Swinney’s Stern Message Resonated with Clemson’s Wiggins

Tigers’ head coach told his cornerback it was time to ‘buy in’

Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY NETWORK

CLEMSON, S.C. — When Dabo Swinney met with Nate Wiggins following spring practices, he delivered a stern message to his sophomore cornerback.

“He told me, I have to buy in. I have to go to class,” Wiggins said following Monday’s practice behind the Allen Reeves Football Complex in Clemson. “He told me, he can’t play nobody that does not go to the classroom. I had to buy in and go to class.”

Wiggins’ immaturity had him in and out of Swinney’s doghouse last season. Even his teammates were getting on to him and telling him to straighten up.

“Most of the people pulled me aside… They did not know I always had talent, but they tried to get me to buy in,” he said.

Wiggins biggest problems were missing class or tutoring sessions. He also was late to practice at times and weight training, which got under the skin of cornerbacks coach Mike Reed and Swinney.

“In high school, I really did not go to school in high school, so I had to find my way,” the 6-foot-2 cornerback said. “I had to work on my time management. I had to get better with my alarm, too. Now, I set three or four alarms now.”

All the alarms seem to be working, and so did Swinney’s words. The Clemson coach not only told Wiggins he needed to take his schoolwork serious, but he also reminded him of his potential.

Swinney told the Atlanta native he has a chance to be as good, if not better than, any other cornerback that has come through Clemson.

“Incredibly talented and very competitive, just a young guy maturing and really buying into what it takes," Swinney said about Wiggins prior to the start of fall camp last week. “It takes what it takes. There’s no shortcut to it. That’s the biggest thing I saw, him really buying into what it takes to not just be good but to be great.”

So far, Wiggins is responding to his coach’s pleas. Not only is he starting to take his schoolwork seriously, but he was the talk of the seven-on-seven drills in the summer, and so far, through the first three practices of camp, he is getting the same praise.

“Nate Wiggins. He is the real deal,” defensive tackle Bryan Bresee said. “He has really gotten things together and he is out killing people. So, he is really good.”

During ACC Football Kickoff last month, even before practice began, quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was calling Wiggins the best cornerback in the country. Those were strong words considering Wiggins only played 130 snaps during his freshman season.

“I don’t think he lied or nothing,” Wiggins said confidently. “I am the best DB, so y’all will see this year. I have a show for y’all.”

On the field, things started to click for Wiggins last year. He remembers during the first week of camp, receiver E.J. Williams made a double move that went for a big play.

The corner knew what the problem was. His eyes were bad. So, he started working on those kinds of things.

“In high school, I can get away with things like that, but in college they move faster,” he said.

Luckily for Clemson, Wiggins learns and moves fast, too. Now he is running with Sheridan Jones as first-team corners in practice.

“This is my year. I am ready, so it is time to go,” he said.

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