clemson’s success against Georgia Tech and N.C. State was the play of its offensive line. The veteran group includes three players who are graduates (Will Merritt, Kyle Young and T.J. Watkins) and two red-shirt juniors (Gary Byrd and Akil Smith). They combined to help the Tigers gain 502 yards of total offense and scored seven touchdowns and 47 points in the victory. It was the most points Clemson has scored against Georgia Tech since a 73-0 Tiger victory in 1903. John Heisman was Clemson’s coach in that game.
The starting offensive line combined for 68 knockdown blocks in the game, high total for the season. In fact, the total against Georgia Tech was 20 more than the previous best of 48 knockdowns for the starting offensive line against Central Florida.
Four different starters had double figures in knockdown blocks in the game. T.J. Watkins led the way with 19, while Akil Smith had 17, more ever for a Clemson tackle. Center Kyle Young had 14 and Gary Byrd added 11. Smith was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week for the first time in his career. Will Merritt was the only Tiger who failed to reach double figures, but he had seven.
Clemson’s starting offensive line came back to get 58 knockdown blocks in the win at N.C. State. Kyle Young led the way with 19, while Will Merritt added 13 and Gary Byrd had 11.
Kyle Young leads the team in knockdown blocks with 74, more than halfway to his team best 120 set last year. T.J. Watkins is second with 70, while Merritt has 59. Gary Byrd has picked up 54, while Akil Smith has 44. Smith leads the team in intimidation blocks with 12.
Win at Tech Was Landmark Victory Clemson’s win at Georgia Tech was a landmark accomplishment in many ways. The Yellow Jackets were ranked ninth in the nation in the AP poll heading into the game. The victory was the highest ranked win on the road by a Clemson team in 20 years. The last one and the highest ranked win on an opponent’s home field took place in 1981 when Clemson won at eighth ranked North Carolina.
The win at Georgia Tech was more remarkable in that Clemson entered the game ranked 25th in the nation in the USA Today poll, unranked by AP. Clemson was ranked second in the nation when it won at North Carolina in 1981.
The win at Tech was the 17th in Clemson history over a top-25 team on the road. It was the first since 1997 when Clemson won at 25th ranked N.C. State and it was the first top-10 road win since 1992 when Clemson won at 10th ranked Virginia.
A road win over a top 25 team means a tombstone will be added to the entrance at the Clemson practice fields. A tombstone commemorating the victory is added each time Clemson gets a road win over a top 25 team.
Clemson’s Highest Ranked Wins The win for over ninth ranked Georgia Tech was be the highest-ranked Clemson win regardless of site since 1981 when Clemson defeated fourth-ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, a 22-15 victory that gave Clemson the National Championship.
Regardless of site, Clemson now has nine wins over top 10 teams in its history, three in Death Valley. Clemson has now had 21 wins over top 25 teams since 1986 and has had at least one ranked win in 14 of the last 15 seasons (including this season). The Tigers defeated Virginia, 33-14, in 1999 when the Cavs were ranked 19th (USA Today), then downed a 25th-ranked South Carolina team last year.
The win over Tech now assures that Tommy Bowden’s will have at least one ranked win in each of his first three years with the Tigers. The win over Tech was the fifth highest ranked win in school history.
Tigers win in Overtime Clemson defeated Georgia Tech 47-44 in overtime on Sept. 29, just the second time in history that Clemson has participated in an overtime game. Clemson is now 2-0 since the rule came into effect for the 1996 season. Clemson’s only other overtime game was a 29-20 victory over Duke in 1997. Clemson won by the odd margin when Rahim Abdullah returned an interception 63 yards for a score to end the game. The Tigers had scored three points on their offensive possession when David Richardson kicked a field goal.
Including the two overtime games, Clemson has now won four games in its history on the last play of the game. In addition to the Duke game listed above and Dantzler’s touchdown run to beat Tech, David Treadwell twice booted field goals on the last play of the game to give Clemson a victory. In 1985 he booted a 36-yard field goal on the last play to give Clemson a 20-17 win at Virginia Tech. Then, the following year he kicked a 46-yard field on the final play to give Clemson a 31-28 victory at Georgia.
Not included in the list are the heroics turned in by lineman Bob Patton in 1950. A top 20 Wake Forest scored a touchdown with five seconds left to come within 13-12 of the Tigers at Winston-Salem. The two-point conversion rule was not in college football at the time, so Wake Forest attempted to kick the extra point and tie the game. Patton broke through the Wake Forest line and blocked the attempt, giving Clemson the victory. The clock ran out on the ensuing kickoff.
