Tigers Set To Take On No. 17 Clemson
9/3/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 3, 2000
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THIS WEEK'S GAME AT A GLANCE
KICKOFF: 2:30 p.m. CST
SITE: Clemson, S.C., Clemson Memorial Stadium (Death Valley), (capacity 81,473 - grass).
RADIO: Tiger Network (Mike Kelly/John Kadlec/Chris Gervino), on nearly 60 stations, and the internet at www.mutigers.com. Also available by calling Teamline at 1-800-846-4700, ext. 5755.
TV: ABC Sports (Regional) - Sean Grande/David Norrie
RANKINGS: Clemson is ranked No. 17 in the A.P. Poll and 19th USA Today/Coaches
Poll.
SERIES RECORD: Clemson leads the all-time series 2-1.
HEAD COACHES:
Missouri - Larry Smith, 31-38-1 at MU (7th season), 141-118-7 overall (24th season).
Clemson - Tommy Bowden, 7-6 at Clemson (2nd season), 25-10 overall (4th season).
TICKETS: Contact the MU ticket office at 1-800-CAT-PAWS
PRACTICES:
Missouri practices usually begin at 3:30 p.m. and end around 5:30 p.m. Practices on Monday and Tuesday are open to the media. Practices on Wednesday, Thursday and the walk-through on Friday are CLOSED to all media.
Photographers and TV crews that need to shoot practices will be allowed to do so for the first 20 minutes of practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. They are asked to stay off of the playing field, including the end zones.
A member of the media relations staff will be on hand at each practice from start to finish.
MEDIA LUNCHEON:
Larry Smith hosts a media luncheon each Tuesday in the Athletic Dining Hall. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m., and Smith's interview session begins at 12 p.m. It is available via teleconference through the services of Premiere Conferencing. Call 719/457-2664 to access the teleconference.
COACH LARRY SMITH:
Appears at 10:40 a.m. each Monday on the Big 12 coaches briefing. Call 913/981-5507 to be connected. Smith is also available following each practice Monday though Thursday.
Out-of-town reporters may schedule interviews with Smith on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 1:30-2:30 p.m. by contacting SID Jeremy McNeive in advance. Coach Smith will return phone calls during that period.
PLAYERS:
Available at the Tuesday media luncheons and Wednesday during the lunch hour, 11:30-1:00 p.m. Player requests for the Tuesday luncheon must be submitted to the Media Relations Office by NOON on Monday.
Out-of-town reporters may arrange intereviews with MU players by contacting the Media Relations Office. Players will return phone calls during the lunch hour on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
VIDEO SERVICES:
Coach Smith's Tuesday press luncheon is available "live" on satellite. The coordinates are Telstar 5, Transponder 25. Please credit Tiger Vision. Missouri highlights are available as part of the Big 12 satellite feed from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. The coordinates are Galaxy 3, Transponder 3.
MISSOURI PREPARED FOR TRIP TO DEATH VALLEY
The Missouri Tigers will make their first trip in school history to Clemson, S.C. on Saturday to take on the 17th-ranked Clemson Tigers (1-0) in Death Valley. Missouri is coming off of its fourth straight season-opening victory with a 50-20 win over Western Illinois. Clemson opened the 2000 campaign with a 38-0 shutout of the The Citadel.
THE MISSOURI-CLEMSON SERIES
Missouri and Clemson will meet for the fourth time on Saturday afternoon. It will be the first game played between the two teams in Clemson, S.C. Two of the match-ups took place in Columbia while the other game took place in Jacksonville, Fla. in the 1949 Gator Bowl.
Clemson leads the all-time series 2-1. In 1949, Clemson edged Mizzou in the Gator Bowl by a score of 24-23. In 1950, Clemson shutout Missouri in Columbia, 34-0.
It wasn't until 1996 when the two teams got back together. This time, the Missouri Tigers, a heavy underdog, pulled off a dominant upset by a score of 38-24. Mizzou racked up 445 yards of total offense - 292 of those yards were on the ground.
Trailing 7-0 after the first quarter, Missouri put on a second quarter blitz. Devin West (13 carries, 98 yards) broke off a 28-yard touchdown run and quarterback Corby Jones found wide receiver Eddie Brooks for a 25-yard scoring strike as Mizzou led 17-7 at halftime.
Walk-on tight end Mitch Henderson was on the scoring end of a 10-yard pass from Jones to give MU a 24-7 advantage after three quarters. In the fourth stanza, Clemson got the offense rolling, scoring 17 points in the quarter, but Missouri answered with two more scoring drives to put Clemson away.
