Could the Clemson football program see its star linebacker return for a sixth season?
The 2020 Clemson football season didn’t end as many wanted it to.
Though the Tigers had their eyes set on the National Championship, they fell short in the CFB Playoff semifinals in a 49-28 blowout loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
With the loss, the Tigers’ season came crashing to a close and they finished the year with a 10-2 overall record and an ACC Championship.
As we continue to look forward to the 2021 offseason, one of the biggest question marks is which seniors and draft eligible players will return and who will leave.
One name many Clemson football fans are keeping their eyes on: LB James Skalski.
Clemson football would love to have Skalski back on the roster for another season
There’s no doubt that this season didn’t come to a close how Skalski wanted it to. For the second-straight year, he was ejected from a playoff game for a targeting call.
While many questioned the call, Skalski handled the situation with class and took to social media following the Tigers’ loss and said that he ‘has to keep his head up,’ referring to the tackle he made on OSU QB Justin Fields.
Everyone can have their opinion on it, but the bottom line is I gotta keep my head up. I have nothing but respect for the game and the people I get to compete against. I have to be better.
— James Skalski (@JamesSkalski) January 2, 2021
While many have begun to speculate on if Skalski’s comments about ‘having to be better’ and his love for the Clemson football program might lead to him coming back for another season, the reality is that there isn’t much reason for him to return.
He’s already been in Clemson for five years. He could potentially up his draft stock a little more by coming back, but the truth is that he’s pretty well cemented in where he’s going to land no matter what we see moving forward. He’s not going to be a first-rounder whether he returns or not.
When you talk about a guy who already has five years of collegiate experience and he’s already won two National Titles, you’re talking about a very small chance that he’d return for another season.
Of course, we didn’t think Christian Wilkins would come back, either.
That being said, Clemson football fans shouldn’t expect that Skalski will return, though we’d love for him to be back.
If he does, it’s almost like the ‘cherry on top,’ similar to Wilkins or Travis Etienne, but the expectation should be that he’s going to head to the NFL and no one could blame him for wanting to begin his professional career.