Tag: Collin Sadler

Handful of true freshmen crack Clemson’s initial two-deep

A handful of first-year players have appeared on Clemson’s initial two-deep, some a bit more surprising than others. The Tigers released their first depth chart of the season Tuesday in advance of their Labor Day opener against Georgia Tech in …

A handful of first-year players have appeared on Clemson’s initial two-deep, some a bit more surprising than others.

The Tigers released their first depth chart of the season Tuesday in advance of their Labor Day opener against Georgia Tech in Atlanta. As expected, Cade Klubnik was listed as D.J. Uiagalelei’s backup while Blake Miller was listed as the starting right tackle, kicking Walker Parks inside to right guard.

Clemson’s latest five-star quarterback signee, Klubnik has been No. 2 on the depth chart since arriving on campus in January and will get some playing time regardless of how Uiagalelei performs in front of him. Meanwhile, Miller began making a real surge toward the top of the depth chart midway through preseason camp, and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter confirmed the 6-foot-6, 315-pounder had earned the starting job before the depth chart was released.

“(Miller) came in and really understands the game, which is really hard to do at offensive line,” Streeter said then. “There are so many moving parts, it’s hard to do that at a young age. A lot of times, it takes a little bit longer for those guys. And then he brings a toughness every single day. There’s no question at all that he is one of the toughest guys we’ve got. He’s really strong, too. All of those things combined, he’s doing some good stuff.”

The other true freshmen to appear on the two-deep were receiver Antonio Williams, offensive linemen Collin Sadler and linebacker Wade Woodaz. Williams was listed as Brannon Spector’s backup in the slot while Sadler is behind Marcus Tate at left guard. Woodaz, who surged up the depth chart during camp after arriving on campus this summer, is with the twos at the Sam linebacker position in Clemson’s base defense.

“He’s got great length and speed,” Goodwin recently said of Woodaz. “He runs really well. Can change directions for that size. Really smart. Really savvy. … You can utilize him in various ways.”

As for Williams, the in-state product, who starred at Dutch Fork High School during his prep career, was a late pickup for Clemson in its 2022 recruiting class and also didn’t report to campus until the summer. But receivers coach Tyler Grisham said during the spring that Williams possessed a skill set that would allow for him to compete for immediate playing time.

Williams, who was praised by head coach Dabo Swinney for his play in Clemson’s final camp scrimmage, was also listed as the second-team punt returner behind Will Taylor.

“Antonio is going to help us,” Swinney said.

Taylor was among those competing with Williams in the slot during camp. Another freshman, Cole Turner, also repped there while junior E.J. Williams has also lined up there at times, but E.J. Williams was listed as an outside receiver on the depth chart. Swinney has said he would like to redshirt Turner this season if possible.

Antonio Williams’ speed and short-area quickness have helped set him apart at the position where past Clemson receivers such as Hunter Renfrow and Amari Rodgers thrived.

“Any time you have a guy in the slot that can make guys miss, it does nothing but make you better,” Streeter said. “That’s a big part of our offense. Get the ball to them in space, and let’s see what they can do with it.”

Sadler, another in-state signee out of Greenville Senior High, beat out redshirt freshman Dietrick Pennington among others for a spot on the two-deep along the offensive line. Like Miller, Sadler was an early enrollee who went through the spring and got significant reps at guard during the spring game.

“Those two guys are great,” offensive line coach Thomas Austin said during the spring in reference to Sadler and Miller. “Not just great players, but they check every box; phenomenal people, great students, great families. That’s the prototype. If you’re looking for what you want to recruit moving forward, you want more Collin Sadlers and Blake Millers.”

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In-state OL, lifelong Clemson fan discusses opportunity to play for Tigers

An in-state offensive line product, who shined at and participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp back in June, picked up a preferred walk-on offer from Clemson. Piedmont (S.C.) Wren High School’s Jake Norris – a 6-foot-3, 265-pound offensive lineman in …

An in-state offensive line product, who shined at and participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp back in June, picked up a preferred walk-on offer from Clemson.

Piedmont (S.C.) Wren High School’s Jake Norris — a 6-foot-3, 265-pound offensive lineman in the class of 2023 — returned to campus earlier this summer after attending a game day visit at Memorial Stadium last season

“It was a great experience, it really was,” Norris recently told The Clemson Insider in a phone interview. “I went to the camp in June. I learned a lot of things. Coach (Thomas) Austin is a great guy. It really was a truly great experience.”

