During Clemson’s 59-35 victory over NC State on Saturday, Wolfpack offensive lineman Anthony Belton was ejected for spitting on Clemson defensive lineman Tre Williams. The incident occurred late in the second quarter, and Belton was immediately tossed from the game. On Monday, NC State head coach Dave Doeren addressed the matter in his press conference, confirming that Belton will not start in the upcoming game against Northern Illinois as a result of his actions.
“I was really disappointed in Anthony Belton’s response,” Doeren said. He acknowledged that emotions can run high, but emphasized that retaliation is never acceptable, stating, “The guy that responds and retaliates is always the one that gets penalized.” Doeren added that Belton’s ejection put unnecessary strain on the team, and he’ll face the consequences this week.
Despite the incident, Doeren expressed confidence in Belton’s character. “He’s a great young man that made a bad mistake. He’ll learn from this, and our hope is he’ll grow from it,” Doeren said.
It’s on to the next one for both teams.