Kam Pringle – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Top in-state OL target remains confident in Swinney, Clemson amid staff changes

The Clemson Insider recently caught up with a priority in-state prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. We checked in with Woodland (Dorchester, S.C.) four-star offensive tackle Kam Pringle for the first time since it was announced that Robbie …

The Clemson Insider recently caught up with a priority in-state prospect in the 2024 recruiting class.

We checked in with Woodland (Dorchester, S.C.) four-star offensive tackle Kam Pringle for the first time since it was announced that Robbie Caldwell would be retiring from his current post and transitioning into an off-field role as Clemson’s director of high school relations.

Pringle said that he texted Caldwell. He knew that he couldn’t respond due to NCAA rules and regulations on recruiting, but he wanted Clemson’s now-former offensive line coach to see the message.

“It was definitely something I kind of saw coming,” Pringle said, “maybe not as soon. But, I guess he just felt like it was time for Coach Austin to take over. He told me before — a little while back — to build a good relationship with Coach Austin because he didn’t know how much time he had left in the role of OL coach. I definitely thought he was talking about my sophomore year of college or something later on down the road.”

Fortunately for Pringle, he has started to build a relationship with Thomas Austin, Clemson’s newly minted offensive line coach.

“I definitely like Coach Austin a lot,” he said. “When I went up to camp, Coach Caldwell called the drills, he told people what to do, but, Coach Austin was the one coordinating everything. He made sure that he let Coach Austin get more up close with us than he did because I guess he already knew what he was planning on doing.

“Me and Coach Austin are definitely building a decent relationship. He’s definitely kind of Coach Caldwell-style. He played for Coach Caldwell, I think, and he’s coached under him. He knows how to put guys in the league and how to get o-linemen better.”

Obviously, Clemson has undergone a staff shakeup, which has seen Pringle’s two primary recruiters — Caldwell and Tony Elliott — move on from their prior roles. Elliott, of course, accepted the job to become the next head coach at the University of Virginia.

Despite their absences going forward, Pringle acknowledged that it won’t affect his recruitment.

“Even though two coaches that heavily recruited me left, that doesn’t change what Clemson football is about,” Pringle said. “I have confidence in Coach Swinney and everyone else on Clemson’s staff to do what they need to do to keep being good at football. I definitely look forward to building a relationship with the new coaches and of course still considering Clemson in my recruitment.”

In Pringle’s eyes, it certainly helps that Austin and Brandon Streeter, who were both promoted from within, are two guys who understand the culture and know what it takes to win at Clemson.

“Of course, if Coach Caldwell was all I knew at Clemson football and Coach Elliott was all I knew at Clemson football and then boom, turn around and they’re gone,” he said, “then, I definitely would kind of fallback a little bit and rethink things. But, since I’ve been around everybody, I think they’ve done a good job of not just saying, ‘Hey, Coach Elliott is your dude. Stay around him, only him.’ They definitely did a good job of introducing me to everybody and making sure all the coaches go to know me.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Top recruits react to Elliott leaving Clemson for UVA

Following the news Friday that Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott was hired as the next head coach at Virginia, some top prospects gave their reactions to The Clemson Insider regarding the news. Here’s what they had to say: Monroe Freeling …

Here’s what they had to say:

Monroe Freeling (pictured above), 2023 4-star OL, Oceanside Collegiate Academy (Mount Pleasant, S.C.): “It was crazy to actually hear about it since he was just down at my school just a week ago. I’m sure it’s a great opportunity for him and it’s cool he’s taken the next step. It’s definitely a tough loss for Clemson. As for my recruiting, I’m eager to see who they will hire for his replacement. It’ll be interesting to see how things will change!”

Kam Pringle, 2024 4-star OL, Woodland High School (Dorchester, S.C.): “I’m happy for Coach Elliott because he deserves it! Coach Elliott and I have developed a great relationship and I have already been considering my recruitment in Virginia prior to the news!”

Jayden Bradford, 2024 4-star QB, Chapin High School (Chapin, S.C.): “It was crazy hearing the news because he’s been there for a while and has had great success. But he’s moving forward in his career and doing what he believes is the best, and I’m sure he will do great things at Virginia.”

Clemson commit Blake Miller, 2022 4-star OL, Strongsville High School (Strongsville, Ohio): “I’m definitely happy for him, being able to get that job. I’m sure when it comes to Clemson, that Coach Swinney has a plan. He’ll get someone in there and things will be business as usual.”

Christmas is right around the corner. Once again Clemson Variety & Frame is ready to make it a special holiday for your favorite Tiger.

Order today to make sure your gift arrives in time for Christmas.

Elliott checks in on multiple high-priority in-state prospects

Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott stayed in the Palmetto state to visit several prospects on Tuesday. Elliott stayed in The Palmetto State to check on some high priority targets – Oceanside Collegiate Academy (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) 2023 …

Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott stayed in the Palmetto state to visit several prospects on Tuesday.

Elliott stayed in The Palmetto State to check on some high priority targets — Oceanside Collegiate Academy (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) 2023 four-star offensive tackle Monroe Freeling and Woodland (Dorchester, S.C.) 2024 four-star offensive tackle Kam Pringle.

Elliott wasn’t able to speak with either prospect directly due to NCAA rules, but he came by Oceanside to watch Freeling’s basketball practice, in addition to meeting with his coaches. He also met with Pringle’s coaches at Woodland.

Freeling (6-7, 280) is ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Palmetto State, No. 7 offensive tackle nationally and No. 98 overall prospect for the class of 2023 according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Pringle (6-7, 305) is a prospect, who brings attitude and aggression, as well as some smartness and intelligence. He’s the complete package and is an eventual five-star prospect.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

It’s ‘not very often’ that Clemson, South Carolina compete against one another in recruiting

It’s not very often these days that Clemson and South Carolina directly compete against one another in recruiting. Just ask Dabo Swinney. Clemson’s head coach was asked during his weekly Tuesday press conference how often the two programs go …

It’s not very often these days that Clemson and South Carolina directly compete against one another in recruiting.

Just ask Dabo Swinney.

Clemson’s head coach was asked during his weekly Tuesday press conference how often the two programs go toe-to-toe on the recruiting trail.

“That’s one of those things that earlier when I first got here, I felt like we had a little more competitions, but really very few,” Swinney said. “And, we’re very different. It’s different places…If you love Columbia, you’re probably not going to like Clemson. If you love Clemson, you’re probably not gonna like Columbia. They’re just very different. They offer different things. Both great, but both offer different things.”

While Swinney’s comments are interesting, there are some recruiting battles that Clemson and South Carolina and currently involved in. And, two of those targets — Jefferson (Ga.) 2024 four-star linebacker and Life Christian Academy (Colonial Heights, Va.) 2023 three-star offensive lineman Joshua Miller — will both be in attendance for Saturday’s game at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Some other names include, but are not limited to Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C) 2022 four-star wide receiver Antonio Williams and 2023 running back Jarvis Green, Life Christian Academy (Colonial Heights, Va.) 2023 four-star cornerback Antonio Cotman, Jr., Woodland (Dorchester, S.C.) 2024 four-star offensive tackle Kam Pringle and last, but certainly not least, Catawba Ridge (Fort Mill, S.C.) 2024 five-star quarterback Jadyn Davis.

As Swinney hints, the in-state recruiting pool that Clemson and South Carolina have available to them is rather limited in size. Being that, it’s rare that the two programs target the same prospect, whether it be in or out of state. Granted, there are still occasions on the recruiting trail where that happens, as mentioned above, but it’s become few and far between.

“Then, we both have the same issues when it comes to our recruiting base,” he said. “This is a small population when it comes to football players. I mean, Atlanta’s got more people than the whole state of South Carolina. So, then you throw in that, you got to be able to win in the SEC and the ACC, you got to be a good enough player for that level of competition. And then, you throw in position need, academics, fit…and that pool gets even smaller.”

“I experienced this at Alabama,” Swinney added. “When you’re in a state like this with no pro sports…and it’s arrived to really great colleges with a really big rivalry — Alabama-Auburn, Clemson-South Carolina — a lot of kids grow up one way or the other. I mean, if a kid grew up and he’s Clemson and we offer him, it’s an uphill battle and vice versa…every now and then you have a situation where that could go either way, but usually not.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Elite in-state OT recaps Clemson visit: ‘Everybody was happy that I was there’

This past Thursday, The Clemson Insider made a pit stop at Woodland High School Dorchester (S.C.) to see one of the premier offense tackles in the class of 2024, as a part of this year’s version of the Tour of Champions. Kam Pringle returned to …

Kam Pringle returned to Tiger Town for the first time since this past summer, in which he participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp. He was in attendance for Clemson’s 48-27 win over Wake Forest at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

TCI caught up with Pringle again on Sunday regarding his first game day experience in The Valley.

