By Will Vandervort.
Charone Peake will not only play against No. 12 Georgia on Saturday, but he will get the start. Clemson officially listed its two-deep depth chart on Monday and Peake was listed as one of three wide receivers to open the game for the 16th-ranked Tigers “Between the Hedges” in Athens, Ga.
It’s been a crazy journey to get to this point for Peake. After returning from an ACL injury in the summer, he injured his meniscus two days before camp and had to have minor surgery. It was a disappointing setback that jeopardized his chances of playing against Georgia.
But through hard work, Peake slowly worked his way back and was back at full speed last Monday.
“I think I will be able to play,” he said. “I started practicing last Monday and I have felt pretty good out there so I think I will be ready to play.”
Peake had success against the Bulldogs last season as he caught five passes for 58 yards in the Tigers’ 38-35 victory. The following week he hauled three more passes for 26 yards and scored the third touchdown of his career – a three-yard pass from Cole Stoudt in the win over S.C. State. Then his season game to an end when he tore his ACL in practice that following week.
“It was really difficult watching last year, especially with the team being really successful,” he said. “I guess it hurt not being able to be a part of that, but I feel like this year we will have another chance to have a great season.”
That chance starts Saturday afternoon in Sanford Stadium. It’s also another opportunity for Peake to prove he is that 5-star player everyone thought he could be when he signed with Clemson out of nearby Dorman High School in 2011.
“Everything feels good, now,” he said. “I guess coming off the ACL I got a lot of confidence in my knee throughout the summer. I did a lot of lateral stuff and I guess it transitioned to my meniscus and I feel fine now.”