Tigers Hold Final Practice of the Year

Dec. 27, 2006

Nashville, TN–Clemson held its final practice prior to its meeting against Kentucky in the 2006 Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Presented by Bridgestone on Wednesday. The Tigers worked from Noon until just before 2:00 PM at the stadium at Goodpasture High School in Nashville. The 8-4 Tigers face the 7-5 Kentucky Wildcats at 12:01 on Friday in a game that will be televised by ESPN.

“We have practiced hard and will have just a short walk through at the (LP) Stadium on Thursday afternoon,” said Bowden. “We don’t usually do a walk-through in the stadium the day before the game, but the we have never played in this stadium. Also, it is an NFL stadium so we want to see where the numbers are and the hashmarks.” The Clemson vs. Kentucky game will be held at LP Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.

It was the final full practice for Clemson’s 20 seniors, including 14 Tigers who are in their fifth year with the program. “This senior class has done a lot for this program,” said Bowden. “They have given us consecutive seasons of at least eight wins, which hasn’t happened here in a while (1990-91) and they have a chance to finish with a 3-0 bowl record (which has not been done since the 1990 seniors had a 4-0 bowl record.)

“These seniors have showed character. Thirteen of the seniors already have their degrees, the most in Clemson history for a bowl game. It might be the most in the nation for this bowl season, I don’t know. ” We have been within a touchdown of the opposition or gained a win in every game but one over the last 30 games, something we have seen in just one other senior class in Clemson history. They have always come to play, had us in a position to win.”

This group of seniors are respected by their teammates. The team voted Anthony Waters as one of the team’s permanent co-captains for the 2006 season even though he played in just one game all year due to a torn ACL. Waters rehabilitation is coming along very well and he spent most of the practice running on the sidelines. He will not play in the game, but is expected to dress, as he did for the South Carolina game.

Chansi Stuckey, another senior who has named a co-captain with Waters and Gaines Adams, was carried off the field by his fellow receivers at the end of his final practice.

While Clemson’s seniors have had a lot to do with the success of the Clemson program the last four years, many underclassmen will have an impact on what the Tigers do against Kentucky. Fifth year seniors Waters, Roman Fry, Thomas Hunter and Tim DeBeer are all out with injuries. DeBeer has been healthy all year, but has lost 30 pounds as the result of a stomach ailment. Waters was in the first game of the year against Florida Atlantic, while Fry suffered a torn ACL in the win over Georgia Tech. Hunter suffered a broken foot in practice leading up to this bowl game.

“We will start 10 underclassmen on defense in this game, Gaines Adams will be our only senior on defense. We will have to see some underclassmen step up. We will establish some leadership for 2007 in this game on Friday.”