After being sidelined much of his freshman season with an injury, running back Jay Haynes is now fully healthy and ready to make an impact in 2024.

While Haynes admits not being able to play was frustrating at times, he has been focused on the things that he can control.

“My journey’s been good,” Haynes said after Monday’s practice. “Just really an ankle sprain from the beginning, but just getting it back to normal to get it back healthy instead of rushing it back. It’s been a long journey but not much of a crazy injury.”

One of the most frustrating parts was that it wasn’t some severe injury that impacted Haynes’ freshman campaign. It was an ankle sprain, something he said was similar to a high ankle sprain, that kept him on the sidelines.

Then after finally getting healthy ahead of the Tigers’ Gator Bowl win over Kentucky, Haynes would reinjure the same ankle in the spring and once again miss an extended period of time.

“In the spring, it was honestly the same thing,” Haynes said. “Just a re-tweak or whatever you want to call it. It’s very frustrating. There is a lot of stuff that you can’t control but it is very frustrating not being able to showcase what you can do. To show your talents and everything.”

Prior to the injury, Haynes showed flashes of what he can bring to the Clemson offense. He scored two touchdowns in his collegiate debut against Charleston Southern, one rushing and one receiving, as he totaled 28 yards on just four carries.

One thing he really prides himself on is his speed, something he feels can make a difference in 2024.

“Speed. I am pretty much a speed guy,” Haynes said. “I feel like I can bring some versatility and a lot of stuff to the game. Not just one thing, but I feel like I can bring a lot of versatility with my speed.”

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