Ian Schieffelin tells ESPN about call from Dabo Swinney that brought football move |
Brandon Rink
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- Friday, May 02 2025
Ian Schieffelin formally announced his move to the gridiron for Clemson football on Friday.
The All-ACC forward had been widely reported earlier this week to be making the sports switch, and he told ESPN recently that he received a call from Dabo Swinney two weeks ago to bring it about. "I've been just training for basketball, getting ready for the next level," Schieffelin told ESPN. "Dabo just walked me through the opportunity he was willing to give me, and it all sounded great, something I wanted to jump on. It really just sparked my interest in wanting to try, and being able to put on a Clemson jersey again was very enticing to me. To be able to be coached by Dabo and [tight ends coach Kyle] Richardson is just a huge opportunity I couldn't pass up." Schieffelin said to ESPN that he had been preparing to play basketball professionally before the Swinney call. "I'd never rule out me going back to basketball," Schieffelin said. "I'll see how these next six months go, see how development goes, see if I really like playing football. But I think this is a good opportunity for the next six months." Swinney had name-checked Schieffelin multiple times in the media as a potential fit for his football team over recent years, but Schieffelin told ESPN that he wasn't sure he was serious. "The call two weeks ago was very serious," Schieffelin said, "and I thought, maybe it's an opportunity to stay around a little longer and join a national championship contender." Now, the former Grayson High School (Ga.) football player hopes to be the latest college basketball player to make an impact on the football side. "Maybe I'll be really good, maybe I'll be really bad. It's something that was worth a shot. And being able to put a Clemson jersey on again is really special to me, and to do it this time in Death Valley is going to be amazing," said Schieffelin. Schieffelin's official Clemson football bio (listed as jersey No. 18): Beloved Clemson basketball star for four seasons from 2021-25 who completed his eligibility in basketball before opting to use the final year of his five-year collegiate clock to pursue football
Clemson TE Ian Schieffelin is now on the official page for football. Still cookin'. pic.twitter.com/eJ82OGnues
Here we go. pic.twitter.com/ApFC8bC8OJ
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