The 5 Best Quarterbacks in Clemson Football History
By Ben Greeson
5. Woody Dantzler (97′-01′)
Dantzler, a Orangeburg, SC native came to Clemson and redshirted the 1997 season and went on to letter in 98′-01′. He made his Clemson debut in Week 1 against Furman. However, Dantzler did not start until Week 5 against the UNC Tarheels.
In 1999, Dantzler became the starter over Brandon Streeter, now Clemson’s quarterback coach. He threw for 1,506 passing yards and 9 touchdowns in 1999.
Dantzler became the first player in NCAA football history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 in a single season. His exact statistics in 2001 were 2,360 yards and 17 touchdowns (passing) and 1,004 yards and 10 touchdowns (rushing). He was also a Heisman candidate in 2001.
In August 2001, Dantzler graduated from Clemson with a degree in marketing. Dantzler was inducted into the Clemson football Hall of Fame in 2007. Dantzler holds 53 Clemson records.
What still stands out most to me about Woody are the games he had in back to back weeks versus Georgia Tech and NC State in 2001. He had 418 total yards and the game winning scamper, an 11 yard touchdown, to beat the Jackets 47-44 in Atlanta that afternoon.
The following week, in purple pants for the first time ever, Woody Dantzler dropped 517 total yards on the 17th ranked Wolfpack defense. He was 23-27 for 333 yards through the air that day as well. Woody Dantzler changed how college football coaches used dual threat QB’s.
Tommy Bowden and Rich Rodriguez utilized Woody’s abilities perfectly in their spread offense that was relatively new to the college football landscape. Woody is still the 5th leading passer and the 7th leading rusher in Clemson history. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that he was on the throwing end of “The Catch 2” versus South Carolina.
Next: No. 4