Friday, Aug. 29, 2008

Clemson Practice Report

Opening drive

Clemson coach Tommy Bowden spent the 1987-89 seasons at Alabama as receivers coach. But if the Crimson Tide had hired someone other than Bill Curry to replace Ray Perkins, history might have been different.

Bowden’s father, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, interviewed for the job but did not get it. FSU was preparing to play in a bowl game in Birmingham when Bobby returned to the hotel with the news.

Tommy had been working as an assistant at Duke until its coach, Steve Sloan, wound up at Alabama as athletic director.

“(Bobby) came in, slammed the door and said it was going to somebody else,” Bowden said. “So as soon as he slammed the door, I slammed the door, because I was out of one, too.”

Tommy interviewed for jobs on Steve Spurrier’s Duke staff and Bobby Ross’ Georgia Tech staff before landing a position on Tulsa’s staff. He was there for six weeks before Curry needed to replace one of the staff members who had followed from Georgia Tech and then left.

Stock rising

DT Jarvis Jenkins. The sophomore from nearby Central will start at defensive tackle in Saturday’s game, ahead of junior Jamie Cumbie.

Stock falling

Defensive coordinator Vic Koenning. Once former Alabama coach Dennis Franchione takes the booth for ESPN Radio’s call of Saturday’s game, Koenning might not be the most despised man in the Georgia Dome anymore.

Quote of the day

“For the conference to gain credibility, you have to beat teams from other conferences, get in BCS bowl games and win them. And we haven’t done that. So we do kind of carry the mantle for the ACC a little bit.”

— Bowden

Injury report

Freshman running back Jamie Harper (sprained ankle) was upgraded to probable. Reserve redshirt freshman cornerback Coty Sensabaugh (shoulder) is out.

Extra points

Two former walk-ons, senior punter Jimmy Maners and senior receiver Nelson Faerber, were awarded scholarships, Bowden said. The odd-man out was sophomore receiver Terrance Ashe, who is next in line, Bowden said. ... The school announced Thursday that it had broken last year’s football season ticket sales record. A total of 58,134 were sold for this season, 143 more than a year ago.

Scouting report

Clemson has seven scholarship players from Alabama: receivers Tyler Grisham and Brandon Clear, linebacker Brandon Maye, defensive tackle Jock McKissic and defensive ends Byron Clear and Drew Taylor. Alabama freshman Brad Smelley, brother of USC backup quarterback Chris Smelley, is listed as the fourth-string tight end.

— Paul Strelow