Is Tommy Bowden Feeling the Heat? Can Clemson Tiger Football Roar in 2007?

If Bowden is on the hot seat, this may not be the best year to expect Clemson to ascend to the top of the ACC to help cool things off. There are question marks at quite a few key spots and one of which is quarterback, where the heralded Willy Korn may eventually make a push. For now, Cullen Harper is the incumbent. Can he provide Clemson with the type of superstar quarterback the Tigers have lacked since the days of Woodrow Dantzler?

Whomever lines up at quarterback for Clemson will have the luxury of handing the football off to perhaps the best tandem of running backs in all of college football: James Davis and C.J. Spiller. This duo is simply electric and look for them to be relied upon even more heavily in 2007 with a young quarterback.

Unfortunately for Clemson, only one starter returns up front, but he's a good one: left tackle, Barry Richardson. Will the Tigers even be able to run the football? A lot of it will depend on how the rest of the line rounds out with Chris McDuffie and Brandon Pilgrim manning the tackle spots and Barry Humphries and Christian Capote likely the next center and right tackle for the Tigers.

Who will the new Clemson quarterback throw the football to? Likely Tyler Grisham and Aaron Kelly, who will be trying to ease the loss of star WR, Chansi Stuckey.

Fortunately for Clemson, things are a little brighter on defense where 6 starters return, most notably at linebacker where Antonio Clay and Nick Watkins return to their posts. Look for them to be joined by Tramaine Billie. Up front the Tigers will certainly miss Gaines Adams, but do boast two steady forces in Phillip Merling at end and Jock McKissic at tackle. Joining them will likely be the heralded, Ricky Sapp, and Rashaad Jackson.

Clemson must replace a pair of steady corners from 2006 in C.J. Gaddis and Dune Colerman. Getting first shot at filling those big shoes appears to be Chris Chancellor and Crezdon Butler. Look for Haydrian Lewis and Bryon Maxwell to factor in as well. The best news is that both safeties return in Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemons, two ballhawks that fly to the football and will bring the lumber.