1981 Clemson Tigers football team

NCAATeamFootballSeason
Year=1981
Team=Clemson Tigers


Conference=Atlantic Coast Conference
Division=
ShortConference=ACC
CoachRank=
APRank=1
UPIRank=1
Record=12-0
ConfRecord=6-0
HeadCoach=Danny Ford
OffCoach=
DefCoach=
OScheme=Option
DScheme=5-2
Stadium=Memorial Stadium (c. 81,473, grass)
Champion=Consensus National Champions, ACC Champions
BowlTourney=1982 Orange Bowl
BowlTourneyResult=Won 22-15 over #4 NebraskaThe 1981 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers were led 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. It was later revealed that recruiting violations had occurred involving starters Fact|date=September 2008 on the team, and the program was subsequently placed on probation by the NCAA.

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). [ [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book] , page 80.] 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). [ [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book] , page 73.]

Clemson head coach Danny Ford was awarded the 1981 Coach of the Year Award by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the FWAA. [ [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book] , page 395.] At the time, Coach Ford was the youngest ever to receive the award, and the youngest to have won a National Championship.Fact|date=January 2008

In the 1982 Orange Bowl, Clemson QB Homer Jordan received Offensive Most Valuable Player honors. [ [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book] , page 356.] 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. [ [http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jordan_homer00.html Clemson Tigers Player Profile - Homer Jordan] ]

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 [ [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book] , page 221.] 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 [ [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book] , page 356.] . 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 [ [http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book] , page 235.] .

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 [ [http://www.collegefootball.org/ College Football Hall of Fame] ] . 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. [ [http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/tuttle_perry00.html Clemson Tigers Player Profile - Perry Tuttle] ]

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.

Controversy

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

The Games

Game 1 - Clemson vs. Wofford

Game 4 - #14 Clemson at Kentucky

Game 7 - #4 Clemson vs. N.C. State

Game 10 - #2 Clemson vs. Maryland

Schedule

CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 5
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=Wofford Terriors|school=Wofford College|title=Wofford
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv =
score = 45-10
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 12
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank =
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=Tulane Green Wave|school=Tulane University|title=Tulane
opprank =
site_stadium = Louisiana Superdome
site_cityst = New Orleans, LA
gamename =
tv =
score = 13-5
overtime = CFB Schedule Entry
date = September 19
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank =
opponent = Georgia
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv =
score = 13-3
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 3
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 14
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=Kentucky Wildcats|school=University of Kentucky|title=Kentucky
opprank =
site_stadium = Commonwealth Stadium
site_cityst = Lexington, KY
gamename =
tv =
score = 21-3
overtime = CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 10
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming = yes
away =
neutral =
rank = 9
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=Virginia Cavaliers|school=University of Virginia|title=Virginia
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv =
score = 27-0
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 17
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 6
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=Duke Blue Devils|school=Duke University|title=Duke
opprank =
site_stadium = Wallace Wade Stadium
site_cityst = Durham, NC
gamename =
tv =
score = 38-10
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 24
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 4
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=North Carolina State Wolfpack|school=North Carolina State University|title=N.C. State
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename = Textile Bowl
tv =
score = 17-7
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = October 31
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 3
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=Wake Forest Demon Deacons|school=Wake Forest University|title=Wake Forest
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv =
score = 82-24
overtime = CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 7
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 2
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=North Carolina Tar Heels|school=University of North Carolina|title=North Carolina
opprank = 9 [ [http://www.theacc.com/genrel/101006aac.html The ACC.com - Looking Back... A Walk Through Clemson's 1981 National Championship Season] ]
site_stadium = Kenan Stadium
site_cityst = Chapel Hill, NC
gamename =
tv =
score = 10-8
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 14
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 2
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=Maryland Terrapins|school=University of Maryland|title=Maryland
opprank =
site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
site_cityst = Clemson, SC
gamename =
tv =
score = 21-7
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = November 23
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 2
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=South Carolina Gamecocks|school=University of South Carolina|title=South Carolina
opprank =
site_stadium = Williams-Brice Stadium
site_cityst = Columbia, SC
gamename =
tv =
score = 29-13
overtime =CFB Schedule Entry
date = January 1
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral = yes
rank = 1
opponent = cfb link|year=1981|team=Nebraska Cornhuskers|school=University of Nebraska|title=Nebraska
opprank = 4
site_stadium = Miami Orange Bowl
site_cityst = Miami, FL
gamename = Orange Bowl
tv =
score = 22-15
overtime =

Depth chart [ [http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/clem/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/1981roster 1981 Clemson Tigers Football Roster] ]

Coaching staff

*Danny Ford - Head Coach
*Nelson Stokely - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
*Tom Harper - Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
*Willie Anderson - Defensive Line
*Larry Van Der Heyden/Buddy King - Offensive Line
*Chuck Reedy - Running Backs
*Lawson Holland - Wide Receivers
*Les Herrin - Linebackers
*Curley Hallman - Defensive Backs
*Fred Hoover - Trainer

ee also

*Clemson Tigers football
*Carolina-Clemson rivalry

References