The coaches' whistles still blow, but the loudest voices setting the standard at Clemson's fall camp are coming from the players themselves.
Head coach Dabo Swinney calls it "level three accountability," a culture where the team is no longer waiting for a coach to correct a mistake. And according to the veterans on this Tiger team, it's the defining trait that could fuel a championship run.
"That’s when the players are holding themselves accountable as opposed to waiting on somebody else to correct us," senior offensive lineman Collin Sadler said. "Really just being on point, holding each other accountable has been a big point of emphasis this offseason for us."
A 'Diversity of Leadership'
This isn't a top-down mandate from a few select captains. According to offensive tackle Tristan Leigh, it's a widespread movement with players leading in their own unique ways.
"Something that’s special about this team is how much diversity we have in leadership," Leigh said. "Not everybody is the 'rah-rah' guy... Some guys lead by example and how they practice. They set the example every day. We have guys that are hype men and guys that bring in different aspects."
That leadership is bubbling up from every corner of the roster. Offensive lineman Blake Miller effortlessly rattled off names from both sides of the ball—Peter Woods, T.J. Parker, Sammy Brown on defense; Cade Klubnik, Bryant Wesco Jr., and T.J. Moore on offense—as players who are vocal and bringing energy daily.
This player-driven culture, born from a roster with one of the highest return rates in the nation, has a clear and singular purpose.
"Every year, we go into the year with expectation and to be our absolute best," Leigh stated. "Hopefully, if we focus on being our absolute best every single day and look up and be the best, that’s always the goal... We’ve all lived a lot of life together, fought through a lot together and collectively, we have the same goal and same mission."