Same ol’ Clemson? Not this team

By Stephen Jerdan  |   Tuesday, September 05, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Clemson Tigers
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In the opening Saturday of the 2006 college football season, the Clemson Tigers entered their showdown with Florida Atlantic with several question marks. Redshirt senior quarterback Will Proctor was the Tigers' biggest concern due to his lack of experience, but concerns were also present in the punting game, defense and a handful of true freshmen.

The Tigers, however, quickly and confidently put an end to those concerns in a 54-6 routing of Howard Schnellenberger's Owls.

Proctor, who made only his second career start on Saturday, was under a very watchful microscope throughout the offseason. Many were concerned about Proctor's ability to replace Charlie Whitehurst, the Tigers' former four-year starter and new owner of over 50 Clemson records, but others were praising Proctor's seemingly perfect fit into coordinator Rob Spence's offense, which requires a scrambling quarterback - something Whitehurst was not.

Proctor started sluggish against the FAU Owls, and his inexperience was beginning to show with a handful of underthrown and batted balls at the line. The QB, however, eventually found his rhythm and managed to complete 13-of-20 passes for 164 yards, three scores and one INT.

Both the receiving and running back corps also lived up to expectations. In what became a flawless distribution of the ball, Chansi Stuckey, Rendrick Taylor and Aaron Kelly all managed touchdown receptions, and three others made at least one catch in the game. The passing game was well complemented with running backs James Davis and Reggie Merriweather, as they combined for 23 carries, 168 yards and two TDs.

The Tigers' defense - though returning superstars DE Gaines Adams and LB Anthony Waters - had been occasionally questioned with the losses of senior FS Jamaal Fudge, DE Charles Bennett and NFL first-round draftee CB Tye Hill. The defense quickly sealed any doubts, however, and managed to hold Florida Atlantic to a mere 263 offensive yards while forcing four turnovers, including an INT and a fumble recovery from sophomore safety Michael Hamlin.

Perhaps the biggest questions, however, were surrounding the playing time and abilities of a handful of true freshmen. RB C.J. Spiller, DE Jamie Cumbie, DE Ricky Sapp and WR Jacoby Ford were all slated to see playing time on Saturday, and all delivered a show that most didn't expect.

Cumbie managed two tackles, including a solo tackle, and Sapp broke through the line for a sack that forced a quarterback fumble. Spiller, one of the highest recruited running backs in the nation, saw limited playing time behind Merriweather and Davis, but managed 58 all-purpose yards on six carries, two punt returns and one kick return. Ford, however, had the biggest day among the true freshman. He pumped out 148 all-purpose yards on one carry, two kick returns and two punt returns, including a school-record 92-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Clemson's victory did come at a high price when senior defensive leader Anthony Waters went down with a torn ACL and was lost for the season. This only adds insult to injury when considering the Tigers also suffered the loss of starting OLB Tremaine Billie to a broken ankle two weeks ago.

Although Proctor, the defense and the Tigers' standout freshmen hushed many critics with their playmaking abilities, a handful of questions still remain. How will the Tigers respond to a more challenging opponent? How will the defense respond to the loss of their leader? Are the Tigers a serious ACC Championship contender?

The answers to questions surrounding the Clemson football team will likely take shape in the next couple of weeks when the Tigers make visits to Chestnut Hill and Tallahassee to take on Boston College and Florida State. A few things are for sure, though: Proctor is no slouch quarterback, the defense is tenacious and an argument can be made that Clemson has the best group of true freshmen in the country.

Clemson played as a team, scored as a team and presented some evidence as to why it is not like the struggling teams of the school's recent past. Bowden's Tigers are the real deal and can unquestionably make a legitimate challenge for the ACC crown.

Oh, and about the questions surrounding the punting game? They still remain. The Tigers didn't punt once the entire contest.

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