A former Clemson player, who now plays for NC State, spoke with the media ahead of Saturday’s game between the Wolfpack and 21st-ranked Tigers at Death Valley.
Former Tiger wide receiver Dacari Collins, who transferred to NC State before the 2023 season, commented on whether returning to Clemson as a member of the Wolfpack will be weird for him.
“No, it’s just a game,” Collins said, via Inside Pack Sports.
As Collins and the Wolfpack get ready for the noon (ABC) kickoff at Clemson, has he spoken to his fellow wideouts about the type of environment they will experience in Death Valley?
“[I haven’t] really. Our coaches have,” Collins said. “They talk a lot about the noise and the fans, but I’m used to it. When I’m playing, I’m locked in, so it’s not really a factor for me.”
Collins, a redshirt junior, has seven catches for 78 yards thus far this season.
In 2023, the 6-foot-4, 212-pounder registered 14 receptions for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Last season vs. Clemson in Raleigh, Collins had one catch for 6 yards in the Wolfpack’s 24-17 win.
A native of Atlanta, Collins signed with Clemson as a four-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class.
Collins left the Clemson football team in September 2022. He caught 16 passes for 221 yards in nine games as a true freshman in 2021 but had just one catch in three games for the Tigers in 2022, a year that he ended up redshirting.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney expressed his well wishes for Collins after he left the team.
“Great kid. Great kid. Really good kid,” Swinney said. “Very talented. Really talented player, has a bright future. Just got to continue to mature and grow and really get back to being the best he can be. He can do it, for sure. Nothing negative. He loved his time here and appreciated everybody. Just guys aren’t patient much anymore. Again, that’s the world we live in. So, wish him well and keep moving.”
–Photo courtesy Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports