Willy Korn and the Starting QB

Football season is just around the corner, and it won't be long until players start reporting back to campus. Many fans and spectators seem to think that Kyle Parker is the leading candidate to start at quarterback for the Tigers this season. However, you haven't heard the last of Willy Korn and you can take that to the bank. Korn has worked very hard this off season both in the weight room and on his throwing technique. He's trying his best to improve his overall strength and his core strength in order to better prepare himself for the physical task of an entire college football season. He's also spent a few weeks working with quarterback guru, Jerry Rhome, trying to improve his mechanics. The Willy Korn that you see this August will be a much better player then the one that played this past spring. Undoubtedly, he heard the whispers of Kyle Parker being the starting quarterback and he certainly won't go down without a fight. This fall will be very interesting, especially watching the quarterback competition at Clemson. Not to mention the fact that Tahj Boyd will also be in the mix come this August. Each of the three quarterbacks has his own strengths and weaknesses, so it'll be fun to see which one Swinney decides is the future starter at Clemson.

USA Basketball and Baseball

Team USA finished up exhibition play today in basketball with a 67-63 win over Russia. The Americans finished 2-1 in the round-robin play, beating Canada and Russia, and losing to the host team of Serbia. In today's game, Corey Fisher (Villanova) led the team with 15 points. Trevor Booker saw very little action and only logged 7 minutes in the game. He did score two points, but was in foul trouble for most of the game. The United States is set to open World University Games play on July 3 against Finland.

In USA baseball news, the Americans finished up their 5 game series with Canada today. They swept the Canadians, and won 9-3 today. Brad Miller started at 2b in today's game and later was moved to shortstop. He was 0-3 at the plate with a walk and run scored. The Collegiate USA Team will face Guatemala in a 4 game set starting on July 1.

Booker Begins Exhibition Play

Booker and Team USA began exhibition play yesterday in the 2009 Serbia International Invitational. Team USA was able to hold off Canada and win 85-81. Da'Sean Butler led the way for the Americans with 20pts. Booker logged 17mins in the game and had 7pts and 2 steals. In today's game versus the host squad from Serbia, Team USA was defeated 98-82. Serbia pounded the ball inside against the Americans, and got most of Team USA's big men in early foul trouble. Booker, once again, logged 17mins in the game. He finished with 4 fouls, 3pts, and 3 assists. The Serbia International Invitational will finish up tomorrow, as USA takes on Russia. The American squad will begin the World University Games on July 3rd against Finland.

Miller and Team USA

The Collegiate USA Baseball team is currently in the middle of a 5 game series with Canada, and all games in the series are being played at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. In Game 1, which was played Thursday, the USA team won 12-4. Brad Miller did not start, but he did come in to play 2b and went 0-1 at the plate. In Game 2, against Canada, Team USA won once again 8-1. Miller started 2b and had a great day at the plate, as he went 3-5. Game 3 of the series was played yesterday in Durham and the USA Collegiate Team won 14-5. Miller, once again started 2b and went 1-3 with a run scored and a walk. Game 4 has just finished up today, and Team USA crushed Canada with a 20-3 win. Miller went 0-2 with a walk today, while starting again at 2b. The team will finish up their series with Canada tomorrow.

Former Tiger Ready to Sign?

Not much going on in the world of Clemson athletics this weekend, but here's a little information regarding former safety, Chris Clemons. Chris Clemons, the 5th round selection by the Dolphins, is closing in on a deal with the South Florida franchise. Clemons' agent said that things are "progressing well" and "we don't anticipate any issues." Clemons has been working as the second team free safety in most of the Dolphins' workouts. If Clemons signs, that will leave the Dolphins with six more players to sign from this last draft.

USA Basketball Goes to Serbia

Team USA completed their training camp and preparations for the World University Games on Thursday. They will now travel to Serbia, where they will compete for the gold medal in basketball. Trevor Booker, and a host of other talented collegiate players, will try to live up to the hype as they are considered the favorites to win the event. Two years ago, USA Basketball did not put a team together for the World University games. This time, however, the Bo-Ryan led squad should bring back some nice hardware. The team will begin pool play on Friday, July 3, against Finland. On Saturday, they will take on a team from South Korea. Good luck to team USA!

