Practice News and Notes: A player named Uncle, Ross the standout freshman

Kelly Bryant throws during Tuesday's practice

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Tue Aug 21 19:15:56 GMT-04:00 2018

CLEMSON – A player named Uncle and a player that makes defenders cry uncle.

The Clemson football team held the final practice of fall camp Tuesday and several players spoke with the media following the session. Quarterback Kelly Bryant was his usual funny and laid-back self during interviews, and he said that Monday’s “Club Day” and “Lake Day” were must-see entertainment.

“It was a lot of different opportunities. Guys went out on the boat,” Bryant said. “There was tubing and jet skiing. Guys went golfing. Some guys went to sleep in the church. Me and couple of guys went fishing but we didn’t really catch anything so I’m kind of disappointed in myself about that.

“We had a little karaoke last week. All of the freshmen, first-year guys and first-year staff have to get up. Coach Woody McCorvey is pretty good. He’s an OG. He impressed me. He’s got a little rhythm and a little dance moves, so it was good to see that.”

The winner of the entertainment portion was freshman defensive tackle Darnell Jefferies.

“We call him ‘Uncle’ because he looks like he’s 30 years old. He was funny,” Bryant said. “He was the best one, so I give it to him.”

Bryant said the Tigers are ready to prepare for an opponent.

“We have been grinding for three weeks, but now we get to focus on an opponent now,” Bryant said. “We are going to focus on Clemson. We are still going to do that, but it feels good to kind of flip the script a little bit.”

Safety Isaiah Simmons said the team is ready for the start of school and to begin preparations for the season opener against Furman.

“A little bit of relief. You get to enjoy a normal life a little bit more,” Simmons said. “Then at the same time, you have to work on balancing your school life and your personal life as well as football. In a way, it's still a little bit of a struggle. Me and a few guys were talking yesterday and we realized we play next week. It's time to get ready for this. Not that we haven't been getting ready but now it's zoom focus on one team.”

Which freshman has been the most impressive in camp?

“Justyn Ross, of course. Justyn, he's going to be a big problem the more he matures,” Simmons said.

Simmons then said that Ross’ catch in the scrimmage 10 days ago was the first time he realized that Ross was different and compared him physically to former Clemson receiver Mike Williams.

“People like him really don't come around too often. Him and Tee (Higgins) as well,” Simmons said. “To have two of them, that's pretty scary. He can come in and play first string or second or third string. Wherever he plays he will be a problem."

Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow said Ross has made so many stellar plays in camp it’s hard to keep track of them all.

“After a while, there are so many you can’t remember just one,” Renfrow said.

*Renfrow said that wide receiver Will Swinney has had a stellar camp.

*Kicker Greg Huegel - who tore his ACL last year - said he really began to feel 100-percent about two weeks before camp began. He said he asked head trainer Danny Poole if he could take his knee brace off and try kicking without and after one kick, he said he was never going back to the brace.

*Running back Tavien Feaster said that being behind Travis Etienne on the depth chart only served as motivation.

“He earned it. He’s a hard worker and a hard runner and he earned it,” Feaster said. “But that serves as motivation. Him and Adam (Choice) are always working hard and that makes me want to work even harder. We push each other.”