August 26, 1999
Seminoles (who el
The biggest question in the
minds of most ACC fans this
football season probably will be
how will Clemson fare under its
new head coach, Tommy
Bowden, and can he in time
turn the Tigers into the same
type team his father, Bobby, has
at Florida State.
There’s no doubt, the
younger Bowden has the coach-
ing talent and recruiting skills
to improve Clemson's fortunes.
But there are few coaches and
programs in the same class with
Bobby Bowden.
Once again, the Seminoles are
head and shoulders above the
rest in the ACC - and barring
major injury they should also be
head and shoulders above the
rest of the nation.
The elder Bowden returns 16
of 22 starters off last year’s
team which finished 10-2. They
suffered just their second ACC .
loss ever to Torry Holt and N.C.
State, but rebounded and were
still in position to win the na-
tional championship before
falling to Tennessee in the Fiesta
Bowl game.
Quarterback Chris Weinke,
another in the long line of out-
standing passers at FSU, missed
that Tennessee game with an in-
jury. But reports are that he is
fully recovered despite sitting
out spring practice. Heading in-
to his junior season he has a
string of 218 consecutive passes
without an interception.
The brightest star on a list of
many at FSU is wide receiver
Peter Warrick, an electrifying
.receiver and runner who will
be a leading contender for the
Heisman Trophy.
When the Weinke to Warrick
passing combo isn’t lighting up
the scoreboard, the Seminoles
can put the ball on the ground
with one of the nation’s top
running backs, Travis Minor.
Freshman Nick Maddox of
Kannapolis is being groomed as
a backup and eventual possible
replacement for both Minor and
Warrick, carrying on the tradi-
tion of spectacular FSU offen-
sive stars.
Leading the way for all’ of
those superstars is one of the
best blocking lines in the coun-
try, led by All-ACC picks Jason
Whitaker and Ross Brannon.
And, if that offense isn’t
enough to beat opponents into
submission, the FSU defense is.
The Seminoles traditionally
have some of the biggest, quick-
est and toughest defensive line-
men and linebackers in the
country, and this year is no ex-
ception.
All-American tackle Corey
Simon leads the way up front,
and Brian Allen is one of the
top linebackers in the country.
Three of four starters return
from a secondary that led the
nation in pass defense.
Florida State also has one of
the top kicking specialists in the
nation in Sebastian Janikowski,
a junior who kicked an ACC
record 27 field goals last year.
/
After a breather against
Louisiana Tech to open the sea-
son on August 28, the
Seminoles will face perhaps
their toughest ACC opponent
on September 11 when they
host Georgia Tech. But their
biggest ACC game in fans’ eyes
will be October 23 when they
visit Clemson's Death Valley for
the first-ever father-son coach-
ing match-up of Bobby and
Tommy Bowden.
If the Seminoles are undefeat-
ed at that time, Bobby will be
going for his 300th coaching
victory against his son.
HM While theyre probably not
quite ready to challenge the
Seminoles for the ACC and na-
tional championships, certainly
the second-best team in the
ACC and one of the top ten in
the nation is Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets are com-
ing off a 10-2 season and a 35-28
win over Notre Dame in the
Gator Bowl - their best season
since 1990 when they shared the
national championship.
The Yellow Jackets have al-
most everyone back from last
year’s team, including fourth
year quarterback Joe Hamilton
who is a strong contender for
All-American honors.
Coach George O'Leary also
returns all of his running backs
except Charlie Rogers, and All-
ACC receiver Dez White who
caught 46 passes for 973 yards
and nine TDs.
The offensive line is the most
experienced in the ACC. Tackle
Jon Carman (6-8, 355) will be an
All-American candidate.
The Yellow Jackets lost two
starting defensive ends, but
both of their defensive tackles
return. They also lost two of
their three starting linebackers
and two of their four starters in
the secondary.
HM While Florida State and
Georgia Tech are the class of the
league on paper and should fin-
ish 1-2, several teams could fin-
ish from third through sixth
place. Virginia, North Carolina,
and N.C. State appear to be
about equal, and although
they're not expected tobe a -
bowl contender Clemson's
Tigers will be a more wide open
team and could surprise some
people.
Maryland, Wake Forest and
Duke are expected to bring up
the rear.
