Quotes

Dec. 1, 2001

Clemson Head Coach Tommy Bowden

On today’s game, coming off a two-week break… “I thought the staff did a good job and the offense did a good job executing. The defense got us turnovers early. We were able to get ahead and make [the game] look one-dimensional. Then, once we got ahead we could do some things with Woody [Dantzler] to get him the opportunity to get the yards he needed [to break the record.]”

On Dantzler’s accomplishment… “I was telling the team before the game today that the way offenses change from year to year, and the way defenses adjust to offenses, it might be awhile before that record is ever broken.”

On Clemson fans who attended today… “I would like to say how much I appreciate the fans that showed up today. I was really surprised with the size of the crowd today, because of the lateness of the game and high school state championship games that were being played. It’s hard to put into words how appreciative I am of the fans that showed up, the noise they made and the support they have showed this team all year.”

On Clemson players… “Zachery played really hard today. He had some great runs, and so did Bernard Rambert. I am proud of the running backs and how they played today, and I am also really pleased with the offensive line and how they played.”

On bowl game possibilities… “Clemson has a great history of traveling, as far as bowl participation is concerned. It shows you how times have changed, when you are bowl eligible and you are sitting there fighting. It used to be, a few years ago, that if you were bowl eligible, you could pretty much pick where you wanted to go.”

Woody Dantzler

On getting to a bowl game… “It is always our dream to get to a bowl game. That’s what we work hard for all summer and fall. We had an up-and-down season, and we fought hard. Now we’ll wait and see what happens.”

On 2000-1000 yards record… “I think the offensive line wanted it more than I did. It was great to have everybody pulling for me. It’s not all me… I’ve had boys fighting and pulling for me the entire season. It was a total team effort.”

On freshman getting playing time… “In a situation like this you always want the younger guys to get in there and play. They are the future of this program, and it’s great to see them getting playing time and experience.”

Chad Carson

On playing in his last home game… “I was pretty emotional before the game. When I got out there and heard Tiger Rag, ran down the hill, and I knew my parents were out there, I got tears in my eyes. Clemson football has been such a big part of my life for the last four years. Clemson is a great place to live and a great place to play football. I love it, so this last home game was emotional for me.”

On the win… “It feels good to be on the winning side today. I am pretty confident that we will get a bowl bid. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

On Dantzler’s accomplishment… “It is a great accomplishment for him. Nobody has ever done it in the history of the game. It’s really unbelievable. I was just glad to be a part of it.”

On the Clemson defense… “Defensively, other than the first drive, we played well. I would like to see the scoreboard reflect how well we played. You have to give credit to Duke. They had a good offense. Our freshman have stepped up and played really well for us this year. They have a great opportunity next year. The defense is moving up.”