From the Desk of Dan Radakovich

May 13, 2013

Hello Tiger fans!

I am headed off to the ACC spring meetings this week in Florida. In my next writing, I hope to have much content to discuss as a result of those meetings. In the meantime, I thought it would be appropriate to focus this space on the student-athletes that graduated from Clemson last Friday. I had the privilege to be on hand for each of the three ceremonies as part of the president’s administrative council. It was wonderful to see so many orange stoles, which are worn to signify student-athletes, in each ceremony!

I thought I would share the wonderful success stories of a few of them. In all, 49 student-athletes walked across the stage in Littlejohn Coliseum to receive their degrees from President Barker. (See complete list of 2013 spring graduates below). It was particularly heart-warming to see some of our student-athletes who returned to earn degrees several years after their Tiger careers ended. [Read more...]

Brownell, Swinney give updates on their programs

Clemson head basketball coach Brad Brownell, right, responds to a question from the audience as head football coach Dabo Swinney looks on during Thursday's Prowl and Growl Coaches Tour event in Greenville. (Photo by Rex Brown/IPTAY Media)By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Brad Brownell admits sometimes the questions posed at Prowl and Growl Coaches Tour events can rival the ones he faces from the media after a tough night on the basketball court.

“They can ask some pretty good questions,” the Clemson head coach said. “The fans are very knowledgeable, and you can tell which fans follow exactly what’s going on and have some good questions for what you’re thinking about personnel, recruiting or scheduling or anything.”

The man he shared the dais with at Friday’s tour stop in Greenville, Dabo Swinney, got a taste of just such a direct line of questioning when a young Tiger fan asked, “When are we going to beat Carolina?” [Read more...]

Beyond Clemson: 32 former Tigers on NFL rosters

By Schuyler Easterling

Leaving behind the shattering roars of Death Valley, 32 former Clemson players find themselves on football’s biggest stage: the glory of the National Football League.

As summer workouts begin for NFL squads around the country, ex-Tigers are represented on 20 of the 32 NFL teams, competing for playing time and a chance to live out their dreams.

The former Tigers are spread across a variety of positions with four linebackers, four defensive ends, four cornerbacks, three wide receivers, three cornerbacks, three defensive tackles, three tight ends, two centers, two running backs, a quarterback, an offensive tackle and an offensive guard on rosters. [Read more...]

North Upper Deck named for former AD McLellan

Former Clemson director of athletics Bill McLellan stands with his wife, Ann, in front of the lettering of his name on the North Upper Deck of Memorial Stadium after the unveiling ceremony Saturday. (Photo by Dawson Powers)

Photo Gallery

By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

CLEMSON — As an assistant football coach under Frank Howard, Bill McLellan once coached practice on what are now the intramural fields across from Fike Recreation Center near Gate 20 of Memorial Stadium.

McLellan returned to his old stomping grounds on Saturday for a different reason.

From that vantage point, Clemson held a dedication ceremony to unveil the former athletic director’s name on the north façade of Death Valley, officially naming the H.C. “Bill” McLellan North Upper Deck.

“It’s been a long time coming,” McLellan said. “It’s been a lifetime.” [Read more...]

‘Light comes on’ for Beasley, Tiger pass rush

Clemson defensive ends Vic Beasley (3), Tavaris Barnes (6) and Ebenezer Ogundeko look on during practice April 5. (Photo by Dawson Powers)

By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

CLEMSON — The best part of coaching, according to Dabo Swinney, is that moment when “the light comes on” for a player, the culmination of dedicating themselves, buying into the system, putting in the work and finally realizing their potential.

Swinney points to Vic Beasley as Exhibit A of that phenomenon.

“This time last spring I couldn’t get anybody in the whole (coaches’ meeting) room to even give him a thumbs up,” Clemson’s head coach said recently. “Now he’s the best player we’ve got. So, sometimes guys don’t come on as you want them, but you’ve got to just keep pushing them and hope that light comes on.” [Read more...]

Swinney expects receiver to be position of strength

Clemson wide receiver Martavis Bryant catches a touchdown pass during the Spring Game on April 13 at Memorial Stadium. (Photo by Rex Brown/IPTAY Media)

By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

CLEMSON — Some might view losing a player such as DeAndre Hopkins, who set a slew of school and conference records last season, as a reason for concern, but not Dabo Swinney. He sees it as an opportunity for other receivers to have the kind of breakout season that just allowed Hopkins to become a first-round NFL draft pick.

“I love the talent that we have at wideout,” Swinney said recently. “We’ve got some guys that have got to take the next step in their careers.”

Foremost among them is Sammy Watkins, one of just three players in Atlantic Coast Conference history to catch at least 50 passes as both a freshman and a sophomore — along with Hopkins and fellow former Tiger Derrick Hamilton — and just a year removed from being one of only four true freshmen in college football history to earn first-team Associated Press All-American honors. [Read more...]

First-round gamble pays off for Hopkins

DeAndre Hopkins is the 23rd first-round selection in Clemson history, the first since C.J. Spiller was the ninth pick of the NFL Draft in 2010. (Photo by Dawson Powers)

Goodman, Meeks, Ellington also hear names called

By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

After DeAndre Hopkins received a second-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Committee, Dabo Swinney cautioned him those grades were often a best-case scenario and he could actually end up going later.

Hopkins was confident that wouldn’t be the case.

“He said, ‘Coach, I think I can improve my stock. I think I have a chance to be a first-rounder,’” Swinney recalls the record-setting receiver telling him when he opted to leave Clemson after his junior season and enter his name in the draft.

Turns out, the player better known as “Nuk” to Tiger fans knew exactly what he was talking about. [Read more...]

Few surprises on post-spring depth chart

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney laughs during the Spring Game on April 13 at Memorial Stadium. (Photo by Rex Brown/IPTAY Media)

By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

CLEMSON — There were few surprises to be found on Clemson’s post-spring depth chart Thursday, and Dabo Swinney believes that bodes well for his fifth full season as the Tigers’ head coach.

“I have less question marks about this team than I did coming out of spring last year at this time just because we were totally starting over on the offensive line and the defensive line,” Swinney said.

Perhaps the most significant changes on the two-deep from the start of spring ball are due to injuries suffered during the Spring Game. Projected starting tight end Sam Cooper and redshirt freshman quarterback Chad Kelly both tore anterior cruciate ligaments in the scrimmage, and both are set for surgery May 3.

“It was disappointing that we had a couple injuries, but we all know that’s a part of the game and you’ve got to overcome those things,” Swinney said. [Read more...]

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