Leake Among National Leaders Clemson sophomore linebacker John Leake is among the national leaders in tackles according to the first round of NCAA defensive statistics released Oct. 1. Through games of Sept. 29, Leake ranked 11th in the nation in tackles with 13.5 per game. He is now at 13.6 tackles per game and has 68 for the season to lead the team.
Leake is tie for 11th in the nation with Auburn sophomore Dontarrious Thomas, who also had 54 through four games. Those two players lead all sophomores in the nation.
Leake would get some votes for most improved player in the nation if there was such an award. He did not play a single snap on defense as a first-year freshman, and made all nine of his tackles on special teams. Now he has played 305 plays through five games and ranks 11th in the nation and second in the ACC behind N.C. State’s Levar Fisher in tackles per game. Fisher, who led the nation last year, is currently third at 16.33 tackles per game. Hanik Milligan of Houston, a junior, leads the nation with an average of 21 tackles per game.
Five Tigers on Football Writers Association Watch List Five Clemson players were on the Football Writers Association All-American Watch List heading into the season. Four of the players are on offense and one on defense. All five should play at Tech. The list includes quarterback Woodrow Dantzler, running back Travis Zachery, guard Will Merritt, center Kyle Young and linebacker Chad Carson.
Clemson vs. Duke moved to Dec. 1 The Clemson vs. Duke football game, originally scheduled for Sept. 15 at Clemson, will be played December 1 at Clemson Memorial Stadium. The contest was postponed due to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington Sept. 11. The game will kickoff at 1:00 PM.
This will be the latest Clemson has played a regular season game since 1956 when the Tigers defeated Furman at Death Valley, 28-7 on Dec. 1. It will be just the sixth regular season game in the month of December in Clemson football history. The latest Clemson has had a regular season game is Dec. 8, a 1928 loss to The Citadel in Charleston.
The change in schedule means that Duke and Clemson will meet in the major sports of football and men’s basketball on consecutive days. The two schools will meet in men’s basketball at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Dec. 2. That will be the earliest conference basketball game for the Tigers since 1966. Clemson played at North Carolina to open the 1966-67 season on Dec. 1.
Clemson to Play 92-day Regular season As a result of the terrorist attacks on the East Coast on Sept. 11, and the subsequent schedule change, Clemson’s 2001 regular season will stretch 92 days, longest in school history. The Clemson vs. Duke game originally scheduled for Sept. 15 was moved to Dec. 1, two weeks after the original season finale at South Carolina on Nov. 17.
The previous longest season in Clemson history was 87 days, set in 1991 when Clemson began the season on Sept. 7, then concluded the regular season on Nov. 30 in Tokyo. That season also finished with a game against Duke. Clemson had 85-day regular seasons in 1984 and 1996. Fifteen consecutive Clemson seasons have lasted at least 78 days dating to the 1986 season that lasted 71 days.
The shortest 11-game regular season took place in 1977 and 1980 when the season spanned 70 days. Six other 11-game seasons went across 71 days.
Longest Regular Seasons in Clemson History 2001 Sept. 1 – Dec. 1 (92) 1991 Sept. 7 – Nov. 30 (87) 1984 Sept. 1 – Nov. 24 (85) 1996 Aug. 31 – Nov. 23 (85) 1993 Sept. 4 – Nov. 20 (84) 1982 Sept. 6 – Nov. 27 (83)
Clemson 36-0-1 With 200 Yards Passing and Rushing Clemson is now 10-0 under Tommy Bowden’s when gaining at least 200 yards or each in the same game. The Tigers are now 36-0-1 in history when gaining at least 200 of each. Clemson first turned the trick against Wake Forest in 1953. Clemson has had three games this year in which it has had at least 200 or each in the same game, including each of the last two.
The program had just 28 such games in the first 103 years of Clemson football prior to Bowden’s arrival and now has had 10 in the 29 games he has been head coach of the Tigers. The streak was nearly snapped at Georgia Tech in 1999. Clemson had 231 yards rushing and 197 passing in the loss at Georgia Tech. The only tie game in which Clemson had at least 200 of each took place in 1976 when Clemson had 248 rushing and 234 passing in a 24-24 tie in Atlanta against Tech.
