Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney has often mentioned a certain basketball player who, he believes, would excel on the football field. During Tuesday’s press conference, he was asked about Clemson basketball standout Ian Schieffelin’s potential as a football player.
Swinney responded confidently, saying Schieffelin could play “whatever he wanted,” but suggested that left tackle might be an ideal fit—though he acknowledged that position might not appeal to the 2024 ACC’s Most Improved Player. “He’d probably want to be a defensive end or tight end,” Swinney commented. He also joked that Clemson would welcome Schieffelin with open arms if he ever decided to switch sports.
Currently, Schieffelin and his basketball teammates are prepping for their season opener against Charleston Southern on November 4 at Littlejohn Coliseum. Swinney, jokingly, noted, “He needs to focus on what he’s doing. I don’t want any texts from Brad [Brownell]!”
A returning player from last year’s Elite Eight team, Schieffelin put up 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last season, and Brownell anticipates further growth this year. Interestingly, Schieffelin isn’t new to football—he and Clemson running back Phil Mafah were teammates at Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga. Swinney recalled, “He thinks he’s a quarterback because he played there in high school. He’d definitely be a force on the field.”