“It was definitely great, I had a good time,” Pringle told TCI. “That was my first time being in Death Valley for game day. [The reception] was really warm from the coaches, warm from the fans and the players. Everybody was happy that I was there.”

What would Pringle say the highlight of the visit was?

“Definitely meeting the players and talking with the coaches,” he said, “and just walking around the stadium, seeing all the people and the fans that I know who I am, telling me to become be a Tiger and all that.”

Pringle had a chance to talk with current Clemson players Jordan McFadden and K.J. Henry.

“They were just happy I was there,” he added. “K.J, he didn’t really know as much who I was, but he knew that I was an o-linemen and he wanted me to come play for Clemson.”

As for McFadden, he coached Pringle through a couple of drills earlier this past summer. The two also follow one another on Instagram and share some messages back and forth every once in a while.

With that being said, what was the overall message that Pringle received from Clemson’s coaching staff?

“I talked to Coach Caldwell for a good little minute,” he said. “I talked to Coach Austin. As usual, as I tell y’all, they don’t really say too much as far as conversating, but really their main message is just, when the time comes, just be ready and, of course, consider Clemson in my recruitment.”

It was nice for Pringle to catch up with Clemson offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell and offensive analyst Thomas Austin in person, considering most of his recruitment is currently done through his head coach at Woodland, Eddie Ford.

According to Pringle, Austin was excited to see him, as was Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.

“With Coach Swinney, he just saw me and was like, ‘Aww man! Looks like you’re getting better.’ He also said that I was huge,” Pringle said. “We took a couple of pictures together.”

One of those pictures that Pringle is referencing (pictured above) was taken after Clemson’s 21-point win over the Demon Deacons. He got a chance to be in the locker room after the game.

Pringle certainly picked the right game to make his visit.

“It was loud now,” he said regarding the atmosphere at Memorial Stadium. “I knew it was loud, but it was actually really loud. Of course, it calmed down a bit, once they were up on Wake Forest pretty good. But, in the first quarter, oh my gosh…it was a lot going on. A lot of crazy fans, loud fans, yelling and screaming.”

He also found it pretty cool to be recognized by the Clemson faithful.

“Of course being from South Carolina, you got a lot of Columbia fans on my Twitter,” Pringle said. “But, when I got up to Clemson, I didn’t know that I had that many Clemson fans that really knew who I was too. After I posted, my phone was blowing up with all these Clemson fan followers who maybe saw me or saw the pictures of me at Clemson.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Tour of Champions: Coach Ford on future 5-star OL Kam Pringle

The Clemson Insider’s Tour of Champions stopped by Woodland High School (Dorchester, S.C.) on Thursday to see class of 2024 offensive lineman Kam Pringle. TCI went one-on-one with Pringle’s head coach, Eddie Ford, who gave the latest on the future …

The Clemson Insider’s Tour of Champions stopped by Woodland High School (Dorchester, S.C.) on Thursday to see class of 2024 offensive lineman Kam Pringle.

TCI went one-on-one with Pringle’s head coach, Eddie Ford, who gave the latest on the future five-star prospect.

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help. #SaveNicks

Tour of Champions: TCI checks in with big time OL prospect set to visit this weekend

DORCHESTER, S.C. – On The Clemson Insider’s lastest stop on our annual Tour of Champions: Woodland High School. On the way to watch Clemson’s men’s basketball team in the Charleston Classic, it was imperative to stop and see an eventual five-star …

DORCHESTER, S.C. — On The Clemson Insider’s lastest stop on our annual Tour of Champions: Woodland High School.

On the way to watch Clemson’s men’s basketball team in the Charleston Classic, it was imperative to stop and see an eventual five-star prospect in Kam Pringle.

Pringle (6-7, 305) is a four-star offensive tackle in the class of 2024. He’s a prospect, who brings attitude and aggression, as well as some smartness and intelligence. He’s the complete package and someone that Clemson fans will certainly love to hear about.

