When may Clemson see Taylor back in action?

Following Clemson’s 12-2 win over East Tennessee State University Wednesday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, coach Monte Lee updated the injury status of freshman outfielder Will Taylor. After tearing his ACL during Clemson’s 19-13 win over Boston College …

Following Clemson’s 12-2 win over East Tennessee State University Wednesday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, coach Monte Lee updated the injury status of freshman outfielder Will Taylor.

After tearing his ACL during Clemson’s 19-13 win over Boston College on Oct. 2, 2021, the two-sport athlete has been working hard to make his way back onto the baseball diamond.

“He’s close,” Lee said postgame. “He’s playing balls off the bat in the outfield, he’s taking BP. We’re gonna try to get him some live at-bats (Thursday). He’s had one day of live at-bats, where we had some pitchers throw to him, so we’ll do that again (Thursday) and try to get him ready.”

Lee couldn’t say for certain, but he feels Clemson could see Taylor in action potentially within the next few weeks.

“Whether we use him in some DH at-bats early or whether we just stick him out there and play him, we haven’t quite made that decision,” Lee continued. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get there, but I know that we need to use him because he’s a very talented player and he can help us. It’s gonna take some time — there’s some rust there. He hasn’t played.”

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The Insider Report

Each week The Clemson Insider brings you the latest Inside information on the Clemson Tigers in The Insider Report. We have more on 5-star QB Dylan Raiola who visited Clemson last week. What is the latest on Klubnik’s former teammate four-star edge …

Each week The Clemson Insider brings you the latest Inside information on the Clemson Tigers in The Insider Report.

We have more on 5-star QB Dylan Raiola who visited Clemson last week. What is the latest on Klubnik’s former teammate four-star edge rusher Colton Vasek? What is the latest on Will Taylor and when he will hit the field? All of this and more in this week’s edition of The Insider Report (FREE).

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Are Shipley, Taylor still going to return kicks following injuries?

Clemson’s primary kick returners last season are still working their way back from injuries. Will Shipley and Will Taylor each provided a spark in the return game as true freshmen. Shipley was the Tigers’ primary kickoff returner while Taylor’s …

Clemson’s primary kick returners last season are still working their way back from injuries.

Will Shipley and Will Taylor each provided a spark in the return game as true freshmen. Shipley was the Tigers’ primary kickoff returner while Taylor’s speed and athleticism was briefly on display in multiple ways, including as a punt returner.

But Taylor played just five games after a torn ACL cut his season short. Shipley, who doubled as Clemson’s leading rusher, also dealt with a leg injury midway through the season that forced him to miss multiple games.

Both are making progress but still aren’t back in action yet. Shipley is being held out of spring drills with the expectation that he’ll be full go sometime this summer. Meanwhile, Taylor, who underwent knee surgery after sustaining his injury in the fall, is spending the spring with the baseball team, though he’s yet to play for the Tigers as he continues his rehab process.

Taylor is also a receiver for the football team and even took some direct snaps last season as part of certain packages that Clemson used to try to maximize Taylor’s skill set. But Taylor averaged 10.1 yards per punt return, which included a 51-yard return for a touchdown against South Carolina State in early September.

Asked if Taylor will continue to be used in that role this fall, Mike Reed, who’s in his first year as Clemson’s special-teams coordinator, said some of that decision will depend on how Taylor looks once he’s back with the football team in the fall.

“He’s got to work himself back in, but he’s a natural,” Reed said. “When you have a young man of that caliber who transfers his baseball skills over to football, he can track the ball and he’s very athletic with the ball in his hands. So it was a no-brainer back there catching the ball.”

Shipley was equally as dynamic returning kickoffs last season. The former five-star signee averaged 27.1 yards on a team-high 14 kickoff returns – the third-highest average in the ACC – and had a season-best 75-yarder against Louisville.

Reed said it’s “self-explanatory” why Clemson used Shipley in that role given his raw speed and athleticism. But with Shipley out for the time being, others are getting a look there this spring.

“It’s up in the air,” Reed said. “Everybody’s auditioning for positions out there. That’s the one good thing about spring. Nobody is locked into a position.”

Shipley also established himself as the Tigers’ No. 1 back after leading the Tigers in attempts (149), yards (738) and rushing touchdowns (11) a season ago, which could give the Tigers incentive to pull back on his workload and limit the number of hits he takes. But Reed said the coaching staff isn’t going to operate out of fear of Shipley coming down with another injury if they believe he’s still the best man for the kickoff return job come the fall.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to put guys on the field that can make plays. And if he’s a guy that’s going to make a play, we’ve got to play him,” Reed said. “Who are we to sit there and say, ‘Oh, we want to hold you over here.’ We don’t have that luxury. You lose a game, and you’re out of contention, you know?

