Tag: Thomas Austin

Fast-rising local lineman explains what stood out to him at Clemson

Last Saturday, Clemson played host to a fast-rising in-state offensive line prospect. Greenville (S.C.) High’s Julius Tate – a 6-foot-4. 305-pound junior in the class of 2024 – was in attendance for Clemson’s 35-12 win over Furman on Saturday, Sept. …

Last Saturday, Clemson played host to a fast-rising in-state offensive line prospect.

Greenville (S.C.) High’s Julius Tate — a 6-foot-4. 305-pound junior in the class of 2024 — was in attendance for Clemson’s 35-12 win over Furman on Saturday, Sept. 10, at Memorial Stadium. Tate was joined by his mother and stepfather.

“A big thing that stood out to me was the energy from the fans in the crowd and especially the chants,” he recently told The Clemson Insider in a message. “When I visit Clemson, I always feel welcomed by the coaches with the vibes they give, and when I got to meet more coaches and hear about their backgrounds, I felt more comfortable with them.”

Tate had the chance to catch up with Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin this past Saturday. His first time being back on campus since he participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp earlier this summer.

“I talked with Coach Austin and he told me he was glad I could make it,” Tate recalled. “We had a fun conversation about Notre Dame versus Ohio State.”

As far as future game day visits are concerned, Tate has scheduled trips to Florida State and Mercer. He’s looking to visit more schools as the season progresses, but he hasn’t scheduled those just yet.

While Clemson may keep an eye on him during his junior campaign, Tate knows that he has to prove himself in the trenches to receive an offer from the in-state school.

“That’s what my goal is this season,” he told The Clemson Insider earlier this month, “to prove myself.”

Tate, who holds offers from Miami (OH) and South Carolina State, understands that proving himself during his junior campaign will be pivotal to him and his recruitment going forward.

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!

Up-and-coming OL got ‘goosebumps’ during visit to Death Valley

Over the weekend, Clemson played host to an up-and-coming Peach State offensive lineman. After initially competing in the Dabo Swinney Camp earlier this summer, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 2024 OL Parker McClendon returned to Tiger Town for …

Over the weekend, Clemson played host to an up-and-coming Peach State offensive lineman.

After initially competing in the Dabo Swinney Camp earlier this summer, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 2024 OL Parker McClendon returned to Tiger Town for Clemson’s 35-12 win over Furman this past Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

“I love the Clemson program,” McClendon told The Clemson Insider in a phone interview Monday night. “I like what they stand for, like the ‘All In’.’ I like the coaching staff. And I just love how it’s more than just football. They try to develop you as a man. They want you to get a degree when you get to college. I just love the academics part of it — the percentage of people that graduated who played football.”

Thomas Austin reached out to McClendon on Sept. 1.

It was then that Clemson’s offensive line coach invited the Peach State offensive lineman to attend Clemson’s home opener on Saturday, Sept. 10.

“I felt very accomplished because of all the hard work that I’ve put in over the years,” McClendon said regarding hearing from Austin on Sept. 1, “and just this summer and the transition from sophomore year to junior year — all the hard work I put in, it paid off.”

“Coach Austin is a very good coach,” McClendon added. “I love the way he teaches and gives you the information. He doesn’t just yell at you and expect you to do something. He teaches you how to actually take a step or how you’re supposed to push, how you’re supposed to sit and stuff like that.”

McClendon had a chance to catch up with Austin prior to Clemson’s 23-point win over Furman.

“He was just talking to me about how my season was going and then he was talking to me about how I felt about Clemson,” McClendon recalled.

Well, how does McClendon feel about Clemson?

“I love the environment. When they were running down the hill, I got some goosebumps,” he exclaimed. “I just love how everybody is cheering. Nobody is having a side conversation. Everybody’s into the game.”

McClendon admitted that getting a chance to watch Clemson run down the hill was his favorite part of his game day experience, as well as the cannon going off every time the Tigers scored a touchdown, which happened five times Saturday.

As far as other visits go, McClendon was in attendance for Clemson’s 41-10 win over Georgia Tech on Monday, Sept. 5 at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Being that it was a Tech home game, McClendon was there as a guest of the Yellow Jackets. 

