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College football: Clemson's speed difficult to match, even in track & field

Friday, September 18, 2009
(Updated 3:00 am)

Clemson features two of the fastest players in college football -- receiver Jacoby Ford and tailback C.J. Spiller.

Both are NCAA track All-Americans with Ford winning the NCAA indoor 60-meter title in 6.52 seconds.

"Let me tell you this," Clemson track director Lawrence Johnson said. "Those guys are both talented sprinters and could pursue Olympic goals if they weren't all about football."

With all that speed on the field, when the Tigers line up, it's more like, "Ready, set, go! instead of "Hut, hut, hike."

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney has watched them both burn defenders the past four seasons

"Speed's a hard thing to coach against," Swinney says with a smile.

So far, it's been about impossible for Clemson's opponents.

Ford and Spiller are the team's best playmakers. The defensive book on the Tigers seemed to read, bottle them up and take your chances with the rest of Clemson's offense. But the pair have hit for five of the team's seven touchdowns, all of them going for 43 yards or more.

Ford was called "The fastest man in college football," on last week's ESPN broadcast. That's hard to argue, even for Swinney.

"C.J. ain't ever beat (Ford), ain't ever come close to beating him. Jacoby beats him doing this," said Swinney, windmilling his arm. "'C'mon C.J.' But C.J. keeps chasing and one these days might catch him."

The two seniors enjoy a friendly rivalry that's carried over throughout their sports. As freshmen, Clemson track coaches used to talk about Ford and Spiller pushing each other during light training runs to finish first. When Ford decided to return for a final football season, it wasn't long before Spiller joined him.

Spiller started Clemson's season with a 100-yard kickoff return against Middle Tennessee. A quarter later, Ford struck for a 61-yard punt return TD.

In other news from Clemson, a chat with his coach was apparently all it took for Clemson wide receiver Xavier Dye to change his mind. Coach Dabo Swinney said Thursday morning that Dye had asked for his release so he could transfer. Swinney met with Dye later Thursday. The school said Dye, a junior, will remain with the program. Swinney says Dye will not play against Boston College on Saturday.

FLORIDA: Florida receiver Andre Debose had surgery to repair a torn hamstring tendon in his left thigh. Debose had surgery Thursday at Shands Florida Surgical Center. He is expected to fully recover in four to six months.

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