Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

CCU football notebook: Bennett believes Swinney right man for Clemson job

CONWAY -- Before last week's monumental road win over No. 8 Miami, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was starting to draw criticism from many Tiger fans.

Although he doesn't have any authority in the Clemson athletic department, Coastal Carolina coach David Bennett made it clear this week that he believes Swinney will succeed if Clemson gives him time.

"If you're an alum or a booster of Clemson, this staff you've got there and hired ... you need to be behind them through thick and thin and not week to week," Bennett said.

"The staff that he has assembled there at Clemson right now is unbelievable. What you've got there now is you've got a phenomenal staff with a great leader that's passionate. Dabo Swinney is passionate about what he does. He's passionate about his kids. He's got his priorities right. He's a good Christian man that loves the kids and has the kids involved in the community. He has all the things they need to be successful."

Significant snaps?

Clemson tailback C.J. Spiller is on the verge of breaking an NCAA record. He has six kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career, tied for the NCAA record. He shares the mark with Southern California's Anthony Davis (1972-74) and Tulsa's Ashlan Davis (2004-05).

Spiller has three this season, two shy of Davis' national-record five in 2004.

At seven total kick returns for touchdowns (punt and kickoff), Spiller is one shy of matching the NCAA record, held by four people: Hawaii's Chad Owens (2001-04), Kentucky's Derek Abney (2000-03), Nebraska's Johnny Rogers (1970-72) and Colorado's Cliff Branch (1970-71).

It remains to be seen whether the Chants will kick to the Tigers and whether Spiller will be on the field if they do.

"I hope he doesn't play much at all," Swinney said. "That would be the ideal situation for me. That means things went real well in the ballgame."

Bennett said fans would have to wait until today to find out if his team will kick to Spiller, a question he was asked multiple times this week.

"I ain't kicking nothing," Bennett said. "My eligibility is done. Coach Bennett ain't gonna do no kicking. The last time I checked I don't get to play. So, I'm not kicking to anybody. Throwing it to anybody. Blocking anybody. Tackling anybody.

"Are you asking Clemson if they are going to run the ball on the first play? Or throw the ball on the first play?"

Scary Sight

Today's game will look like a Halloween tribute. The Tigers will wear orange uniforms, and the Chanticleers will be in black.

The Chants will play their third game against a Football Bowl Subdivision team since starting football in 2003.

Coastal can only hope it fares better at Death Valley than Wake Forest did in perhaps Clemson's most memorable Halloween contest. The Tigers set records for points and yards (756) in an 82-24 win over the Demon Deacons on the way to the 1981 national title.

Odds and ends

Spiller and senior receiver Jacoby Ford need 376 all-purpose yards to establish the NCAA record for two players in the same class. Spiller and Ford have tallied 9,878 yards, trailing the San Diego State tandem of Marshall Faulk and Darnay Scott (1991-93). ... Kyle Parker's 25 completions and 326 passing yards at Miami were the second-highest totals for a Clemson freshman quarterback. Charlie Whitehurst completed 34 passes for 420 yards at Duke in 2002.