“We’re in it to win it, so we’re going to put the best guys on the field. And the guys that deserve to play are going to play.”

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Strength in numbers: Clemson will have a ‘lot of guys available’ at receiver this spring

Clemson currently has 10 wide receivers on scholarship, but there wasn’t exactly strength in those last season. The Tigers were without seven scholarship receivers at one point last season. As Clemson kicked off spring practice Wednesday, Tyler …

Clemson currently has 10 wide receivers on scholarship, but there wasn’t exactly strength in those last season.

The Tigers were without seven scholarship receivers at one point last season. As Clemson kicked off spring practice Wednesday, Tyler Grisham will have six scholarship wideouts to work with.

There’s one wide receiver, in particular, that Dabo Swinney and staff are looking forward to watching this spring and that’s Brannon Spector. The redshirt junior out of Calhoun (Ga.) High School missed the entire 2021 season due to respiratory issues, which stemmed from a previous bout with COVID-19.

“I can’t wait to see Spec out there,” Swinney said Wednesday. “He’s looked good in our mat drills and stuff, but I haven’t seen him play football awhile, so I’m excited to see him.”

Spector was back in the fold during Clemson’s first day of spring practice and started in the slot with Beaux Collins and Joseph Ngata on the outside. While Spector finally has a clean bill of health, Clemson will be without two wide receivers due to injuries this spring.

Swinney announced that EJ Williams will miss spring practice after recently having his knee scoped. Williams missed time due to injury last season and was held out of Clemson’s Bowl Game after he was deemed a close contact to a teammate who tested positive for the virus.

“It breaks my heart that EJ won’t be able to go because again, he was literally just last week tearing it up,” Swinney said. “This is something that just kind of needed to be fixed. We know who he is and what he can do. I think he’s got high-level ability.”

When back healthy, Williams will be a significant contributor for Clemson offensively. He’s not the only wide receiver who will be sidelined this spring though. Will Taylor, who is working his way back from an ACL injury, is still 4-to-5 weeks out from returning. He will begin a hitting program next week for the baseball team but will be unable to partake in any football drills.

“The biggest thing is just getting our numbers back,” Swinney said. “I mean to have seven scholarship wide receivers out, I’ve never been a part of that, as long as I’ve been coaching. Usually, you only have like nine on scholarship in college football, maybe 10. We’re going to have 10 this year…I’m super excited about it because we got some talented guys.”

The only positive Clemson was able to squeeze out of last year’s injuries to the receiver room was the emergence of Beaux Collins and Dacari Collins. They were thrown into the fire last season and now, according to Swinney, they’re both further along than they would have been, had Clemson stayed completely healthy in 2021.

Beaux was among Clemson’s first-string wide receivers during practice Wednesday, along with Ngata.

Before Swinney mentioned just how good Ngata has looked thus far, he made sure to knock on the table in front of him. Ngata had a great freshman year and as Swinney later said, these past two seasons have been a real challenge as he dealt with various injuries.

“Ngata has been amazing,” Swinney said. “He has been amazing this offseason. His leadership, he’s just done an awesome job. And again, just availability has been his issue. Hopefully, this is the year that he can stay on the field. If he can stay on the field, the rest will take care of itself. I promise you that. He’s a really talented player.”

For now, Clemson will be without Williams and Taylor, while Antonio Williams and Cole Turner won’t arrive until this summer.

“It’s a really good group, for sure,” Swinney said. “Adding Adam Randall to that group and getting him there. Obviously, Beaux and Troy (Stellato), we got a lot of guys that are available to us.”

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The Insider Report: Junior Day Preview, Latest on Will Taylor

Each week The Clemson Insider brings you the latest Inside information on the Clemson Tigers in The Insider Report. Which top prospects are planning to attend Clemson’s Elite Junior Day? What is the latest on Will Taylor’s rehab? Which elite …

Each week The Clemson Insider brings you the latest Inside information on the Clemson Tigers in The Insider Report.

Which top prospects are planning to attend Clemson’s Elite Junior Day? What is the latest on Will Taylor’s rehab? Which elite teammates from the Northeast have a visit to Clemson on the horizon? All of this and more in this week’s edition of The Insider Report (FREE).

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Swinney updates Clemson’s spring plans for Taylor

During Clemson Football’s National Signing Day show on Wednesday from the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney joined Clemson director of broadcasting Don Munson and gave an update on the team’s plans for Will Taylor …

After tearing his ACL during Clemson’s 19-13 win over Boston College on Oct. 2, 2021, the Tigers transitioned the two-sport athlete into a full-time receiver on the football field. Since the injury, Clemson has moved full speed ahead and Swinney took a couple of days and did some one-on-one stuff with Taylor down at the Cheez-It Bowl.

