Tag: clemson tigers football

Former Clemson QB transfers to Appalachian State; showdown with Tigers looming?

Clemson Football: The Tigers may be facing a former quarterback who donned Clemson Orange when they host Appalachian State on Sept. 7 this season.

Is a showdown between the Tigers and a former Clemson quarterback looming?

Billy Wiles, who spent two seasons in Dabo Swinney’s program after joining Clemson as a walk-on out of Stone Bridge (Va.) High School in 2021, transferred to Southern Miss after the 2022 season.

Wiles was the starting quarterback through the Golden Eagles’ first 10 games a season ago. After a seven-game losing streak that saw Wiles become part of a quarterback controversy, Wiles did not start either of USM’s final two games against Mississippi State and Troy.

He finished the season 162-of-301 with 11 touchdowns to seven interceptions. Southern Miss finished 3-9.

Now, Wiles is on the move again. After entering the transfer portal on April 12, Wiles took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday to announce that he would be staying in the Sun Belt Conference and joining Appalachian State.

The Mountaineers travel to Death Valley in Week 2 (September 7) to face Clemson. Wiles last took the field at Memorial Stadium in 2021 when he made 11 snaps under center against UConn — his only appearance in a Clemson uniform.

Commanders DE K.J. Henry recruiting Bengals star Tee Higgins

Tee Higgins wants a trade. One former college teammate wants him with the Commanders.

On the day before the 2024 NFL draft, Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins informed his team he wanted a trade. The Bengals placed the franchise tag on the 2020 second-round pick and haven’t had contract negotiations with Higgins in over a year.

With the Bengals needing to pay fellow wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase soon, it’s long been expected that Cincinnati would eventually trade Higgins. However, the Bengals have remained adamant that he is part of their plans—with Chase.

Once news of Higgins’ request went public, a former college teammate at Clemson made a pitch for the star wideout to come to the Washington Commanders.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5375″ ]

Washington defensive end K.J. Henry played two years at Clemson with Higgins. Henry sent Higgins the following message on X — formerly Twitter.

If the Bengals trade Higgins, the new team will need to surrender draft compensation and pay him at the top of the market. In four seasons, Higgins has gone over 1,000 yards receiving twice. Higgins battled injuries in 2023.

Washington is expected to draft LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Higgins would give the Commanders a big wideout, something they currently lack.

However, don’t expect the Bengals to move Higgins, and it’s doubtful Washington parts with the required draft compensation.

Best landing spots for Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins in 2024 NFL draft

2024 NFL Draft: Here’s a list of potential landing spots for Clemson Tigers cornerback Nate Wiggins in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Nate Wiggins will be a hot commodity at the 2024 NFL Draft.

The former Clemson star cornerback, who finished his collegiate career with 24 pass breakups, three interceptions and two forced fumbles in three seasons, will be looking to join an already expansive list of former Dabo Swinney players in the NFL when the draft begins Thursday night in Detroit.

Six Clemson players are expected to be drafted over the course of the three-day event: Wiggins, defensive tackles Ruke Orhorhoro and Tyler Davis, defensive end Xavier Thomas, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and running back Will Shipley.

Of those players, Wiggins will be chosen first. So where — and how high — could Wiggins go?

Pro Football Focus sees Wiggins going to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round at No. 17 overall, continuing the Clemson-to-Jacksonville shuttle that already features former Tigers stars Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne.

According to PFF’s Trevor Sikkema:

“Wiggins’ 6-foot-2 frame and length allow him to disrupt receivers in the contact window and at the catch point. He also has above-average athleticism for the position. His footwork is quick and controlled, his hips flip fluidly and fast and he has impressive recovery speed. Although Wiggins didn’t have many interceptions, his forced incompletion percentage and awareness prove that he is impactful. The best part about him is he remains confident in both man and zone responsibilities. He has a slender build, and that shows up when tasked with tackling, getting off blocks and handling stronger receivers in their routes.”

The Indianapolis Colts (at No. 15), Philadelphia Eagles (at No. 22), Arizona Cardinals (at No. 27) and Baltimore Ravens (at No. 30) are other possibilities for Wiggins.

For the Eagles’ sake, our colleagues at The Eagles Wire cited ESPN’s Draft Day Predictor model, which ranks Wiggins as Philadelphia’s most likely selection in the first round.

“Philadelphia needs a cornerback, and if they stand pat at No. 22, ESPN predicts they’ll go cornerback for the first time since taking Lito Sheppard in the 2002 draft. Wiggins was the fastest defender at the combine, but his slight frame could give the Eagles pause.”

Whoever Wiggins ends up with, an NFL franchise could be getting a lockdown cornerback for the foreseeable future.

In his final Big Board Rankings of the best prospects in this year’s class (subscription required), longtime ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Wiggins as the 25th-best overall player in the draft. In those rankings, Wiggins is one spot behind Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in Kiper’s final draft analysis.

