Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

The ball sat on the 3-yard line, forcing top-ranked Clemson into the most unexpected of positions. Get a stop, or lose the lead late against heavy underdog North Carolina - and maybe the game along with its spot as the front-runner for the College Football Playoff. The Tigers did it, stuffing the Tar Heels' 2-point conversion attempt with 1:17 left to hold on for a 21-20 victory - narrowly avoiding an upset that would've shaken the national landscape in college football. "It came down to one play, that's what happens a lot of times," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "We made the play we had to make to win the game."

The Tigers (5-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) had trouble all day in trying to extend earn a program-record 20th straight win. They didn't go ahead for good until Trevor Lawrence hit Tee Higgins on a 38-yard touchdown pass with 9:54 left, then came up with the stop after the Tar Heels went for the lead instead of a tie after Javonte Williams' short scoring run. The Tigers strung out Sam Howell's option run to the right, with Xavier Thomas, James Skalski and Nolan Turner combining to bring down Howell as he turned toward the goal line. Howell tried to pitch the ball back to Dazz Newsome as he was going down, but Newsome had nowhere to go near the sideline and was pushed out of bounds to put the Tar Heels (2-3, 1-1) short and effectively clinch the win for Clemson - though it was far tougher than expected for the 27-point road favorite on what Swinney called "a tough day at the office, no doubt." - Clemson/AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) Jr/2021

QB *Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
News Source: Clemson/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/29/19 - *Trevor Lawrence, Jr/2021, Clemson, 6-6, 213 (DS#1 QB) + More +

The Tigers had made everything look easy through the opening month of the schedule. The closest call had been a 24-10 win against a ranked Texas A&M team that didn't reach the end zone in until the final seconds of a game long since decided. But Clemson had all kinds of trouble getting going Saturday, from Travis Etienne's first-half fumble to set up a UNC touchdown to multiple false-start penalties that continued undercutting the Tigers' attempts to build momentum. In the end, the Tigers did just enough to stay unbeaten and avoid a shocking upset. "We know it's hard to win," Lawrence said. "Sometimes it's easy to forget that when you win so many games by so many points. This game is only going to make us better." - Clemson/AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) Jr/2021

QB *Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
News Source: Clemson/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/22/19 - *Trevor Lawrence, Jr/2021, Clemson, 6-6, 213 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was happy with the final score. He was even more pleased with how many of his players contributed to the top-ranked Tigers 19th straight victory. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw touchdown passes in little over a quarter while reigning Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year Travis Etienne had his first scoring run of the season Clemson's 52-10 win over Charlotte on Saturday night. "There were just a lot of good things," Swinney said. For him, it was watching a school-record 111 people in Tiger uniforms running onto the field in the blowout win. Swinney played five quarterbacks. Nine running backs had carries. All of them, Swinney said, have a special moment in their lives. "You got a lot of guys who can say they played for the Tigers," Swinney said. "No one can take that away from them. That's cool."

And there were no sideline beefs or bad feelings from starters like Lawrence or Etienne - Heisman Trophy contenders coming into the season - watching others take their playing time. "I think it's just the culture that we have," co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said. Scott asked Tee Higgins, who had a 58-yard touchdown catch on Clemson's first series, if he wanted to go back in. But Higgins wanted the backups to get experience. "It's just very unique in the year 2019 to be at a place where your stars aren't worried about their stats," Scott said. Lawrence and the Tigers (4-0) put the first matchup between these two teams away in a hurry. After Lawrence's touchdown pass to Higgins, K'Von Wallace scored on a 66-yard interception return to give Clemson a 14-0 lead in the first five minutes. Lawrence came out of the game after throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass to Cornell Powell on the first play of the second quarter. - Clemson/AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) Jr/2021

QB *Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
News Source: Clemson/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/16/19 - Isaiah Simmons, rJr/2020, Clemson, 6-4, 233 (DS#1 OLB) + More +

