Tag: Adam Randall

Who did – and didn’t – make the trip for Clemson’s opener

ATLANTA – Clemson released its travel roster ahead of its season opener against Georgia Tech tonight, which is limited to 80 players since it’s an ACC game. As expected, defensive end Xavier Thomas, receiver Adam Randall and freshman cornerback …

ATLANTA — Clemson released its travel roster ahead of its season opener against Georgia Tech tonight, which is limited to 80 players since it’s an ACC game.

As expected, defensive end Xavier Thomas, receiver Adam Randall and freshman cornerback Myles Oliver did not make the trip. Thomas is recovering from a foot injury he sustained during fall camp while Randall continues to progress from ACL surgery he underwent this spring. Oliver sustained a season-ending shoulder surgery during camp.

Another defensive end, redshirt freshman Zaire Patterson, also didn’t make the trip. Neither did offensive lineman Mason Trotter. True freshmen who didn’t travel include defensive linemen Caden Story and Jaheim Lawson, linebacker Kobe McCloud, safety Kylon Griffin, tight end Josh Sapp and punter Jack Smith.

True freshmen that did make the trip include quarterback Cade Klubnik, safety Sherrod Covil, linebacker Wade Woodaz, receiver Antonio Williams, cornerbacks Jeadyn Lukus and Toriano Pride Jr., running back Keith Adams Jr., linebacker T.J. Dudley and placekicker Robert Gunn. So did offensive linemen Collin Sadler and Blake Miller, who will get the start at right tackle.

Kickoff from Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set for 8 p.m.

Swinney updates health status of team heading into season opener

During his press conference Thursday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave an update on the health status of his team heading into Monday’s season opener against Georgia Tech. “We’re a healthy team. That’s been a blessing for us,” Swinney said. …

During his press conference Thursday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave an update on the health status of his team heading into Monday’s season opener against Georgia Tech.

“We’re a healthy team. That’s been a blessing for us,” Swinney said. “We’re in a much better spot than we were this time last year, and hopefully that can be a trend for us this year.”

Swinney gave an update on freshman wide receiver Adam Randall, who has been making swift progress in his recovery from ACL surgery in the spring, as well as fifth-year senior defensive end Xavier Thomas, who is recovering from surgery for the foot injury that he sustained in the Tigers’ first scrimmage of preseason camp on Aug. 13.

“Obviously, we’ve got two guys that are two-deep guys for us, in Adam Randall and Xavier Thomas, that are out for this game. But both are trending in a really good direction,” Swinney said.

“Adam is full speed. In fact, he’s working on scout team every day this week and next week, and really just taking every rep. That’s kind of the last little check for him. And Xavier’s doing great. So, we’re in a good spot there and guys are ready to get to Atlanta and play.”

Swinney also gave an update on redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Tre Williams, who missed most of camp with a knee injury.

“He’s good,” Swinney said. “He’s ready to go.”

Clemson’s season opener against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is set to kick off at 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5.

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Clemson ‘trending in a good spot’ at this position

While plenty of eyes have been on D.J. Uiagalelei and Cade Klubnik at quarterback, Clemson’s coaching staff has been pleasantly surprised by another position on the offensive side of the ball as the Tigers continue preparations for their season …

While plenty of eyes have been on D.J. Uiagalelei and Cade Klubnik at quarterback, Clemson’s coaching staff has been pleasantly surprised by another position on the offensive side of the ball as the Tigers continue preparations for their season opener.

Clemson’s receiving corps has a bit of a different look to it with Justyn Ross (NFL) and Frank Ladson (transfer) no longer around, and the group was without E.J. Williams, Beaux Collins and Adam Randall for part if not all of preseason camp as the trio dealt with injuries. But all things considered, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he likes where the position is at as the Tigers embark on game week ahead of their Labor Day tussle with Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

“It’s a good group that’s held their own without Beaux, without E.J. and without Adam,” Swinney said recently. “We’re trending in a good spot there.”

