LeRoy Hill Class: Senior Hometown: Haddock, GA High School: Baldwin High School Height / Weight: 6-1 / 225 Position: LB Experience: 3VL

L. Hill Fact: Second in the nation in tackles for loss per game in 2003.
Years Lettered: 2001,02,03
Bowl Participation: Reserve linebacker in the 2001 Humanitarian Bowl against Louisiana Tech and the 2002 Tangerine Bowl against Texas Tech; starting linebacker in 2004 Peach Bowl against #6 Tennessee.
Fall 2004 Depth Chart Position: First-team linebacker

Overview: All-America and Butkus Award candidate at linebacker in 2004...in the mold of former Tiger All-American Keith Adams, who also wore #43...coming off an incredible junior campaign that saw him rank second in the nation in tackles for loss per game (27 in 13 games)...named a 2003 honorable mention All-American by Associated Press, Sporting News, CollegeFootballNews.com, and CNNSI.com...first-team All-American by some internet services...first-team preseason All-American according NationalChamps.net for this year...ranked as the #3 inside linebacker in the nation by Phil Steele and #6 among inside linebackers according to Sporting News...first-team preseason All-American by NationalChamps.net...second-team All-American in the preseason according to Athlon and Phil Steele...third-team preseason selection according to Street & Smith...Street & Smith also lists Hill as a Butkus Award candidate...Clemson's only First-Team All-ACC selection in 2003...cited First-Team by Associated Press and CollegeFootballNews.com...ranked as the seventh-best player in the ACC by CollegeFootballNews.com...third in voting for ACC Defensive Player-of-the-Year...ranked as one of the top 100 players in the nation (#88) by CollegeFootballNews.com...had the stats to be an All-American, but did not benefit from any preseason attention, something he will have this year...on the preseason Lombardi Award and Nagurski Award watch lists...coming into 2003, he had never started a game and had 60 total tackles, mostly on special teams; he had just eight tackles on scrimmage plays as a sophomore in 2002...cited by the coaching staff as a great effort player because of his non-stop motor; that showed in spring practices, as he was again the dominant player on defense...had two tackles for loss in both the March 27 and April 3 scrimmages...has gained over 25 pounds of muscle since enrolling at under 200 pounds.

2003: Made an incredible improvement and led the team in tackles (145), including 27 behind the line of scrimmage...ranked second in the nation in tackles for loss per game and fifth in solo tackles per game...ranked 22nd in the nation and fourth in the ACC in total tackles per game...his 27 tackles for loss are tied for the second-best single-season mark in Clemson history; William Perry (1984) and Rob Bodine (1991) also had 27 in one season for Clemson, while Keith Adams has the record (35)...led the ACC in tackles for loss per game...led the team in tackles in seven of the 13 games and had 10 double-figure tackle efforts...had a season-high 16 tackles in the opener against #9 Georgia and finished the regular season with a team-best 15 tackles at South Carolina...led Clemson with 12 tackles, including two sacks, in the Peach Bowl victory over #6 Tennessee; earned Defensive MVP honors for that performance...had four tackles for loss, including a sack, in the win at South Carolina...had 10 tackles to tie for team honors against #3 Florida State; was named ACC Defensive Lineman-of-the-Week versus the Seminoles...began the season with eight consecutive games with at least two tackles for loss...had four tackles for loss in the win over #24 Virginia to go with 11 tackles...had two different games with four tackles for loss...named ACC Defensive Lineman-of-the-Week for his performance against the #24 Cavaliers...started all 13 games and played 757 snaps; he had played just 182 snaps from scrimmage in two years prior to his junior season...led the team and ranked second in the ACC in sacks (8)...had five-straight, double-figure tackle games from the Georgia Tech through the North Carolina game...had a sack in each of the first four games; he was just one short of the Tiger record for consecutive games getting a sack...showed ability in pass defense; he had three interceptions, all within the last five games of the regular season, and tied for fifth in the ACC in interceptions...had a fumble recovery at Maryland to give him four takeaways for the season, second best on the team...won the Defensive Iron Man Award, given to the most dependable practice player...won the Tiger Pride Award, as the Defensive MVP...first-team All-ACC selection by ESPN.com and ACSMA...cited by the coaches as the Defensive Player-of-the-Game on three different occasions (Georgia, Maryland, Tennessee), more than any other defensive player.

2002: Played in all 13 games off the bench, as he was the top special-teams tackler on the team by far with 21 tackles (no other Tiger had more than 10)...had two special-team tackles and one tackle from scrimmage in the Tangerine Bowl against Texas Tech, as he played a season-high 18 snaps in that game...had eight tackles from scrimmage for the season...recovered one fumble on a special teams play...had a season-high seven tackles against Maryland...had four stops at Duke; all were on special teams; that was the most special teams tackles in a single game by a Tiger all year...had at least one tackle in all but three games...had 29 tackles overall, but played just 47 snaps on defensive...had one tackle for loss; it was in the Maryland game when he had a season-high seven tackles.

2001: Had his best game against Duke when he was credited with 11 tackles, best on the team...had eight first hits and three assists in his 56 plays...first first-year freshman to lead Clemson in tackles in a game since Anthony Simmons did it many times in 1995; also had his first career tackle for loss...played 20 snaps off the bench against Louisiana Tech and had two tackles...one of seven first-year freshmen who made contributions on defense...made good use of his playing time with 28 tackles in those 135 snaps...also has three special teams tackles...had three tackles at Wake Forest and against Virginia...spent the year as a backup to Chad Carson at middle linebacker...did not play in the first two games, but played each of the last 10 games on defense and special teams...played 15 snaps against North Carolina...was on the field for 13 snaps against Florida State...had at least one tackle in each of the last seven games and in nine of the 10 games, impressive for someone who averaged just 11 snaps per game...had his only pass breakup of the season at Maryland.

Before Clemson: 80th-best linebacker in the nation by Rivals100.com...#38 player in Georgia by SuperPrep...a AAAAA all-state pick in his junior and senior seasons at Baldwin High...named the defensive player-of-the-year in his high school region...an all-area, all-conference, and all-region selection as both a junior and senior...accumulated 150 tackles as a senior...a first-team all-state selection at the AAAAA level according to Atlanta Constitution...played for Daryl Silas...chose Clemson over Auburn, Georgia Tech, and South Carolina...born Leroy Hill, Jr. on September 14, 1982...majoring in management.