“It’s like any other school,” he continued. “Most camps you go to, you run a 40-yard-dash, you do a combine, but at Clemson, you just go and see how it is to be a Clemson football player, really. It’s mostly about the culture that they have there at Clemson.”

Norris told us that he received good feedback from Austin and that Clemson’s first-year offensive line coach seemed to know everything that there is to know about the offensive line and that he’s a “very stand-up guy.”

Following his participation in June’s Swinney Camp, in which he worked out at the center position and both guard spots, Norris had a meeting with Clemson’s head coach.

It was there that Swinney presented Norris with a PWO offer. According to Norris, Swinney acknowledged that while Norris is currently going through the recruitment process, the Tigers would love to have him at Clemson as a PWO player.

“I’ve been a Clemson fan my entire life,” Norris said. “I grew up going to all the games. It’s really been a goal to get to this point. I guess I’ll see what happens from here.”

Norris said he’ll definitely consider the way Clemson treats its preferred walk-ons, which is pretty different from any other program in the country. Norris has some friends who are PWO athletes at Clemson and they’ve told him that they get treated exactly the same as everyone else.

“It really doesn’t make a difference how they treat their PWO players at Clemson,” he said.

Norris has a big senior year coming up, which he said is what’s really gonna make the difference for him, and is excited to see how his process eventually plays out. As far as his recruitment is concerned, Norris said he’s been receiving interest from schools like The Citadel, South Carolina, Wofford and a couple of small out-of-state programs.

Norris is familiar with a lot of Clemson players because he is a Train Built Performance product, like a lot of other current Tigers. Norris told us that he’s close friends with Clemson freshman offensive lineman Collin Sadler, among others.

He learned from Coach Lamb how to play just about every position on the offensive line.

“I’m a hard worker, very aggressive and I’m a great leader, ” Norris said when asked to describe himself as a player. “I try my best on everything.”

— Photo for this article courtesy of Jake Norris.

Freshman OL glad he came to Clemson early to ‘lay down a foundation’

A significant in-state get for Clemson in the class of 2022, Collin Sadler is already enjoying his time in Tiger Town. The freshman offensive lineman, who hails from Greenville (S.C.) is more than happy that he decided to arrive in January as a …

A significant in-state get for Clemson in the class of 2022, Collin Sadler is already enjoying his time in Tiger Town.

The freshman offensive lineman, who hails from Greenville (S.C.) is more than happy that he decided to arrive in January as a mid-year enrollee. He’s gotten the playbook down and looks forward to being a contributor on Clemson’s offensive line going forward.

“It’s been great so far, getting here, getting transitioned and sort of getting the lay of the land,” Sadler told The Clemson Insider at an NIL collective appearance in Clemson on Sunday, July 24. “I’ve just been learning the offense a little but I’m definitely glad that I came early. I was able to lay down a foundation before everything really matters.”

Sadler’s transition to Clemson has been a little different than maybe he would’ve thought it would be, in the sense that he’s been cross-training as a freshman, working at both guard spots, as well as left tackle.

“I’m trying to cross-train and get as much experience as I can at multiple positions to maybe learn the playbook a little bit better,” he said.

When Clemson recruited Sadler out of nearby Greenville High School, the Tigers never led with NIL. Now-former offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell recruited Sadler to be a part of Dabo Swinney’s program and be the same menacing presence on the left side that he was under Greg Porter at the next level.

“I’m very grateful for Coach Swinney not having NIL as a focal point of the program,” Sadler said.

He views last Sunday’s event at Clemson’s Madren Conference Center as an added bonus to everything that Clemson and Swinney’s program has to offer. 

“It’s great being able to get out here and see some faces,” Sadler said at the time. “It’s great giving back. Not being in the facility all the time, just getting out in the community. It’s nice to be doing something a little different sometimes.”

Speaking of something a little different, that’s what Sadler has experienced in Clemson’s offensive line room. While Caldwell has been like an extended member of Sadler’s family and once served as his primary recruiter, Sadler will be suiting up once fall camp rolls around under the direction of first-year offensive line coach, Thomas Austin.

“He’s been great,” Sadler said of Clemson’s offensive line coach. “It’s really just a family atmosphere under him, just like Caldwell was. Like Blake (Miller) said, the sense of comradery has been really crazy the last few weeks with the whole paintball thing and all that. I can just really tell that he’s trying to get us more cohesive as a unit, more so than maybe in the past and bringing us all together.”

Sadler has noticed a sense of urgency and a sense of wanting to put last season beyond them.

