1981 Clemson Tigers football team

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1981 Clemson Tigers football
Consensus National Champions, ACC Champions
1982 Orange Bowl, Won 22-15 over #4 Nebraska
Conference ACC
Ranking
AP #1
1981 Record 12-0 (6-0 ACC)
Head Coach Danny Ford
Offensive Scheme Option
Base Defense 5-2
Seasons
« 1980 1982 »

The 1981 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers were lead by head coach Danny Ford and played their home games in Memorial Stadium. Clemson finished their undefeated 1981 season with a 22-15 victory over the #4 Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1982 Orange Bowl, and were voted #1 in the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) polls.

Contents

[edit] Achievements

The Clemson Tigers finished the 1981 season 12-0 and were voted #1 in the AP and UPI polls. Following the bowl win over Nebraska, the Tigers were selected as Consensus National Champions by the AP, UPI, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), and National Football Foundation (NFF).[1] The Clemson Tigers of the 1980s were the fifth winningest Division I college football team of the decade, with a record of 86-25-4 (.765).[2]

Clemson head coach Danny Ford was awarded the 1981 Coach of the Year Award by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the FWAA.[3] At the time, Coach Ford was the youngest ever to receive the award, and the youngest to have won a National Championship.[citation needed]

In the 1982 Orange Bowl, Clemson QB Homer Jordan received Offensive Most Valuable Player honors.[4] He earned first-team All-ACC honors in 1981, his junior season, and finished first in the ACC in passing efficiency and 12th in the nation. Jordan was an honorable mention All-American selection in 1981. He was runner-up for ACC MVP behind teammate Jeff Davis, but the team voted him MVP in 1981. Even though Jordan was injured for much of his senior season, he helped lead the 1982 team to a 9-1-1 record and number-eight national ranking. He also earned honorable mention All-American honors as a senior. He ranked as Clemson's 18th greatest player of the century. Jordan was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame in 1993.[5]

Clemson LB Jeff Davis, captain of Clemson's 1981 team, was inducted into the Clemson Ring of Honor in 1995. Davis was a Consensus All-American in 1981[6] when he led the Tigers in tackles. Davis was also named MVP of the ACC and was the defensive MVP of the Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska[7]. Davis has the third best mark in career tackles in Clemson history and has also caused the most fumbles and recovered the most fumbles in team history. He was a fifth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played for them from 1982-87. He led the Buccaneers in tackles and was the captain of the team for four seasons. Along with being in the Clemson Ring of Honor, Davis was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame in 1989 and the South Carolina Hall of Fame in 2001. He was named to Clemson's Centennial football team in 1996 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December of 2007[8].

Clemson DB Terry Kinard is the only Clemson player to be a unanimous All-America pick. He was the first two-time Clemson All-American defensive back and a first-team AP All-American two years in a row, the only Clemson player to accomplish that. Kinard was named the CBS National Defensive Player-of-the-Year for the 1982 season and was chosen to the USA Today All-College Football Team in the 1980s. Kinard was a two-year member of the All-ACC team. He is the all-time Clemson leader in interceptions with 17, a mark that tied the 20-year-old ACC record. He also holds the Clemson record for tackles by a defensive back with 294 in his career. After leaving Clemson Kinard was a first-round pick of the New York Giants in 1983, and was the 10th pick overall in the draft. Sports Illustrated named him to College Football's Centennial Team in 1999. He played with Super Bowl Champion New York Giants in 1986 and was with the club from 1983 until 1989. Kinard played in the 1988 Pro Bowl Game. Kinard played with Houston Oilers in 1990. He was named to Clemson's Centennial team in April 1996. He ranks as Clemson's #3 football player of all-time was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December 2001[9]. He was inducted into Clemson Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Ring of Honor in 2001. He was also inducted into the state of South Carolina Hall of Fame in 2002.

Clemson WR Perry Tuttle was voted a first-team All-American in 1981, and set then-Clemson records for receptions and yards. Tuttle also had at least one reception during the last 32 games of his Tiger career. He still ranks fourth all-time in receptions (150), second all-time in receiving yards (2,534), second in touchdown receptions (17), and ninth in yards per reception (16.89). In the 1982 Orange Bowl, he had five receptions for 56 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass. That touchdown catch was the final reception of his Clemson career and earned him a place on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Following his Clemson career, Tuttle was chosen with the 19th overall pick of the 1982 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. After a three-year NFL career, Tuttle went on to the Canadian Football League where he had a six-year career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He helped lead the team to a Grey Cup Championship in 1990 and was inducted into the Winnipeg Hall of Fame in 1997. Tuttle was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame in 1991 and named to Clemson's Centennial team in 1996.[10]

[edit] Notable

Clemson hosted the Wofford Terriers on Saturday, September 5, 1981 in both teams' season opener. Wofford was one of the three teams Clemson played in its first year of football competition in 1896, but had not played the Terriers since 1940. Clemson had originally scheduled Villanova University for the third game of the 1981 season (scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 1981) but the Wildcats had cancelled their football program in the spring of that year. Wofford had an open spot in their schedule and agreed to play Clemson.

