Coach:
Tommy Bowden
6-6, 1 year
24-10, 3 years overall |
|
1999 Record: 6-6
| Sep
04 |
Marshall |
Lost
10-13 |
| Sep
11 |
Virginia |
Won
33-14 |
| Sep
23 |
@Virginia
Tech |
Lost
11-31 |
| Oct
02 |
North
Carolina |
Won
31-20 |
| Oct
09 |
@North
Carolina State |
Lost
31-35 |
| Oct
16 |
@Maryland |
Won
42-30 |
| Oct
23 |
Florida
State |
Lost
14-17 |
| Oct
30 |
@Wake
Forest |
Won
12-3 |
| Nov
06 |
Duke |
Won
58-7 |
| Nov
13 |
@Georgia
Tech |
Lost
42-45 |
| Nov
20 |
@South
Carolina |
Won
31-21 |
|
PEACH BOWL
|
| Dec
30 |
Mississippi
State |
Lost
7-17 |
|
|
|
1999
Final Rankings
|
|
AP-NR, BCS-NR,
Coaches-NR
|
|
2000 Outlook
|
|
The excitement buzzing around Clemson
these days has put some good pressure on Coach Tommy
Bowden. But Clemson has not won a bowl game in seven
years and fans are already talking BCS. Just like his
father, Tommy has come in and taken over an offense
similar to his dad's early days with that gunslinger
approach. It is a unique offense with no-huddle where
everything happens so fast and Clemson has two solid
QB's for running that type of show with Dantzler and
highly touted newcomer Willie Simmons. On defense there
may not be a better player anywhere at any position
than Keith Adams and we're not quite sure if he is human.
The first four games are ideal for building confidence
in an offense that will have to grow to keep up with
the often dominating defense. After that the schedule
is ripe for a great run, where it is not inconceivable
that an undefeated or an 8-1 record awaits them going
into Tallahassee November 4th. The Tigers are not quite
ready for the big league and bright lights of Doak Campbell
Stadium, but don't take them lightly dad.
Projected Record: 9-3
Clemson
2000 Schedule
|
|
CLEMSON
*POWER RATINGS
|
|
Offense
|
Defense
|
| QB - 3.5 |
DL - 3 |
| RB - 3.5 |
LB - 4.5 |
| WR - 4 |
DB - 3.5 |
| OL - 3 |
|
|
|
|
CLEMSON TIGERS
2000 FOOTBALL PREVIEW
|
|
|
|
2000
OFFENSE
|
| The Tigers run a fast-paced offense
with quarterback Woodrow Dantzler at the helm, who started five
games last season filling in for departed senior Brandon Streeter.
In that short time Dantzler threw for over 1500 yards and rushed
for 580 yards and is the closest thing the ACC has to ex-Georgia
Tech QB Joey Hamilton. Dantzler left no doubt that he would
open the season as the Tigers' quarterback, capping a near-flawless
spring with a brilliant performance in the Orange & White game.
Dantzler completed 22-of-34 passes for 237 yards as the White
(offense) scored a decisive 37-12 victory. Making a superb target
will be 6-4 senior wide receiver Rod Gardner who will fight
to make All-American honors at the end of the year as he set
school records in 1999 for receptions (73) and receiving yards
(1,009). Opponents should be able to give Gardner more attention
with the departure of two very talented ball catchers from a
year ago in Brian Wofford and Mal Lawyer. Coaches feel they
should have a 1000 yard ball carrier come fall with Travis Zachery
at tailback and leading the way is senior fullback Terry Witherspoon,
a team leader, and one of the best blockers in the conference.
All five starters return on the line, but it was a young, inconsistent
group last year. With Coach Bowden running the no-huddle game
plan, depth is a concern there. The kicking game cost Clemson
a shot in at least three big games last year so kicker Tony
Lazzaro will fight to hold off recruit Aaron Hunt. |
|
OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
|
| QB |
Woodrow
Dantzler |
5-11 |
200 |
Jr. |
|
Willie
Simmons |
6-0 |
190 |
Fr. |
| RB |
Travis
Zachery |
6-0 |
190 |
Jr. |
|
Bernard
Rambert |
6-0 |
200 |
So. |
| FB |
Terry
Witherspoon |
5-11 |
265 |
Sr. |
|
Chad
Jamin |
5-10 |
220 |
Fr. |
| WR |
Justin
Watts |
6-0 |
202 |
Sr. |
|
Jackie
Robinson |
6-1 |
190 |
So. |
| WR |
Rod
Gardner |
6-4 |
215 |
Sr. |
|
Matt
Bailey |
6-4 |
220 |
Jr. |
| T |
Akil
Smith |
6-4 |
280 |
Jr. |
|
Brady
Washburn |
6-5 |
285 |
So. |
| G |
T.J.
