Tag: ACC Kickoff

Henry talks up Bresee, says star defensive tackle is an ‘amazing physical specimen’

CHARLOTTE – As Clemson’s lone representative on defense during the ACC Kickoff at The Westin Charlotte, it didn’t take long for KJ Henry to be asked about some of his teammates on that side of the ball. In a breakout session with reporters, Henry …

CHARLOTTE — As Clemson’s lone representative on defense during the ACC Kickoff at The Westin Charlotte, it didn’t take long for KJ Henry to be asked about some of his teammates on that side of the ball.

In a breakout session with reporters, Henry was almost immediately asked about Bryan Bresee and what stands out about his game.

“Other than the fact that when he stands beside me, I can’t see anything, it’s his drive,” Henry quipped. “There’s no doubt about it. He wants to be the best version of himself…He’s an amazing physical specimen of a player. He’s been dominating offensive linemen probably since he was five years old. He’s been a great guy…and he’s grown as a leader as well.”

Bresee, widely projected to be a high pick in next year’s NFL Draft, is nearly 10 months removed from surgery to repair his knee ligament. Bresee did some light running on the side during the spring and will be “ready to rock and roll” by the time fall camp rolls around, according to his position coach, Nick Eason.

Henry said that it’s been cool to see that a guy like Bresee isn’t satisfied, especially fighting back from the season-ending ACL injury he suffered against N.C. State last season.

That’s a different challenge. It strains on you mentally in ways that a lot of people don’t understand because they’ve never gone through that,” Henry said. “ Just seeing what he’s made of in that sense has been awesome.”

Henry hasn’t seen a different drive from Bresee, but he knows that the star defensive tackle has a different appreciation for the game of football.

“I’ve suffered a knee injury as well and that’s what injuries do,” he said. “Appreciation for the practices. Appreciation for the nutrition. The ability to just stand up from this chair and walk off this stage. You have to sometimes be humbled and reminded of those things. I’m not gonna put words in his mouth, but if I had to guess, I’d say just his appreciation for the things we’re allowed to do in life because we wake up every day, we go about our business and we kind of don’t think of that. I know he probably has that.”

Dear Old Clemson’s first event is July 24. Now there is a new way to support Clemson student-athletes. Come out and meet the freshmen football players at this meet and greet autograph session. If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events. Purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Now at Virginia, Elliott says he’s ‘very blessed’ to have learned from ‘total package’ Swinney

CHARLOTTE – Tony Elliott’s relationship with Dabo Swinney has changed over the years, but the Virginia coach has always sought out advice from someone he viewed as a sometimes father figure and now mentor. That’s why when Swinney told him the …

CHARLOTTE — Tony Elliott’s relationship with Dabo Swinney has changed over the years, but the Virginia coach has always sought out advice from someone he viewed as a sometimes father figure and now mentor.

That’s why when Swinney told him the Virginia job was the right opportunity for him, he listened.

“I told him he needs to take the job,” Swinney said Wednesday. “I told him this is the right one. I felt like he was a great fit for Virginia, and I felt like Virginia was a great fit for Tony and his family. He has turned down several head jobs over the last few years, but I felt like Virginia was the right fit for him.”

Of course, it wasn’t as easy as that. Since 2015, Elliott has known that he wanted to make the transition, but he also knew that he needed to find the right place. It took going through an experience with another school the previous year and getting close to a possible transition for Elliott to determine that he was ready for the next step.

He just needed to decide between Virginia and Duke.

What really solidified Charlottesville as a landing spot for Elliott and his family was not the initial conversations he had with Virginia athletic director Carla Williams, but rather the follow-up ones.

“I’m about relationships. I was looking for alignment. That was the number one thing I was looking for,” Elliott said Thursday. “We were able to have a couple of conversations off the record that solidified that UVA was the right place for me. It already fits the profile, what I was looking for because you guys know that academics for me is the most important thing. I was a ballplayer just like these guys, and I had dreams of playing in the NFL, but it was my aunt’s persistent and consistent messaging to me about my education. Now my life and the lives of my children has changed because of education.”

It started there.

“The alignment was established through those off-the-record conversations, and then there’s a lot of similarities between where I was coming from and UVA,” he said. “ It’s a college-oriented town. It’s in the ACC, and I believe that this is the best conference in college football. I’ve experienced it at the highest level, so I knew I had a chance to compete for championships.

“Then the last thing is I wanted to be somewhere where I could build what I believe is the model program that shows you can win at the highest level but you don’t have to compromise anything from a character standpoint, an academic standpoint and player development standpoint.”

Elliott, of course, learned what it takes to build a model program from Swinney. He also learned what it takes to build, protect, establish and sustain a culture.

