Aug. 6, 2004

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2004 Clemson Football Preview

Clemson finished 9-4 overall and third in the ACC with a 5-3 league mark. The Tigers made their fifth-straight bowl appearance, and 27th overall, defeating Tennessee 27-14 in the Peach Bowl. Clemson finished the season ranked 22nd in both polls.

The Tigers won their final four games of the season by an average margin of 27.0 points. Three of the wins were over No. 3 Florida State, arch-rival South Carolina and sixth-ranked Tennessee. Tommy Bowden was named ACC Coach of the Year for the second time in his five years at Clemson.

With 246 yards passing in the Peach Bowl, Charlie Whitehurst joined NC State's Philip Rivers as only the second sophomore in ACC history to reach the 5,000-yard plateau. He already ranks third on the school career passing list with 5,115 yards. He missed earning 2nd-team All-ACC honors by one vote a year ago and already owns 33 school records.

The Tigers return both of their leading rushers of the past two seasons. Duane Coleman led the team and finished ninth in the ACC in rushing a year ago with 619 yards and two TDs and was fourth on the team with 34 catches for 309 yards and three TDs. Yusef Kelly led the team in rushing as a sophomore in 2002 with 520 yards rushing but injuries limited him to five games and 125 yards rushing in 2003.

With two of the top five pass catchers in school history -- Derrick Hamilton and Kevin Youngblood -- departing, senior Airese Currie is the team's leading returning receiver ... despite an injury-plagued year in 2003, Currie totaled 43 catches for 560 yards and four TDs and finished 10th in the ACC in receptions (4.3).

Senior LB Leroy Hill is the top returning tackler in the ACC. A first-team All-ACC selection and an honorable mention All-American last fall, Hill averaged 11.2 tackles per game and led the ACC with 27 tackles for loss, including eight QB sacks. Hill had 10 or more tackles in all but three games and was third in voting for ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

ACC Football Preview Schedule | More Clemson Info From ACC Media Guide

QUOTES FROM 2004 ACC FOOTBALL KICKOFF

Tommy Bowden, Head Coach, entering 6th season
"We really felt like we were playing as well as anybody (at the end of last season) ... Whether they can maintain the momentum, leadership is going to be awfully important. What they read, what they hear, what's said about them, will they work as hard as what's being said? That's the key."

"I think we'll be able to throw and catch pretty good. The key is going to be, defensively, if we can continue how we finished the last four games (of last season), that's most important. But again, we haven't been real consistent in that area in the five years I've been here."

"My mistake last year was earholing how I had to (run the offense). The running game was important, but again, if I had tried to accomplish it within the context of what I was doing offensively -- one back, no huddle as opposed to I-formation huddle, slowing it down with two backs as opposed to one. So we're going to try to improve the running game, but I'm going to try to do it in the context of what our players feel comfortable doing."

Charlie Whitehurst, Quarterback, Junior
"Physically and fundamental-wise, I think I'm pretty much as good as I'm going to be. So now it's a mental approach to the game and preparation -- just seeing what works."

"You go from a pretty low low to a pretty high high in just one week's time. All of our heads were down there in that Wake Forest locker room, but it was great a week later (after the win against Florida State). This game's about confidence and momentum, especially in the college ranks, and you've just got to try and ride the highs."

"I think we have a total of a hundred-and-something career catches coming back instead of the four- or five-hundred that we had last year. There are some guys that are going to replace the guys that we lost -- Chansi Stuckey, Kelvin Grant, we're looking for some big things from him -- some guys returning like Curtis Baham and Airese Cirrie. I saw some good things from them in the spring, and I think we'll be alright."

Leroy Hill, Linebacker, Senior
"We have all four starters returning in the secondary. They finished second in the ACC last year in pass defense, so that leaves us (in good shape)."

2004 Clemson Football Schedule
Sept. 4	Wake Forest
Sept. 11	Georgia Tech
Sept. 18	at Texas A&M
Sept. 25	at Florida State
Oct. 7	at Virginia
Oct. 16	Utah State
Oct. 23	Maryland
Oct. 30	NC State
Nov. 6	at Miami
Nov. 13	at Duke
Nov. 20	South Carolina

OFFENSE - Returning Starters
QB Charlie Whitehurst, Jr.
TB Duane Coleman, Jr.
WR Airese Currie, Sr.
TE Bobby Williamson, Sr.
OG Cedric Johnson, Sr.
OG Nathan Bennett, So.
C Tommy Sharpe, Sr.

OFFENSE - Starters Lost
WR Derrick Hamilton (2nd-team All-ACC)
WR Kevin Youngblood (70-897, 2 TDs)
OT William Henry (2-year starter)
OT Gregory Walker (2nd-team All-ACC)

DEFENSE - Returning Starters
DE Maurice Fountain, Sr.
LB Leroy Hill, Sr.
LB Eric Sampson, Sr.
CB Tye Hill, Jr.
CB Justin Miller, Jr.
Rov Jamaal Fudge, Jr.
FS Travis Pugh, Sr.

DEFENSE - Starters Lost
DE Khaleed Vaughn (3-year starter)
DT Donnell Washington (2nd-team All-ACC)
DT DeJuan Polk (13 starts, 33 tackles, 6 TFLs)
LB John Leake (3-year starter, 440 tackles)