The last time Garrett Williams played in a football game was against Alabama in the 2017 College Football National Championship Game. However, that will come to an end on Saturday, sort of, when he plays for the Orange Team in Clemson’s annual Orange & White Spring Game at Clemson Memorial Stadium.

Granted, it might not be an official game, but with more than 60,000 fans in attendance it will be a good day for the redshirt junior to make his return to Death Valley.

“That is probably the guy that maximized his opportunity the most, not just this spring, but when he was injured,” Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said.

Williams, who tore an ACL last spring, has been the talk of the spring on the offensive side of the football. Elliott, fellow co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott and head coach Dabo Swinney have all praised the Orlando, Fla., native at some point after the previous 14 practices.

Elliott said Williams has improved in every area and had the best spring of all the tight ends.

“His confidence is at an all-time high,” the Clemson coach said. “He is catching the ball and he is looking more fluid with his route running. He probably had the best spring of any of those guys. I’m really, really happy for him.”

Even though he was cleared to play and practice in the second half of last season, Swinney and Williams agreed it was best to sit the whole year and redshirt him. Williams did not play on Saturday’s but he was working in practice.

He played on the scout team and when was not trying to give the defense the best look he possibly could, he was standing next to tight ends coach Danny Pearman, learning and soaking in as much information as he possibly could.

“You knew he was the kind of guy that had the core makeup, with the adversity, to use it to make him better,” Elliott said. “He took that time, not to just focus on his knee, but to improve every area of his game and you are seeing that as we have gone through the spring.”

Now Williams will show just how far he has come when he plays in Saturday’s Orange & White Game, which is scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m., and will be televised by ESPN.