Desire to get even better drives Clemson's Harper
Spending some time back home in Georgia on spring break, Cullen Harper was throwing the football with his father in the driveway.
Jeff Harper considers himself a pretty good athlete, having played offensive line for Georgia on the Bulldogs' national title team in 1980. But his adrenaline began pumping when his son reared back and fired a pass that hummed through the air at a surprising speed.
"He let one fly at me," the elder Harper said. "If it'd have been in front of my head, I'd have been in trouble."
That snapshot is just one example that helps illustrate Harper's determination to add to the impressive body of work he constructed last season. Whether it's increasing the velocity of his passes, contributing more leadership or enhancing his grasp of the offense, Harper is not standing pat as he prepares for his senior season.
Last year, Harper was motivated by the popularly held perception that incoming freshman Willy Korn would come in and swipe the job he had waited three years to secure. He appears just as driven now, but this time he's pushed by the thought of becoming one of the best quarterbacks in college football while leading Clemson to a championship.
"You definitely see it," said tailback James Davis, a fellow senior. "You can tell how much better he's gotten."
Not much time has passed since Harper set numerous records while leading
Clemson to a 9-4 record in his first season as a starter. Yet Harper, who earned second-team All-ACC honors, has already moved past that by putting in plenty of work, and the results have been on display during Clemson's spring practice.
After undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery in late November and resting following an overtime loss to Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Harper says his throwing arm feels better than ever. He's got more zip on deeper throws, and he's able to muscle in shorter passes with more accuracy.
"I really feel strong right now," he said.
Harper isn't a particularly vocal person, but teammates and coaches say they have noticed him taking charge in the huddle and meeting rooms more than before.
"It looks like he might have a little more confidence based on his performance," said Clemson coach Tommy Bowden. "He's being more vocal with his teammates."
James Davis said he's witnessed Harper encouraging the Tigers' young and inexperienced offensive linemen.
"That shows a lot right there," he said. "That's part of being a leader. Just all around, he's a leader on and off the field."
The 6-4 Harper has also grown more comfortable under fourth-year offensive coordinator Rob Spence, instinctively knowing where to throw the ball and patiently sitting in the pocket and looking for his third and fourth options instead of bolting at the first sign of pressure.
A year ago, fans were anointing Korn the successor to Will Proctor. Korn, who enrolled early in January of 2007, was the golden boy who played at nearby Byrnes High School. Harper, who played just two games his senior year of high school because of injury, was the guy who couldn't beat out Proctor late in 2006 as Proctor's struggles contributed to the Tigers' late-season unraveling.
"It was a tough situation," Harper said, "because it was kind of me against the world."
Harper gained substantial separation as the starter a year ago with an impressive performance during spring practice, and he solidified his role early in fall camp.
He played his way onto the national radar during the season, setting a school record with 27 touchdown passes. His 2,991 yards through the air were the second-highest in school history, behind Charlie Whitehurst's 3,561 in 2003. He also ranked 22nd nationally in passing efficiency.
Willy Korn, who received a medical redshirt after suffering a shoulder injury early in the season, is back and healthy but is not considered a serious threat to take Harper's job.
Harper said the specter of Korn was "always in the back of my mind" last year, always motivating him to push harder in the weight room or to run that extra sprint.
The source of his motivation has changed, but Harper said his drive is just the same. He wants not only to earn first-team All-ACC honors, but All-America distinction as well. He wants to deliver Clemson its first conference title in 17 years and put the Tigers in the mix to play for the national title.
He's added muscle, pushing to 223 pounds after weighing in at 212 toward the end of last season. His father said he recently bench-pressed 225 pounds 23 times and squatted 500 pounds.
And as Jeff Harper learned recently, the throws have a little more pep than they used to.
"Cullen has never not believed in himself," his father said.
"Even when he wasn't given a chance, he kept believing. Part of this is just him maturing. He and I have always said, 'The cream keeps rising.' "
This and that
The Tigers will scrimmage this morning at Memorial Stadium. The coaching staff will oversee the second "Youth Day," in which children in first through sixth grades get to tour the facilities, eat free pizza and get autographs from the team … Bowden said he "would like to see the dust settle" at linebacker, allowing coaches to identify the best two at the position … Freshman defensive end Da'Quan Bowers will miss the scrimmage while attending a funeral … Bowden is hoping incoming freshman Antoine McClain can push for playing time at left tackle … Kicker Mark Buchholz is slightly ahead of Richard Jackson, Bowden said.
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