“Talking to older players, they can tell you that there’s a whole different vibe in the room,” he said. “We’re definitely coming into this season with something to prove and I think it’s gonna show through.”

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Thomas Austin bringing ‘family atmosphere’ to Clemson offensive line room

Clemson’s new offensive line coach is already making an impression on both young and old players on the Tigers’ roster.

This upcoming season will be Thomas Austin’s first as Clemson’s offensive line coach, and despite only being nearly six months into his new role, he is already making an impression on newcomers and veterans.

Speaking at a Dear Old Clemson event on Sunday, four-star freshman Collin Sadler elaborated on what it’s like having Austin as his position coach.

“It’s great,” Sadler said. “He’s a great father figure to me and a great mentor. He really brings a family atmosphere. He invited us to his house several times, and you can see how he treats his family and how he treats us, and there’s really no difference.”

Officially promoted to his new position in February, Austin replaces the long-tenured Robbie Caldwell, who was Clemson’s offensive line coach from 2011 to 2021.

Austin’s coaching ability also seems to resonate with tackle Jordan McFadden, who is entering his fifth year with the Tigers and had Caldwell as his coach for the past four seasons.

“I love coach Austin,” McFadden said at ACC media day on July 20. “He’s genuine, and he cares about us. He played in the NFL. He’s been where I want to go eventually. He has a ton of knowledge. He’s not necessarily a big yeller or anything like that, but he gets his message across very well.”

Austin spent four seasons on Clemson’s coaching staff from 2015 to 2018 and returned for the 2021 season after a two-year stint at Georgia State.

Before his coaching career began, he played three years at Clemson from 2006 to 2009 and took his talents to the NFL for four seasons.

As Clemson’s offensive line looks to improve from last year, Sadler and McFadden’s praise speaks volumes to the group’s belief in Austin as their coach.

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Former Clemson lineman high on two youngsters at the position

As he worked toward finishing his master’s degree at Clemson this spring, Matt Bockhorst often hung around the Tigers’ football facilities to watch the team practice. It gave the former Clemson offensive lineman a chance to observe the unit he left …

The Newcomer Files: Collin Sadler

Clemson signed 21 players as part of its 2022 recruiting class, some of whom still have yet to make it to campus. Nine signees went through spring practice as early enrollees while the rest, including transfer Hunter Johnson, will arrive on campus …

Clemson signed 21 players as part of its 2022 recruiting class, some of whom still have yet to make it to campus.

Nine signees went through spring practice as early enrollees while the rest, including transfer Hunter Johnson, will arrive on campus this summer. The Clemson Insider is taking a closer look at each newcomer and the likelihood of him contributing immediately this fall based on development and positional need.

Next up is Collin Sadler.

Position: Offensive line

Height: 6-foot-6

Weight: 295 pounds

Ranking: 4 stars (247Sports Composite)

Previous school: Greenville Senior High

Early enrollee? Yes

The skinny: Another significant in-state get for Clemson, Sadler is one of just two signees for the Tigers along an offensive line that had minimal attrition after last season outside of the center position. Sadler, an Under Armour All-American as a high school senior, was a key piece up front for a Greenville team that made its deepest playoff run ever last fall. Alabama, Georgia LSU and Michigan were just some of the schools that offered Sadler a scholarship before he ultimately chose to stay home.

With a long frame, Sadler projects primarily as a tackle in college, where he repped almost exclusively this spring after enrolling early. But he’s also versatile enough to slide inside if needed, something he showed in the spring game when he got the start at left guard primarily because of injuries to some of Clemson’s other interior linemen. Sadler even played center during the Under Armour All-American game. But assuming the Tigers stay away from major injuries up front next season, Sadler will likely spend it competing for a spot on the two-deep at tackle, where there isn’t a ton of proven depth behind Jordan McFadden and Walker Parks. Tristan Leigh and Blake Miller, a fellow freshman, are the primary competition there.

Swinney makes strong statement about development of offensive line

The offensive line wasn’t the most stable position for Clemson a season ago, and there are still some lingering uncertainty about the group coming out of the spring. But after watching the unit as a whole over the Tigers’ 15 spring practices, …

The offensive line wasn’t the most stable position for Clemson a season ago, and there are still some lingering uncertainty about the group coming out of the spring.

But after watching the unit as a whole over the Tigers’ 15 spring practices, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said recently that he feels good about the development of the line. To the point that he has reached a different level of conviction about the short-term and long-term futures of the position with the personnel in place.