“It was actually an honor to be able to see them back-to-back like that,” he said of Clemson.

McClendon also plans on making a visit to App State.

He’s hoping to come up to Tiger Town for another game day visit this fall but is currently focused on his junior season, which will be big for McClendon and his recruitment. As far as recruiting with Clemson is concerned, Austin has vocalized that he’ll be keeping an eye on what McClendon is able to accomplish during his junior campaign.

There’s no doubt that getting an offer from Clemson would be a big deal to McClendon.

“I would say I’m more focused on my technique, but I finish people,” McClendon said when asked to describe himself as a player. I’m very good at run blocking, double teams and pass pro, I’m pretty good at it. I’m a leader on the field. I make sure everyone’s correct. I make sure everyone’s in check in the classroom, on the field and in the weight room.”

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!

Priority local OL target hears from Clemson, plans to visit next month

This local offensive line target is among the prospects who have heard from Clemson since the calendar turned to Sept. 1, when college coaches across the country could begin directly contacting junior prospects in the class of 2024. Offensive line …

This local offensive line target is among the prospects who have heard from Clemson since the calendar turned to Sept. 1, when college coaches across the country could begin directly contacting junior prospects in the class of 2024.

Offensive line coach Thomas Austin and other members of the Tigers’ staff have reached out to Blake Franks, a four-star offensive lineman from Greenville (S.C.) High School.

“I got to talk to Coach Austin,” Franks told The Clemson Insider, “and a few other coaches introduced themselves to me.”

Austin let Franks know that he’s a priority target for the Tigers and expressed his intention to see the 6-foot-5, 310-pounder play in person this fall.

“He told me I’m a big priority,” Franks said, “and that he’s going to come to one of our games this year.”

Hearing that from Austin meant a lot to Franks, who hauled in an offer from Clemson in late July.

“It felt good to hear that I am a priority,” he said.

Franks, who participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp this summer and has visited Clemson multiple times since this past March, told TCI he’s planning to return to campus for the Tigers’ home game vs. NC State on Oct. 1.

Where does Clemson stand with the standout local lineman at this point in his recruiting process?

“I don’t know exactly yet who’s my top five,” he said, “but I definitely think that Clemson is high up there.”

Franks holds more than a dozen scholarship offers, including offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Penn State and South Carolina along with Clemson.

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!

Big-time Texas OL loving life as a Clemson commit

Ian Reed is loving life as a Clemson commitment. The big-time offensive lineman and consensus four-star prospect from Vandegrift High School (Austin, Texas) gave his verbal pledge to Dabo Swinney’s program earlier this summer, and he couldn’t be …

Ian Reed is loving life as a Clemson commitment.

The big-time offensive lineman and consensus four-star prospect from Vandegrift High School (Austin, Texas) gave his verbal pledge to Dabo Swinney’s program earlier this summer, and he couldn’t be happier about his college decision.

“It’s been awesome – just nothing but good things from the community that supports me,” Reed said to The Clemson Insider recently of being on board with the Tigers. “They’re just amazed how I’m committed to Clemson. I love Clemson, and Clemson’s going to be home forever.”

The bond between the commits in Clemson’s 2023 class has been getting stronger, and Reed expects it to become even tighter when he and many of the others arrive on campus as midyear enrollees in January.

“It’s been growing, for sure,” he said. “We’ve got to spend more time with each other, but most of the commits are probably coming in early, so we’ll get to spend a lot more time around each other. For sure I love my other future teammates. They have the same goals as I do and the same mindset as I do, and we want to go win championships and just continue the success Clemson has consistently had.”

As for Reed’s relationship with Clemson’s coaching staff, it continues to develop as well as he communicates with them regularly, including offensive line coach Thomas Austin.

“Just talking to them like probably once a week,” Reed said. “I know it’s the dead period right now, but we’ve just been talking over text message, and sending me love and support and just talking to me about life. I love Coach Austin. He’s a great guy, great coach.”

The last time Reed traveled to Tiger Town was in late July, when he attended the All In Cookout and had a blast with his fellow recruits and future coaches at Clemson’s signature summer recruiting event.

