Tag: B.T. Potter

Social media reacts to the first half of Clemson vs. LA Tech

Clemson in a one possession game at the half.

The first half of Clemson’s matchup versus Louisiana Tech in Memorial Stadium is officially in the books with the Tigers holding a 13-6 lead over the Bulldogs at the half.

Clemson’s offense recorded two field goals and one touchdown over the course of the half. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei completed 12-for-22 for 144 yards, 42 yards rushing and a 55% completion rate. Uiagalelei had two monster throws for 41 yards and 38 yards to Joseph Ngata and Antonio Williams respectively, one of which resulted in the Tigers lone touchdown of the half.

On the other hand, Clemson’s defense struggled to contain Louisiana Tech’s offense which garnered 156 yards of offense and two field goals.

Here’s a look at how Twitter reacted to the first half of the Clemson-Louisiana Tech game:

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Clemson Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 39 Aidan Swanson

Swanson enters his third season with the Tigers as their starting punter.

Heading into the 2022 season, ClemsonWire will look at multiple players on the Clemson football roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school and what role they will play for head coach Dabo Swinney this season.

For this profile, we will take a closer look at punter Aidan Swanson.

Swanson enters his third season with the Tigers this fall after being named the starting punter last week. The Florida native has spent most of his Clemson career as the backup for veteran kicker B.T. Potter, but Swanson will get his chance as a starter when the Tigers kick the season off against the Yellow Jackets on Monday, September 5.

Here’s a snapshot look at Aidan Swanson.

Punting competition a balancing act for Potter

The tattoo serves as a constant reminder of where B.T. Potter ultimately wants to take his career. Running down the inside of the left calf of Clemson’s veteran specialist are the words “Don’t let your dreams die.” Potter said he often gets …

The tattoo serves as a constant reminder of where B.T. Potter ultimately wants to take his career.

Running down the inside of the left calf of Clemson’s veteran specialist are the words “Don’t let your dreams die.” Potter said he often gets questions about the location of the tattoo considered he’s a right-leg kicker, but there’s a specific reason for the placement.

“If I got it on my right leg, it would read up instead of reading down, so I figured I’d get it there (on my left leg),” Potter said. “Just a reminder to myself that things might get tough, but I’ve always had this dream since I was kid.”

That dream is the NFL, which Potter could have a crack at next year once his fifth and final season at Clemson comes to an end. The Tigers’ kicker opted to put those aspirations off one more year to return to Clemson, where his second senior season could come with more responsibilities now that he finds himself also competing to handle the punting duties.

For Potter, it’s making for a balancing act between the future and present.

On one hand, adding more versatility to his game could make him a more appealing specialist at the next level. NFL teams rarely spend draft picks on kickers and punters, so combining the two would maximize the chances of Potter’s dream being realized. He used former Texas kicker Cameron Dicker as an example. Dicker, who spent most of his career with the Longhorns as a placekicker, signed with the Los Angeles Rams as a punter after going undrafted this spring.

Dicker was cut by the Rams earlier this week, but being able to do both got Dicker’s foot – er, leg – in the door.

“It’s pretty cool to see (punting) is what got him to the league and helped him get a spot on the team,” Potter said. “It’s pretty important.”

But Potter also wants to maintain his status as one of the ACC’s top placekickers. A Lou Groza Award semifinalist in 2020, Potter is coming off his best season as a Tiger last year after converting a career-high 80.8% of his field goals. It earned his second-team all-ACC honors.

Potter was thrust into the punting competition during the spring following Will Spiers’ departure. He also handles kickoffs, so Potter said the spring game was the first time he had done all three in a game since his prep days at South Pointe High School.

“And I was like, ‘Man, my leg. I’ve really got to take care of it,’” Potter said. “I can’t kick into the net as much if I do all three during the game. I really have to think about preparing. You’ve got to know if this is a punting situation or a field-goal situation and just knowing the difference in the swings and how to switch between the two.”

Assistant coach Mike Reed, in his first year coordinating the special teams, said it’s been important to keep Potter on a pitch count during preseason camp in order to keep his leg fresh, which has also given the coaching staff more opportunities to evaluate the other two candidates for the punter job, Aidan Swanson and true freshman Jack Smith.

Potter will handle all three if that’s the way things play out. Ideally, though, Potter acknowledged it would be better if one of them won that job.

“That would be great,” Potter said. “I love to compete, but at the end of the day, I think that would help my leg stay fresh.”

