Jon Blau

Army left Clemson with a US flag made of baseball bats and deep respect for the Tigers’ patriotism Clemson coach Erik Bakich’s patriotism is understood in college baseball, but his Army counterpart came away from a weekend series wowed by just how far the Tigers will go to honor the military.

Army coach Chris Tracz has been a part of many, many military appreciation days. But nothing like the salute to service he witnessed at Clemson this past weekend.

"I don't want to say above and beyond, but you can tell it's ingrained into the program."
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Could Clemson sue Ole Miss for tampering? Legal experts weigh in on the Tigers’ case. Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said legal options were being explored after Ole Miss tampered with a football signee. But if a lawsuit were filed, what would it be for? Legal experts weigh in.

After Clemson accused Ole Miss of tampering, AD Graham Neff said legal options were being considered but didn't go into detail.

That begs the question: If Clemson sued, what would it be for?

We freshen up on some tort law with the help of legal experts.
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Want to be a Clemson basketball player? First, you have to take a personality test How does Clemson coach Brad Brownell take a half-dozen transfers and meld them into a team that can sit atop the ACC standings? He has every player take a personality test before they even arrive.

If you want to be a Clemson basketball player, there's one thing you must do before you walk in Brad Brownell's office door.

You have to take a personality test.

Here's why Brownell collects psychological data, and how he uses it to build a true team.
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Clemson’s boomerang transfer is thriving in his return season. There’s an obvious reason why. RJ Godfrey’s return to Clemson basketball hasn’t just been an inspiring story of reconciliation in the transfer portal era. The senior forward has been a lynchpin in the Tigers’ 4-0 start to ACC play.

RJ Godfrey left Clemson a player on the verge of a breakthrough, spent a year at Georgia, and then returned to the Tigers a matured version of himself.

Here's why the boomerang transfer has been a catalyst during Clemson's 4-0 start in ACC play.
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Clemson’s first transfer commit is a familiar face and a star Tigers WR is staying in the fold Clemson has its first piece of the puzzle during a busy transfer portal season, and it’s a familiar face for defensive coordinator Tom Allen. Plus, one star Tigers receiver has committed to return.

Important portal news for Clemson on two separate fronts today:

1) The Tigers secured a CB who runs a 4.29-second 40.

2) Clemson locked up one of its own star WRs to a new rev-share contract for 2026.
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The last time Clemson played PSU, JoePa’s ‘your momma’ joke inspired a beatdown Clemson is playing Penn State in what’s being viewed as a lackluster game because of opt outs and injuries. But the only other time these programs met, it got heated — thanks to a joke at a banquet.

The last and only other time Clemson played Penn State, it was far from a meaningless game.

It got personal, real fast.

Danny Ford and Co. explain how a "your momma" joke by Joe Paterno at a pre-bowl banquet fueled a beatdown in the 1988 Citrus Bowl.
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Clemson RB stays true to ‘Old Faithful’ nickname as he cements career legacy Adam Randall, aka '“Baby Julio,” was the talk of Clemson’s spring practice in 2022. But it’s another nickname, “Old Faithful,” that speaks to the resilient senior’s legacy after a position switch.

Everyone knew Adam Randall by his nickname "Baby Julio" when he arrived to Clemson in 2022.

But he had another moniker, which applies to an athlete who didn't transfer after years of struggle and switched positions his senior year.

He's "Old Faithful."
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Clemson’s bowl game will be revealed today. ACC chaos may alter projections. Clemson will hear its bowl destination Sunday after the College Football Playoff field is announced. Here are the latest projections for where the Tigers will play their final game of the 2025 season.

Woke up this morning and there's a mix of projections about where Clemson might ultimately land in a bowl game.

ACC title game chaos might have something to do with that.

Here's our roundup of where things stand:
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A dying Clemson fan met Dabo Swinney. A bunch of Gamecocks helped make it happen. Tron Foster was in hospice care when he attended the Clemson-South Carolina game, hoping to meet Dabo Swinney. How it all came together, and what happened next, is an unbelievable story.

Dabo Swinney’s moment with Tron Foster was touching.

How it came together, and how it ended, is almost unbelievable.

Here's how an exchange of phone numbers by two Gamecock WBB fans led a Clemson FB fan to meet his favorite coach (again) before he died.
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Clemson tried to keep it ‘classy’ after win on Gamecocks’ field. But Tigers wanted it to ‘sting’ T.J. Parker said the Tigers tried to keep their celebration in Williams-Brice Stadium “classy” after flag-planting incidents in South Carolina games recently.

Clemson D-end T.J. Parker said the Tigers wanted to keep their postgame celebration on the Gamecocks' field "classy."

