Because of Clemson’s policy prohibiting freshmen from speaking to the media until they participate in game action, the beginning of each football season feels like a parade of new faces.
Week after week, new players come through the weekly interview grinder. Some do well enough to be invited again, and others do not. Most seasons offer a little bit of both.
The 2015 freshman class could be an exception. The combination of intelligence, personality, and communication skills seems present in several of its members.
Take freshman wideout Ray Ray McCloud, for example. After just a couple of minutes at the microphone, he offered this bit of analysis while discussing what has allowed him to get on the field so early and often in his career.
“It’s just knowing the game, knowing concepts. When you see the safety off the hash, knowing if that’s cover two—stuff like that.”
A little later, he continued with some technical talk about how to sight coverages at the line of scrimmage.
“I know when the corner’s outside of me, he’s in cover two, and I’ve got to get inside of him. If I’ve got to get outside of him, I’ve got to take 100 percent outside.”
Forget what McCloud means by any of that. Terms and definitions are secondary to the fact that he can think about the game in such a lofty way as a player with exactly one collegiate football game under his belt.
For McCloud, enhanced knowledge is natural given his desire to excel in something for which he has a great deal of passion.
“I love football that much to study it, just like in school when you study for a test,” he said. “I think that’s what makes the game slower for me.”
The freshman led Clemson in catches (8) and yards (80) in game one of his career, stats that testify to the worthiness of his endeavor. McCloud did not become a student of the game in solitude, however. In fact, the Tampa native credits a hometown influence for much of his mental progression—former USC wide receiver and current Philadelphia Eagles rookie Nelson Agholor.
“He helped me prepare reading defenses,” McCloud said. “Before I even got here, I had a concept of different defenses.”
McCloud is not alone in his maturity and studiousness. Coaches have raved about the cerebral nature of this newest class of Tigers since the spring. Many of them have ridden that wave of praise onto the depth chart.
The acumen of these players was on display during Monday’s interview session. Tight end Garrett Williams spoke technically and eloquently about some elements of technique at his position and expressed a desire to become a proficient blocker. Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins has showcased his critical thinking skills since he began asking questions of Clemson’s president, Jim Clements, about degree programs during the recruiting process.
Wilkins says the thinking skills his brethren possess are not limited to just the football field.
“I don’t believe in that stereotype anymore—the jocks or whatever—because there are some really smart guys in this class,” he said. “Just hearing any of them even read or doing homework with any of them, there are some really smart guys in this class, for sure.”