Game Notes: Clemson at Maryland

Nov. 5, 2001

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Game Nine: Clemson at Maryland

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2001 7:00 PM (EST) Byrd Stadium (48,055) College Park, MD

In the Rankings Clemson – Unranked Maryland – #13 AP, #11 USA Today/ESPN

Television: ESPN2Play By Play: Dave Barnett Analysts: Mike Golic and Bill Curry Sideline: Michele Tafoya

Radio: Clemson Tiger Sports NetworkPlay By Play: Jim Phillips * Color: Mike EppleySideline: Rodney Williams

Series History: Clemson leads 27-20-2Tickets: Expected Sellout 301-314-7070

www.ClemsonTigers.com

Clemson-Maryland Series Notes * Clemson holds a 27-20-2 advantage in the series with Maryland, but Clemson has had to win 13 of the last 14 to take this significant lead. Maryland held a 19-14-2 lead prior to the 1986 season. Maryland’s only victory over Clemson since 1986 took place in 1992 at Maryland, 53-23. Clemson has won each of the last eight games by an average of 19.8 points per game.

* In Clemson’s eight-game winning streak over the Terps, Clemson has averaged261.4 yards per game on the ground and has had at least 200 yards rushing in all eight games. The loss in 1992 was the last time Clemson failed to get at least 200 yards on the ground against Maryland. Clemson has had 568 yards on the ground against Maryland in two games under Tommy Bowden, 284 per game.

* Clemson has averaged 397.3 yards per game of total offense against Maryland during the eight-game streak. The Tigers have given up just 240 per game and allowed just seven points per game during the eight-game winning streak in the series.

* The Tigers have won each of the last nine games and 10 of the last 11 between the two teams at Death Valley. Maryland has not won at Clemson since 1985, by a 34-31 score.

* Maryland went nine years without scoring a touchdown against Clemson in Death Valley. That streak was broken last year when the Terps scored two TDs in a 35-14 Clemson win on homecoming.

* Maryland won the first three games of the series (1952-54) by shutout, defeating Clemson by a combined 64-0. That is the only time Clemson has been shutout three years in a row by an ACC opponent. Clemson shutout Maryland three years in a row (1993-94-95).

* Clemson won the last meeting at Byrd Stadium 42-30 in 1999. Clemson was led by Woodrow Dantzler, who had 435 yards of total offense, 183 rushing and 252 passing. Rod Gardner led the receivers with 5-128, while Travis Zachery added 24-95 and three touchdowns. Bernard Rambert, playing his first career game for the Tigers, scored two touchdowns. Lamont Jordan had four touchdowns and rushed for 177 yards to lead Maryland, who entered the game leading the ACC in scoring and total defense.

* Maryland is ranked 13th in AP and 11th by USA Today this week. This is the first time since 1983 that Clemson has faced a top 25 Maryland team. The Terps were ranked 11th in the AP poll entering that contest. Clemson was ranked 17th in the AP poll entering that game. This is the first time since 1977 that an unranked team has faced a ranked Maryland team. The Terps were ranked 10th in the nation entering that game and came away with a victory at Death Valley.

* The most memorable game in the series from a Clemson standpoint took place in 1978 when 12th-ranked Clemson defeated 11th-ranked Maryland in College Park by a 28-24 score. Clemson was led that day by future NFL stars Steve Fuller, Jerry Butler and Dwight Clark.

* Clemson’s eight-game winning streak over Maryland is the longest active winning streak for the Tigers over an ACC opponent. It is the longest winning streak by Clemson over an ACC opponent since the Tigers defeated Wake Forest 15 straight years from 1977-91. The Clemson record for consecutive wins over an opponent is 29. The Tigers defeated Virginia in the first 29 games of the series, a streak that ended in 1990.

