Dantzler Makes a Run at Heisman

Woodrow Dantzler is in search of the perfect football game. The Clemson quarterback might have found it Saturday.

Three weeks after getting booed in a home loss to Virginia, Dantzler broke a 54-year-old Clemson record by accounting for six touchdowns as the No. 16 Tigers overcame 20 penalties to beat North Carolina State, 45-37, Saturday.

“We played as a unit and we would not be denied on offense,” said Dantzler, who has 1,127 yards in three games against the Wolfpack. “Every time we went on the field we were looking to score and that’s the attitude we took.”

Dantzler was nearly perfect for the Tigers (4-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). He completed 23 of 27 for 333 yards and added 184 rushing to break his own single-game offense mark and record the fifth-best total in 49 years of ACC football.

“He put on a display out there today that I don’t know if we’ll ever see again in this stadium,” North Carolina State Coach Chuck Amato said. “I hope not by an opposing quarterback.”

North Carolina State (3-2, 1-2) hadn’t allowed more than 17 points in any of its previous games. But Dantzler had scoring passes of 10, seven, 22 and four yards and touchdown runs of 55 and eight as the senior quarterback accounted for 517 yards. His previous best was 435 yards against Maryland in 1999.

Three other Clemson players had five touchdowns in a game, the last being Bobby Gage in 1947 against Auburn.

With no clear-cut Heisman Trophy candidate, Dantzler’s efforts the last few weeks may push his name to the top of the list.

“I think the award needs to be won on the field,” Clemson Coach Tommy Bowden said. “Performances like this will definitely get out. This will get people’s attention. He’s had 300-, 400-and 500-yard games his last three.”

Dantzler had 418 yards of offense two weeks ago in a 47-44 victory at No. 15 Georgia Tech and 610 in two previous games against the Wolfpack before Saturday’s outburst.

The two road wins by the Tigers came after a disappointing loss to Virginia in which Dantzler was intercepted twice and fumbled once.

“I knew [the criticism] was out there,” Dantzler said. “This is America, people are entitled to their opinions. The only people I have to play for are my coaches and my teammates. I proved it to them and that’s it.”

Dantzler might have saved his best effort for late in the third quarter after the Wolfpack had closed to 35-23, leading the Tigers on a 92-yard scoring drive.

Dantzler set up his career-best fourth touchdown pass with a spectacular scramble that capped Clemson’s 21-point quarter. “He’s not only the best quarterback in the ACC, he’s the best running back we’ve seen,” said Wolfpack linebacker Brian Jamison.