2023 Clemson Tigers football team

The 2023 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by Dabo Swinney, in his 16th year as Clemson's head coach. On the field, the team was led by sophomore quarterback Cade Klubnik who was rated by Rivals.com as the No. 3 player in the 2022 college football recruiting class.

Clemson was ranked ninth by Rivals.com in the 2023 college football recruiting class. Notable players committing to Clemson in the 2023 class include defensive tackle Peter Woods and defensive lineman Vic Burley. The Clemson football team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

Head coach Dabo Swinney became the winningest coach in program history after upsetting Notre Dame, 31–23, on November 4. With the win versus Notre Dame, Swinney surpassed Frank Howard in program wins with 166.

The Clemson Tigers football team drew an average home attendance of 81,334 in 2023, the 14th highest in college football.

Offseason

Recruiting

Clemson's 2023 class consisted of 26 signees. The class was ranked second in the ACC and eleventh best overall by the 247Sports Composite.

Players leaving for NFL

NFL draftees 1 28 Myles Murphy DE Cincinnati Bengals 1 29 Bryan Bresee DT New Orleans Saints 3 86 Trenton Simpson LB Baltimore Ravens 5 137 KJ Henry DE Washington Commanders 5 156 Jordan McFadden OG Los Angeles Chargers 5 175 Davis Allen TE Los Angeles Rams

Undrafted free agents B. T. Potter PK Pittsburgh Steelers Joseph Ngata WR Philadelphia Eagles

Transfers Players leaving Players Leaving Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown College transferred to Source(s) Fred Davis II 2 CB 6'1" 200 Senior Jacksonville, Florida UCF Dacari Collins 3 WR 6'4" 212 Sophomore Atlanta, Georgia NC State DJ Uiagalelei 5 QB 6'4" 251 Junior Inland Empire, California Oregon State E.J. Williams 6 WR 6'3" 195 Senior Phenix City, Alabama Indiana Kobe Pace 7 RB 5'10" 205 Senior Cedartown, Georgia Virginia Kevin Swint 14 DE 6'3" 242 Senior Carrollton, Georgia Georgia State Billy Wiles 17 QB 6'3" 200 Sophomore Ashburn, Virginia Southern Miss Malcolm Greene 21 CB 5'10" 190 Junior Richmond, Virginia Virginia TJ Dudley 26 LB 6'3" 220 Freshman Montgomery, Alabama Ole Miss Etinosa Reuben 32 DL 6'3" 295 Junior Kansas City, Missouri Georgia Tech Liam Boyd 37 PK 6'1" 195 Freshman Asheville, North Carolina North Carolina LaVonta Bentley 42 LB 6'0" 230 Graduate Birmingham, Alabama Colorado Sergio Allen 45 LB 6'1" 230 Sophomore Fort Valley, Georgia California Greg Williams 99 DE 6'4" 260 Junior Swansea, South Carolina Left Program

Incoming transfers Incoming transfers Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School Source(s) Paul Tyson 12 QB 6'5" 230 Senior Trussville, AL Alabama

Post-season Transfers

The following players entered the transfer portal during the designated 45 day window after championship selections are made.

Postseason transfers Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown College transferred to Source(s) Andrew Mukuba 1 S 6'0" 195 Junior Austin, TX Texas Sage Ennis 11 TE 6'4" 240 Junior Graceville, FL Virginia Brannon Spector 13 WR 6'1" 205 Senior Calhoun, GA Jacksonville State Hunter Helms 18 QB 6'2" 210 Junior West Columbia, SC Rhode Island Domonique Thomas 20 RB 5'8" 210 Junior Ohatchee, AL Georgia State Toriano Pride 23 CB 5'11" 190 Sophomore St. Louis, MO Missouri Lannden Zanders 36 S 6'1" 189 Senior Shelby, NC TBD David Ojiegbe 42 DE 6'3" 240 Freshman Largo, MD Pittsburgh Jaden Kinard 46 S 5'10" 185 Freshman Pawleys Island, SC TBD Mitchell Mayes 77 OL 6'3" 305 Senior Raleigh, NC Charlotte Beaux Collins 80 WR 6'3" 210 Junior Los Angeles, CA Notre Dame

Preseason

Award watchlists Listed in the order that they were released

Award Player Position Year Lott Trophy Barrett Carter LB SO Dodd Trophy Dabo Swinney HC – Maxwell Award Will Shipley RB JR Davey O'Brien Award Cade Klubnik QB SO Doak Walker Award Will Shipley RB JR John Mackey Award Jake Briningstool TE SO Rimington Trophy Will Putnam C GS Butkus Award Barrett Carter LB SO Jeremiah Trotter Jr. JR Jim Thorpe Award Andrew Mukuba S JR Bronko Nagurski Trophy Barrett Carter LB SO

Award Player Position Year Outland Trophy Tyler Davis DT SR Paul Hornung Award Will Shipley RB JR Wuerffel Trophy Walter Camp Award Jeremiah Trotter Jr. LB JR Bednarik Award Barrett Carter LB SO Tyler Davis DT SR Jeremiah Trotter Jr. LB JR Lombardi Award Barrett Carter LB SO Tyler Davis DT SR Jeremiah Trotter Jr. LB JR Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Cade Klubnik QB SO

Schedule Clemson and the ACC announced the 2023 football schedule on January 30, 2023. The 2023 season will be the conference's first season since 2004 that its scheduling format just includes one division. The new format sets Clemson with three set conference opponents, while playing the remaining ten teams twice (home and away) in a four–year cycle. The Tigers three set conference opponents for the next four years is; Florida State, Georgia Tech, and NC State.