Last Year vs. Maryland Clemson 35, Maryland 14Clemson, SC – Maryland’s hopes of delivering the Tigers their first loss of the 2000 season fell short as Alex Ardley’s three interceptions led Clemson to a 35-14 victory. A homecoming crowd of 83,572 saw Clemson improve to 7-0 for the first time since the national championship season of 1981.

Travis Zachery 151 rushing yards surpassed the career-high that he had set one week earlier against N.C. State. The junior’s two rushing touchdowns gave him 34 for his career. Zachery became Clemson’s all-time record holder for total touchdowns, breaking the record of 32 by Lester Brown from 1976-79.

Rod Gardner had a terrific performance that included 148 receiving yards and 80 kickoff return yards. His total of 231 all-purpose running yards was the most by a Tiger since Tony Horne had 267 against Florida St. in 1997. Dantzler completed 10 of 19 passes for 186 yards and had another 87 rushing.

Clemson’s offensive attack emphasized the running game. All of the Tigers’ five touchdowns were rushes. Zachery’s performance over the past two games has taken much of the pressure off Dantzler to lead the Tigers’ ground attack.

The first of Ardley’s interceptions occurred with about five minutes remaining in the opening quarter. A Maryland unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave Clemson the ball at the Terrapin 11. Zachery’s three-yard rush gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

On the final play of the first quarter Maryland quarterback Calvin McCall found Moises Cruz for a 54-yard completion that got the Terps to the Clemson nine. Jason Hatala ran for a touchdown on the following play. No Maryland team had scored a touchdown in Death Valley since 1991.

Gardner fielded the Maryland kickoff at the Clemson seven-yard line and returned it to midfield. Dantzler recovered his own fumble and rushed around the left end for a first down. Facing a fourth-and-six situation the Tigers decided to go for the first down. Dantzler kept the drive going with a 10-yard first down pass to Gardner. Dantzler then got loose for a 19-yard touchdown run. Clemson scored again on a 1-yard Zachery run to make the score 20-7 at the half.

The Terrapins were forced to punt on the opening possession of the third quarter. The ball was snapped over the head of punter Brooks Barnard. The ball sailed into the end zone for a Clemson safety. Clemson made the score 28-7 on a 13-play, 80-yard drive that ended with an 8-yard Dantzler rush. The Tigers rushed the ball on all but one of the plays of the drive.

Ardley’s third interception set up Clemson’s last scoring drive. A 50-yard reception by Gardner put the Tigers in Maryland territory. Bernard Rambert’s touchdown capped off a 10-play, 97-yard drive that gave the Tigers a 35-7 lead. The Terrapins scored on the ensuing possession to cut the deficit to 35-14.

Chad Carson joined Ardley as an ACC Player-of-the-Week selection. Ardley’s three interceptions tied a Clemson single-game record. Carson tallied a game-high 16 tackles. Charles Hafley tied a career-high with 12 tackles.

Clemson to Face Top 25 Team Three Weeks in Succession To say Clemson is in the tough part of its schedule is an understatement. Clemson is in the process of facing three straight games against top 25 teams. Florida State was ranked 14th in the nation in both polls heading into last week’s game. Maryland is 13th in AP and 11th in USA Today this week. South Carolina is also in the top 20 in both polls.

We don’t have to go back very far to find the last time Clemson played three-straight top-25 opponents, but it is a rare occurrence. Clemson played against a fourth-ranked Florida State, 25th-ranked South Carolina and sixth ranked Virginia Tech in consecutive games to end last season. However, that is the only previous time that Clemson has played a ranked team in three straight games. It almost happened in 1966. Clemson played a ninth-ranked Georgia Tech, fourth-ranked Alabama and fifth-ranked Southern Cal during a four-week segment in the 1966 season. What was Coach Frank Howard thinking when he made that schedule?

Clemson has played well against ranked teams over the years. The Tigers already own a win over then ninth-ranked Georgia Tech on the road this year. Clemson has defeated at least one top 25 team all but one season (1995) since 1986.