“Everyone enjoyed it,” he said. “It was super fun just seeing each other again, hanging out with the coaches again, just having a great time with each other basically, seeing the families again and having a good time relaxing and playing games and all that. It was awesome to me.”

Reed’s parents and youngest brother accompanied him to the cookout, and his mother came away impressed after her first experience at Clemson.

“It was my mom’s first time visiting campus, and she loves it,” he said.

Clemson beat out schools like Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, Alabama and Texas, among others on Reed’s list of around 30 scholarship offers, to land his commitment back on June 7.

The consistency of Swinney’s program, and the coaching staff he has put in place, are a couple of things that played a big role in Reed’s decision to be a Tiger.

“Just the continued success that Clemson has, the vision that they have for you as a man of life and just as a player too, that really stuck with me,” he said. “I love how the coaches are very honest and transparent, and they’ll love you hard and they’ll coach you hard at the same time. I just really like that. With the new staff Coach Swinney got, this is a really great staff, development staff too. They like to develop you, and he’s got high-quality coaches. So, I’m really excited about that.”

Reed was the first offensive line commit in Clemson’s 2023 class, and he has since been joined by a couple of other big-time O-line prospects – Permian High School (Odessa, Texas) four-star Harris Sewell and Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, Ga.) four-star Zechariah Owens.

Each of them is ranked as a top-150 national prospect, regardless of position, by at least one of the major recruiting services.

“I’m really excited to work with (Owens) and Harris,” Reed said. “They’re very talented O-linemen, too. They’re physical, they’re mean, they’re fast, they’re agile, they’re mobile, and they’re very good people, too, and very good people to work with. So, I’m just really excited to be their teammate.”

Reed certainly looks forward to enrolling at Clemson in January and beginning his collegiate career, but first, he is focused on taking care of business during his senior season at Vandegrift.

“I’m very excited about that,” he said, “but I’m just going to take it one step at a time, help my team, help finish and complete our goals for my high school team and what we want to do first, and then it’s on to Clemson and start again basically. So, I’m really excited about the midyear enrollee stuff and just getting ready to work.”

What can Clemson fans expect to see from Reed on the Tigers’ offensive line in the future?

“Someone that’s loyal,” he said. “I’ll give 110 percent every play. I’m physical and mean, athletic, very smart. I have a great bend, speed off the edge, too. Just a mauler and physical.”

Reed is ranked as high as the No. 14 offensive tackle and No. 147 overall prospect in the 2023 class by Rivals.

–Photo courtesy of Ian Reed on Twitter (@Ian_Reed72)

Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center.  Clemson returns one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix.   If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

German-born OL reflects on trip to Clemson, wants to return for game

Earlier this summer, Clemson played host to an intriguing offensive line prospect, who hails from Germany. Justin Hasenhuetl – a 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman in the class of 2025 out of Georgia’s Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School – participated in …

Earlier this summer, Clemson played host to an intriguing offensive line prospect, who hails from Germany.

Justin Hasenhuetl — a 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman in the class of 2025 out of Georgia’s Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School — participated in the June 2 of the Dabo Swinney Camp. 

“It was a really nice camp because there was so much competition for me and I learned a lot from other players and also from the coaches,” Hasenhuetl recently told The Clemson Insider. “It showed me that offensive lineman are not fat. It showed me that the offensive linemen at the next level are literally strong, big and athletic.”

Hasenhuetl said that he received a lot of coaching from some of Clemson’s players and when he did receive attention from offensive line coach Thomas Austin, it was mainly during the 1v1s.

“I really liked the facility and stuff, but I didn’t really have the chance to talk to the coaches because there were way bigger guys than me, “ Hasenhuetl said, “but it was still a really nice feeling to see such a big college.”

In addition to Clemson, Hasenhuetl went to the Mercer and Georgia State Mega Camp(s) and Florida State. He picked up an offer from Louisville at Mercer, while he added an offer from Memphis at Georgia State. Hasenhuetl added those two to his current list of offers, which includes Coastal Carolina, Buffalo and Georgia Southern.

He later visited Louisville with his teammate and quarterback, Gavin Owens, at the end of July.