Rankings

Personnel

Coaching staff +Clemson Tigers football current coaching staff Dabo Swinney Head coach University of Alabama (1993) 16th Wes Goodwin Assistant coach/defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Mississippi State University (2009) 12th Mike Reed Assistant head coach/Special teams coordinator/cornerbacks coach Boston College (1994) 11th Mickey Conn Assistant coach/co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach University of Alabama (1995) 8th Kyle Richardson Assistant coach/passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Appalachian State University (2001) 8th Thomas Austin Assistant coach/offensive linemen coach Clemson University (2010) 6th Lemanski Hall Assistant coach/defensive ends coach University of Alabama (1993) 6th Tyler Grisham Assistant coach/Recruiting coordinator/wide receivers coach Clemson University (2009) 4th C. J. Spiller Assistant coach/running backs coach Clemson University (2009) 3rd Nick Eason Assistant coach/Defensive run game coordinator/defensive tackles coach Clemson University (2001) 2nd Garrett Riley Assistant coach/Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks coach Texas Tech (2012) 1st

Roster

2023 Clemson Tigers FootballQuarterbacks  2 Cade Klubnik – sophomore (6'2 205) 12 Paul Tyson – senior (6'4, 215) 14 Trent Pearman – freshman (6'0, 190) 16 Colby Shaw – freshman (6'4, 215) 17 Christopher Vizzina – freshman (6'4, 210) 18 Hunter Helms – junior (6'2, 210)

Running backs  1 Will Shipley – junior (5'11, 210)  7 Phil Mafah – junior (6'1, 230) 19 Keith Adams Jr. – freshman (5'9, 215) 20 Domonique Thomas – junior (5'8, 210) 21 Jarvis Green – freshman (5'9, 200) 23 Peyton Streko – freshman (5'10, 180) 26 Jay Haynes – freshman (5'11, 185) 31 Tristen Rigby – sophomore (5'10, 205) 32 Wise Segars Jr. – sophomore (6'1, 205) 34 Kevin McNeal – sophomore (5'9, 200)

Wide receivers  0 Antonio Williams – sophomore (5'11, 195)  3 Noble Johnson – freshman (6'2, 210)  6 Tyler Brown – freshman (5'11, 180)  8 Adam Randall – sophomore (6'2, 225) 10 Troy Stellato – sophomore (6'1, 190) 13 Brannon Specter – senior (6'1, 205) 15 Ronan Hanafin – freshman (6'3, 210) 22 Cole Turner – freshman (6'1, 185) 24 Hamp Greene – senior (5'9, 180) 25 Blackmon Huckabee Jr. – junior (5'11, 190) 27 Misun Kelley – WR/DB – freshman (5'10, 180) 29 Davian Sullivan – senior (6'3, 205) 35 Joseph Flesch – sophomore (6'3, 205) 80 Beaux Collins – junior (6'3, 210) 82 Jackson Crosby – sophomore (5'10, 190) 83 Hampton Earle – senior (5'10, 195) 85 Charlie Johnson – freshman (6'4, 200) 86 Tristan Martinez – freshman (5'9, 180) 87 Michael Mankaka – freshman (6'0, 185) 88 Clay Swinney – freshman (5'10, 175) 89 Zach Jackson – sophomore (6'3, 205)

Tight ends  5 Josh Sapp – freshman (6'1, 235)  9 Jake Briningstool – junior (6'6, 230) 11 Sage Ennis – junior (6'4, 240) 43 Will Blackston – junior (6'1, 260) 44 Banks Pope – sophomore (6'4, 240) 81 Olsen Patt-Henry – freshman (6'3, 240) 84 Markus Dixon – freshman (6'4, 245) Offensive linemen 50 Collin Sadler – freshman (6'6, 310) 51 Peyton Pitts – freshman (6'6, 310) 53 Ryan Linthicum – C – sophomore (6'3, 305) 54 Ian Reed – freshman (6'6, 325) 55 Harris Sewell – freshman (6'4, 315) 56 Will Putnam – senior (6'4, 310) 57 Jackson Hall – freshman (6'3, 300) 59 Dietrick Pennington – sophomore (6'5, 340) 62 Bryce Smith – freshman (6'3, 270) 64 Walker Parks – senior (6'5, 310) 65 Chapman Pendergrass – freshman (6'3, 290) 67 Nathan Brooks – sophomore (6'4, 300) 68 Will Boggs – junior (6'3, 290) 69 Sam Judy – sophomore (6'5, 315) 70 Mason Johnstone – freshman (6'5, 255) 71 Tristan Leigh – sophomore (6'6, 315) 72 Zack Owens – freshman (6'6, 375) 73 Bryn Tucker – junior (6'3, 330) 74 Marcus Tate – junior (6'5, 325) 75 Trent Howard – junior (6'3, 295) 76 John Williams – junior (6'4, 305) 77 Mitchell Mayes – senior (6'3, 305) 78 Blake Miller – sophomore (6'6, 310) 79 Jake Norris – freshman (6'1, 290)