Bowden 8-1 Week After a Loss Tommy Bowden continued his ability to bring his team back after a loss when his team defeated Wake Forest on October 27. Clemson had lost to North Carolina 38-3 the previous week. Bowden is now 8-1 at Clemson the game after a loss. He is 11-2 in his coaching career including his career at Tulane. The only time he has suffered a two-game losing streak at Clemson took place last year when the Tigers lost consecutive games to Georgia Tech and Florida State. Obviously that record will be on the line again this week as the Tigers are coming off a 41-27 loss to Florida State. One of the wins in that 8-1 record took place at Maryland in 1999. Clemson was coming off a 35-31 loss at N.C. State prior to its 1999 game at Maryland.

Clemson Undefeated on the Road Clemson has a 3-0 record on the road so far this year, and all of the wins have come against ACC teams. The Tigers are 3-0 on the road in the ACC and 0-3 at home in league play. This is the first time in Clemson history that the Tigers have been 3-0 on the road and 0-3 at home. Clemson will attempt to close out its ACC road schedule with a win at Maryland.

If Clemson defeats the Terps it would mark just the third time in Clemson history that the Tigers had a perfect 4-0 ACC road record. Clemson also did it in 1995 and 1978. Clemson was 4-0 on the ACC road in 1995 and 2-2 at home. The 1978 Clemson team was 4-0 in ACC home games and 2-0 on the road. Clemson has been undefeated on the ACC road in 12 different seasons. Seven of those years Clemson was also undefeated at home. Five times Clemson had home ACC losses and undefeated league road record.

Clemson is 3-0 overall on the road this year and 2-3 at home. Clemson had been unbeaten on the road (not including neutral site games) in six previous seasons. The record for road wins in a season is six. The 1948 team was 6-0 on the opposing team’s home field. Clemson was 5-0 on an opponent’s home field in 1995 and 1981. The Tigers were 5-0-1 in 1977 and 1950. The 1917 team was 4-0 on the road.

You can see by the chart below that Clemson has been more productive on offense on the road this year. Clemson has averaged 485.7 yards a game on the road and just 376 at home. The Tigers have scored 113 points at home and 113 on the road this year. Except the Tigers have played five home games and just three on the road. That translates to a 37.7 scoring average on the road and a 22.6 scoring figure at home.

Clemson Hopes to Add Another Tombstone Clemson will have a chance to add to its list of road wins over ranked teams this weekend at Maryland. Maryland, with an 8-1 record, is ranked 13th in the AP poll and 11th in the USA Today ranking. Clemson has tombstones at the entrance to its practice field to commemorate the road wins over ranked teams.

Clemson already has a win over ninth ranked Georgia Tech on the road this year, a thrilling 47-44 overtime victory. Woodrow Dantzler scored the winning touchdown in overtime. That was Clemson’s first win over a ranked team on the road since 1997 and its highest ranked road win since 1981, the year Clemson won the National Championship. Clemson has 17 road wins over ranked teams in its history. Clemson’s highest ranked road win took place at North Carolina in 1981 when the Tigers defeated an eighth-ranked Tar Heel team. Clemson was ranked second in the nation heading into that game. In addition to the win at Tech this year, Clemson has two other road wins over top-10 teams, a 1983 win over 10th-ranked North Carolina and a 1992 win at 10th-ranked Virginia.

A win at Maryland would be a landmark accomplishment for this Clemson team. The Tigers have earned two wins over ranked teams on the road in the same season just once before. The 1950 team won at 17th-ranked Wake Forest (13-12) and over Miami (FL) in the Orange Bowl, 15-14. Bowl games are not usually counted on this list, but the Orange Bowl was Miami (FL) home stadium.

Clemson has two road wins over ranked Maryland teams over the years, 1978, when Clemson defeated an 11th-ranked Maryland team in Byrd Stadium, and 1982 when Clemson defeated an 18th-ranked Maryland team at Byrd Stadium.

