Bring on the hype and bring on all the expectations. Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware says Clemson’s goal is not only to win an ACC Championship this year, but a national championship as well.

“I have the same expectation every year no matter who the personal is,” he said following Tuesday’s first practice of fall camp. “Our goal is to win the national championship. I think if you are a football player, a leader and have a lot of pride that should be everyone’s goal. Make it to the top. That’s our goal and that has been our goal since Day One.”

The Tigers, who open the season at home against Wofford on Sept. 5, were voted as the preseason favorite to win the ACC by the media at the ACC Football Kickoff in Pinehurst, N.C., last month. Last week, they debuted as the No. 12 ranked team in the USA Today / Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll.

Clemson safety Jayron Kearse, who changed his jersey number to No. 1, backs up Boulware’s statement, saying the expectations at Clemson have been this way since he stepped foot on campus in 2013, and because of that there is no added pressure in being one of the favorites this year.

“I wouldn’t say it is pressure. We come into every season wanting to do the same exact things,” he said. “The pressure is no different than when I got here two years ago and no different than last year.”

It is obvious where Boulware and Kearse get their confidence from. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney had the exact number of days between the first day of camp and the ACC Championship Game in December.

“We have one hundred and twenty four days from right now until the ACC Championship Game,” he said. “We have four months with ‘All-In’ commitment to try and make this a great and memorable season for all of us.

“There is a lot of opportunity out there, just like every other team across the country. There is a lot of potential, but we have to pay the price.”

Fear the beard. For several years now Brett Keisel has made his scruffy beard famous. The former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end allowed it to grow out with very little maintenance and then shaved it at the conclusion of every season to help raise money for the local Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Keisel’s beard has become so famous it has its own persona – “Fear the Beard.”

He isn’t raising any money for a local Children’s Hospital, yet, but Boulware’s beard would make Keisel’s proud. It’s been six months since he last shaved, and the linebacker says he does not plan to shave it off until the season is over.

“It is so long now, it’s got this long, I might as well go ahead and grow it out to the end of the season,” Boulware said. “I just don’t feel like shaving.”

Boulware also has a $100 bet going with his older brother, Garrett, who thinks he will not make it to the end of the season.

“That’s a lot of money for a college kid,” he said.

But it is a lot of beard, too.

“It sucks. I want to shave it so badly,” Ben Boulware said. “I literally look so ugly. I look homeless. I do the best I can with trimming it and combing it, but there is only so much you can do.

“I look disgusting. I know it. You guys don’t have to tell me … but I have gotten this far. I think it looks cool for a football player, kind of. I mean, I look ugly. I will like scare people away, but it looks cool playing football, I guess.”

It looks good enough to get him in the now famous Clemson Beard Gang, which began last year.

“I feel like I have pretty good length,” he said. “It is definitely the best beard on the team. When we made those new Beard Gang shirts, and I am the CEO, definitely. I have not been that in the past, but I have already taken over that role.”

Linebackers are better this year? Boulware thinks so. After Tuesday’s practice he said, “I know the linebacker group, compared to last year, we are a lot farther ahead than we have been in the past. That’s pretty encouraging.”

One new face in the meeting room is Travis Blanks, who began camp working with the linebackers. He is expected to compete for the starting spot at SAM and nickel back. Blanks brings added leadership and experience to the linebacker room.

“A lot of the guys in our linebacker room are eager to learn, which is not the way it has been in the past. Guys are in there early. They are in their books. They are putting in the extra time that it takes to be a successful player at this level.

“I think collectively, it is a pretty solid group overall.”

Leaders showing up. In his press conference prior to the start of fall camp, Swinney told the media leaders are not found in camp or during the season, they are instead found in the off-season when no one is around and they need someone to step up and push them.

Kearse said those guys were guys like D.J. Reader, Carlos Watkins, T.J. Green, Boulware and of course, himself.

“Guys came together and some leaders stepped up. It was just hard work all around,” he said. “We had a big weigh-in and had some good numbers so that shows everybody put in some good work over the summer.”

Israel breaks hits foot. Freshman quarterback Tucker Israel suffered a broken foot during an early drill on Tuesday, and is expected to miss at least four weeks.

“He broke the fifth metatarsal bone in a foot early in the practice,” said Swinney. “He will be out at least four week. It is the same injury Garry Peters had when he was out a month during the 2013 season.”

Israel enrolled at Clemson in January and threw for 110 yards in the spring game.  An honorable mention Parade All-American, Israel broke Tim Tebow’s state record for career touchdown passes with 162 and passed for over 15,000 yards.