Tag: Peter Woods

Clemson star defender on the Tigers’ mentality heading into the College Football Playoffs

Clemson star Peter Woods on Clemson’s mentality heading into the first round against Texas.

Clemson football is gearing up for its first College Football Playoff appearance since 2020, and defensive lineman Peter Woods says the Tigers are fueled by a fierce determination to make their mark.

“This is my first-ever playoff,” Woods said Monday. “We’re hungry. Nobody on this team has ever won a national championship, and that’s driving us. It’s part of Clemson’s history, but now we want to make it part of our story.”

The Tigers have embraced an “us against the world” mindset as they prepare for Saturday’s playoff opener against Texas. Entering as the No. 12 seed and a double-digit underdog, Clemson thrives on proving doubters wrong.

“Everybody knows people don’t want us here,” Woods said. “But we take that as a compliment. We wear it proudly. It doesn’t change how we prepare day-to-day, but it’s always in the back of our minds. Being counted out pushes us.”

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney believes his team hasn’t played its best football yet, and Woods agrees.

“We haven’t had a full four-quarter game, and that’s what makes us dangerous,” Woods said. “If we put it all together, that’s when we’ll be at our best.”

Clemson heads to Austin with a chip on its shoulder and a chance to show just how hungry it is to return to championship glory.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney comments on Peter Woods’ injury against Louisville

Swinney on the ‘dangerous’ hit that hurt Peter Woods.

Clemson football’s heartbreaking defeat to Louisville came with the added setback of losing star defensive lineman Peter Woods to injury.

Early in the second quarter, Woods took a hard blow to the head during a kickout block and was quickly escorted to the locker room. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney shared that Woods didn’t feel right after the hit, which he described as “dangerous.” The coach explained that the Louisville player “kind of hit him kind of high,” and Woods’ symptoms forced him to remain sidelined for the remainder of the game.

Despite the injury, Swinney remains hopeful about Woods’ recovery. “He’s progressing pretty good,” Swinney said, adding that Woods remains day-to-day as the team prepares for its upcoming game at Virginia Tech. This season, Woods has been a key player for Clemson with 14 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and a sack to his name. His sophomore campaign has already been a significant step forward after earning freshman All-American honors last year, following a solid debut with 27 tackles and 10 quarterback pressures.

Woods’ injury adds to Clemson’s growing list of challenges as they look to bounce back from a tough loss, but his determination and early success this season have offered some hope for the team as they navigate the rest of the year.

Dabo Swinney on Peter Woods’ injury in loss against Louisville

Swinney on Woods’ injury.

Peter Woods’ early exit from Clemson football’s game against Louisville added to the challenges the Tigers faced on a tough night at Death Valley.

The sophomore defensive lineman, one of the anchors of Clemson’s front, left the game in the second quarter with an apparent injury. Woods was later seen without his helmet on the sideline, signaling his day was done.
Head coach Dabo Swinney offered little detail postgame, stating he didn’t yet know the severity of Woods’ injury. Defensive tackles Tre Williams and DeMonte Capehart also faced setbacks, further limiting the Tigers’ defensive front.

Woods’ absence came at a crucial time as Clemson struggled to contain Louisville’s potent run game, with running back Isaac Brown racking up 149 yards on the ground. The Cardinals’ 210 rushing yards on the night underscored how much Clemson’s defense missed Woods’ presence on the field.

With Clemson’s hopes for an ACC title now severely dented after the 33-21 loss, the Tigers will look to regroup quickly. The extent of Woods’ injury remains unknown, but his status will be a key factor as Clemson prepares for a challenging road matchup against Virginia Tech next week.

Defensive tackle Peter Woods out for Clemson-Stanford game

The defensive star is out for Saturday’s game.

The Clemson Tigers will be without one of their biggest stars on defense for the Week 5 ACC matchup against the Stanford Cardinal.

Defensive tackle Peter Woods will miss a second straight game when the Tigers kick off against the Cardinal (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). Also listed as inactive prior to Saturday’s kickoff were cornerback Corian Gipson, offensive lineman Collin Sadler and wide receiver Troy Stellato.

Woods was injured on a chop block in the Tigers’ 66-20 win over Appalachian State in Week 2.

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney gave an update on Woods earlier in the week and said that both he and receiver Tyler Brown were still day-to-day.

For his part, Brown appears ready to play and is dressed for the game. Swinney had said that the sophomore receiver had been a game-time decision in last week’s 59-35 win over NC State.

 

Dabo Swinney finding positives in Clemson star Peter Woods missing games

Woods makes the Tigers better, but there are positives Swinney has seen.

During Sunday’s media call, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney discussed the benefits of getting more snaps for the backup defensive ends in Peter Woods’ absence. Woods, who missed Saturday’s game against NC State due to an injury suffered against App State, is considered day-to-day. Swinney expressed optimism, saying, “there’s a good chance” Woods could return for this week’s game against Stanford.

While the Tigers missed Woods’ impact, Swinney emphasized the importance of giving the reserve defensive ends more playing time. “If there is one positive, it’s kind of forced the issue with some of these other guys,” Swinney said, mentioning Cade Denhoff, A.J. Hoffler, Jahiem Lawson, and Armon Mason, all of whom contributed to Clemson’s 59-35 win. Denhoff, in his first career start, also recovered a fumble.

