Freshmen expected to contribute for Clemson

By Jamie Johnson  |   Sunday, August 20, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

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When the dust had settled on the 2006 recruiting class, Tommy Bowden's new Clemson Tigers ranked inside the top 20 of almost all publications. With two weeks left until Clemson runs down the Hill to take on Florida Atlantic, it looks as if some of the true freshmen will be called upon to contribute in their first season.

Since the day that Florida native C.J. Spiller announced that he would don the Clemson orange over Florida State and Florida, the Tiger faithful have been in an uproar about the talent in their backfield. Spiller joins veteran running back Reggie Merriweather and freshman phenom James Davis to complete one of the nation's most formidable ground attacks. Add in the five returning starters on the offensive line and no one can question coordinator Rob Spence's excitement. Since the start of fall camp, it appears that Spiller has lived up to all expectations and is likely to contribute a great deal. It has also been speculated that James Davis, the ACC Rookie of the Year from 2005, could be pushed for the starting position.

Running backs coach Burton Burns is ecstatic about his choices in the backfield and mentioned that he could not be more pleased with Spiller.

First-Team USA Today All-American Ricky Sapp would headline most recruiting classes, but with the signing of Spiller, he has been slightly overshadowed. Listed as the No. 17 player in the nation by Collegefootballnews.com, this Bamburg, South Carolina native is considered by many to have more upside than even current projected first-rounder Gaines Adams at the defensive end position. Sapp has great speed and will be looked upon for help on the defensive line in his first season at Clemson.

Cornerback Crezdon Butler also looks to avoid a redshirt as it seems the coaches have been extremely thrilled with the Asheville, NC product that was listed as the No. 4 prospect out of North Carolina. Defensive coordinator Vic Koenning said that Butler had definitely caught the coaches' attention and that he was "everything they thought he could be."

These are just three of the several remaining possibilities of freshmen that could avoid redshirts this season. Wide receiver Jacoby Ford and linebackers Jeremy Campbell and Kevin Alexander are also solid candidates to see playing time in their freshman campaigns.

With the addition of the West End Zone project at Memorial Stadium, the stability with Bowden at the helm as he enters his eighth year, the domination of state rival South Carolina and other huge wins over ranked teams are just some of the reasons that the Tigers seem to be moving to the top of the ACC.

With the excitement and momentum in Clemson's favor, it may not be such a surprise when the younger Bowden goes into the state of Florida and steals a top-rated athlete over his father Bobby's Seminoles in the future. It is also becoming more and more common for Clemson to select the candidates they want out of North Carolina which has not happened since the Tigers dominated the ACC in the '80s.

And with the talent level rising across the depth chart in Tigertown, freshmen may not be asked to contribute as much in the coming seasons, but as for this year, look for the talented Tiger freshmen to make a difference in what could be an outstanding 2006 for the Tigers.

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