Dantzler Needs 152 Yards Rushing for 5,000/2,500 Club Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler needs just 152 yards rushing to become just the third player in college football history to reach 5,000 yards passing and 2,500 yards rushing (regular season games only). Dantzler went over the 5,000 yard passing mark against Florida State last week and now 5,034 in regular season games. He has 2,348 yards rushing for his career and thus needs just 152 to reach the 2,500-yard rushing mark.

The only other quarterbacks in college football history with at least 5,000 yards passing and 2,500 rushing are current Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle-El and former Louisiana-Lafayette quarterback Brian Mitchell. Randle-El has 6,903 passing and 3,496 rushing for his career at Indiana. Mitchell had 5,447 yards passing and 3,335 yards rushing in his career that spanned 1986-89.

Dantzler now ranks 16th in NCAA history in rushing yards by a quarterback. He needs just 54 yards rushing against Maryland to move past Bill Deery of William & Mary (1972-74) for 15th on the all-time list. Dantzler is third among active Division I players in quarterback rushing. Randle-El has 3,496, and Nebraska’s Eric Crouch has 3,166.

Dantzler On Pace for 2,000/1,000 Season Woodrow Dantzler has gained 737 net yards on the ground for an average of 92.13 yards per game. He is on pace for 1013 yards rushing in the regular season. He is on pace for 2,420 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 Louisiana-Lafayette, who had 1,311 rushing and 1,966 passing in 1989.

Dantzler is ranked in the top 36 in the nation in five different statistical categories through games of Nov. 3. The Tiger signal caller who now owns 31 school records is sixth in the country in total offense (312.13), 34th in passing efficiency (135.06) and 36th in rushing. He is second among all quarterbacks in rushing and is the only quarterback in the nation with 700 yards rushing and 1,700 yards passing. Dantzler is also 15th in points responsible for with 15 points a game, and 24th in completions per game with 18.75.

Young Named National Football Foundation Scholar Clemson center Kyle Young has been named one of 16 recipients of a Postgraduate scholarship as selected by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. The announcement was made Thursday by Chairman of The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Jon F. Hanson.

The Clemson graduate and starting center for the Tigers the last three seasons is the first Clemson football player to receive a scholarship from the National Football Foundation since 1978 when Steve Fuller was so honored.

Young is actually just the fifth Clemson football player to receive the honor overall. In addition to Fuller, the others are Jimmy Bell, a quarterback in 1964, Jimmy Addison, a quarterback in 1967, and Ben Anderson, a defensive back in 1972.

Young graduated Summa Cum Laude from Clemson last May and is taking graduate courses this year, his final year of eligibility. He had a 3.98 career GPA and had A’s in every course but one over his four undergraduate years. He has been a first-team Academic All-American each of the last two years and hopes to be a three-time selection this year. The Academic All-America team won’t be announced until Dec. 3. He is also the President of Clemson’s LIFE LINE organization, the football team’s leadership group.

On the field, Young has led the Clemson offensive line in knockdown blocks this year with 90. He is a big reason Clemson has averaged over 400 yards per game in total offense and has had a positive effect on the play of Woodrow Dantzler, who ranks fifth in the nation in total offense heading into this weekend’s game with Florida State.

Young was a second-team All-American on the field last year in addition to his first-team Academic All-America status.

“This is a great honor for Kyle and our football program,” said Head Coach Tommy Bowden. “Clemson has meant so much to Kyle and his family and I know this scholarship award is very meaningful to him. Having grown up in Clemson, he has been following or a part of Clemson football all his life. He is a role model for future Clemson football players and all student-athletes who are at Clemson now or will be in the future.”

Since 1959, when the first class was selected, 602 scholar-athletes have been awarded this high honor based on superior academic performance, outstanding football ability, strong leadership, and citizenship.

Each scholar-athlete will be awarded an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and will be honored at the Foundation’s 44th Annual Awards Dinner held at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, Dec. 11, 2001.