Carson, Leake top Clemson Tacklers Chad Carson and John Leake are becoming quite a one-two punch on Clemson’s second line of defense. Against Wofford’s run oriented attack numbers 45 and 46 combined for 34 tackles. Carson had 18 and Leake picked up a career high 16. In the win at Tech, Leake had 19 and Carson added 10. They were both in double figures at N.C. State. Leake had 14 and Carson had 11.
For Carson the 18 tackles against Wofford tied for his second highest single game total as a Tiger. The only performance that is higher is the 22-tackle performance he had against Georgia Tech at Death Valley last year. That is an ironic fact in itself considering that Carson’s father played for Georgia Tech.
Carson now has 372 tackles for his career, eighth best in school history. He moved ahead of Tim Jones with seven tackles against Virginia. Next on the list is former teammate Robert Carswell, who had 374 between 1997-00. If he averages 10 tackles a game over the rest of the season he will finish his career ranked fourth in Clemson history, trailing only Bubba Brown, Anthony Simmons and Jeff Davis. That is impressive company.
Leake has a long way to go to catch Carson, but he is taking a similar path. Carson had just 11 tackles his freshman year as a reserve linebacker in 1998. Leake had nine as a reserve last year.
Clemson Career Tackle Leaders 1. Bubba Brown, LB 1976-79 515 2. Anthony Simmons, LB 1995-97 486 3. Jeff Davis, LB 1978-81 469 4. Ed McDaniel, LB 1988-91 489 5. Randy Scott, LB 1975-78 382 6. Keith Adams, LB 1998-00 379 7. Robert Carswell, FS 1997-00 374 8. Chad Carson, LB 1998-01 372 9. Tim Jones, LB 1991-94 338 10. Henry Walls, LB 1983-85 316
Tigers Only Division I Team With Two Academic All-Americans Clemson is the only school in the nation with two returning first-team Academic All-Americans on its roster. Linebacker Chad Carson and center Kyle Young were both named first-team Academic All-Americans in 2000. That was the first time in Clemson history the Tigers had two first-team selections in the same year.
Carson is a senior with a 3.94 career GPA in biological sciences. He led the Tigers in tackles last year and ranked fourth in the nation. Young led the Tigers in knockdown blocks last year with 120. He graduated from Clemson with a 3.98 career GPA last year and is now taking postgraduate courses. He was also a first-team Academic All-American in 1999 and is trying to become just the second ACC player in history to be a three time first-team selection. Mike Diminick, who played for Duke in the 1980s, is the only other ACC player to be a three-time first-team selection.
Seven First-Year Freshmen Have Seen Action Clemson played five first-year freshmen in the season opener against UCF. The list included three receivers in Roscoe Crosby, Airese Currie and tight end Ben Hall. On defense, Moe Fountain and Eric Sampson were first-year freshmen who saw action.
Crosby started the game, the first first-year freshman to start at wide receiver in the season opener 1944 when Arthur Hagan started every game as a first-year freshmen. That was during WWII when the United States Armed Services drafted most of Clemson’s upperclassmen. It didn’t take Crosby much time to have an impact. He caught a Utah pass from quarterback Woodrow Dantzler on the first play of the season and he turned it into a 12-yard gain. He also caught 33-yard pass for Clemson’s longest play of the day from scrimmage. Crosby finished the day with three catches for 64 yards. The yardage total led the Tigers against UCF. Hall also made his first career catch in the contest.
LeRoy Hill became the sixth first year freshman to play in a game when he played linebacker against Wofford. Hill had four tackles in 10 plays of action in the Clemson win. Eric Coleman became the seventh Clemson first-year freshman to see action when he played on the defensive line at Georgia Tech.
Changes from the Press Guide There have been some changes as far as personnel is concerned since the 2001 Clemson media guide was published in July. Three players on the press guide roster are no longer on the team. Freshman Micheaux Hollingsworth has decided to attend a junior college. Freshman Grant Oliver decided to leave Clemson a week into practice and has left school. David Ellis, a two-year letterman at defensive end, decided to leave the team a week into practice.
Five players have changed positions since the beginning of practice. Braxton K. Williams has moved from star safety to strongside linebacker. Tyrone Lee, a letterman as a reserve tight end last year, has moved to fullback. Eric Sampson, who came to Clemson as a linebacker this year, is now the backup star safety. Brian Carr has moved from quarterback to free safety and freshman Eric Coleman has moved from tight end to offensive tackle.
Seven players have changed uniform numbers:
Seven Graduate Students Start for Tigers Clemson has seven graduate students slated to hold starting positions for today’s game with Wake Forest. That is an all-time record for graduate students on the Clemson football team.
