Post Game Notes

Nov. 15, 2008

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• Aaron Kelly had 10 receptions for 96 yards today and broke the ACC record for receptions in a career. He now has 217 career receptions, one more than former Wake Forest player Desmond Clark between 1995-98. Kelly also went over the 2500 yard mark for his career with his performance today. He now has 2553 yards for his career and needs just 129 to break Terry Smith’s career record. Smith had 2681 between 1990-93. Kelly went ahead of both Rod Gardner (2498) and Perry Tuttle (2534) with today’s performance. Tuttle, an All-American on Clemson’s 1981 National Championship team, was at the game today.
• Fred Cone, who had 31 between 1948-50.
• Spiller’s 83-yard touchdown reception in the third period gave him 108 receiving yards for the day, a Clemson single game record for a running back. He had 105 receiving yards two weeks ago at Boston College. Ray Mathews also had 105 receiving yards against Mississippi State in 1948.
• Spiller’s 83-yard touchdown reception was the longest in Clemson history by a Tiger running back. The previous record was an 82-yard reception by Spiller against Boston College in 2006 on a pass from Will Proctor. Overall, it was the longest pass play for Clemson since 2002 when freshman Charlie Whitehurst threw a 83 yard scoring pass to Airese Currie at North Carolina. Overall, today’s 83-yard pass from Cullen Harper to Spiller tied for the third longest in Clemson history.
• Spiller had seven receptions for those 108 reception yards today. That tied a single game record for receptions by a running back. Dick Bukowsky had seven receptions for the Tigers against Florida State in 1970.
• Spiller’s 83-yard reception from Harper was the 12th touchdown of 50 yards or more in his career, a Clemson career record. It tied for his longest touchdown play from scrimmage. He had an 83-yard run against Auburn in the 2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta.
• James Davis had two rushing touchdowns today and now has 46 for his career, 44 rushing and two receiving. Davis is now just four touchdowns short of the Clemson career record. Travis Zachery had 50 between 1998-2001.
• Cullen Harper had his best game of the year against a conference foe today. Harper was 20-26 for 292 yards and a touchdown without and interception. Harper had thrown an interception in seven consecutive games entering today’s contest. His passing yardage total was a season high and was the second highest total of his career. He had 372 in a loss to Virginia Tech last year.
• Harper now has 5,236 passing yardage for his career. He went over the 5,000 yard mark today for his career and over the 2,000 yard mark for the season. He is the fourth Clemson quarterback to go over 5,000 yards in a career. Charlie Whitehurst (9665), Woody Dantzler (6,037) and Nealon Greene (5719) are the others.
• Harper had 20 completions today and now has 471 in his career. He moved ahead of Nealon Greene and Woody Dantzler today on the Clemson list and is now in second place in Clemson history. The record holder is Charlie Whitehurst, who had 817 completions between 2002-05.
• Chris Clemons was credited with three tackles today and now has an even 300 for his career.
• Clemson had three sacks today to tie a team season high. Brandon Maye and Kavell Conner had two of the sacks, the second and third sacks by Clemson linebackers this year.
• Michael Hamlin had his fourth interception of the year and the 12th of his Clemson career. He also has four career fumble recoveries, giving his 16 career takeaways. He is now all alone in second place in Clemson history in that category. Only college football Hall of Fame inductee Terry Kinard has more. He had 19 between 1979-82.
• Clemson’s defense held Duke to 168 total yards today. It was the fewest by a Clemson opponent since South Carolina State had just 152 earlier this year. But it was the low total by an ACC opponent since North Carolina had just 150 against the Tigers in 2006.
• Duke had just 85 yards passing today, the eighth straight game Clemson has held the opposition to under 200 yards passing. That is the longest streak of holding the opposition under 200 yards since 1979 when that team also had an eight-game streak.
• Clemson won the turnover margin stat today, forcing two turnovers, while the opposition did not commit any. It marked the first time all year that Clemson did not commit a turnover and just the third time this year Clemson has won the turnover margin stat.
• Clemson defeated Duke today on Homecoming 31-7. James Davis both scored two touchdowns in today’s game. In 2006, Clemson defeated Georgia Tech on Homecoming, by the same 31-7 score. In that game against Georgia Tech two years ago, Spiller and Davis also scored two touchdowns apiece.