Young will be joined at the Awards Dinner in New York by Terry Kinard, the former Clemson All-American who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on the same night. Clemson is the only school in the nation with a Hall of Fame inductee and a National Football Foundation Scholarship Award winner this year.

National Football Foundation Scholars for 2001 Division I-A Selections Andre Davis-Virginia Tech-WR-Property Management-Niskayuna, NY Vernon Fox-Fresno State-SS – Sociology-LasVegas, NV Joaquin Gonzalez-Miami (FL)-OL-Marketing-Miami, FL Christopher Hope-Florida State-FS-Communications-Rock Hill, SC Jeff Kelly-Southern Mississippi -QB-Business Administration-Hattiesburg, MS Patrick Ramsey-Tulane-QB-Accounting & Finance-Simsboro, LA Tracey Wistrom-Nebraska-TE-Mathematics-Webb City, MO Kyle Young-Clemson-C-Secondary Education-Clemson, SC

Clemson at Record Rate for First Downs Clemson has been racking up the first downs this year, at a record rate in fact. Clemson has 193 first downs so far this year, an average of 24.12 per game. Clemson had 26 first downs in the 41-27 loss to Florida State. It marked the fifth time this year that Clemson had accumulated at least 25 first downs in a single game. The high was 29 in the win over Wofford and the loss to Virginia.

Clemson’s offense has been strong this year, among the best in school history if the season ended today. Clemson’s 417.1 yards per game would be third best in school history if the season ended today. The completions per game figure and the passing yards per game figure would also be second best if the season ended today.

Here is a list of how this team stacks up on a per game basis with great Clemson offenses of the past.

Mance Picks off Two Passes vs. Seminoles Starting cornerback Brian Mance had two interceptions in Clemson’s loss to Florida State. It marked the second time in the junior’s career that he has had two interceptions in the same game. He also did it against Missouri in Death Valley in 2000. Mance actually had a record tying three takeaways in that game.

Mance also had four tackles in the game against the Seminoles. It was his first game in Death Valley since his brother, Kenny, was tragically killed in an auto accident when he fell asleep at the wheel just two miles from his home in the early morning hours of Oct. 14. Mance was back in the lineup at Wake Forest on Oct. 27 and helped the Tigers to victory.

Mance is a valuable member of the Clemson lineup. He has 30 tackles and four passes broken up plus the two interceptions in seven 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 28th in the nation in punt returns with a 11.9 average and is 35th in kickoff returns with a 24.9 average.

Mance was not the only Clemson cornerback who has had to deal with tragedy this year. The early morning hours prior to the Wake Forest game of Oct. 27, starting cornerback Kevin Johnson was called home due to a stroke suffered by his father. He died the next day. Johnson missed Wake Forest game, but returned for the Florida State game on Nov. 3. The junior from Orangeburg, SC contributed six tackles and two passes broken up against the Seminoles.

Clemson Offense Establishes High Totals vs. Seminoles Clemson fell to Florida State 41-27 on Nov. 3, but the Tigers certainly showed life offensively. The Tigers gained 463 yards of total offense, picked up 26 first downs and obviously scored 27 points. Clemson had 277 passing and 186 rushing. The total offense figure was the highest ever by Clemson against Florida State. The first down total was also the best and the passing yardage figure was second best.

Individually, Woodrow Dantzler gained 336 yards of total offense, including 277 yards passing. Those were both individual bests by a Clemson player against Florida State.

Tigers Win Turnover Margin, Lose Game Clemson won the turnover margin, but lost the game against Florida State. It marked just the second time in the last two years that Clemson has had fewer turnovers than the opposition, but lost the game. The Tigers forced two interceptions against Florida State, but committed just one on offense. Clemson is now 6-2 the last two years when it wins the turnover war. The other loss was to Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl last year.

Clemson has not fared well in the turnover margin and points off turnover stat this year. After outscoring the opposition 209-80 his first two years when it comes to points off turnover, Bowden’s Tigers have been outscored 48-30 this year when it comes to that stat. Clemson has won the turnover margin stat each of the last two weeks, but Clemson is still 92nd in the nation in turnover margin so far this year.

