The Clemson Insider recently spoke with the class of 2024 quarterback, who holds a close personal relationship with Clemson’s newly-minted offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter.
The two have a bi-weekly standing phone call with one another.
The Loomis Chaffee School’s (Firksdale, MA.) Dante Reno spoke about his conversations with Streeter and his impressions of how he’d fare as an offensive coordinator.
“Obviously, he’s one of the smartest quarterback coaches that I’ve ever talked to,” Reno said. “Since I visited in the summer, I got to work with him and the stuff that he knew and all the stuff that I’ve learned just knowing him and what he brings to the table for their offense is pretty awesome to see. Just the way he coaches the quarterbacks, the way he commands the offense when we were, how he ran the passing circuit at the camp was pretty spectacular to watch and to see.”
How would Reno say their relationship has progressed since this past summer?
“It’s more than football with him,” he said. “That’s what I like about him is he really digs deep into who you are as a person, what your family’s like and I feel like that’s kind of one of the things that I’m gonna look for in a college.”
“I love talking about all the stuff,” Reno added. “To be honest, that’s the reason they’ve been so successful. They just recruit the right kids that aren’t just worried about football, obviously their football first, but when they get off the field, it’s all about family and culture…they just have a strong culture that I think a lot of programs try and strive for, but Clemson does a really good job of maintaining that.”
Reno spoke with Streeter throughout the entirety of the season. They spoke almost every Thursday, so they had an opportunity to speak after most of Clemson’s games this season, which they often talked about.
“They had a lot of injuries on offense and that was kind of the biggest problem they had,” he said. “When they got healthy, they were lights out. If they were healthy the whole season, who knows, they could’ve been playing in the College Football Playoff(s). It was as simple as the injuries and sometimes that happens — they still finished 9-3 — and a 10-win team for some teams is exceptional. But for Clemson, the standard is always a championship.”
A lot of Reno’s games during his sophomore campaign fell on Saturday(s), so he wasn’t able to make a game-day visit at Memorial Stadium this season. He plans on making his return visit to Clemson this spring for spring ball.
“I’m definitely looking forward to getting back there,” Reno said. “Looking forward to going to see a practice. I think my whole family is gonna come. So, I’m looking forward to going to go see practice and just talk to all the coaches again.”
Reno, of course, is the son of Yale head coach, Tony Reno.
He isn’t currently ranked by recruiting services but holds a list of impressive offers from schools like Arizona, Georgia Tech, Houston, Iowa, Kentucky, UMass, Purdue, South Carolina, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest and West Virginia.
While Clemson doesn’t offer sophomores, Dante feels that there’s an obvious mutual interest between the two parties. An offer is definitely something he’s going to strive for.
“Whatever I have to do for them, I’m gonna do,” he said. “However long the recruiting process is — it’s their decision at the end of the day — so all I can do is control what I can control on my end and hopefully everything works out.”
Christmas is right around the corner. Once again Clemson Variety & Frame is ready to make it a special holiday for your favorite Tiger.
Order today to make sure your gift arrives in time for Christmas.
