Tag: Clemson Tigers

Wisconsin recruit slams Ohio State football commit for choice of schools

Wisconsin commit T.J. Bollers slammed Ohio State recruit Tunmise Adelye for choosing the Buckeyes in response to his criticism of Clemson.

Everybody is a critic these days, especially in the politically charged environment we are all unfortunately in. Everyone seems to want to air grievances and dirty laundry out on social media.

And so it was Sunday when Ohio State commit Tunmise Adeleye trolled the Clemson program amid the public criticism it has gotten recently because of some perceived tone-deaf protests and stances on the social injustice in the world.

Adeleye, who is a four-star defensive end out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, took to Twitter to sling mud at prospects that are currently committed to the Clemson program.

As expected, he got lit up by Tiger fans and followers, but it also stretched beyond that. In fact, four-star defensive end and Wisconsin commit T.J. Bollers also felt the need to weigh in by then slinging some vitriol towards the Ohio State program.

Look, far be it for anyone to criticize the perceived misgivings of other programs and communities out on Twitter. Adeleye most likely should have thought twice before lighting up the Tigers, and there’s no doubt Bollers should have refrained from responding out of emotion to a fight he wasn’t a part of.

You can bet this Tweet will be earmarked for a year or two down. If you are keeping score, the Badgers and Buckeyes are next set to matchup when these two are on the field on November 12, 2022, if they don’t meet up in the Big Ten Championship Game in 2021.

For now, there’s at least a year cooling-off period as both have a senior year of football to complete.

 

What Dabo Sweeney told protestors during Black Lives Matter rally at Clemson

Dabo Swinney had been managing a few controversies amid the protests for racial injustice.

Dabo Swinney took action on Saturday after being mired in controversy amid international protests against racial injustice. The Clemson Tigers coach spoke to a Black Lives Matter rally at the university, and delivered a message against racism and police brutality.

“This is beautiful, and I just appreciate everyone supporting this community today. Clemson is a special place, and we see again what that is today,” Swinney said. “This is a historic time and a challenging time, but as I tell my team all the time, challenge is what creates change.

“I believe with all my heart that god stopped the world in 2020, so we could have perfect vision and clearly see the social and racial injustice and the changes that need to occur in our society. Now is the time to push for equal justice and no longer tolerate police brutality or racism of any kind in this country. But as you saw today, it has to be everybody’s responsibility … to be more aware, to learn more and to speak out against racial inequality.”

His address comes after Swinney faced accusations that one of his staffers used a racial epithet and received no punishment. Swinney also recently wore a “Football Matters” shirt, which many took as a mockery of the Black Lives Matter Movement, which has helped mobilize so many peaceful protests around the world following the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody after officer Derek Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd’s back and neck for almost nine minutes.

It’s one thing for Swinney to speak on these values. Hopefully, he and his staff will embody them for years to come.

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College Football News Preview 2020: Clemson Tigers

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Clemson Tigers season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Clemson Tigers season with what you need to know.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Clemson Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

2019 Record: 14-1 overall, 8-0 in ACC
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney, 13th year: 130-31
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 2
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 3
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 2

No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.

5. College Football News Preview 2020: Clemson Tigers Offense 3 Things To Know

– The offense isn’t going to stop just because former co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott left for the USF head coaching gig. Tony Elliott has been in the OC mix for the Tigers since 2015, and now the job is all his.

Breathtaking, the offense was a juggernaut again as the team barely missed matching the record-setting 664-point run in 2018 with 659 last year, scoring more than 50 points seven times before the CFP with a run of 45 or more in seven of the final eight regular season games.

And here we go again, mostly because of the two future NFL franchise stars in the backfield.

Trevor Lawrence continues to put together an all-timer of a college career, hitting 66% of his passes for 3,665 yards and 36 touchdowns with eight picks, and adding 563 rushing yards – hitting Ohio State for 107 yards – with nine touchdowns.

Lawrence is obviously a special talent, but so is the next elite superstar DJ Uiagalelei, a jaw-dropping pro prospect from California who blew off Oregon and the rest of the Pac-12 to take over whenever Mr. Lawrence is done. However, with Chase Brice transferring to Duke, and with a year in the system, 2019 great recruit Taisun Phommachanh might be the No. 2 guy early on.

CFN in 60 Video: Clemson Tigers Preview
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– Of all years to have left early for the NFL to get paid, this would’ve been it. But Travis Etienne is back after three years of somehow being among the most underappreciated stars in college football.

Trevor Lawrence is the star, Dabo Swinney is the superstar, and the program has taken on a life of its own among the elite of the elite, and all Etienne has done is run for 4,038 yards and 56 touchdowns, catch 54 passes for 567 yards and six scores, and average 7.8 yards per carry. He’s 4.3 fast, tough, ultra-productive, and the type of back who could carry the offense, even though he doesn’t have to.