Swinney said he’s been encouraged by what he’s seen from the receivers who have been available throughout the preseason. That includes the Tigers’ top option in the slot, Brannon Spector, who’s in line to get his first game reps in more than a year after missing all of last season with injuries and complications from COVID-19. Swinney said Spector led the team in receptions during its final camp scrimmage and has been consistent throughout the preseason.

“Every day, he keeps showing up,” Swinney said.

Will Taylor and true freshmen Antonio Williams and Cole Turner have also caught Swinney’s eye. Williams had a “nice, big play” in the last scrimmage and will see playing time this fall, Swinney said. Taylor, who’s back playing football for the first time since tearing his ACL last October, is another speedy option in the slot as well as in the return game.

“He didn’t get a fall. He didn’t get a spring,” Swinney said, referencing the reps Taylor missed because of his injury. “He’s literally like a true freshman out there, but every day, he gets better.”

On the outside, fellow sophomore Dacari Collins has gotten more reps in Beaux Collins’ absence and had a big play in the last scrimmage, Swinney said. And senior Joseph Ngata had a healthy, productive camp, which may be the best news for the group considering the nagging injuries the former blue-chip recruit has dealt with throughout his time at Clemson.

“Joe’s been great,” Swinney said. “He hasn’t missed anything . He hasn’t missed a rep. I think he had a day right there (early in camp) where he came down and hit his head, but he’s been awesome. He’s been an excellent leader for us.”

If Ngata can maintain a clean bill of health, offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder is more than capable of being the next big-bodied handful for opposing defenses at the boundary receiver position.

“I’ve got a ton of confidence in Ngata,” Streeter said. “He’s done a great job this camp. He works his tail off. He only knows one speed, and that’s 100%. That’s what I love about the kid. He’s overcome some stuff mentally with injuries and things like that, and he’s in a great spot. I feel really good about where he is.”

As for the injured wideouts, there have been some positive developments with them, too. Williams (hematoma) recently returned to practice and should be good to go for the opener while Streeter said last week he expected Collins (shoulder) to return in “the next week or so.” Collins finished second on the team with 38 receptions last season.

Meanwhile, Randall continues to make swift progress in his recovery from ACL surgery in the spring. Randall was recently upgraded from a yellow practice jersey (non-participant) to a green jersey (limited). While Randall isn’t expected to be ready for the opener, Swinney said it isn’t out of the question that the 6-2, 230-pound freshman could be fully cleared sometime in September.

“We’ve got a really good group,” Swinney said. “I’m super proud of them.”

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Another positive development in Randall’s recovery

Adam Randall continues to make strides in his recovery from his knee injury. Clemson’s freshman receiver wore a green jersey during today’s practice, an upgrade from the yellow, non-participant jersey he’d worn for much of preseason camp. Green …

Adam Randall continues to make strides in his recovery from his knee injury.

Clemson’s freshman receiver wore a green jersey during today’s practice, an upgrade from the yellow, non-participant jersey he’d worn for much of preseason camp. Green jerseys are worn by injured players who are allowed to practice on a limited basis without contact.

Randall is less than five months removed from surgery to repair the torn ACL he sustained midway through spring practices, an indication of just how rapid his recovery has been. He’s still wearing a brace on his surgically repaired knee but ran routes and took part in conditioning drills toward the end of today’s practice.

“I don’t know if y’all saw (Randall running routes), but it was pretty fun to watch,” offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said. “He was doing some stuff. Not getting touched yet, but he was still running a lot of good routes and getting back into the swing of things and trying to get in that football shape you need to be in as far as a receiver. He did some good things, so it was really, really neat to see him out there at such an early time with his recovery.”

Randall received rave reviews from coaches and teammates for both his play and his maturity as a first-year player during the spring before his injury. Barring any setbacks for the former Myrtle Beach High standout, Streeter said the plan is still for the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder to immediately be thrown into the rotation out wide when he’s able to play.