Defensive ends  3 Xavier Thomas – senior (6'2, 245)  7 Justin Mascoll – senior (6'4, 260) 12 T. J. Parker – freshman (6'3, 255) 15 Jahiem Lawson – freshman (6'2, 240) 34 Armon Mason – sophomore (6'2, 240) 42 David Ojiegbe – freshman (6'3, 240) 44 Cade Denhoff – sophomore (6'5, 255) 58 Evan McCutchen – junior (6'2, 260) 91 Zaire Patterson – sophomore (6'5, 260) 92 Levi Matthews – freshman (6'5, 235) 99 A.J. Hoffler – freshman (6'4, 250)

Defensive tackles  8 Tré Williams – junior (6'2, 305) 11 Peter Woods – freshman (6'2, 315) 13 Tyler Davis – senior (6'2, 300) 19 DeMonte Capehart – junior (6'5, 320) 33 Ruke Orhorhoro – senior (6'4, 290) 45 Vic Burley – freshman (6'4, 315) 55 Payton Page – junior (6'4, 315) 90 Stephiylan Green – freshman (6'4, 280) 93 Caden Story – freshman (6'3, 280) 96 Jaheim Scott – junior (6'1, 330) 97 Patrick Swygert – freshman (6'4, 245) Linebackers  0 Barrett Carter – junior (6'1, 230) 17 Wade Woodaz – sophomore (6'3, 230) 21 Kobe McCloud – freshman (5'10, 225) 22 Dee Crayton – freshman (6'2, 225) 32 Jamal Anderson – freshman (6'2, 215) 33 Griffin Batt – freshman (6'0, 225) 43 Riggs Faulkenberry – sophomore (6'1, 205) 50 Fletcher Cothran – freshman (6'3, 215) 51 Jaden Murray – senior (6'2, 225) 54 Jeremiah Trotter Jr. – junior (6'0, 230) 56 Reed Morrissey – sophomore (6'0, 220) 57 Chandler McMaster – freshman (6'1, 240)

Cornerbacks  2 Nate Wiggins – junior (6'2, 185)  6 Sheridan Jones – senior (6'0, 190) 10 Jeadyn Lukus – sophomore (6'2, 200) 14 Shelton Lewis – freshman (5'11, 185) 16 Myles Oliver – freshman (5'11, 180) 20 Avieon Terrell – freshman (5'11, 180) 23 Toriano Pride Jr. – sophomore (5'11, 190) 29 Branden Strozier – freshman (6'1, 180) 35 Austin Randall – senior (6'1, 190)

Safeties  1 Andrew Mukuba – junior (6'0, 195)  5 Sherrod Covil Jr. – sophomore (5'11, 200)  9 R.J. Mickens – senior (6'0, 210) 18 Kylon Griffin – freshman (5'11, 200) 24 Tyler Venables – senior (5'11, 205) 25 Jalyn Phillips – senior (6'1, 205) 30 Kylen Webb – freshman (6'0, 195) 31 Rob Billings – freshman (6'2, 200) 36 Khalil Barnes – freshman (6'0, 195) 37 Jacob Hendricks – sophomore (5'7, 180) 38 Peter Nearn – sophomore (6'2, 205) 39 Bubba McAtee – junior (6'3, 210) 41 Caleb Nix – freshman (6'0, 200) 46 Jaden Kinard – freshman (5'10, 185) 47 Boston Miller – freshman (6'2, 200) 48 Walt Smith – freshman (5'8, 180)

Placekickers 36 Quinn Castner – junior (5'5, 150) 38 Robert Gunn III – freshman (6'0, 180) 47 Hogan Morton – sophomore (5'9, 165)

Punters 39 Aidan Swanson – P/K – senior (6'3, 170) 40 Brodey Conn – P/S – freshman (6'0, 205) 89 Jack Smith – freshman (6'5, 235)

Long snappers 45 Philip Florenzo – junior (6'2, 240) 58 Holden Caspersen – sophomore (5'11, 215)

Game summaries At Duke

Charleston Southern

Florida Atlantic

No. 4 Florida State

At Syracuse

Wake Forest

At Miami (FL)

At NC State

Notre Dame

Georgia Tech

North Carolina

at South Carolina (rivalry)