SCOUTING THE CLEMSON TIGERS
Following a 6-6 campaign in 1999 and a trip to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the Clemson Tigers entered the 2000 season nationally-ranked and with a ton of experience.
The Tigers return eight starters on both sides of the football from a year ago. Second-year Head Coach Tommy Bowden has hit team ranked No. 17 in this weeks Associated Press poll following a 38-0 win over The Citadel last Saturday.
Clemson's offense registered 458 total yards (236 rushing, 222 passing) while the Tigers defense allowed just 105 total yards.
Junior quarterback Woodrow Dantzler is regarded as one of the most dangerous signal callers in the country. In 1999, Dantzler was ranked 31st in the nation in passing efficiency with a 131.68 figure. In his career, Dantzler has thrown just six interceptions in 235 pass attempts.
Against The Citadel, the 5-11, 200-pound Orangeburg, S.C. native was near perfect. Dantzler was 16-for-17 for 192 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 44 yards and led the Tigers into the end zone on their first three possessions.
Defensively, Clemson is led by senior free safety Robert Carswell. A consensus preseason All-American, Carswell has 284 career tackles, six interceptions and has started 29 of the 35 games he has played in his career.
MISSOURI HEAD COACH LARRY SMITH
Larry Smith began his seventh season at Missouri (24th overall) with a 50-20 win over Western Illinois last Saturday night. Smith has a record of 31-38-1 at Missouri. He became Mizzou's 30th head football coach on Dec. 15, 1993. With 18 years as a head coach in NCAA Division I before coming to MU, Smith was the most experienced coach ever hired by a Big Eight Conference school.
He has a 24-year career record of 141-118-7, and coached previously at Tulane (18-27, 1976-79), Arizona (48-28-3, 1980-86), and Southern California (44-25-3, 1987-92). He was out of coaching in 1993.
Smith is one of only two active coaches who have taken four schools to bowl games, along with Lou Holtz (South Carolina) and one of only four who've ever done it (Earle Bruce and Bill Mallory). Smith ranks 11th among active coaches in career victories.
A native of Van Wert, Ohio, Smith is a 1962 graduate of Bowling Green State University. He served as a collegiate assistant coach at Miami (Ohio), Michigan and Arizona before beginning his head coaching career.
WINNINGEST ACTIVE COACHES
(by victories entering 2000)
| ? | COACH, SCHOOL | WON |
| 1. | Joe Paterno, Penn State | 317 |
| 2. | Bobby Bowden, Florida State | 304 |
| 3. | LaVell Edwards, BYU | 252 |
| 4. | Lou Holtz, South Carolina | 217 |
| 5. | Don Nehlen, West Virginia | 196 |
| 6. | John Cooper, Ohio State | 185 |
| 7. | George Welch, Virginia | 183 |
| 8. | Jackie Sherrill, Mississippi State | 165 |
| 9. | Dick Tomey, Arizona | 154 |
| 10. | Ken Hatfield, Rice | 145 |
| 11. | LARRY SMITH, MISSOURI | 141 |
THREE NEW OFFENSIVE COACHES AT MISSOURI
Much has been made in the preseason about Missouri's new offensive system. Last Saturday night, three new offensive coaches made their debuts under the lights at Memorial Stadium.
Co-offensive coordinator Bill Cubit and offensive line coach Sam Pittman coached at Western Michigan University last year and led an offensive attack that was ranked 11th nationally in passing offense (311.8 yards per game) and 23rd in scoring offense (31.1 ppg).
Cubit spent three seasons at Western Michigan and helped the Broncos to a top-25 ranking in passing offense all three seasons behind quarterback Tim Lester. Last season, Cubit's offense broke 26 school and conference records. In 1998, Western Michigan became just the 14th school to have a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard runner and 1,000-yard receiver. The Broncos repeated that feat last season.
Pittman is no stranger to Big 12 football. Before his stint at Western Michigan, the El Reno, Okla. native spent two seasons as the offensive line coach at Oklahoma. His offensive line helped produce the nation's 18th and 34th best rushing attacks in 1997 and 1998.
Missouri's third addition to the offensive coaching staff is no stranger to the Tigers. Chris Tabor, who spent the last three seasons as the offensive graduate assistant, takes over as the Tigers' running backs coach. Tabor worked mainly with the offensive line and scout teams while a graduate assistant. He spent the 1994 season coaching running backs at Hutchinson Community College under current MU Co-Offensive Coordinator Andy Hill.
