Multiple Clemson Tigers Players Expected to Contend for ACC Awards
The Clemson Tigers are searching for their first College Football Playoff appearance since the 2020 season and will have a couple of leaders on each side of the ball with high expectations.
As 247Sports' Grant Hughes put together a list of the top players expected to contend for both the ACC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards, Clemson had two representatives.
On offense was signal caller Cade Klubnik, who is hoping to finally put it all together this season.
"Three different Clemson quarterbacks have taken home ACC Player of the Year in the last decade," said Hughes. "There's hope Klubnik can take the next step as a junior with a re-tooled receivers room and after another offseason with offensive coordinator Garrett Riley."
The Texas native came in as a five-star recruit and the No. 2 quarterback in the 2022 class. It was pretty much a given from day one that he would eventually get the keys to the program and was expected to be the next great Tigers pass thrower.
After a spotty role in his freshman season, he got his first major playing time as a sophomore last year.
He had 2,844 passing yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his first go around as the face of the school. It wasn't the worst season of all time, it just didn't live up to the lofty expectations.
Pretty much everyone expects the Junior to improve and if he realizes his full potential, an Offensive Player of the Year nod is certainly within grasp. Jordan Travis won it for 2023, throwing for 2,756 yards and a 20-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 11 games.
On defense, Carter was the Clemson player given the best shot at the honor.
"Carter put together an All-ACC campaign in 2023 and surprised some around the conference when he opted to return for his senior season in 2024," Hughes said. "He's got the tools to make a run at ACC Defensive POTY in 2024."
The senior is a fantastic athlete and has put together back-to-back solid campaigns with the Tigers. He's had a combined 151 tackles with nine sacks and 21 total tackles for a loss in college. The super athlete also had three interceptions and 14 passes broken up in coverage.
He's already made an All-ACC taking a step up in his last season would make a lot of sense.
Should either player walk away with the gold at the end of the year, that would also likely spell good things for Clemson as a whole.
DYLAN SANDERS