Kiper notes:

“Wiggins stood out all over the Tigers’ defensive tape. He was impressive despite missing two games with a knee injury. He allowed 18 catches for 179 yards as the nearest defender in coverage, and two of those were turned into touchdowns.

He has the length and recovery speed to match up effectively with any wideout he goes up against. Wiggins shows a smooth turning motion, good instincts in coverage and can make up ground in a hurry while using his height and arm length as a major advantage.”

The NFL draft ceremonies will begin at 8 p.m. EDT from Detroit. The draft will be televised by ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.

WATCH: Dabo Swinney’s full interview on ACC Network

Clemson Football: Watch Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney’s full interview with ACC Network’s ACC PM on Monday, April 15.

Dabo Swinney said he loved what he saw in this year’s Orange vs. White Clemson spring game.

“We’ve got the ingredients. We’ve just got a lot of work to do,” Swinney told ACC Network hosts Mark Packer and Taylor Tannebaum during an exclusive appearance on ACC PM Monday. “I think we’ve got an eager group that’s got some good self-awareness. We’ve got good leadership on both sides.”

Over the course of a 19-minute interview, Swinney touched on several topics, including:

-what he learned from his team in this year’s spring game

-five-star recruits Bryant Wesco and Sammy Brown, and the team’s receiving room and linebacker corps

-the need for running back Phil Mafah to become a tone-setter on offense

-what he’s seen from quarterback Cade Klubnik this spring, as well as the impressive performance by backup QB Trent Pearman in the Orange vs. White game

-where he plans to use Peter Woods on defense

-Garrett Riley being settled in ahead of his second season as Clemson’s offensive coordinator

Here’s everything Swinney said on his appearance on ACC Network.

Is Dabo Swinney a “portal denier?” This college football analyst says yes

Clemson Tigers Football: One noteworthy college football analyst describes Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and his program as a “transfer portal denier.”

Those who have followed Dabo Swinney for any amount of time know that the veteran Clemson coach has been reluctant — at best — to go after players in the NCAA transfer portal.

Swinney has been firm in sticking to his proverbial guns on the issue. He believes that the old-fashioned ways of recruiting players out of high school and developing them into bonafide college athletes is the proven way. “The right way,” as former Tigers linebacker Ben Boulware told The Athletic’s Grace Raynor for a lengthy profiled piece on Swinney and Clemson back in January.

But with the transfer portal set to become even more expansive and unpredictable when the NCAA approves of unlimited transfers with no loss in playing time (in other words, college sports’ equivalent of free agency), Swinney may soon have no choice but to accept the changes around him and to step up his recruiting efforts through the portal.

Until then, Swinney’s reluctance has earned him the rather unique label of “portal denier” in the words of The Athletic’s Max Olson, who recently wrote about “the five types of college football programs you meet in the transfer portal.”

Writing that Clemson remains the “outlier in the portal recruiting world,” Olson notes that the Tigers have extended offers to only a handful of transfers via the portal since 2021. That was the year the portal exploded after the NCAA voted to allow student-athletes to transfer once and become immediately eligible at the next program of their choosing.

While Olson admires Swinney for the way he runs his program, he also envisions a world in which Swinney embraces the portal.

“Imagine how many players would want to transfer to Clemson with its staff, infrastructure, trophies and NFL Draft picks. The Tigers would likely be doing well in this pool if they ever cared to jump in. They’ve dealt with attrition like everyone else, with 33 scholarship players transferring out since the end of the 2021 season. Still, Swinney is doing what he believes is best for his program culture.”

Olson adds that Clemson is the only Power 5 (soon-to-be four) program that has yet to sign a single transfer this off-season.

“Iowa has typically been very selective with transfers in recent years and only took one this offseason: five-star tackle Kadyn Proctor, who has already bailed to go back to Alabama. The list of programs on the low end of transfer commitments so far includes Michigan (two), Stanford (two), Northwestern (three) and Virginia Tech (four). Some schools have stricter transfer standards than others, though it’s notable new Northwestern coach David Braun has mostly stayed out of the portal despite the program losing 14 scholarship transfers since July. We’ll see whether the spring window changes the calculus for a few of these teams.”

And whether Clemson and Swinney can remain “portal deniers” for much longer.

Everything Dabo Swinney said after Clemson’s spring game

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney was thrilled by his team’s performance in Saturday’s spring game at Memorial Stadium. Take a look at everything Swinney said afterwards.

Saturday marked the 16th spring game since Dabo Swinney took over as Clemson head coach in 2008.

The Orange team defeated the White, 27-12. in front of an estimated 47,000 fans at Clemson Memorial Stadium.

