Clemson Football: Six Mystery Freshmen

Jackson Smith & Robert Gunn III

Smith & Gunn are the two dedicated special teams players from the 2022 Class. Smith was brought in to punt, and Gunn to kick. Both are redshirt candidates, but there are circumstances under which either could be called upon early.

Gunn is the most likely to redshirt this season. He suffered an ACL injury during his senior season of high school football that required surgery. He appears well on the way to a full recovery and was kicking 60 yard field goals without a brace back in June.

Smith has been a little more of a mystery during camp this season because the Tigers have to find a new starting punter. Smith may be a true freshman, but he’s been given the opportunity to compete for the job with incumbent kicker BT Potter and fourth-year player Aidan Swanson.

The punting competition has created a little drama and a little concern amongst fans this fall. There have been times the press has been allowed to observe the competition and the opinions expressed were not good. Other times the coaches have been blunt about the lack of progress among the candidates.

Coach Swinney explained it this way:

"“That first practice may have been the worst punt drill I’ve ever seen in my life. I was pretty much thinking about moving it to the end of practice because it ruined my day the rest of the day.”"

Later in camp, Swinney indicated that not everything with the punters had been negative, and talked up Smith’s performance at one point:

"“My man Jack Smith won the day today. He was just bombing it. He looks like the guy that we brought in here that won the scholarship. And then Aidan has been awesome. B.T. is just steady.”"

If I had to guess where this competition goes, my gut says Smith would just have to blow the staff away to be the starter. Swanson probably gets the job, but if he can’t be consistent, I could see Potter taking the punting job. In both those scenarios, Smith likely redshirts.

The scenario with Potter punting might open a door for Gunn. Doing placekicking, kickoffs and punting puts more work on Potter’s leg than he’s had in the past. If Potter punts, there is a chance the Tigers look for someone to take the kickoff duties of his plate. That alternative could be Gunn.