Will Taylor – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Return to football a ‘special moment’ for Taylor, family

Nearly 11 months later, the ending was a vastly different one for Will Taylor. On his final play of the 2021 football season, Clemson’s redshirt freshman receiver went down in a heap after injuring his right knee against Boston College in early …

Nearly 11 months later, the ending was a vastly different one for Will Taylor.

On his final play of the 2021 football season, Clemson’s redshirt freshman receiver went down in a heap after injuring his right knee against Boston College in early October. An MRI later confirmed a torn ACL for Taylor, whose first season as a Tiger lasted just five games.

On Monday night, Taylor was back.

Taylor, a two-sport standout for the Tigers, returned from his injury this spring with the baseball team, but Clemson’s season opener against Georgia Tech was his first time playing a football game in nearly a year. Taylor didn’t stuff the stat sheet, but that wasn’t the point.

“It was a very special moment for me and my family,” Taylor said. “It’s been a long 10-month process. For me, it was just great to be out there and compete at a high level. More than anything, just thankful to be out there healthy and to be able to do what I love most.”

Taylor’s parents were in attendance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where they watched Taylor do the things he used to before the injury. That included returning punts and catching passes, specifically touchdowns.

Taylor, playing behind junior Brannon Spector in the slot, finished with just two receptions for 23 yards, but his return went out on a high. Taylor, who played without the knee brace he sported for much of preseason camp, got most of his reps at receiver in the second half of the Tigers’ 41-10 victory and was Cade Klubnik’s go-to target on the Tigers’ final possession, hauling in both of his catches on the drive.

The final one was a 3-yard touchdown grab on a rub route similar to the one former Clemson star Hunter Renfrow caught from Deshaun Watson to clinch the 2017 national championship game for the Tigers. It was also the first touchdown catch of Taylor’s career, one Taylor and those close to him cherished a little bit more.

“My family was there,” he said. “Just for them to be able to see me go through the whole process was special. Got to talk to them after the game. They were very proud. Just a special moment for me and my parents.”

Taylor acknowledged doubt crept into his mind when he initially sustained the injury about whether or not he could be the same player once he recovered. He said he talked to both current and former Clemson players who suffered the same injury to get a sense of how they approach their recoveries. They included Green Bay Packers receiver Amari Rodgers, who was a first-team All-ACC selection as a senior in 2020 after tearing his ACL a year earlier.

Ultimately, Taylor said the hardest part of working his way back was learning to trust the process.

“But each day of the recovery process, I could just feel myself getting a little bit more confident and a little bit better each and every day,” Taylor said. “Now I’m good to go and have no doubt at all.”

That includes whether or not he believes he can still be the same speedy, shifty receiver that Clemson signed out of Dutch Fork High School nearly two years ago.

“Now I feel like I’m more explosive than ever,” he said.

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Uiagalelei and Clemson find their groove down the stretch as the Tigers defeat Georgia Tech

Clemson overcomes a rough start to take down Georgia Tech.

Dabo Swinney and Clemson picked up their first win of the season Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta as the Tigers defeated the Yellow Jackets 41-10.

After a slow start for Uiagalelei and the offense, the group overcame their struggles and were able to put together some nice drives throughout the game. The junior quarterback started getting traction in the second quarter as he led an eight-play, 67-yard drive that was capped off by Beaux Collins six-yard connection for his first passing touchdown of the season.

Overall, it was an inspiring turnaround for Uiagalelei, who completed 19-32 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown while also adding a rushing touchdown. Freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik got some playtime late in the game as well and was mightily impressive. He completed 4-6 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Though the running game didn’t perform to its expected standard, starting running back, Will Shipley still managed 42-yards on ten carries, finding the end zone twice. He also brought in a 14-yard reception. There were eleven different players with a reception, with Joseph Ngata and Will Taylor on the receiving end of touchdowns.

Clemson’s defense showed up and showed out, performing up to expectation. They allowed just 164 passing yards and 73 rushing yards throughout the game. The defensive line wreaked havoc, while the linebackers and secondary were impressive as well.

