CHARLOTTE — There was a time not so long ago, it looked like Keylan Rutledge might possibly be Clemson’s first big portal addition.

Following the conclusion of the 2023 season, Dabo Swinney targeted a small number of portal offensive linemen, looking to add some depth to the room due to some struggles on the recruiting trail.

Rutledge, who was transferring from Middle Tennessee State, was actually on his way to visit in December of that year. However, fate intervened as he was involved in a car accident and he never made it to campus.

“I wasn’t able to visit,” Rutledge said during the ACC Kickoff. “I was at the hospital, but I mean, they still recruited me and all that stuff. But I love Georgia Tech. I felt good about Georgia Tech and what they stood for, what Coach Key stood for. So that was the decision I made.”

About one week later, Rutledge announced a commitment to Georgia Tech. While some might point to that accident as a reason why he didn’t end up at Clemson, Rutledge was very likely headed to Georgia Tech either way.

It was his strong connection to head coach Brent Key that really made the difference. Key is not only a former offensive lineman himself, but he is also a veteran offensive line coach, and it was a coach with that kind of background that Rutledge wanted to play for.

“I mean, there was a lot of things that went into that,” Rutledge said. “The main thing was just the kind of grit, the kind of toughness that an O-line coach brings as the head coach. And I’m an O-line guy. Just being able to play for that, it feels different. It’s different. It’s so different when you have an O-line coach that has been in your shoes.”

At the end of the day, things worked out well for both parties. Rutledge started all 13 games as right guard, earning first-team All-American recognition from Sports Info Solutions for the Yellow Jackets last year.

At Clemson, Matt Luke took over as offensive line coach about the same time the Tigers started recruiting Rutledge in the portal, and the fortunes in that room and on the recruiting trail have turned in the past 18 months.

The two teams are also scheduled to meet in Atlanta on September 30 in Atlanta, a game that will serve as the ACC opener for both squads. Clemson owns a nine-game winning streak in the series dating back to the 2014 season, and if the Yellow Jackets are going to take that next step in 2025, a win over the Tigers would be a great way to kick off league play.

“It goes without saying they are a good football team. Everybody knows that,” Rutledge said. “But I don’t look at it any differently. That is a week three game and we can’t look forward past week one or two. We got to go attack every week. We got to go 1-0.

“I think that is something we have to be better at as Georgia Tech. Because we get up for the big games, but we have to play the same every week. Put our best foot forward. But when it comes time to play them, we will be ready.”