By Will Vandervort.
ORLANDO, Fla. —When 17th-ranked Clemson faces off against No. 24 Oklahoma on Monday in the Russell Athletic Bowl, defensive tackle DeShawn Williams will turn 22-years old. It will be the 53rd straight game for the senior, who has never missed a game in his career, and it will also be his last.
“It has not hit me yet,” said Williams following Friday’s practice beside the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. “I guess it is just me. I’m kind of different. Graduation still has not hit me yet. I’m just soaking in the moment right now.
“It will hit me when I get done playing.”
Friday was Williams’ last in full pads as a Clemson Tiger, too.
“I never thought it would come this fast,” he said. “We just have to make it count”
The Tigers (9-3) will try to make it count against a rushing offense in Oklahoma that ranks No. 9 in the country and an offense that will get back all three of its major weapons in running back Samaje Perine, quarterback Trevor Knight and wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
“We are ready,” Williams said. “We have always been ready. That’s why we have practice. We have been here practicing against what they do best. They are a running team, but they can also throw the ball. They have a lot of weapons. It’s just not the running back.
“They have a lot of weapons, but we are ready. We have a great team, but we just have to play a hell of a game.”
Successful day. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said Friday was a very successful one for the Tigers
The Tigers spent the morning meeting with children at the Give Kids the World Village in Kissimmee, Fla., then had a “very good” practice in the afternoon.
“We began the day with an experience our players should remember for a long time,” Swinney said. “We went as a team to the Give Kids the World Village. I never knew a place like that existed and it was an impactful experience for all of us. It was special for our players, who were engaged with the children at the facility the entire time they were there. These are kids who are fighting very difficult illnesses.”
The Give Kids the World Village is a facility where children fighting terminal illness can go and enjoy life. The 70-acre facility has rides and other amusement park activities for kids in addition to other outdoor sports activities. Families stay in homes on the facility free of charge as the costs are paid for by benefactors.
One of their slogans is, “Happiness inspires hope.”
As for the Tigers’ two-hour practice session.
“We have had a good week of practice. In fact it has been among the best bowl weeks of practice we have had since I have been at Clemson,” Swinney said. “I have liked the way we have practiced all week. There has been effort and an attention to detail. It has been a spirited practice in terms of one-on-one competition and we have paid attention to detail.”
Saturday will be the final practice for the Tigers in preparation for Monday’s game. They will have a walk-through on Sunday in addition to attending the official bowl luncheon at noon.
Medal of Honor for Beasley. Clemson starting offensive guard David Beasley will play in the Medal of Honor Bowl in Charleston on Jan. 10 giving Clemson three players in the game. Earlier, Daniel Rodriguez and Garry Peters accepted invitations.
Good omen? Clemson has won eight of its last nine regular season games, the eighth time in school history Clemson has won at least eight of its last nine games in a season. Clemson has gone on to win the bowl game each of the previous seven times it has accomplished that feat.