“Really, the main message has been staying on track, getting ready for my recruitment by Clemson and just being ready when the offer comes,” he told TCI.

“With their [recruiting] policy, they don’t offer until your junior year, maybe in June I think,” Pringle added. “They’re definitely letting me know that they’re interested in me coming and playing football for them, potentially getting an offer.”

A lot of his recruitment has to be done through his head coach, Eddie Ford, because Pringle is only just a sophomore. The NCAA currently prohibits direct contact with sophomore prospects and college coaches, so a lot of what Pringle hears from offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell and Clemson, it’s done through Ford.

“It’s really exciting to see him [be recruited] because I saw him when he was just that little snot nose seventh-grader running around,” Ford quipped. “But, he’s just gotten better and better. He’s got two older brothers, who pushed him along too. It’s been rewarding to see him work and earn what he’s getting because he’s done it the right way.”

Ford has been impressed with the way Clemson, specifically Caldwell, has approached Pringle’s recruitment.

“Coach Caldwell loves him,” Ford said. “He calls me once a week, he talks about Kam. It just doesn’t get any better. I mean, I like what they’re doing, in regards to keeping up on Kam and keeping tabs on him.”

Pringle, who was at Clemson this past summer, participating in the Dabo Swinney Camp, will make his return visit to The Valley this weekend. He’ll be in attendance for Clemson’s last home game of the season against Wake Forest at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

“It’s going to be my first game day in Death Valley, so definitely looking forward to it,” he said.

This won’t be Pringle’s first Clemson game of the season, though. He was in attendance for the Tigers’ season opener against Georgia at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

“It was definitely crazy,” Pringle said. “Even though it wasn’t at Death Valley, there was a lot of Clemson fans there, a lot of Georgia fans too…it was definitely crazy.”

In addition to this weekend’s game in The Valley, Pringle has been on gameday visits to South Carolina and Virginia Tech. He currently holds offers from the University of Georgia, Arizona State, Duke, Florida, Florida State and Memphis, in addition to the two schools previously mentioned.

“It’s definitely been an enjoyable experience, having all these coaches want me to come to play at their school,” Pringle said when asked about his current recruitment. “It’s been a dream I’ve had for a long time. So, I’m just tryna make it come true.”

Beyond his recruitment, Pringle is obviously a special player on the field, but what is it that he brings to the table?

“I try to move around as much as possible,” he said. “I try to do things most 6-7 guys wouldn’t do, like running up the field, trying to get knockdown blocks and just trying to be nasty.”

“He’s a good kid man,” Ford added. “He’s what you want. He’s positive. He’s gonna do the right things. He’s gonna say the right things. He’s gonna be in the right place. He’s gonna do all the things that he needs to do.”

Ford didn’t want to even think about what Pringle’s ceiling could be. It’s extremely high but indicated that he’s someone who can play on Sundays and right now, he’s only just scratching the surface.

“He just gets better and better every year,” Ford said. “I mean massively better and better every year. As he’s getting strong and understanding what football is, just the technical things, staying low, using my hat hands. I mean, the sky is the limit for him.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Tour of Champions: 1-on-1 with Kam Pringle

TCI stopped by Woodland High School in Dorchester, SC Thursday as part of our Tour of Champions to visit 2024 OL Kam Pringle. Pringle, who will be one of the top OL in the nation for 2024, will be in Death Valley Saturday to watch Clemson battle …

TCI stopped by Woodland High School in Dorchester, SC Thursday as part of our Tour of Champions to visit 2024 OL Kam Pringle.

Pringle, who will be one of the top OL in the nation for 2024, will be in Death Valley Saturday to watch Clemson battle Wake Forest. Watch Pringle go in-depth on his recruitment.

Latest from one of the Palmetto State’s top O-linemen

Clemson continues to keep tabs on and check up on this top Palmetto State offensive line prospect. Dorchester (S.C.) Woodland four-star offensive tackle Kam Pringle – a 6-foot-7, 295-pound sophomore in the class of 2024 – has been staying in touch …

Clemson continues to keep tabs on and check up on this top Palmetto State offensive line prospect.

Dorchester (S.C.) Woodland four-star offensive tackle Kam Pringle – a 6-foot-7, 295-pound sophomore in the class of 2024 – has been staying in touch with Tigers offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell.

