Burton Burns has a big job this fall

Burns is Clemson's running back coach, and with the stable of great backs he has to work with, he should be quite busy.

* Lineman on Lombardi Watch List: Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams gets the honor. It's the fourth such accolade he's received this year.

It's nice to have a deep O-line

The Greenville News takes a look at Clemson's experienced offensive line. This group will be the key to whether or not the Tigers have a great season or not.

* Camp for referees: ESPN examines the preseason training that refs in the ACC undergo. I wonder if they help them with their ability to make calls, because the ACC crews are the worst in the country, bar none.

* Kelvin Grant finds a new home: The former Clemson receiver, who was kicked off the team for academic and other reasons, will be playing this fall for Division I-AA Delaware State.

* Tigers 21st in Blogpoll: You can read the entire poll at EDSBS. Here's what they had to say about Clemson: "Tommy Bowden will vacillate between getting fired and getting a lifetime extension in the same year, meaning 7-5, 8-4, one victory beyond explanation and one loss beyond contempt, and the requisite thrill ride of a Clemson football season."

Well, I've seen enough of that crap from Bowden over the past eight years. If we pull it again with the team we've got, then I think there will be a lot of recriminations in Tigertown.

Tommy Bowden: A Q&A session

Clemson's coach sits down with the Charlotte Observer to answer questions about the upcoming season.

* Your basic season preview story: From Fox Sports. In that same vein, here's a story from Sports Illustrated that places us among a group of 16 contenders for the national championship. (Hat tip: State Fans Nation.)

All eyes on C.J. Spiller at training camp

The highly touted freshman running back is garnering plenty of attention as Clemson's fall practices get under way.

* More Proctor coverage: Here's another story about Clemson's new quarterback.

* Punter pressure: There could be intense competition for the punting job this fall. Returning starter Cole Chason is injured, and newcomer Richard Jackson looks pretty good.

* Bowden's youth movement: Here's a story about how Clemson coach Tommy Bowden is getting some great young assistant coaches.

* Bowden's recruit movement: And here's a story about what a great recruiter the coach has become.

* The notebooks: Here and here.

Clemson ranked 18th in coaches' poll

The Tigers are one of four ACC teams in the USA Today poll. Congratulations, guys. Now go out and prove you deserve to be ranked.

* Practice begins: And here are your obligatory preview stories.

* Gaines Adams, ACC's finest defender? He is, according to this story.

Football practice begins Friday

And that may be today by the time you're reading this. All the months of waiting and hoping and dreaming, of hard work in the weight room, will get their first tests today. Go Tigers!

* Another Will Proctor profile: This one is from The Sporting News.

* Willie Simmons returns: The former Clemson quarterback, who left school under what appeared to be bad terms when Charlie Whitehurst took his job in 2002, will come back to be a graduate assistant. Welcome back, Willie. Personally, I'll never forget your amazing performance against the Tar Heels in 2000, when we trailed 17-0 and Woody Dantzler got hurt. You led us to a 38-24 victory -- and I was there in Chapel Hill to see it.

* Watkins' job not secure: Clemson linebacker Nick Watkins, the team's second-leading tackler last season, may have to fight for a starting job this year; plus, an item on speedster Jacoby Ford.

* And finally ...: EDSBS discovers a piece of, uh, Gamecock "fan art" that simply has to be seen to be believed. EDSBS' deconstruction of the piece is brilliant.

New, improved Death Valley almost ready

Construction is about to wrap up on the Phase I of the West End Zone Project at Clemson. Read all about it here.

* Will Proctor, marked man: Here's a story about Clemson quarterback Will Proctor.

* Scheduling issues: Clemson could play on Monday night in 2007, and Temple is looking to get out of one of its future games with the Tigers.

State of the ACC: Weak or strong?

We'll let you decide after reading a couple of articles.

Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer says thank God for the newcomers, while league commissioner John Swofford says everything is hunky-dory and only getting better.

As for myself, I think they could both be right, to an extent.

This year, Tigers should really run the ball

We've been promised a balanced offensive attack for a while at Clemson, but this year, we might actually have one. Read all about it.

* Bowden loves instant replay: As well he should.

* Pro-style training camp: Clemson may switch its fall workouts to one-a-day sessions to better prepare for a season that begins with 11 straight games before a break.

* Boston College a make-or-break game? That's what Bart Wright of The Greenville News says, and I agree.

* ACC now among the elite? Well, that's what this article says.

* New bowl process: The ACC has taken the much-needed step of improving the way league teams get assigned to postseason bowl games.

* A late Cumbiegate update: From the Sporting News.

* Looking back to 1981: Former Clemson coach Danny Ford still holds fond memories of the Tigers' 1981 national championship. This season marks the 25th anniversary of the momentous event.

* Clemson-FSU a game to watch: Well, it always is, but now it has the added cachet of being designated as such by Every Day Should Be Saturday.

* And finally ...: Check out the 2006 college football all-name team. Clemson's Ray Ray McElrathbey made the first team. (Hat tip to EDSBS.)