The 2021 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, in his 14th year. The Tigers competed as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.
For the first time since 2014, Clemson did not reach the ACC Championship Game or the College Football Playoff. This season ended the team's streak of six consecutive conference championships, the longest in FBS as of the 2021 season.
The Tigers ended the season with a victory over Iowa State in the Cheez-It Bowl.
Offseason
Recruiting Clemson's 2021 class consisted of nineteen signees. The class was ranked first in the ACC and fifth best overall by the 247Sports Composite.
Players leaving for NFL
NFL draftees 1 1 Trevor Lawrence QB Jacksonville Jaguars 1 25 Travis Etienne RB 2 46 Jackson Carman OT Cincinnati Bengals 3 85 Amari Rodgers WR Green Bay Packers 5 181 Cornell Powell Kansas City Chiefs
Transfers
Preseason transfers Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown College transferred to Source(s) Derion Kendrick 1 CB 6'0" 190 Junior Rock Hill, SC Georgia DeMarkcus Bowman 1 RB 5'10" 190 Freshman Lakeland, FL Florida Mike Jones Jr. 6 LB 6'0" 200 Sophomore Lebanon, TN LSU Michel Dukes 19 RB 5'10" 205 Junior Charleston, SC South Florida LeAnthony Williams Jr. 20 CB 5'11" 185 Junior Roswell, GA Marshall Chez Mellusi 27 RB 5'11" 200 Junior Naples, FL Wisconsin Nyles Pinckney 44 DT 6'1" 300 Senior Seabrook, SC Minnesota Kaleb Boateng 50 OL 6'4" 315 Freshman Fort Lauderdale, FL Florida Jordan Williams 59 DT 6'4" 310 Junior Virginia Beach, VA Virginia Tech
Midseason transfers
Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown College transferred to Source(s) Frank Ladson Jr. 2 WR 6'3" 205 Junior Miami, FL Miami (FL) Taisun Phommachanh 7 QB 6'3" 220 Sophomore Bridgeport, CT Georgia Tech Ajou Ajou 11 WR 6'3" 215 Sophomore Alberta, Canada South Florida Ray Thornton III 16 DB 6'1" 205 Sophomore Phenix City, AL Kane Patterson 17 LB 6'1" 225 Junior Brentwood, TN Vanderbilt Joseph Charleston 18 S 6'0" 190 Junior Milton, GA Missouri Lyn-J Dixon 23 RB 5'10" 195 Senior Butler, GA West Virginia Paul Tchio 57 OL 6'5" 300 Sophomore Milton, GA Georgia Tech
Preseason
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released Award Player Position Year Lott Trophy Andrew Booth Jr. CB JR Nolan Turner S SR Maxwell Award DJ Uiagalelei QB SO Justyn Ross WR JR Bednarik Award Bryan Bresee DT SO Nolan Tuner S SR Davey O'Brien Award DJ Uiagalelei QB SO Doak Walker Award Lyn-J Dixon RB SR Biletnikoff Award Justyn Ross WR JR Butkus Award James Skalski LB SR Baylon Spector LB SR Jim Thorpe Award Andrew Booth Jr. CB JR Nolan Tuner S SR Bronko Nagurski Trophy Bryan Bresee DT SO Myles Murphy DT SO James Skalski LB SR Nolan Tuner S SR Outland Trophy Bryan Bresee DT SO Tyler Davis DT JR Jordan McFadden OT JR Ray Guy Award Will Spiers P GS Lou Groza Award B. T. Potter PK SR Walter Camp Award Bryan Bresee DT SO Justyn Ross WR JR
Schedule
Rankings
Personnel
Coaching staff
