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CLEMSON — Clemson football wide receiver Tristan Smith admitted he was nervous Saturday.
The 6-foot-5 wideout, who transferred from the FCS' Southeast Missouri State in December, played in a stadium filled with 35,000 people, according to Clemon's radio broadcast. His former school's stadium holds only 11,015.
"It was a lot of people there, so I was really nervous," Smith said.
Smith's nerves subsided when he made his first catch, which went for 30 yards. He added another big grab in the third quarter, a 27-yard gain for which he got a foot down to complete a contested sideline snag.
Another came for Smith in the fourth quarter, spinning to catch a contested pass and breaking away from defenders to score a 72-yard touchdown. He finished with five catches for 137 yards to lead Clemson in receptions and receiving yards.
"If we don't have the opportunity to create that (in a spring game), he's going into (the LSU game) with nothing. He's never played in front of probably a crowd like that," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "We kind of forced some things that way because we need him."
Smith is among six wide receivers Swinney believes are capable starters and will make the NFL. Swinney also believes the group of Smith, Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr., T.J. Moore, Tyler Brown and Cole Turner will come in "waves of terror" next season.
"When the first group comes out, the second group comes in, (and) it's the same thing," Smith said. "When the third group comes in, it's the same thing. It's no drop-off. Everybody's amazing."
The unit showed Saturday why it has the capabilities to torment opposing defenses in 2025. Williams, Wesco and Moore all started in the spring game but dawned green "non-tackle" jerseys. Williams, who returned for his fourth season instead of entering the NFL draft, showcased his talent to catch two passes for 37 yards, including a deep 27-yard reception.
Wesco had only two catches for 20 yards but showed his crisp route-running, beating a defender off the line of scrimmage multiple times. He nearly had a 20-yard-plus catch in the game, but quarterback Cade Klubnik overthrew him,
Moore recorded four catches for 20 yards, including a key short-yard catch in the final seconds of the first half to set up a field goal. Turner, who practiced Saturday after missing weeks per Swinney, made a contested back-shoulder 24-yard catch from backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina.
Tyler Brown, who attended Greenville High School, did not record a catch and had one rushing attempt for -4 yards. Still, Swinney has been encouraged about his spring after an ankle injury derailed his 2024 season.
MORE: Why Clemson football's defensive performance in spring game encouraged Dabo Swinney
"We've got six guys in that core group that I think can all start," Swinney said. "They can all play at a really high level for us."
With preseason Heisman Trophy candidate Klubnik returning, Clemson's wide receiver room aims to regain the program's "Wide Receiver University" title − anointed when future NFL players DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Mike Williams, Hunter Renfrow and Tee Higgins, among others, came through the program in the 2010s.
How Clemson ultimately decides how it will split its wide receiver reps is to be determined. Williams, Wesco and Moore dominated most of the starting snaps last season, leaving Adam Randall, Troy Stellato and Turner out of the rotation for most games.
Clemson's second-year receivers also have had a string of bad luck recently, suffering injuries that detail their seasons. Williams endured foot and ankle injuries in 2023 that limited him to five games after a strong freshman season, and Brown's ankle injury limited him to six games after his breakout freshman season.
Still, if these injuries occur in 2025, Saturday's spring game displayed how deep Clemson's wide receiver room can be. The unit will face its first true test when it opens the season against LSU on Aug. 30 at Memorial Stadium.
"It's gonna be a fun group," Swinney said. "If we stay healthy, they'll have a chance to be a good group."
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: Wide receiver depth highlights spring game
Continue reading...
The 6-foot-5 wideout, who transferred from the FCS' Southeast Missouri State in December, played in a stadium filled with 35,000 people, according to Clemon's radio broadcast. His former school's stadium holds only 11,015.
"It was a lot of people there, so I was really nervous," Smith said.
Smith's nerves subsided when he made his first catch, which went for 30 yards. He added another big grab in the third quarter, a 27-yard gain for which he got a foot down to complete a contested sideline snag.
Another came for Smith in the fourth quarter, spinning to catch a contested pass and breaking away from defenders to score a 72-yard touchdown. He finished with five catches for 137 yards to lead Clemson in receptions and receiving yards.
"If we don't have the opportunity to create that (in a spring game), he's going into (the LSU game) with nothing. He's never played in front of probably a crowd like that," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "We kind of forced some things that way because we need him."
Smith is among six wide receivers Swinney believes are capable starters and will make the NFL. Swinney also believes the group of Smith, Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr., T.J. Moore, Tyler Brown and Cole Turner will come in "waves of terror" next season.
"When the first group comes out, the second group comes in, (and) it's the same thing," Smith said. "When the third group comes in, it's the same thing. It's no drop-off. Everybody's amazing."
The unit showed Saturday why it has the capabilities to torment opposing defenses in 2025. Williams, Wesco and Moore all started in the spring game but dawned green "non-tackle" jerseys. Williams, who returned for his fourth season instead of entering the NFL draft, showcased his talent to catch two passes for 37 yards, including a deep 27-yard reception.
Wesco had only two catches for 20 yards but showed his crisp route-running, beating a defender off the line of scrimmage multiple times. He nearly had a 20-yard-plus catch in the game, but quarterback Cade Klubnik overthrew him,
Moore recorded four catches for 20 yards, including a key short-yard catch in the final seconds of the first half to set up a field goal. Turner, who practiced Saturday after missing weeks per Swinney, made a contested back-shoulder 24-yard catch from backup quarterback Christopher Vizzina.
Tyler Brown, who attended Greenville High School, did not record a catch and had one rushing attempt for -4 yards. Still, Swinney has been encouraged about his spring after an ankle injury derailed his 2024 season.
MORE: Why Clemson football's defensive performance in spring game encouraged Dabo Swinney
"We've got six guys in that core group that I think can all start," Swinney said. "They can all play at a really high level for us."
With preseason Heisman Trophy candidate Klubnik returning, Clemson's wide receiver room aims to regain the program's "Wide Receiver University" title − anointed when future NFL players DeAndre Hopkins, Sammy Watkins, Mike Williams, Hunter Renfrow and Tee Higgins, among others, came through the program in the 2010s.
How Clemson ultimately decides how it will split its wide receiver reps is to be determined. Williams, Wesco and Moore dominated most of the starting snaps last season, leaving Adam Randall, Troy Stellato and Turner out of the rotation for most games.
Clemson's second-year receivers also have had a string of bad luck recently, suffering injuries that detail their seasons. Williams endured foot and ankle injuries in 2023 that limited him to five games after a strong freshman season, and Brown's ankle injury limited him to six games after his breakout freshman season.
Still, if these injuries occur in 2025, Saturday's spring game displayed how deep Clemson's wide receiver room can be. The unit will face its first true test when it opens the season against LSU on Aug. 30 at Memorial Stadium.
"It's gonna be a fun group," Swinney said. "If we stay healthy, they'll have a chance to be a good group."
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: Wide receiver depth highlights spring game
Continue reading...