Miller Selected for USA National Team

After 10 days of practices at the USA baseball training complex in Cary, NC, the team has been selected, and Brad Miller has made the cut. Miller, Clemson's freshman shortstop, is the university's first player to make Team USA since Daniel Moskos made it in 2006. Miller was one of 22 players to make the team out of 41 college players that tried out. Also making the team from the state of SC was Citadel pitcher Asher Wojciechowski and Coastal Carolina's Cody Wheeler. Casey Harmon from Clemson did not make the team. The USA Baseball team will travel to Japan in July to take part in the USA vs. Japan Collegiate Championships. Then it goes to British Columbia for the Enbridge North Gateway Pipeline World Baseball Challenge.

Stanley Goes Pro

Since he was a young man, Kyle Stanley has dreamed of becoming a professional golfer. Long before he played at Bellarmine Prep, long before he starred at Clemson University, his goal was clear and simple. It was to become one of the best professional golfers ever. This week he will take his next step in chasing that dream. He will officially make his professional debut at the PGA Tour's Travelers Championship in Connecticut. It is something the 21 year old has envisioned, yet calculated for a while now. He understands that the road will not be easy because it never is. However, he is ready to accept the next challenge in his golfing career. Stanley will leave Clemson as one of the most decorated golfers in the history of the university. I could try to list his golfing achievements, but it'd probably be easier listing those things he didn't achieve. Instead, I will simply end by saying this: Good luck Kyle, Tiger Nation will always be with you! Make us proud!

Conner Davis Visits Clemson

Conner Davis from Deep Run HS in Virginia, visited Clemson recently and was highly impressed with everything that the university has to offer. Davis is currently ranked 21st on the Scout.com Virginia Top 30, and has offers from a host of other ACC schools. Those schools include Virginia, WF, Maryland, and Boston College. Davis continues to work hard, and with a good senior season he could easily become the top offensive lineman in the state. Conner stated, "Overall I liked Clemson a whole lot. It seems like a great place to play college football. Coach Powell, who showed us around and is a great guy. I like him a lot and he is really easy to talk to." When asked about his top choices for school, Davis said, "I don't have any top choices for schools yet, but I did like them a lot." Obviously, it seems liked Davis really enjoyed his time at Clemson, and could likely be playing as a Tiger very soon.

Where are they now?

Today, we're going to take a look at current Tigers that are playing in the minor leagues. Most of us know about the current Tigers who are playing in the majors and are able to keep up with them fairly well. Here's a breakdown of a few Tigers that are now playing all across the minor leagues.

1. Tyler Colvin (DH) is now playing for the Tennessee Smokies, which is a Double A team in the Southern League. He struggled a little last year just batting .256 with 14HR and 80RBI. However this year he's been hitting the ball much better and his average is .295 with 5HR and 11RBI.

2. Marquez Smith (3B) is another Tiger that is also playing for the Smokies. Last year he played for Class A Peoria for the majority of the season, and then went to the Class A Advanced League with Daytona. He batted .278 with 17HR and 66RBI over the course of his 2008 season. This year his average is down a little as he's been moved up to Double A, but in May he was named Southern League player of the week.

3. Stephen Clyne (RHP) was drafted by the Mets in the 3rd round of 2007, and is currently playing with Double A Binghamton. He began this year with Class A Advanced League St. Lucie and pitched brilliantly there. He had a 1.35ERA through nine games and was then promoted to Binghamton. However, he has struggled at the Double A level posting a 5.49ERA in his 12 games there.

4. Taylor Harbin (SS) is currently playing in the Class A Advanced League in California for the Visalia Rawhide. Last season, he was ranked second in the Midwest League in RBI, hits, doubles, and ranked third with 53 extra-base hits. Currently, he is batting .257 with 6HR and 30RBI.