No. 2 back Lyn-J Dixon is back after running for 635 yards and six scores, and Chez Mellusi and Michael Dukes are back again to work into the mix. As if this group wasn’t deep enough, in comes five-star talent Demarkcus Bowman. Now they all need guys to block for them.

The offensive line has become a bit of a factory at Clemson. It doesn’t crank out a slew of next-level talents, but it has been a dominant force throughout the run in the CFP era. Now it has to replace four starters with only Carman Jackson back, likely at left tackle.

All of the backups from the end of last year return, and they’ll move up in the rotation. The most talented reserve of the bunch might be new-recruit Walker Parks, but he needs time to bulk up.

– The receiving corps took a massive hit with the loss of Tee Higgins to the Cincinnati Bengals, and with Justyn Ross out for the season after needing surgery to fix an issue with his spine. There’s no reason to worry – most college teams can only dream of having a trio of Amari Rodgers, Joseph Ngata, and Frank Ladson to work a passing game around. Four-star recruit EJ Williams would be an instant No. 1 target at most places.

NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Clemson Tigers Defense 3 Things To Know

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Bengals DT D.J. Reader says Texans QB Deshaun Watson ‘has a cool vibe’

Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle D.J. Reader says that Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson “has a cool vibe” about him.

D.J. Reader is no longer with the Houston Texans, but he knows his original draft team has a bright future because of who they still have under center.

The new Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle joined Ari Gold and Patrick Storm on the “Texans Unfiltered” podcast Thursday, and the former 2016 fifth-round pick from Clemson shared his candid thoughts about the former 2017 first-rounder from Clemson.

“I think the sky’s the limit for Deshaun,” Reader said. “I think you all see that. I think he does things that are so amazing and the competitor in him is just special. The will to not give up and not give up, want to win, want to take that strike, want to be that guy. He wants the pressure. He wants the heat every time.”

Watson produced three fourth quarter comebacks for the Texans in 2019 along with five game-winning drives. The football world got to see on an early Saturday afternoon in January the two-time Pro Bowler’s refusal to lose when he led the Texans to a 22-19 overtime win in the AFC wild-card versus the Buffalo Bills.

“He’s going to show up,” said Reader. “You can appreciate that, especially from a young kid who did everything that he possibly could have done, like, had to do coming out of college and still wasn’t the first quarterback taken or just random stuff. Just like of working very, very hard. He’s a winner. He’s proven it since he was younger.”

Reader knew that Watson was a winner when the Gainesville, Ga., native led Clemson to a 35-17 win over in-state rival South Carolina, all the while playing on a torn ACL. Watson completed 14-of-19 for 269 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing five times for 13 yards and two scores.

Said Reader: “I knew going out there and playing against South Carolina, torn ACL, he literally helped us win for the first time in a long time. He’s that kind of kid, and it means a lot that the person who’s supposed to be leading your organization is that kind of person. Everybody wants to follow behind that and everybody wants to fall in line with that.”

Even though Reader is with the Bengals, who play the Texans Week 16 at NRG Stadium, it will be hard for the 6-3, 347-pound defensive tackle to hate on his former teammate.

“He’s got such a cool vibe, too,” said Reader. “It’s hard not to like Deshaun. He’s got such a cool vibe, such a good person, it’s hard not to. It’s tough. Good luck.

“If you don’t like Deshaun Watson, you’re crazy, dude. You’re crazy.”

Deshaun Watson not buying into Notre Dame in 2020

Deshaun Watson is a legend at Clemson and star for the Houston Texans. He’s also not liking Notre Dame football’s chances in 2020.

Few college football players in recent years have accomplished more than Deshaun Watson did at Clemson.  The star quarterback led the Tigers to back-to-back national championship game appearances, walking off a winner after upsetting Alabama to win it all in January of 2017.

Now Watson stars for the Houston Texans who selected him twelfth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, 10 picks after the Chicago Bears selected Mitch Trubisky.

In three NFL seasons Watson has turned into a star, earning two Pro Bowl bids while throwing 71 touchdowns and having a career quarterback rating of 101.0.

Watson was asked on Twitter by former Clemson star Tajh Boyd if Notre Dame was a national championship contender in 2020.  Fighting Irish fans probably won’t be thrilled with his answer.

It’s clearly not what you want to read but is he wrong?

I truly believe Notre Dame football is very much a College Football Playoff contender in 2020.  They have questions at various position groups and hardly an easy schedule but 11-1 and a shot at the CFP is plenty possible.

But is a national title realistic?

Notre Dame has gotten to the biggest of stages in the last decade but things have gone horribly once they got there.  The 2012 season’s finish with a blowout loss to Alabama in the title game and a 30-3 defeat against Clemson after going 12-0 in the 2018 regular season.

I’d love to be wrong but I have trouble thinking that leap will taken this season.

If nothing else though, I certainly wouldn’t mind Notre Dame shocking the world and Watson’s Twitter mentions being blown up by Irish fans on November 7.

