TheState.com: Sports

Notes: Tigers will open competition at kicker

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:25 EST

Jackson apologizes for misses; Clemson will face N.C. State at noon Saturday

CLEMSON - Junior kicker Richard Jackson addressed Clemson teammates in the locker room Saturday night, apologizing for four missed kicks against Florida State.

Whether Jackson will have the chance to atone for his miscues Saturday at North Carolina State remains to be seen.

Dabo Swinney said Sunday an open competition will be held this week between Jackson and redshirt freshman Spencer Benton.

"We'll try to make it competitive this week, see who can be most consistent, and that's who'll start the game," Swinney said. "We have to get back on track."

Commentary: Tigers show new-found swagger

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:25 EST

A GRIN CAME OVER JUNIOR safety DeAndre McDaniel's face, just like the smile he flashed after intercepting Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder in the waning minutes of Saturday's 40-24 victory.

In explaining what happened next, McDaniel could have taken the safe route and claimed to have pointed at Ponder the way ball-carriers do when they're showing nearby teammates whom to block.

Uh-uh.

The swashbuckling McDaniel, a lifelong fan of his hometown Seminoles, acknowledged that he playfully called his shot - as Ponder represented the last line of defense between McDaniel and the end zone.

Both lowered their shoulders, and McDaniel plowed Ponder into the ground at the FSU 5, setting up C.J. Spiller's game-capping touchdown with 3:29 remaining.

Panthers LB Davis out for season with torn ACL

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:21 EST

The Carolina Panthers lost perhaps their most productive defensive player Monday when tests showed weakside linebacker Thomas Davis has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Davis' season-ending injury came without getting hit in Sunday's loss to New Orleans. He was backpedaling when stopped to plant and his knee buckled. He crumpled to the turf as Drew Brees threw a 17-yard pass to Pierre Thomas in the fourth quarter.

A serious injury was immediately feared, and it derails the speedy Davis' most successful season in another blow for injury-plagued Carolina (3-5).

"He's played very well. I feel bad for the young man because he's put a lot into it," coach John Fox said before the team revealed the extent of the injury. "He was playing at a high level. It's unfortunate, and I feel bad for him and his family."

Davis, a 2005 first-round pick from Georgia in his fourth season with the Panthers, ranks second on the team behind fellow linebacker Jon Beason with 69 tackles. He also had two sacks and an interception and his teammates had begun talking about him as a Pro Bowl selection.

Live Clemson Q&A: 3 p.m. Wednesday

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:17 EST

Join us at 3 p.m. Wednesday for a live and interactive question-and-answer session with The State's Paul Strelow as Clemson prepares to take on N.C. State on Saturday.

Clemson football with Paul Strelow

Panthers commentary: From 'can' to 'cannot'

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:25 EST

NEW ORLEANS

After spending the first half showing what they can do, the Carolina Panthers spent the second half showing what they cannot.

They cannot convert big plays. They cannot find a player to win them a game they are not supposed to win. On a roster full of middle-relievers, they cannot find a closer.

As long as the Panthers can run with impunity, hand off on third and 13 and play so conservatively they make a Southern Baptist preacher look reckless, they're golden.

They led New Orleans, a two-touchdown favorite, by a touchdown. Then they led by two touchdowns. Quarterback Jake Delhomme had to throw only five first-half passes. Hooray.

Saints go to 8-0 with 30-20 win over Panthers

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:28 EST

Drew Brees and the Saints' prolific offense never had to play from behind in their first five games.

Mastering the comeback in their last three has gotten New Orleans off to its best start in the franchise's 43-year history.

New Orleans moved to 8-0 on Sunday when Brees overcame two early turnovers to pass for 330 yards and a touchdown in a 30-20 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

"That's great. I mean, 1967 until now and we're the only (Saints) team to have done that," Brees said. "That's really special. I feel like we've got a special group of guys, a special team, and certainly we're not satisfied with just being 8-0. We have what it takes to just continue to win."

Starting with a favorable schedule during the next two weeks. The Saints play at St. Louis and Tampa Bay, who are a combined 2-14 this season, meaning New Orleans has a realistic chance to be 10-0 when New England - the only team to finish a regular season 16-0 - comes to the Louisiana Superdome the Monday night after Thanksgiving.

Today on TV and radio

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:55 EST

NBA

7 p.m. Phoenix at Philadelphia. NBATV

NFL

8:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at Denver. ESPN, WNKT-FM 107.5

NHL

Clemson volleyball downs Boston College

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:55 EST

At Chestnut Hill, Mass., Lia Proctor had 19 kills and 11 digs as Clemson beat Boston College in four sets - 25-19, 25-14, 26-28, and 25-10 - to earn coach Jolene Jordan Hoover her 450th career victory.

Clemson is now 20-9 and 10-5 in the ACC, while BC falls to 11-15 and 1-14 in conference play.

- From staff reports

Kurt Busch wins at Texas, Johnson 38th after wreck

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:18 EST

Jimmie Johnson sat in his car going nowhere for more than an hour, his NASCAR Sprint Cup lead shrinking with every passing lap.

While crew chief Chad Knaus and Co. were basically rebuilding the mangled mess that was his No. 48 Chevrolet after it was knocked into the wall on the third lap at Texas on Sunday, Johnson stayed inside the cockpit frustrated and replaying the accident in his head.

He knows the outcome could have been a lot worse.

Johnson did finish the race and is still the series point leader with two races to go in his push to become the first Sprint Cup driver to win four consecutive season championships.

"The first report Chad gave me wasn't good. He thought we were going to have to put the car on the truck because it was so tore up," Johnson said. "As time went on, I could see their spirits lift and I knew we could at least get back on track. I started to focus on things I needed to."

Tigers lay 4th-quarter smackdown on Noles

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:33 EST

CLEMSON | For all of Clemson's faults Saturday night, they were overridden by the trait coach Dabo Swinney has suggested the team has exhibited the entire season.

These were not the same ol' Tigers - especially the ones who annually choked when the ACC title game appeared within reach.

Clemson dropped a fourth-quarter hammer on Florida State, rattling off 19 unanswered points to emerge with a 40-24 victory that keeps the Tigers (6-3, 4-2 ACC) in the Atlantic Division driver's seat.

"We just kept our heads," junior safety DeAndre McDaniel said. "Coach Swinney asked us if we believe in ourselves, and we do."

All that stands in the way of a berth in the Dec. 5 ACC championship in Tampa, Fla., are wins next week at N.C. State (4-5, 1-4) and in the final home game the following week against Virginia (3-6, 2-3).