Monday August 27, 2007

Clemson Records

One More Long Week
Is it just me or has August last three months this year? Will Labor Day ever get here?

If we can get past this day then the sports world gets better because Tuesday-Thursday features the Red Sox and Yankees series. Thursday night we have the opening of college football with LSU visit to Mississippi State. Friday night we have some good high school match ups and Saturday I am heading to Athens for the UGA-Oklahoma State tilt. After a day of recovery on Sunday Labor Day will arrive bright and early with the Bowden FCA Breakfast.

I feel like the little engine that could…I think I can! I think I can (make it to Monday). You hate to wish your life away but I just can’t wait to see the Tigers at the top of the Hill.

Later this week I will break down some of the match ups to look for in the game but I thought I would have one more summertime blog before we hit the regular season schedule so today let’s look at some Clemson records and the chances of breaking them:

Most Rushing Yards in a Game: 263 Raymond Priester vs. Duke 1995
James Davis went for 216 yards against Georgia Tech and you have to always think that C.J. Spiller has some huge runs in him but I think this record may stand for a while. A lot of staffs use two or three backs in a game and splitting carries may be a factor. I think Priester’s 263 may be safe for a few more years.

Most Yards Rushing in a Season: 1345 Raymond Priester, 1996
James Davis went for over 1,100 yards last season and with the ACC title game and a bowl game in the wings I can see this record falling. A 1,345-yard season is impressive but this one may be in jeopardy in the coming years.

Most Yards Rushing in a Career: 3966 Raymond Priester 1994-97
I love Raymond Priester but this record could fall in the next two years. James Davis needs to average 951 yards rushing over the next two seasons to break the mark. If he stays in school for all four years and is healthy then this one will fall. Then C.J. Spiller could break it the following year.

Most Pass Attempts in a Half: 46 Rodney Williams vs. NC State 1987
Here is a record that you do not want to see broken because this means there is a large deficit. If the Tigers were not behind 30-0 against the Wolfpack in that game the record would have never been broken.

Most Pass Attempts in a Game: 55 Patrick Sapp vs Maryland 1992, Charlie Whitehurst vs Miami 2005
Overtime games will help the cause here but again if you are throwing the ball 55 times then things don’t look good.

Most Pass Attempts in a Season: 465 Charlie Whitehurst 2003
The 2003 team was not a balanced offense and I do not see this record falling anytime soon but the chance at a 14 game schedule means this one may go down in my lifetime.

Most Pass Attempts in a Career: 1368 Charlie Whitehurst 2002-2005
Whitehurst started for three seasons plus a few games as a freshman so this is not a record that should fall in the next few seasons.

Most Passing Yards in a Game: 420 Charlie Whitehurst vs Duke 2002
The Tigers needed all 420 yards at Duke that season. In the days of overtime I can see this record being broken in the future.

Highest Rushing Yard Game by Clemson: 615 vs Georgia Tech in 1903
There is a reason this record has stood for over 100 years. I just can’t see this happening.

Highest Margin of Victory: 122 vs Guilford 1901
This might be the one that stands forever.

Longest Play: 108 Missed field Goal return by Richie Luzzi vs Georgia 1968
Like 122-0 this one will stand forever.

Longest Run from scrimmage: 90 Banks McFadden vs PC in 1939
Can’t you just see Spiller owning this one before he is done?

Longest Field Goal: 57 yards by Obed Ariri vs Wake Forest 1977, Chris Gardocki vs App State 1990
Field goals have changed through the years because kicking off of the ground as opposed to a kicking tee is a different animal. First you have to have the guts to kick a 57-yarder and then you have to have a kicker with a strong leg. I do think this is one that can go do because kickers continue to get bigger and stronger.

Most Individual Total yardage: 517 Woody Dantzler vs NCSU 2001
I doubt this one goes down anytime soon as this was the perhaps the greatest individual performance I have witnessed in person.

Career Receptions: 167 Derrick Hamilton 2001-2003
This record is breakable but had Hamilton stayed for four seasons he may have put it out of reach.

Career Rushing Touchdowns: 41 Travis Zachery 1998-2001
James Davis is only 15 away so this one may go down this year.

Tackles in a Game: 27 Keith Adams vs South Carolina 1999
Former defensive coordinator Reggie Herring said Adams actually had 30 tackles but that number sounded ridiculous so he cut three of the tackles that were close. I just can’t see it being broken any time in my lifetime.

Tackles in a Season: 186 Keith Adams 1999
The great thing about this blog is remembering so of the great Tigers and great games, seasons and careers. Adams 186 tackle season was a remarkable feat.

Tackles in a career: 515 Bubba Brown 1976-79
Anthony Simmons would have had a chance to break this mark if he stayed for four seasons but the NFL has an effect here.

Tackles by a true freshman: 150 Anthony Simmons 1995
When Simmons was true freshman at Clemson Tommy West said he was the best player on the team the first day he stepped on campus. This one will stand for a very long time.

Interceptions in a quarter: 3 Brian Dawkins vs Duke 1995
This one will never be broken. This record is like Johnny Vander Meer’s back-to-back no hitters in that it may be tied but will never be broken. I have a hard time believing this one could ever ne tied but I know it will never be broken.

I had a blast going back and looking through the record book and remembering some of the great performances of some of the great Tigers. Like a lot of the blogs I can’t wait to read your comments and your list of unbreakable Clemson marks.

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