“I’m very, very blessed to learn from what I believe is the best in the business, from a total package standpoint in Coach Swinney,” Elliott said.

Elliott believes he, Uiagalelei will benefit from adversity faced in 2021

CHARLOTTE -It’s no secret that last season was a frustrating one for Clemson’s offense. Tony Elliott was often criticized and questioned, as well as his now-former quarterback. But there were lessons to take away, and if you ask Virginia’s head …

CHARLOTTE —It’s no secret that last season was a frustrating one for Clemson’s offense.

Tony Elliott was often criticized and questioned, as well as his now-former quarterback.

But there were lessons to take away, and if you ask Virginia’s head coach, he and DJ Uiagalelei will be better because of the adversity they faced. 

At the ACC’s annual football media kickoff Thursday at The Westin Charlotte, The Clemson Insider asked Elliott what he learned from the ups-and-downs that Uiagalelei experienced in his final season as Clemson’s offensive coordinator.

“One thing that I’ve learned is that adversity is the companion of a champion and the enemy to the weak,” Elliott said Thursday. “Adversity is necessary for you to grow. It was good to see DJ battle through all of that and now he’s a better person because of it, which is going to make him a better player in the long run.

“Just having that wealth of experience and also being able to point to the success and everybody talks about DJ, but Trevor (Lawrence) had a season or so a couple of games where he was struggling…but on the other side, he came out and he became a better player.”

Elliott believes that while adversity is necessary to your growth, it doesn’t mean you have to like it. He knows that there’s gonna be adversity this season for all his players, including Brennan Armstrong, as well as himself.

“Programs are truly defined on how they respond to adversity,” he said. “Do you fold or do you come out fighting and become better on the other side?”

Photo credit: Jim Dedmon/USA Today Sports

Slimmed down Henry talks goals ahead of upcoming season, aims to be more ‘consistent’

CHARLOTTE – DJ Uiagalelei wasn’t Clemson’s only representative at the ACC’s annual football media day at The Westin Charlotte, who elected to get in better shape this offseason. KJ Henry has slimmed down a little bit himself. “I lost about 10-pounds …

CHARLOTTE — DJ Uiagalelei wasn’t Clemson’s only representative at the ACC’s annual football media day at The Westin Charlotte, who elected to get in better shape this offseason.

KJ Henry has slimmed down a little bit himself.

“I lost about 10-pounds myself,” Henry said Wednesday. “I was fine with how I played (last season) and the weight I played at, but definitely felt like — I’m about 255-260 right now — talking with honestly some of the older guys before me and hearing kind of the weight they played in, just letting me know that I can slim down a little bit still and be ready for the next level. Hearing that, I thought that would be better for my body and my joints and things like that.”

This season will be Henry’s final at Clemson before he takes his shot at the NFL. This season and the production that comes with it will be imperative to not only Clemson’s defensive success, but Henry’s draft stock going forward.

That includes finishing on sacks, which has been a point of emphasis for Clemson’s defensive line this offseason. The Tigers felt like they left a lot of sacks on the field last season and the addition of Nick Eason to Dabo Swinney’s staff has brought a different perspective to the room.

“It’s been a great improvement,” Henry said. “It’s definitely been a point of emphasis. Adding Coach Eason to the mix this year, he’s given us a deeper layer and appreciation for rushing the passer, bringing his NFL knowledge to our room and has allowed us for some schematic advance in what we’re trying to do this year. So really just more attention to detail than anything and definitely a bigger emphasis for sure.”

Henry was asked about his personal goals for the upcoming season. While it’s nothing concrete and won’t grab any headlines, it’s detrimental to his success for his final season at Clemson on and off the field.

“Number one is being a great leader for my team and in order to do that, I have to watch extra film every day, knowing my responsibility and knowing I have to be in the right place where my team needs me to be,” he said. “Being another voice for the coaches. There’s so many ways that come with being a great leader and a great teammate and in order to do so, there’s a lot of things that I have to do outside of football to allow me to do that.

“Being consistent is another thing. I think being consistent in my play is something I want to see. I’ve shown y’all and myself that I’m able to play at a high level, but it has to be consistently at a high level. That takes attention to detail and practice…and just all the little things throughout the week, in order to play my best consistently at a high level on Saturdays.

Henry says that his goals really do mean a lot to him because if he’s committed to that mindset and ideals that he laid out above, a lot of great things will come out for him.