+Clemson Tigers football current coaching staff Dabo Swinney Head coach University of Alabama (1993) 14th Brent Venables Associate head coach/defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Kansas State University (1992) 9th Tony Elliott Assistant head coach/offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Clemson University (2002) 6th Mickey Conn Assistant coach/Special teams coordinator/safeties coach University of Alabama (1995) 6th Brandon Streeter Assistant coach/passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Clemson University (1999) 7th Todd Bates Assistant coach/recruiting coordinator/defensive tackles coach University of Alabama (2004) 4th Robbie Caldwell Assistant coach/offensive linemen coach Furman University (1977) 10th Tyler Grisham Assistant coach/wide receivers coach Clemson University (2009) 2nd Lemanski Hall Assistant coach/defensive ends coach University of Alabama (1993) 4th Mike Reed Assistant coach/cornerbacks coach Boston College (1994) 8th C. J. Spiller Assistant coach/running backs coach Clemson University (2009) 1st
Roster
2021 Clemson Tigers FootballQuarterback 5 DJ Uiagalelei – sophomore (6'4, 250) 7 Taisun Phommachanh – sophomore (6'3, 220) 12 Bubba Chandler – freshman (6'3, 190) 16 Will Taylor – freshman (5'10, 175) 17 Billy Wiles – freshman (6'3, 215) 18 Hunter Helms – freshman (6'1, 210)
Running back 1 Will Shipley – freshman (5'11, 200) 19 Michel Dukes – junior (5'10, 205) 20 Kobe Pace – sophomore (5'10, 215) 21 Darien Rencher – senior (5'8, 195) 23 Lyn-J Dixon – senior (5'10, 195) 26 Phil Mafah – freshman (6'1, 215) 34 Kevin McNeal – freshman (5'9, 195)
Wide receiver 2 Frank Ladson Jr. – junior (6'3 205) 3 Dacari Collins – freshman (6'5, 200) 6 E.J. Williams Jr. – sophomore (6'3, 190) 8 Justyn Ross – junior (6'4, 205) 10 Joseph Ngata – junior (6'3, 220) 11 Ajou Ajou – sophomore (6'3, 215) 13 Brannon Specter – sophomore (6'1, 195) 15 Troy Stellato – freshman (6'1, 175) 22 Will Swinney – senior (5'9, 185) 24 Hamp Greene – sophomore (5'9, 175) 32 Wise Segars Jr. – freshman (6'2, 195) 80 Beaux Collins – freshman (6'3, 195) 81 Drew Swinney – junior (5'8, 185) 82 Will Brown – senior (5'8, 190) 82 Jackson Crosby – freshman (5'11, 180) 83 Hampton Earle – sophomore (5'10, 185) 86 Tye Herbstreit – sophomore (5'11, 170) 89 Max May – junior (6'1, 190) 89 Zach Jackson – freshman (6'3, 200)
Tight end 9 Jake Briningstool – freshman (6'6, 215) 40 Luke Price – senior (6'2, 235) 43 Will Blackston – freshman (6'1, 250) 44 Banks Pope – freshman (6'4, 250) 84 Davis Allen – junior (6'6, 250) 85 Jaelyn Lay – sophomore (6'6, 270) 87 Sage Ennis – freshman (6'4, 235) 88 Braden Galloway – senior (6'4, 240)
Placekicker 29 B. T. Potter – senior (5'10, 180) 36 Quinn Castner – freshman (5'5, 140) 41 Jonathan Weitz – sophomore (5'11, 190) 47 Hogan Morton – freshman (5'9, 160) Offensive lineman 52 Tayquon Johnson – OG – sophomore (6'2, 340) 53 Ryan Linthicum – OL – freshman (6'4, 280) 54 Mason Trotter – OL – sophomore (6'2, 280) 55 Hunter Rayburn – OL – sophomore (6'4, 320) 56 Will Putnam – OL – junior (6'4, 300) 57 Paul Tchio – OL – sophomore (6'5, 300) 59 Dietrick Pennington – OL – freshman (6'5, 310) 60 Mac Cranford – OL – sophomore (6'0, 290) 62 Connor Graham – OL – freshman (6'1, 285) 63 Zac McIntosh – OL – senior (5'11, 285) 64 Walker Parks – OL – sophomore (6'5, 295) 65 Matt Bockhorst – OG – Graduate (6'4, 315) 68 Will Boggs – OL – freshman (6'3, 290) 69 Jacob Edwards – OL – senior (6'2, 300) 70 Tristan Leigh – OL – freshman (6'6, 290) 71 Jordan McFadden – OT – junior (6'2, 300) 73 Bryn Tucker – OL – freshman (6'3, 315) 74 Marcus Tate – OL – freshman (6'5, 290) 75 Trent Howard – OL – freshman (6'3, 275) 76 John Williams – OL – freshman (6'4, 300) 77 Mitchell Mayes – OL – sophomore (6'3, 300)
