Clemson University might be thin to compete for another ACC Indoor Championship, but with football standouts Jacoby Ford and C.J. Spiller on the squad, the Tigers' track teams could make noise this week in Blacksburg, Va.
"We feel pretty good about our sprinters," said Lawrence Johnson, in his first season as director of track and field. "We just don't have the depth to go in there and upset the perennial power Florida State.
"The guys we've got on the track are going to have to come up big every time."
Ford, Spiller and sophomore Trenton Guy rank among the fastest in the nation at 60 meters.
Ford won the event two years ago, and his time of 6.52 seconds on the Virginia Tech track is the second-fastest in the world this year by .01 seconds.
"He rises to the occasion," Johnson said. "He continues to amaze us with the things he's done."
Spiller, who chose to return for his final season of football rather than enter the NFL draft, has a 6.71 in the 60, which provisionally qualifies him for the NCAA Championships, but Johnson said he anticipates an improvement.
"This guy is doing some things even a little better than Jacoby," Johnson said. "If football ever didn't work out for him, he would definitely have a long and lucrative career running track.
"He brings a special skill set to the table," he said. "As big as he is, he can run all day long."
Guy has run 6.69.
"I feel good about our men's short sprint group," Johnson said. "I think we can go with anybody in the country."
Johnson is also eager to see if the women can improve.
"I think the women's team has made some strides," he said.
Returning this year are Liane Weber, ACC champion in the pentathlon in 2007, Patricia Mamona and April Sinkler.
Mamona is entered in 60 hurdles, long jump, high jump, triple jump and pentathlon. Sinkler also will compete in the jumps.
The meet begins at noon today and concludes Saturday with the 4x400m relay. Portions of the meet will be broadcast live on the Internet via ACC Select.
"I'm real excited about seeing what can happen," Johnson said. " I think we're another year or two away from being a serious contender for league titles."
