Tigers' Playoff return a dream come true for Briningstool |
CLEMSON - For senior tight end Jake Briningstool, Clemson’s playoff game against Texas this coming Saturday (4 p.m. / TNT) has a little extra meaning. It is his final season as a Tiger and his first trip to the playoffs. While he is not surprised Clemson made it to this point, Briningstool acknowledged the significance of being in the first 12-team playoff.
“It’s pretty cool with the playoff expansion to be a part of the first edition of the 12-team playoff. But, this is what we set out to do back in January. This is what we expected to be at. So, it’s kind of just going back to work. We knew the season was going to be longer this year with the opportunity to play more games. So, we’re ready for it. We’re just excited for the opportunity,” Briningstool said. “A lot of us could have left last year and go on with our football careers. But, I think we all decided that we wanted to come back, win the ACC, win the league and leave this program in a good spot and I think we did that. We won the ACC. We got a spot in the playoff. We’re looking forward to the opportunity and about to go up against a good Texas team and we’re excited. So, we’ll be ready to go.” With his numbers last season, Briningstool could have elected to go into the NFL. But he opted to return for a final season with hopes of making it to the playoffs. En route to the Tigers’ playoff appearance for the first team since 2020, Briningstool became Clemson’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end. He is also first among tight ends in the ACC in touchdown receptions with seven. With his talent, getting to play in a game like this could really boost his NFL draft stock as well as highlight the talent of the entire tight end room. “For me personally, this is what I came back for, to play in these style games, play against this type of opponent. So, I’m looking forward to it, and I’m fired up,” Briningstool said. “I love our tight end room. I think it’s in a great spot with guys that we got coming in, guys that are here now. I think the biggest thing will just be somebody stepping up, being that leader … I feel great about them. I think from just the course of this year, I think they’ve got a lot better and just learned a ton. So, I’m excited to watch those guys do their thing and I’m excited for all them.” Texas has one of the best defenses in the country. It boasts some of the top defensive linemen, including sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and freshman edge Colin Simmons. Both have over 12 tackles for loss and greater than seven sacks. Hill also has four forced fumbles and an interception, while Simmons has three forced fumbles. “They got a really good team, a really good defense. They rank top five in almost every category,” Briningstool said. “So, it’ll be a big challenge for us, but we’re excited for it and we think we got what it takes to be able to go out there and do what we do.” Typically, the game being in Texas would favor the Longhorns. Rather, the Tigers are undefeated on the road despite the offense generally performing better at home statistically speaking. The biggest difference on the road is Clemson’s run defense. At home, they allow an average of 199.6 rushing yards per game while on the road, they allow less than 60 rushing yards per game. Given the importance of Texas’ run game, this difference in the run game could decide the game. “We’ve done pretty well on the road this year. So, just being able to lock in on the details, lock in on each other, be able to stay focused and go get the result we’re looking for,” Briningstool said. “I think we got a lot of great playmakers, a lot of great dudes on our team that can go make plays. So, I think we’re a problem for any defense. So, I think it doesn’t matter if it’s a top five defense or if it’s anybody else. I think we present a lot of problems with our team. So, I think it’ll be a really good matchup.”
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