Glover holds on to take US Open

In a tournament that will be remembered for unpredictable weather, it was only fitting for the winner to be someone no one would have ever predicted. Lucas Glover of Greenville, SC, battled not only the elements, but also some of the PGA's top players in winning the 2009 US Open. With Phil Mickelson charging hard in the last round, Lucas steadied himself and sealed the deal with a short par-putt on the 18th hole. As the drama unfolded, Bethpage Black and the NY faithful readied themselves for a fairy tale ending. Lefty was able to creep back into a share of the lead, only to miss two par putts over the last four holes and ended up settling for second place once again. Not only was Glover having to hold off Mickelson, but he was also having to fight off David Duval. Out of nowhere, Duval, who has been winless in the last eight years, ran off three straight birdies on the back nine to tie for the lead. However, his fairy tale ended with a 5-foot par putt on the 17th that spun 180 degrees out of the cup. Glover didn't have a Hollywood script to follow, he just played the type of golf necessary to win a championship. Glover finished the day at 4-under 276, and carried home the most prestigious trophy in the United States.

Glover one shot back

Lucas Glover is just one shot behind Ricky Barnes after three rounds at the US Open. Glover and Barnes both shot an even par, 70, in round 3 of today's action. Yesterday, the former Clemson golfer, tied a course record with a second round 64. However, the biggest story at this years US Open has been mother nature. Rain and thunderstorms have wreaked havoc all tournament long, creating quite an unusual leaderboard. Barnes and Glover both had to qualify to even make the US Open field, but both guys are certainly making the most of their opportunity. For Glover, this is his first US Open after missing the cut the previous three times. Let's see if the Greenville native can make a Tiger-like Sunday charge to win this thing!

A Few Tidbits of Info!

Jon Sanderson, Clemson's assistant basketball strength and conditioning coach, has accepted a new position with the University of Michigan. He will be leading the strength and conditioning programs for Michigan's basketball and Olympic sports programs. Sanderson played college basketball at Ohio State and Ohio University, and worked the past three years at Clemson.

According to ESPN, Marcus Lattimore from Byrnes HS in Duncan visited Clemson last Tuesday. He toured the campus with Dabo, and talked with the offensive staff. Lattimore has offers from Alabama, Auburn, North Carolina, South Carolina, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland and Penn State. He has no favorites at the moment, but said he would narrow it down to five by the end of July.

Noel....Noel!

A few days ago, we tossed up the idea that OP just might have the magic to sign the highly coveted Noel Johnson. The departure of Terrence Oglesby to Europe, along with the departure of Tim Floyd from the real USC, opened the door for Clemson to snatch an outstanding 4-star recruit. Oliver's knack for recruiting is becoming legendary. He is quietly building an ACC powerhouse in the shadows of Tobacco Road. The state of NC is supposed to be the hotbed of college basketball in this conference, but Purnell doesn't subscribe to that philosophy at all. He is slowly defying the odds, and he has now cemented argurably the best recruiting class in the history of Clemson basketball. Noel Johnson will help fill the void of losing KC Rivers and Terrence Oglesby. Johnson gives Clemson a dynamic scorer from the wing slot. He has the ability to score off the dribble, create shots for himself, and can shoot it from well beyond the college 3-point line. Johnson is also regarded as an excellent passer. The scouting reports say he must improve his ball handling skills and defense though. This should be a huge lift for the Tigers this basketball season, and I can't wait to see Johnson's impact, along with the rest of the incoming class.

Booker named to USA roster & Johnson visits!

Trevor Booker was named to the USA team for the World University Games this summer. He was among 12 players selected to compete for Team USA. Booker and Deon Thompson were the only two ACC players selected to the 12-man roster. The World University Games will be held July 2-11 in Belgrade, Serbia. Team USA’s first game will be Friday, July 3 versus Finland. Also chosen for the American squad Thursday following trials in Colorado Springs, Colo. were: Talor Battle of Penn State, Evan Turner of Ohio State, Corey Fisher of Villanova, Lazar Hayward of Marquette, Robbie Hummel of Purdue, James Anderson of Oklahoma State, Craig Brackins of Iowa State, Da'Sean Butler of West Virginia, Quincy Pondexter of Washington and Jarvis Varnado of Mississippi State. The team will be coached by the trio of Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), Frank Haith (Miami), and Rob Jeter (Milw-Wisconsin).