The special teams unit was arguably the most impressive, blocking two punts that led to scores.

Clemson overcame and put together a solid performance in week one.

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Clemson ‘trending in a good spot’ at this position

While plenty of eyes have been on D.J. Uiagalelei and Cade Klubnik at quarterback, Clemson’s coaching staff has been pleasantly surprised by another position on the offensive side of the ball as the Tigers continue preparations for their season …

Clemson’s receiving corps has a bit of a different look to it with Justyn Ross (NFL) and Frank Ladson (transfer) no longer around, and the group was without E.J. Williams, Beaux Collins and Adam Randall for part if not all of preseason camp as the trio dealt with injuries. But all things considered, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he likes where the position is at as the Tigers embark on game week ahead of their Labor Day tussle with Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

“It’s a good group that’s held their own without Beaux, without E.J. and without Adam,” Swinney said recently. “We’re trending in a good spot there.”

Swinney said he’s been encouraged by what he’s seen from the receivers who have been available throughout the preseason. That includes the Tigers’ top option in the slot, Brannon Spector, who’s in line to get his first game reps in more than a year after missing all of last season with injuries and complications from COVID-19. Swinney said Spector led the team in receptions during its final camp scrimmage and has been consistent throughout the preseason.

“Every day, he keeps showing up,” Swinney said.

Will Taylor and true freshmen Antonio Williams and Cole Turner have also caught Swinney’s eye. Williams had a “nice, big play” in the last scrimmage and will see playing time this fall, Swinney said. Taylor, who’s back playing football for the first time since tearing his ACL last October, is another speedy option in the slot as well as in the return game.

“He didn’t get a fall. He didn’t get a spring,” Swinney said, referencing the reps Taylor missed because of his injury. “He’s literally like a true freshman out there, but every day, he gets better.”

On the outside, fellow sophomore Dacari Collins has gotten more reps in Beaux Collins’ absence and had a big play in the last scrimmage, Swinney said. And senior Joseph Ngata had a healthy, productive camp, which may be the best news for the group considering the nagging injuries the former blue-chip recruit has dealt with throughout his time at Clemson.

“Joe’s been great,” Swinney said. “He hasn’t missed anything . He hasn’t missed a rep. I think he had a day right there (early in camp) where he came down and hit his head, but he’s been awesome. He’s been an excellent leader for us.”

If Ngata can maintain a clean bill of health, offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder is more than capable of being the next big-bodied handful for opposing defenses at the boundary receiver position.

“I’ve got a ton of confidence in Ngata,” Streeter said. “He’s done a great job this camp. He works his tail off. He only knows one speed, and that’s 100%. That’s what I love about the kid. He’s overcome some stuff mentally with injuries and things like that, and he’s in a great spot. I feel really good about where he is.”

As for the injured wideouts, there have been some positive developments with them, too. Williams (hematoma) recently returned to practice and should be good to go for the opener while Streeter said last week he expected Collins (shoulder) to return in “the next week or so.” Collins finished second on the team with 38 receptions last season.

Meanwhile, Randall continues to make swift progress in his recovery from ACL surgery in the spring. Randall was recently upgraded from a yellow practice jersey (non-participant) to a green jersey (limited). While Randall isn’t expected to be ready for the opener, Swinney said it isn’t out of the question that the 6-2, 230-pound freshman could be fully cleared sometime in September.

“We’ve got a really good group,” Swinney said. “I’m super proud of them.”

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Has Clemson re-established the slot?

Dabo Swinney has acknowledged D.J. Uiagalalei needs to play better if Clemson is going to get back to being a championship contender this fall. Clemson’s coach has also been steadfast in his refusal to put all of the blame on the Tigers’ quarterback …

Swinney has repeatedly made the point that Clemson, which dealt with ineffectiveness and attrition at seemingly every position a season ago, has to be better around Uiagalelei if the offense plans on rejuvenating itself once the games start Labor Day night against Georgia Tech. One of the spots that’s in need of resuscitation is slot receiver.