The Clemson Insider recently caught up with Pringle to get the latest on what he’s been hearing from Caldwell and more.

“Talking a little bit to Coach Caldwell through my coach,” Pringle said. “He’s really just been letting me know to be ready for them to come at me as far as like recruitment wise, and that they want me to come play football for them. Really just keeping in touch, making sure he’s keeping a good relationship.”

The interest from Caldwell and Clemson is certainly much appreciated by Pringle, who has already compiled a double-digit list of scholarship offers.

“Definitely them telling me that I’m somebody that they really, really want to be on their team is definitely a big accomplishment,” he said of the Tigers.

Pringle has picked up power conference offers from South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Duke and Arizona State.

Clemson hasn’t started handing out offers to class of 2024 recruits yet, but an offer from the program in the future would figure to immediately make the Tigers one of Pringle’s favorites.

“If Clemson was to offer me and I had to make a top five tomorrow, Clemson would definitely be a team you’d see in that top five,” he said.

Other schools standing out to Pringle at this early stage of his recruiting process, he said, are South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Florida State and Virginia Tech.

Pringle, who camped at Clemson this past summer, hopes to get back on campus for a game before the season is over.

“Really just trying to feel the atmosphere in the stadium, maybe take a little tour around Clemson,” he said. “Because when I went up there for camp, it was just straight to the school and back. So, really just seeing what else they have around Clemson.”

Pringle was in Charlotte for the Clemson-UGA game on Sept. 4 as a guest of the Tigers and also attended South Carolina’s home game vs. Kentucky on Sept. 25. Along with Clemson, he is looking to visit Georgia, Florida and Virginia Tech before season’s end.

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help. #SaveNicks

Clemson offer would be ‘icing on the cake’ for elite in-state prospect

Kam Pringle, who is one of the top offensive linemen in the 2024 class, has been communicating with Clemson through his head coach about potential games, he told The Clemson Insider. Pringle (6-6, 300), who hails from Dorchester’s Woodland High …

Kam Pringle, who is one of the top offensive linemen in the 2024 class, has been communicating with Clemson through his head coach about potential games, he told The Clemson Insider.

Pringle (6-6, 300), who hails from Dorchester’s Woodland High School, is aiming to come up to The Valley for a couple of games this upcoming season.

He hasn’t heard too much from Clemson lately, but that has more to do with the fact that he’s a rising sophomore. The communication is limited and Pringle has to be the one to pick up the phone if he wants to talk with any college teams for that matter.

“Really just trying to get me to come to as many games as possible this season to watch them play,” Pringle said when asked what Clemson has been telling his head coach. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

That means a lot to Pringle.

“That definitely lets me know that they’re really interested and they want me around the program, see what’s going on,” he said. “They want me to get a feel for them. I’m definitely pretty happy about it because who doesn’t want to go to college games at Clemson? But, really just getting a feel for their atmosphere and whatnot.”

Pringle has talked with both Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott and offensive analyst Thomas Austin on multiple occasions.

Even though he’s only a rising sophomore, Pringle has seen his recruitment skyrocket. He currently holds offers from Arizona State, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.

And, he’s not done yet.

“Of course, I have some big-time offers that people all across America want, but I’m really just trying to stay humble,” he said. “Any school that offers me, I’m gonna take it into consideration.”

Clemson is obviously different in how it goes about its business. The Tigers will wait until prospects are rising juniors to officially offer them.

“That’s definitely something I can respect,” Pringle said. “That’s something Coach Swinney’s been doing for the longest, so if he wants to take his time, it’s Dabo Swinney. You can’t say it ain’t working…Definitely building this relationship means a lot before they pull the trigger because some schools have offered me that I haven’t spoken to since the day they did it.”

Pringle is looking to build that relationship with Clemson’s coaching staff and then that eventual offer would be “icing on the cake” for him.

Right now, he’s aiming to be a five-star. That’s something he’s chasing, but that label will come with being the best offensive lineman in the 2024 class, which is Pringle’s end goal at the end of the day.

“It’s definitely big for me,” Pringle said of the national recognition he’s begun to receive. “I think how I handle it has a lot to do with it because it can be overwhelming. But, it’ll definitely be a great accomplishment for me because it’s something I’ve always wanted to be. I’ve always wanted to be the best.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!