— Photo by Jaylynn Nash // ACC

Dear Old Clemson’s first event is July 24. Now there is a new way to support Clemson student-athletes. Come out and meet the freshmen football players at this meet and greet autograph session. If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events. Purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Henry says support for father ‘has been a blessing for my family and really myself’

CHARLOTTE – KJ Henry was among Clemson’s representatives for the ACC Kickoff on Wednesday. And while the redshirt senior defensive end was in the Queen City to preview Clemson’s upcoming season at The Westin, along with Dabo Swinney, DJ Uiagalelei …

CHARLOTTE — KJ Henry was among Clemson’s representatives for the ACC Kickoff on Wednesday.

And while the redshirt senior defensive end was in the Queen City to preview Clemson’s upcoming season at The Westin, along with Dabo Swinney, DJ Uiagalelei and Jordan McFadden, his heart was in North Charlotte.

Henry’s father, Keith, underwent surgery five days ago, as he received a kidney transplant. 

“Pops is doing good,” Henry said Wednesday when asked about the health of his father. “We live about 20-25 minutes from here, so he’s probably chilling at home, listening and watching me all day. He’s doing great.”

With the help of his son and some of his teammates, they were able to raise money for Keith, who had been dealing with chronic kidney disease for years and found out back in February that he needed a kidney transplant.

KJ sprung into action and used his platform to publicly reveal his father’s condition. It wasn’t long thereafter that he and some of his teammates came up with a way to help cover the costs of Keith’s medical bills: an autograph fundraiser.

“That whole experience has been a blessing for my family and really myself,” KJ said. “Now, I get to dive into Help Hope Live and help other families because I know it’s not easy for every family to raise money that fast and to find a donor that fast. It even threw me by surprise how fast we were able to do it and I know that’s just not the case with everybody. I know that feeling. I know that feeling when you get that call and you have that issue and you have to try and find a quick fix. And it’s not a fun feeling. It’s been awesome.”

KJ said that it’s been a blessing for his family that his father is now in a better place and it’s opened a light for him to try to help others.

He was never afraid to ask for help from his teammates because he already knew the answer would be a resounding “Yes.” KJ already knew that people were going to help him and it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with the people he was surrounded with and the type of guys that Clemson has in its locker room.

“It’s easy to ask for someone else’s help because no one’s too good,” he said, “and that’s one of the best things about being at Clemson.”

If not for a routine checkup, Keith wouldn’t be on the road to recovery. He’ll need to have at least three check-ups a week going forward, but all indications point to him being in good health. And for that, KJ and his family couldn’t be more grateful.

Dear Old Clemson’s first event is July 24. Now there is a new way to support Clemson student-athletes. Come out and meet the freshmen football players at this meet and greet autograph session. If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events. Purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Bri brings you the latest from the ACC Football Kickoff

CHARLOTTE – The 2022 ACC Football Kickoff got underway Wednesday at the Westin. They saved the best for last as Clemson was the final team of the afternoon. Bri brings you some of the highlights from day 1.

CHARLOTTE — The 2022 ACC Football Kickoff got underway Wednesday at the Westin.  They saved the best for last as Clemson was the final team of the afternoon.

Bri brings you some of the highlights from day 1.

Phillips on the possibility of Notre Dame joining the ACC

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As hectic as the last 12 months have been across the college football landscape with unexpected departures, megaconferences, NIL and everything in between, Jim Phillips remains confident that the ACC’s 15 schools will stick …

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As hectic as the last 12 months have been across the college football landscape with unexpected departures, megaconferences, NIL and everything in between, Jim Phillips remains confident that the ACC’s 15 schools will stick together.

“I love our 15 schools, and I’m confident in us staying together,” Phillips said Wednesday. “That’s all I’ve heard in all the calls that we’ve had. We want to work together to try to provide more resources to our student-athletes, so we’re all on the same page.”

On that same note, Phillips was yet again asked about the possibility of Notre Dame potentially joining the ACC in hopes to strengthen the conference going forward.

While this has been a repeated talking point, the Fighting Irish find themselves at the forefront of the conversation with the Big Ten and SEC each adding two big-time programs, respectively, over the past year or so.

“I sat here a year ago talking about Notre Dame and whenever I’ve been asked the question, we continue to remain close with Notre Dame,” Phillips said. They know how we feel. They know that we would love to have them as a football member in the conference, but we also and I also respect their independence. Having worked there, having two children there…I know what independence means to Notre Dame. So you respect it, and I know that if there comes a time that Notre Dame would consider moving to a conference and away from independence, I feel really good about it being the ACC.”

Notre Dame is scheduled to play four ACC opponents this upcoming season, including a Nov. 5 showdown against Clemson in South Bend.

