Home Top Stories All Articles About Contact Sam's Blog

My Stories

The Clemson Insider •

Defense Preparing for UNC's 'Dynamic Playmakers'

CLEMSON — With a week of rest under their belt, the Clemson Tigers have turned their focus to North Carolina

After a 1-3 start, the Tigers (0-2 ACC) travel to Chapel Hill, NC, to face the Tar Heels in their second road game of the season. Expectations that were held at the start of the season have certainly faded, and the Tigers now face the challenge of pushing through and focusing on the rest of the season, which begins with UNC.

Defensive end Will Heldt spoke to the media on how the team, s...
The Clemson Insider •

Clemson's Bryant Wesco Holds Himself Accountable Despite Great Start

CLEMSON — Despite a strong start for the young receiver, Clemson’s top target wants to be even better.

Sophomore receiver Bryant Wesco, Jr., has been the top target for starting quarterback Cade Klubnik and it is not even close. With five touchdowns and 389 yards off 24 total catches, Wesco has seen a lot of attention on the field as he continues to grow into a crucial part of the offense.

Even with his strengths and skills, along with his early impact for the Tigers, the receiver wants to per...
The Clemson Insider •

Clemson Redshirt Freshman Dipping His Toes in

CLEMSON — The struggles of the Clemson offense have been a major storyline this season, but there has been some light amongst the darkness.

Despite a rough start culminating in a 1-3 start for the Tigers, there have been spurts of good performances and new looks at young Clemson players. One of those players is tight end Christian Bentancur.

“It’s been exciting,” Bentancur said. “I put in a lot of work in the offseason, so I am happy to see it finally paying off.”

Through the first four games...
The Clemson Insider •

Clemson has Opportunity to Improve run game vs. Syracuse

CLEMSON — After a rough start on the ground for Clemson, the Tigers’ rushing attack has picked up the last two weeks.

LSU held the Tigers to just 31 yards in the season opener, but since then, their identity on the ground has become more solid, and the running backs have contributed more to the offense. The main man has been the wide receiver-turned-running back, Adam Randall.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik spoke about the impact Randall is having on offense.

“The biggest thing is his heart...
The Clemson Insider •

Friendship on, off Field has Clemson LBs Playing Well

CLEMSON — As a program that is built around the idea of family, Clemson has many examples of the bonds that make it strong.

While growing and developing as a player alongside your teammates on the field is important, it is even greater to get to build a relationship off the field as well, and the Tigers place a large emphasis on that facet of family.

One of these friendships is evident in the pair of starting linebackers for Clemson, Wade Woodaz and Sammy Brown, and their chemistry in the game...
Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site •

Ben Boulware | Coach Spotlight

The era of Clemson football that still reigns to this day reached the mountaintop when Head Coach Dabo Swinney carried Clemson to its second national championship. With a 35-31 victory over Alabama in Jan. 9, 2017, the Tigers brought home their first championship trophy since 1981, and the winning team was cemented into history.An esteemed member of the victorious Clemson squad was Anderson, S.C. native Ben Boulware, who earned...
The Clemson Insider •

Clemson's Wesco Makes Difference In Loss to Georgia Tech

ATLANTA — Although the offense had its struggles in its loss to Georgia Tech, some players did shine for No. 12 Clemson.

The Tigers (1-2, 0-1 ACC) faced off against Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, narrowly being taken down 24-21 with a walk-off field goal from Yellow Jackets’ kicker Aidan Birr. It was a hard-fought game, and the offense was not able to operate efficiently as they had hoped.

Despite the challenges, some players stepped up.

Wide receiver Bryant Wesco, Jr., was on...
The Clemson Insider •

Defense Kept Clemson Close for a Long Time

ATLANTA — For much of the first half on Saturday, the Clemson offense did not play well.

The Tigers were only able to accumulate 72 yards in the air and 86 on the ground in the first half of Georgia Tech’s 24-21 win over No. 12 Clemson. The struggles, however, went beyond the snaps. Multiple turnovers, sluggish execution at times, and dropped passes plagued the Tigers for most of the game.

