FRIDAY UPDATE
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
We wrote yesterday afternoon that Clemson was desperate for good recruiting news to quell public perception of crisis, and the Tigers got it in the form of Irmo (S.C.) Dutch Fork four-star receiver Antonio Williams' commitment.
There are stories to share in the Monday Insider for how it unfolded, and we'll have more on Williams in another piece later today.
But we have another potentially favorable development to report first.
The recruiting fallout for Clemson's coaching turnover, as you know, has manifested in decommitments this week by two touted four-stars from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy -- safety Keon Sabb and defensive end Jihaad Campbell, with Campbell backing off Thursday.
That leaves one IMG commitment left in four-star corner Daylen Everette.
New Clemson commit Antonio Williams gives Clemson two four-star receivers in its 2022 recruiting class.
We brought to light Thursday that UGA has been pushing for Everette, and we have also heard but not corroborated that Alabama has tried getting involved.
Dabo Swinney conducted his in-person visit to the school Thursday.
Per our sources Thursday night, Everette has shut down his recruitment and is expected to stick with Clemson.
IMG allows visiting coaches to meet with its players, committed elsewhere or not. Our understanding is the Everette camp has put restrictions in place to prevent that from occurring.
You can perhaps read between the lines in how opposing schools have managed to push others' doors open.
Campbell spoke by phone with Swinney because he had already gone home to New Jersey. We are told that Clemson's coaches were aware he would not be there, having been cleared to travel home Wednesday.
Our information further points to Texas A&M as the suitor that got to Campbell, and his intent to visit College Station this weekend is what prompted Swinney to inform him he would have to be taken off Clemson's commitment list, making Campbell's comments on social media this week about being all-in with Clemson all the more eye-raising. Hence why we often hesitate to speak in definitive terms, and why the coaches recruiting players understandably feel it's not done till it's done.
The early signing period is now five days away.
In one respect, Clemson could use more time to add volume Swinney hadn't anticipated having in this class. In other respects, Wednesday cannot get here fast enough. -- PAUL STRELOW
The first impulse upon seeing Tony Elliott and his family fly back from Charlottesville without a deal is to assume there was some major breakdown in negotiations, some irreconcilable sticking point that kept the deal from getting done.
Though surely the talks didn't go as quickly and as smoothly as everyone involved anticipated, it's not necessarily true that there was some fundamental issue that prolonged the process.
It could be just as much the methodical, careful way Elliott goes about big decisions -- and particularly decisions of the life-changing variety, as this one most certainly is if he chooses to leave Clemson.
Before Thursday, our read all along was that Elliott's preference was Virginia. But we also felt Duke was very much in the picture in his mind, and the Blue Devils remained so as of last night.
Now that he's visited Virginia's campus, it could well be that he wants to do the same with Duke (his visit with the school's administrators on Sunday was in Clemson).
But time is running out. Virginia seems prepared to move forward in talks with Michigan assistant Josh Gattis. Duke seems quite happy with the Mike Elko option. They're both waiting on Elliott to figure out what he wants, but they probably won't wait much longer.
And with Clemson's recruiting ship taking on serious water, it's likely Elliott's boss of the last 11 seasons would like some swift resolution as well. -- LARRY WILLIAMS
From THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Happy Holidays! More marked down officially-licensed Clemson apparel and gear! Visit The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
We wrote yesterday afternoon that Clemson was desperate for good recruiting news to quell public perception of crisis, and the Tigers got it in the form of Irmo (S.C.) Dutch Fork four-star receiver Antonio Williams' commitment.
There are stories to share in the Monday Insider for how it unfolded, and we'll have more on Williams in another piece later today.
But we have another potentially favorable development to report first.
The recruiting fallout for Clemson's coaching turnover, as you know, has manifested in decommitments this week by two touted four-stars from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy -- safety Keon Sabb and defensive end Jihaad Campbell, with Campbell backing off Thursday.
That leaves one IMG commitment left in four-star corner Daylen Everette.
New Clemson commit Antonio Williams gives Clemson two four-star receivers in its 2022 recruiting class.
We brought to light Thursday that UGA has been pushing for Everette, and we have also heard but not corroborated that Alabama has tried getting involved.
Dabo Swinney conducted his in-person visit to the school Thursday.
Per our sources Thursday night, Everette has shut down his recruitment and is expected to stick with Clemson.
IMG allows visiting coaches to meet with its players, committed elsewhere or not. Our understanding is the Everette camp has put restrictions in place to prevent that from occurring.
You can perhaps read between the lines in how opposing schools have managed to push others' doors open.
Campbell spoke by phone with Swinney because he had already gone home to New Jersey. We are told that Clemson's coaches were aware he would not be there, having been cleared to travel home Wednesday.
Our information further points to Texas A&M as the suitor that got to Campbell, and his intent to visit College Station this weekend is what prompted Swinney to inform him he would have to be taken off Clemson's commitment list, making Campbell's comments on social media this week about being all-in with Clemson all the more eye-raising. Hence why we often hesitate to speak in definitive terms, and why the coaches recruiting players understandably feel it's not done till it's done.
The early signing period is now five days away.
In one respect, Clemson could use more time to add volume Swinney hadn't anticipated having in this class. In other respects, Wednesday cannot get here fast enough. -- PAUL STRELOW
The first impulse upon seeing Tony Elliott and his family fly back from Charlottesville without a deal is to assume there was some major breakdown in negotiations, some irreconcilable sticking point that kept the deal from getting done.
Though surely the talks didn't go as quickly and as smoothly as everyone involved anticipated, it's not necessarily true that there was some fundamental issue that prolonged the process.
It could be just as much the methodical, careful way Elliott goes about big decisions -- and particularly decisions of the life-changing variety, as this one most certainly is if he chooses to leave Clemson.
Before Thursday, our read all along was that Elliott's preference was Virginia. But we also felt Duke was very much in the picture in his mind, and the Blue Devils remained so as of last night.
Now that he's visited Virginia's campus, it could well be that he wants to do the same with Duke (his visit with the school's administrators on Sunday was in Clemson).
But time is running out. Virginia seems prepared to move forward in talks with Michigan assistant Josh Gattis. Duke seems quite happy with the Mike Elko option. They're both waiting on Elliott to figure out what he wants, but they probably won't wait much longer.
And with Clemson's recruiting ship taking on serious water, it's likely Elliott's boss of the last 11 seasons would like some swift resolution as well. -- LARRY WILLIAMS
From THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Happy Holidays! More marked down officially-licensed Clemson apparel and gear! Visit The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
