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sports Fuller to I By VINCE MOOHE Asst. Sports Editor Carolina and Clemson fans have never been extremely fond of one another, insults forever being traded between the two schools. Such slogans as "If You Can't Go To School, Go To Clemson" or "Clemson Is The University of bouin earonna appear on Dumper stickers across the state. It seems you either like one or the other ? no middle ground. This intense rivalry is usually settled, at least temporarily, in terms of athletic superiority. Iinf rtrn tl-iao f/vnt V\r% 11 pnnoA?^ uv-iui v- iwio iiAiiimii ocaouii uvt'll began, both sides were talking about what would happen when the two teams met in November. Carolina fans were predicting their best season in years while Tiger partisans were doing the same. Well, November is here, and the 75th Carolina-Clemson football game is Saturday. And this game will have all the attention a heated rivalry like this one deserves. ABC will roll its earners into sold-out Williams-Brice Stadium while several bowl scouts will be roaming the press box. But now there is one significant difference all the pre season talk failed to account for. Clemson has a good football team. They come into the game as the favorite, ranked 15th in the nation by both AP and UPI polls, with a 7-2-1 record. And, more importantly, the IkjwI scouts at the game will only have eyes for the Tigers. Since the knowledgeable football ? prognosticators said Clemson should be thrilled with a .500 season. the.Tiaer's success should Carolina a1 needs sep< ??? iflK Matt Colui With all that's happened concei McGuire controversy, one must Carolina needs an athletic directo volved in either football or baskett Since the promotion of Coach Jim < director in 1976, the football pr mediocre success at best. When C 1975, he was not the athletic directo uuiui-cocKs 10 a i-t recora ana an Tangerine Bowl. After a successful first year, the L expanded Carlen's role to athletic was in control of all athletics, exce] where McGuire still has complete SINCE THAT TIME the footbal average records of 6-5 and, at th season 7-5. Can those average reco to Carlen's two positions as foo athletic director? I think it can l> Being football coach demands a Deing lootoaii coacn and athletic di much for Jim Carlen or any other i the board wanted to give Carlen a \ for his successful first year. But gi jobs in such a short period of time too much to handle. Of the 144 schools which comprise ead Clem r ISATORU H-Sgai ^ _ come as a surprise to almost everyone. But it is no surprise to Clemson quarterback Steve Fuller. "I thought we had good players," Fuller said, "but since we had two bad years before, I wasn't sure how we would do. But we've had good consistent play, and that's been the difference. So, no, I'm not surprised." The Tigers' good fortune hasn't come as a surprise to Carolina coach Jim Carlen either. As early as the first week in the season, he was saying Clemson was a lot better than anyone was giving them credit for. Carlen said this week, "Clemson has a lot of talent. i euiiipiimuiii vcudtin ^iianie reu and his staff for putting it all rhletic proc turn mm A a JL Lh B J!uic uiiiie A 14 have a footb director. Besid St Colgate, Gr w w a g ?a oi Aianama, n | Texas St., Nor tfinict Rice, Texas A VIIII Alabama, Colg liave above av ^ thwestern and football progra ning the Frank wonder whether OF THE abc r who is not in- has a good bas >all. under head eoa Carlen to athletic in the past five; ogram has had records in coll larlen arrived in Since 1958 wher r and guided the director at Alal invitation to the mimiilntivp r? ticipant in the toard of Trustees It's apparent director. Carlen think it is impc pt for basketball, separate from I authority. When the footbi athletic progra 11 team has had notpntial f?ni e very best this exception to th rds be attributed By choosing tball coach and Board created e. andCarlen. It< lot of time, but directorship. C rector can be too over the other, nan. It's obvious problems in U 'ote of confidence iving him two big CAROLINA I can be a little bit u/ith Mpr.nim USC. letting NCAA Division I, ison again IND | (I M J JS iC together." If anyone still has doubts about Clemson's capabilities they were erased last week against Notre Dame. The Tigers were leading the Irish 17-7 after three quarters, shutting down the same offense that scored 69 points against Georgia Tech a week earlier. But Clemson fumbled away two scoring opportunities, and Notre Dame came back to win, 21-17. "I thought we could have and should have beaten them," Fuller said. "But we turned the ball over too many times to win against a team like Notre Dame." Although such a strong showing against the Irish interested the bowl scouts even more. Fuller and gram tic director an coacn wno also serves as athletic les USC, the other schools are Alcorn ambling, Louisiana Tech, University flcNeese St., Mississippi St., North theast Louisiana St., Northwestern, k&M and