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By Emily Price
Clemson's Campus Correspondent
TheRoadtoTampaBay.com
Last year Clemson was picked ninth nationally in the preseason polls and with a key national matchup against Alabama in the opener and the heavy favorite to win the ACC Championship. In fact, some dubbed it "The Year of the Tiger."
But it was not to be. After struggling early, head coach Tommy Bowden resigned midseason. The forecast for the rest of the season was bleak, until the appointment of Dabo Swinney as interim head coach.
Swinney was able to re-energize the program, leading the squad to a 7-6 overall record and a tie for third in the Atlantic Division at 4-4. He led the Tigers to wins in four of the last five regular season games to earn a bowl bid against Nebraska in the Konica-Minolta Gator Bowl, achieving the goal he had set for the year.
The questions about how successful the 39-year old Swinney will be are yet to be answered, but he is a great story. He is greeted by his players with so much enthusiasm it's nothing but endearing. He is a guy who walked on to his college football team at Alabama and then earned a scholarship on the 1992 National Championship team, a guy who made an uneasy transition in the middle of an already painful season exciting and revitalizing for Clemson fans and players.
Swinney rallied supporters last year. "I knew when I heard everyone in Death Valley chanting, Dabo, Dabo, that I probably had a chance," he says.
There are comparisons to Danny Ford, a coach who was only 30 when he took the position as head coach at Clemson, who also went to Alabama and stepped up at Clemson after another head coach (Charley Pell) surprisingly resigned. Ford led Clemson to the National Title after the 1981 season, as well as five ACC crowns.
Fast forward to this season. Clemson is facing "open-ended questions" rather than grand expectations on the national stage. This isn't necessarily a problem. Entering the season with a bit of trepidation could be what the Tigers need to stay in check and remain in position to surprise rather than disappoint.
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Running Back
C.J. Spiller
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Plenty of talent
While Clemson graduated some key offensive leaders, including WR Aaron Kelley, RB James Davis, QB Cullen Harper and WR Tyler Grisham, there is still plenty of talent on the roster. Will Clemson take advantage and win more games? With two star-studded backs last year, Clemson only averaged 3.4 yards per carry, only Wake Forest and Duke averaged less among ACC teams.
Senior Jacoby Ford returns as a super fast wide receiver who, last season, totaled only 12 receiving yards less than the ACC's career leader in receptions and Clemson's all-time leading receiver, Kelly (Kelly had 722, Ford had 710).
Running back C.J. Spiller returns without James Davis, and while the loss of Davis-who ended his college career as the second leading rusher in school history-is a big one, Spiller will no longer have to share carries or worry about not getting his hands on the ball. Spiller will have plenty of opportunities to show off this season and should be among the ACC leaders in rushing and all-purpose yards as long as he stays healthy. He is within reach of becoming the league's all-time leader in all-purpose yards. There's even a "Spiller for Heisman" campaign underway, and while he's matched up against some immense talent in Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy, Spiller truly believes he's got a shot.
"I think I have my chances," he says confidently, even if there is lightning without the thunder.
Both Spiller and Ford have great breakaway speed and the ability to make a big play any time, but there are other skilled players returning as well. Jamie Harper is back, several pounds lighter and much more experienced, as are Andre Ellington, Chad Diehl, and Rendrick Taylor, who Swinney says we'll see as a "big back" this year.
Returning receivers include Xavier Dye, Jaron Brown, Marquan Jones and Brandon Ford.
QB yet to be determined
Most of the open-ended questions concerning offense, Swinney says, have to do with the people throwing the ball, not the ones catching it.
Since Cullen Harper graduated, a starting quarterback has yet to emerge, and Swinney says he's really hoping one does. Perhaps one will soon with practice starting today (August 4). The race is a close one between redshirt sophomore and five-star recruit Willy Korn and redshirt freshman and baseball outfielder Kyle Parker.
"There're really more similarities between them than there are differences," Swinney says, including two rocket arms, mobility and precision. However, they obviously lack real-game experience.
Now to the offensive line, a sore spot for the Tigers last season. There are four returning starters this year, including two sophomores, making it the most experienced offensive line Clemson has had in three years with a combined 79 starts. The unit will have to protect its new quarterback better this year, improving on the 34 sacks allowed a year ago. Senior left guard Thomas Austin returns, and if he can lead the youngsters through the trenches, Clemson should be fine.
Eight returning starters + Kevin Steele
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Cornerback
Crezdon Butler
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Clemson's defense could be great, which bodes well if you believe that defense wins championships. Seven starters are returning: bandit end Ricky Sapp, who has returned with a "95 percent" healed knee after suffering a torn ACL toward the end of last season; DT Jarvis Jenkins; MLB Brandon Maye and WLB Kavell Conner; arguably the best pair of cornerbacks in the conference in seniors Chris Chancellor and Crezdon Butler; and SS DeAndre McDaniel. Strong side end Da'Quan Bowers is also returning, as is Kevin Alexander, who played DE last year but is may be used in more of a stand-up role this season.
The depth chart for linebackers is thinner this year and cause for some concern, particularly after LB Stanley Hunter was forced to end his career early due to health reasons.
While eight starters return on defense, they will need to improve on getting to the opposing quarterbacks after finishing last in the league in sacks in 2008. Sapp says he and Bowers have a goal of 10 sacks each this season, and it certainly will be a part of the master plan for defensive coordinators Kevin Steele and Charlie Harbison. Steele joins the Tigers from Alabama, where he was defensive head coach and was previously linebackers coach for Florida State. Steele ran a 3-4 defense with the Crimson Tide, but it will be interesting to see what he decides to do at Clemson with the talent he's inherited.
Questions with special teams
Coach Swinney's said at the ACC Football Kickoff that there were a lot of "open-ended questions" concerning special teams. Kicker Mark Buchholz graduated and it is yet to be determined who will step into the role. Expect junior Richard Jackson and redshirt freshman Spencer Benton to compete for the job in preseason camp. Punter Dawson Zimmerman is expected to resume the role he held early in the 2008 season before losing the job to the now-graduated Jimmy Maners. And, of course, All-ACC specialist Spiller returns along with Jacoby Ford as Clemson's special teams hope to continue the improvement it has seen over the past two years under coordinator Andre Powell.
Predictions for 2009
The first two games will be an interesting test for Clemson, especially on defense. Clemson opens against Middle Tennessee, which runs the spread, and then faces Georgia Tech's tricky triple-option (complete with the preseason pick for ACC Player of the Year Jonathan Dwyer) on a short week in Atlanta. The Tigers then play host to Boston College, which is often just barely out of Clemson's grasp even when the Tigers are favored; and TCU, which finished seventh nationally last year. Clemson needs some wins under its belt early to build momentum for the remainder of the schedule. Swinney has explicitly stated his focus is first on winning the first game and secondly winning the first conference game... one game at a time.
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