Dear Old Clemson has added to the store posters signed by all 20 members of Clemson’s 2022 football class.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Reed asked how confident he’d be in Clemson’s punters, if the season kicked off tomorrow

The first day of fall camp was a rough one in Clemson’s competition to replace Will Spiers as its next full-time punter, with redshirt junior Aidan Swanson, senior B.T. Potter and true freshman Jack Smith struggling during punting drills and head …

The first day of fall camp was a rough one in Clemson’s competition to replace Will Spiers as its next full-time punter, with redshirt junior Aidan Swanson, senior B.T. Potter and true freshman Jack Smith struggling during punting drills and head coach Dabo Swinney calling it maybe “the worst punting drill I’ve ever seen in my life.”

However, while the punters received mixed reviews through the first week of preseason camp, their response since that first practice has been much more positive and Swinney said the group bounced back with solid performances the next two days.

Swinney had his highest praise for the group’s performance following Clemson’s fifth practice on Aug. 10, saying that day “was incredible” and the Tigers “went from no contest to now we’ve got a three-horse race” between Swanson, Potter and Smith, who “won the day” that day and “was just bombing it” according to Swinney.

With all that said, how confident would Clemson special teams coordinator Mike Reed feel about his punters if the season kicked off tomorrow?

Reed was asked that question Tuesday evening while meeting with reporters.

“Well, right now, until game week, it’s going to be a competition,” he said. “I don’t want anybody to get into a situation where they’re comfortable. So, right down to the last bit is when we’ll make that decision.”

Swinney has bragged on Swanson in particular, saying recently that “he has been awesome,” and Reed was asked if he’s seen good things from Swanson as well.

Swanson said his goal is to average at least 40 yards per punt. He’s punted eight times for Clemson for an average of 38.1 yards to this point, but the lefty showed what he’s truly capable of during the spring game when he averaged 45.5 yards on six punts.

“He’s had a heck of a camp,” Reed said. “The young man’s come out here and he’s really matured and he’s put in the work and it shows, and it’s good. It’s his time. It’s time to produce.”

ESPN analyst discusses Shipley and Clemson’s ‘fierce’ defensive front

On ESPN’s College Football Live this week, ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill talked about Clemson’s defense/special teams heading into the upcoming season. If Luginbill could choose any combination of defense and special teams to have, he said he would …

On ESPN’s College Football Live this week, ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill talked about Clemson’s defense/special teams heading into the upcoming season.

If Luginbill could choose any combination of defense and special teams to have, he said he would take the Tigers’ combo in those phases of the game.

“I think they’ve got the deepest, most fierce two-deep in the front four of any defense in college football, at least heading into the season,” Luginbill said. “And then you take a look at their running back, who’s on the verge of maybe breaking out as a premier player in Will Shipley, and he’s a top return man returning as a top performer in the return game. So, if he stays healthy and that defense stays intact, I like that combination of kicking game and defense for Clemson. Oh, by the way, the placekicker’s back at Clemson as well.”

The kicker Luginbill alluded to is of course B.T. Potter, who enters 2022 with a 53-of-71 career mark on field goals and a 185-of-186 mark on PATs in 55 career games (40 starts), while also entering 2022 averaging 64.26 yards on 368 career kickoffs with 280 touchbacks.

Clemson is coming off a 2021 campaign in which its defense ranked second nationally behind only defending national champion Georgia in points per game allowed (14.8) and eighth nationally in total defense (305.5 yards per game allowed).

Although defensive end Xavier Thomas is expected to miss four to six weeks with a foot injury suffered in last Saturday’s scrimmage, the Tigers still boast an ultra deep and talented defensive line with the likes of Myles Murphy, K.J. Henry, Justin Mascoll, Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis among numerous others.

Clemson ranked 15th nationally last season in average kickoff return yards (24.86), with Shipley averaging 27.1 yards on 14 kickoff returns.

Clemson has ‘long way to go’ at this position

There was one position on Clemson’s football team that Dabo Swinney felt unsure of heading into the summer. The first day of preseason camp only exacerbated that feeling for the Tigers’ head coach. Aidan Swanson, B.T. Potter and the rest of …

There was one position on Clemson’s football team that Dabo Swinney felt unsure of heading into the summer. The first day of preseason camp only exacerbated that feeling for the Tigers’ head coach.