“He brings a lot of big-play potential,” Streeter said. “He made plays in both the run game and the pass game (this spring), and he made the one-on-one plays a lot against some of our best guys on defense. It was very exciting and gave the offense confidence whenever he was out there, so that big-play mentality is the biggest thing.”

As for when Randall may be available to play, Streeter repeated both Swinney and Randall’s reluctance to put a firm timetable on it. But Randall’s return continues to trend toward sooner rather than later.

“It’s just kind of week by week,” Streeter said. “We’ll get him sometime here soon I think and sometime in the next month or two for sure. It’s not going to be at the end of the season, so we’re really, really excited about that.”

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Another positive development in Randall’s recovery

Adam Randall has been on the fast track to a return since undergoing surgery this spring, but even Dabo Swinney was taken back by the latest development in his freshman receiver’s recovery. Randall, who’s less than five months removed from ACL …

Adam Randall has been on the fast track to a return since undergoing surgery this spring, but even Dabo Swinney was taken back by the latest development in his freshman receiver’s recovery.

Randall, who’s less than five months removed from ACL surgery, was clocked moving at a faster pace than the rest of the receivers during one of the Tigers’ first preseason practices, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. That despite Randall wearing a knee brace and a yellow jersey through the first three practices, indicating he can’t part in any contact periods.

Yet, on the side, the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder is still wearing some of the GPS technology that all players wear to track things like speed and acceleration.

“We GPS all these guys, and he had the fastest time of all the wide receivers,” Swinney said. “I looked at it again, and I’m like, ‘OK, now wait a minute.’ He ran like 20 miles an hour or something like that. It’s crazy.”

Randall recently told The Clemson Insider he didn’t have any specific timetable on returning to full speed following the injury he sustained midway through spring practices, and Swinney has largely followed suit in that regard. But Swinney said Monday that Randall being cleared to play could happen as soon as September, reiterating the obvious with the former Myrtle Beach High standout.

“He’s way ahead of where he is supposed to be,” Swinney said.

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Some great news on the injury front

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave an injury update on Adam Randall while meeting with the media Monday evening. Swinney said the true freshman wide receiver is tracking toward being available sometime in September. “He’s way ahead of where he’s …

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney gave an injury update on Adam Randall while meeting with the media Monday evening.

Swinney said the true freshman wide receiver is tracking toward being available sometime in September.

“He’s way ahead of where he’s supposed to be,” Swinney said. “I think he’ll be somewhere in September, somewhere in there. What day it is, I don’t know, but I think that’s where he’s tracking.”

Randall, who had surgery this spring on his torn ACL, enrolled at Clemson in January.

A former national top-125 prospect from Myrtle Beach High School, Randall parlayed an impressive 2021 season into being one of five finalists for “Mr. Football” in South Carolina.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder had a strong senior year with 1,267 receiving yards on 65 catches with 16 touchdowns, while he also had 325 yards rushing on just 45 attempts (7.2 yards per rush) and seven touchdowns, giving him 1,592 yards from scrimmage and 23 touchdowns.

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Swinney updates Clemson’s injury situation heading into camp

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney updated the Tigers’ injury situation ahead of the team’s first practice of fall camp Friday afternoon. The Tigers were ravaged by injuries last season, most of which kept some key contributors out of the spring, including …

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney updated the Tigers’ injury situation ahead of the team’s first practice of fall camp Friday afternoon.

The Tigers were ravaged by injuries last season, most of which kept some key contributors out of the spring, including star defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (ACL recovery), tight end Davis Allen (shoulder) and cornerback Malcolm Greene (shoulder) among others.

Freshman receiver Adam Randall, who had surgery this spring on his torn ACL, is still out, but Swinney said only one other scholarship player will be limited at the start of camp. That’s fellow receiver Troy Stellato, whom Swinney said recently tweaked a hamstring.