“We went through some individual-type things to help accelerate his individual development as a receiver,” Swinney said, “but, obviously, he’s coming off an injury. If he was perfectly healthy, baseball has priority, but we would involve him in certain aspects, just like we did with Kyle Parker.”

Though, as of now, Taylor is all rehab and baseball, according to Swinney.

“He’ll be around,” Swinney added. “When it fits his schedule, he’ll come be a part of meetings and things like that. Right now, the focus is getting well and baseball. We’re gonna be done April 9, so it’s not like he would have much opportunity because he’s just gonna be hopefully getting cleared. I hope he’s somewhere in March, but it might be the first week of April. We’ll see.”

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Grisham gives update on status of injured wide receivers

During Clemson Football’s National Signing Day show on Wednesday from the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex, Clemson wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham joined Clemson director of broadcasting Don Munson and gave an update on the injury status of …

Senior Joseph Ngata, junior E.J. Williams, redshirt sophomore Brannon Spector, sophomore Will Taylor and redshirt freshman Troy Stellato all missed time last season and were a part of the M.A.S.H. unit that was the Tigers’ receiving corps.

The good news is that — with the exception of Taylor, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in early October — Grisham expects all the aforementioned wideouts to be ready to go come spring practice, which the Tigers will begin March 2.

“Will Taylor won’t be. He’s still recovering from the ACL,” Grisham said. “But everybody else is healthy and moving well and preparing to be ready for the spring.”

Of the aforementioned wideouts, Spector is the only one who missed the entire 2021 season, as he dealt with respiratory challenges.

But Spector, who recently announced that he has decided to reclassify and will be a redshirt sophomore next season, is expected to be full bore for spring practice according to Grisham.

“Spector missed all of last year. But he’s already — I spoke to him a couple days ago — he’s already back in the weight room and doing most everything that guys are doing,” Grisham said. “Maybe the weight he’s pushing and pulling is a little bit lower. Just trying to help ease him in, but we’re expecting him to be full go for the spring.

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How baseball, football are divvying up Will Taylor’s time between sports

Clemson baseball coach Monte Lee recently gave some insight into what it’s like for he and football coach Dabo Swinney to share the Tigers’ latest two-sport athlete. Will Taylor will suit up for the baseball team at some point this spring after …

Clemson baseball coach Monte Lee recently gave some insight into what it’s like for he and football coach Dabo Swinney to share the Tigers’ latest two-sport athlete.

Will Taylor will suit up for the baseball team at some point this spring after spending the fall playing football. That was always the plan once Taylor, a standout multi-sport athlete at Dutch Fork High School, bypassed the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in the summer to enroll at Clemson.

“It was a simple process,” Lee said. “Coach Swinney and I spoke about Will once we got Will through the draft. What Dabo told Will in that recruiting process is exactly what’s happened here. When it’s football season, he’s a football player. When it’s baseball season, he’s a baseball player. And it’s really that simple.”

One of the nation’s top baseball prospects during his prep days, Taylor would likely be competing to start in Clemson’s outfield on opening day if not for a torn ACL he suffered during football season. Taylor, a receiver who was primarily used as a punt returner this fall, played five games for the football team before sustaining the injury.

Taylor is closing in on being four months removed from reconstructive surgery. Lee said Taylor trying to recover from an injury while pulling double duty has been far more of a challenge than he and Swinney deciding how to split up his time between sports.

“You have to focus a lot of your attention as a true freshman to play wide receiver at Clemson University. And then he had the injury. He’s faced that adversity where now he’s got to go through that rehab process, and this is the first time he’s had to deal with that. Now he’s coming over to a brand new group of guys that he hasn’t been around and he’s got to get acclimated to them.”

Taylor’s involvement with baseball means he wouldn’t participate in spring football practice even if he was healthy enough to do so. As for a timetable on when Taylor might be able to suit up for the baseball team, Lee recently provided TCI with that update.

The baseball team begins its season with a three-game series against Indiana starting Feb. 18 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

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3 pressing offseason questions for Clemson’s special teams

With the offseason a couple of weeks old now, The Clemson Insider is pondering some of the most pressing on-field questions for Clemson’s football program as the Tigers wipe the slate clean and start fresh in 2022. Clemson is coming off yet another …

Clemson is coming off yet another 10-win season, but there’s still some uncertainty and room for improvement in all facets of the Tigers’ game heading into Dabo Swinney’s 14th season at the helm. After probing the offense and defense, here are some inquiries for the special teams.

Who’s the next punter?

The special teams unit got a major lift when veteran placekicker B.T. Potter decided to return for a sixth season, but Will Spiers is leaving after five years with program, meaning Clemson will be breaking in a new punter next season.