Defensive lineman 3 Xavier Thomas – DE – senior (6'2, 270) 5 KJ Henry – DE – junior (6'4, 255) 7 Justin Mascoll – DE – junior (6'3, 255) 8 Tré Williams – DT – freshman (6'2, 300) 11 Bryan Bresee – DT – sophomore (6'5, 300) 13 Tyler Davis – DT – junior (6'2, 300) 14 Kevin Swint – DE – sophomore (6'3, 230) 19 Demonte Capehart – DL – freshman (6'5, 305) 32 Etinosa Reuben – DT – sophomore (6'3, 280) 33 Ruke Orhorhoro – DT – sophomore (6'4, 295) 34 Armon Mason – DE – freshman (6'2, 210) 35 Justin Foster – DE – senior (6'2, 275) 41 Andrew Roberts – DE – junior (6'4, 225) 44 Cade Denhoff – DE – freshman (6'5, 225) 53 Regan Upshaw – DE – Graduate (5'11, 240) 55 Payton Page – DT – freshman (6'4, 315) 58 Evan McCutchen – DE – freshman (6'2, 240) 90 Darnell Jefferies – DT – junior (6'2, 290) 91 Zaire Patterson – DE – freshman (6'6, 225) 92 Klayton Randolph – DE – junior (6'2, 250) 95 James Edwards – DT – senior (6'2, 300) 97 Nick Eddis – DT – senior (5'11, 270) 98 Myles Murphy – DE – sophomore (6'5, 275) 99 Greg Williams – DE – sophomore (6'4, 260)
Punter 39 Aidan Swanson – sophomore (6'3, 180) 48 Will Spiers – Graduate (6'5, 225) Linebacker 0 Barrett Carter – freshman (6'1, 220) 6 Sheridan Jones – junior (6'0, 185) 10 Baylon Spector – Graduate (6'2, 230) 15 Jake Venables – junior (6'2, 235) 17 Kane Patterson – junior (6'1, 225) 22 Trenton Simpson – sophomore (6'3, 225) 30 Keith Maguire – sophomore (6'2, 230) 40 Tristen Rigby – freshman (5'11, 205) 42 LaVonta Bradley – sophomore (6'0, 235) 43 Riggs Faulkenberry – freshman (6'2, 210) 45 Sergio Allen – sophomore (6'1, 225) 46 Matt McMahan – sophomore (6'0, 220) 47 James Skalski – Graduate (6'0, 240) 48 David Cote – sophomore (5'11, 215) 49 Matt Maloney – sophomore (6'0, 200) 51 Colby Doolittle – freshman (6'2, 225) 52 Joey Eddis – freshman (6'0, 200) 54 Jeremiah Trotter Jr. – freshman (6'1, 210) 56 Reed Morrissey – freshman (6'0, 200) 57 Jacob Hendricks – freshman (5'8, 185)
Defensive back 1 Andrew Mukuba – S – freshman (6'0, 185) 2 Fred Davis II – CB – sophomore (6'0, 185) 9 R.J. Mickens – S – sophomore (6'0, 200) 12 Tyler Venables – S – sophomore (5'10, 200) 16 Ray Thornton III – DB – sophomore (6'1, 205) 18 Joseph Charleston – S – junior (6'0, 190) 20 Nate Wiggins – CB – freshman (6'2, 175) 21 Malcolm Greene – CB – sophomore (5'11, 190) 23 Andrew Booth Jr. – CB – junior (6'0, 195) 24 Nolan Turner – S – senior (6'1, 205) 25 Jalyn Phillips – S – junior (6'1, 210) 26 Jack McCall – CB – senior (5'11, 200) 27 Carson Donnelly – S – junior (5'10, 195) 29 Michael Becker – S – junior (6'0, 205) 31 Mario Goodrich – CB – senior (6'0, 190) 36 Lannden Zanders – S – junior (6'1, 200) 38 Peter Nearn – S – freshman (6'2, 190) 39 Bubba McAtee – S – freshman (6'2, 190)
Long snappers 33 Ty Lucas – junior (5'7, 220) 46 Jack Maddox – senior (6'3, 235) 58 Holden Caspersen – freshman (6'0, 210)
Game summaries
vs. No. 5 Georgia
South Carolina State
Georgia Tech
At NC State
Boston College
At Syracuse
At No. 23 Pittsburgh
Florida State
At Louisville
UConn
No. 10 Wake Forest
At South Carolina
vs. Iowa State
Awards and honors
All-ACCPlayerPositionTeam Tyler Davis DT First Team James Skalski LB Mario Goodrich CB Andrew Booth Jr. Jordan McFadden OT Second Team Myles Murphy DE B. T. Potter PK Xavier Thomas DE Third Team Bryan Bresee DT Andrew Mukuba S Davis Allen TE Honorable Mention Will Shipley AP Will Putnam OG Baylon Spector LB Nolan Turner S Will Spiers P Source:
Players drafted into the NFL
2 42 Andrew Booth Jr. CB Minnesota Vikings 7 231 Baylon Spector LB Buffalo Bills
References