Turnover margin has been a key for Maryland so far this year and that has been a key to its 8-1 record and top-15 ranking. The Terps are second in the nation in turnover margin and have already forced 26 turnovers.

Clemson Getting Contributions from Freshmen Clemson has had a lot of rookies contribute to its season on both side of the ball this year. On the defensive side, six first-year freshmen have seen action and two red-shirt freshmen have been major contributors. The first-year freshmen who have seen action are Eric Sampson (LB), LeRoy Hill (LB), Moe Fountain (DE), Travis Pugh (S), Eric Coleman (DT) and Tavaughn Monts (CB). Red-shirt freshmen Ryan Hemby (CB) and Donnell Washington (DT) have also played well.

Sampson came off the bench for an injured John Leake at Wake Forest and contributed 14 tackles on six first hits and eight assists in 69 snaps of play. Leake played the first nine plays before suffering a sprained ankle that shelved him for the game. Sampson had played just 54 plays from scrimmage over the first six games and had eight total tackles. He also had two quarterback pressures in the impressive performance. His 14 tackles were the most by a first-year freshman since Anthony Simmons had 19 in a victory at South Carolina in 1995.

Freshman Donnell Washington has seven tackles for loss and 25 total tackles to lead all freshmen this year. He had another solid game from the defensive tackle position in the win at Wake Forest. The 320-pounder had four tackles, including a tackle for loss, as he helped stop Wake Forest’s strong running game. The Deacs entered the contest sixth in the nation in rushing.

He had just one pressure at Wake Forest, but it was huge. He got to Wake Forest quarterback James MacPherson just as he released the ball, forcing the ball to flutter into the arms of Chad Carson. It put a stop to momentum the Deacs had gained after a Clemson fumble. Clemson had just a seven-point lead at the time.

Offensively, four freshmen receivers have combined for 72 catches for 973 yards and four touchdowns. That is already the most catches and receiving yards for a Clemson freshman class in history. Leading the way is Derrick Hamilton, who has 44-518, both all-time Clemson freshman records. Airese Currie, a first-year freshman, has added 12-227, while Roscoe Crosby has 9-154. Crosby has been injured much of the year, but has had five catches the last two weeks. Tight end Ben Hall has 7-74 and two touchdowns.

Clemson Attendance near Record Rate Clemson has averaged 81,486 fans per game for five contests at Death Valley so far this year. If the season ended today, that would be the second highest average season attendance in Clemson history. The record is 81,750 set during the 1988 season. Clemson still has one home game left against Duke on Dec. 1.

That 1988 season is the only season Clemson has averaged 80,000 fans for a complete season. Clemson must draw 72,571 fans for the Duke game to finish the year with an average of 80,000 or better. Clemson has averaged more than 78,000 each of the first two years of the Bowden era.

Rambert Has Best Game Clemson junior running back Bernard Rambert’s had his first career start in the Florida State game. He responded with his best rushing total since his freshman year. Rambert had 67 yards rushing on 11 carries and scored his second touchdown of the season. He had a 61-yard run on a “punt-rooskie” called back by a penalty.

The rushing yardage total was his most since the 1999 Peach Bowl when he had 70 yards rushing against Mississippi State. That remains his career high. “Bernard had been doing very well in practice and I wanted to give him more playing time. That is why I started him. It was not because Travis did anything wrong, I wanted to make myself put Bernard in the game. He played well.”

Rambert will be returning to the scene of his first action as a Tiger. In 1999 he was slated to red-shirt, but Bowden decided to play him at Maryland for the first time. He responded with two touchdowns in Clemson’s 42-30 victory.

Dantzler Stats Better on the Road 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.