JUSTIN SMITH TO CHALLENGE FOR BRONCO NAGURSKI AWARD
In just two seasons, junior defensive end Justin Smith has already become one of the most dominant defensive players in MU history. In 23 games, Smith has recorded 181 tackles and 12 1/2 quarterback sacks, which puts him six sacks away from breaking the career record held by current New York Jets defensive tackle Rick Lyle. Smith tied Lyle and three other players for the single-season sack record last season with eight.
Smith, who is playing at 270 pounds this season, bench presses and power cleans 500 pounds. He possesses amazing quickness with 4.5 speed and has a vertical leap of 30.5 inches.
The accolades have begun to mount for the Holts Summit, Mo. native. As a freshman, Smith was tabbed the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and was named first team All-Big 12 last season. Already in 2000, "Smitty" has earned preseason first team All-America honors from Playboy, College Football News, and Football News. Athlon and The Sporting News have chosen Smith to the second team.
"Smitty" was featured in the Aug. 21 issue of ESPN The Magazine in an article by Gene Wojciechowski.
Off the field, Smith was a second team District VII GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American as well as a first team Academic All-Big 12 selection.
HAMMER-TIME
Junior place-kicker Brad Hammerich is hoping to get plenty of opportunites to kick the football this season. Hammerich led the Tigers in scoring last season with 52 points, a number surely Mizzou hopes to see increase in 2000.
When breaking down Hammerich's numbers from a year ago, it is easy tell why Missouri feels that he is one of the best in the conference. Hammerich was a perfect 25-for-25 in PAT attempts a year ago and is 6-for-6 already in 2000. He was 9-of-14 in field goal attempts - a perfect 4-for-4 from inside 40 yards, 5-for-9 from 40 to 49 yards and 0-for-1 from beyond 50 yards.
Hammerich's shortest miss was from 40 yards out against Oklahoma. Other than that, Hammerich missed a 45-yarder at Memphis and missed attempts of 49, 55 and 48 on a windy day in Lawrence, Kan.
MISSOURI BLOCK PARTY
In 1999, Missouri blocked six kicks, tying a single-season record set back in 1994. With three blocked kicks on Saturday night, one would think the single-season record may be in jeopardy in 2000.
The Missouri "Raiders" team, otherwise known as the punt return team, reaked havoc on the Western Illinois punting unit all night long. On the very first series, WIU botched a snap and the Tigers tackled the Leathernecks' punter at the WIU 2-yard line. Mizzou scored two plays later.
The other big play by the "Raiders" unit was made by walk-on Grant Thornburg. The Palmyra, Mo. native filled in for Justin Smith and came up with a blocked punt that was recovered in the end zone by Clemson for a safety.
Missouri's other blocked punt was by Justin Gage in the second quarter.
The Tigers Michael Gavins also recorded a block when we wiped out a PAT attempt by WIU.
Missouri has now blocked 31 kicks since Larry Smith came to Ol' Mizzou - 15 PATs, 10 punts and six field goals.
ROBINSON BEGINS HIS "BUTKUS" CAMPAIGN
As one of 70 players on the Butkus Award list for the top linebacker in the country, junior Jamonte Robinson began his campaign in a big way on Saturday.
Robinson led the Tigers with 10 tackles, seven of which were solo. He recorded two quarterback sacks for 15 yards in losses and he recovered a fumble.
With his 10 tackles on Saturday, Ro binson now has 201 tackles in his 21-game career.
12-GAGE IS A MAJOR WEAPON
Sophomore Justin Gage is a man of many talents. On Saturday night, Gage caught two passes (one for a TD), carried once, blocked a punt and just missed two others. He is Mizzou's third quarterback and saw action in three games at QB last year.
All of that is just what he's does on the gridiron. Once football is over, Gage will lace up the sneakers and hit the hardwood for basketball where he was key reserve for Head Coach Quin Snyder last season.
SPENCER MAY PLAY BOTH WAYS
Do not be surprised to see No. 24 on the field an awful lot on Saturday afternoon. Not only will junior Eric Spencer play wide receiver and return kicks and punts, you may see the Houston, Texas native on the defensive side of the football as well.
With several injuries in the Mizzou secondary, Spencer has been working out the last three weeks at cornerback.
Spencer did not see any action last Saturday night on the defensive side of the football.
