#10 Clemson Tigers

Head Coach: Tommy Bowden
2003 Record: 9-4

2004 Preview By Steve Lassan
football.com

Team MVP: Quarterback Charlie Whitehurst is the MVP of the offense and this team. When the team caught fire to close the season, he was a big reason why. As long as he is the quarterback for this team, they are a bowl team and will have a solid passing offense. Last season, he threw for 3,561 yards and 21 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. He should be the top quarterback in the ACC in 2004.

Quarterback: With the return of Charlie Whitehurst, this position is set for the 2004 season. Whitehurst should be the ACC’s best quarterback and will lead this offense to a top ranking in the conference. Since he has the job locked up, the coaches moved Chansi Stuckey to receiver. Backing up Whitehurst will be Will Proctor.

Running Back/Fullbacks: Over the past few seasons, getting productivity out of the running backs has been the key to the offense. However, the team has struggled at times rushing the ball and that put a ton of pressure on the shoulders of Whitehurst. Last season, Duane Coleman and Yusef Kelly emerged as a solid one-two combination. Coleman is the speedy back, while Kelly likes to pound away at opponents. Getting these two backs going is the key to the offense.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: The receiving corps took the biggest hit through graduation as they lost Derrick Hamilton and Kevin Youngblood.  Both receivers were big time playmakers and they will be missed. Expect Airese Currie to become a bigger target in 2004. Last season, he caught 43 passes for 560 yards and four touchdowns.  Former quarterback Chansi Stuckey has moved to receiver and has a ton of athletic potential. Kelvin Grant and Curtis Baham have to continue to improve for the offense. Expect somewhat of a drop-off after the loss of Hamilton and Youngblood, but Whitehurst will spread the ball around. Tight end Ben Hall could emerge as a target with the loss of the top two receivers.

Offensive Line: If there is a concern on the offense, the offensive line is it.  After losing three starters, two sophomores are expected to take over at the tackle position. Roman Fry and Marion Dukes are going to be under tremendous pressure. The two returning starters are seniors Cedric Johnson and Tommy Sharpe. With those two returning, they should help to anchor the line and groom the youngsters. If the line struggles, expect the offense to go to more quick passes to keep Whitehurst off the ground.

Defensive Line: The loss of defensive tackle Donnell Washington to the NFL creates a huge void in the middle of the line. Only one starter will return and that is senior Maurice Fountain. At the end of last season, the defense showed it could be dominant, but losing three starters on the defensive line hurts. If they can get pressure, they will be fine as the Tigers should have one of the best secondaries in the country.

Linebackers: After leading the team with 145 tackles and recording eight sacks, LeRoy Hill has returned to once again dominate opposing offenses.  With a shaky defensive line, he could get more chances to tally tackles, should they struggle up front. Also returning will be Eric Sampson, who tallied 50 tackles last season. The linebackers will miss John Leake, but Anthony Waters has shown solid potential.

Secondary: With the return of all four starters, the Tigers secondary has a chance to become one of the best in the country. The key player in the secondary is cornerback Justin Miller. Miller has the potential to make plays on defense and that includes taking interceptions to the endzone. Also returning will be Jamaal Fudge, who led the team with four interceptions last season. 

Special Teams: Although he wasn’t the most accurate kicker in the conference, the Tigers will miss Aaron Hunt. Last season, he connected on 18 of 26 field goals and the team is struggling to find a replacement. Jad Dean and Stephen Furr are expected to battle it out for the starting job.  At punter, Cole Chason returns for his sophomore season. Last season, he averaged 38.5 yards a kick and must become more consistent. The returns are somewhat of a question mark after the departure of Derrick Hamilton.  He was a solid punt returner and kickoff man. Expect Justin Miller to have a bigger role on special teams in 2004.

Final Thoughts: Last season, the Tigers closed out on a tear as they upset Florida State, dominated Tennessee in the bowl game and blew out Duke and South Carolina. The team is hoping to carry that momentum into 2004.  However, a couple of key losses may prevent this team from making a run at the ACC title. Offensively, the biggest question marks are at receiver and offensive line. The line is a bigger concern as only two starters return and sophomores are taking the place of the departed players.  Defensively, the line needs work, but the rest of the defense is solid. Having road games against Miami and Florida State will hold this team back from finishing in the top two positions in the ACC, but they will give both teams a battle in those games.

-- Steve Lassan