# 2009 Clemson Tigers football team

The 2009 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, who was in his first full season as head coach. The Tigers played their home games in Memorial Stadium. The Tigers won the ACC Atlantic Division, but after securing the title lost to in–state rival South Carolina in the Palmetto Bowl 34–17, before losing for the second time in the season to Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game. Clemson closed the season with a win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl.
In the Tigers' 40–24 victory over the Florida State Seminoles on November 7, 2009, running back C. J. Spiller and wide receiver Jacoby Ford became the leading all-purpose yardage duo in NCAA history (a record previously held by Marshall Faulk and Darnay Scott of San Diego State).
C. J. Spiller was named as one of the three finalists for the 2009 Doak Walker Award. Spiller, along with Mark Ingram II of Alabama and Toby Gerhart of Stanford, was selected by a vote of the 130–member Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee. On December 2, 2009, Spiller was voted the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. The all-purpose threat was named as the league's top player following a vote of 40 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Spiller received 29 votes to outdistance Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who had eight. Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams, the league's rookie of the year, had two votes and Yellow Jackets defensive end Derrick Morgan had one. Spiller was the nation's only player this season to account for touchdowns five different ways – rushing, passing, receiving, and on kick and punt returns – and had passing, rushing and receiving TDs in one game, a victory against North Carolina State. He returned four kickoffs and a punt for scores this year and has eight total returns for TDs during his career. He scored at least once in every game this season while leading Clemson to the Atlantic Division title and a spot in the league title game against Georgia Tech. Spiller led the ACC with an average of nearly 184 all-purpose yards and was the league's fourth-leading rusher, averaging 76 yards. Spiller is the seventh Tiger to be named player of the year and the first since Michael Dean Perry in 1987.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Middle Tennessee* | | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC (Hall of Fame Day, Youth Day) | ESPN360 Ryan Rose, Danny Kannell | W 37–14 | 78,371 |
| September 10 | 7:30 p.m. | at No. 15 Georgia Tech | | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA (rivalry) | ESPN Chris Fowler, Jesse Palmer, Craig James, Erin Andrews | L 27–30 | 52,029 |
| September 19 | 12:00 p.m. | Boston College | | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC (O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy, Family Weekend) | Raycom Steve Martin, Rick Walker, Mike Hogewood | W 25–7 | 77,362 |
| September 26 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 15 TCU* | | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC (Football Reunion Weekend) | ESPN360 Dave Weekley, Danny Kanell | L 10–14 | 71,869 |
| October 3 | 12:00 p.m. | at Maryland | | Byrd StadiumCollege Park, MD | ESPNU Clay Matvick, David Diaz-Infante | L 21–24 | 46,243 |
| October 17 | 12:00 p.m. | Wake Forest | | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC (IPTAY Day) | Raycom Steve Martin, Rick Walker, Mike Hogewood | W 38–3 | 74,298 |
| October 24 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 8 Miami (FL) | | Land Shark StadiumMiami Gardens, FL | ABC/ESPN Dave LaMont, Brian Griese | W 40–37 $^{OT}$ | 43,778 |
| October 31 | 1:30 p.m. | Coastal Carolina* | | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC | ESPN360 Ryan Rose, Stan Lewter | W 49–3 | 74,429 |
| November 7 | 7:45 p.m. | Florida State | | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC (rivalry, Solid Orange Day) | ESPN Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, Erin Andrews | W 40–24 | 76,656 |
| November 14 | 12:00 p.m. | at NC State | No. 24 | Carter–Finley StadiumRaleigh, NC (Textile Bowl) | Raycom Tim Brant, Rick Walker, Mike Hogewood | W 43–23 | 57,583 |
| November 21 | 3:30 p.m. | Virginia | No. 18 | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC (Military Appreciation Day) | ABC/ESPN Bob Wischusen, Brian Griese | W 34–21 | 77,568 |
| November 28 | 12:00 p.m. | at South Carolina* | No. 15 | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC (rivalry) | ESPN Bob Wischusen, Brian Griese | L 17–34 | 80,574 |
| December 5 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 12 Georgia Tech* | No. 25 | Raymond James StadiumTampa, FL (ACC Championship Game, rivalry) | ESPN Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, Erin Andrews | L 34–39 | 57,227 |
| December 27 | 7:30 p.m. | vs. Kentucky* | | LP FieldNashville, TN (Music City Bowl) | ESPN/Nevada Sports Network Sean McDonough, Matt Millen, Holly Rowe/Dave Tester, Alex Shelton | W 21–13 | 57,280 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
| AP | — | — | — | RV | — | — | — | — | RV | RV | 24 | 18 | 15 | 25 | RV | 24 |
| Coaches | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV | 19 | 16 | RV | RV | RV |
| Harris | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV | 25 | 19 | 17 | RV | RV | Not released |
| BCS | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | — | 23 | 18 | — | — | Not released |

