Korn takes advantage of rare opportunity

CLEMSON -- Willy Korn was finally able to enjoy some success Saturday.

Clemson's backup quarterback threw his first touchdown pass of the season -- an 18-yard throw to Jaron Brown -- and rushed for his first score, a 1-yard quarterback sneak.

Korn entered having taken 44 snaps this season, a position the third-year quarterback hardly expected to be in when he arrived as a heralded recruit out of Byrnes High.

Many have speculated Korn will transfer after the season. Korn said following the game he wasn't ready to make a decision on his future. He said last month he will evaluate where his best chance is to play after the season.

He wants to play.

"I didn't look at it like an (audition)," Korn said of Saturday's game. "It's an opportunity."

Korn said he knows his role and that he had a conversation with Dabo Swinney after reports surfaced that he was frustrated with his lack of playing time. Korn said he wanted to communicate to Swinney that he wasn't unhappy with Clemson's coach.

Swinney replaced starting quarterback Kyle Parker with Korn as the Tigers held a four-touchdown lead in the third quarter.

Korn completed 5 of 6 passes for 55 yards and rushed for 16 yards on three carries.

Heisman watch

Coastal Carolina punter Ben Erdman kicked away from C.J. Spiller, and the Chanticleers were surprisingly effective at bottling up Spiller until he scored from 6 yards out in the second quarter.

Following Spiller's electric performance at Miami last week -- combined with a wide-open Heisman race -- Spiller-for-Heisman buzz picked up during the week.

However, Spiller was not able to pad his numbers Saturday. The senior did not play after the midway point of the second quarter, finishing with 27 rushing yards on five carries.

"I didn't anticipate playing him much at all," Swinney said.

Jaron Ochouno

Jaron Brown took a short Korn pass and made six defenders miss with some shifty juke moves en route to the end zone in the third quarter.

It was Brown's first touchdown and quite possibly the finest running after the catch by any Clemson receiver this season.

Brown, who wears No. 81, had "Ocho Uno" written in his eye black, a nod to Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco.

Brown has been inconsistent this season, but the play displayed the type of "explosiveness" Swinney said he sees from the 6-2, 195-pound freshman during practice.

The Butler did it

Clemson really began to pour it on in the second quarter, with Crezdon Butler ending the Chanticleers' first semblance of a drive with his 11th career interception. Butler returned the ball 47 yards before being tripped up at the Coastal 16, setting up Spiller's 40th career touchdown.

Butler has 243 career interception return yards, tying him with Michael Hamlin for second in school history. Rex Varn (1977) holds the school record with 275 return yards.

Perfection continues

The Tigers improved to 23-0 against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision. Clemson has outscored FCS opponents by a combined score of 835-124.

Quotable Swinney

Asked who he was going to be for Halloween, Swinney said postgame: "Steve Spurrier."

Extra points

Jacoby Ford's half-back option touchdown to Xavier Dye was the first touchdown pass by a Clemson wideout since Chip Davis threw a scoring pass to Gary Cooper in 1988 against Florida State. … It was the first time since a 1984 win against Duke that three players threw scoring passes for Clemson … Converted guard David Smith continued to split time at right tackle with Landon Walker, and Mason Cloy continued to bounce around the interior of the line as a reserve … Clemson improved its homecoming record to 64-19-3. It marked Clemson's first Halloween homecoming since 1931.