Remember that position?

It was made famous recently during Swinney’s tenure by Hunter Renfrow, the hero of Clemson’s 2017 national championship game victory who recently inked a lucrative contract extension with the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders. After Renfrow came Amari Rodgers, a first-team all-ACC selection and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist during his last season manning the slot for the Tigers in 2020.

Neither taller than 5-foot-10, Renfrow and Rodgers possessed ideal skill sets for the position, which is in contrast to those of the typical outside receiver. Let current Clemson receiver Brannon Spector further explain.

“I’d say just short-area quickness,” said Spector, who plays in the slot. “You’ve got to be able to get in and out of breaks. And then being able to have that burner speed, that helps out a lot as well. But just being tough and being able to step up and make a block on an inside ‘backer. You’ve got to get in there, hold your stance and just be strong. So it’s a little bit of everything.”

Clemson didn’t have that kind of all-in-one presence at the position a season ago.

Justyn Ross lined up there some, but the 6-4 wideout spent most of his collegiate career at his more natural outside position. E.J. Williams (knee) and Will Taylor (ACL surgery) got the occasional rep at the position, but both missed a good chunk of the season with injuries, which became a theme among the receiving corps. By the time it was over, Beaux Collins, a 6-3 true freshman who’d also been recruited primarily as an outside receiver, was filling in there.

But with less than two weeks left before the start of the new season, things seem to be trending back to normal for the Tigers at the position.

Spector would’ve been a prime slot candidate a year ago had it not been for a shoulder injury and complications from COVID-19 that ended his season before it began. The 6-1, 205-pound junior returned to the team this spring and reminded receivers coach Tyler Grisham of Renfrow with the speed and quickness he displayed then, which carried over to preseason camp.

“Before he got hurt, he was flying around everywhere,” Grisham said during the spring. “He’s got springs in his legs. He can run, change direction and get open in those short areas, which is what we want in the slot.”

Spector took a majority of the first-team reps in the slot during camp, but he’s not the only speedy, shifty option for the Tigers at the position. Taylor and Williams are back in the mix, and true freshmen Antonio Williams and Cole Turner joined the competition during camp. Williams, who’s also a candidate to return kicks, is more likely to contribute in Year 1 than Turner, and Spector said he’s been impressed by what he’s seen from the former Dutch Fork High standout in a short time at the position.

“I have no worries if one of us was to go down that they could step up,” Spector said of the freshmen. “I have full faith in them coming in and doing just as good as any of us.”

For the first time since the 2020 season, Clemson appears to have multiple options that more aptly fit the slot profile, which could lend itself to more creativity and production on the outside. Ross (46) was the only Clemson receiver to have more than 31 receptions last season.

“Any time you have a guy in the slot that can make guys miss, it does nothing but make you better,” first-year offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said. “That’s a big part of our offense. Get the ball to them in space, and let’s see what they can do with it.”

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Taylor discusses future two-sport plans, Bakich’s hiring

Will Taylor is busy preparing for his second season with Clemson’s football team, but baseball is never too far from the sophomore wideout’s mind. Of course, Taylor played both sports for Clemson over the past year, though his first football season …

Will Taylor is busy preparing for his second season with Clemson’s football team, but baseball is never too far from the sophomore wideout’s mind.

Of course, Taylor played both sports for Clemson over the past year, though his first football season resulted in him missing most of his freshman baseball season this spring. Taylor is still wearing a brace on his surgically repaired right knee, a visual reminder of the torn ACL he suffered just five games into his football career at Clemson.

The injury forced the Irmo native out of action until the latter part of the spring, when Taylor finally made his debut for the Tigers on the diamond. He started all 13 games he played this past baseball season either in the outfield or as a designated hitter, hitting .260 with one home run and four RBIs in 50 at-bats.

