1996 Spring Game

CLEMSON, S.C. - Nealon Greene completed eight of 13 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown, and running backs Raymond Priester and Terry Witherspoon both surpassed 100 rushing yards to highlight Clemson's Spring Game April 5th at Clemson Memorial Stadium. The contest wrapped up the Spring practice session for Tommy West's Tigers. The Orange team, the offense, defeated the White team, the defense, 40-7.

There were six offensive touchdowns, three rushing and three passing, and 517 yards of total offense in 88 plays. Clemson quarterbacks completed 17-32 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. There were seven pass plays of 20 yards or more.The runningbacks had 56 rushes for 233 yards. Witherspoon, a sophomore who red-shirted last year, had 29 attempts for 120 yards and a touchdown. Raymond Priester, Clemson's career rushing leader, gained 110 yards in just 14 attempts and scored two touchdowns, runs of 10 and eight yards.

West worked four quarterbacks. Greene was the most effective with his 135 yards passing and he also had 13 yards rushing in two attempts. The rising senior who has started 27 straight games for the Tigers, quarterbacked five possessions and led the offense to four touchdowns. Clemson had 292 yards of total offense in just 36 plays that Greene quarterbacked, 8.1 yards per play. Greene's touchdown pass was a one-yard score to tight end Lamont Hall

Backup quarterback Brandon Streeter completed 7-11 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns in his best scrimmage performance of the Spring. He threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Mal Lawyer, who made a difficult catch in between two defenders, and a 17-yard touchdown pass to James Chappell to complete the scoring.

Sophomore Billy Luckie played only one possession in the game and reinjured a collarbone when he was sacked. He did not return, but the injury is not serious. Freshman Slade Nagle was 2-7 passing for 54 yards, including a 37-yard pass to tight end Wesley Ellis.

The top receiver was Mal Lawyer with four catches for 47 yards and a score. Brian Wofford, like Lawyer a rising sophomore, had three catches for 51 yards. Tony Horne had 2-44 and Lamont Hall 2-15. Three different tight ends caught a total of four passes in the game.

Defensive tackle Tony Plantin was the top defensive player with three quarterback sacks for 19 yards. He had six total tackles. Defensive back David Evans, cousin of former Clemson All-ACC defensive back Leomont Evans, scored the game's only defensive touchdown when he returned a fumble 16 yards for a score. The fumble was caused on a hit by All-American Anthony Simmons, who had two tackles for loss and five tackles for the afternoon. Michael Allen had the game's only interception.

"This was a good way to end Spring practice," said Clemson Head Coach Tommy West. "I thought we competed hard and showed some progress from the beginning of the Spring. "I think we have found a fullback in Terry Witherspoon. We still have to work with him from a conditioning standpoint, but he has the tools to get the job done.

"Nealon Greene had his best day of the Spring. There will be competition for all starting positions entering the Fall, but someone is going to have to beat out Nealon Greene. In general the offense showed a lot of improvement from last Saturday. "

Clemson Personnel Update
Carl Baker (WR) - Will not return to the team due to career ending knee injuries

Sam Zanders (TB) - Did not play in Spring Game due to a torn ACL suffered on March 7. Had surgery on March 21. Should return in the Fall.

Sean Sullivan (RB) -- Did not play in the Spring Game due to post-concussion syndrome

DoMarco Fox (DB) -- Did not play in the Spring Game due to shoulder injury. Suffered injury on March 12 and had surgery on March 31st.

Mike Brice (PK) - Did not participated in Spring practice due to groin injury. Will return in the fall.

John Thompson (LB) - Suffered sprained back on March 29, and saw limited action in Spring Game.

Justin Watts (WR) - Had surgery to repair torn ACL on December 12 and missed entire spring.

Ed Altman (C) - Suffered torn ACL in Wake Forest game on September 28 and had surgery on November 15. Did not have any contact last Spring and did not play in Spring Game.

Eric Williams (DT) - Williams is not expected to play in 1997 due to Hodgkin's Disease. Williams was suffering from fatigue and weight loss at the end of the Spring and saw specialists at University of North Carolina hospital in Chapel Hill. He was treated for the disease this past summer and will continue treatments this Fall. He is expected to enroll at Clemson this Fall.

Spring Game Stats
Rushing:    Witherspoon 29-120-1;  Priester 14-110-2;  Greene 2-13-0;  Macklin 2-6-0;  Austin 2-4-0;  
            Bristow 1-4-0;  Streeter 3-(-5);  Luckie 1-(-9);  Nagle 2-(-10)
Passing:    Greene 8-13-135-1-0;  Streeter 7-11-95-2-1;  Nagle 2-7-54-0-0; Luckie 0-1-0
Receiving:  Lawyer 4-47-1;  Wofford 3-51-0;  Horne 2-44-0;  Hall 2-15-1;  Crooks 1-23-0;  
            Macklin 1-31-0;  Ellis 1-37-0;  Collins 1-2-0;  Springs 1-17-0;  Chappell 1-17-1.
Defensive Leaders:
Tackles:           Plantin 6, Evans 6, Allen 5, Ward 5, Simmons 5, Jones 5, Edwards 4, Currie 4, 
                   Gardner 4, Goodson 4, Johnson 4, Wilson 4.
Sacks:             Plantin 3-19,  Dingle 1-7
Tackles for Loss:  Plantin 3-19,  Simmons 2-13,  Dingle 2-8
Scoring Summary
OR--Priester 10 run (Richardson Kick)
OR--Witherspoon 5 run (Romano Kick)
WH--Evans 16 fumble return (Richardson Kick)
OR--Priester 8 run (Richardson Kick)
OR--Lawyer 12 pass from Streeter (Romano Kick)
OR--Hall 1 pass from Greene (Kick Failed)
OR--Chappell 17 pass from Streeter (Romano Kick)