The 2009 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Dabo Swinney in his first full season as head coach, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 9–5 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, winning the ACC's Atlantic Division title. Clemson advanced to the ACC Championship Game, where the Tigers lost Georgia Tech. Clemson closed the season with a win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. The team played home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.
In the Tigers' 40–24 victory over the Florida State on November 7, 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. Spiller was named as one of the three finalists for the Doak Walker Award along with Mark Ingram II of Alabama and Toby Gerhart of Stanford. On December 2, Spiller was voted the ACC's Offensive Player of the Year. He was the nation's only player i 2009 to account for touchdowns five different ways—rushing, passing, receiving, and on kick and punt returns—and had passing, rushing and receiving touchdowns in one game, a victory against NC State. He returned four kickoffs and a punt for scores in 2009, and had eight total returns for touchdowns during his career. He scored at least once in every game during the season. Spiller led the ACC with an average of nearly 184 all-purpose yards per game and was the league's fourth-leading rusher, averaging 76 yards per game.
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries at South Carolina
Statistics CLEMSC 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 StatisticsClemson Passing Kyle Parker 22/42, 212 yards, TD, INT Rushing CJ Spiller 9 carries, 18 yards Receiving Michael Palmer 8 receptions, 106 yards, TDSouth Carolina Passing Stephen Garcia 10/21, 126 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Kenny Miles 17 carries, 114 yards Receiving Alshon Jeffery 4 receptions, 65 yards
Jersey numbers
No. 6 Cornerback Chris Chancellor, whose normal number was No. 38, wore No. 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 No. 6 for Connecticut and was murdered in the early morning of October 18 following UConn's game against Louisville.
No. 17 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, head coach Dabo Swinney announced that several players would alternate wearing No. 17 during the season to honor Hunter.
The following players wore No. 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 No. 17 (Korn, Diehl, and Dye) were also teammates with Hunter at James F. Byrnes High School in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Hunter remained a member of the Clemson team, serving as a student-coach the Tigers.
No. 28 At the end of the season, Swinney announced that Clemson would retire the No. 28 jersey worn by C. J. Spiller at a ceremony when the Tigers play Maryland at home on October 16, 2010.
Personnel 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 coordinator/wide receivers
Depth chart These are the starters, primary backups, and key reserves as of September 2009.
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)
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 143rd DECrezdon Butler Pittsburgh Steelers 5th 164th DB Kavell Conner Indianapolis Colts 7th 240th LB
References