Taylor said earlier this month that he no longer has any pain related to his injury and that he’s “100% confident” in the knee now that he’s 10 months removed from surgery. Asked if the injury made him reconsider playing both sports in the future in order to limit the wear and tear on his body, Taylor said his mindset was just the opposite.

“Not at all,” he said. “I was actually more thankful I was able to play two sports because it’s just a blessing to be able to run, jump and just be out here and play. That’s what I learned. Just very thankful to be out here and be able to do that.”

When Taylor does return to the baseball team next year, he’ll do so with a new coach leading the Tigers’ program. Following the baseball team’s second straight NCAA Tournament miss, Monte Lee was fired after six seasons at the helm and replaced by Erik Bakich, a former Clemson assistant who spent the last decade as the head coach at Michigan.

Taylor said he’s eager to meet and chat with Bakich, something he said he hasn’t had a chance to do yet because of their schedules.

“I know he’s been out recruiting, and we’ve been busy over here at football,” Taylor said. “But excited to see what the future holds and excited to get over there and play for him.”

Taylor will first try to get through a football season with a clean bill of health. A versatile playmaker who even took some direct snaps last season, Taylor has been repping in the slot and as a punt returner during fall camp. He caught two passes for six yards and returned seven kicks for 78 yards in five games a season ago.

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Back healthy, Taylor ‘100% confident’ in surgically repaired knee

Will Taylor is back in the fold for the Tigers and the two-sport standout is as confident as ever. The sophomore wideout is recovered from the torn ACL he sustained against Boston College last October. He spent the spring with the baseball team, …

Will Taylor is back in the fold for the Tigers and the two-sport standout is as confident as ever.

The sophomore wideout is recovered from the torn ACL he sustained against Boston College last October. He spent the spring with the baseball team, making his return to competition as a designated hitter and outfielder for the Tigers.

“I feel like I’m definitely faster than I was 12 months ago,” Taylor said Monday. “I’m just trying to get the moves back and get the lateral movement back. The past (four) days have been great so far, so I’m excited to keep on going.”

After not being able to partake in any of Clemson’s spring practices, Taylor is ready to compete and officially complete that transition to the wide receiver position.

A dual-threat quarterback during his high school career at Dutch Fork, Taylor took some direct snaps last season and also lined up at slot receiver, which will be his primary position going forward.

He had five carries and two receptions to go along with a kickoff return and six punt returns, including a 51-yarder against South Carolina State, before the injury.

It’s been roughly 10 months since Taylor was on a football field, but once he got over the mental hurdles that come with a significant injury, it was easy for him to move on.

Taylor was able to regain some of that confidence when he debuted for Clemson’s baseball program during the final stretch of the 2022 season. In 13 games, he hit .260 with 14 runs, a homer, four RBIs, a .320 slugging percentage, .397 on-base percentage, nine walks and a steal.

Those 13 games were pivotal for Taylor’s confidence, especially as he received some self-assurance from that surgically repaired knee.

“I’m 100% confident. Absolutely. If I wasn’t 100% confident, I wouldn’t be out here practicing,” Taylor said. “Obviously, still wearing that knee brace, but it’s just protection out here because we’re doing a lot. But, I don’t even think about it. I feel faster. I feel better than I did last summer.”

Taylor is hopeful that he’ll be able to shed the brace in a couple of weeks.

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Swinney stoked to coach ‘baller’ Will Taylor as a wideout

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney used one word to describe Will Taylor when asked about the Tigers’ sophomore wide receiver on Friday. “Baller,” Swinney said during a media availability prior to his team’s first practice of fall camp Friday …

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney used one word to describe Will Taylor when asked about the Tigers’ sophomore wide receiver on Friday.

“Baller,” Swinney said during a media availability prior to his team’s first practice of fall camp Friday afternoon.

“He’s a baller. I mean, he’s Will Taylor.”

Taylor, a two-sport standout, is recovered from the torn ACL he sustained against Boston College last October. He spent the spring with the baseball team, making his return to competition as a designated hitter and outfielder for the Tigers.