But he said the pic they took on South Carolina's field would probably "sting" for their rival.

No love lost between these two teams.
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Clemson captured footage of a C-17 football stadium flyover from above. Here's how they did it. Clemson had a C-17 fly over Memorial Stadium this past weekend and captured stunning images of the cargo plane as it passed. Many moving part had to come together, just perfectly, to make it happen.

How do you sync up a C-17 on a two-minute flight path and a helicopter floating at 2,000 feet when Senior Day ceremonies run 45 seconds too long?

Flyovers aren't as easy as they seem, but it makes for a good show. And some unique photos.
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Clemson’s center still reps ‘Ella Strong’ years after cancer took his friend’s sister. Here’s why. Clemson offensive lineman Ryan Linthicum has carried the memory of Ella Bresee, the late sister of former Tigers defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, with him going into every game. Here’s why.

For three years, Ryan Linthicum has strolled down Tiger Walk wearing an "Ella Strong" tie.

It symbolizes a bond with Bryan Bresee and his family that's still tight.

"Ella is like a little sister to me ... I just want to carry her legacy on forever."
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Let me re-introduce you to former Clemson safety Denzel Johnson, now a falconer, and his red-tailed hawk Draven.

They hunt in the woods, just a few miles away from Memorial Stadium. Full story here: www.postandcourier.com/sports/clems...

Clemson’s basketball coach mastered the transfer portal. Is G League recruiting his next evolution? Brad Brownell has been willing to evolve to keep Clemson competitive, hitting the transfer portal aggressively every year. But would the Tigers coach be open to a G League-to-college pipeline?

Clemson coach Brad Brownell's roster-building has been supercharged by the transfer portal.

What does he think about college basketball's next evolution, ex-European pros and G Leaguers?

He has very mixed feelings.
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Did Clemson’s backup QB make a case to be ‘the guy’ in 2026? Clemson will want Cade Klubnik back behind center as soon as he recovers from an ankle injury. But did Christopher Vizzina prove he can be the Tigers’ starter in 2026 with his performance versus SMU

If you watched only the first half, you probably decided Clemson needs to find a QB in the portal.

If you watched only the second half, you were probably intrigued by Christopher Vizzina's potential.

What did Dabo Swinney think after all four quarters?
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He's 6-7, 355 pounds and his dad played for the Giants. But this Clemson tackle is still growing up. Brandon Jacobs played running back for the New York Giants. He’s teaching his son what it takes to play — and wait his turn — for the Tigers football team.

Brandon Jacobs knows Clemson fans are excited about his son Brayden after his game at B.C.

But he hopes they remember, "He’s an 18-year-old kid still trying to figure it out.”

Some interesting insights from an NFL alum about his massively talented son.
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Clemson has ‘stunk’ at home for over a year. Can the Tigers reclaim Death Valley this weekend? A football game in Death Valley used to be a guaranteed win for Clemson, but the Tigers haven’t beaten a Power 4 team at home in a year. Just playing well in Memorial Stadium is a goal versus SMU.

Dabo Swinney won't sugarcoat it: Clemson has "stunk" at home.

It's been nearly a year since the Tigers beat a P4 team in Death Valley.

"We've gone from Chapel Hill to Chestnut Hill to now we're back on The Hill — and we need to keep playing well."
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Clemson forward says ‘rat poison’ led him to transfer. A love of the Tigers pulled him back. RJ Godfrey transferred out of Clemson just a year and a half ago. This week, the senior forward represented the Tigers at the ACC Tipoff. The boomerang transfer reflected on his exit and his return.

Clemson forward RJ Godfrey was very candid yesterday at the ACC Tipoff about his transfer to Georgia and back.

He knew from Day 1 in Athens that he wanted to be back in Clemson. He believes "rat poison" (outside voices) led him astray.
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From foster care to JUCO, Clemson WR's only goal was to buy his mom a house Dabo Swinney recruited the LaGrange native and receiver to the Tigers after overcoming foster care, his mom’s drug addiction, and junior college football.

When Tristan Smith was a sixth-grade football player, he started telling his mom he was going to buy her a house.

He'd pull her out of the violent neighborhoods where they lived.

Smith made it to Clemson. And his mom is the reason why.
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Swinney: ‘Stupid’ for Clemson to play 11 Power 4 teams a year as ACC moves to 9-game slate Clemson might have to start playing nine ACC games soon along with non-conference matchups versus LSU, Notre Dame, and South Carolina. Dabo Swinney thinks that’s too many power-conference matchups.

As the ACC moves to a nine-game conference slate, Clemson has some things to figure out.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has made clear his stance on playing more than 10 power-conference teams each season.

