Sammy Watkins To Be Replaced By Charone Peake Vs. Auburn

Clemson Vs. Auburn: Charone Peake To Start For Sammy Watkins

Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris has officially tabbed a replacement for wideout Sammy Watkins for this Saturday's Chick-Fil-A Kickoff against Auburn and next week's home game against Ball State:

Chad Morris says Charone Peake will start in Sammy Watkins's spot Sat. Won job with overall consistency.

— Greg Wallace (@aimclemson) August 27, 2012

Peake is a 6-3, 200lb. sophomore who had four receptions for 71 yards and two kickoff returns for 22 yards last season, appearing in 14 total games. That's a statistic downgrade from the at-times electrifying Watkins, who had over 1,200 yards receiving last season.

It's no shock that Watkins would miss the Auburn game due to multiple charges for drug possession. Still, according to SB Nation Clemson blog Shakin' The Southland, the expectations for Clemson fans in 2012 almost certainly dictate the Tigers beating Auburn and contending as a Top 10 team nationally.

For more on Clemson Tigers football and the Chick Fil A Kickoff, check out Shakin' The Southland.

Sammy Watkins To Be Suspended 2 Games By Clemson, According To Report

Sammy Watkins was already on track to miss some of his sophomore season with the Clemson Tigers after two misdemeanor arrests for drug possession, and Friday's report from CU Tigers, Scout's Clemson site, indicates the magic number is two.

Watkins was arrested on those two charges in early May, putting a damper on what could have been a dark horse Heisman campaign in the fall. Watkins had 83 catches for 1,226 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2011, and averaged more than 25 yards per kick return, giving Clemson's offense a jolt of game-changing speed.

Without Watkins, Clemson may turn to Adam Humphries in their first two games of the season, which will come against the Auburn Tigers and Ball St. Cardinals. He sounds slow, but it probably won't end up mattering, because Clemson being Clemson requires the Tigers to go 1-1 over those two games in a fashion that will astound onlookers.

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For more Tigers football, visit Clemson blog Shakin' The Southland.

Dabo Swinney On Sammy Watkins Punishment, Big 12 Expansion

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney, newly extended contract in back pocket, was topical with the media on Tuesday, producing a pair of nuggets of interest to a couple of important stories. There's a little something for fans of both actual football and conference room football up ahead:

Dabo Swinney: "We’re a 1000 % committed to the ACC. Going to the Big 12 is the worst thing we could do as a program. It makes zero sense"

— Travis Sawchik (@travis_sawchik) June 12, 2012

Just to clairfy, Dabo said Watkins' punishment will likely include game action. He did not say how much game time

— Travis Sawchik (@travis_sawchik) June 12, 2012

He's not all that interested in the conference realignment stuff, but Swinney might be the first Clemson higher-up to deny interest. We've heard denials from at least one rep at every other ACC school, but the only Clemson comment I've seen so far was the Board of Trustees' affirmation of general interest.

However! If star wide receiver Sammy Watkins is to miss playing time for his drug arrest earlier this offseason, that would mean missing, say, a half or more against the Auburn Tigers, the team Clemson draws in Week 1. That would put a serious hamperin' on Clemson's offense, as we've gone ahead and tallied here.

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If Sammy Watkins Is Suspended, Look For Adam Humphries Vs. Auburn

Clemson Tigers coach Dabo Swinney has yet to announce discipline for sophomore wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who was arrested Friday morning for possessing marijuana and pills, including Adderall. But Swinney has said, "There are consequences for your actions ... and there will be in this case," so it would not be surprising to see Watkins either miss game time or a solid portion of offseason activities.

If he does miss live action, he could sit out games against the Auburn Tigers and Ball St. Cardinals, assuming such a hypothetical suspension wouldn't go beyond two games. Anything more than one would be a little bit of a surprise. But that opener in the Georgia Dome is a big one, with the two Tiger squads playing each other tough and often as of late.