Western Carolina. Only ate, Mississippi St. and Texas A&M erage football programs while NorRice have not experienced a winning m in quite some time. >ve mentioned schools, only Alabama ketball program. The Crimson Tide, ch C.M. Newton, has a 132-36 record /ears which ranks as one of the lop six egiate basketball during that time, i Paul "Bear" Bryant became athletic bama, the basketball team has had a :ord of 278-212 and has been a parNCAA play-offs twice since 1971. a majority of NCAA Division I schools irtant enough to have a person who is 1 I me uMiiutfu uuu uumvuiuuii programs, all coach controls athletics, the overall m may suffer or not operate at full y the University of Alabama is the te 14 schools. Carlen as the athletic director, the a power struggle between McGuire iidn't matter who received the athletic living it to either man would favor one Why alienate either coach and cause SC's athletic program? MKKDS another athletic director who. and Carlen, can develop athletics at ; McGuire have total and See COLUMN, Page 12 st Gamec \ ) his teammates were disappointed. "We didn't go in that game with the idea of just staying close," Fuller said. "We wanted to win. But that game has given us a lot of confidence. I think everybody now realizes that we're in the same class with teams like Notre Dame." Everybody realizes, too, that Fuller has been the driving force behind Clemson's rise to football fame. The junior from Spartanburg has 1,691 yards total offense to lead the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and has been responsioie lor la loucnaowns. His favorite target lias been speedy receiver Jerry Butler, who has 40 receptions for 694 yards. Iisil : wnaf coacr say about c McGuire says ? "I never intended to retiro untii just want to do this job. Coaching director of Coastal Carolina. It's a "This (job controversy) has hur and father see they don't want m< come here? I don't want to see oui hurt me, I don't care. But I don Trustees) tear down the progran | "I could be gone in two years if tl way for two years. I don't crack ea 10 nave done what's been done to m ! my blood. They never asked my ag trustee was investigating how ok "Strom Thurmond is 15 years ol babies." (when asked about bumper st Frank McGuire",) "Get me one McGuire comments were made students at the Towers' lounge. Players say ? | "I have complete trust in Coa program. When 1 was recruiter McGuire would be here until at lea "It insults Coach McGuire's i knowledgeable coaches of the ga None of us is letting it affect us, it i brought basketball to the South KAR1/TON HILTON. "It's added incentive to the tear, ! here, he's gotten more and i ^ G1LLOON. UblVd "Clemson is the best team we'll have played this year," Carlen caiH "Vnn'ro irnino In eoti 'Imtn uw tva. * v ^V/?I Ij-J W UWJ ) HVYV can you say that after playing North CarolinaO' I think Fuller and **; Butler a. j the difference. They ran hurt you with a number of receivers, but Butler is the one who drowns you." With the bowl scouts observing Saturday's game. Ciemson has a lot more to lose than Carolina. A victory over the Gamecocks would virtually ensure a Gator Bowl berth for the Tigers against the winner of the Oklahoma-Nebraska game next week. Even if the Tigers lose, they'll Drobablv net a Peach Bowl invitation. But the Ciator Bowl, however, would do more for ^ the Clemson football program. Putting the Tigers' bowl aspirations aside, they're is still plenty of incentive for Clemson to win. "This game is special and important for both teams," Fuller said. "You can throw the records out because this is like a one-game season. Carolina can have a lot of good things happen for them by Beating us." If Clemson is to avoid an upset by the Gamecocks, Fuller will need to find Butler open in the passing ^ lanes. And Fuller couldn't have ? asked for a better target. "If there's anybody better in the country, I would like to see him," Fllllorvnirl "ll?'e rnil fnrl !.?? . ?...v. WM.M. ??V Ol VUI 1UOI UIIU lldd so much natural ability. If anything, he makes me look good." And if anything, Fuller and Butler, together, make Clemson IlKJIV IUU1 i, players ] # ontroversy I we have another great team. I it oil 1 bnm., T 1 ,1 ? ' ? I o U1I i IWIUW. 1 CUUiUll I IKXOIIII" case of trying to get rid of me." t our recruiting. When a mother why should they want a son to ? - program get hurt. Even if they i't want to see them (Board of 1 here at Carolina." ley have their way. It's been this silv. YOU hav? to haup touch ?liin le... .listen to trustees who want e until last year's 14-12 season. A i I was." S dor than 1 am and is still having j icker saying, "Thank God for . I'll put it on mv forehead." Tuesday night to a group of ^ ch McGuire and his basketball i here, I was promised coach si iwu, JIM (iltAZlANO. ntegrity. He's one of the most me of basketball in the country, 's not something we dwell on. He i, and he means a lot to us," a. He's not too old. Since I've l>een nore into coaching " -lAnciiv S i -