## Jersey numbers
### #17 jersey

On July 25, it was announced that sophomore linebacker Stanley Hunter was forced to quit playing football for medical reasons. Hunter, who led the 2008 team in fewest plays per tackle, was suffering from an increase in seizures due to epilepsy. On August 18, Coach Swinney announced that several players would alternate wearing #17 during the season as a way to honor Stanley Hunter.
List of Players wearing #17 during the season:
* LB Brandon Maye
* QB Willy Korn
* FB Chad Diehl
* WR Xavier Dye
* WR Marquan Jones
* S DeAndre McDaniel
* RB Jamie Harper
* S Sadat Chambers
* S Rashard Hall
* CB Crezdon Butler
* LB Kavell Conner
* WR Jacoby Ford
Three of the players who wore #17 (Korn, Diehl, and Dye) were also teammates with Hunter at James F. Byrnes High School in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Stanley Hunter remains a member of the Clemson team, serving as a student-coach this season for the Tigers.

### #6 jersey

Cornerback Chris Chancellor, whose normal number is #38, wore #6, the normal number of wide receiver Jacoby Ford, for the Miami game. (Under college football rules, two or more players on a team can wear the same number as long as only one is on the field at a time.) Chancellor, a native of Miami, made the change with the blessing of both Ford and Swinney in memory of his former high school teammate Jasper Howard, a cornerback who wore #6 for Connecticut and was murdered in the early morning of October 18 following UConn's game against Louisville.

### #28 jersey

At the end of the season, Head Coach Dabo Swinney announced that they would retire the #28 jersey worn by C. J. Spiller at a ceremony when the Tigers play Maryland at home on Oct. 16, 2010.

## Game summaries
### at South Carolina (rivalry)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 18 Clemson | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| South Carolina | 14 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
at Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina
* Date: Saturday, November 28, 2009
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Temperature: • Wind: • Weather: Clear
* TV announcers (ESPN): Bob Wischusen, Brian Griese
| Statistics | CLEM | SC |
| First downs | 14 | 21 |
| Total yards | 61–260 | 80–388 |
| Rushing yards | 19–48 | 58–223 |
| Passing yards | 226 | 175 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 22–42–1 | 11–22–1 |
| Time of possession | 14:09 | 27:54 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Clemson | Passing | Kyle Parker | 22/42, 212 yards, TD, INT |
| Clemson | Rushing | CJ Spiller | 9 carries, 18 yards |
| Clemson | Receiving | Michael Palmer | 8 receptions, 106 yards, TD |
| South Carolina | Passing | Stephen Garcia | 10/21, 126 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| South Carolina | Rushing | Kenny Miles | 17 carries, 114 yards |
| South Carolina | Receiving | Alshon Jeffery | 4 receptions, 65 yards |

