Rick Stockstill Position: Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers

Rick Stockstill recently completed his 13th season at Clemson, the longest tenure of any current Tiger coach. He has experience as a wide receivers and quarterbacks coach at Clemson. The 41-year old's contributions in terms of on-field coaching and recruiting are significant reasons Clemson has been to bowl games in nine of his 12 seasons with the program.

Stockstill has had a positive effect on the Clemson passing game over the years. That was never more prevalent than the last two years when he has helped Clemson establish 73 records on offense. A big reason was the play of Rod Gardner, the #15 selection of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. Gardner set Clemson's career reception record under Stockstill's guidance and finished his career with nearly 2,500 receiving yards.

Over the last two years Clemson has recorded the top two passing yardage seasons in school history. Records for completions and 300-yard passing games have also been broken. In 1999 three of Stockstill's players had at least 39 catches, including the record 80 caught by Gardner.

Stockstill also serves as Clemson's recruiting coordinator. Last year he brought in a Top 10 class, including the top group of receivers in the nation.

In 1997, his receiving corps set school records for receptions and reception yardage. Leading the way was Biletnikoff Award semifinalist Tony Horne, who had a record 70 receptions and record tying eight touchdowns. That means Stockstill has coached the players who have had the top two reception seasons in Clemson history. Stockstill graduated from Fernandina Beach High School in Fernandina Beach, FL, in 1977. Stockstill played for his dad at Fernandina Beach High School. After graduating from Florida State in 1982 with a B.S. degree in physical education, he immediately went into coaching.

As a member of Bobby Bowden's second recruiting class, Stockstill earned three letters, made three bowl trips, and was selected to play in two all-star games after his senior season. In 1981, Stockstill, the team captain, and was named an Honorable Mention All-American by The Sporting News. He helped Florida State to two Top-10 final AP rankings and wins over perennial powers in Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Ohio State, and Nebraska in his career.

He teamed with former Clemson assistant coach Reggie Herring to lead the Seminoles to the first two top-10 rankings of the Bobby Bowden era. Although Stockstill never played a game in Death Valley, his brother, Jeff, played for the Tigers from 1979-82. Jeff was a key reserve on the 1981 National Championship team and the leading receiver on the 1982 ACC Championship team that finished 9-1-1. Rick's first coaching job was at Bethune-Cookman where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1983-84. In 1985, he moved to Central Florida to become the Assistant Head Coach and wide receivers coach. During his time in Orlando he coached Shawn Jefferson, who played a decade with the New England Patriots and played the 1999 season with the Atlanta Falcons.

After four years at Central Florida, Stockstill came to Tigertown in 1989, as the quarterbacks coach, a position he had for four years. In 1992, he was the passing game coordinator and in 1993, he was the co-offensive coordinator and the wide receivers coach.

As a player, Stockstill was a part of the 1977 Tangerine Bowl, 1980 Orange Bowl, and 1981 Orange Bowl with Florida State. He also participated in the 1982 East-West Shrine Bowl and the 1982 Japan Bowl All-Star games. As a coach, he has been on nine bowl staffs. In his first year (1989) as quarterbacks coach at Clemson, he helped lead the Tigers to a single-season record for completion percentage (60%). In 1991, the offense led by DeChane Cameron, the all-time winningest quarterback in Clemson history in terms of percentage, led the Atlantic Coast Conference in total offense.

Tommy Bowden is the fourth different Clemson head coach Stockstill has worked for, the only assistant in Clemson history who has served in a full-time coaching capacity under four different coaches. His expertise in recruiting is a big reason he has been a common deminator on the staffs of the last four Clemson head coaches. Stockstill has recruited 10 players who have been drafted in the last seven years, including Gardner and all-Pro defensive tackle Trevor Pryce.

Stockstill and wife Sara have one son, Brent, and one daughter, Emily.

STOCKSTILL FACTS
Coaching Experience: College - Offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Bethune-Cookman College (1983-84)...assistant head coach and wide receiver coach at the University of Central Florida (1985-88)...quarterbacks coach at Clemson (1989-91)...passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach (1992-1993)...co-offensive coordinator and wide receiver coach (Dec. 1993-1995)...wide receivers coach (1996-98)...recruiting coordinator/wide receivers coach at Clemson (1999-present).

Playing Experience: Earned three letters in football from Florida State University...1981 FSU team captain. Education: Graduated from Fernandina Beach High in Fernandina Beach, FL, in 1977...earned a B.S. degree in physical education from Florida State in 1982.

Personal Data: Born Rick Wilson Stockstill on December 23, 1959 in Georgetown, KY...married the former Sara Fleischman of Orlando, FL, on July 7, 1990...the couple has one son, Brent (7) and one daughter, Emily (4).

Bowl Participation: As a player - 1977 Tangerine Bowl...1980 Orange Bowl...1981 Orange Bowl...1982 East-West Shrine Bowl...1982 Japan Bowl...As a coach - 1989 Gator Bowl...1991 Hall of Fame Bowl...1992 Citrus Bowl...1993 Peach Bowl...1996 Gator Bowl...1997 Peach Bowl...1998 Peach Bowl...1999 Peach Bowl...2001 Gator Bowl...2001 Humanitarian Bowl