CLEMSON – The 2022 Clemson football season had come to a close, and defensive tackle Tyler Davis had a choice to make. It wasn’t the end he wanted, and a national title was still something he craved, regardless of a high NFL draft selection that likely awaited him.

With that, Davis decided to return to the Tigers after his All-American season. It was a decision he made with fellow defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, who was mulling the NFL as well.

He’s continued to be an anchor in the Clemson defense, but those hopes of any championship at all are squashed with almost half the season to play.

There’s obvious feelings of disappointment that Davis is going through, but it doesn’t mean he’d change his decision. Every day is a lesson, and he said Monday that this year is an important one for himself and Orhorhoro.

“It’s tough that things didn’t go our way, our expectations…I think this year is definitely a reason we came back and it taught us some great lessons. I feel like this year, we’re definitely growing…I’ve definitely grown as a leader and as a man so I’m very appreciate of this season for real,” Davis said.

Through seven games, Davis has 23 total tackles and his career-high is 41. A lot of his work doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, but he’s continuing to prove why his return was so important for the defense.

Against Miami, the Clemson defense had to shuffle with the absence of Xavier Thomas and an injury to Justin Mascoll at defensive end. It felt like nothing could go the Tigers’ way, a mantra that sticks with the season and Davis has battled with that.

“When things don’t go your way, how are you going to respond? I feel like my mindset is I’m going to respond the right way and finish with no regrets,” Davis said.

No matter the hardware, Davis plans to finish out this season to the best of his ability. As Clemson’s new leader in career starts at defensive tackle, passing Christian Wilkins, Davis continues to build his legacy as a Tiger.