Tigers winning on the field, and in the classroom
In addition to Clemson’s elite on-field performance in 2018, the squad simultaneously posted one of the best academic semesters in Tiger history. It posted team records in average GPA and number of players earning a 3.0 or better, all while collecting the AFCA Academic Achievement Award for the first time in program history.
In the spring of 2019, the NCAA announced APR metrics for the 2017-18 academic year as well as public recognition awards for the Top 10 percent of programs in each sport at every level. Clemson set a pro- gram record with a 992 APR for the 2017-18 academic year, third-best in the FBS, earning NCAA recognition for the eighth time in the last nine years.
Clemson is one of only 34 FBS programs to earn at least one APR recognition since the 2009-10 academic year, one of only 28 to earn it multiple times and one of only three to earn the award 8+ times in that span.
• Of 223 eligible senior lettermen and early graduates in Dabo Swinney’s 10 full years as head coach, 218 (97 percent) have earned a degree during their time at Clemson.
• Last fall, in addition to becoming major college football’s first 15-0 team since 1897, Clemson recorded a program-record 66 student-athletes with a 3.0 or better GPA in the midst of setting a program record for team GPA.
• Clemson set a program record in APR in the NCAA’s most recent figures released in May 2019, recording an APR score of 992 for the 2017-18 academic year. The performance marked the second straight year Clemson broke its program record in the metric after breaking its 987 APR mark for the 2016-17 academic year.
• Clemson’s 992 APR ranked tied for third among FBS programs, trailing only Air Force (997) and Northwestern (996). Clemson is one of only 10 FBS programs to produce a 985 APR or better in each of the past two academic years, joining Air Force, Boston College, Duke, Navy, Nevada, Northwestern, Stanford, Washington and Vanderbilt.
• The NCAA recognized Clemson with its annual APR Public Recognition Award, which is bestowed upon programs ranking in the Top 10 percent of their respective sports. Only 34 of the 130 FBS programs have earned at least one APR recognition since the 2009-10 academic year. Only 28 of them have earned it multiple times. Clemson, Duke and North- western programs are the only ones to earn the award eight or more times in that span.
• Clemson ranked in the top 10 percent among FBS schools in APR scores for six consecutive years (2010-16). Clemson was the only FBS program nationally to finish each in the top 25 of the AP poll and in the top 10 percent of APR scores every season between 2011-15.
• Chad Carson and Kyle Young were first-team Academic All-Americans in the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Clemson was the only Division I school in the nation with two first-team picks each year. Young was a first- team Academic All-American from 1999-01 and be- came just the second ACC player in history to be a three-time, first-team selection. He is one of just two offensive linemen in college football history to be a three-time, first-team Academic All-American. He is currently an associate athletic director in the Clemson Athletic Department.
• Dalton Freeman was an All-American on the field and off the field in 2012. He was a first-team All-America center according to AFCA and second-team Academic All-American by CoSIDA.
• Vic Beasley was the eighth selection of the 2015 NFL Draft. He was the only top 10 pick of that draft who had his degree on draft night.
• Deshaun Watson passed 37 hours during the 2015- 16 academic year and threw 35 touchdown passes. He is first quarterback on record to accomplish 35 of each in same academic year.
• Only eight players that applied for early entry for the NFL Draft had their degrees at the 2017 NFL Com- bine. Four of the eight (Deshaun Watson, Wayne Gallman, Artavis Scott and Mike Williams) were from Clemson.
• Entering the 2018 bowl season, Clemson’s roster featured 26 graduates, the most of any bowl team.
