CLEMSON – This offseason, Clemson brought in 11 transfers, a program record.

While several of these players, including safeties Corey Myrick and Jerome Carter III, received extensive praise for their intensity and intelligence, every transfer was starting from scratch with new assistant coaches, a new defensive coordinator and an unfamiliar scheme.

That is, except for cornerback Elliott Washington II. 

Unlike all of the other newcomers for the Tigers, the former Penn State defensive back already had a year under defensive coordinator Tom Allen in 2024, when he was a sophomore and the Nittany Lions made a semifinal run into the College Football Playoff.

Throughout his three seasons at Penn State, Washington accumulated 53 tackles, two interceptions and nine pass breakups, while Allen took a job with the Tigers ahead of the 2025 season after a one-year stint in Happy Valley.

Now, the pair have reunited in Clemson.

“Right away, he’s a guy we targeted when he made that decision to get the portal because I knew him,” Allen said of Washington. “I love his speed, he’s very strong. He’s tough. I saw him make plays at an elite level for us, at Penn State and I knew what he had, and I knew who he was, and I knew his family and I was with him every day.”

The praise continued throughout the spring. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney called Washington “the best guy in camp,” while Allen praised his competitiveness and propensity to make big plays. 

While Washington appreciated this encouragement when he happened to scroll by it on social media, those words from his coaches did not keep him fueled in the spring and summer months.

“It was good, but also I don’t like to be too big headed,” Washington said. “I’m not really a big media type of guy. So, I’m not really looking at looking for them to talk about me, I’m really just put my head down and kind of work. So, when I do scroll and I do see it, it’s just a good reminder, okay, hey, just keep working.”

With a leg up on the other transfers, the Sarasota, Fla., native’s focus on that work has been not just learning his responsibilities in Allen’s system, but understanding everyone else’s role on the defense as well. As linebacker Sammy Brown detailed at the ACC Kickoff a few weeks back, this level of understanding can only be achieved in the second year of a scheme.

Washington’s innate understanding of his role may be an advantage, but at the end of the day, football still requires extensive mental effort in each practice, the rising senior said after the first day of fall camp Thursday.

“Yes it is (easier), but at the same time, it’s not because you still got to go out there and rep it,” he said. So, I feel like that’s just that’s another thing. But other than that, I feel like it’s a good trait to have.”

In addition to acclimating to the heat and humidity after three years away from the south, the defensive back is also getting used to a leadership role in his position group, despite being a newcomer to the team. With veteran Ashton Hampton, the pair bring a combined five years of college experience entering this season, a two-year gain from last year’s starting corners.

“I would just say it just gives me other opportunities to help other people and also just learn from other people like what their position is too,” he said. “So basically just learning what everybody’s doing on the field at the same time so we all could be a collective team and just go out there and play fast.”

While Washington is ahead of schedule with understanding the defense, passing game coordinator Thomas Allen still expects him to take a step this camp, especially ahead of an intense season-opener against LSU on Sept. 5.

“Yeah, Elliot had a good spring,” Allen said. “He looks really good, but he’s got a lot of work to do, like the rest of them do.”