Who will that be?

Aidan Swanson is the betting favorite. The third-year sophomore has gotten some limited game reps during his time with the Tigers. He punted three times this season and is averaging 38.1 yards on eight punts so far in his career.

Clemson will need Swanson to take another step in his development is he’s going to be the guy, but newcomer Jack Smith could also get a look. A member of the Tigers’ 2022 recruiting class, Smith is coming to Clemson from Saraland (Alabama) High, where he was a four-year starter at punter and impressive enough for the Tigers to bring him in as a scholarship player.

Smith was ranked the nation’s No. 5 punter by Kohl’s Kicking.

Can the punt return game be improved?

Senior receiver Will Brown did his primary job filling in as the Tigers’ punt returner in the second half of the season by securing each catch and avoiding any muffs. But Clemson didn’t get much more than that.

Brown averaged just 2.1 yards on the 12 punts he got a chance to return as Clemson averaged just 4.4 yards per punt return as a team — 5 yards fewer than was it averaged in that department a season ago.

Of course, Brown, whose longest return went for 17 yards, stepped into that role for an injured Will Taylor, who provided the punt return game with a spark before tearing his ACL in the fifth game of the season against Boston College. Taylor averaged 10.7 yards per return and nearly made a house call against South Carolina State, breaking off a 51-yarder in that game, easily the Tigers’ longest punt return of the season.

But will Clemson keep Taylor as its primary punt returner coming off knee reconstruction surgery? Or might the Tigers opt for someone else — running back Will Shipley, perhaps? — in that role moving forward?

Whichever direction the Tigers decide to go here, they could use a little more after the catch.

Can Will Shipley become the next dual-role standout?

Speaking of Shipley, he didn’t just excel as a running back in Year 1 for the Tigers.

Yes, the former five-star signee stepped in and became Clemson’s leading rusher by the end of his freshman season, but he was also the primary return man on kickoffs. Shipley was pretty good at it, too, averaging 27.1 yards on his 14 kickoff returns.

About the only thing the speedy Shipley didn’t do was return one for a touchdown, though he came close against Louisville with a 75-yarder in that game. Shipley could be the latest running back at Clemson to double as a major threat in the return game, too.

Travis Etienne also returned kicks during his record-setting career. Of course, Shipley’s position coach, College Football Hall of Famer C.J. Spiller, is the poster boy for mastering both roles at Clemson, setting the record at the time (which he still shares) for the most kickoff returns for touchdowns in NCAA history when he played.

Fellow running back Kobe Pace also dropped deep on kickoffs and returned four of them this season. But if this season was any indication, Shipley is emerging as the Tigers’ next big-play weapon in that role.

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Lee tells TCI latest on Will Taylor’s rehab

After spending the fall with Clemson’s football team, Will Taylor is preparing for his first collegiate baseball season. The most important part of that process for the two-sport freshman is getting healthy. Taylor was Clemson’s primary punt …

Taylor was Clemson’s primary punt returner in the fall before tearing his ACL. He suffered the injury against Boston College on Oct. 2 and had surgery shortly thereafter. That timeline means Taylor is just roughly three months removed from the operation he needed to repair the ligament, but Clemson baseball coach Monte Lee said Taylor is making a quick recovery.

“Will was here (Wednesday) and was in great spirits,” Lee told The Clemson Insider on Thursday. “He played catch and moved around a little bit. He hasn’t started swinging the bat yet, so he’ll begin that process of getting back to swinging the bat and moving around here in a couple of weeks. Once he begins that, then we’ll get a chance to see where he is at leading into the preseason.”

Lee added he expects Taylor to begin a running program as part of his rehabilitation in a couple of weeks. Clemson’s baseball team is slated to begin practice for the 2022 season later this month.

Lee said he doesn’t anticipate Taylor being available for the Tigers’ season-opening series against Indiana starting Feb. 18, but Taylor is expected to play at some point this spring.

“Once we get a little bit closer to March 1, I think we’ll have a little bit of a better sense of where he’s at on that timetable of being able to return,” Lee said.

Whenever that happens, Lee said he’s going to find a way to get Taylor in the lineup. Taylor likely would’ve been a high-round pick in last summer’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft had he chosen that route coming out of Irmo’s Dutch Fork High School, but the 6-foot, 175-pound outfielder opted to put the professional ranks on hold in order to play football and baseball and football at Clemson.

Lee said the baseball team has a “special talent” in Taylor, adding Taylor has to be considered one of the most talented freshmen in the country.

“He’s a game-changer speed-wise,” Lee said. “He can really hit. Very dynamic athlete. High-makeup competitor. So we’re really excited about what he’s going to bring to the table. We just have to kind of wait and see what that recovery time looks like for Will.”

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