Jordan McFadden – Page 4 – Syndication Server

McFadden, Uiagalelei earn ACC Weekly Honors

Congrats to these two Tigers on earning ACC honors following their thrilling win over Wake Forest.

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced today that offensive tackle Jordan McFadden (Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week) and quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (Quarterback of the Week) have earned ACC Player of the Week honors for their performances in Clemson’s thrilling 51-45 double-overtime win against No. 21/16 Wake Forest on Saturday.

The selections are Clemson’s third and fourth of the season. With the addition of the duo’s honors this week, Clemson has now garnered a total of 557 ACC weekly honors since 1968.

McFadden collected his third career ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week award after grading out at 91 percent with three knockdowns, according to Clemson’s coaching staff, while playing every offensive snap. He served as a key pass protector whose performance helped Clemson convert 16-of-23 third downs, a school single-game record that surpassed the Tigers’ 15 third-down conversions against Western Carolina in 1983.

Uiagalelei’s selection represents the third ACC weekly honor of his career, joining two ACC Rookie of the Week nods as a true freshman in 2020. Last week, Uiagalelei completed 26-of-41 passes for a season-high 371 passing yards with a career-high five passing touchdowns and also added 52 rushing yards on 14 carries. He became the first Clemson quarterback to throw five touchdown passes in a game since Trevor Lawrence at Georgia Tech in 2020, and he produced the first game by a Clemson player with at least 370 passing yards, at least five touchdowns and no interceptions since Deshaun Watson at NC State in 2015.

Uiagalelei was also named Monday as one of eight Manning Award Stars of the Week. Placekicker B.T. Potter also earned a Lou Groza Award Star of the Week selection for his 13-point performance that included a 4-for-4 effort on PATs and a 3-for-3 mark on field goals, including a game-tying 52-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that tied his career long.

[mm-video type=video id=01gdxmj3czkvx6y1bpfa playlist_id=01fvdd1xkgcx6zr5s5 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gdxmj3czkvx6y1bpfa/01gdxmj3czkvx6y1bpfa-608760569951c4f31fe652ccd4ae3d4d.jpg]

[listicle id=6523]

Two Tigers earn ACC weekly awards

The selections are Clemson’s third and fourth of the season. With the addition of the duo’s honors this week, Clemson has now garnered a total of 557 ACC weekly honors since 1968.

–Courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

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!

Clemson’s offensive line playing ‘a lot of winning football’

Clemson’s offense has taken a 180-degree turn from the rut it was stuck in for much of last season. While the improved play of D.J. Uiagalelei has gotten most of the focus through the Tigers’ first four games, Clemson’s quarterback and skill …

The unit took its share of criticism last season as ineffectiveness and attrition forced the Tigers to start eight different combinations along the offensive line, which didn’t do much to help with the group’s cohesion. So far this season, Clemson is averaging 17 more points per game than it did a year ago (26.3 to 43.8) with many of the same faces that blocked for Uiagalelei and his supporting cast then.

While Will Putnam (guard to center) and Walker Parks (tackle to guard) have switched positions since last season, true freshman tackle Blake Miller is the only new starter up front. All-ACC tackle Jordan McFadden and guard Marcus Tate have joined the trio in the starting lineup every game this season.

“Certainly they’re all good enough players. They’re really talented players,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Sunday. “That and the continuity has been a real positive for D.J., and they’ve just gotten more and more confident. You’re not going to watch any game and see guys perfect, but they’re just playing a lot of winning football.”

With the line paving the way, many of Clemson’s offensive numbers are positively different – and, in some cases, drastically – than last season. The Tigers, fresh off a season-high 559 yards in their win at Wake Forest on Saturday, are putting up nearly 100 more yards per game on average than they did a season ago. Will Shipley ran behind the group en route to another 100-yard day on the ground for Clemson, which has rushed for at least 188 yards in back-to-back games.

But the biggest contrast in Clemson’s offensive output this season is what the Tigers are doing through the air. Clemson ranks in the top 50 nationally in passing offense at 275 yards per game, a significant jump from when the Tigers finished in the triple digits in that category last season.

Uiagalelei turned in one of the best performances of his career against the Demon Deacons, throwing for 371 yards and a career-high five touchdowns on a day when Clemson needed all of it to escape in double overtime. Thanks to strong protection up front, he spent most of the day in a clean pocket with plenty of time to survey the field and find open receivers. He averaged 14.3 yards per completion.

Clemson has allowed just six sacks through four games, though Swinney said the line hasn’t been responsible for giving up any in the last three games. Wake Forest got to Uiagalelei for just one sack on 42 dropbacks, but Swinney said that came as a result of a running back not picking up a blitzing safety in time.