As far as a return visit to Clemson is concerned, Hasenhuetl is hoping he can catch a game at Memorial Stadium this fall. Clemson has shown interest in some of his teammates like Owens and Marshall Pritchett, so Hasenhuetl may attend a game this season with some of his teammates at Rabun Gap.

“I would love it if I would get invited to go and watch a game at Clemson this season,” he said.

Getting a better feel for Hasenhuetl’s game and who he is as a player, he describes himself as someone who isn’t ever going to give up. He’s also not afraid of contact and doesn’t shy away from it.

“I don’t care about how big the guy is or if he is a five-star,” Hasenhuetl said. “I’m trying to give my best every time.”

— Photo for this article courtesy of Justin Hasenhuetl.

Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center.  Clemson returns as one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix.  If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Freshman lineman a frontrunner to start against Georgia Tech

Clemson’s starting offensive line personnel has begun to solidify.

Clemson could roll out with a freshman lineman starting on offense against Georgia Tech.

According to offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, if Clemson were to play this week, Blake Miller would start at right tackle.

At 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, Miller has impressed Streeter since he first arrived in the spring and reminds the coaches of a former Tiger who started as a freshman in 2015.

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

Coming out of Strongsville High School (Strongsville, Ohio), Miller was a four-star recruit and the No. 16 offensive tackle in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

While there is no official depth chart yet, Clemson’s starting offensive line from left to right now figures to be Jordan McFadden, Marcus Tate, Will Putnam, Walker Parks and Miller.

“We’re never always settled until the very, very last week maybe, but we feel pretty good about some of our guys that have been repping with those ones and also some of those guys with the twos as well,” Streeter said. “Feel really good mentally about where they are.”

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In-state OL, lifelong Clemson fan ‘looking forward’ to suiting up for Tigers

Clemson received its 20th total commitment in the 2023 recruiting class when Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (Massachusetts) four-star Ronan Hanafin verbally pledged to Dabo Swinney’s program on Sunday evening. It comes on the heels of …

Clemson received its 20th total commitment in the 2023 recruiting class when Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (Massachusetts) four-star Ronan Hanafin verbally pledged to Dabo Swinney’s program on Sunday evening.

It comes on the heels of Stockbridge (Georgia) three-star defensive back Shelton Lewis committing to Clemson earlier in the week. Unbeknownst to some, Hanafin and Lewis weren’t the only prospects to pledge to Clemson this month.

Piedmont (S.C.) Wren High’s Jake Norris — a 6-foot-3, 265-pound offensive lineman in the class of 2023 — announced his commitment to the Tigers via social media on Aug. 2. He will be headed to Tiger Town as a preferred walk-on.

Norris recently spoke with The Clemson Insider regarding his decision to commit to Clemson and shut down his recruitment ahead of what should be a major senior season.

“I’ve been a Clemson fan my whole life,” Norris said. “It’s really always been a goal and to finally be able to pursue the dream I’ve always had to play for your favorite college team is something I’ve been really looking forward to doing ever since the PWO.”

“It’s the route I want to take and I’m looking forward to playing at Clemson,” he added.

Norris phoned Clemson coach Dabo Swinney before making his decision public. 

“I received a positive reaction for sure,” Norris said.

Once he arrives on campus next summer, Norris is pretty certain that he’ll be either a guard or center under offensive line coach Thomas Austin. Norris acknowledged that getting a chance to play for Austin is an opportunity that not many people get. He said that he was “beyond honored” to have a coach like Austin and get to learn from the best there is

“Just keep working as hard as I possibly can and keep doing everything to the best of my ability really,” Norris said.

Norris was welcomed with open arms by Clemson fans and players alike. He’s close friends with freshman offensive lineman Collin Sadler, who Norris said was “very excited” about his decision. The type of reaction Norris received made him feel very good about going to play at Clemson going forward.

While Norris’ senior season is going to be a big one, he wanted to shut down his recruitment because he wanted to have his mind set on something. Norris wants to go as far as he can with his high school. He’s not slowing down for anything — he wants to win a state championship.

“Just being able to go ahead and have something decided just makes it a little easier for that,” he said regarding his decision.