In basketball news, Noel Johnson of Fayetteville, GA was scheduled to visit Clemson today. He is expected to make a decision on Friday. Johnson has been recruited by Clemson since his tenth grade year, but this will be his first up-close visit to Tiger Town. This season Johnson averaged 28 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

Update: Reports are circulating that Johnson has narrowed his choices to Clemson and LSU. His father said that he will have a decision around 6:30pm. His visit went well and he met with several of the players and the academic support team.

Basketball in June?

It's June 17, approximately 11 weeks before college football kicks off for the 2009 season. College basketball should be the furthest thing from our mind at Clemson this time of year, however Oliver Purnell has somehow changed the culture of Clemson athletics. No, it's not a drastic overhaul, and college football is still king in Clemson, SC. Yet, basketball is at least on the radar in Clemson today, but why you ask? Well, cbs.sportsline.com announced their Preseason Top 25 today...and well quite frankly there's nothing else to talk about. Clemson was listed 14th in the nation, that's high praise for a team that lost Oglesby, Rivers, and Sykes. However, Purnell and his staff has recruited well and has built a solid foundation for many years to come. Let's hope he lives up to the hype this year, and takes the Tigers a little deeper in the NCAA this time around.

Clemson Soccer Coach Resigns

After 14 years of coaching the men's soccer team at Clemson, Trevor Adair has resigned. Two months ago, he was arrested on two counts of assault and battery. The cases are still pending and Adair has been released on bond. However, today Adair stepped away from Clemson University amid the controversy and gave way to interim head coach, Phil Hindson.

Oglesby out, but Johnson in?

Don't sleep on Oliver Purnell and the Clemson Tigers just yet. Most people had considered the 2009 basketball recruiting year over and done. However, with the loss of T. Oglesby to an overseas team, the Tigers have an extra scholarship to deal out, if it so chooses. Noel Johnson, one of the country's best unsigned players, has just a few more days before he'll make his college decision. Purnell has convinced him to visit Clemson this week on one of his final stops. Let's see if OP can pull a little late recruiting magic. I'll keep you posted!

Jacoby, Purnell, and Oglesby

Jacoby Ford has been diagnosed with a strained hamstring, after pulling up in the finals of the 100m dash in the Outdoor Track Championships. Clemson University said he should be ready by the time football kicks off in September though. The school also released injury information regarding Andre Ellington. Apparently, redshirt freshman Andre Ellington had knee surgery repairing some torn cartilage. Ellington should also be ready for the opener on Sept 5 versus MTSU.

Purnell has agreed to a new contract extension at Clemson University. He got a 2yr extension that will pay him $1.35 million in guaranteed income next year. This contract will put him at Clemson through the 2015-16 season.

Terrence Oglesby expects to sign with an overseas team in early July. Oglesby, did not declare early entry into the NBA draft, but he has signed with an agent. The Cleveland, Tenn. native, participated in the June 6-8 Reebok Eurocamp in Italy -- a five-on-five showcase of Europe’s top draft prospects. Oglesby, playing alongside a pair of potential draftees in St. Mary’s pointguard Patty Mills and 6-9 forward Vladimir Dasic of Serbia, tallied 17 points in three starts. However, it was reported that he struggled mightily on the defensive end. Three teams from France and another from Belgium has expressed interest in Oglesby. However he will likely sign with a team from either Italy or Spain.

Summer Football Camps and Commitments!

As most Tiger fans know, this past week Dabo Swinney and Clemson hosted summer football camps. It looks like Clemson has now picked up several committments coming out of those camps. Bashaud Breeland from Allendale-Fairfax HS gave a verbal committment for the 2010 class, and Marlin Lane committed to the Tigers for the 2011 class. Breeland has chosen Clemson over South Carolina, Michigan, Tennessee and VT. Lane is a running back from the Daytona Beach area, and Dabo's first committment from the state of Florida since he's taken over as the head coach at Clemson. Deshaun Williams gave his pledge earlier in the week, and was the first recruit to do so for the class of 2011. Williams is a Daniel HS product that currently plays defensive end for the Lions. It looks like the Tigers may soon make an offer to South Pointe guard/center Jacob McQueen, who undoubtedly made quite an impression on the coaches this weeks as well. McQueen has had several looks from smaller schools such as the Citadel, Wofford, and Gardner Webb, but Clemson is one of the first big schools to give him a look. He would possibly project as a center at Clemson. That's all for now guys and gals, we'll see if anything else shakes out in terms of recruiting in the next few days!

