By Heath Bradley.

By Heath Bradley

CLEMSON – Six weeks into the season Andre Ellington is healthy and it showing in his performance for No. 13 Clemson.

Currently, Ellington leads the ACC in rushing with 99.5 yards per game, a total of 597 yards through six games. He started off the season with a bang, rushing for 228 yards in helping lead the Tigers to victory over Auburn. Though those numbers were impressive, he still feels his best is yet to come.

“I always know my best effort is the next game,” he said. “That is something that I shoot for each week.”

The Tigers (5-1, 2-1 ACC) would not mind his best performance to come this week against Virginia Tech, who visits Death Valley at noon on Saturday. The Hokies (4-3, 2-1) have struggled at times stopping the run this season. North Carolina running back Giovani Bernard rushed for 262 yards in UNC’s 48-34 victory two weeks ago, while the Tar Heels ran for 339 yards as a team.

Ellington has had some success against Virginia Tech as well, rushing for 125 yards and a touchdown in the ACC Championship game last December.

“It gives you confidence knowing you have had that kind of success, but none of that will matter this year,” Ellington said. “We are both different teams. They are still a very good defense and we are going to have to execute and play well to beat them.”

So far, no running back in the ACC is playing better than Ellington, who contributes a lot of that to his health. In each of the last two seasons, early injuries nagged him for much of the year.

“I am just going to pray and hope it continues throughout the season,” the senior said. “Hopefully I can stay healthy and continue to catch the football.”

Despite is health issues in the past, Ellington has always been a dynamic playmaker in the running game at Clemson, and when he decided to return for his senior season he wanted to make more of an impact in the passing game. So far he has caught seven passes this season for 137 yards and a touchdown. His 19.6 yards per catch average is the most of any Tiger with five or more receptions.

“Things are starting to pay off for me, so hopefully by the end of the year I can say I have had a great season,” he said.

As the Tigers head into the second half of the season, Ellington feels the bye week could not have come at a better time. Ellington spent last weekend relaxing and watching football, including the Duke-Virginia Tech game, which the Hokies rallied to score 41 unanswered points in a 41-20 victory.

What did Ellington see while watching the Hokies? He said saw a team that was starting to play their best football of the season, a team that was playing as hard as they had all season. For Ellington, the key to victory over Virginia Tech will be the same as it has been all season for the Tigers.

“We know they are going to come in here with great effort. It is all about us, we have to go out there and play our game and let the score speak for itself,” he said.

One thing is for certain, No. 23 will play his best as he has put his past struggles and adversity behind him.

“I feel pretty good,” Ellington said. “Those are things I have not been thinking about. I feel like if I think about it, it is going to happen. I just go out there and play the game.”