Now with Clemson’s fall camp underway, Taylor is back with the football team after lining up at multiple positions last fall before suffering the injury while returning a punt.

“Shows up, hadn’t played baseball and next thing you know, bam – what’d he hit, close to .300 or so,” Swinney said. “He’s probably faster than he’s ever been, and he’s always been fast. He’s strong, he’s confident, he’s got enough experience now.”

A dual-threat quarterback during his high school career at Dutch Fork, Taylor took some direct snaps last season and also lined up at slot receiver, which will be his primary position going forward.

He had five carries and two receptions to go along with a kickoff return and six punt returns, including a 51-yarder against South Carolina State, before the injury.

Taylor signed with Clemson in December 2020 as a quarterback, and he started his Clemson career at quarterback in 2021 before a planned transition to wide receiver.

The Tigers’ plan with him coming in was to instill within him a quarterback foundation as far as their scheme and philosophy, how they teach it and have him in all the quarterback meetings — train him as a quarterback and then move him to receiver.

“What our plan with him last year, where we were, we really brought him through as a quarterback to train him up with the foundation and perspective of a quarterback, knowing we were going to move him, but really equip ourselves that way,” Swinney said. “Obviously our quarterback room is in amazing shape, so we’re excited about that. But we were transitioning him game four last year. We were kind of in that process, and whatever it was, fourth play of the game, third play of the game, he’s out. He was on his way.”

The fact that Taylor served as Clemson’s starting punt returner in his first game as a Tiger last September tells you all you need to know about how highly Swinney thinks of him.

“All I can tell you is I started him at punt returner against Georgia in his opening game on the road in Charlotte,” Swinney said. “There’s not many freshmen that I would run out there in that regard.”

Swinney is stoked to work with Taylor in fall camp and see how his Clemson career unfolds.

“He’s just a baller, man,” Swinney said. “I can’t wait to be able to get on the field and start coaching him as a wideout. He’s fast, he’s explosive. I’ve got to kind of see where he is, because obviously I haven’t been able to – he couldn’t do anything in the spring, so I haven’t been able to really coach him since last fall. But he’s got everything. He’s going to be a great player, and it’ll be fun watching him develop.”

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Streeter: ‘No doubt’ Taylor could provide more offensive creativity

It’s been roughly 10 months since Brandon Streeter has seen Will Taylor on a football field, but Clemson’s offensive coordinator hasn’t forgotten what the young wideout is capable of bringing to it with his skill set. Taylor, a two-sport standout, …

With Clemson’s fall camp slated to begin Friday, Taylor is back with the football team after lining up at multiple positions last fall before sustaining the injury while returning a punt.

“We’re going to use him in different ways,” Streeter said.

Clemson started doing that last season before the knee injury cut Taylor’s freshman season short. A dual-threat quarterback during his prep days at Dutch Fork High, Taylor took some direct snaps last season and also lined up at slot receiver, which will be his primary position going forward.

He had five carries and two receptions to go along with a kickoff return and six punt returns, including a 51-yarder against South Carolina State, before the injury. That kind of versatility, Streeter said, will come in handy as the Tigers work on adding some new wrinkles to the offense under their first-year coordinator, who was promoted to the position once Tony Elliott left to take the head coaching job at Virginia in December.

“No doubt,” Streeter said. “Any time you’ve got a guy that’s played quarterback before and has moved to other positions, it gives you just more opportunity to be more creative.”

Just how far might Clemson take it with Taylor?

“Heck, he might be a punter. He might be a kicker,” Streeter said with a grin. “You never know.”

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Freshman receiver eager to make impact with multi-faceted skill set

Antonio Williams called the thought of contributing for Clemson as a true freshman a “dream.” There are multiple ways one of South Carolina’s top prospects during the 2022 recruiting cycle could turn that idea into a reality. Primarily, Williams is …

Antonio Williams called the thought of contributing for Clemson as a true freshman a “dream.”

There are multiple ways one of South Carolina’s top prospects during the 2022 recruiting cycle could turn that idea into a reality.