“We love the kids that we have,” Swinney said. “All 14 of the guys that we have on scholarship have the ability to be a starter for us or very significant contributors. I haven’t always been able to say that, but I’m very, very encouraged about the personnel that we have there.”

Clemson is set on the edges with veteran left tackle Jordan McFadden and rising junior Walker Parks on the right side, but the interior is where things are still in some limbo along a line that had eight different starting combinations a season ago. The Tigers have had more attrition than they expected at center, so Will Putnam moved over to rep there this spring and, as of now, would likely be the starter if Clemson had to play a game this week.

Clemson is also in the market for a transfer interior lineman if the fit is right, though Swinney has cooled on just how much of a necessity he initially thought that would be for his team given what transpired this spring. With Putnam specifically, grabbing a plug-and-play center would allow him to move back to right guard, where he’s started the last two seasons. But Swinney said he feels better about keeping Putnam at center if necessary after watching the rising senior make a largely smooth transition.

“It was rare that we had a bad snap,” Swinney said. “It was about one a day, and you’re talking about a guy that’s never snapped. It’s not like he snapped in high school. He’s never snapped.”

McFadden will exhaust his eligibility after next season. Putnam and Parks (draft-eligible next year) could also move on, potentially leaving more questions for the unit in 2023. But Swinney said he was equally as impressed with what he saw from the Tigers’ younger linemen this spring, particularly the third-year players – Mitchell Mayes, Trent Howard, Bryn Tucker and John Williams – that “all made a move,” he said.

That group competed at right guard in case Putnam remains at center while true sophomore Marcus Tate remains at the top of the depth chart at left guard for now, though he could move to tackle, where he’s been cross-training, in the future. Swinney is also high on true freshmen Blake Miller and Collin Sadler as well as redshirt freshmen Ryan Linthicum, Tristan Leigh and Dietrick Pennington, whom Swinney said might have started as a first-year player last season if not for an injury that sidelined the Memphis native.

Linthicum and Leigh, the top-ranked signee in Clemson’s 2021 recruiting class who could be McFadden’s successor next year, were among the players that showed the most improvement this spring, Swinney said. It’s all given Swinney a different level of confidence in the linemen already on the roster.

“If I felt like the kids we had, we missed on some of them, it would be different. But we haven’t missed on any of those guys,” Swinney said. “Every single guy that we’ve signed — all 14 guys that we have on scholarship — they’re all at different stages. But unless they get hurt, they’re going to be starters for us or really significant contributors. And that is a really good spot to be in in that offensive line.”

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‘Those guys are phenomenal’: Austin, Putnam rave about Clemson’s freshmen OL

According to Thomas Austin, Collin Sadler and Blake Miller came in this January and they immediately earned the respect of their teammates. As Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney alluded to Wednesday, the two true freshman offensive linemen are …

According to Thomas Austin, Collin Sadler and Blake Miller came in this January and they immediately earned the respect of their teammates. As Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney alluded to Wednesday, the two true freshman offensive linemen are physically ready to play. 

“Man, those guys are phenomenal,” Clemson’s offensive line coach said Friday night. “I told Coach (Robbie) Caldwell that he saved the best for last. Those two guys are great. Not just great players, but they check every box; phenomenal people, great students, great families. That’s the prototype. If you’re looking for what you want to recruit moving forward, you want more Collin Sadlers and Blake Millers. 

“They’ve done a great job. Blake’s been playing with the second-team right tackle, really since camp started, almost. Collin’s done a great job playing tackle and played some guard (Friday) and feels natural in a three-point stance. Those guys they’re big, they’re physical, they’re athletic and they’re smart.”

Both Sadler and Miller have come from programs — Greenville (S.C.) and Strongsville (Oh.) — that made sure they were well developed for the next level. They’ve both come in and picked up Clemson’s offense quite well.

Austin believes that Clemson’s install plan has been manageable for each of them, who’ve only really made one mental mistake in the team’s first scrimmage. Sadler’s came while playing guard, a position he really hasn’t played yet, while Miller’s wasn’t really a mental mistake. He made a call, but it was too late.

In addition to Austin, Will Putnam was also made available to reporters Friday. 

Putnam, who is one of Clemson’s senior-most offensive linemen, was asked about what he’s seen from Sadler and Miller so far. It’s fair to say that he’s been impressed. 

“I think they’re going to be great players,” Putnam said when asked about Sadler and Miller. “They have a great work ethic. They’re about it and they’re just football guys. We can be outside of the facility just hanging out, but I love it when I see a young guy, who just got here, who should be in high school, they’re always just thinking about how they can get better. In the weight room, they’re about it. They’re dogs. They always say yes. They never say no.”

