Two Football Tigers Named First-Team All-ACC

Nov. 30, 1999

CLEMSON, S.C.-Clemson junior free safety Robert Carswell and sophomore linebacker Keith Adams were named to the All-ACC defensive first-team as voted by the Atlantic Coast Sportswriters Association on Tuesday.

Carswell, a junior from Lithonia, Ga., recorded 122 tackles during the 1999 regular season to lead all ACC defensive backs. That is the highest tackle total in Clemson history for a defensive back. He is tied for first in the ACC with six interceptions in 1999. That number has him ranked 11th nationally. His interception total is the most by a Clemson player since 1995 when Brian Dawkins had six. Dawkins is now a starter with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Adams, a sophomore linebacker from College Park, Ga., finished the season as the ACC tackle leader with 176 stops. That figure is 46 tackles ahead of second place Marlon Moore of Maryland. Adams is averaging 16 tackles per game and needs just three tackles in Clemson’s Peach Bowl game to establish a new school record for tackles per game in a season. Adams also set the conference record for tackles for loss in a season. He had 33 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, six better than the previous mark held by Clemson’s William Perry (1984) and Rob Bodine (1991).

Last week, Adams was named to the Football News All-America first-team. In all, Adams set five Clemson records during his sophomore season, including tackles in a game. He established that mark in the last regular season game of the year at South Carolina when he had 28 tackles against the Gamecocks.

Making the All-ACC defensive second-team from Clemson was defensive tackle Terry Jolly and cornerback Dextra Polite.

Jolly, a junior from Fort Valley, Ga.,was a part of a Clemson defense that ranks 35th in the country in total defense. He finished the regular season with 56 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. In the 58-7 win over Duke, Jolly became the first Clemson lineman in 34 years to return an interception for a touchdown.

Polite, a senior from Moultrie, Ga., was one of the most improved players on the Clemson team this season. He led the team with an all-time Clemson record of 16 passes broken up. He had three against South Carolina to set the record, it was the third time this season he had three in a game. On the season, Polite recorded four interceptions including one against number-one ranked Florida State.

Clemson did not have any players make the offensive All-ACC first-team. Junior wide receiver Rod Gardner was tied as the leading vote getter on the second-team. Gardner had what would be considered a first-team like season in 1999, but was beat out by Florida State’s Peter Warrick and Georgia Tech’s Kelly Campbell.

Gardner, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., finished second in the conference in catches per game with 6.6 and third in receiving yards per game with 91.7. His 73 receptions and 1009 receiving yards established Clemson records in both categories. He is Clemson’s first 1000-yard receiver in school history. Gardner, who made spectacular catches appear to be routine several times, saved his best game for the last game of the season at South Carolina. In the win over the Gamecocks, Gardner had six catches for 138 yards (career high) and two scores. It was the first time Gardner has had two touchdown receptions in a game.

Five Clemson players made honorable mention All-ACC: Akil Smith (OT, So., Richmond, Va.), Kyle Young (C, *So., Clemson, S.C.), Travis Zachery (TB, *So., Marietta, Ga.), Damonte McKenzie (DT, *Sr., Lake City, S.C.) and Chad Carson (LB, So., Newnan, Ga.).

1999 ALL-ACC TEAM

OFFENSE QB-Joe Hamilton, Sr., Georgia Tech (138) RB-Thomas Jones, Sr., Virginia (138) RB-LaMont Jordan, Jr., Maryland (126) WR-Peter Warrick, Sr., Florida St. (127) WR-Kelly Campbell, So., Georgia Tech (94) TE-Alge Crumpler, Jr., North Carolina (84) T-Jon Carman, Sr., Georgia Tech (128) T-Tarlos Thomas, Jr., Florida St. (107) G-Noel LaMontagne, Sr., Virginia (123) G-Jason Whitaker, Sr., Florida St. (103) C-John St. Clair, Sr., Virginia (97) PK-Sebastian Janikowski, Jr., Florida St. (128) 

DEFENSE DL-Corey Simon, Sr., Florida St. (137) DL-Chris Combs, Sr., Duke (114) DL-Jerry Johnson, Sr., Florida St. (95) DL-Delbert Cowsette, Sr., Maryland (96) LB-Keith Adams, So., Clemson (125) LB-Tommy Polley, Jr., Florida St. (115) LB-Dustin Lyman, Sr., Wake Forest (89) DB-Robert Carswell, Jr., Clemson (119) DB-Lloyd Harrison, Sr., N.C. State. (111) DB-Mario Edwards, Sr., Florida St. (100) DB-Lewis Sanders, Jr., Maryland (110) P-Brian Schmitz, Sr., North Carolina (124) SP-Peter Warrick, Sr., Florida St. (81)

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE QB-Chris Weinke, Jr., Florida St. (55) RB-Morgan Kane, Sr., Wake Forest (66) RB-Travis Minor, Jr., Florida St. (46) WR-Rod Gardner, Jr., Clemson (66) WR-Dez White, Jr., Georgia Tech (54) TE-John Waerig, Sr., Maryland (41) T-Brad Messina, Sr., Maryland (56) T-Brett Williams, Fr., Florida St., (40) G-Jason Burks, Sr., Georgia Tech (52) G-Jamie Wu, Sr., Maryland (49) C-Eric Thomas, Sr., Florida St. (64) PK-Sims Lenhardt, Sr., Duke (53)

DEFENSE DL-Fred Robbins, Sr., Wake Forest (79) DL-Jamal Reynolds, Jr., Florida St., (70) DL-Bryan Ray, Jr., Wake Forest (42) DL-Terry Jolly, Jr., Clemson (40) LB-Brian Allen, Jr., Florida St. (48) LB-Shannon Taylor, Sr., Virginia (46) LB-Byron Thweatt, Jr., Virginia (35) DB-Derrick Gibson, Jr., Florida St. (57) DB-Tony Scott, Sr., N.C. State (48) DB-Travares Tillman, Sr., Georgia Tech (46) DB-Dextra Polite, Sr., Clemson (40) P-Brian Morton, Jr., Duke (45) SP-Scottie Montgomery, Sr., Duke (46)