Luckily, the Tigers (1-1) have a serviceable defense, and their contribution kept them in the game and ga...
The Clemson Insider •

Randall, Clemson Running Game Still has Much to do

CLEMSON — The rushing attack for No. 12 Clemson has been wishy-washy at best to start the season, and it needs to get on a solid track if the Tigers want to get where they want to go in the postseason.

After rushing 20 times for only 31 yards in their season opener against No. 3 LSU, the Tigers found more success on the ground when they beat Troy last weekend. Clemson ran for 120 yards in the victory, as running back Adam Randall led the way with 112 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.

Unfort...
The Clemson Insider •

Clemson's Klubnik Needs to get Wesco the Ball More

CLEMSON — Clemson is already a few weeks into the college football season, and many players have shown improvement since last season.

An area of the team that was expected to make a splash was on the offense was the receiving corps. However, that unit struggled to get going against No. 3 LSU in the season opener.

After a tough start against LSU and then two horrific quarters against Troy last week, the Clemson offense finally started to show its skills against the Trojans, as the offense explo...
Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site •

Tristan Leigh | The Definition of Grit

The journey to earning a spot onto a college football team is not easy. Countless days and nights of sweat, tears and work goes into achieving the dream of playing football on the big stage. Even after making it big, the work gets even harder.Tristan Leigh’s journey to Clemson reached a climax when he committed to the Tigers on Jan. 2, 2021. With so many options on the table, Clemson felt right as a school that would help him succeed...
The Clemson Insider •

Gamecocks’ Season Come Down to LaNorris Sellers

Clemson Opponent’s Preview

CLEMSON – One of the most heated and intense rivalries in college football continues on Nov. 29, with the 122nd addition of the Clemson-South Carolina Game, which will be held at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

The Tigers lead series with a record of 73-44-4, but South Carolina took them down at Death Valley last year, 17-14. Though Clemson has won 8 of the last 10 meetings, the Gamecocks’ two wins have come in the last three seasons.

However, Clemson has a chan...
The Clemson Insider •

Louisville Cardinals are Serious Contender for ACC Championship

Clemson Opponents’ Preview

CLEMSON – On the way to wrapping up the 2025 regular season, the Clemson Tigers will travel to face the Louisville Cardinals in their final ACC game of the regular season.

Tensions are high between these two teams after the Louisville stunned the Tigers last season at Death Valley. The Cardinals put on a show on the ground, and Clemson couldn’t stop it, nor could they keep up, which led to their second loss of the season after their Week 1 opener versus Georgia.

It...
The Clemson Insider •

FSU Seminoles trying to get Back on Track

CLEMSON – Nearing the homestretch of the season, Clemson will face off against the Florida State Seminoles on Nov. 8 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson.

The Tigers have a storied history with the Seminoles, as the two have battled for ACC supremacy for nearly two decades now. Clemson or FSU have played for the ACC Championship every year, except for 2021, since 2009.

Either the Tigers or the Noles have won the ACC Championship every year, except in 2021, since 2011. Clemson is the odds on favorite...
The Clemson Insider •

Duke Hopes to Make History in Trip to Death Valley

Clemson Opponents’ Preview

CLEMSON – Clemson kicks off the month of November with a home game against the Duke Blue Devils this season.

The last time the Tigers faced off against Duke, they were handily defeated on the road in the first game of the 2023 season.

Despite that loss in 2023, Clemson leads the all-time series 37-17-1 over Duke. The Tigers have won 15 straight at home over the Blue Devils, including a 35-6 win at Memorial Stadium in 2018.

Duke has not won at Death Valley since 198...
The Clemson Insider •

Defensive Observations: Clemson Camp Day 1

CLEMSON – Clemson opened camp Thursday behind the Allen Reeves Football Complex. The media was allowed to watch the first six and a half periods on Day 1 of camp.

Below are some of the things we were able to observe from practice.

– Tom Allen truly brings a different vibe and energy to the defensive unit during practice. He is constantly giving criticism and praise, yelling into his microphone, and making his players work hard. We heard him chanting, “every rep, correct or praise” to his coach...
The Clemson Insider •

Clemson Opponents' Preview: SMU Seeks Revenge

Clemson Opponents’ Preview

CLEMSON – The Clemson Tigers start off Week 7 with a rematch against their 2024 ACC Championship foe, the SMU Mustangs.