That was with Clemson’s starting five playing all 86 offensive snaps, the first time this season the Tigers haven’t rotated in any backup linemen. Swinney said that had everything to do with the flow of a back-and-forth game.

“We do need to get a couple of more guys in there, but as the game went, it was literally living and dying on every single play,” Swinney said. “And in the second half there, we played from behind every drive. We were at a point where we’ve got to go score. We went with the best we had. Just really proud of them.”

The line has largely held up regardless of the circumstances to do its part in limiting the frequency with which opposing defenses get into the Tigers’ backfield. Teams are averaging just 4.2 tackles for loss against Clemson, the second-fewest in the ACC.

“They are doing a really good job,” Swinney said. “All you can ask is they keep working and getting better, and that group has done that.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce limited edition signed cards from the freshmen football players are now in our online store. There are only 100 of each signed.

After week of upsets, Clemson wants to ‘make sure that’s not us’

Consider Clemson on high alert this week. Not because the Tigers have had any close calls – Clemson’s average margin of victory through two games is nearly four touchdowns – but they’re once again a heavy favorite against Louisiana Tech, which will …

Consider Clemson on high alert this week.

Not because the Tigers have had any close calls – Clemson’s average margin of victory through two games is nearly four touchdowns – but they’re once again a heavy favorite against Louisiana Tech, which will visit Memorial Stadium for an 8 p.m. kickoff. So were Texas A&M, Notre Dame and Wisconsin a week ago before they suffered losses that resonated well beyond College Station, South Bend and Madison.

Upsets aren’t anything new in college football. But those three teams, all ranked in the top 20 this time last week, losing to Appalachian State, Marshall and Washington State served as a stark reminder for Clemson that no one can be taken for granted.

“I think each and every week, no matter who you play, there’s always a chance of getting upset. It’s college football,” quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei said. “You see stuff like that happen all the time. I think it just makes sure that each and every play, we all know that this week, if we don’t come out and prepare the right way, we could come out and take an L. It definitely brings awareness to us.”

While those upsets were happening, Clemson (2-0) was polishing off a workmanlike 35-12 victory over Furman to move to 2-0 on the young season. The Tigers opened as a 36-point favorite over Louisiana Tech (1-1), which began its season with a lopsided loss at Missouri before handling Stephen F. Austin a week ago.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney viewed last week’s chaos around the college football landscape as a well-timed jolt for teams like his who hear from those outside the program how easy a time they’re supposed to have with what’s perceived to be inferior competition.

“You’re dealing with young people. These are 17- to 22-year-olds, right?” Swinney said. “They get told about how great they are. That’s what I hate about the recruiting process, all the rankings and all that mess. You’ve got to play the game. This game has never been played on paper. We wouldn’t be who we are right now if it was all about that. You’ve got to play, you’ve got to show up and you’ve got to compete.”

A common thread in those three upsets last week? A lot of help given to the victors.

Wisconsin forced three turnovers but committed three of their own. The Badgers also missed a pair of field goals and were flagged for 11 penalties in a three-point loss. Texas A&M finished minus-2 in the turnover margin in a three-point loss. Notre Dame? Minus-3 in that department in a five-point setback.

None of that was lost on Swinney or his team, which has yet to lose a turnover battle but coughed it up twice a week ago against Furman.

“Marshall was plus-3 (in turnovers),” Swinney said. “That’s a recipe for getting beat. App State was plus-3 in the margin. Next thing you know, it’s a tight game and you lose. Talent only gets you so far.”

While Louisiana Tech wasn’t all that competitive in its lone game against a Power Five opponent to this point, the Bulldogs have proven capable in some areas, particularly on offense. Operating components of the Air Raid under first-year coach Sonny Cumbie, the Bulldogs scored 24 points at Missouri despite turning it over three times and ran for 300 yards a week ago in their rout of Stephen F. Austin.

Louisiana Tech has plenty of experience, too. The Bulldogs have 17 starters back from last season and added 24 transfers to the mix during the offseason. Starting quarterback Parker McNeil, a transfer from Texas Tech, is one of them. His backup, former Georgia and TCU signal caller Matthew Downing, is another.

“This will be a big challenge for us this week,” Swinney said. “This is a team that’s got some dudes.”

Of course, some recent Clemson teams know what bitter losses taste like. There was that double-overtime loss to an unranked N.C. State team last season. And the last time the Tigers lost at home, they were a heavy favorite over a four-loss Pitt team in 2016.

