CLEMSON — Andre Ellington is returning for his senior season at Clemson. The star running back announced his decision Tuesday after reporting for a team meeting.
Ellington is coming off a productive, but injury-plagued, season during which he rushed for 1,178 yards, 11 touchdowns and 5.3 yards per carry. Ellington missed the Georgia Tech game with an ankle injury suffered against North Carolina. Ellington missed four games in 2010 with a foot injury that required surgery.
“Last year’s success has me excited to enter the 2012 season as a Clemson Tiger,” Ellington said.
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Ellington is regarded as the ninth-best running back in the 2013 draft class, according to CBSSports.com, meaning he was at best a mid-round draft choice in 2012 NFL draft. Ellington submitted paperwork last month to the NFL’s underclassmen advisory committee.
Ellington ranks 10th in Clemson history with 2,355 rushing yards. He needs 1,612 yards to break Raymond Priester’s career rushing mark at the school.
Ellington finished the 2011 season with a 125-yard effort against Virginia Tech in the ACC title game and 116 yards in the Orange Bowl on 10 carries.
Ellington’s return means Clemson will return a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard receiver and 1,000-yard running back for the first time.
Clemson picked No. 5 in 2012 preseason poll by ESPN analysts
Despite limping to the 2011-12 finish line, capped with an embarrassing 70-33 loss to West Virginia in last week’s Orange Bowl, several ESPN analysts remain bullish on Clemson.
ESPN analysts Robert Smith and Matt Millen each tabbed Clemson as the No. 5 team in the country in their early 2012 preseason rankings.
With record-setting quarterback Tajh Boyd and first-team All-America receiver Sammy Watkins returning, along with more than 60 scholarship players, Clemson also has appeared in the top 10 of other 2012 preseason polls.
Clemson hasn’t been ranked in the top 10 of a major poll since 2008, opening that season with a blowout loss against Alabama in the Georgia Dome.
Spring game set
Clemson announced it will play its spring game on April 7 at Memorial Stadium. Clemson opens spring practice March 2.
Watkins earns honor
Sammy Watkins earned another first-team, All-America honor, landing on the Football Writer’s All-American team. The Clemson freshman finished the season with 2,288 all-purpose yards, second best in ACC history. Former Clemson star C.J. Spiller set the record with 2,680 yards in 2009.
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