When news of Brent Venables’ departure for Oklahoma broke back in December, it wasn’t long after that Clemson saw an expected wave of decommitments that comes with a coordinator change.
One by one, the IMG Academy trio of Keon Sabb, Jihaad Campbell and Daylen Everette, elected to pursue opportunities elsewhere. As well as Jaren Kanak, who chose to follow Venables to Norman.
And while there were rumors that Torinao Pride, Jr. could soon follow and also walk back his commitment ahead of the early signing period, that was never going to happen.
“I don’t know why those rumors got out or anything,” Pride recently told The Clemson Insider during an NIL collective appearance in Clemson Sunday. “I think they got out because I was so close with the IMG guys. I was supposed to room with Jihaad. Daylen, that was another close friend — he was a corner.
“I think the rumors got out just because I was close with them, but my best opportunity was here. My main goal, I’m not going to college for friendships. I’m going to play on the field because I got a goal at the end of the day.”
Don’t get Pride wrong, he’s made plenty of friends in the class of 2022, but he didn’t choose Clemson because of the friendships he could make. He chose Dabo Swinney’s program because he knew it gave him the best opportunity to get on the field as soon as possible.
“I just want to get on the field,” he added.
Pride said that he’s still close with each Sabb, Campbell and Everette. During our conversation, he indicated that he could call all three of them at that very moment and they would answer.
Those relationships are still there, but that hasn’t deterred him from making new ones in what will be his home for the next 3-4 years.
“I feel like I met a lot of brothers,” Pride said. “A lot of long friendships here. I could be grown with kids and I could still hit up some of these guys over here and they could do the same with me.”