If Watkins misses time of any nature, prime pass-catching duties will fall to "Nuke" Hopkins, who finished last year with 961 yards and was the star of Clemson's spring ball, with Jaron Brown (406 yards) also already a starter. Adam Humphries (130) is in line to take over at Watkins' spot, with Martavis Bryant (221) and Charone Peake (71) among the backups in general.

Humphries was a two-star defensive back as a recruit, but made an impression on offense last year. He also carried the ball a little and made a tackle or two. (He made two.)

Watkins also was supposed to start returning more punts this year, but those duties would likely fall to Humphries as well.

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Sammy Watkins Arrested: Comments From Dabo Swinney, Watkins

The Clemson Tigers got a bad piece of news Friday: Sammy Watkins, set to be one of the country's best sophomores next year, was arrested for possession of weed and Adderall. While both are misdemeanors, his status means the arrest will continue to draw a lot of negative attention Clemson's way.

Said coach Dabo Swinney in a statement:

I am aware of the arrest last night. I am mad and hurt by the poor decision that Sammy Watkins made. He is a good young man who has been a model student, citizen, player and teammate. This is a reminder that good people make poor decisions. But, there are consequences for your actions ... and there will be in this case. I am in the process of gathering the facts and discipline will be determined when I have completed that process.

And from Watkins himself:

I made a mistake last night, and I am truly sorry for my actions. I let the team down, the coaches down and this University down. I will learn from this. I will accept any discipline Coach Swinney and the University issues.

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For more Tigers football, visit Clemson blog Shakin' The Southland.

Sammy Watkins Arrested On 2 Drug Charges, Both Misdemeanors

Star wide receiver Sammy Watkins of the Clemson Tigers was arrested early Friday morning. He was booked and released before it had even been made known what the charges were. Now we know: He was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and simple possession of marijuana, both of which are misdemeanors.

The release from Clemson University Police:

Clemson University police arrested two students on drug-related charges early Friday.

Samuel B. Watkins IV, 18, a freshman communication studies major from Fort Myers, Fla., and member of the football team, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and simple possession of marijuana, both misdemeanors.

Amadou-Tidiane Daniel Dia, 18, a freshman in parks, recreation and tourism management from Highlands Ranch, Colo., and member of the men's soccer team, was charged with simple possession of marijuana.

The men were arrested when police stopped the car Watkins was driving after an officer saw it scrape against a curb on campus and because the temporary license tag was not illuminated. When the officer pulled the car over in a parking lot off Commons Court, he smelled marijuana. During a search he found marijuana and two pills for which Watkins did not have a prescription.

The men were arrested and taken to the Clemson City Jail. Watkins was released Friday morning on a $1,620 personal recognizance bond, and Dia was released on a $620 personal recognizance bond.

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For more Tigers football, visit Clemson blog Shakin' The Southland.

Sammy Watkins Arrested, Released For Unknown Charge

Clemson Tigers wide receiver Sammy Watkins was arrested Friday on charges that aren't yet apparent. WSPA-TV first reported the arrest, while Greg Wallace of OrangeAndWhite.com adds confirmation and a couple of details, including that Watkins has already been released from jail:

Just confirmed that Clemson WR Sammy Watkins was arrested early today by university police and booked into Clemson city jail.

— Greg Wallace (@aimclemson) May 4, 2012

He has been released. I do not know details on the nature of his arrest, but expecting a press release from Clemson soon.

— Greg Wallace (@aimclemson) May 4, 2012

Watkins is one of the ACC's biggest stars, and he put up 1,225 receiving yards in 2011 as a freshman. We'll have more on this story as it comes out.

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For more Tigers football, visit Clemson blog Shakin' The Southland.

While we’re here, let’s watch some college football videos from SB Nation’s new YouTube channel together:

Sammy Watkins Arrested: Clemson Star Reportedly Booked For Unclear Charge

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