Swinney said he’s hopeful the redshirt freshman will be back at full speed Monday.

“He’ll probably be limited today and (Saturday),” Swinney said. “Everybody else ready to roll.”

Grisham likens mindset of freshman receiver to former Clemson standout

As he continues to work his way back from his injury, Adam Randall said he’s looked to a former Clemson standout for motivation in his rehab so that he can return to the field as soon as possible. Coaches and teammates that were around when Amari …

As he continues to work his way back from his injury, Adam Randall said he’s looked to a former Clemson standout for motivation in his rehab so that he can return to the field as soon as possible.

Coaches and teammates that were around when Amari Rodgers was in the Tigers’ program have taken notice, too.

Rogers, a receiver with the Green Bay Packers after playing for the Tigers from 2017-20, has been an inspiration for Clemson’s freshman wideout after returning to action in less than six months from a torn ACL he sustained before his junior season at Clemson. It’s the same injury Randall suffered during his first spring with the Tigers.

Though he isn’t putting a timetable on his return, Randall said he’s taken on a similar mindset as Rogers. Receivers coach Tyler Grisham said it’s a good comparison.

“People are comparing him to Amari with just his work ethic,” Grisham said. “What’s funny actually is when Adam got injured, I happened to be in the receivers’ room, and he was on the phone with Amari. Amari was giving him advice. ‘Hey listen, here is what you can do on the side. Here are some extra things you can be doing.’ I would always be doing something extra, is what he was saying. (Rogers) have (Randall) some encouragement, which is the main thing for a mid-year freshman. To get in here and tear his ACL your first spring, that’s challenging. He was really doing well.”

Grisham acknowledged it was frustrating to see Randall go down with the injury not only for Randall’s well-being but also because the former Myrtle Beach High standout was in line to contribute this fall. But Randall is ahead of schedule in his recovery and could still make an impact at some point this season the way Rogers did in 2019 when he earned honorable mention all-ACC honors.

“I think they’re very like-minded,” said Grisham, who also coached Rogers. “To have a freshman come in with that kind of mindset, it’s incredible. (Randall) and I would meet, and he’s one of the better note-takers I have in my room. He showed up polished. He comes from a great program at Myrtle Beach and has some great trainers he works with, so he’s committed to his craft. So I think it’s a pretty good comparison as far as their mentality, their work ethic and what they bring to the table with that.”

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Randall reacts to lofty comparisons

Adam Randall didn’t take part in all of Clemson’s practices this spring, but his coaches and teammates saw enough of the Tigers’ freshman wideout to start making some lofty comparisons. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Randall’s advanced physique for a …

Adam Randall didn’t take part in all of Clemson’s practices this spring, but his coaches and teammates saw enough of the Tigers’ freshman wideout to start making some lofty comparisons.

At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Randall’s advanced physique for a first-year player was hard not to notice. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said the former Myrtle Beach High standout could currently blend in with an NFL locker room from a physical standpoint. Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei threw out a couple of physical comparisons for Randall, including Seattle Seahawks star wideout D.K. Metcalf, who famously ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine at 6-4 and 235 pounds.

In a recent interview with The Clemson Insider, Randall said he’s been preparing his body for the demands of college football since his freshman year of high school. He credited his trainer, Terrance Butler, for helping him with his body composition while working out three to four times a week back home before arriving on Clemson’s campus in January.

“All throughout high school, I was always training for the next level. So when I came in, it was kind of just a good fit at the time,” Randall said. “Being prepared was one of my main goals when I was coming out of high school.”

That includes the technical and mental aspects of the game, other areas in which Swinney heaped praise on the newcomer during the spring. Swinney lumped Randall in with Sammy Watkins, Justyn Ross and Beaux Collins as the most complete first-year receivers he’s seen in his 19 years at Clemson.

