CLEMSON — Clemson’s already precarious tailback depth took a hit Friday when coaches learned that sophomore Ray Ray McElrathbey will miss the entire 2007 season with a knee injury.

McElrathbey, who was serving as the Tigers’ No.4 tailback, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a drill Thursday.

“At first I was upset,” McElrathbey said in a statement released by the Clemson sports information department. “I am past that now. Sometimes God tests you in different ways and it makes you stronger in the end. I am looking forward to having the surgery in a couple of weeks so I can start rehabilitation and get ready for next year.”

McElrathbey’s injury leaves sophomore Sadat Chambers as the primary backup behind talented tailback duo James Davis and C.J. Spiller. Chambers was a two-time Class AA Back of the Year at Pageland Central High School and was recruited as a tailback before moving to safety before his freshman season.

He moved back to tailback before preseason practice started this season.

Former walk-on Paul Macko will serve as the Tigers’ No. 4 tailback.

Running backs coach Andre Powell isn’t happy about the lack of depth, but said he’ll work with what he has.

“Would you like going to Wal-Mart with $4?” he said, when asked how he liked working with four backs. “You’d like as many guys as you can to work with. I’d like six, but I’m not going to get six. We’ll do the best we can.”

Clemson coach Tommy Bowden was upset by the news, too.

“I hate that,” he said of the injury. “He’s done really well after moving to tailback this spring, had a nice preseason, and you hate to see that happen.”

Bowden said he didn’t plan to move another player to tailback unless another serious injury occurred. Chambers will receive even more carries — and more attention now.

“It definitely creates a bigger sense of urgency for him,” Bowden said. “Knowing assignments and being sharp.”

McElrathbey played in all 13 games as a special teams player last season, making six tackles. He gained national notoriety when he took primary custody of 12-year-old brother Fahmarr from their drug-addicted mother. Fahmarr still lives with him and is a regular presence at Clemson practices.

“I think (Ray Ray) was discouraged,” Bowden said. “He saw promise in the competition at tailback. He was really down last night, early this morning, but when I talked to him at practice earlier he was starting to get over it.”

NOTABLE

Davis and senior right tackle Christian Capote, who had both been nursing shoulder injuries, returned to practice Friday…Clemson will hold its second scrimmage of preseason practice this morning at Memorial Stadium. It will run around 85 plays and will be closed to the public. Bowden said he expects starters to get much more work than they did last week, when the workout focused on younger players.