Watch for Clemson to Shine this season.

[DKW 86 7,431]

http://www.realfootball365.com/college/art...mson290606.html

Entering his seventh season in Clemson, Tommy has his Tigers poised to improve on an 8-4 record from a year ago and compete for the ACC's Atlantic Division Title. Despite dropping four games last season, the road from a Top 20 to a Top 5 finish for Clemson was only 14 heartbreaking points away. In their first defeat of the 2005 season, the Tigers fell to Miami 36-30 in triple overtime. Tired and distraught from that emotional loss, Clemson fought with Boston College a week later before finally falling to the Eagles 16-13 in overtime. A loss to Wake Forest and Georgia Tech by a combined total of 5 points in October proved to be the catalyst for a four game win streak that ended the 2005 season. That streak included convincing wins over Florida State, in-state rival South Carolina and Colorado in the Champ's Sports Bowl.

For Tommy and Clemson the first bullet to be loaded will be at the quarterback position. Dependable and sturdy Charlie Whitehurst has completed what seemed like 10 years of eligibility and is on to the NFL. Now it's up to Will Proctor, a 6'2", 205 pound senior from Winter Park, Florida to fill the role as the Tiger signalcaller. A mobile quarterback who has also seen action at wide receiver for the Tigers, Proctor should add to what is an offense full of weaponry. Proctor does have some experience as he filled in for Whitehurst and guided Clemson to a win over Duke last season. Up front, Proctor will have the security of all five linemen returning. At running back, it could be the ACC's best with tailback James Davis, who played last season as a true freshman racking up 879 yards and 9 touchdowns. Alex Pearson, also a sophomore, will line up at fullback but with his 255 pound frame, the former linebacker will be used an extra blocker. At wide receiver Bowden's Tigers return two sophomores in Aaron Kelly and Rendrick Taylor as well as senior Chansi Stuckey.

Defensively, the Tigers could be one of the ACC's best units. Another dominant season by defensive end Gaines Adams and middle linebacker Anthony Waters could take some pressure off an inexperienced secondary that has to replace both cornerback positions.

With five sophomores topping the depth chart on offense, eight on defense and an incoming class filled with talent, Tommy and the 2006 Clemson Tigers have reloaded and are ready to hunt. The hunt gets under way early with back to back games against Florida State and Boston College in Weeks Two and Three. A fast start in September and Tommy will be the Bowden to watch in November.

[SouthLink02 8]

This button has been on repeat since 2000

[TigerOne 1,148]

so if Tommy doesn't live up to it, could this be his last year?

I hope they meet the expectations.

Auburn Clemson would be a good matchup.

[JB33 1]

"This button has been on repeat since 2000."

True that.

"Auburn Clemson would be a good matchup."

And that.

[DKW 86 7,431]

It is put up or shut up time for Clemson. either Bowden gets it going or he needs to leave.

[channonc 466]

Tommy recruits just like his dad, pure thugs. My brother and a couple of my good friends graduated from Clemson. My parents live not too far away in Greenville... almost everyone in the Clemson nation is waiting to see if Tommy can live up to it, if he can't I totally see him being canned after this season.

[tgr4lfe 220]

He'll be gone if they are not contending this year for the title, IMO. Several years of mediocrity will be enough for the Clemson faithful!1

[AUBURNTIGERFAN 0]

I hate Clemson! For personal reasons last time we played Clemson was in the Peach Bowl a couple of years back and we beat them

[AUslug 1]

I've always liked watching Clemson play, except when they wear the purple unis, . Bowden has had them stuck in average mode since he has been there, but he always manages to save his rear with a win over FSU or a 4 or 5 game winning streak here and there or big bowl wins i.e. UT in the Peach. Why do both teams from the Palmetto State get so much love and hype and they never follow through?

[TrueBlue72 0]

I lived in the Greenville area and have many friends who are Clemson graduates. I've always had a soft spot for them, beautiful campus, great local people, "Auburn with a lake" is an appropriate description. Their rivalry with USC parallells ours with UAT in many ways, especially in attitudes, influence and politics off the field. I've attended several of their games and thorougly enjoyed the experience.

Unfortunately many of the Clemson faithful became spoiled very quickly with their success in the early 80's under the "guidance" of Danny Ford and Charlie Pell and their "anything goes" recruiting style. With the exception of that short 5 year span, Clemson has been a very average football program with few ACC championships. Although capable of occasional major upsets and the ability to contend for the ACC title every few years, their actual accomplishments are unimpressive.

When my Clemson friends would get boisterous over their program, I would remind them that when I was at AU in 1969 - 1971, Clemson had a pretty good ACC program, but the combined score for those three games was AU 130, Clemson 13.

[freebody 0]

Clemson may compete for ACC title? Thought for a second somebody was in a time warp and thought it was still baseball season....

Auburn Clemson would be a good matchup.

244410[/snapback]

Not really, because if we played them in a bowl game, it would be the Cows-on-meth Peach Bowl - that's where Clemson is aiming (aka "anywhere but Fresno, or San Jose, or wherever the ACC's version of Shreveport is").

I've always liked watching Clemson play, except when they wear the purple unis, . Bowden has had them stuck in average mode since he has been there, but he always manages to save his rear with a win over FSU

244506[/snapback]

So you think maybe Diddy is giving him a win to keep him around? I hope Shelia's Daddy doesn't give him any wins like that. Come on, Tubs - tough love for Mikey!!