[edit] Controversy

This achievement was somewhat tarnished after it was revealed that coach Danny Ford had committed numerous recruiting violations involving several starters for the 1981 team.

[edit] The Games

[edit] Game 1 - Clemson vs. Wofford

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
Clemson 3 14 14 14 45
Wofford 3 0 0 7 10

WOF - Hairston 24 FG
CLE - Igwebuike 52 FG
CLE - Tuttle 80 pass from Jordan (Paulling kick)
CLE - Jordan 14 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - Magwood 11 pass from Jordan (Paulling kick)
CLE - Jordan 3 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - C. McSwain 5 run (Igwebuike kick)
WOF - Derrick 15 pass from Thompson (Hairston kick)
CLE - McCall 10 run (Paulling run)

[edit] Game 2 - Clemson at Tulane

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
Clemson 0 7 0 6 13
Tulane 5 0 0 0 5

TU - Manalla 46 FG
TU - Safety, Hatcher falls on bad snap in end zone
CLE - Austin 4 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - Paulling 31 FG
CLE - Paulling 37 FG

[edit] Game 3 - Clemson vs. #4 Georgia

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
Clemson 0 10 0 3 13
#4 Georgia 0 0 3 0 3

CLE - Tuttle 8 pass from Jordan (Paulling kick)
CLE - Igwebuike 38 FG
UGA - Butler 40 FG
CLE - Igwebuike 29 FG

[edit] Game 4 - #14 Clemson at Kentucky

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
#14 Clemson 0 0 14 7 21
Kentucky 3 0 0 0 3

UK - Griggs 40 FG
CLE - Mack 11 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - Jordan 3 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - McSwain 3 run (Paulling kick)

[edit] Game 5 - #9 Clemson vs. Virginia

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
#9 Clemson 3 7 14 3 27
Virginia 0 0 0 0 0

CLE - Igwebuike 22 FG
CLE - Austin 42 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - McCall 5 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - Austin 1 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - Igwebuike 32 FG

[edit] Game 6 - #6 Clemson at Duke

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
#6 Clemson 7 17 14 0 38
Duke 0 3 7 0 10

CLE - Crite 4 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - Paulling 20 FG
CLE - Austin 15 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - Jordan 1 run (Paulling kick)
DUK - McKinney 29 FG
CLE - Austin 2 run (Paulling kick)
DUK - Jones 21 pass from Bennett (McKinney kick)
CLE - Tuttle 29 pass from Jordan (Paulling kick)

[edit] Game 7 - #4 Clemson vs. N.C. State

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
#4 Clemson 3 7 0 7 17
N.C. State 7 0 0 0 7

NCS - Lawson 13 run (? kick)
CLE - Igwebuike 39 FG
CLE - Austin 1 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - McCall 15 run (Paulling kick)

[edit] Game 8 - #3 Clemson vs. Wake Forest

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
#3 Clemson 14 35 20 13 82
Wake Forest 7 7 3 7 24

CLE - Austin 4 run (Paulling kick)
CLE 7-0 CLE - Austin 3 run (Paulling kick)
CLE 14-0 WF - Duckett 17 pass from Schofield (Denfield kick)
CLE 14-7 CLE - C. McSwain 1 run (Paulling kick)
CLE 21-7 CLE - Mack 10 run (Paulling kick)
CLE 28-7 CLE - Jordan 7 run (Paulling kick)
CLE 35-7 CLE - McCall 24 run (Paulling kick)
CLE 42-7 CLE - C. McSwain 16 run (Paulling kick)
CLE 49-7 WF - Cunningham 1 run (Denfield kick)
CLE 49-14 CLE - Tuttle 75 pass from Jordan (L. Brown kick failed)
CLE 55-14 WF - Denfield 22 FG
CLE 55-17 CLE - Tuttle 25 pass from Gasque (L. Brown kick)
CLE 62-17 CLE - C. McSwain 12 run (L. Brown kick)
CLE 69-17 CLE - Holloman 3 run (L. Brown kick)
CLE 76-17 CLE - Crawford 72 run (L. Brown kick failed)
CLE 82-17 WF - Duckett 5 pass from Schofield (Denfield)
CLE 82-24

[edit] Game 9 - #2 Clemson at North Carolina

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
#2 Clemson 0 7  ?  ? 10
North Carolina 0 5  ?  ? 8