WEEK 3 ACC LINEBACKER OF THE WEEK: Isaiah Simmons, Clemson, Jr., LB, Olathe, Kan.,...Simmons was also named Walter Camp Football Foundation FBS National Defensive Player of the Week following his effort in the Tigers' 41-6 win over Syracuse...Posted a game-high 11 tackles, including a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks...Both sacks effectively ended Syracuse drives, as one came on a third down which led to a Syracuse punt and another came on fourth down. - ACC Football

(DS#1 OLB) rJr/2020

OLB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
News Source: ACC Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/16/19 - *Trevor Lawrence, Jr/2021, Clemson, 6-6, 213 (DS#1 QB) + More +

WEEK 3 ACC CO-QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson, So., QB, Cartersville, Ga.,...Lawrence completed 22 of 39 passes for a career-high 395 yards with three touchdowns in Saturday night's 41-6 win at Syracuse, guiding Clemson to its 13th consecutive victory by 14 points or more...Lawrence also tied his career high with 42 rushing yards and ran for a touchdown for a third consecutive game. - ACC Football

(DS#1 QB) Jr/2021

QB *Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
News Source: ACC Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/16/19 - John Simpson, Sr/2020, Clemson, 6-4, 321 (DS#3 OG) + More +

WEEK 3 ACC OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK: John Simpson, Clemson, Sr., OG, North Charleston, S.C.,...Simpson earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for the second week in a row following his performance in the Tigers' 41-6 win over Syracuse...Graded out at 94 percent with two knockdowns, according to the team's coaching staff...Helped Clemson hold Syracuse without a sack and helped power the Tigers to 612 yards of total offense, their second 600-yard game this season. - ACC Football

(DS#3 OG) Sr/2020

OG John Simpson, Clemson
News Source: ACC Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/15/19 - *Trevor Lawrence, Jr/2021, Clemson, 6-6, 213 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Trevor Lawrence threw for three touchdowns and ran for another and top-ranked Clemson beat nemesis Syracuse 41-6 on Saturday night. Clemson (3-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won 18 straight games, a school record and the longest streak in the nation. It's the second-longest winning streak by an ACC member in conference history, trailing a 29-game run by Florida State from 2012-14. Syracuse (1-2, 0-1), the last team to defeat Clemson in the regular season, was unbeaten at home last fall. The Orange were coming off a 43-point loss at Maryland that dropped them out of the rankings.

Clemson won its eighth straight true road game and avenged a 27-24 loss to Syracuse two years ago, and the defense stood tall, limiting Syracuse to 187 yards offensively and sacking Orange quarterback Tommy DeVito eight times. Lawrence was knocked out of last year's game in the second quarter and the Orange were poised for an upset victory on the road before backup Chase Brice guided the Tigers 94 yards in the waning moments for the winning touchdown in a 27-23 win. Lawrence, who threw on the run when he had to, finished 22 of 39 for 395 yards with two interceptions before departing in the fourth. - Clemson/AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) Jr/2021

QB *Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
News Source: Clemson/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/15/19 - Isaiah Simmons, rJr/2020, Clemson, 6-4, 233 (DS#1 OLB) + More +

WEEK 3 WALTER CAMP NATIONAL FBS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: ISAIAH SIMMONS, CLEMSON, RS Junior, Linebacker, Olathe, KS/Olathe North,...Isaiah Simmons recorded eight tackles (3.5 for losses) and two quarterback sacks as top-ranked Clemson (3-0) defeated Syracuse, 41-6. It was the Tigers' 18th consecutive victory. Notes: Isaiah Simmons is the ninth Clemson player to earn Walter Camp National Player of the Week honors since 2004, and the second this season (RB Travis Etienne, Sept. 1). - The Walter Camp Football Foundation

(DS#1 OLB) rJr/2020

OLB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
News Source: The Walter Camp Football Foundation
Share/Comment: Here

09/14/19 - Hunter Johnson, rSr/2023, Clemson, 6-3, 199 (DS#29 QB) + More +

Hunter Johnson only needed a few minutes to wash a bad start out of his mind. He and his Northwestern teammates can use all the confidence they can get with a huge Big Ten test looming. Johnson threw his first career touchdown pass and ran in another Saturday afternoon to lead Northwestern past UNLV, 30-14. Drake Anderson ran for 141 yards and a touchdown to help the Wildcats win their home opener. "That first drive was a big confidence-booster for all of us today," said Johnson, who ended the first drive of his second career start with a 1-yard touchdown run. "It was a good momentum booster."

