BAMBERG -- B-E has a boogeyman.

He's 6-foot-4 inches tall. He weighs 265 pounds. He's ripped to the core. He's smart. He can run, and oh boy can he hit.

His name is Daquan Bowers, and after next year he will be in Clemson, playing for the Tigers. But, Wednesday Bowers was decked out in his Bamberg-Ehrhardt football equipment from head to toe -- except for the orange athletic shorts with the white paw print he donned -- and he was busy terrorizing the Red Raiders' reserves.

The first play -- first-team defense versus second-team offense -- said it all. It was a running play towards Bowers' side. The back took the ball -- and there he was -- with his football gear on, protective pads on both arms, shaded visor and braids hanging out the back of his helmet. It was the stuff nightmares are made of. The Predator had appeared out of thin air, and he had bad intentions.

Spring practice is supposed to consist of light contact. No hitting? Forget about it. Bowers leveled the kid -- leaving him motionless on the ground for a moment -- before teammates came rushing to his aid, inquiring about his well-being. He was fine, and after a quick hand in getting back to his feet, he was headed to the huddle for another snap.

From the home grandstand, former and future teammate, Clemson standout defensive end Ricky Sapp looked on. A Clemson recruiter roamed the sidelines. One day, the Tigers may have the Red Raiders duo as bookends on their defensive line. Sapp said he and Bowers have talked about that day, but that's still in the future, just like the 2007 football season.

Thursday was the final day of the first week of spring practice for the Red Raiders. The team lost 16 starters from a season ago, but it still has Bowers -- one of South Carolina's top college prospects.

"Daquan is a really good player," said B-E head coach Ron Duncan. "He has started every game here since his freshman year. He plays hard. He has a tremendous motor, and he is a smart kid. He has a lot of football sense, and he plays with a lot of savvy.

"He's kind of rare," Duncan continued. "He projects to be good at the next level, and he is already good at the high-school level. We are really fortunate to have him."

According to Duncan, B-E will dress around 71 players for varsity games next year, a very good number for a Class-A school.

"Yes, we are blessed," he said. "We are going to dress 71-or-so this year, and we had around 70 last year. But, that just goes back to the family atmosphere.'

That atmosphere is one in which cursing is not allowed, and coaches do very little brow-beating. According to the coach, it's why players keep coming back. In four years, Duncan's Red Raiders have had 10 players sign to play college football. And, every time one of them pays their former school a visit -- be it a practice or a game -- it's a tool that Duncan and his coaching staff take advantage of.

"The kids we have now, they see those guys when they come back," Duncan said. "They see them, and they want to live up to those expectations that have been set for our program."

In 2007 the Red Raiders will be looking to be rebound from a disappointing end to the 2006 season. Last year, B-E was 10-0 in the regular season, but in the first round of the playoffs Allendale-Fairfax pulled off a 20-12 upset in Bamberg. According to Duncan, not much will change in the way the Red Raiders approach the game.

"We are still going to play option football," he said. "We will run some power and counter, and we will throw from time to time. We are just going to work the plan, take advantage of the talent we have, and hope for the best."

Under center, the Red Raiders will be led by Chris Presley and Zack Godley. Both players gained starting experience at quarterback a season ago, and Duncan said he is confident in their abilities. While he will be a major force on defense, Bowers will also get carries out of the backfield. On the offensive line, Duncan said he has high expectations for Brandon Bamberg and Jeffery Salley.

On defense, Salley will play some on the defensive line, and Godley will start at linebacker. Cedrick Wright, who missed last season with a shoulder injury, returns at linebacker, and Duncan said that Rhondu Forbes, Corey Welcome, Terry Close and Que Verner all return in the secondary.

"We are still going to base most of our stuff out of the 4-3," he said. "We are not changing much. We have a system, and our kids move up through that system."

B-E spent much of Thursday's practice broken down into groups. The defensive linemen stayed in one end zone, and the defensive backs, wide receivers and quarterbacks in another. The linebackers worked near the home sideline at midfield. At times, groups came together. Passing skeletons were formed, and a few times the protective pads were broken out for brief 11-on-11 work. The practice wrapped up with Duncan leading his group of seniors on a tour of the inside of the school's new $1.2 million dollar field house. It will house most of B-E's spring sports and, in the fall, the football team. The groups' goal is to bring a championship trophy to the new facility, and the work to do so won't stop with the end of spring practice next week.

The Red Raiders will host a passing tournament on June 16. On June 23, the team will attend the SC State passing camp, and on June 29 the team will travel to North Augusta for a passing tournament. In between, B-E will be hard at work in the weight room.

"Everyone is doubting us again like they did last year," said Bowers. "We lost a lot of seniors just like last year. But, everyone is stepping up and gelling. "I think we are going to be real good."

T&D Sports Writer Brian Linder can be reached by e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553.

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