Over the last three years, seasons Dantzler has been the starter, or a factor in the Clemson lineup, Dantzler has averaged 306.8 yards of total offense per game in 12 contests on the road and has averaged just 221 yards per game in 16 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 done that each of his last three road games. He has averaged 204.7 passing and 102.1 rushing. His passing efficiency is 142.4 on the road and 128.2 in Death Valley. He has averaged 2.33 touchdowns rushing and passing on the road and 1.75 in Death Valley since 1999. In three 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. He added a 330-yard effort at Wake Forest. Four of Dantzler’s top five total offense games have come on the road.

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.

Carson Records 23 Tackles, Moves to Ffith on Tackle List Chad Carson had the top tackle game of his career and the third best single game in Clemson history in the victory over Wake Forest on Oct. 27. Carson had 15 first hits and eight assists in helping the Tigers hold down Wake Forest’s outstanding rushing defense. The Demon Deacons entered the game averaging 235 yards per game on the ground, sixth best in the nation.

But, Carson and his teammates held Wake Forest to 193 on the day and 344 yards of total offense. It was the second lowest total offensive figure this year for Wake Forest. Carson had a lot to do with the run defense and he also contributed to the pass defense by intercepting a pass, his first career interception in 42 games as a Tiger.

Carson’s tackle total was third best in Clemson history. The only higher are the 27 by former teammate Keith Adams against South Carolina in 1999 and by Jeff Davis against North Carolina in 1980. That is pretty good company for Carson as both players were not only All-Americans, but also won ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Carson now has 403 tackles for his career, fifth best in school history. He moved ahead of Robert Carswell, Adams and Randy Scott in his big game at Wake Forest. Carson now trails only Bubba Brown, Anthony Simmons, Davis and Ed McDaniel. Simmons and McDaniel are still in the NFL, while Davis played five years with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

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. Chad Carson, LB 1998-01 (403) 6. Randy Scott, LB 1975-78 (382) 7. Keith Adams, LB 1998-00 (379) 8. Robert Carswell, FS 1997-00 (374) 9. Tim Jones, LB 1991-94 (338) 10. Henry Walls, LB 1983-85 (316)

Clemson Single Game Tackle Bests 1. Keith Adams 1999 vs. South Carolina (27) 2. Jeff Davis 1980 vs. North Carolina (24) 3. Chad Carson 2001 vs. Wake Forest (23) 4. Chad Carson 2000 vs. Georgia Tech (22) Jeff Davis 1980 vs. Maryland (22) Bubba Brown 1978 vs. Ohio State (22) Bubba Brown 1979 vs. N.C. State (22) 8. Henry Walls 1985 vs. Georgia Tech (21) Willie Anderson 1974 vs. South Carolina (21)

Hamilton Sets Freshman Receiving Records Freshman wide receiver Derrick Hamilton continued his outstanding rookie season with seven catches for 88 yards against Florida State. The red-shirt freshman from Mullins, SC now has 44 receptions for 518 yards and two touchdowns. He set a Clemson freshman receiving record with his performance at Wake Forest, breaking the single season mark of 34 receptions by Terry Smith in 1991. He set the freshman receiving record against Florida State when he had 88 yards. He broke Smith’s record in that category.

Hamilton’s 106 yards receiving at N.C. 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 35th in the nation in receptions per game with 5.5 and is second among freshmen. He trails only Kelley Washington of Tennessee.

It was a big day for Clemson freshman receivers at Wake Forest. Clemson had 16 completions as a team and 13 were by freshmen. In addition to Hamilton’s six catches for 91, Roscoe Crosby had 3-36, Airese Currie had 1-36.

Clemson Offense Averages 418 Yards Under Bowden Clemson has a 20-12 record under Tommy Bowden and a consistent balanced offense has been a big reason. Over the nearly three years he has been the head coach the Tigers have averaged 417.7 yards per game in total offense. Clemson has gained 186 rushing and 232 passing over the 31 games. In an average game under Bowden the Tigers have averaged 30.2 points a game and scored four touchdowns. On average, the Tigers run the ball 45 times and throw it 32 times. Clemson has scored 124 touchdowns in the 31 games, exactly four per game. Eighteen of the 31 games Clemson has had at least 400 yards of total offense.