Swinney had a lot to say afterwards, including his thoughts on the Tigers’ quarterback play, the thrill he got heading into the stadium ahead of the game, and his thoughts on individual performances in the spring scrimmage.

“God was showing off today. How about that beautiful day? I really appreciate our fans — it’s not like this everywhere. I think sometimes people can forget that. This place is special. To see our fans show up, driving in this morning, people were out there tailgating and enjoying the day. All of those people at Tiger Walk for the unveiling of the captains, those guys going in concrete today, that was a really cool thing,” Swinney said as part of his opening statement to the media after Saturday’s spring game.

Here’s everything Swinney said to reporters after the game.

Observations from Clemson’s offense in 2024 spring game

Here are some observations on the offense from Clemson’s 2024 spring game.

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.

It’s Game Day: Orange vs. White Rosters for 2024 Clemson Tigers Spring Game

Clemson Tigers Football: Here’s a look at all the players who will appear at 2024 Orange vs. White spring game Saturday at Memorial Stadium Saturday.

Game day for Clemson’s 2024 spring game is officially here.

The Tigers’ annual Orange vs. White game will begin at 1 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra and ESPN+.

In what will be the 16th spring game under coach Dabo Swinney, the Tigers will have no shortage of intrigue and interest surrounding the players who will take the field at Memorial Stadium.

Cade Klubnik returns for his second season as starter, and the Tigers feature one of the nation’s best linebackers in Barrett Carter.

There’s also incoming freshmen that fans will get their first looks at, including five-star recruits like wide receiver Bryant Wesco and linebacker Sammy Brown.

Offensive coordinator Garrett Riley will serve as head coach of the orange team in Saturday’s scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin will serve as head coach of the white team.

Swinney had a special message for fans in his final meeting with the media ahead of Saturday’s game.

“Man, I really hope they’ll show up and we’ll have a great crowd,” Swinney said. “It’s free, it is a very meaningful opportunity for us as a program, and our fans always show up. For a lot of these midyears (players), this is a big moment because the next time they actually play, the scoreboard’s going to be lit up.

“So this is a great opportunity to try to hopefully create that game feeling for some of these guys. And then we’ve got some guys that are getting a lot more opportunity as your team changes every year and you start over.”

With that, here’s a look at the rosters for Saturday’s spring game.

Orange Team

Coaches: Garrett Riley (head coach), Tyler Grisham, Mickey Conn, Chris Rumph, Matt Luke

Quarterbacks: Cade Klubnik, Trent Pearman, Colby Shaw

Running backs: Phil Mafah, Jarvis Green, Peyton Streko, Tristen Rigby, Kevin McNeal

Wide receivers: Bryant Wesco, Antonio Williams, Charlie Johnson, Adam Randall, Jackson Crosby, Joseph Flesch, Clay Swinney, Blackmon Huckabee, Jr.

Tight ends: Jake Briningstool, Olsen Patt-Henry, Banks Pope

Offensive linemen: Tristan Leigh, Marcus Tate, Will Boggs, Harris Sewell, Ryan Linthicum, Bryce Smith, Collin Sadler, Blake Miller, Nathan Brooks, Watson Miller, Sam Judy

Defensive ends: A.J. Hoffler, Zaire Patterson, Jahiem Lawson, Armon Mason

Defensive tackles: Payton Page, Jaheim Scott, Stephiylan Green, Champ Thompson, Peyton Pitts

Linebackers: Barrett Carter, Dee Crayton, Reed Morrissey, Jamal Anderson, Fletcher Cothran, Philippe Kabasele

Cornerbacks: Corian Gipson, Shelton Lewis, Myles Oliver, Branden Strozie

Safeties: Kylon Griffin, Bubba McAtee, Tyler Venables, Joe Wilkinson, Caleb Nix, Peter Nearn, Walt Smith, Sherrod Covil Jr.

Special teams: Robert Gunn III (K), Quinn Castner (K), Jack Smith (P), Holden Caspersen (LS)

White Team

Coaches: Wed Goodwin (head coach), Mike Reed, Kyle Richardson, C.J. Spiller, Nick Eason

Quarterbacks: Christopher Vizzina, Trent Pearman

Running backs: Keith Adams Jr., David Eziomume, Wise Segars Jr.

