North Texas @ Clemson preview
Clemson Memorial Stadium
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney landed his biggest win of the season well before the footballs officially began flying.
The Tigers’ fortunes took a big leap forward on July 20, the day quarterback Kyle Parker announced he would be returning for a final season of college football before embarking on a professional baseball career.
The sophomore quarterback will lead the Tigers into Saturday’s opener against visiting North Texas.
Parker started all 14 games as a freshman last season, leading Clemson to a 9-5 record and a berth in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game. But it didn’t appear that the first student-athlete in NCAA Division I history to throw 20 touchdown passes and hit 20 home runs in the same academic year would return after being selected by the Colorado Rockies in the first round in June’s major league draft.
He signed a contract with Colorado in August, after the start of fall camp, and is expected to join the Rockies in March for spring training.
Parker is the most recognizable of the 15 starters and 51 lettermen that Clemson returns from last year’s team that claimed the ACC’s Atlantic Division with a 6-2 league record.
Running backs Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper will assume the unenviable task of replacing all-world star C.J. Spiller, who has since taken his high-flying act to the Buffalo Bills after being selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Ellington and Harper combined to rush for over 900 yards in relief of Spiller last fall, but will now be counted on to shoulder the load.
Senior strong safety DeAndre McDaniel is the headliner of a defense that figures to again be solid even if it has some holes to fill following the loss of five starters. McDaniel paced the ACC and ranked third nationally with eight interceptions a year ago, tying him for the most in school history. His 102 tackles ranked fourth on the team and he was the only player in college football last year to register at least eight picks and 100 tackles.
North Texas is led by coach Tom Dodge, who ranked as one of his state’s most successful high school coaches before taking over the program prior to the 2007 season. He has four starters returning from an offensive line that paved the way for running back Lance Dunbar to rush for 1,378 yards and 17 touchdowns last fall. Dunbar recorded eight 100-yard rushing games and also caught 28 passes for 300 yards.
The school is best known as the alma mater of NFL Hall of Famer “Mean” Joe Greene of the Pittsburgh Steelers. From 1966- 68, Greene helped North Texas go 23-5-1. He was so beloved that the school changed its nickname to “Mean Green” following his graduation to the NFL.
But Clemson shouldn’t have much of a problem unless Greene suits up on Saturday. The Tigers won’t face their first real test until a brutal three-game stretch that begins at Auburn on Sept. 18, followed by a home date with Miami and a road contest at North Carolina.