## Personnel
### Incoming recruiting class

* Malliciah Goodman (DE; Florence, South Carolina; West Florence HS)
* J.K. Jay (OL; Greenville, South Carolina; Christ Church Episcopal School)
* Jonathan Meeks (S; Rock Hill, South Carolina; Rock Hill HS)
* Tyler Shatley (FB; Valdese, North Carolina; East Burke HS)
* Brandon Thomas (OL; Spartanburg, South Carolina; Dorman HS)
* Bryce McNeal (WR; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Breck HS)
* Roderick McDowell (RB; Sumter, South Carolina; Sumter HS)
* Tajh Boyd (QB; Hampton, Virginia; Phoebus HS)
* Spencer Shuey (LB/DE; Charlotte, North Carolina; South Mecklenburg HS)
* Quandon Christian (LB; Lake View, South Carolina; Lake View HS)
* Corico Hawkins (LB; Milledgeville, Georgia; Baldwin HS)
* Darell Smith (TE/BAN; Gadsden, Alabama; Gadsden City HS)
* Taylor Ogle (QB; Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Gatlinburg-Pittman HS)
* Octavius Lewis(SS;Orlando, FL Maynard Evans HS)

### Depth chart

These are the starters, primary backups, and key reserves as of September 2009.
Defense :
* FS
* Marcus Gilchrist
* Rashard Hall
| WLB | MLB | SLB |
| ⋅ | Brandon Maye | ⋅ |
| Jonathan Willard | Jeremy Campbell | ⋅ |
* Cat
* DeAndre McDaniel
* Jonathan Meeks
* CB
* Crezdon Butler
* Byron Maxwell
| DE | DT | DT | DE |
| Da'Quan Bowers | Jarvis Jenkins | Brandon Thompson | Ricky Sapp |
| Malliciah Goodman | Miguel Chavis | Jamie Cumbie | Kevin Alexander |
* CB
* Chris Chancellor
* Coty Sensabaugh
Offense :
* WR
* Jacoby Ford
* Marquan Jones
| LT | LG | C | RG | RT |
| Chris Hairston | Thomas Austin | Dalton Freeman | Antoine McClain | Landon Walker |
| Cory Lambert | Matt Saunders | Mason Cloy | Wilson Norris | David Smith |
* TE
* Michael Palmer
* Dwayne Allen
* WR
* Xavier Dye
* Brandon Clear
* QB
* Kyle Parker
* Willy Korn
* Key reserves
* RB Andre Ellington
* WR Terrance Ashe
* WR Jaron Brown
* DE Andre Branch
* FS Sadat Chambers
* DB Xavier Brewer
* DT Rennie Moore
* TE Durrell Barry
* RB
* C. J. Spiller
* Jamie Harper
* FB
* Rendrick Taylor
* Chad Diehl
* Special teams
* PK Richard Jackson
* PK Spencer Benton
* P Dawson Zimmerman
* P Richard Jackson
* KR C. J. Spiller
* PR Jacoby Ford
* LS Matt Skinner
* H Michael Wade

### Coaching staff

* Dabo Swinney – Head coach
* Billy Napier – Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
* Kevin Steele – Defensive coordinator/inside linebackers
* Charlie Harbison – Co-defensive Coordinator/defensive backs
* Danny Pearman – Assistant head coach/Tackles & Tight Ends
* Brad Scott – Associate head coach/Offensive Guards and Centers
* Dan Brooks – Defensive tackles
* Andre Powell – Running backs/special teams
* Chris Rumph – Defensive ends
* Jeff Scott – Recruiting doordinator/wide receivers

## 2010 NFL Draft

Clemson had five players selected in the 2010 NFL draft. C. J. Spiller went in the first round as the ninth overall pick.
| Player | Team | Round | Pick # | Position |
| C. J. Spiller | Buffalo Bills | 1st | 9th | RB |
| Jacoby Ford | Oakland Raiders | 4th | 108th | WR |
| Ricky Sapp | Philadelphia Eagles | 5th | 143th | DE |
| Crezdon Butler | Pittsburgh Steelers | 5th | 164th | DB |
| Kavell Conner | Indianapolis Colts | 7th | 240th | LB |