Wide receivers: Misun Kelley, Hampton Earle, Ronan Hanafin, Tristan Martinez, Zach Jackson, Jack Purkerson, Chase Byrd, Clay Swinney

Tight ends: Josh Sapp, Marcus Dixon

Offensive linemen: Ian Reed, Mason Johnstone, Elyjah Thurmon, Dietrick Pennington, Harris Sewell, Jake Norris, Trent Howard, Zack Owens, Jackson Hall, Chapman Pendergrass, Mason Wade, Dominic Cordone

Defensive ends: T.J. Parker, Cade Denhoff, Levi Mathews, Adam Kissayi

Defensive tackles: Caden Story, Tre Williams, DeMonte Capehart, Patrick Swygert

Linebackers: Wade Woodaz, Sammy Brown, Chandler McMaster, Kobe McCloud, Griffin Batt

Cornerbacks: Austin Randall, Tavoy Feagin, Avieon Terrell, Michael Mankaka

Safeties: Khalil Barnes, R.J. Mickens, Jacob Hendricks, Kylen Webb, Noah Dixon, Boston Miller, Robert Billings

Special teams: Nolan Hauser (PK), Hogan Morton (PK), Aidan Swanson (P), Will McCune (P) Philip Florenzo (LS)

All eyes on Bryant Wesco at Clemson spring game

Freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco, a five-star recruit from Texas, is generating some of the most buzz this spring.

Saturday will mark the 16th spring game of the Dabo Swinney era at Clemson, and as with every game before it, fans will have a lot to keep their eyes on.

Generating some of the most buzz this spring is highly touted freshman receiver Bryant Wesco, a five-star recruit from Midlothian, Texas. Wesco was ranked the No. 6 receiver in the nation in 247 Sports’ composite rankings for the class of 2024.

He has drawn no shortage of praise from teammates and coaches alike. Swinney has praised the 6’2, 170-pound athlete for his poise and maturity.

“Poise and maturity are rare for a young kid. He’s obviously very talented,” Swinney said of Wesco earlier this spring. “You see a lot of kids that are talented, but they don’t have the mindset or the maturity to go with it. He does. That’s encouraging because all the rest of this stuff, he’ll get better at.”

After Wesco fumbled a ball during one practice, Swinney quipped that he’d had to relish a rare opportunity to yell at the potential star. “Then he comes right back, makes a couple of great plays,” Swinney noted.

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley praised Wesco for his ability to quickly adapt to his environment after enrolling at the school in January.

“Bryant’s done a nice job,” Riley told The Clemson Insider last week. “Anytime as a freshman, the whole thing is just: can you handle mentally? And then just the grind, the speed of the game, the transitioning at his position at receiver.

“He’s been able to mentally handle things, and I think he’s a guy that’s transitioned really well with the speed of the game. The moment’s not too big for him. He just feels like that type of player to me. I’m very pleased with his start.”

Wesco will be paired with starting quarterback Cade Klubnik and fellow receivers Adam Randall and Antonio Williams (among others), as well as tight end Jake Briningstool on the Orange team at Saturday’s spring game.

Wesco’s development is especially important for a Clemson program that has struggled to develop receivers since the team’s run of six straight College Football Playoff appearances. The Tigers haven’t had a player finish with 1,000 receiving yards in a season since Amari Rodgers in 2020.

That’s a long drought for a school that prided itself on being “Wide Receiver U” after such stars as DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Tee Higgins, Mike Williams, Justyn Ross, and Hunter Renfrow — all Swinney players.

The Tigers are hoping that Wesco will join that set of decorated players.

“He’ll get bigger, he’ll get stronger, he’ll work at it. He’ll learn some other positions. All that stuff will come in the bigger picture of things, but he’s just a poised kid that’s tough and likes to play, likes to be coached. He’s just got the maturity to match the talent,” Swinney said.

Saturday’s Orange vs. White game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. EDT from Memorial Stadium. The game will be broadcast/streamed on ACC Network Extra and ESPN+.

Everything Dabo Swinney said ahead of Clemson’s spring game

Clemson Football: Everything Clemson Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said ahead of Saturday’s spring game.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney doesn’t want his team to pick up where it left off last season.

The Tigers won their last five games of 2023 to salvage a 9-4 campaign after a disappointing 4-4 start. The new season, which officially begins with the team’s annual spring game Saturday, represents a blank slate and a chance for Clemson to erase the sting of last year’s disappointments.

Swinney spoke to reporters Wednesday ahead of the Tigers’ ‘Orange vs. White’ game, scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) and ESPN+.

“This is the only opportunity we have. There’s no preseason for us. There’s no exhibition games, there’s no jamborees, there’s no scrimmages against other teams. This is the only true opportunity that we have to create a game feel,” Swinney said during his opening statement.

“For a lot of these mid-year (players), this is a big moment because the next time they actually play, the scoreboard’s going to be lit up,” Swinney added. “So this is a great opportunity to hopefully try to create that game opportunity for some of these guys. And then we’ve got some guys who are getting some more opportunity as your team changes every year and you start over.

“So it’s going to be a great day. I think it’s going to be maybe 60 or something, a little cool early and beautiful sunshine. So hopefully we’ll have a great crowd. We’ve got a lot of recruits coming, a lot of families, so let’s pack that thing and make it a great day. I think it’ll be a very competitive day.”

Here’s everything Swinney said ahead of Saturday’s spring game.