Aidan Swanson, B.T. Potter and the rest of Clemson’s punters had a day to forget Friday during punting drills. Instead of long, arcing kicks, their punts largely fluttered, most of them struggling to carry beyond 30 yards. Returners routinely had to run up in a full sprint to keep the balls from hitting the ground if they could field them at all.

“That might’ve been the worst punting drill I’ve ever seen in my life the first day. It was awful,” Swinney said earlier this week. “We’re going for it on fourth down.”

Swanson in particular caught Swinney’s eye as the Tigers continue to search for Will Spiers’ replacement. Swinney said the fourth-year junior, widely viewed to be the favorite, had a “really bad first day” but bounced back with a much more consistent performance during Clemson’s second practice Saturday, which wasn’t open to the media for viewing. Swanson has punted eight times for an average of 38.1 yards so far in his career, but his average punt in the spring game traveled 45.5 yards.

“Maybe it was because y’all were here,” Swinney said, referencing members of the media. “He was unbelievable on Saturday. He’s just got to find a way to be consistent. He can do it.” 

If he can’t, the job could go to Potter, who joined the competition this spring. The Tigers’ veteran placekicker averaged 42.3 yards per punt in the spring game and is still a candidate to pull double duty this fall.

But Swinney isn’t near ready to call a winner in the race. Clemson has a little less than four weeks before it has to play a game against Georgia Tech on Labor Day night, and it may need nearly all of that time before a decision is made.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Swinney said. “I feel good about our protection. I feel good about our personnel. We’ll be ready, but we’re not ready right now.”

Dear Old Clemson has added to the store posters signed by all 20 members of Clemson’s 2022 football class.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

The one position group for Clemson that still has ‘a long way to go’

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney had one question exiting the spring, and it appears that question has yet to be answered.

As Clemson concluded spring ball in April, the one question head coach Dabo Swinney had about his team surrounded the punting unit, and there hasn’t been much clarity since then.

With Will Spiers now in the NFL, the starting punter position has become a competition between junior Aidan Swanson and kicker B.T. Potter, who has taken on the challenge of potentially playing both special teams positions.

While Swinney is confident in the protection and personnel, the punting itself from Swanson and Potter hasn’t been up to standard.

“We have a long way to go,” Swinney said on Monday. “Aidan had a really bad first day and came out the next day, and he was unbelievable on Saturday. He’s just got to find a way to be consistent.”

Swinney didn’t comment on Potter’s performance after the first couple of days of fall practice, but during the Tigers’ first practice on Friday, Swinney was not pleased with either.

“That might have been the worst punting drill I’ve ever seen in my life that first day. It was awful.”

“We’ll be ready, but we’re not ready right now. We have a long way to go.”

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National outlet tabs five Tigers preseason All-Americans

A national outlet released its annual “Preseason All-America Team” on Monday. Pro Football Focus (PFF) published its first-, second- and third-team nominations, and five Tigers have been named preseason All-Americans by PFF. Redshirt sophomore …

A national outlet released its annual “Preseason All-America Team” on Monday.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) published its first-, second- and third-team nominations, and five Tigers have been named preseason All-Americans by PFF.

Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Bryan Bresee was named to the first-team defense, while junior linebacker Trenton Simpson and sophomore safety Andrew Mukuba were selected to the second-team defense.

Offensively, redshirt senior offensive tackle Jordan McFadden was named to PFF’s second-team offense, and super senior kicker B.T. Potter was tabbed as a special teams preseason All-American.

Clemson is among the programs with the most players represented on PFF’s preseason All-America team with five, trailing only Alabama (nine), Ohio State (eight) and Georgia (seven).

Simpson enters 2022 credited with 110 tackles (18.5 for loss), 10.0 sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble in 837 snaps over 25 games (15 starts), while Bresee enters this season credited with 48 tackles (9.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks, two pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble and a safety in 586 defensive snaps over 16 games (14 starts). Prior to being limited to four games last season due to a torn ACL, Bresee became the second ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in Clemson history in 2020, joining Dexter Lawrence (2016).

Mukuba made an immediate impact for the Tigers in 2021, earning Freshman All-American honors from nearly every outlet as well as being named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and a third-team All-ACC selection. He enters his sophomore season in 2022 credited with 54 tackles (two for loss), a sack, nine pass breakups and a fumble recovery in 576 snaps over 13 games (10 starts).

