Clemson starts football camp with big expectations

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) _ Clemson took the practice field Friday with one of the country's best freshmen and some of the largest expectations to hit Tigertown since its national championship nearly three decades.

The Tigers, chosen as preseason Atlantic Coast Conference champions, landed ninth in the first coaches' poll hours before they opened fall camp.

"I wouldn't have any idea this early in the preseason whether that'd be an accurate ranking," Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. "I know it's something that's not very significant until the end of the year and that's what we talked about with the team."

Junior tailback C.J. Spiller welcomed the expectations. Some wonder if there's enough offense to go around with standouts in quarterback Cullen Harper, in runners James Davis and Spiller and in wideouts Aaron Kelly and Jacoby Ford.

Not too worry. Spiller says all are patient teammates shooting for a higher goal than stellar stats. "Once we hold up that ACC trophy, everything's going to be fine," he said.

Among the group sweating for Clemson on a hot, humid evening was Da'Quan Bowers, a defensive end considered by some recruiting services as the country's No. 1 prospect.

Bowers enrolled in January and went through spring practice with the team. While the 6-foot-5, 265-pound newcomer isn't listed as a starter, many think it won't be long before he's disrupting opposing offenses.

Bowers was near the end of the line for position drills. Line coach Chris Rumph called signals and Bowers powered through the tackling dummy.

"Good, good, good," Rumph said, quickly lining him up again.

Bowers' focus is on improving from drill to drill. He'll let the coaches decide when he's ready for action. "My first fall practice, my first camp. It was a little different than the spring," Bowers said after the three-hour session. "I think I have to get better and make more adjustments."

Clemson was the runaway favorite to win the ACC title this season, according to media attending the conference meetings last week. The Tigers also went 1-2-3 in preseason ACC player of the year voting, led by Harper and followed by the "Thunder and Lightning" backfield of Davis and Spiller.

Harper led the quarterbacks through workouts, calling signals like "Cardinals, hot" and "blue banana" under the watchful eye of offensive coordinator Rob Spence.

"One, two, three, throw," Spence barked. "Let's go. Let's go. The ball can't be on the ground."

For Bowden, it's his 10th summer camp with the Tigers. And there are more than a few Clemson backers who didn't think he'd last that long.

Clemson hasn't won an ACC championship since 1991. Its national championship came 10 years earlier than that.

But the Tigers came a catch away from the ACC title game last fall, losing to Boston College 20-17 and finished 9-4.

The progress earned Bowden a new contract that ties him to the school through 2014. It also bumped up his salary package to about $1.83 million a year.

Clemson opens the season against Alabama at the Georgia Dome on Aug. 30.

Bowden said he was honored to get ranked among the country's best. He has discussed with his players how to use the hype and expectations to their advantage.

"If our guys see it and are hungry and keep the hunger and it creates a sense of urgency, then that's good," Bowden said. "If they don't work as hard and say, 'We've arrived. We've got this ranking' and go about business as usual, that's not good."