Dear Old Clemson’s first event is July 24. Now there is a new way to support Clemson student-athletes. Come out and meet the freshmen football players at this meet and greet autograph session. If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events. Purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Phillips challenged on ACC’s Grant of Rights

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After a long-winded opening statement that lasted nearly a half-hour, Jim Phillips fielded questions left and right about the future of the conference. One of the questions pointed toward the ACC’s commissioner was about his …

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After a long-winded opening statement that lasted nearly a half-hour, Jim Phillips fielded questions left and right about the future of the conference. One of the questions pointed toward the ACC’s commissioner was about his confidence in whether or not the conference’s Grant of Rights will be challenged.

“I can just go by what history has told us about the grant of rights, including in current times,” Phillips said during Wednesday’s ACC Kickoff. “People talk about Oklahoma and Texas leaving immediately, I think that’s pretty well-stated now that’s not the case. They’re gonna wait until their grant of rights are over. Listening to UCLA and USC at the end of June, June 30th, and subsequent days after they clearly are going to stay in the Pac-12 until their Grant of Rights is over.

“So you can follow the logic there. I would think that the significance of what that would mean. The television rights that the conference owns as well as a nine-figure financial penalty, I think it holds, but your guess is as good as mine.”

Phillips was later challenged regarding the answer he gave above.

The schools he previously referenced had three years remaining on their Grant-of-Rights, while schools within the ACC have 14 years remaining. That’s a stark contrast.

“Everything is on the table,” he said. “We understand what that means. We understand what that revenue means moving forward, but I will also say, as I look at the next few years, I like where we’re going. But, again, the window is through ’36, so we’re going to have to address it, no question.”

The Grant-of-Rights agreement tied to the league’s contract has been instrumental in keeping other conferences from poaching ACC programs. Under the current agreement, member schools would have to pay an exit fee and surrender the entirety of their TV revenue to the conference if they elect to bolt elsewhere.

As Phillips mentioned before, the ACC’s long-term deal with ESPN doesn’t expire until 2036. The problem that lies within is the revenue gap.

“As it relates to TV partners, again, I don’t want to speculate about what anyone else has done,” Phillips said. “We have a deep relationship with ESPN, a valuable relationship, and they’re the ones that created the network with us. They’re the ones we partnered with. I give so much credit to Commissioner (John) Swafford for all of his work. We’ll stay close because, in the end, it has to add value to your conference, and you can define value in different ways. You can define value from an academic standpoint. You can define value about athletic success and competitiveness. Are they an AAU research institution? You can also define it by money and does it have value to your conference? Would it have value to your conference?”

“That’s the same exercise that I think has been going on for college athletics for a long, long time,” he added.

Dear Old Clemson’s first event is July 24. Now there is a new way to support Clemson student-athletes. Come out and meet the freshmen football players at this meet and greet autograph session. If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events. Purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Trenches will set tone between Clemson-Georgia

The Clemson offensive line faces a tall test in week one against Georgia when it squares up with one of the best defensive lines in the country. But Matt Bockhorst and his unit are up for the task, and he got excited talking about the two colliding …

The Clemson offensive line faces a tall test in week one against Georgia when it squares up with one of the best defensive lines in the country.

But Matt Bockhorst and his unit are up for the task, and he got excited talking about the two colliding in Charlotte, N.C. on Sept. 4.

“That battle is going to dictate the pace of the game, which is great because that’s the essence of football, what happens in the trenches. We’ve got a formidable opponent but as do they,” Bockhorst said at the ACC Kickoff last week.

The Tigers experienced highs and lows on the offensive line last season as it proved one of the best pass protecting units in the country but also struggled at times and finished the year with a rough outing in the Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State.

But offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell returns a lot of experience up front this season despite losing left tackle Jackson Carman to the NFL Draft and the graduation of center Cade Stewart.  The unit returns Bockhorst for a fifth season, junior Will Putnam and redshirt junior Jordan McFadden.

Entering fall camp the unit is poised to find the best fit at center and Caldwell hopes to see McFadden take ownership at left tackle.

Bockhorst knows the importance of camp this fall ahead of the marquee matchup to kick off the season.

“You know what this camp is going to speak volumes about where we stand in that regard and we are going to be ready on Sept. 4 to execute,” Bockhorst said. “Definitely a worthy opponent and not somebody we can’t look past.”

Jordan Davis anchors the Bulldogs’ defensive line and received plenty of preseason hype with first team All-America honors by Phil Steele, second team honors by the Walter Camp Foundation and a spot on the watchlists for the Nagurski Award and Outland Trophy.

And while Bockhorst feels preseason awards are often merited it doesn’t carry any weight when the Tigers and Bulldogs renew their historic rivalry in Charlotte.

“Obviously people see potential in great players and that’s why a lot of times you get accolades but sometimes that’s not the case,” Bockhorst said “I always try to be wary of that but I know they’ve got some great players up front and we are really looking forward to it.”

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