Clemson lost a host of
starters off last year’s team
which finished a dismal 3-8 un-
der Coach Tommy West. But
Bowden has indicated the
Tigers will be more wide open
on offense, dumping the old
power running game employed
by West and several coaches be-
fore him.
Brandon Streeter, a part-time
starter last year, will probably
assume the full-time quarter-
back job, and the Tigers also re-
turn two of their top runners
from a year ago in Travis
Herald/Times
Zachery (who has been sus-
pended for the opening game
against Marshall) and Javis
Austin. Terry Witherspoon is a
strong running, excellent block-
ing fullback, and Brian Wofford
will be a favorite target for
Streeters passes. Former
Cherryville High running star
Gary Johnson is a back-up run-
ning back.
Clemson's offensive line was
completely wiped out by grad-
uation. Center Kyle Young, a
sophomore, started in four
games last year.
Defensively, the Tigers return
both defensive ends, one
linebacker and three of their
four secondary starters.
Sophomore Nate Gillespie, who
prepped at North Gaston, is a
back-up defensive tackle.
HM North Carolina came on
strong last year to finish 7-5 and
win its fourth straight Bowl
game. The Tar Heels return only
eight starters but could improve
slightly if they escape the in-
juries that haunted them last
year and get all the good
bounces of the football.
Ronald Curry, a part-time
starter last year, takes over the -
full-time quarterbacking chores
and he could be one of the best
running-throwing quarterbacks
in the ACC. He set a school to-
tal offense record for a fresh-
man last year.
Coach Carl Torbush hopes
wide receiver Jason Peace, who
was injured most of last season,
will return in top form. If he
does, Peace and his former
Northern Durham High team-
mate Kory Bailey will lead one
of the top receiving corps in the
ACC. Redshirt freshman
Chesley Borders of Crest could
also see a lot of action as a
wideout.
Alge Crumpler, another Tar
Heel who had his entire season
wiped out last year due to in-
jury, will be one of the top tight
ends in the country. Deon Dyer
returns at fullback and Rufus
Brown at tailback.
On the interior line, the Heels
return four seniors and two
full-time starters, but most of
their back-up linemen are
young and inexperienced.
Bryant Malloy of Crest could
see a lot of action at either cen-
ter or guard. The Tar Heels’ in-
coming linemen, including 6-4,
295-pound Riko Feemster of
Kings Mountain, are said to be
one of the best classes of
freshmen ever at UNC. Most,
however, will probably be red-
shirted this year.
Defensively, the Heels lost a
host of starters, but they return
one of the ACC's top tackles in
Sherrod Peace, and two of the
ACC's best linebackers in
Sedrick Hodge and Brandon
Spoon. The secondary could be
a weak spot as all four starters
are new. |
Jason Helton of East Gaston,
a senior non-scholarship player,
is the Tar Heels’ back-up deep
snapper.
MA team that could make a
lot of noise in the ACC this fall
is N.C. State’s Wolfpack.
Despite the loss of first round
draft pick Torry Holt at wide re-
ceiver, the Wolfpack could still
. be one of the most exciting of-
fensive football teams in the na-
tion.
Jamie Barnette returns for his
senior year at quarterback, and
he was probably the biggest
reason the Pack finished 7-5 last
year to earn a bowl bid.
Three area products will be
big in State's passing plans.
of the ACC
se?) class
Page 7B
Chris Coleman and Ryan
Hamrick, both starters on Crest
High's 1994 state championship
team, return at wide receiver.
Coleman grabbed 52 passes for
876 yards last year.
But the ine . wé 10 could be
another Torry Holt is redshirt
freshman Koren Robinson of
South Point who had a field day
during State’s spring game,
catching several passes for two
touchdowns and returning a
kick 100 yards for another score.
With his speed and quick feet
Robinson could become one of
the most exciting players in the
ACC.
Another Robinson - Ray - re-
turns at tailback where he
gained over 800 yards and was
voted ACC Rookie of the Year
last year. His yardage total
could have been much higher,
but he started in only six games
because of injuries.
The offensive and defensive
lines are question marks, but
State’s second and third levels
of the defense will be as good as
anyone’s. The Pack returns all
three of their starting lineback-
ers, and corners Lloyd
See ACC, 8B
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