Norris also indicated that he will be at as many Clemson home games as possible this season.

— Photo for this article courtesy of @Jake_Norris55 on Twitter.

Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center.  Clemson returns as one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix. If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Clemson ‘will most definitely be a top school’ for premier Palmetto State OL

One of the Palmetto State’s premier prospects, ranked as a top-100 national recruit by multiple services, continues to stay in touch with Clemson. Dillon (S.C.) High School four-star Josiah Thompson – a 6-foot-7, 290-pound offensive tackle in the …

One of the Palmetto State’s premier prospects, ranked as a top-100 national recruit by multiple services, continues to stay in touch with Clemson.

Dillon (S.C.) High School four-star Josiah Thompson – a 6-foot-7, 290-pound offensive tackle in the class of 2024 – communicated with Tigers offensive line coach Thomas Austin again recently.

“I spoke to Coach TA a week ago,” Thompson told The Clemson Insider earlier this week. “He would love to have my family and I come up for a game this fall. We also made a FaceTime call so I can speak with a few other coaches as well.”

Thompson is ranked as the top prospect in the state of South Carolina by 247Sports, while the 247Sports Composite, Rivals and ESPN all consider him the No. 2 prospect in the Palmetto State. He is tabbed as a top-100 national prospect in the 2024 class regardless of position by the 247Sports Composite (No. 68), ESPN (No. 76) and 247Sports (No. 98).

The rising junior, considered one of the nation’s top 10 offensive tackles in his class by all the major services, intends to take in a contest at Death Valley with his family this fall.

“We are planning to visit a game this season,” he said, “but we’re not sure which one yet.”

Looking ahead beyond this fall to next year, Thompson is already circling the Tigers’ signature summer recruiting event — their annual All In Cookout – on his calendar.

“I remember Coach TA talking about a junior cookout they had at the end of summer, but it was only for juniors,” he said, “so I’ll be looking forward to that next year, so I’ll be able to spend more time with Coach.”

Speaking of Austin, Thompson feels his bond with Clemson’s O-line coach keeps getting stronger.

“My relationship with Coach Austin has been growing since I first spoke to him,” he said.

Austin and the Tigers extended an offer to Thompson at the beginning of June when Clemson formally turned the page to offering prospects in the 2024 class.

LSU, Florida and Duke have given Thompson his latest offers this month, joining Clemson and schools such as Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, Florida State, NC State, Michigan State and Notre Dame on his offer list.

Right now, things are still the same as far as where Clemson stands with Thompson in his recruitment. And that’s a good thing, considering he remains high on the Tigers.

“Nothing has changed with the Tigers,” he said. “They will most definitely be a top school.”

Thompson most recently traveled to Tiger Town on March 12, when he had what he called an “amazing” visit with his family. Along with Clemson, he named South Carolina, NC State, North Carolina, Georgia and East Carolina as other schools he’s looking to visit this fall.

He is ranked as high as the country’s No. 4 offensive tackle in the 2024 class by 247Sports.

Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center.  Clemson returns one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix.   If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.

Starting offensive lineman preparing to play inside or out

Walker Parks enters his junior season as half of arguably the ACC’s top tackle tandem with Jordan McFadden, having started all 13 games at right tackle for Clemson last season and logging all 1,068 of his career snaps on the edge to this point. That …

Walker Parks enters his junior season as half of arguably the ACC’s top tackle tandem with Jordan McFadden, having started all 13 games at right tackle for Clemson last season and logging all 1,068 of his career snaps on the edge to this point.

That could change this fall.

Parks has been cross-training at guard during preseason camp, a development he said initially came about at the suggestion of first-year offensive line coach Thomas Austin. Parks said he dabbled at guard in the spring but has started to split his reps more heavily over the last couple of practices. 

Thursday’s full-padded practice wasn’t open to the media for viewing, but Parks said he repped almost exclusively at right guard.

“I’m not opposed to anything,” Parks said. “I’ll play right or left. Tackle or guard. Center. I’ll play whatever they need. (The coaches) brought it up, so I said, ‘Yeah I’m game.’ So just cross-training a little bit in case something happens or I might go out there first. We’ll see who that best five is.”