McFadden enters his third year as a starter in 2022 having played 1,971 career snaps over 42 career games (25 starts). He was a second-team All-ACC selection in 2021 and also collected second-team all-conference honors from the AP, PFF and Phil Steele. The Spartanburg, S.C., native played a team-high 872 offensive snaps over 13 games (all starts) last season, finishing the year as one of only four Clemson offensive or defensive players to start every game. His 872 snaps were the most by a Clemson offensive tackle since 2016 (Mitch Hyatt, 994).

Potter enters 2022 with a 53-of-71 career mark on field goals and a 185-of-186 mark on PATs in 55 career games (40 starts) and also enters 2022 averaging 64.26 yards on 368 career kickoffs with 280 touchbacks. He became Clemson’s school record holder in career field goals of both 40-plus and 50-plus yards in 2021 and enters 2022 ranked fourth in Clemson history in career points by a kicker (344), third in career PATs (185), fourth in career points (344) and seventh in made field goals (53). The Rock Hill, S.C., native became the first player in Clemson history to score 100 points in three different seasons and opened his career converting his first 122 consecutive PATs, a school record.

Clemson opens the 2022 season against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday, Sept. 5 (8 p.m., ESPN).

Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center.  Clemson returns one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix.   If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Clemson leads with six on All-ACC Preseason Team

Clemson leads with six on All-ACC Preseason Team

Via the ACC:

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) –  Clemson leads all schools with six players on the 27-member 2022 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Football Team announced on Wednesday.

NC State followed with five selections, including quarterback Devin Leary, who was voted the ACC Preseason Player of the Year.

Preseason honors were determined by a vote of 164 media members, including those who were credentialed for last week’s ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Clemson, which was picked by the media as the likely conference champion in the ACC Preseason Poll released earlier this week, placed a balanced contingent on the preseason All-ACC team with two players on offense and three on defense in addition to placekicker B.T. Potter.

NC State’s Leary is coming off a 2021 campaign in which he became the first and only quarterback in ACC history to hit the 35 (touchdowns)-5 (interceptions) threshold in a single season. He set a new school single-season record with his 35 passing touchdowns, breaking the previous mark of 34 held by Philip Rivers (2003).

Leary led the 2022 ACC Preseason Player of the Year balloting with 40 votes, followed by Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman (30) and Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (21). A total of 11 players received votes.

North Carolina’s Josh Downs led all players named to the preseason team with 128 votes at wide receiver and was also selected as the team specialist with 57 votes at that position. Downs set program records in 2021 with 101 receptions and 1,335 receiving yards. He ranked third in the ACC (13th nationally) averaging 9.8 yards per punt return.

Clemson offensive tackle Jordan McFadden, who received 127 preseason votes, enters the 2022 campaign having played 1,971 career snaps over 42 career games (25 starts). He is joined on the preseason All-ACC offensive line by Miami tackle Zion Nelson, Louisville guard Caleb Chandler, Boston College guard Christian Mahogany and NC State center Grant Gibson.

Syracuse sophomore running back Sean Tucker placed third among all players with 125 votes following a 2021 season in which his 1,496 rushing yards set a program record. Leary and Tucker are joined in the All-ACC preseason backfield by Clemson’s Will Shipley, who rushed 149 times for 738 yards (5.0 avg.) with 11 touchdowns, caught 16 passes for 116 yards and averaged 27.1 yards on 14 kickoff returns as a freshman in 2021.

In addition to Downs, the preseason All-ACC wide receiver corps boasts two more perpetual big-play threats in Wake Forest’s A.T. Perry and Boston College’s Zay Flowers.

Perry set the Wake Forest single-season record with 15 touchdown receptions last season, three more than any other player in the program’s history. Flowers’ 122 career receptions rank 12th all-time at Boston College, while his 1,979 receiving yards are 10th on the Eagles’ all-time list.

Miami fifth-year senior Will Mallory led the preseason voting at tight end following a 2021 season with 30 receptions for 347 yards with four touchdowns. All-purpose back Keytaon Thompson of Virginia led the Cavaliers with 78 receptions for 990 yards last season while rushing for 247 yards and four touchdowns.

Clemson and NC State each placed three players on the defensive side of the preseason team following a 2021 season in which the Tigers led the ACC in total defense and the Wolfpack ranked third.

The Tigers earned two spots among the front four as end Myles Murphy (120 votes) and tackle Bryan Bresee (116) led the defensive balloting. They are joined by the Pitt tandem of end Habakkuk Baldonado and tackle Calijah Kancey, who combined for 16 quarterback sacks last season.