The list is led by Heisman Trophy candidate Woodrow Dantzler, who received his degree in marketing from Clemson in August. Dantzler hugged Clemson President Jim Barker when he was presented his diploma on the stage at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Starting defensive back Charles Hafley and starting defensive tackle Nick Eason both earned their degrees in sociology that same day. Eason’s graduation was especially impressive because he still has two years of eligibility. He earned the degree in three years and three summer sessions and plans to earn a masters before his eligibility is up. He is the first Clemson football player to earn an undergraduate degree with two years of eligibility remaining.
Four other Clemson players received their degrees prior to this past August, and all four of them are starters on offense. Kyle Young, starting center, and T.J. Watkins, starting guard, earned their degrees in May. Young graduated Summa Cum Laude and is a two-time first-team Academic All-American. Wide receiver Matt Bailey also received his degree that day. Starting offensive guard Will Merritt received his degree in December of 2000, just a few days prior to the Gator Bowl.
Clemson’s Eason Named to AFCA Goodworks Team Clemson defensive tackle Nick Eason was named to the 2001 American Football Coaches Association Good Works team on Wednesday. The AFCA recognizes 11 Division I players every year for their community service involvement. Eason was the only ACC player named to the team. Eason has been active in community service since he first came to Clemson in 1998. Each year the ACC honors six student-athletes at each of its member institutions for their time spent on community service projects. Eason is the only Clemson student-athlete to be chosen for this award three times.
Eason, a graduate student from Lyons, GA, has traveled abroad with the Athletes in Action to speak with students about the positives of athletics and to teach youngsters about sports. He also is a frequent visitor to elementary schools in he area.
Clemson’s defensive MVP last year earned his degree from Clemson in August and still has two years of eligibility remaining (including he 2001 season). He is the first Tiger gridder to earn his degree (sociology) with two years of eligibility remaining.
Eason is the second Clemson football player to be named to the Good Works team. Robert Carswell, now with the San Diego Chargers, was named to the team in 1999.
Young Looks for Landmark Accomplishment Clemson center Kyle Young has been named a first-team Academic All-American each of the last two years. If he is chosen for a third time at the end of the 2001 season he will become just the second offensive lineman in college football history to be chosen a first-team Academic All-American in three different seasons. He would also become just the second ACC player in history to be chosen three times.
The College Sports Information Directors of America have chosen the academic All-America team every year since 1952, so the 2001 team will be the 50th team selected. Players chosen to the team must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA. Young had a 3.98 career GPA and graduated in May, Summa Cum Laude.
Young will try to join former Colorado offensive lineman Jim Hansen as the only three-time first-team selections. Hansen was named in 1990, 1991 and 1992. The only other ACC player to be a three-time first-team selection, regardless of position, is Mike Diminick, a defensive back from Duke, who was named first team in 1986, 1987 and 1988.
Overall, 12 different football players have been named first-team academic All-American three times. Clemson’s Kyle Young will attempt to join that group in 2001.
20 Tigers on NFL Rosters Twenty former Clemson football players, including four from last year’s 9-3 team that finished 14th in the final poll were named to NFL teams earlier this month. The list also included former Tiger lineman Corey Hulsey, who had not played since the 1998 season with the Tigers. Hulsey made the Buffalo Bills roster as a guard. Robert Carswell (FS, San Diego Chargers) and Darrel Crutchfield (DB, Philadelphia Eagles) were members of Clemson’s 2000 team that stuck with NFL teams as rookies. Terry Witherspoon was named to the San Diego Chargers practice squad. Gardner was a first-round pick and was a lock to make the Redskins. In fact, he is slated to start their season opener. Carswell was a seventh-round pick, while Crutchfield was a free agent.
Five of the 20 players on the list are in at least their 10th year in the NFL. That list includes Chris Gardocki, in his 11th year in the league as a punter. He will play for the Cleveland Browns this year. Terry Allen is a running back with the World Champion Baltimore Ravens, while Levon Kirkland, Ed McDaniel and Chester McGlockton are all former Tigers in their 10th year in the NFL.
The Seattle Seahawks will start two former Tiger linebackers in Anthony Simmons and Kirkland, while the Denver Broncos will start two former Tigers at defensive tackle in former All-Pros McGlockton and Trevor Pryce. The Seahawks, Broncos, Ravens, Chargers and Eagles all have two former Tigers apiece.
December 8, 2024
