Thomas Austin Class: Graduate Student Hometown: Camden, SC High School: Camden Height / Weight: 6-4 / 310 Position: OG Experience: 3VL Major: Political Science

Overall: Third-team All-American by Sporting News in 2009...Second-team All-ACC offensive guard...he made second-team All-ACC at center in 2008...had 316 career knockdown blocks, including team best 112 this year... started each of the last 38 Clemson games and a veteran of 39 starts in his four years...Clemson's offensive player of the week according to Tiger coaches in the win over Boston College when he had 13 knockdown blocks and an 82 percent grade in 77 plays... led Clemson in film grade in 13 of the 14 games this year...also led the team in knockdown blocks in all but three games...had season best 14.5 knockdown blocks against Georgia Tech to go with a 90 percent grade in the regular season game...had at least five knockdown blocks in 12 of the 14 games...had 12 knockdown blocks in the overtime win at Miami (FL), he had 12 KDs to go with an 85 percent grade in 74 plays...had eight knockdowns in 72 plays and had an 88 percent grade against Florida State...had 9.5 knockdowns and season best 94 percent grade in his final home game in 54 plays...Clemson clinched the Atlantic Division title that day and beat Virginia...had 10 knockdowns against Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship game, helping the Tigers to a 323 yard rushing performance...big reason Clemson improved from 111 rushing yards a game last year to 170 per game this year... reliable blocker for C.J. Spiller for four years and had a lot to do with his success...has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game in Orlando on January 23....played this year as a graduate student, he had his degree before this year began...veteran of 48 games and 39 starts as a Clemson Tiger...has experience as a starter at guard and center over his Clemson career, probable as a center at the next level...named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week five times over his career, tied for fourth in total player of the week selections in Clemson history regardless of position and tied for the most among offensive linemen...a co-captain of the 2009 Clemson team...played 2592 career snaps, more than any other active Tiger and the 12th most in Clemson history and seventh most among offensive linemen.

Prior to 2009: Second-team All-ACC in 2008 and first-team Academic All-ACC...received his degree from Clemson in August of 2008...three-time ACC offensive lineman of the week in 2008, first Tiger offensive lineman to win it three times in a year since 1990 (Stacy Long)...won the award for his performances against NC State, Boston College and Virginia...won team's Strength Dedication award in 2008...led team in knockdown blocks in 2008 with 98...started all 13 games, only offensive lineman to do that...had double digits in knockdown blocks in four games...led team in knockdowns in each of the last six games...started 12 games in 2007, four at right guard and eight at center...started each of the last 11 games...led team in knockdown blocks with 90, including season high 13 in win at South Carolina...ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week in the win over South Carolina...played 780 snaps as a sophomore, third on the team...a big reason Clemson led the ACC in scoring offense in 2007...played 117 snaps as a reserve guard in 2006, he had 22 knockdown blocks...played 10 snaps in Music City Bowl...red-shirted the 2005 season, he was named Scout Team Player of the Year by the coaching staff...Shrine Bowl starter his senior year of high school...number-one offensive lineman in South Carolina according to The State Newspaper...President of his high school FCA...graduated from Clemson in August 2009 with degree in political science...born Nov. 14, 1986.

2008: Clemson's top offensive lineman...named ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Week for his performances against N.C. State, Boston College, and Virginia...named Clemson's top offensive player by the coaches against Duke; he was also a member of an offensive line that received the same award for the South Carolina game...led the team in knockdown blocks (98), the second-straight year he did that...only Tiger offensive lineman to start all 13 games; he and Aaron Kelly were the only Tigers on offense to start every game...had an average film grade of 82 percent, highest among all Tiger offensive linemen...had the highest film grade among offensive linemen in eight games and led the team in knockdown blocks in nine games...had double-digits in knockdown blocks four times, including each of the last three regular-season games...had 35 knockdowns in the last three regular-season games when Clemson had a 3-0 record...led the offensive line against N.C. State with 10.5 knockdown blocks and an 82-percent grade in 60 snaps; he was named ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Week...had five knockdowns and an 82-percent grade at Boston College to earn ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Week honors...had 13 knockdowns against Duke, his season-high, and was named ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Week...had 11 knockdowns at Virginia and 11 against South Carolina...had an 86-percent grade in 60 snaps against the Gamecocks, a special win for the native of Camden, SC...led or tied for the lead in knockdown blocks in each of the last six games of the regular season.