NC State’s Drake Thomas (fourth among ACC tacklers last season with 100) led the voting for the three-man linebacking corps and is joined by Clemson’s Trenton Simpson and the Wolfpack’s Payton Wilson.

Florida State safety Jammie Robinson, who tied for the conference lead in interceptions last season, led the preseason secondary balloting with 93 votes. He is joined by Louisville cornerback Kei’Trel Clark, Boston College cornerback Josh DeBerry and NC State safety Tanner Ingle.

Potter ranks fourth in Clemson history in career points by a kicker (344) and is the first Tiger to score at least 100 points in three different seasons. Miami’s Lou Hedley, a 2021 Ray Guy Award semifinalist, was the preseason choice at punter after averaging 44.9 yards on 47 punts last year.

2022 Preseason All-ACC Football Team
(Total votes in parenthesis)
QB         Devin Leary, NC State (56)
RB         Sean Tucker, Syracuse (125)
RB         Will Shipley, Clemson (112)
WR        Josh Downs, North Carolina (128)
WR        A.T. Perry, Wake Forest (111)
WR        Zay Flowers, Boston College (104)
TE          Will Mallory, Miami (69)
AP         Keytaon Thompson, Virginia (70)
OT         Jordan McFadden, Clemson (127)
OT         Zion Nelson, Miami (82)
OG        Caleb Chandler, Louisville (104)
OG        Christian Mahogany, Boston College (67)
C            Grant Gibson, NC State (90)

DE         Myles Murphy, Clemson (120)
DE         Habakkuk Baldonado, Pitt (54)
DT         Bryan Bresee, Clemson (116)
DT         Calijah Kancey, Pitt (62)
LB          Drake Thomas, NC State (92)
LB          Trenton Simpson, Clemson (82)
LB          Payton Wilson, NC State (60)
CB         Kei’Trel Clark, Louisville (70)
CB         Josh DeBerry, Boston College (65)
S            Jammie Robinson, Florida State (93)
S             Tanner Ingle, NC State (63)

PK         B.T. Potter, Clemson (99)
P            Lou Hedley, Miami (101)
SP          Josh Downs, North Carolina (57)

Preseason Player of the Year
1. Devin Leary, QB, NC State (40)
2. Sam Hartman, QB, Wake Forest (30)
3. Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami (21)
4. Bryan Breese, DT, Clemson (14)
4-t. Brennan Armstrong, QB, Virginia (14)
6-t. Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville (12)
6-t. Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina (12)
8. Sean Tucker, RB, Syracuse (11)
9. Myles Murphy, DT, Clemson (5)
10. Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson (3)
11. Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State (2)

 

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Clemson leads with six on All-ACC Preseason Team

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Clemson leads all schools with six players on the 27-member 2022 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Football Team announced on Wednesday. NC State followed with five selections, including quarterback Devin Leary, …

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) –  Clemson leads all schools with six players on the 27-member 2022 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Football Team announced on Wednesday.

NC State followed with five selections, including quarterback Devin Leary, who was voted the ACC Preseason Player of the Year.

Preseason honors were determined by a vote of 164 media members, including those who were credentialed for last week’s ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Clemson, which was picked by the media as the likely conference champion in the ACC Preseason Poll released earlier this week, placed a balanced contingent on the preseason All-ACC team with two players on offense and three on defense in addition to placekicker B.T. Potter.

NC State’s Leary is coming off a 2021 campaign in which he became the first and only quarterback in ACC history to hit the 35 (touchdowns)-5 (interceptions) threshold in a single season. He set a new school single-season record with his 35 passing touchdowns, breaking the previous mark of 34 held by Philip Rivers (2003).

Leary led the 2022 ACC Preseason Player of the Year balloting with 40 votes, followed by Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman (30) and Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (21). A total of 11 players received votes.

North Carolina’s Josh Downs led all players named to the preseason team with 128 votes at wide receiver and was also selected as the team specialist with 57 votes at that position. Downs set program records in 2021 with 101 receptions and 1,335 receiving yards. He ranked third in the ACC (13th nationally) averaging 9.8 yards per punt return.

Clemson offensive tackle Jordan McFadden, who received 127 preseason votes, enters the 2022 campaign having played 1,971 career snaps over 42 career games (25 starts). He is joined on the preseason All-ACC offensive line by Miami tackle Zion Nelson, Louisville guard Caleb Chandler, Boston College guard Christian Mahogany and NC State center Grant Gibson.

