LB situation.. might make you feel better

Sep 5, 2006, 4:16 PM

First off, I am not trying to smooth over the loss of Anthony Waters, he was a defensive stud, there is no doubt about that.

However, when you think about the tradition of LB's we have here at Clemson, there is always a diamond in the rough like a Keith Adams or Leroy Hill that we don't notice until they are plugged in there for a few games.

Here are our starters for Saturday:

Nick Watkins 6'2" 220 lbs

-He was a starting linebacker in the Clemson 2005 Champs Bowl win against Colorado, where he tied the team lead in tackles in that game. His power index of 7.14 is seventh-best among tight ends, fullbacks, and linebackers since 1997

- 2005 Highlights -

2005: Starting linebacker who had 99 tackles to rank second on the team...tied for the team lead in tackles (8) against Colorado...named Clemson's top special teams player by the coaches...had 13 tackles at Maryland; named ACC Specialist-of-the-Week for his performance when he had five special teams tackles; that was quite a performance because it happened soon after Hurricane Katrina ravaged his hometown of New Orleans...team's top special teams tackler (11)...defensive player-of-the-game by the coaches at Georgia Tech; he had 14 tackles, including 10 first hits; a big reason the Yellow Jackets scored just 10 points...had at least six tackles in every game, the only Tiger who could make that claim...had nine tackles at #19 South Carolina...had six tackles against #16 Florida State, including a sack...played 618 snaps, eighth-most on the team and fourth among defenders...had a team-high 14 tackles at Georgia Tech to tie for the high total by a Tiger all season...had six tackles in the opener, but tied for the team lead against #17 Texas A&M...played at least 43 snaps in every game.

Maurice Nelson 6'2" 215 lbs

-Highlights-

Named most improved outside linebacker in 2006 spring practice and was also leading tackler in spring game with 6 tackles. Reserve linebacker in 2004 and 2005; he has also played various safety positions in his career...

Veteran of 22 games the last two years; he has missed just one game; has played 120 snaps...did a 590-pound squat lift that was ninth-best on the team...has a 39" vertical jump, second-best on the team...fourth-strongest player on the team on a pound-for-pound basis with a power index of 7.15...has a 10'1.5" broad jump that is second-best on the team.

Antonio Clay 6'0" 220 lbs

One of the top signees in 2005; he narrowed his choices to Clemson and Oklahoma...made strides in the spring to become a co-starter...had two sacks for the White team in the 2006 spring game...has a 340-pound power clean that is tied for eighth-best on record (since 1984) among tight ends, fullbacks, and linebackers, and tied for sixth-best on the team...has a 37.5" vertical jump, tied for third-best among Tiger tight ends, fullbacks, and linebackers since 1984...has a 9'11" broad jump, 10th-best among Clemson tight ends, fullbacks, and linebackers since 1984, and seventh-best on the 2006 team.

-2005 Highlights_

Played on defense in every game; the Temple game was his only start; he had a team-high nine tackles...had three tackles at Maryland and four versus #25 Boston College...one of the many bright spots among young players on the defense...played 185 snaps, fourth among first-year freshmen and seventh among all freshmen...14th on the team in tackles (27)...had at least one tackle in every game but the Georgia Tech game when he played just 10 snaps...had one tackle in six snaps against Colorado in the Champs Sports Bowl.

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Jeremy Campbell is going to be one Heck of a player. The guy is considered to be a potential DE before he is done here but I say that is crazy. He has WAY too much speed to play there. It would be a tramendous mismatch but I dont see him playing over Sapp. I watched him alot Saturday and the kid absolutely flys all over the field. He has really good instincts too. He timed the snap perfectly a couple of times on blitz's. He reminds me alot of the FSU linebacker Geno Hayes...Almost identical players if you ask me. Then Kevin Alexander is an absolute monster. He is your prototypical NFL type linebacker...He is built in almost the same mold as Waters but alot bigger at this stage in his career. The thing that excites me most about those two is their speed. I would put our linebackers...even w/o Waters and Billie...up against any LB's in the ACC, with maybe the exception of FSU.

And then throw in Kavell Conner and Courtney Vincent...you got some big time speed and size at the LB position. Clemson is known for their LB's and has always had good ones but this years tandem rivals those of the 80's and early 90's.

LB situation.. might make you feel better

Excellent post******

awesome post...then add in the freshmen

whooo....a lot of relief....

And I foregot Josh Miller***

Lest We Forget The D Linemen

That is a really good point....Our Dline will take alot of

####, I do feel a lot better.***

Wow... I feel pretty good after reading that. POTD***

Re: LB situation.. might make you feel better

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