Johnson and the Wildcats' offense needed the boost after a lackluster season opener. Charles Williams had scoring runs of 65 and 37 yards in the first half and ended the day with 144 on 16 carries as the Rebels (1-2) dropped their second straight. Up 16-14 at the break, Northwestern (1-1) gave itself some breathing room late in the third quarter when Johnson found a streaking J.J. Jefferson for a 50-yard touchdown. The sophomore quarterback was 12 for 25 for 165 yards with an interception. The effort came two weeks after he struggled in his first collegiate start, a loss at Stanford marked by an offense that often sputtered. - Northwestern Football

(DS#29 QB) rSr/2023

QB Hunter Johnson, Clemson
News Source: Northwestern Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/12/19 - Hunter Johnson, rSr/2023, Clemson, 6-3, 199 (DS#29 QB) + More +

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald believes new starting quarterback Hunter Johnson will bounce back quickly from his struggles in the season opener. The redshirt sophomore will get his first opportunity on Saturday when the Wildcats (0-1) host UNLV (1-1) in the home opener at Ryan Field. "He's going to get better just like every player does through experience," Fitzgerald said. "He's going to get better. We have 100 million percent confidence in that, if that's a word." Johnson was hyped as the best quarterback prospect the program ever has had after transferring from Clemson a year ago, but his debut was underwhelming. He completed just 6 of 17 passes for 55 yards with two interceptions in a 17-7 loss at Stanford two weeks ago.

Fitzgerald chalks that up to a combination of rust and inexperience. It was Johnson's first college start and the first time he had played in a game since mop-up duty for Clemson in a 38-3 rout of Miami in the ACC championship game on Dec. 2, 2017. "It's like the chicken or the egg, which comes first, confidence or experience?" the coach said. "I would say both. I think you have to be pretty confidence. Sometimes you have to fake it to make it." Johnson expects to play much better this week. "Playing that first game, having that under my belt, now it's something I've experienced," he said. - AP College Football

(DS#29 QB) rSr/2023

QB Hunter Johnson, Clemson
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/09/19 - John Simpson, Sr/2020, Clemson, 6-4, 321 (DS#3 OG) + More +

WEEK 2 ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE CO-OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK: John Simpson, Clemson, Sr., OG, North Charleston, S.C.,...Simpson received a 92 percent coaching grade from Clemson's coaching staff following his performance in Saturday's 24-10 win over No. 12 Texas A&M ...Recorded three knockdown blocks as he helped the Tigers amass 389 total yards. - ACC Football

(DS#3 OG) Sr/2020

OG John Simpson, Clemson
News Source: ACC Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/09/19 - KVon Wallace, Sr/2020, Clemson, 5-11, 206 (DS#9 FS) + More +

WEEK 2 ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK: K'Von Wallace, Clemson, Sr., S, Richmond, Va.,...Wallace posted a team-high nine tackles, including his first career sack, in the top-ranked Tigers' 24-10 win over No. 12 Texas A&M on Saturday...Wallace also recorded a quarterback pressure that directly led to an interception by teammate Tanner Muse to thwart a Texas A&M red zone drive. - ACC Football

(DS#9 FS) Sr/2020

FS KVon Wallace, Clemson
News Source: ACC Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/08/19 - Xavier Thomas, rSr/2024, Clemson, 6-2, 244 (DS#26 DE) + More +

Clemson's defense still looks ferocious after saying goodbye to four defensive linemen taken in the NFL draft, including three in the first round. The Christian Wilkins-led Power Rangers are gone, but a new set of superheroes already is emerging. Against Texas A&M, No. 1 Clemson allowed only 4.2 yards per play and kept the Aggies out of the end zone until 6 seconds were left in the game.