What happened around the country a week ago only further grabbed the Tigers’ attention heading into tonight’s game.

“I think, especially experiencing that last year, we know that anybody can get beat on any given day,” senior offensive lineman Jordan McFadden said. “We’re just trying to make sure we do what we can do to make sure that’s not us.”

What We Heard: Jordan McFadden

Offensive lineman Jordan McFadden spoke to the media on Monday ahead of Saturday’s game against Louisiana Tech. McFadden reflected on the improvement of the offensive line from Week One to Week Two. Although the season is still in the early stages, …

Offensive lineman Jordan McFadden spoke to the media on Monday ahead of Saturday’s game against Louisiana Tech.

McFadden reflected on the improvement of the offensive line from Week One to Week Two. Although the season is still in the early stages, he thinks the offensive line has done well making the necessary adjustments, both in practice and during the games.

“I’m super excited,” he said. “I think everyone around the country wants us to be this finished product in Game Two of the season, but I think we’ve made great strides as an offense. Obviously, we still have a lot of work to do, but I am super confident and encouraged in what we’re doing so far.”

Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei found his form late in the opener against Georgia Tech, and that confidence seemed to carry into the win against Furman. McFadden feels this shift in Uiagalelei’s confidence has also impacted the entire offense.

“He’s super confident and comfortable, and you can tell he has his swagger back,” he said. “As a quarterback, confidence is huge. Just to see the confidence he is playing with and how much more he’s leading verbally, it’s so encouraging to be around.”

McFadden, who is a redshirt senior, knows there are always little areas of improvement, but the cohesion of the offensive line is really starting to mesh as the season gears up.

“As a whole, there’s definitely things we need to work on,” he said. “The run game, technique things, but we have a freshman right tackle (Blake Miller). And no matter where you are playing the game of football, coming in and playing as a true freshman is not easy at all. He’s working his tail off to get better.”

With the next game against Louisiana Tech, McFadden is aware of the upsets that happened around the country in Week Two. And he believes that it’s critical to treat each game and opponent with equal respect and preparation.

“We’ve got to approach the game just as it was anyone else,” he said. “Obviously around the world, teams are getting beat and upsets are happening, and I don’t want us to be one of those teams either. So I’m not approaching this week any different than how did against Georgia Tech or Furman or whoever else we play.”

Being a redshirt senior also means McFadden views this season as a pivotal point where his focus is on how he can train to maximize his potential on the field. A lot of his focus has been on taking that next step.

“Just finishing people,” he said. “That’s kind of been the extra focus for me whether it has been spring ball, camp or the season. Just finishing is probably the biggest thing for me.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

‘Still room for improvement’ for Clemson’s offensive line

It’s been a mixed bag through two games for Clemson’s retooled offensive line. The position was one of the more intriguing ones coming into the season for the Tigers given the shakeup at certain positions along with a new position coach, Thomas …

It’s been a mixed bag through two games for Clemson’s retooled offensive line.

The position was one of the more intriguing ones coming into the season for the Tigers given the shakeup at certain positions along with a new position coach, Thomas Austin. The group has paved the way for an offense averaging 38 points a game, but there’s some work that still needs to be done up front.

“As a whole, there’s definitely things we need to work on,” senior left tackle Jordan McFadden said. “In the run game, just technique things. But I think we’re doing some good things.”

The line returned four starters from last season, but there’s been some rearranging within the group. While McFadden and guard Marcus Tate are still holding down the left side, Will Putnam has moved from guard to center while Walker Parks has also slid inside from tackle to guard. That created a spot for the newest member of the line, true freshman Blake Miller, at right tackle.

With that many familiar faces back up front, McFadden said before the season he felt like this was the cohesive line he’s been a part of in his five years with the program. McFadden said it’s brought a level of comfortability that he expected heading into the season, and the group has largely been on the same page with its communication even if it’s not always easy to do so, he said.

“Essentially the center kind of directs the traffic,” McFadden said. “The tackles have our calls. The guards have their calls and different things like that. But (Putnam) is in a sense telling everybody kind of where to go basically.”

McFadden cited last week’s game against Furman, which came just five days after Clemson’s opening win over Georgia Tech, as an example.

“It’s just repetition and doing it at practice,” McFadden said. “Furman was a really short week, so we didn’t have necessarily as much time as we’d like to rep exactly what we’d be running that week, so it was tough at times just to kind of make sure if I’m making a call, it’s relayed.

“That’s also a big thing, just making sure if Blake makes a call to make sure that I know what he’s doing or what the right side is doing. A big part of the game is passing it down the line. I think that’s something we can get better at. If I get a call, making sure the other side hears it and different things like that.”