"I think that's stupid. I think that's a problem."
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Clemson staffer who just came down Death Valley’s hill used to run up one with Walter Payton Clemson staffer Kevin Kelly has lived an incredible football life. He was a walk-on linebacker at Miami and IU. He was an NFL scout for decades. But it's all thanks to an NFL legend, Walter Payton.

How did a 17-year-old H.S. football player in Illinois befriend arguably the greatest running back of all-time?

Here is Clemson director of player evaluation Kevin Kelly's almost unbelievable but very true story:
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Clemson football's highest-paid stars underperforming as revenue-sharing era kicks off Dabo Swinney is accountable for Clemson's 1-2 start as a coach paid more than $11 million a year. But this is also the first year schools are paying athletes. They are facing increased pressure, too.

Interesting comments from Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and senior QB Cade Klubnik on revenue-sharing and the accountability/pressure that comes with it.

“These aren’t lifetime contracts. It’s no different than the next level. You gotta perform.”
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NCAA settlement nearly cut Clemson’s walk-ons. These unpaid Tigers are relishing a second chance The NCAA’s settlement of antitrust lawsuits nearly forced Clemson coach Dabo Swinney to cut a majority of his walk-ons. But a change in course allowed a second chance for Tigers just living a dream.

Walk-on Dominic Cardone would pay Clemson extra to be on the football team.

That's why it hurt when the House settlement nearly jeopardized his roster spot.

And it's why he's cherishing his second chance after walk-ons were "grandfathered" into the deal.
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Clemson receiver quit football at the peak of Tigers dynasty — and became the ‘fittest man on Earth’ Jayson Hopper once thought he would add to Clemson’s “WRU” legacy. Instead, he quit the sport during the Tigers’ CFP run, dove into CrossFit competitions, and became “the fittest man on Earth.”

Jayson Hopper believed he was going to become the next great walk-on receiver at Clemson. Until he quit after his redshirt freshman season.

But Hopper's brief stint at Clemson helped him discover another path.

He became "the fittest man on Earth."
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Here is Clemson’s plan to continue its Gathering at the Paw tradition without racking up ACC fines Clemson plans to continue its Gathering at the Paw tradition after football games at Memorial Stadium despite new ACC rules. Here is how it will work.

Here is Clemson’s plan to continue its Gathering at the Paw tradition without racking up ACC fines:
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Fear the up-down: Why Clemson's new DC uses football's most basic punishment to hold Tigers accountable Clemson defensive coordinator Tom Allen gets his players to give maximum effort. His secret weapon: post-practice up-downs, punishing defenders for every failure from the day prior.

Tom Allen has made it his missions to install a relentlessness into Clemson's defense.

One of his secret weapons in that pursuit: post-practice up-downs.

Here's why a simple disciplinary tactic has the Tigers flying to the football.
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Meet the Clemson transfer who can’t stop working out — and inspired the Tigers to follow his lead Clemson doesn’t take many transfers, fostering its culture via player retention. But one transfer, Jeremiah Alexander, became a leader for the Tigers this offseason with his extreme workout habits.

What LB Jeremiah Alexander will bring Clemson on the field is TBD. But the Alabama transfer, without question, pushed the Tigers this offseason.

“He’s gonna work until somebody stops him. And usually when you try and stop him, that doesn’t even work.”
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Clemson coach can't begrudge NIL 'business decisions.' He welcomes back transfer with 'open arms.' Tigers basketball coach Brad Brownell allowed Georgia forward RJ Godfrey to transfer back as he navigates a changing landscape of the portal and athlete pay.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell isn't afraid to say it.

In this NIL/transfer portal era, players make "business decisions." He didn't begrudge RJ Godfrey for making one when he transferred to UGA.

A year later, Brownell welcomed him back with "open arms."
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How an ex-Atlanta Hawks exec plans to build Clemson a revenue machine 'envied' across college sports Michael Drake worked for the Atlanta Hawks and NFL's Falcons before he became CEO of Clemson's revenue-generating arm to increase NIL & corporate partners.

Clemson Ventures CEO Michael Drake discusses the role of his revenue-generation machine in Clemson's NIL strategy.

Partnerships, live events, content creation -- the ex-NBA/NFL exec thinks Clemson can create a model that's "envied" across college sports.
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Documents and emails shed light on why Clemson fired gymnastics coach after 2 seasons Clemson AD Graham Neff fired gymnastics coach Amy Smith in April after violations of her contract. Here are the reasons behind this controversial decision.

ICYMI: FOIA response shows Clemson investigated gymnastics program following concerns about mistreatment of athletes. Parents allege "verbal and mental abuse."

Ex-coach Amy Smith, who faced similar accusations at previous schools, was fired for cause.
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