End Xavier Thomas is the type of pass rusher who could develop into a first overall draft pick. Freshman defensive tackle Tyler Davis has already worked his way into the starting lineup and against A&M he put a few Aggies' offensive linemen on skates. The talent never seems to run out at Clemson and, of course, there is one constant: defensive coordinator Brent Venables. Clemson has upped his pay to more than $2 million per year, but the return on investment is still high for coach Dabo Swinney. "The opposing teams are fortunate because they have to play Coach V once," Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said. "We have to play him year-round. - AP College Football

(DS#26 DE) rSr/2024

DE Xavier Thomas, Clemson
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/07/19 - *Trevor Lawrence, Jr/2021, Clemson, 6-6, 213 (DS#1 QB) + More +

No. 1 Clemson wanted to leave little doubt it was better than No. 12 Texas A&M. In the process, the Tigers left some doubts that anyone could challenge the defending national champs in another title run. Trevor Lawrence threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score and the top-ranked Tigers won their record-tying 17th straight game with a 24-10 victory over the Aggies on Saturday. Many circled this game as the best chance to take down Clemson, given Texas A&M's nail-biting, 28-26 loss to the Tigers in 2018. But it was Clemson's relentless playmaking on offense and defense that held the Aggies to their fewest points in a game since a 19-7 loss at LSU in 2015. "We wanted to leave no doubt this year," Lawrence said. "I think we did that."

The decisive victory tied Clemson's best-ever run of success that spanned the 2014 and 2015 seasons. It also left a major question in college football: Who can stop these guys? "That is definitely not how we think," Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott said. "We'll look back at this game in six or seven weeks and go, 'Hey, that was a really big-time win early in the year." The Tigers will be double-digit favorites the rest of the regular season in their try for a fifth straight Atlantic Coast Conference title and College Football Playoff berth. Texas A&M came in filled with confidence. The Aggies vowed they wouldn't let their near-miss, 28-26 loss to Clemson happen this time. They shrugged off the Death Valley crowd with all their own experience in loud Southeastern Conference venues. Offensive lineman Jared Hocker even predicted the upset. - AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) Jr/2021

QB *Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/03/19 - Travis Etienne, Sr/2021, Clemson, 5-10, 215 (DS#2 RB) + More +

WEEK 1 ACC RUNNING BACK OF THE WEEK: Travis Etienne, Clemson, Jr., RB, Jennings, La.,...Etienne was also named the Walter Camp FBS Offensive Back of the Week following his performance in the Tigers' 52-14 win over Georgia Tech on Thursday night...Etienne rushed 12 times for a career-high 205 yards and three touchdowns, including a school-record-tying 90-yard run for a score...His 12 carries were the fewest by any 200-yard single-game rusher in Clemson history. - Atlantic Coast Conference Football

(DS#2 RB) Sr/2021

RB Travis Etienne, Clemson
News Source: Atlantic Coast Conference Football
Share/Comment: Here

Previous 15 Notes

|Back to Page One|

Next 15 Notes

Warning: Undefined array key "TeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 56

Warning: Undefined array key "DSTeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 57

Clemson Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

** Draft Scout Data **
(Everything Online PLUS)

Support Draft Scout

The Database Engine for NFLDraftScout.com, Draft Scout is being repurposed...Support the Future Development of ScoutNation.com...

Draft Scout Archives

** 2010-2022 Draft Scout Archives **
(Yearly Player Data Exports, Prospect Lists & More)

Draft Scout Future

100% Dedicated and Never Done

80% Innovated

45% Hidden

35% Built

2025 CFB/2025-2029 NFL Draft Scout

2024 CFB/2024-2028 NFL Draft Scout

2023 CFB/2024-2027 NFL Draft Scout

NFL Draft Scout History

2022 Draft Scout

Draft Scout by Conference

2023 Draft Scout Offense

2023 Draft Scout Defense

2022 Draft Scout Offense

2022 Draft Scout Defense

Clemson Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

Support Draft Scout

Draft Scout Archives

Draft Scout Future

Synergization

Did You Know?

Hidden Designs

Future Development