While the group continues to work on honing its communication, getting push in the running game is another area that could use more consistency. Clemson improved its yards per rush to 5.2 against Furman. Leading rusher Will Shipley was even better at 6.8 yards a pop.

McFadden was particularly pleased with that performance given Furman often loaded the box with more defenders than the Tigers could block. He said he liked push the Tigers got when they were able to get a hat on a hat, but Clemson still ranks 11th in the ACC in yards per carry (3.91) and 12th in rushing yards (133 per game).

Next up for the line is a Louisiana Tech defense that’s giving up the eighth-most rushing yards in the country on a per-game basis (233.5).

“I’m proud of this offensive line,” McFadden said. “We still have to get better and there’s still room for improvement, but I think we’re going in the right direction.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Teammate says Uiagalelei has ‘swagger back’

Coaches, teammates and the rest of college football are seeing a different version of D.J. Uiagalelei early this season. Clemson’s quarterback caught his share of criticism a season ago as the Tigers’ offensive production plummeted compared to the …

Coaches, teammates and the rest of college football are seeing a different version of D.J. Uiagalelei early this season.

Clemson’s quarterback caught his share of criticism a season ago as the Tigers’ offensive production plummeted compared to the numbers it’s put up in the recent past. Uiagalelei’s 55.6% completion rate in his first year as the Tigers’ full-time starter was second-lowest among ACC quarterbacks, and he threw more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (9).

It’s been a different story for Uiagalelei through two games this season. Uiagalelei is among the league’s top 5 signal callers in efficiency, completing his passes at a 67.8% clip. And while he hasn’t been perfect – he lost a fumble in the opener against Georgia Tech and threw his first interception last week against Furman – Uiagalelei has a 2-to-1 touchdown-to-turnover ratio going.

Since fumbling early in the opener against Tech, Uiagalelei has found his groove. He’s accounted for all four of his touchdowns while completing nearly 68% of his passes over the last seven quarters, which includes perhaps Uiagalelei’s best performance in a Clemson uniform. He went 21 of 27 passing with two touchdowns in Clemson’s win over Furman, posting the highest completion percentage (77.8%) and passer rating (166.7) of his career.

“He’s super confident and super comfortable,” senior offensive lineman Jordan McFadden said. “You can tell he’s got his swagger back. As a quarterback, confidence is huge. Just to see the confidence he’s playing with and how much more he’s leading verbally and different things like, it’s so encouraging to be around.”

Uiagalelei largely agreed with his teammate’s assessment of where he is now, which is a far cry from where he was much of last season after a promising true freshman season in 2020. A former five-star recruit, Uiagalelei flashed the kind of potential in spot starts against Boston College and Notre Dame that season that made him a popular Heisman Trophy pick heading into last season.

In addition to more consistent accuracy in the passing game, Uiagalelei said one of the biggest differences in his play early this year is the confidence he has in reading defenses and going through his progressions now that he’s had another year in the Tigers’ offense.

“I think I’m a little more comfortable than I was last year read-wise and just feeling the game. I felt calm out there (last week),” Uiagalelei said. “The game’s starting to slow down a little bit.”

Uiagalelei also knows he and his offense are only as good as their last performance. There are still at least 10 games left on the Tigers’ schedule starting Saturday when Louisiana Tech visits Memorial Stadium. Then it’s off to Wake Forest next week for both teams’ ACC opener.

Uiagalalei said the key to keeping his momentum going starts with the preparation regardless of the opponent.

“Coach (Brandon) Streeter says that a lot,” Uiagalelei said. “Lean on the work that I put in each and every week just preparing for each opponent. I think just leaning on the confidence of that and the preparation.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Clemson’s official depth chart for the Georgia Tech game

Clemson’s first depth chart for their matchup against Georgia Tech has been released.

As game day fast approaches, Clemson football released its depth chart Tuesday for their Labor Day opener against Georgia Tech.

The hype surrounding freshman tackle Blake Miller was reassured as Miller is officially listed as the Tigers’ starting right tackle for Monday’s opener, with previous starter Walker Parks shifting over to start at right guard. He will be the first true freshman to get the start at offensive tackles for the Tigers since Mitch Hyatt back in 2015.

At wide receiver, it looks like the Tigers still have some decisions to be made. Two receivers that have been dealing with injuries in camp, E.J. Williams and Beaux Collins, were listed as co-starters.

Co-starters look to be an early trend for the Tigers as on defense; there are multiple units listed with co-starters.