NCAA Track and Field Results

Justin Murdock, CJ Spiller, Trenton Guy, and Jacoby Ford, pulled off a third place finish in the 4x100m relays this evening. Florida finished in first with a time of 38.58. LSU was second with a time of 38.67, and Clemson was third with a time of 38.77. Texas A&M was disqualified and would have pushed Clemson back to fourth had their time stood. In the 100m event, Trindon Holliday took first place with a time of 10secs flat. Jacoby Ford and Holliday were neck and neck at the halfway point, when Ford pulled up hurt and grabbing his hamstring. Hopefully, it was just a cramp and nothing more, but we'll have to wait and see about that. I know all of you football fans, myself included, are hoping he's all well for the upcoming season!

Clemson and USA Baseball!

Here's just a quick bit of information to pass along to Tiger Nation and fans of Clemson baseball. It looks as if two Clemson players have been invited to USA Baseball National Team Trials. 41 players have been invited to the training facility in Cary, NC. Casey Harman and Brad Miller were among those 41 players invited to attend. The camp will begin on Sunday and finish up on June 24. At that time, a 22 man roster will be announced. The USA baseball team will travel to Japan for the annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate Championship. It will also go to British Columbia for the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline World Baseball Challenge.

Check back later for information on the Track Outdoor Championships!

Track and Field Results and More Baseball !

Jacoby Ford advanced to compete in the Finals of the 100m dash, which will be held on Friday. Ford ran a 10.01 in the prelims, and later won his semifinal with a 10.26 into a headwind. In the 4x100m relay, the Tigers won the second heat to advance to the finals. Justin Murdock, CJ Spiller, Trento Guy, and Jacoby Ford, had a strong showing and will compete in the finals on Friday. CJ Spiller and Justin Murdock were not able to qualify for the finals of the 100m dash. Murdock finished 9th in his semifinal, while Spiller finished 6th in the second semifinal.



As for the MLB Draft, the Tigers had four more players taken on the last day. Two juniors, Mike Freeman and Addison Johnson, and two seniors, Matt Sanders and Clinton McKinney, were selected on Thursday. Freeman was selected in the 36th round by Arizona and most certainly will be back to play for the Tigers. Addison Johnson was selected #1443 overall, and should also return to play his final season at Clemson. Matt Sanders was taken in the 41st round by the Colorado Rockies, while McKinney was also selected by the Rockies in the 48th round.

Good luck to Ford and the 4x100m team as they compete on Friday!

5 Tigers drafted....more to come?

Ben Paulsen was the first Tiger to go in the MLB draft on Tuesday, and now four more Tigers have joined him as MLB draftees. Today, Chris Dwyer, Ryan Hinson, Graham Stoneburner, and Trey Delk, were all taken in the draft. The MLB completed its first 30 rounds of picks today, and will have 20 more rounds of picks on Thursday. The biggest loss of the group today is Chris Dwyer, that is, if he does decide to go and play professional baseball. Dwyer, just a freshman, is 21 years old and therefore eligible for the draft. Personally, it'd be hard to give up a 4th round selection and come back to Clemson to play. Last year, Tim Melville was the highest paid 4th round player and he ended up receiving $1.250 million from the Royals. Last year, even the highest paid 6th round pick received a $1 million bonus. Ryan Hinson and Trey Delk, both seniors, will continue their baseball careers with the Padres and White Sox, respectively. Hinson was taken in the 10th round, while Delk was chosen in the 29th round. Stoneburner, just a sophomore at Clemson, was picked in the 14th round by the NY Yankees. Odds are, he'll be back in a Tiger uniform next year looking to upgrade his stock. With a solid year next year, he could easily go in the top 10 rounds in the 2010 MLB draft. That's all for now guys, check in regularly for "ALL Things Clemson!"