Putnam has invited Miller to come work out with him in his garage at his house and he’s always there.

“I really love that and just to see that in both of them, who are still young, I think the sky’s the limit for them and I can’t wait to see it,” he added.

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Clemson’s OL signees have potential to be ‘dynamic players’

With just two scholarship linemen gone from last year’s team, Clemson kept its offensive line class small within its latest crop of signees. But their new position coach believes Collin Sadler and Blake Miller have high ceilings. “They’re what you …

With just two scholarship linemen gone from last year’s team, Clemson kept its offensive line class small within its latest crop of signees.

But their new position coach believes Collin Sadler and Blake Miller have high ceilings.

“They’re what you want when you look to sign offensive linemen,” said Thomas Austin, who’s taken over as Clemson’s offensive line coach following the retirement of Robbie Caldwell. “They check every box.”

Sadler and Miller are both four-star recruits in a signing class ranked 10th nationally in the 2022 recruiting cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite. Sadler finished his prep career as one of the state’s top offensive line prospects at nearby Greenville High School. As a senior, the 6-foot-6, 300-pounder helped Greenville finish 10-3 with the deepest playoff run in school history.

Miller hails from Ohio, continuing Clemson’s recent offensive line pipeline in the Buckeye State. Miller joins Cincinnati Bengals rookie Jackson Carman and outgoing senior Matt Bockhorst as offensive linemen from Ohio that have signed with Clemson in the last six years.

The 6-6, 315-pound Miller was a three-year starter for Strongsville High, where he didn’t allow a sack his final two seasons as the team’s starting left tackle. He was ranked as Ohio’s ninth-best 2022 recruit by the 247Sports Composite.

Sadler and Miller both inked with Clemson during December’s early signing period and will go through spring practice as early enrollees. Both project as tackles in college, which could make it more difficult than usual for the true freshmen to see playing time next season.

Jordan McFadden and Walker Parks are entrenched as the starters there, and Clemson’s third tackle, Mitchell Mayes, is also back from last season. Marcus Tate played tackle and guard as a true freshman, but with Bockhorst on the way out and fellow guard Paul Tchio transferring to Georgia Tech, Tate is a prime candidate to take over as a permanent starter at left guard, where he started seven games this past season.

But Austin said getting an early start on their college careers, which includes getting 15 practices under their belt in the spring, doesn’t hurt the chances of Sadler or Miller providing some immediate depth up front.

“I think guys that want to come in and compete early, it benefits them tremendously,” Austin said. “From a strength program standpoint, they’re treading water when they get here in July. It’s really hard for a kid to come in and really make an impact when they get here in July.”

Austin said he’s been impressed by what he’s seen in workouts from Sadler and Miller, who are physically advanced for their age, he noted. Whether it’s sooner or later, Austin expects both to make a significant impact on the field for the Tigers.

“If you just walked in (the weight room) and didn’t know who they were, you wouldn’t know those were two high school kids in the mix,” Austin said. “Both come from great programs and great strength programs, so their base is really good. They’ve jumped in there and they’ve assimilated well.

“They’re going to be dynamic players for us. There’s no doubt.”

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Grisham checks up on future Tigers, other recruits

While out and about on the recruiting trail this week, Clemson wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham checked up on a few future Tigers, among other recruits. On Tuesday, Grisham traveled to Dutch Fork High School (Irmo, S.C.) to attend one of Antonio …

While out and about on the recruiting trail this week, Clemson wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham checked up on a few future Tigers, among other recruits.

On Tuesday, Grisham traveled to Dutch Fork High School (Irmo, S.C.) to attend one of Antonio Williams’ basketball games.

Williams, a highly regarded wide receiver rated as a top-100 player nationally by multiple outlets, signed with Clemson in December and plans to enroll this summer.

On Wednesday, Grisham also stopped by Greenville (S.C.) High School, which produced a pair of 2022 Clemson signees in offensive lineman Collin Sadler and tight end Josh Sapp.

Like Williams, Sadler and Sapp signed with the Tigers in December. Sadler is already at Clemson as an early enrollee, while Sapp is expected to enroll this summer.

A couple of other prospects from Greenville High on Grisham and Clemson’s radar are 2024 wide receiver Mazeo Bennett and 2023 wide receiver Tyler Brown.

On Wednesday, Grisham was also at Florence (Ala.) High School, where 2023 five-star cornerback Jahlil Hurley attends.

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