Clemson Tigers – Bouncing Back from a Terrible Year

NCAA Football Futures Betting

CLEMSON TIGERS: WILL A FRESHMAN LEAD THEM?

Today we take a look at the Clemson Tigers, considered by some to be a national title contender at this time last year but now just trying to rebound from a disastrous 2008 campaign:

2008 Record: 7-6 SU, 4-7 ATS

Three-Year record (’06-’08): 24-15 SU, 16-20 ATS

BetOnline Sportsbook NCAA Football Odds

To Win ACC Atlantic Division

Boston College +2000

CLEMSON +300

Florida State +200

Maryland +1600

North Carolina State +250

Wake Forest +425

To Win ACC title +450

To Win National title +7000

Over 8.5 wins +105

Under 8.5 wins -145

Clemson looked like an awesome force as we did these previews last season, because they had one of the top quarterbacks in the country in Cullen Harper, an explosive 1-2 punch in the backfield in C.J. Spiller and James Davis, a standout like Aaron Kelly heading up a productive wide receiver corps, and a strong defense. The only question was the inexperience of the offensive line, and that became a big hole as the season crumbled for the Tigers almost right from the beginning, with a 34-10 loss to Alabama. When it was all over, Clemson had lost six games, including the Gator Bowl against Nebraska, and had already dumped coach Tommy Bowden.

Dabo Swinney, who took over after Bowden left six games into the season, takes over on a full-time basis, and now he’s got an offensive line that returns all five of its starters. That’s good news for Spiller, who returns from a season in which he averaged 5.4 yards a carry. He’ll get the ball more on a full-time basis this year, now that Davis has departed. Cullen Harper was a huge downer at QB, throwing 14 interceptions to go with his 13 touchdowns. Now there promises to be a competition between sophomore Willy Korn, who’s thrown 38 passes as a collegian, and redshirt freshman Kyle Parker for the starting job. There is no clear front-runner as of the moment, but highly-touted true freshman Tahj Boyd is also in this race.

Jacoby Ford is a genuine speed-burner (4.2 in the 40) who will be on the end of the eventual QB’s passes. He caught 55 last season. Xavier Dye will have a bigger role in the passing attack this year, and Sweeney, who was the wide receiver coach before ascending to the top job, is excited about what he might get out of true freshman Bryce McNeal, who was a prize recruit.

Defensively this team brings back eight starters, and since the stop unit ranked #18 in the country in yards allowed, that is very good news. Both defensive ends – Da’Quan Bowers and Ricky Sapp – know how to get after the passer. If quarterbacks are starved for time, they are going to be throwing to one of the ACC’s best cornerback duos, as Crezdon Butler and Chris Chancellor are returning seniors

Clemson gets a couple of soft touches in the non-conference schedule, with Middle Tennessee and Coastal Carolina. They also play host to TCU, which is nationally-ranked. They get Boston College, Florida State and Wake Forest at home; they also visit Georgia Tech and South Carolina in the annual rivalry game. I don’t see the QB situation as a disadvantage; Clemson will have a healthy competition there, and a talented starter will emerge. I also don’t think it will take a lot to wash off the stink of last year’s disaster. I’ll lean toward the "over" on 8.5 wins, which is +105 in the BetOnline NCAA football futures betting odds. At +300, I see them as an interesting darkhorse possibility in the ACC’s Atlantic Division.