Clemson’s 2024 spring game is officially in the books. The Orange team defeated the White team, 27-12, in Saturday’s game at Memorial Stadium.
The Tigers had plenty of highlights on both offense and defense. Let’s look at the offense.
Wesco shows off
Bryant Wesco looked every bit the part of a five-star recruit in Saturday’s spring game. Wesco, ranked the sixth-best receiver in the nation by 247Sports for the class of 2024, made three catches for 26 yards.
Wesco, playing for the Orange team, caught a short pass over the middle and picked up 15 yards for a first down on his first catch of the afternoon.
Two plays later, Wesco did one even better by hauling in an over-the-shoulder, 9-yard touchdown grab from quarterback Trent Pearman. Wesco made the catch in tight coverage on a fade route for the Orange team’s first score of the game and a 7-3 lead with 1:31 to play in the first quarter.
Quarterback play
Speaking of Pearman, he was his own storyline in Saturday’s spring game. The sophomore from nearby D.W. Daniel High School in Clemson finished the afternoon an impressive 10-for-13 with 113 yards and a touchdown through the air.
Pearman engineered the scoring drive that ended with Wesco’s touchdown catch by capping a five-play, 57-yard drive.
One of the most impressive plays of the day was when Pearman took off for a 49-yard touchdown run on a read-option play with 3:45 to play in the first half.
Later in the game, Pearman made a nice throw intended for receiver Jackson Crosby in the corner of the end zone. It took a terrific defensive play from cornerback Noah Dixon to break up the pass with 3:07 to play.
Cade Klubnik got off to a poor start but rebounded for a decent showing at Saturday’s game. Klubnik finished his day 13-of-26 for 158 yards.
He was intercepted by cornerback Tavoy Feagin in the first quarter when receiver Adam Randall ran the wrong route. Feagin returned the interception 45 yards to set up the game’s first score, a 29-yard Nolan Hauser field goal for the White team.
Klubnik was fortunate to only throw the one pick. He uncorked a pass into double coverage later in the first quarter, but a dropped interception bailed Klubnik out on the ill-advised throw.
There were some highlights for Klubnik, though. He converted on a 3rd-and-12 midway through the second quarter when he found Antonio Williams on a short route to his right. That led to an impressive 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 7:10 off the clock and put Klubnik’s team ahead 21-6 with 5:42 left in the first half.
On Klubnik’s next drive, tight end Olsen Patt-Henry dropped what would have been a first down for the Orange team.
Later on in the game, Randall hauled in a perfect 55-yard strike from Klubnik on the final play of the third quarter.
Christopher Vizzina, who started at quarterback for the White team, was a pedestrian 14-of-25 for 108 yards and two touchdowns. His biggest mistake early on came when Jamal Anderson intercepted an attempted screen pass and returned it 25 yards for a pick six.
Later in the first half, Vizzina was picked off again by Anderson, but the play was negated by an offsides penalty.
Vizzina’s second official interception came with time winding down in the third quarter. On that play, Vizzina made a throw to the wrong side of a wheel route that led to an interception from Jahiem Lawson at the Orange team’s 2-yard line.
It wasn’t just Wesco who stood out at receiver
Clemson had a few standout performances from its receivers in Saturday’s scrimmage. Josh Sapp had three catches for 60 yards. The sophomore from Greenville made a sensational play when he leapt well into the air to haul in a 39-yard pass from Vizzina over two defenders in the third quarter.
Randall had 85 receiving yards through the air on four catches, including his 55-yard grab to end the third quarter. Randall also made a terrific catch as part of the first-quarter scoring drive that ended with Wesco’s touchdown.
Williams, sidelined for much of last season due to injuries, made a nice return to the field in the spring game. He caught five of seven targets for 62 yards, including a 19-yard reception.