THROW IT TO THE TIGHT END
The Tigers scored twice on Saturday night against Western Illinois on pass plays to the tight end. Dwayne Blakley, who scored six touchdowns last season, caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kirk Farmer in the first quarter.
Later in the game, "Dirty B" Brandon Ford, known mainly as a blocking tight end, was on the receiving end of back-up quarterback Darius Outlaw's first career completion, a 14-yard touchdown pass.
WELCOME BACK
Senior wide receiver John Dausman and sophomore quarterback Kirk Farmer made triumphant returns to the gridiron last Saturday night following serious injuries a year ago.
Dausman, who spent all of 1999 on the shelf recovering from a knee injury, led the Tigers in receiving against Western Illinois on Saturday with four catches for 67 yards. Dausman made 18 catches for 364 yards and three touchdowns in 1998 and was expected to be one of Mizzou's top threats last season.
After looking better and better game in and game out last season, Farmer broke his leg in week five against Iowa State. He is now the Missouri starting quarterback. On Saturday, Farmer scored the first touchdown of the season for Mizzou on a 1-yard run.
He went 10-for-22 for 152 yards and threw two touchdown passes. Farmer also carried the ball six times for 23 yards.
EARNING PLAYING TIME
In Missouri's 50-20 blowout over Western Illinois on Saturday, at least 21 players saw their first action as Missouri Tigers on Faurot Field. No offense to the movie "Rudy," but the Tigers had a few Rudy's - walk-ons that have put in the time and earned a chance to play in front of 50,000 fans.
Walk-ons Darren Baldwin, Jesse Belfield, Marcus Caldwell, Scott Jones and Grant Thornburg all saw action on Saturday.
Thornburg made his presence felt by blocking a punt that led to a safety while Jones recorded his first career tackle on special teams.
Thornburg, Jones and Caldwell were all named to Missouri's Champion Club this week.
HOMEGROWN TIGERS
Missouri's depth chart reveals that 22 members of the two-deep roster are from the state of the Missouri - 12 on offense and 10 on defense.
TIGERS SCORE AGAINST HUNGER
Again this year, Head Coach Larry Smith and the Missouri Tigers have teamed up with the Central Missouri Food Bank to stop hunger in its tracks. Interested persons can pledge money for every point the Tigers score in 2000. The proceeds help the food bank and more than 120 charities in its 29-county region providing free food to soup kitchens, shelters and food pantries.
For more information, call 1-800-764-3663, or 573-474-1020.
Since the program began six years ago, close to $1 million has been raised and more than 12 million meals have been provided to Missourians in need.
MISSOURI DEBUTS NEW $13.1 MILLION PRESS BOX
The skyline has changed in Columbia thanks to a new $13.1 million press box that adorns Memorial Stadium. The project, which actually started before the 1999 football campaign, was designed by Ellerbe Becket. The contractor of the project was Walsh Construction while the operation was managed by the University of Missouri Construction Management.
The new press box consists of six levels and stands 110 feet high, 321 feet wide. The structure consists of 35 suites, 418 Tiger Lounge seats and 147 working press positions, doubling the amount of the old press box.
TIGER TIDBITS
Lewis spent three years as an inside linebacker, but was moved to fullback midway through preseason workouts to add depth to that position. With the injury to T.J. Leon, the move has proven to be a good one and Lewis will probably see some playing time at fullback as well as his special teams duties.
Alnutt replaces Curtis Jones who has landed a job with Nike.
Several other former Mizzou football players are helping out the program while earning degrees. Pat Ivey, who played with Alnutt from 1993-95, is the Tigers' new Strength and Conditioning Assistant and just completed his master's this summer in health education.
Missouri All-American Devin West is now the offensive graduate assistant for the Tigers while former offensive lineman Brad Smith is now a graduate assistant in the Tiger strength and conditioning program as he finishes out his degree.
Former wide receiver Jamie Scholten is pursuing a master's degree while working in Missouri's Total Person Program.
TIGERS FOR TIGERS
Although there are many universities with a tiger mascot, the University of Missouri is the first to actively support a comprehensive conservation program for critically endangered wild tigers, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The Mizzou Tigers for Tigers program is a pioneering effort to raise awareness and support to ensure that there will be wild tigers for as long as there are Mizzou Tigers.
For more information, contact Dr. Mary Ratnaswamy, MU School of Natural Resources at 573-882-9424 or Mike Baltz, MU Division of Biological Sciences at 573-882-4854.