Primarily, Williams is a 6-foot, 180-pound slot receiver. But as one of the Tigers’ more explosive newcomers, the four-star signee is also a threat in the return game. Will Taylor served as Clemson’s primary punt return a year ago until a torn ACL cut his freshman season short, but receivers coach Tyler Grisham said in the spring Williams will get a chance to compete for that job once fall camp starts Friday.

It’s a role Williams excelled in as a standout at Dutch Fork High School, where he played on three state championship teams during his prep career. Williams finished his career at Dutch Fork with 137 catches for 2,458 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also averaged 26.2 yards on 29 career punt returns, including a whopping 30.4 average as a senior.

“It just comes second nature to me,” Williams said of returning kicks. “I’ve been doing it all my football career since I was in rec league. You can’t be playing kick returner and punt returner and be nervous. You’ve got to embrace it. It’s just you back there.”

Williams even averaged 12.4 yards on 20 carries in high school as Dutch Fork found a variety of ways to get the ball in the hands of its speedy wideout. Williams said he’s hopeful his versatility will help get him on the field sooner rather than later in college.

“It’s always good to not have one thing that you can do on the field and have multiple things you can do,” he said. “Punt return and kick return has always been a big part of my game, and if I could do that here, that would be a blessing.”

Williams committed to Clemson back on Dec. 9, a day before former offensive coordinator Tony Elliott officially took his first head coaching job at Virginia. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney promoted quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter to be the Tigers’ new play-caller a few days later, and Williams followed through with his commitment by signing with the Tigers later that month.

Williams, who chose Clemson over offers from South Carolina, Auburn and Ole Miss among others, said the change never bothered him.

“Even when I committed, I wasn’t worried about that,” Williams said. “Coach Streeter talked to me. I’ve got faith and trust in him that he’ll get the job done as well.”

A summer enrollee, Williams will soon join the competition at a position where Clemson begins camp with a clear-cut No. 1 option in Brannon Spector. Rising junior E.J. Williams, who’s set to return from a knee injury, is also an option in the slot, but Antonio Williams believes he’s got specific strengths to his game that will allow him to at least push for a spot in the rotation.

“Route-running and just being able to win every one-on-one that comes up against me,” he said. “I feel like I can’t be guarded in one-on-one situations. So route-running, yards after catch, making big plays and high-pointing the ball.”

More than anything, Williams just wants to contribute however he can in Year 1 in a setting with which he’s all too familiar.

“I used to go to some Clemson games back in middle school with friends ands stuff, so I’ve seen it first-hand and seen (the players) running down the hill and what the environment is like from a fan’s perspective,” Williams said. “It’s just an amazing place and a great place to play at.”

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Clemson offense and defense raving about freshman slot receiver

During his media session on Tuesday, wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham was high on a freshman receiver who has impressed players on both sides of the ball during summer workouts.

Despite not participating in a formal practice session yet, one of Clemson’s freshman receivers is already drawing high praise from his teammates.

Since he didn’t enroll early in the spring, wide receiver Antonio Williams was not a participant in Clemson’s spring practice sessions and has only been able to do player-led activities this summer. Still, wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham has liked the feedback he’s been getting from players.

“Guys are raving about him both on offense and defense,” Grisham said. “When you have your defensive guys talking about a receiver, they don’t want to give receivers much praise. Whenever you can get that, especially on a freshman, that’s pretty awesome.”

Coming out of high school, the 6-foot, 180-pound Williams was a four-star prospect and the No. 9 wide receiver in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

With Williams’ frame and skillset, Grisham said he will start in the slot position.

“We knew that he was a great player,” Grisham said. “He also knew that there was a need for a guy like him in our offense (after) losing Amari (Rodgers) from a couple of seasons ago. He’s done exceptionally well from what I’m hearing this summer.”

Grisham added that the staff could use Williams in the return game along with freshman Adam Randall and rising sophomore Will Taylor.

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