Swinney is particularly encouraged by the progress of these players, highlighting Hoffler’s increased confidence and Lawson’s physicality. “We’ve got a nice little group coming together,” Swinney added, confident their added experience will be beneficial as the season progresses.

Clemson football star defensive lineman Peter Woods out against NC State

Woods will miss the NC State game.

Clemson will be without standout defensive end Peter Woods for today’s matchup against NC State. Woods was seen on the sidelines before kickoff at Memorial Stadium, wearing sweats and tennis shoes instead of participating in pregame stretches with his fellow defensive linemen, who were in full gear.

Earlier in the week, head coach Dabo Swinney had mentioned that Woods was still “day-to-day” following the injury he sustained in the second quarter against Appalachian State on Sept. 7. Woods was taken out of that game after being chop blocked below the knees by an opposing tight end and has not played since.

Woods had an impressive showing in the season opener, recording 2.5 tackles for loss, including his first career sack, among his six tackles against Georgia. The former five-star recruit from Alabama and 2023 freshman All-American entered the season with high expectations after finishing last year with 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in 12 games.

Dabo Swinney dishes on the ACC’s response to the chop block on Peter Woods

How the ACC has responded.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was not pleased with what he considered an illegal chop block on defensive lineman Peter Woods during the Tigers’ 66-20 win over App State on September 7. The incident occurred in the second quarter when Woods was hit below the knees by App State tight end Eli Wilson. Despite Woods going down in visible pain, no penalty flag was thrown. Clemson sent the play to the ACC for review.

When Swinney spoke to the media on Wednesday, he confirmed he had received a response from the ACC about the incident. “Yeah, I have,” Swinney stated, adding, “We’re on the same page. Had good communication with them. We talked through everything, and I appreciated how they responded.”

As for Woods’ current status, Swinney mentioned he’s “still day-to-day” leading up to Clemson’s ACC opener against NC State. Before the injury, Woods had been a force on the field, recording a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss, including his first career sack, in the season opener against Georgia.

Dabo Swinney shares an injury update on Peter Woods ahead of NC State

Swinney shares an update on Peter Woods’s injury status.

On his weekly radio show Monday night, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided an update on star defensive lineman Peter Woods, describing his status as “day-to-day.” Swinney commented, “He’s like all of us; he’s day-to-day.”

Woods was injured during the Tigers’ game against App State on Sept. 7, suffering a chop block below the knees in the second quarter. Fortunately, Swinney had previously noted that the injury wasn’t as severe as initially feared, stating, “It could’ve been a lot worse, so we’re thankful that it wasn’t.”

Before his injury, Woods had an impressive season opener against Georgia, recording a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss, including his first career sack, totaling six tackles. A former five-star recruit from Alabama and a 2023 freshman All-American, Woods entered this season with 27 tackles (2.5 for loss) and a forced fumble over 12 games, including two starts.

Clemson football’s defensive X-Factor for Week 1 against Georgia

Clemson’s defense has to pressure Carson Beck.

Clemson, led by Dabo Swinney, is gearing up to take on top-ranked Georgia this Saturday. The No. 14 Tigers aim to pull off an upset against Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs to kick off their 2024 campaign.

For the Tigers to upset a powerhouse like Georgia who is hungry after their snub from last season’s College Football Playoff, their defense will need to be lights out. Clemson’s defense projects to be one of the best in the country, and when you take on what projects to be one of the nation’s top offenses, you need to show up and play good football. 

Arguably the biggest key for this Clemson defense is creating pressure on Georgia starting quarterback Carson Beck. The Bulldogs are down an expected starting running back and with Trevor Etienne’s legal issues, we still don’t know whether he is suiting up or not. Georgia may be forced to throw the ball more than usual, which makes Clemson’s pass rush essential.

For that reason, sophomore defensive lineman Peter Woods is our defensive X-Factor. Moving from defensive tackle to the edge this season, Woods’ performance can make or break for this defense even if he still gets reps inside. 

Woods’ stats didn’t emulate his performance in 2023, but things are different on the edge. Stats can tell a lot more when you’re a primary pass rusher. 

Clemson needs Woods to continue to prove that the hype surrounding him is real.

Peter Woods speaks on the guidance of former Clemson star Christian Wilkins

Woods on the influence and guidance of Wilkins

The Clemson football program has been phenomenal on the defensive line during the Dabo Swinney era and it continues with the current team and guys like Peter Woods.

Woods is everything he was advertised to be as a 5-star recruit, looking like one of the best defensive tackles in the country in 2023. Now on the edge, Woods has a new task in 2024 with a lot of opportunity to showcase what he is capable of.

A great part of being a Tiger on the defensive line is the history and the former Tigers, who can impart their wisdom and mentor the younger players. There’s no better guy for Woods to learn from than current NFL star and Las Vegas Raiders member Christian Wilkins. A natural defensive tackle, Wilkins played a lot of defensive end with the Miami Dolphins in a 3-4 defense.
Woods has been learning from Wilkins whenever he’s back on campus.

“Obviously, those guys come back and visit during the summer,” Woods said during an appearance on the ACC Network Road Show. “So I kind of knew that was going to be a thing for me going into the season. I leaned on him (Wilkins) a lot for guidance. Same year, same phase of college football. So it was really big, just knowing that I had somebody who has done it before at the same level and he’s doing it at the next level as well.”

Woods will look to run with the advice he’s getting and further develop as a star on Clemson’s defense.