2007: Started 12 games, including four at right offensive guard and eight at center...started each of the last 11 games, including each of the last seven at center...led the team in knockdown blocks (90), including a season-high 13 at South Carolina...honorable mention sophomore All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com...ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Week against South Carolina when he had team-best 87-percent grade...third on the team in offensive snaps (780); he missed the Louisiana-Monroe game with an injury; he suffered the injury against #19 Florida State when he played just 26 snaps...two-time ACC Offensive Lineman-of-the-Week pick; he also won the award against Central Michigan...led the team in snaps in each of the last eight games...had 12 knockdown blocks in 94 snaps against #14 Virginia Tech...led the team in knockdown blocks five times, all of which occurred in the last seven games of the regular season...had at least 12 knockdown blocks in three straight games (Virginia Tech, Central Michigan, Maryland)...had his best grade (87) at South Carolina...graded in the 80s in each of the last seven games and 10 of his 12 games...played well at N.C. State with an 82-percent grade and 8.5 knockdown blocks...had 12.5 knockdown blocks and an 82-percent grade in 91 snaps at Maryland...one of the big reasons Clemson led the ACC in scoring offense and was second in total offense, rushing offense, and passing offense...Clemson had a 3-1 record in games he started at guard and 5-3 record when he started at center...had his second-best grade of the year against #18 Boston College; he had an 86-percent grade and 4.5 knockdown blocks in 72 snaps.

2006: Had 22 knockdown blocks and three intimidation blocks in 117 snaps...had his best game against Louisiana Tech when he graded 92 percent in 12 snaps and had 5.5 knockdown blocks, including two intimidation blocks...saw his most action against Temple when he played 33 snaps; he had a career-high 6.5 knockdown blocks...played 27 snaps against North Carolina and had 2.5 knockdown blocks...saw action in six of the last seven games on offense, including 10 snaps in the Music City Bowl against Kentucky...played 22 snaps in his first career game against Florida Atlantic and had 3.5 knockdown blocks.

2005: Red-shirted...scout team player-of-the-year on offense by the coaching staff...named to the academic honor roll for the fall semester.

Before Clemson: Graded over 90 percent as a senior at Camden High School...all-state by The State, High School Sports Report, and SCVarsity.com as a senior...Upstate Lineman-of-the-Year as a senior...Shrine Bowl starter at offensive tackle...one of the top-10 Shrine Bowl players by Rivals.com...all-county, all-region, and all-area as a junior and senior...named to the SuperPrep Mid-Atlantic team as the #11 prospect in South Carolina...all-region and all-area as a senior...#97 prospect on the East Coast by SuperPrep...#20 offensive guard in the nation and #8 prospect in South Carolina by Rivals.com...#9 prospect on Spartanburg Herald-Journal's Fab-50 list...#8 prospect in South Carolina by TigerIllustrated.com and #3 prospect in South Carolina by TigerNet.com...#7 prospect in South Carolina by CUTigers.com...#1 offensive lineman in South Carolina by The State...graded over 85 percent as a junior...played every position on the offensive line in high school...three-year letterman in wrestling who won the AAA state title as a junior...had a 66-4 career wrestling record...state finalist and North/South All-Star in wrestling as a senior...four-year letterman in football; he played on the AAA state title team as a freshman offensive tackle...honor student and recipient of the Governor's Award for outstanding character...president of his high school FCA and soloist in the church choir...coached by Jimmy Neal...chose Clemson over Maryland, Penn State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest...born Nov. 14, 1986...graduated in August, 2009 with a degree in political science.