It’s no secret that this past weekend was one of Clemson’s biggest recruiting weekends of the regular season, if not the biggest.
Dabo Swinney and staff played host to a number of priority prospects, as Clemson hosted more than half of the prospects that it has offered in the class of 2024. Among notable prospects in attendance were a handful of five-stars in the 2024 and 2025 class, respectively, in Jefferson (Ga.) linebacker Sammy Brown, Buford (Ga.) athlete KJ Bolden and Buford (Ga.) linebacker Jadon Perlotte.
Also in attendance were top defensive back prospects in Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day School four-star Tavoy Feagin and Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith four-star Asaad Brown.
That’s why it was imperative for Clemson to put together its best and most complete defensive performance of the season.
The Tigers held NC State to less than 290 total yards and 4 yards per play. Most importantly for Clemson, it wasn’t beat over the top with nearly the regularity that it was seven days earlier. The Wolfpack hit on a 32-yard completion, their longest play of the night, on their opening possession, but Clemson allowed just one more play in excess of 20 yards the rest of the night
Clemson’s defense also held NC State to just 34 yards on 21 carries Saturday, as the Tigers are now ranked No. 2 nationally in run defense.
During his weekly Monday media availability, The Clemson Insider asked Wesley Goodwin just how big it was for his defense to have its
“Yeah, no question, and just the atmosphere, it was electric in there,” Clemson’s defensive coordinator said. “The credit goes to our fans. They showed up, showed out. Just the atmosphere with all the lights going, I mean there’s not a better gameday atmosphere than that.”
As the reactions from Saturday’s visit continue to come in, recruits have seemed to echo what Goodwin pointed out Monday.