Collins is entering his sophomore season with the Tigers while Ross is embarking on his rookie season in the NFL. Meanwhile, Watkins, who’s entering his ninth year in the NFL after being drafted fourth overall in 2014, holds the school record for career receiving yards (3,391), a feat he pulled off in just three seasons.

“Just hopefully being able to bring some of the same elements to the game as some of those greats,” Randall said. “A guy like Sammy Watkins, he has pretty much all the records in the receiver room we look at every day. Hopefully being able to put my name on that wall eventually.”

Randall will have to wait longer than anticipated to get his collegiate career started after tearing his ACL late during the spring, though he’s expected to return to the field at some point this fall. While he said he appreciates the fact that some in the program think highly enough of him to make those lofty comparisons, Randall added, “I know all of that doesn’t mean anything if I don’t perform on the field. So that’s my main goal, keeping my eye on the prize and being able to perform at the highest level.”

Randall details rehab, mindset following ACL injury

Initially, he didn’t think it was his knee. Adam Randall’s ACL injury happened during the latter part of the spring. Clemson’s freshman receiver caught a pass over the middle, and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter closed in for the tackle. Randall …

Initially, he didn’t think it was his knee.

Adam Randall’s ACL injury happened during the latter part of the spring. Clemson’s freshman receiver caught a pass over the middle, and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter closed in for the tackle. Randall remembers hearing a pop from the force of the hit, though it came from the back of his right leg.

Or so he thought.

“It felt like it was in the back of my knee,” Randall told The Clemson Insider recently. “I thought it was my hamstring at first, but it wasn’t that.”

Randall acknowledged the official diagnosis was “devastating” at first considering it’s not uncommon for ACL tears to be season-enders for athletes. Randall, who enrolled early after a standout prep career at Myrtle Beach High School, had been on Clemson’s campus less than three months before sustaining an injury that was seemingly going to jeopardize his debut season with the Tigers.

Nearly four months removed from surgery, though, the outlook for Randall is a more positive one.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Randall is “way above every benchmark” in his recovery and expects the four-star signee to be able to return to the field at some point this fall. Randall confirmed as much, though he said his timetable isn’t getting any more specific than that.

“We don’t have a projected target date because you don’t want to put that pressure on the trainer or even the athlete,” Randall said. “Just being able to continue to get better and build confidence, that’s what you have to do when you’re recovering from an ACL. You have to build as much confidence as you had before and probably even more now because you know you’re not invincible anymore.

“As soon as I have enough confidence and I feel well enough to get back on that field, I will as soon as I can.”

Randall, who caught 16 touchdown passes during his senior season at Myrtle Beach, said he no longer feels any pain in his knee and is hoping to get back to running and cutting on it within the next couple of weeks. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder credited Clemson football’s new head athletic trainer, Pat Richards, and his staff for helping with his quick recovery during the rehabilitation process

“He brings great energy to the training room every single day, so I’ve been appreciative of him being here with the best technology and the best training staff being able to help me out,” Randall said. “Couldn’t ask for a better recovery plan, and I couldn’t ask for a better place to be to recover from this injury.”

Randall said it’s helped him get through some grueling rehab sessions, which have included him spending two to three hours per day in the training room this summer.

“Sometimes you get tired of looking at the training room walls and the trainers, but I feel like that’s the best plan for me and that’s what’s going to get me back the fastest,” Randall said.

Randall gave himself some credit in one aspect, too. Upon learning of his injury, he said he was determined not to let it keep him away from the field for a full year and used former Clemson players who went through a similar experience during their time in school as motivation.

“You see guys like Amari Rodgers and Deshaun Watson, they tear their ACLs and they come back fairly quickly,” Randall said. “Just having that same mindset with recovery and just having the same mindset as you would on the football field in the training room and the recovery room, that’s what I kind of took. Doing it every single day, I felt like that was going to help me out.

“I don’t know when I’m going to be back. It’s still a weird area, but just hopefully continuing to grow and getting stronger and have more confidence as I continue to recover is what I’m looking for.”