By Will Vandervort.
As a redshirt freshman in 2010, Clemson defensive back Garry Peters watched helplessly as quarterback Kyle Parker threw the football back against his body, lobbing it towards the goal line to running back Andre Ellington.
The Tigers’ starting tailback at the time tried to grab the ball out of the air, but it was plucked from the sky by a Boston College defensive back. It was one of several turnovers and missed opportunities the Tigers had in a 16-10 loss in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
To make matters worse, Ellington was injured on the play and missed the rest of the season with a broken foot. It was a gloomy day indeed for Clemson.
“It is always gloomy up there. It feels like the sun never shines when we play up there,” Peters said about No. 22 Clemson’s trip to Boston College on Saturday.
The sun was not shining in 2012 either for the Tigers, but thanks to Peters’ fourth-quarter interception to end a promising BC drive, Clemson was able to hang on for a 45-31 victory. It was a game in which the Tigers fought off injuries, stomach viruses and the atmosphere to rally for a come-from-behind win.
“You have to bring your own energy when you go to Boston because you know it’s going to be gloomy up there,” Peters said. “You really have to bring your own energy, but I feel like with the veteran group we have on defense right now, we will be fine no matter where we play at because we will bring the energy. If we don’t, Coach (Brent) Venables will make sure we have it.”
Peters is just one of many on the Clemson defense that has brought the energy every week he has played. Since coming back from his one-game suspension at Georgia, the senior has been a pleasant surprise on a defense which ranks sixth nationally in total defense, 11th in run defense and 17th in pass defense.
The 6-foot, 195-pound corner has emerged as one of the more physical players on the team from his cornerback position. He is sixth on the team with 24 tackles, including two sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, four passes broken up and one quarterback pressure.
“I just try to come out every game and play hard and physical,” Peters said. “The thing is; plays have been coming my way lately. So I guess that’s why it has been noticed – more plays have been coming my way. There are more opportunities.”
And Peters is making the most of those opportunities.
When Venables called a corner blitz off the short side of the field in the second quarter of last week’s win over Louisville, Peters came untouched and made the play of the game – a strip-sack on Louisville quarterback Reggie Bonnafon that defensive end Tavaris Barnes picked up and carried into the end zone for six points.
“I do love it the most because Coach (Mike) Reed thinks I’m slow,” Peters said grinning. “That is showing him that I have some speed coming off the edge. That felt real good, especially when it helped us get a score on defense because we needed that late in the game.
“Our offense was struggling early. That was really exciting for me. That was a big play in my career. It was a highpoint.”
But it is probably not the last big-play the senior will make. Those plays are coming Peters’ way because the senior is showing he can handle it. When freshman corner Mackensie Alexander shut down Florida State’s All-ACC wide receiver Rashad Green in Tallahassee earlier this year, opposing offensive coordinators saw there was little chance they could pick on the freshman so they went to the other side of the field where they have tried to get their playmakers in one-on-one situations with Peters.
What they have discovered is that Peters in one of the best tacklers on the Clemson team.
“I love watching Mackensie grow as a player,” Peters said. “As you can tell, he is going to be a great player one day. As a senior, you think you know it all, but there is stuff that you can even learn from a young guy like Mackensie. I soak it all in. I try to learn from Mackensie, Jayron, Robert Smith – I learn from all of them.
“They may not notice it all the time, but I use what they do to enhance my game and make me a better player. It is great having him across the field from me and I try to teach him what I can as well with me being a senior. It goes hand-in-hand. It is perfect.”
And though his play is allowing him to be noticed by NFL scouts, Peters says that isn’t what he is all about.
“You always want to make a mark when you are out there on the field, but I don’t think about the NFL draft too much. I have one class left before I graduate so I want to focus on that first and then see where our team can get and what type of postseason we can be in – whether that can be the Final Four, top 10, Orange Bowl or wherever we can get,” he said. “I want to see how far we can go. I want to see if we can reach our peak and that is my main focus every day.
“I feel like the NFL is too far away for me to worry about that right now. I’m just focused on the day-to-day stuff. I’m still struggling just getting through Tuesday’s practices sometimes when we are in full pads. I’m just thinking about that right now.”