CLEMSON, S.C. — Former Clemson greats Dwayne Allen, Da’Quan Bowers and Jacoby Ford were named Monday for inclusion into to the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame.

The three football greats are a part of a record class of 11 former Clemson Athletes and coach that will be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame this coming fall.

The class of 2022 is composed of 10 former student-athletes and a former Clemson coach, representing nine different sports. It is the largest class since 2016 when Clemson also inducted 11 new members. The 2022 class will be honored at the NC State game in Memorial Stadium on October 1.

The Block C Club Board of Directors serves as the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee.

Any former Clemson student-athlete, living or deceased, who received an athletic letter from the Clemson University Athletic Department and who excelled athletically is eligible for Hall of Fame consideration 10 years after his or her athletic eligibility has been exhausted. In addition, former coaches, managers, trainers, etc., who made significant contributions to Clemson athletics are also eligible for consideration.

Former teammates Da’Quan Bowers and Dwayne Allen are members of the 2022 class in just their third and second years of eligibility, respectively. Bowers won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the National Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, while Allen won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end in 2011.

Jacoby Ford is an inductee as a two-sport athlete. Ford was a productive wide receiver for the Tigers under Tommy Bowden and Dabo Swinney between 2006-09 and was a National Champion on Clemson’s track team during the same era

Dwayne Allen, Football, 2009-11

  • Winner of the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end for 2011
  • Named first-team All-American by Associated Press, Football Writers Association, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and second team by CBS Sports in 2011.
  • Joins Clemson Hall of Famer Bennie Cunningham as only consensus All-America tight ends in Clemson history.
  • First-team All-ACC in 2011, he was second-team in 2010.
  • As a junior, his final year at Clemson, caught 50 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns, helping Clemson to its first ACC Championship in 20 years.
  • Finished his career with 93 catches for 1079 yards and 12 touchdown.
  • Third-round draft choice of the Colts, he played 86 regular season games, plus 10 playoff games in seven years in the NFL.
  • Won a Super Bowl Championship with Patriots in 2018.

Da’Quan Bowers, Football 2008-10

  • Unanimous first-team All-American in 2010, one of just six unanimous All-Americans in Clemson history.
  • Winner of the Nagurski Award as the National Defensive Player of the Year as chosen by the Football Writers Association of America.
  • Winner of the Hendricks Award as the top defensive end in the nation in 2010.
  • Lombardi Award finalist in 2010.
  • Led the nation in sacks/game in 2010, it was the most by any ACC player in 11 years.
  • Had 15.5 sacks in 2010, 26 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback pressures, and 74 tackles.
  • His 26 tackles for loss tied for first in the nation.
  • Those 15.5 sacks are still most ever by a Clemson defensive lineman for a season.
  • Five-time selection as ACC Defensive Linemen of the Week, a first for any league defensive lineman.
  • ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2010
  • Second round draft choice of the Tampa Bay Bucs, he played five years in the NFL and one in the CFL.

Jacoby Ford, Football and Track, 2006-10

Track

  • One of Clemson’s greatest track athletes, he was an All-American and National Champion.
  • Won the NCAA Championship in the 60 meters indoors in March of 2009 with time of 6.52.
  • Had a streak of 18 straight victories in 60 meter and 100 meter races over the indoor and outdoor season.
  • Five-time All-American in track, twice indoors and three times outdoors.
  • Six-time All-ACC performer in men’s indoor and outdoor track.
  • ACC Freshman of the Year in Outdoor track 2007
  • Southeast Region Track Athlete of the Year in 2007
  • Ran a 4.28 in the 40 at NFL Combine, one of the fastest times on record.

Football

  • Ford finished with 4,086 career all-purpose yards, sixth-best in school history.
  • Ranked sixth in Clemson history in career receptions at the time of his graduation with 143, and had 1,986 career reception yards to finish eighth in school history,
  • Had 16 career touchdown receptions to rank tied for fourth in Clemson history at the time of his graduation.
  • Ford and C.J. Spiller finished as the NCAA’s greatest all-purpose duo in history with a combined 11,671 all-purpose yards.
  • Ranked sixth in school history in career kickoff return yards with 1,124 and was eighth in punt return yards with 479.
  • Also had 494 career rushing yards and had an incredible 8.5 rushing average over his career, first in Clemson history among players with at least 50 carries.
  • Caught at least one pass in 29 straight games to close his career and caught at least two passes in 27 of those 29 games.
  • Played in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL on January 30, 2010
  • Had eight career touchdowns of 50 yards or more, third-best in Clemson history.
  • Fourth-round draft choice of the Oakland Raiders, he played four years in the NFL. Had four kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career, including NFL-best three in 2010.

The other inductees are:

Kyle Stanley, a full-time member of the PGA Tour, won the Ben Hogan Award as the top amateur golfer in the country in 2009 under Larry Penley’s guidance.

Brad Miller, the ACC Player of the Year on the baseball diamond in 2011, has more career home runs in the Major Leagues than any other former Tiger in history.

Patricia Mamona was a national champion in the triple jump, an academic All-American and won silver in the 2021 Olympic Games for her home nation of Portugal.

Wesley Russell won the NCAA Championship at the 1993 Indoor meet in the 400 meters and was named to the ACC 50-Year Anniversary Track team in 2002.

Oguchi Onyewu was named to the men’s soccer ACC 50-Year Anniversary team in 2002.  He only played for the Tigers for two years, but he was one of the top defenders in the nation. He was a finalist for the 2001 Hermann Trophy and went to play for the United States National team in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. He serves an analyst for CBS Sports.

Joey McKenna was the only three-time ACC Champion in wrestling at any weight class over his career that spanned 1983-86. He finished fourth in the 150-pound division at the NCAA Meet his final year.

Suzanne Van Fleet was an All-American on Clemson’s rowing team in 2008 and was a big reason Clemson Varsity 8+  advanced to the NCAA Championships.  She was a three-time Academic All-ACC selection as well.

The only coach in the 2022 Clemson Hall of Fame Class is former swimming coach Bob Boettner.  Between 1977 and 1991, Boettner was a six-time ACC Coach of the Year, four for the women’s program and twice for the men. He won four ACC Championships, three with the women and once with the men. He led the Clemson women to three straight top 10 finishes between 1987-89.

—photo and story courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications