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Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry had his best season as a Tiger in 2021. Henry finished with 25 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and 5 quarterback pressures. Check out some great pictures of Henry’s season in Bart Boatwright’s Best Of Photo …
Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry had his best season as a Tiger in 2021. Henry finished with 25 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and 5 quarterback pressures.
Check out some great pictures of Henry’s season in Bart Boatwright’s Best Of Photo Gallery.
Social media is buzzing with reports about Brent Venables and the Oklahoma job. Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry took to Twitter Sunday afternoon to set the record straight on one report that was not accurate. TCI was also told by several members of …
Social media is buzzing with reports about Brent Venables and the Oklahoma job.
Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry took to Twitter Sunday afternoon to set the record straight on one report that was not accurate.
TCI was also told by several members of the program that this report was not accurate.
Dang if he did he forgot to tell me 😂… love some fake news lol https://t.co/ziGD2FItk7
— KJ Henry (@thekjhenry) December 5, 2021
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Clemson coach Dabo Swinney addressed the status of injured defensive lineman Xavier Thomas following the Tigers’ win over South Carolina on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium. Swinney said Thomas, who didn’t play against the …
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Clemson coach Dabo Swinney addressed the status of injured defensive lineman Xavier Thomas following the Tigers’ win over South Carolina on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium.
Swinney said Thomas, who didn’t play against the Gamecocks, is still dealing with the strained hamstring he sustained a couple of weeks back. The senior defensive end, who’s been limited the last two weeks, was initially going to try to play this week, Swinney said, but by Wednesday, Thomas determined he wasn’t going to be able to give it a go.
Swinney said Thomas should be healthy for the Tigers’ bowl game, which will officially be announced Dec. 5.
K.J. Henry got his second straight start in Thomas’ absence Saturday, finishing with two tackles and a sack.
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Some Clemson players took to social media after the team’s 30-0 victory over South Carolina on Saturday night. Clemson dominated every facet of the game Saturday, inclduing the trash talking aspect. The tables certainly turned after the lopsided …
Some Clemson players took to social media after the team’s 30-0 victory over South Carolina on Saturday night.
Clemson dominated every facet of the game Saturday, inclduing the trash talking aspect. The tables certainly turned after the lopsided vicory marked the first shutout by either team in the series since the Tigers beat USC 45-0 back in 1989.
In the end, players like Clemson redshirt junior defensive end K.J. Henry had the last laugh.
That crowd went from SOLD OUT to Socially Distant real quick 🤣😂
— KJ Henry (@thekjhenry) November 28, 2021
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Connecticut found itself close to the kind of success many teams haven’t had against Clemson’s defense late in the teams’ game at Memorial Stadium last week. Brian Brewton prefaced the Huskies’ final possession of the game with a 76-yard kickoff …
Connecticut found itself close to the kind of success many teams haven’t had against Clemson’s defense late in the teams’ game at Memorial Stadium last week.
Brian Brewton prefaced the Huskies’ final possession of the game with a 76-yard kickoff return that put UConn at Clemson’s 24-yard line. Sheridan Jones’ personal foul put UConn into the red zone, and the Huskies moved to the Tigers’ 5 on the ensuing play. Clemson (7-3, 5-2) thwarted the threat, though, pushing the Huskies back 2 yards on their final three snaps to hold UConn without an offensive point in the Tigers’ 44-7 rout.
Given the Tigers were playing their reserves in a 37-point game, it didn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. But it kept an impressive trend going for the defense, which has been the best in the country with its collective back against the wall.
It was the 23rd time an opponent has reached the red zone this season against the Tigers. Yet almost as many of those trips have left the opposition empty-handed as the ones that haven’t. Only 56.6% of the time have teams come away with points against Clemson after reaching the Tigers’ 20-yard line or farther, the lowest clip in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Even when those trips have been successful, teams have more often had to settle for three points rather than six. Of the 13 red-zone scores Clemson has allowed through 10 games, seven of them have been field goals, which has contributed to the Tigers’ third-ranked scoring defense nationally.
“It gives you a chance to win most games if you can win in the red zone, and we’ve been fortunate to be pretty good there,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said.
UConn’s final possession was the only time the Huskies got that close to scoring six against the Tigers, but there have been other instances where Clemson has come through in more pressurized situations.
The week before, with Clemson clinging to a 30-24 lead late, Louisville had the Tigers on the ropes with one last drive that reached Clemson’s 2 in just five plays. The Cardinals didn’t net anything on their next three snaps, and the drive ended with linebacker James Skalski and company chasing down Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham for a sack on fourth-and-goal to preserve the win.
It was a sequence reminiscent of Clemson’s 14-8 win over Georgia Tech in the third week of the season, one in which the Yellow Jackets had four cracks from the Tigers’ 3 in the final minute. Skalski was in on two of the next three tackles before sniffing out Tech’s shovel pass to tight end Dylan Deveney on fourth-and-goal.
“I think it’s just will. A will to keep people out of the end zone,” Skalski said. “I’ve been a part of countless goal-line stands now since I’ve been here, which is pretty cool. It’s just a bunch of guys in the huddle together kind of talking to each other like, ‘They’re not getting in this end zone.’ And that’s kind of what we did.”
Two weeks later, the defense was at it again when Boston College threatened for a go-ahead score in the final 2 minutes. The Eagles drove to Clemson’s 11 before an incompletion brought up second down, but K.J. Henry shot into the backfield on the next snap to pounce on quarterback Daniel Grosel’s muffed snap turned fumble, a recovery that iced a 19-13 win for the Tigers. Clemson limited Boston College to one touchdown on its four red-zone trips.
Will is one thing, but Venables said he believes his unit’s preparation for those moments in practice also has something to do with just how stingy the defense has been the more the field shrinks. The fact the defense has been able to bow up more often than not only adds to the group’s confidence each time it finds itself in that kind of situation, he said.
“There’s a lot to it mentally and structurally,” Venables said. “I think the most important element, though, is belief, attitude, toughness and physicality. The fundamentals will show up under pressure down there for sure.”
It’ll be strength against strength Saturday when the Tigers close out their home slate against No. 10 Wake Forest (9-1, 6-0), which has been one of the nation’s best offenses all season in every part of the field. The Demon Deacons are scoring the second-most points in the FBS and own the nation’s seventh-most successful red-zone offense (93.8% conversion rate). Only 10 teams nationally have made more red-zone trips than Wake’s 48, and 34 of those have reached the end zone.
Clemson’s defense is as well prepared as any should it find itself in that predicament again come Saturday.
“It can really give you a lot of confidence in everything you’re doing and validates the toughness, the discipline and the never-say-quit attitude you’ve got to have when your back’s against the wall,” Venables said.
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As Boston College attempted a comeback drive to knock off Clemson, Tyler Venables dropped an interception. It wound up not mattering, though, as K.J. Henry recovered a fumble on the ensuing play to seal Clemson’s 19-13 win over Boston College. …
As Boston College attempted a comeback drive to knock off Clemson, Tyler Venables dropped an interception.
It wound up not mattering, though, as K.J. Henry recovered a fumble on the ensuing play to seal Clemson’s 19-13 win over Boston College.
Still, Venables had a chance to redeem himself.
“I was hoping I’d be ready the next time it happened,” Venables told reporters Tuesday. “Obviously, thankfully K.J. recovered that fumble the next play, otherwise I think I might’ve had a little bit more regret. I’m just thankful my teammates could help me on the next play, even though I dropped that one. Then, of course, the next week, it was good to get that one.”
Venables is referring to his first-career interception, which came at an opportune time and helped Clemson from entering an early deficit during the team’s 17-14 win over Syracuse this past Friday.
After Sean Tucker — who was named the ACC’s running back of the week — scampered for 54 yards on Syracuse’s third offensive possession, the Orange had first-and-10 from Clemson’s 19-yard line.
On the ensuing play, an errant Garrett Shrader came right to Venables. That turnover changed the trajectory of the first half, and gave way to a 12-play, 87-yard drive that ended in seven points for Clemson’s offense.
“It’s very cool. My loyalty first and foremost is to him, so man that’s cool,” Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables said postgame regarding Tyler’s interception. “There’s a lot of football to be played, so it’s hard. If I was up there in the stands, I’d have it going on for sure…I’m real proud of him.”
A moment that calls for a warm embrace between father and son, didn’t quite happen until after the game in the parking lot.
“You really don’t have that dad moment,” Brent said Monday. “You kind of got to do that some other time. That’s what y’all signed up for though, having that kind of marriage that way if you will. It’s not an easy thing…being a dad and being excited for your child and stuff like that, you’re not able to do that as much and certainly not outwardly.”
“We didn’t really embrace at all because it’s strictly business on the field,” Tyler added Tuesday. “I got the interception, went back to the drawing board, and looked at what we did wrong on that drive. So, we really didn’t think about it or celebrate really that much until after the game.”
After playing quarterback for D.W. Daniel (Central, S.C.), Tyler has learned how to play the safety position under his father’s tutelage. There’s obviously a learning curve for Tyler, who hadn’t played safety since his sophomore year of high school, before he arrived at Clemson.
“He’s earned it,” Brent said. “He’s still learning how to play safety…but I’ve seen Tyler just get better and better. The more he’s played, the better he’s gotten. He’s probably the top-8 fastest guys on the whole team. I expected him to return [the interception] for a touchdown.”
Brent’s seen first hand the progression his son has made, especially making a difficult leap from high school quarterback to a college safety at a premiere program like Clemson.
“I think the hardest part was understanding coming down from angles and working tackling and whatnot and knowing that one wrong step and you’re going to miss your gap completely,” Tyler said when asked about the biggest adjustment he’s faced. “I don’t think I really understood that and got to develop that throughout high school.”
“He’s having to play catch up,” Brent added. “I think the transition for him [has gone] really well.”
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Clemson won’t officially hit the halfway point on its 12-game regular season until after its game at Syracuse next week, but it’s close enough. With an open date to take a step back and evaluate where the Tigers are as a team, TCI is handing out …
Clemson won’t officially hit the halfway point on its 12-game regular season until after its game at Syracuse next week, but it’s close enough. With an open date to take a step back and evaluate where the Tigers are as a team, TCI is handing out midterm grades for Clemson’s performance so far in all facets.
Let’s hand out some grades for each position on defense through five games:
Defensive line
The front was expected to be the strength of the defense coming into the season given the mix of talent and depth the Tigers had there. Both have taken a hit because of some significant injuries, but the line is still holding its own.
Not many defenses would be able to lose both starting defensive tackles and keep rolling the way Clemson’s has. First, it was Tyler Davis who had to have surgery on his bicep that will keep him out until November. Then it was Bryan Bresee, who went down with a torn ACL against North Carolina State. Ruke Orhorhoro and Tre Williams have now become starters on the interior, and the Tigers have developed some depth with Darnell Jefferies, Etinosa Reubun and true freshman Payton Page having to be part of the rotation, too.
Meanwhile, the Tigers still have their numbers intact at end. Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas (10 tackles for loss and six sacks) have been terrors off the edge while K.J. Henry, Justin Mascoll and Justin Foster (who’s also slid inside some) are there as well. Clemson has ranked in the top 30 nationally in points allowed, yards allowed and rush defense all season, and the front four is a big reason why. Grade: A
Linebackers
Clemson began the season with a strong blend of experience, athleticism and high football IQ at the second level of its defense. The first five weeks have shown the Tigers have more quality depth than they may have initially thought, too.
Super senior James Skalski and Baylon Spector, a fifth-year player, lead the Tigers in tackles with 80 combined stops. Skalski, whom the Tigers consider the heart and soul of the defense, showed his knowledge and instincts in a big way when he snuffed out Georgia Tech’s goal-line shovel pass late in that game to help preserve the victory. Spector has quietly been a productive player on the weakside.
If there’s a weakness for Skalski and Spector, it’s pass coverage. But sophomore Trenton Simpson helps there. The sophomore strong-side ‘backer has shown the physicality to play in the box and the speed to run with tight ends when needed. And then there’s LaVonta Bentley, a backup who hasn’t played like one when filling in for Skalski and Spector, who have been slowed by injuries at times. Bentley is fourth on the team with 24 tackles and has three tackles for loss. Grade: A-
Secondary
Andrew Booth and Mario Goodrich have answered most of the questions about Clemson’s cornerbacks coming into the season. Both have not only played well in coverage, but they’ve been some of the ACC’s top tackling corners when attacking the line of scrimmage. Booth is the Tigers’ third-leading tackler (26 stops) while Goodrich is right behind him (23).
Goodrich has produced his stats in four games after not playing last week against Boston College with a groin injury, forcing Sheridan Jones into a starting role. Jones had seven tackles in that game.
Sixth-year senior Nolan Turner is holding down one safety spot while true freshman Andrew Mukuba has been a revelation for the Tigers at the other. Mukuba is tied with Goodrich in tackles and leads the team with four pass breakups. But there’s depth at the safety position, too, with Jalyn Phillips, Joseph Charleston and R.J. Mickens, who has two of the Tigers’ five interceptions.
The group hasn’t been perfect. Boston College threw for more than 300 yards last week. But the Tigers are still in the top 50 nationally in passing yards allowed (203 per game), and they’ve done it without nickel Malcolm Greene (shoulder injury) for the last two games. Grade: B+
Overall
Even with the attrition, the defense has been one of the ACC’s best and has carried Clemson while the offense gets things figured out. The Tigers have yet to allow more than 14 points in regulation, though depth will be something to watch going forward if injuries continue to mount. There isn’t a glaring weakness at any level of the defense. Grade: A
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Once again, when it mattered the most, Clemson’s defense came through for the 19 th-ranked Tigers in their 19-13 victory over Boston College Saturday night at Death Valley. With 53 seconds left to play, the Eagles faced a second-and-10 from the …
Once again, when it mattered the most, Clemson’s defense came through for the 19th-ranked Tigers in their 19-13 victory over Boston College Saturday night at Death Valley.
With 53 seconds left to play, the Eagles faced a second-and-10 from the Clemson 11-yard line. Trying to see what Clemson was doing in the secondary, quarterback Dennis Grosel took his eye off the ball, as he received the shotgun snap, and fumbled the football.
An alert K.J. Henry, who was rushing up the field, jumped on the loose ball at the 22-yard line, sealing the Tigers’ dramatic win. It marked the second time this season, the defense had to hold off an opponent late in the game to seal a victory. It was the 17th time it occurred since Brent Venables became Clemson’s defensive coordinator back in 2012.
The Tigers (3-2, 2-1 ACC) have had at least one game in each of the last nine seasons in which the defense made a stop in the final minute to seal a victory. Clemson used a goal-line stand in the final minutes to knock off Georgia Tech on Sept. 18.
“We have been there a lot,” Venables said after Saturday’s game. “In ten years, it piles up when you have those opportunities and then every year you have a different DNA. I am trying to play to their strengths (as a play caller), protect their weaknesses and in some of it you are not anticipating playing as much with our dime stuff.
“We had to kinda adjust within the game.”
Clemson’s defense allowed just one touchdown, a 3-yard Patrick Garwo run with 14:05 to go in the third quarter.
Boston College (4-1, 0-1 ACC) ran for just 46 yards. Averaged just 1.4 yards per carry. The Tigers sacked Grosel four times and forced him into three turnovers.
But despite all of that, the Eagles still found themselves with the football at their own 36 and a chance to go win the game with 1:48 to play.
Henry’s fumble recovery to seal the win was not the only time the Tigers turned BC away in the final minutes. Andrew Booth, who had eight tackles, stopped wide receiver Zay Flowers a yard short of the first-down marker on a fourth-and-nine play at the Clemson 22 with 2:14 to play.
“There is a lot to learn there in the two-minute situation with no timeouts. There is a lot to learn there,” Venables said.
Grosel opened the Eagles final drive with a 15-yard pass to Flowers and then a 7-yard completion to Travis Levy. He then found Flowers for 14 and Levy for four, before connecting with tight end Trae Barry for 13 yards, moving the ball to the Clemson 11.
After linebacker James Skalski broke up another pass to Barry on first down, Henry recovered Grosel’s fumble to secure the win.
“They were tempoing us. Everything was going fast,” Henry said. “We were just trying to give ourselves a chance, so line up and get off the ball… They had a backup left tackle in that did not seem comfortable over there, so we were really trying to get off the ball and get to the quarterback as fast as possible.
“At the end of the day, God put us in the right place at the right time and we were just blessed right there.”
The stop marked the second year in a row the Tigers held off BC in the final minutes. It just added to all the dramatic victories Clemson has had over the years, like Deshawn Williams knocking down a Louisville pass in the final seconds back in 2014. The two-point stop against Notre Dame in 2015, the Louisville receiver who went out of bounds a yard short in 2016 and Skalski’s and Xavier Thomas’ two-point stop in Chapel Hill in 2019 just to mention a few.
Then of course there was Skalski sniffing out the shovel pass on fourth-and-goal to save the Georgia Tech game.
“We just take it one play at a time. It is that windshield mentality all the time around here,” Henry said. “I think that is what we did a great job doing. Whenever there is a mess up, we never point fingers. We are just ready to go to the sideline and get it fixed and then go out there fix it and compete.
“That is what these guys do night in and night out.”
Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!
Statistically, Clemson’s offense had one of its better performances of the season. A running game that hadn’t come close to this type of production against anyone its own size came to life to help the 19th-ranked Tigers rack up 438 yards of offense …
Statistically, Clemson’s offense had one of its better performances of the season.
A running game that hadn’t come close to this type of production against anyone its own size came to life to help the 19th-ranked Tigers rack up 438 yards of offense in a 19-13 win over Boston College late Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. If not for the 500-plus yards it rolled up against South Carolina State back in Week 2, it would’ve been the best yardage output of the season for Clemson.
But with D.J. Uiagalelei again struggling to consistently find touch and accuracy in a passing game that continues to try to gain its footing through five games, the Tigers (3-2, 2-1 ACC) often found themselves capping their best scoring chances with three points rather than six. Senior kicker B.T. Potter (4-for-4 on field goals) was the busiest he’s been all season, accounting for all of Clemson’s points outside of Kobe Pace’s 59-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter.
It allowed Boston College (4-1, 0-1) to hang around, which, much like two weeks earlier against Georgia Tech in the same stadium, ultimately left it up to Clemson’s defense to again save the day.
“It’s about making plays,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables. “And we made enough plays to win the game tonight.”
The Eagles had plenty of chances to put up points of their own, making trips to Clemson territory on seven of their 13 possessions. Four of those reached the red zone on a night when Boston College held the advantage in plays and time of possession. The differential wasn’t nearly as lopsided as it was for Clemson last week when the Tigers had to defend 87 plays in regulation against North Carolina State, but Boston College finished plus-6 in snaps and held the ball for 30 minutes, 19 seconds.
Yet Pat Gawro’s 3-yard run early in the third quarter was the only touchdown the Tigers allowed, which tied the game at 13 at the time. It could’ve been worse considering Boston College reached the Tigers’ 5-yard line on its second possession only to have to settle for a field goal. A questionable roughing-the-passer penalty on Xavier Thomas late in the first half helped get the Eagles out of a second-and-long back up in their own territory. They methodically moved down the field after that, reaching Clemson’s 11 on that drive. But Myles Murphy and Ruke Orhorhoro combined for a sack of Boston College quarterback Dennis Grosel on second down, and the Eagles eventually had to take three again.
“Just taking it one play at a time,” defensive end K.J. Henry said. “We say a windshield mentality all the time around here, and I think that’s what we’ve done a great job of doing.”
Clemson forced three turnovers, nearly matching its season total coming in (4), and also finished with four sacks. The Tigers pressured Grosel numerous other times, forcing the Eagles’ backup, who’s playing for the injured Phil Jurkovec, into some mistakes. Nolan Turner and R.J. Mickens each had interceptions that set Clemson’s offense up at midfield or in Boston College territory, but the offense couldn’t maximize either chance.
Clemson forced a punt after Boston College blocked one of Will Spiers’ boots in Tigers territory early in the third quarter, and Mickens’ pick gave Clemson’s offense its best starting field position of the night at Boston College’s 33 late in the third. But that came during a lull for the offense. The Tigers punted on their previous three possessions and didn’t move the ball much after Mickens’ interception once an offensive pass interference penalty moved them behind the chains, ultimately forcing Clemson to settle for a field goal that put them up 16-13 at the time.
Clemson had a chance to ice it after Uiagalelei connected with Joseph Ngata for a 54-yard catch and run deep into Boston College territory. But Potter kicked his last field goal when the offense again bogged down closer to the end zone, leaving the door open for the Eagles.
That’s when Clemson’s defense came through in the clutch again. Boston College marched to Clemson’s 31 with less than 3 minutes left, but Andrew Booth stopped Zay Flowers a yard short of a first down on fourth-and-9 to get the ball back to the offense.
“That’s just who we are,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “We’re really experienced. … We’re kind of the opposite of what we are on offense. Just very knowledgeable. Talented. Got good depth. Or at least we used to have good depth (before injuries). And they’re knowledgeable. We expected our team to kind of be led defensively or sure. And that’s exactly how it’s been.”
The offense went three and out but made Boston College use all of its timeouts after Uiagalelei ate it on third down rather than throwing the ball away. The Eagles threatened one last time in the final minute, moving to the Tigers’ 11 in six plays. Tyler Venables had a chance to end the threat when Grosel threw an errant pass his way in the end zone, but the Tigers’ safety couldn’t come up with the pick.
On the next play, though, Grosel mishandled the snap, throwing off the Eagles’ final play from the start. Henry exploded off the edge to recover the loose ball, preserving the Tigers’ win with one last stand in a game full of them.
“We were really trying to get off the ball and try to get the quarterback as fast as possible,” Henry said of Boston College’s final play. “At the end of the day, God put it in the right place at the right time. That’s all on him. Just excited for the team and the fans and I’m glad we could come out with a win tonight.”
Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!
If you ever see Clemson’s defensive linemen break out in laughter in a meeting room or on the practice field, chances are Ruke Orhorhoro is the culprit. “He keeps it lighthearted,” defensive end K.J. Henry said. That’s just who Orhorhoro is. The …
If you ever see Clemson’s defensive linemen break out in laughter in a meeting room or on the practice field, chances are Ruke Orhorhoro is the culprit.
“He keeps it lighthearted,” defensive end K.J. Henry said.
That’s just who Orhorhoro is.
The Tigers’ defensive tackle said cracking jokes and witty banter have always been part of his personality, but nothing is scripted, so to speak. Orhorhoro said he doesn’t have certain topics in mind when cutting up with coaches and teammates. Whatever comes to him in the moment is what he blurts out with the objective being to at least get a smile out of them.
“I just like being a blessing and a light to everybody,” Orhorhoro said.
Playing football, however, is no laughing matter for Orhorhoro, particularly as he works to transform into a more significant contributor for a defensive line that has no shortage of talent and bodies. With five defensive ends that have starting experience, All-American Bryan Bresee at one defensive tackle spot and multi-year starter Tyler Davis at the other, there are expectations both inside and outside of the program of being one of the nation’s best defensive fronts this fall.
“It’s always climbing the ladder, not going down on the ladder,” Orhorhoro said. “I just expect us to have a great year. We have so much depth and depth from last year. We’re all healthy. We’re all playing at a high level.”
Bresee and Davis won’t be able to log every snap on the interior, which is where Orhorhoro will be counted on to help out. Tre Williams, Darnell Jeffries and Etinose Rueben are among others who could also provide depth on the inside, but Orhorhoro, who’s healthy again after missing most of last season with a knee injury, was listed as Bresee’s backup on the Tigers’ pre-camp depth chart and has gotten many of the second-team reps during camp.
It’s a significant sign of development for someone who’s still relatively new to the game.
An immigrant from Nigeria, Orhorhoro, whose first name is short for Oghenerukevwe, grew up playing basketball. He wanted to play football once got to high school in Michigan, but the one he attended as a freshman, Trillium Academy, didn’t have a football program. Orhorhoro said his parents were also reluctant to let him play football because of the physical nature of the sport.
Orhorhoro had two cousins that had success playing football at Power Five schools, Michael (Iowa) and Mario (Michigan) Ojemudia, which he said softened his parents’ stance. Orhoro enrolled at River Rouge as a sophomore and was on the football field by his junior season.
A 6-3, 210-pound point guard early in his high school career, Orhorhoro first tried his hand at receiver, but “I couldn’t catch,” he admitted. He continued to fill out his body, growing to 250 pounds by his junior season.
“We tried out linebacker and then figured out d-line was the best spot for me,” Orhorhoro said.
Orhorhoro was initially recruited to Clemson as a defensive end but is entering his redshirt sophomore season as a 300-pound tackle. Having a clean bill of health has certainly helped get him in a position to be a significant part of the rotation this fall, but so has the mental side of the game that Orhorhoro said has been his main focus this offseason.
Physically, Orhorhoro said his ability to help stop the run is catching up with his pass-rushing skills as an interior lineman. But after two years at the collegiate level, being able to process the game faster has been just as important for his development.
“Now I can see the tendencies of what the offense is getting ready to do, what formations they’re in and whether it’s pass and run,” he said. “I identify that a lot quicker as to where I was two years ago.”
Orhorhoro’s desire to go from a player with potential up front to one that can be consistent and reliable is no joke.
“I think I put more time into the film room, and my knowledge of the game has grown not having played for that long compared to the others,” he said. “But I feel like I’ve taken a big step mentally and physically.”
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