The evening of December 7, 2024, had fans of both teams holding their collective breath all the way until the final seconds. Clemson fans were first to exhale as kicker Nolan Hauser nailed a 56-yard field goal as time expired to send the Tigers to the College Football Playoff for a seventh time.

The Mustangs now have a shot at redemption.

SMU-Clem...
The Clemson Insider •

Clemson's Klubnik, Williams Excited About New Season

CHARLOTTE – It’s the final season for many players on Clemson’s roster, and that’s expected to be the case for the top offensive stars on the team.

Starting quarterback Cade Klubnik enters his senior year, as does star receiver Antonio Williams, who is expected to forgo his senior year for the NFL. After playing together for the past three years, the duo has built a great connection that has been dangerous to face.

At the ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte this past week, both talked about the...
The Clemson Insider •

Transfer Expected to Help Clemson 'Tear Through College Football'

CHARLOTTE – The Tigers added a new talent to the defensive line, and he has already made a massive impact.

Over the offseason, head coach Dabo Swinney dipped into the portal, grabbing a total of three transfers. Possibly their most influential pickup has been Will Heldt. A former defensive edge at Purdue, Heldt is a junior who spent his first two seasons as a Boilermaker before making the decision to come to Clemson.

At the ACC Media Kickoff in Charlotte, NC, multiple Clemson players spoke abo...
The Clemson Insider •

Louisville Has Confidence After 2024 Victory over Clemson

CHARLOTTE —  After a pivotal victory for the Louisville Cardinals last year, they received national attention and hopes of a championship run.

The Clemson Tigers were the defeated team, losing at home to the Cardinals last November. The victory was unprecedented to many, and national media began to view them as a potential ACC title contender and a force to be reckoned with.

Head coach Jeff Brohm attended the ACC Media Kickoff in Charlotte, NC, this week with a few of his players, and he spoke...
The Clemson Insider •

Lashlee Calls Clemson 'Standard' of ACC

CHARLOTTE – After a tough loss to the Tigers in the ACC Championship last season, SMU will be pitted against Clemson again. This time, it will be in Death Valley.

The Mustangs earned a massive accomplishment with their berth in the ACC Championship this past season, and it being their first year in the conference is the icing on the cake. SMU quickly fell behind in the score, but they managed to fight back into reach of a victory before a field goal from Clemson ended things.

Head coach Rhett...
The Clemson Insider •

ACC Commissioner Announces New Player Availability Reporting Policy

CHARLOTTE – At this week’s ACC Media Kickoff, Commissioner Jim Phillips introduced a new policy for the upcoming season regarding player availability during the Commissioner’s Forum.

Starting for the 2025 season, all teams in the ACC will be required to submit a “player availability report” for each conference game.

“This decision is directly connected to our ongoing commitment to best protect our student-athletes and our multi-faceted approach to addressing the effects of sports wagering,” Ph...
The Clemson Insider •

BC has More Questions than Answers Entering ’25

Clemson Opponents Previews

CLEMSON – At the midway point of the 2025 college football season, the Clemson Tigers head north to face the Boston College Eagles in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The Tigers haven’t faced the Eagles since a 31-3 victory in 2022. A lot time has passed since then, and it should be a whole new game this time around.

With the departure of former starting quarterback Tommy Castellanos, the Eagles’ offense will look a little different, and the defense has multiple standout positi...
The Clemson Insider •

More Questions than Answers as UNC Starts Belichick Era

Clemson Opponent Previews

CLEMSON – After facing the Syracuse Orange, the Clemson Tigers head to Chapel Hill, N.C., to kick off October with a road game at North Carolina.

Under the leadership of NFL legend Bill Belichick, the Tar Heels enter a new season with massive changes in leadership and personnel. With multiple big losses to the pros, and the firing of longtime head coach Mack Brown, came a multitude of transfers and incoming players that are ready to team up in this new era of UNC Foot...
Load More