Dabo Swinney wears ‘Football Matters’ shirt, and Trevor Lawrence defends it

Some context for Dabo Swinney’s t-shirt.

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney seems to make matters worse for himself by the day following the death of George Floyd and amid the ongoing national protests against racial injustice.

Swinney remained silent while many college coaches around the country spoke out against racism. When Swinney did issue a statement, the words seemed to fall short. His former players began to call him out by suggesting one of his staff members used a racial slur, and that Swinney did nothing about it at the time.

A “Football Matters” t-shirt has made things more complicated for Swinney.

According to a tweet from @OUSooner2010 that has since been deleted, Swinney was wearing a shirt with the slogan “Football Matters” on Saturday. The Twitter user shared a photo of Swinney at a pool where he was wearing the poorly phrased shirt, which — if he did wear it on Saturday — feels especially tone deaf with Black Lives Matter leading a large number of protests against racism. Here’s a look at the shirt.

Swinney has a previous connection with “Football Matters.” The coach used the phrase in a statehouse speech, which was an effort to celebrate the 2016 Tigers football team after their national championship. Swinney’s quarterback Trevor Lawrence said on Twitter that Swinney has worn the shirt for quite some time, and that it’s not meant to mock BLM.

Regardless of what the shirt is about and what the past context is, the possibility that he has continued to wear it is befuddling. It may not be related to Black Lives Matter, but considering the importance of the movement and the phrase at this moment, Swinney should take the shirt out of his rotation.

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WATCH: Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer explains why he ranks Trevor Lawrence over Justin Fields

Urban Meyer provided some rationale on why he believes Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence is slightly better than Ohio State’s Justin Fields.

A few days ago, we noticed that former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer ranked Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence above Justin Fields. It was a curious one because we expected the scarlet and gray to come out in his expert analysis, especially with both of them being so close in almost every single projection heading into 2020.

But there is a reason. While appearing on a FOX College Football segment, Meyer provided his top five college quarterbacks for the upcoming season and included his rationale.

Basically, what it boils down to is that Lawrence has one more year under center, so the experience puts him over the top. Meyer did go on to gush about Fields though — comparing him to Dwayne Haskins with his ability to throw the ball. He also said that Fields and Lawrence were right there beside each other.

You can listen to the entire segment by clicking on the below video shared by FOX College Football.

What do you think? If you had to start a team and had to pick between Fields and Lawrence, which signal-caller would you choose?

 

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Ohio State loses out on four-star 2021 WR Troy Stellato to Clemson

Four-star wide receiver Troy Stellato out of Fort Lauderdale announced his commitment to Clemson over Ohio State Friday.

One of Ohio State’s remaining top targets in the recruiting class of 2021 has decided to play his college football elsewhere. At 6-foot, 175 pounds, Troy Stellato was rated as the No. 22 receiver and 125th overall recruit in the entire class according to the 247Sports Composite Ratings.

Despite the loss, the Buckeyes remain in great shape at the position and the writing seemed to be on the wall with this one anyway. The Buckeyes brought in one of the best receiver classes in the history of the program last year, and have more in the fold with two top 100 recruits already verbally committed in the class with Marvin Harrison, Jr. and Jayden Ballard — both four-stars in their own right.

The Depth at the position already in Columbus may have swayed Stellato to pick Clemson over Ohio State and the great relationship he had with Brian Hartline.

Either way, it’s onward and upward and there’s still plenty of big-time targets that Ohio State remains in play on with the 2021 class. However, Clemson is closing the gap just a wee-bit and has now moved up to No. 2 in the 247Sports Team Composite Rankings.

The race is on.

 

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.

We have a forum and message board now. Get in on the conversation about Ohio State athletics by joining the Buckeyes Wire Forum.

Where is Justin Fields in ESPN’s 2020 college quarterback tiers?

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is back for his second season in Columbus, one in which he is expected to improve upon a pretty stellar 2019. When you reflect back on what he did as a first-year starter, it’s pretty amazing. To become a Heisman …

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is back for his second season in Columbus, one in which he is expected to improve upon a pretty stellar 2019. When you reflect back on what he did as a first-year starter, it’s pretty amazing. To become a Heisman finalist after having just a few months to learn a new playbook and culture at Ohio State was truly amazing.

So, one would think he would have an even better 2020 with an offseason of seasoning and development. He should be one of the best — if not the best — quarterback in the entire country, perhaps destined for a trip to New York again. Maybe, he can even win a bronze statue as one of the prohibitive favorites.

ESPN agrees. The worldwide leader in sports programming published a piece breaking out different tiers (subscription may be required) of college quarterbacks heading into the new season, and had Fields in a class with just one other, Trevor Lawrence of Clemson. David Hale has both guys by themselves in Tier 1.

So what does Hale say about the two-signal callers he believes are head and shoulders above every other?

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Next … The narrative on Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence

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