UNC - ? FG
CLE - McCall 7 run (Paulling kick)
UNC - Safety, Barlow blocks punt out of end zone (? kick)
CLE - Igwebuike ? FG
UNC - ? FG

[edit] Game 10 - #2 Clemson vs. Maryland

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
#2 Clemson 7 14 0 0 21
Maryland 0 0 0 7 7

CLE - Tuttle 14 pass from Jordan (Paulling kick)
CLE - Tuttle 5 pass from Jordan (Paulling kick)
CLE - Gaillard 12 pass from Jordan (Paulling kick)
MD - Wysocki 7 run (Atkinson kick)

[edit] Game 11 - #2 Clemson at South Carolina

SCORING SUMMARY
  1 2 3 4   T
#2 Clemson 6 9 7 7 29
South Carolina 7 0 6 0 13

USC - Wright 1 run (Fleetwood kick)
CLE - Rembert recovered blocked punt (Paulling kick failed)
CLE - Paulling 24 FG
CLE - Jordan 11 run (pass failed)
USC - Smith 10 pass from Beckham (run failed)
CLE - C. McSwain 1 run (Paulling kick)
CLE - C. McSwain 23 run (Paulling kick)

[edit] Game 12 - #1 Clemson vs. #4 Nebraska (1982 Orange Bowl)

SCORING SUMMARY[11]
  1 2 3 4   T
#1 Clemson 6 6 10 0 22
#4 Nebraska 7 0 0 8 15

CLE - Igwebuike 41 FG
NEB - Steels 25 pass from Rozier (Seibel kick)
CLE - Igwebuike 41 FG
CLE - Austin 2 run (pass failed)
CLE - Tuttle 13 pass from Jordan (Paulling kick)
CLE - Igwebuike 36 FG
NEB - Craig 26 run (Craig run)

[edit] Schedule

Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result
September 5* Wofford Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC W 45-10 
September 12* at Tulane Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans, LA W 13-5 
September 19* Georgia Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC W 13-3 
October 3* at Kentucky #14 Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 21-3 
October 10† Virginia #9 Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC W 27-0 
October 17 at Duke #6 Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NC W 38-10 
October 24 N.C. State #4 Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC (Textile Bowl) W 17-7 
October 31 Wake Forest #3 Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC W 82-24 
November 7 at #9[12] North Carolina #2 Kenan Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC W 10-8 
November 14 Maryland #2 Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC W 21-7 
November 23* at South Carolina #2 Williams-Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC W 29-13 
January 1* vs. #4 Nebraska #1 Miami Orange Bowl • Miami, FL (Orange Bowl) W 22-15 
*Non-Conference Game. †Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Eastern Time.

[edit] Depth chart[13]

Defensive Starters
FS
Billy Davis
 ?
WLB SLB
Jeff Davis Danny Triplett
 ? Johnny Rembert
SS
Tim Childers
Jeff Suttle
CB
Terry Kinard
Anthony Rose
DE DT NT DT DE
Bill Smith Dan Benish William Perry Jeff Bryant Andy Headen
 ?  ? William Devane  ?  ?
CB
Hollis Hall
Rod McSwain
Offensive Starters
WR
Perry Tuttle
Jeff Stockstill
LT LG C RG RT
Brad Fisher James Farr Tony Berryhill Brian Clark Lee Nanney
Alex Hudson Bob Mayberry Cary Massaro  ? Gary Brown
TE TE
Bubba Diggs Jeff Wells
 ?  ?
WR
 ?
WR
Jerry Gaillard
Frank Magwood

QB
Homer Jordan
Mike Gasque


RB
Cliff Austin OR Chuck McSwain
Kevin Mack OR Jeff McCall

[edit] Coaching staff

  • Danny Ford - Head Coach
  • Nelson Stokely - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
  • Tom Harper - Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
  • - Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line
  • - Recruiting Coordinator/Linebackers
  • - Running Backs
  • - Tight Ends
  • - Defensive Line
  • - Wide Receivers
  • - Outside Linebackers
  • - Defensive Video Graduate Assistant
  • - Defensive Graduate Assistant
  • - Offensive Graduate Assistant
  • - Offensive Video Graduate Assistant

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book, page 80.
  2. ^ Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book, page 73.
  3. ^ Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book, page 395.
  4. ^ Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book, page 356.
  5. ^ Clemson Tigers Player Profile - Homer Jordan
  6. ^ Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book, page 221.
  7. ^ Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book, page 356.
  8. ^ Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book, page 235.
  9. ^ College Football Hall of Fame
  10. ^ Clemson Tigers Player Profile - Perry Tuttle
  11. ^ Huskers.com - 1982 Orange Bowl
  12. ^ The ACC.com - Looking Back... A Walk Through Clemson's 1981 National Championship Season
  13. ^ 1981 Clemson Tigers Football Roster