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 October 20th 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 82 through eight games, an average of 10.7 per game. The North Carolina game was his fourth double figure tackle game this season and 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.

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 36 times this year and it has gone through the uprights 34 times. The sophomore is 28-28 on extra points and 6-8 on field goals. 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 73-75 for his career. He has made 42 in a row over two years. 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 6-8 this year, meaning he has made 11 of his last 14 over two years. He was 10-16 last year overall and is now 16-24 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.

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 398 yards rushing and 313 yards receiving, giving him 711 yards from scrimmage. He has had five touchdowns rushing and got his second receiving at N.C. State for seven total touchdowns.

Zachery now has 2,880 yards rushing in his career and 960 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 120 yards rushing and 40 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 32 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 Florida State game with 2,880 career rushing yards, third best in school history. He moved ahead of Terry Allen (now with 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 4,116 for his career, just the second Clemson runner to reach 4,000 yards. Raymond Priester is the career leader in all-purpose running with 4282.

Kopp Punting Improved There weren’t many positives in Clemson’s performance against North Carolina on Oct. 20. However, Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden 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 five of the first eight games. Opponents have just 71 total punt return yards in 11 returns out of his 32 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.

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-6,874 * Career total offense vs. same team-1,127 vs. N.C. State

Dantzler Reaches 4,000/2,000 Mark, Now Owns 31 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 2,437 rushing and 5,219 passing in his four-year career. So far this season, Dantzler has 737 yards rushing and 1,760 passing for 2,497 total, an average of 312 yards per game in total offense. He ranks first in the conference in total offense per game and is sixth in the nation. He is fourth in the ACC in rushing and fourth in passing efficiency. The graduate student has connected on 62.5 percent of his passes this year, a record pace, and is now at 58.2 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 7,656 career yards, ahead of the previous record held by Nealon Greene. He is also second in school history in passing efficiency and interception avoidance. He has 2497 total offense for the season, and needs 403 to break his own record.

Dantzler on Clemson career Records Lists Rank/Category/Figure Left for Record * 1st, quarterback rushing (2437) has record * 1st, completion percentage (.581) has record * 1st in touchdown responsibility (57) has record * 1st in total offense (7656) has record * 1st in total plays (1228) has record * 2nd in passing efficiency (130.2) 131.30 rating points * 2nd in interception avoidance (2.62) 2.55 percent * 2nd in completions (407) 52 completions * 2nd in passing yards (5219) 503 yards * 3rd in touchdown passes (31) 5 TD passes

Clemson Records Held by Dantzler (31) 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-1,028, (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-5 (2001) * 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 (10) * Completion percentage in career-.580 * Total offense-7,656 * Yards rushing by a quarterback in a career-2,437 * 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback-9 * Most total offense/game in career-219.0 * Most 300-yard total offense games in career-11 * Most 100-yard rushing, 300-yard total offense games in a career-9 * Most touchdowns rushing and passing in a career-57 * Most total offense plays in a career (1,228) * #Most 200-yard passing games (10) #tied record

Dantzler Named National Player of the Week Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler was named National Player of the Week by USA Today.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.Sportline.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 Gained 500 Yards In Consecutive Road Wins Clemson had at least 500 yards in consecutive road wins over Georgia Tech and N.C. State. A 500-yard total offense game 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 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.

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 40 tackles for the season, more than any other defensive tackle. He also has 11 quarterback pressures in his 466 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 (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 108, near his record of 120 set last year. T.J. Watkins is second with 92, while Merritt has 75. Gary Byrd has picked up 72, while Akil Smith has 60. Smith leads the team in intimidation blocks with 16.

Clemson’s Highest Ranked Wins The win for over ninth-ranked Georgia Tech was 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 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.