Watkins |
6-3 |
275 |
Jr. |
|
Will
Merritt |
6-3 |
260 |
Jr. |
| C |
Kyle
Young |
6-3 |
270 |
Jr.
|
|
Jermyn
Chester |
6-2 |
263 |
Fr. |
| G |
Theo
Mougros |
6-2 |
275 |
Sr. |
|
Nick
Black |
6-5 |
280 |
Fr. |
| T |
John
McDermott |
6-6 |
285 |
Sr. |
|
Gary
Byrd |
6-4 |
290 |
So. |
| TE |
Pat
Cyrgalis |
6-1 |
242 |
So. |
|
Jason
LeMay |
6-4 |
235 |
So. |
| K |
Tony
Lazzara |
5-9 |
185 |
So. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Returning
starters in bold. |
|
Key
Losses: Brian Wofford-WR, Mal Lawyer-WR, Brandon Streeter-QB
|
|
|
2000
DEFENSE
|
|
Eight starters are back on defense, including
the ACC Defensive Player of The Year Keith Adams. Last year
was a dream season for the junior linebacker recording yes,
176 tackles with 33 for a loss, and 16 sacks. He led the conference
in all three categories and set a league record for tackles
for loss. At one of the outside spots will be linebacker Braxton
K. Williams, one of the Tigers' top tacklers last season,
who might have trouble holding on to his starting spot. Altroy
Bodrick came on strong throughout the spring and earned the
starting job for the Orange & White game and will have the
edge at the strong side position heading into summer camp.
Up front will be senior defensive tackles Terry Jolly and
Jason Holloman clogging the middle with size and agility.
Clemson recorded 45 sacks last year in a league in which no
one else had more than 30. A good reason for that was due
in part to free safety Robert Carswell, a senior Jim Thorpe
Award nominee and first team All-ACC participant. He set a
school record for tackles by a defensive back with 129, many
of which could have filled up a high light reel. The backfield
can boast the fact that three of the best QB's in the land
last season, Vick, Weinke, and Pennington, did not throw a
touchdown pass in a combined 109 attempts. The Tigers will
have a new safety and a new corner but sophmore Brian Mance
was perhaps the top defensive player signed in the 1999 recruiting
class. On the other corner is Alex Ardley who is blessed with
talent.
|
|
DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
|
| DE |
Nick
Eason |
6-4 |
255 |
So. |
|
Bryant
McNeal |
6-5 |
235 |
So. |
| DT |
Terry
Jolly |
6-2 |
290 |
Sr. |
|
Gary
Childress |
6-3 |
270 |
Sr. |
| DT |
Jason
Holloman |
6-3 |
285 |
Sr. |
|
Jovon
Bush |
6-5 |
300 |
Jr. |
| DE |
Terry
Bryant |
6-4 |
275 |
Sr. |
|
Marcus
Lewis |
6-2 |
250 |
Fr. |
| OLB |
Braxton
Williams |
6-2 |
215 |
Sr. |
|
Altroy
Bodrick |
6-0 |
215 |
Jr. |
| MLB |
Chad
Carson |
6-3 |
235 |
Jr. |
|
Rodney
Thomas |
6-0 |
225 |
So. |
| OLB |
Keith
Adams |
5-11 |
220 |
Jr. |
|
Kenzi
Ross |
6-2 |
220 |
Sr. |
| CB |
Alex
Ardley |
5-10 |
170 |
Jr. |
|
Kevin
Johnson |
6-0 |
185 |
Fr. |
| CB |
Brian
Mance |
5-11 |
185 |
So. |
|
Darrel
Crutchfield |
6-0 |
180 |
Sr. |
| SS |
Charles
Hafley |
6-1 |
195 |
Jr. |
|
Eric
Meekins |
6-2 |
190 |
So. |
| FS |
Robert
Carswell |
6-0 |
215 |
Sr. |
|
Chad
Speck |
6-0 |
215 |
Sr. |
| P |
Jamie
Somaini |
6-1 |
230 |
Sr. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Returning
starters in bold. |
|
Key
Losses: Damonte McKenzie-DL, Harold Means-LB, DoMarco
Fox-DB, Dextra Polite-DB,
Ryan Romano-P
|
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