Clemson beat writer for The State Newspaper (@thestatesports). Four-time high school rec basketball champion. Alum of @UNC and @dailytarheel
Greenville, SC
Joined December 2011
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Chapel Fowler retweeted
Does Dabo regret not signing a transfer QB? What Clemson’s coach said thestate.com/sports/college/…
Full quote from Dabo on not taking a transfer portal QB this offseason: “Sometimes it doesn’t work out the way you want, but I don’t have any regrets when it comes to that”
Allen says Hampton could play safety for Clemson if they needed him to and he's an "unbelievable young man." Allen: "He represents this program in an elite way. ... I mean, nobody works harder. I don't know if he lost a hill (run), a sprint or a rep all offseason"
Clemson DC Tom Allen on junior CB Ashton Hampton: "He's all of 6-foot-2, 200-plus pounds. ... He's got speed, and he's a really good tackler with a high football IQ. That's important -- the scouts don't ask me much about the football. It's more, 'How does he process?'"
Clemson DC Tom Allen says Virginia Tech's final TD pass was frustrating to him because they had "bad eyes" and just lost track of TE Luke Reynolds on the play and let him get behind them in end zone. Allen says they were "so close" to getting to VT's QB on that play, too
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says he has no regrets about not taking a transfer portal QB this offseason. Dabo: "I don't look back on that type of stuff. You live with the decisions you make, and you do what you think is right. ... I don't have any regrets when it comes to that"
Chapel Fowler retweeted
Brad Brownell tells me that Clemson is preparing for the 2026-27 season with the thought that Carter Welling (knee) will be OUT for all of non-conference play.
The 6-11 Welling averaged 10.2 PPG and 5.4 RPG last season and suffered a torn ACL on March 11th in the ACC Tournament.
Clemson DC Tom Allen says senior DE Will Heldt seems to have gotten "bigger, stronger and faster" every season -- he's known of Heldt since he was a HS recruit who landed at Purdue. Also says Heldt is in "amazing shape" and rarely leaves the field since he plays special teams
Clemson defensive coordinator Tom Allen says he's proud of his unit's improvement since Week 1 and their buy-in has been "tremendous." But the lack of turnovers is "frustrating" and they've talked a lot about not being able to finish vs. Virginia Tech (allowing the late TD)
After Saturday's Clemson-Florida State game, Dabo says he'll travel separately to Pelham to attend Hayes' funeral on Sunday. Hayes served six terms across 24 years as Pelham's mayor from 1984 to 2008
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is ending his presser by paying tribute to Bobby Hayes, the former mayor of his hometown, Pelham, Alabama, who died early Saturday morning at age 86. Dabo says Hayes was one of his personal heroes and "like a second father to me"
Is Clemson coach Dabo Swinney worried about fan/donor apathy and people checking out at this point in the season? Dabo: "I'm just worried about having a great Tuesday practice." Says his focus is on what he can control, and that's prepping to try to beat Florida State
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, laughing: "In my fantasy (football) life, I'm doing great. I'm in first place. ... Maybe I should just retire and be a full-time fantasy guy." Says it's his first year in his big family league and one of his key late draft picks was Tre Tucker
With Vizzina (left elbow) back and close to 100% healthy now, Dabo says, he can certainly push Reynolds for playing time with five regular-season games left. Dabo: "We'll see. But Tait's our starter. He's earned that"
There "definitely" would've been an ongoing quarterback battle between Clemson QB Tait Reynolds and Christopher Vizzina had Vizzina not gotten hurt in Week 2. Dabo: "We thought we'd have both of those guys and it'd be a little bit more of a process as we went along"
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney: "We may not get to the top of the mountain top this year, but we're gonna get it back to where we're supposed to be." Says they've played some "really good teams that are just better than us right now -- that's just football"
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney: "We've got good coaches. Like, Chad Morris? I know his name is mud right now, but this guy's a great coach, a great collaborator. ... This guy knows ball." Says their staff was in the building working until 11:30 p.m. last night
Dabo: "We've got a lot great days ahead. This is all part of our journey"