Here’s a full look at Clemson’s depth chart for their opening game against Georgia Tech (8 p.m./ESPN):

Teammate: ‘You don’t notice’ Putnam at new position

Offensive linemen are a lot like specialists in one aspect: If they’re frequently noticed by fans and coaches during the course of a game, that’s usually not a good thing. Their jobs are largely thankless and often taken for granted. But much like a …

Offensive linemen are a lot like specialists in one aspect: If they’re frequently noticed by fans and coaches during the course of a game, that’s usually not a good thing.

Their jobs are largely thankless and often taken for granted. But much like a shanked punt or a missed field goal for kickers, nothing draws eye toward a lineman quicker than a bad snap, a missed block or a penalty.

In that context, Clemson offensive lineman Jordan McFadden said Will Putnam has been largely invisible this preseason.

“The biggest thing is you don’t notice Will, which is what you want as an offensive lineman,” McFadden said. “There’s not many or really ever any bad snaps, and he does a great job moving people.”

Putnam continues to draw rave reviews for his transition to center. The senior started the last two seasons at guard before making the move this spring, one made out of necessity with Clemson losing its top three centers from last season. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said then the plan was to seek out a starting center in the transfer portal, but Swinney’s tune changed after watching Putnam operate at his new position during the spring.

Swinney opened preseason camp by making it clear Putnam was the unquestioned starter at center. The Tigers made a similar move last season by sliding veteran Matt Bockhorst inside, which came with mixed reviews before Bockhorst suffered a career-ending knee injury late in the season.

The real evaluation of Putnam’s move will start Monday when Clemson opens the season against Georgia Tech in Atlanta. But so far, coaches and teammates alike have had few complaints about the 6-foot-4, 315-pounder’s performance as the new anchor of the offensive line.

“Will is a great addition at center,” McFadden said. “I think we’ve needed a guy like Will at center in the past. He’s done a great job, and I think he’ll do a great job this season for sure.”

Dear Old Clemson has loaded up the online store with items like Myles Murphy signed cards and many items from our event for Clemson softball.

For McFadden, cohesion ‘the best I’ve felt’ along Clemson’s offensive line

Jordan McFadden is entering his third season as a starter at Clemson and fifth overall, so he’s been part of plenty of offensive lines during his time with the Tigers. None have given him a stronger sense of chemistry than this one. “This is the …

Jordan McFadden is entering his third season as a starter at Clemson and fifth overall, so he’s been part of plenty of offensive lines during his time with the Tigers.

None have given him a stronger sense of chemistry than this one.

“This is the best I’ve felt since I’ve been here personally about cohesiveness,” McFadden said.

That was a glaring issue last year when injuries and ineffectiveness made for a musical chair of sorts up front. The Tigers started eight different offensive line combinations in 13 games and had three different starting centers, which factored into the offense’s dropoff as a whole.

Clemson didn’t rank better than 82nd in the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards, points or passing offense. After giving up seven sacks in the season opener against Georgia, the Tigers only allowed 14 sacks in the final 12 games and found more consistency in the running game later in the season to finish a respectable 58th nationally in rushing yards.

Still, stability or not, McFadden said the line’s subpar performance overall has been a source of motivation for the unit heading into this season.

“I definitely think everybody has a chip on their shoulder,” he said. “It’s not so much us reading what everybody else is saying, but knowing what we’re capable of and knowing we didn’t perform to that standard of play here every game last season was disappointing. Everybody was just ready to get to work and ready to kind of show the country what we can do Sept. 5.”

Yet it’s that continuity, at least during the preseason, that has McFadden believing the group is capable of a rebound. The senior from Spartanburg is one of four starters back up front, though there have been some tweaks to the formation.

Senior Will Putnam is taking over at center after starting the last two seasons at right guard. Meanwhile, true freshman Blake Miller has soared to the top of the depth chart at right tackle for the time being, bumping junior Walker Parks inside to guard. Marcus Tate is back with a year of experience under his belt at left guard after starting eight games there last season.

But the majority of the group has been repping together since the spring. Miller, who’s in line to be the first true freshman to start a season opener at tackle for Clemson since 2015, has consistently repped with the first team since midway through preseason camp.

For a position where working in unison is key, that cohesion has drastically helped the line improve its communication, which McFadden said was “amazing” during camp.

“Last year, there was so much going on with injuries and everything, it was hard to get a set five out there the first couple of games,” McFadden said. “Just not being comfortable with everybody, but we’ve pretty much had the same five the whole camp. Moved a couple of people around, but me and Marcus are more comfortable with a year playing together and different things like that.

“I think, everybody, we’re just more cohesive, which makes a big difference in the o-line.”

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