The right guard spot became vacant at the start of the spring when senior Will Putnam slid over to center. Bryn Tucker was getting a majority of the first-team reps early in camp. Mitchell Mayes is also working there, though the junior was spotted early in camp with a brace on his left arm.

Trent Howard is also capable of lining up at guard, but Parks is now in the mix. After playing around 300 pounds last season, Parks weighed in last week at 314 pounds. It’s an addition Park said he needs in case he finds himself lining up on the interior in games.

“Definitely happy with it,” Parks said. “If I move inside and play a little bit of right guard, I’ve got my weight up.”

When Parks takes practice reps on the inside, true freshman Blake Miller has been stepping in to get the first-team reps at right tackle. The objective for the Tigers’ coaching staff is to evaluate the group and piece together what it believes are the best starting five for Clemson’s Labor Day opener against Georgia Tech.

For Parks, that could apparently be inside or out.

“Day 1, I might go out there at guard or might go out there at tackle,” Parks said. “We’ll just see how it shakes out.”

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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!

Up-and-coming OL reflects on ‘first-class’ experience at Clemson

An up-and-coming offensive tackle proposed from the Tar Heel State, who has recently started to see his recruitment pick up this spring and summer, participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp in June. Mooresville (N.C.) Lake Norman High’s Ethan Calloway – …

An up-and-coming offensive tackle proposed from the Tar Heel State, who has recently started to see his recruitment pick up this spring and summer, participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp in June.

Mooresville (N.C.) Lake Norman High’s Ethan Calloway — a 6-foot-7, 300-pound rising junior in the class of 2024 – camped at Clemson on June 11.

“It was first-class,” Calloway recently told The Clemson Insider regarding his Clemson camp experience. “I got to meet (offensive line) Coach (Thomas) Austin. It was amazing. He’s an amazing coach. Everything about it was really good. Learned a lot there and I was able to use everything I learned there at other camps and got even better.”

According to Calloway, Austin’s made everything a lot more simplistic, so it was a lot easier for him to comprehend the different techniques that he was teaching. He also said that Clemson’s offensive line coach taught him to block people that he wasn’t able to before.

“He was able to answer basically every question I had,” Calloway said.

Calloway appreciated the way Clemson’s staff coached because a lot of times at these camps, it’s used as a recruiting tool and there’s not a lot of coaching that takes place. He really appreciated that Clemson’s coaches were coaching, correcting and making sure that he gained something out of his experience.

In addition to Clemson, Calloway also camped at Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, N.C. State, South Carolina and Maryland. He also attended N.C. State’s invite-only Alpha Wolf Showcase on Friday, July 29 and made his way back to Virginia Tech that same weekend.

“It’s been amazing,” Calloway said of his experiences this summer. “I haven’t really had any chances to be close to colleges until this year. So, it’s been crazy. Especially with seeing colleges up close, being in Clemson’s facilities and everything, it’s been insane. Clemson is definitely one of the nicest places I’ve ever been.”

“I honestly can’t wait to be back at Clemson, even if it’s just for a game,” he added. 

With that, Calloway is excited to see what interest and opportunities come his way once Sept. 1 rolls around. There’s also a level of excitement that comes with his upcoming junior season. After working with an offensive line trainer this summer, there’s a noticeable difference in his game. Calloway is ready to prove that he’s one of the most improved offensive linemen in his class.

“I would say I try to be aggressive,” Calloway said when asked to describe himself as a player. “I would argue that as an o-lineman, I’m more of a run-blocking kind of guy. I haven’t been playing for the longest — I’ve got two years under my belt, but I guess I’d describe myself as a run-blocking offensive lineman.”

Calloway has certainly focused on his pass protection this summer and in his personal opinion, he feels like he’s greatly improved ahead of his junior season.

Come out to support Clemson softball at Dear Old Clemson’s second event which is set for August 27 at the Madren Conference Center.  Clemson returns one of the top teams in the nation and adds some new talent to the mix.   If you sign up for certain club levels you get free access to all Dear Old Clemson events or purchase your tickets today at Dear Old Clemson.