Syracuse sophomore running back Sean Tucker placed third among all players with 125 votes following a 2021 season in which his 1,496 rushing yards set a program record. Leary and Tucker are joined in the All-ACC preseason backfield by Clemson’s Will Shipley, who rushed 149 times for 738 yards (5.0 avg.) with 11 touchdowns, caught 16 passes for 116 yards and averaged 27.1 yards on 14 kickoff returns as a freshman in 2021.

In addition to Downs, the preseason All-ACC wide receiver corps boasts two more perpetual big-play threats in Wake Forest’s A.T. Perry and Boston College’s Zay Flowers.

Perry set the Wake Forest single-season record with 15 touchdown receptions last season, three more than any other player in the program’s history. Flowers’ 122 career receptions rank 12th all-time at Boston College, while his 1,979 receiving yards are 10th on the Eagles’ all-time list.

Miami fifth-year senior Will Mallory led the preseason voting at tight end following a 2021 season with 30 receptions for 347 yards with four touchdowns. All-purpose back Keytaon Thompson of Virginia led the Cavaliers with 78 receptions for 990 yards last season while rushing for 247 yards and four touchdowns.

Clemson and NC State each placed three players on the defensive side of the preseason team following a 2021 season in which the Tigers led the ACC in total defense and the Wolfpack ranked third.

The Tigers earned two spots among the front four as end Myles Murphy (120 votes) and tackle Bryan Bresee (116) led the defensive balloting. They are joined by the Pitt tandem of end Habakkuk Baldonado and tackle Calijah Kancey, who combined for 16 quarterback sacks last season.

NC State’s Drake Thomas (fourth among ACC tacklers last season with 100) led the voting for the three-man linebacking corps and is joined by Clemson’s Trenton Simpson and the Wolfpack’s Payton Wilson.

Florida State safety Jammie Robinson, who tied for the conference lead in interceptions last season, led the preseason secondary balloting with 93 votes. He is joined by Louisville cornerback Kei’Trel Clark, Boston College cornerback Josh DeBerry and NC State safety Tanner Ingle.

Potter ranks fourth in Clemson history in career points by a kicker (344) and is the first Tiger to score at least 100 points in three different seasons. Miami’s Lou Hedley, a 2021 Ray Guy Award semifinalist, was the preseason choice at punter after averaging 44.9 yards on 47 punts last year.

2022 Preseason All-ACC Football Team
(Total votes in parenthesis)
QB         Devin Leary, NC State (56)
RB         Sean Tucker, Syracuse (125)
RB         Will Shipley, Clemson (112)
WR        Josh Downs, North Carolina (128)
WR        A.T. Perry, Wake Forest (111)
WR        Zay Flowers, Boston College (104)
TE          Will Mallory, Miami (69)
AP         Keytaon Thompson, Virginia (70)
OT         Jordan McFadden, Clemson (127)
OT         Zion Nelson, Miami (82)
OG        Caleb Chandler, Louisville (104)
OG        Christian Mahogany, Boston College (67)
C            Grant Gibson, NC State (90)

DE         Myles Murphy, Clemson (120)
DE         Habakkuk Baldonado, Pitt (54)
DT         Bryan Bresee, Clemson (116)
DT         Calijah Kancey, Pitt (62)
LB          Drake Thomas, NC State (92)
LB          Trenton Simpson, Clemson (82)
LB          Payton Wilson, NC State (60)
CB         Kei’Trel Clark, Louisville (70)
CB         Josh DeBerry, Boston College (65)
S            Jammie Robinson, Florida State (93)
S             Tanner Ingle, NC State (63)

PK         B.T. Potter, Clemson (99)
P            Lou Hedley, Miami (101)
SP          Josh Downs, North Carolina (57)

Preseason Player of the Year
1. Devin Leary, QB, NC State (40)
2. Sam Hartman, QB, Wake Forest (30)
3. Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami (21)
4. Bryan Breese, DT, Clemson (14)
4-t. Brennan Armstrong, QB, Virginia (14)
6-t. Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville (12)
6-t. Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina (12)
8. Sean Tucker, RB, Syracuse (11)
9. Myles Murphy, DT, Clemson (5)
10. Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson (3)
11. Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State (2)

–Press release courtesy of theacc.com

Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center.  Clemson returns one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix.   If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.