I’ve said it before and I will say it again and again: sophomore slumps are a real thing.
Clemson Football felt their impact a few times in recent years and it doesn’t often have anything to do with talent. It is usually maturity and health.
Sophomore slump sometimes connotates that the player didn’t try as hard in the offseason as they did before their freshman campaign, so sometimes people don’t apply the term to people who were injured. That is occasionally fair but sometimes people who are injured might not have put all their efforts into conditioning and being physically prepared during the summer.
Antonio Williams had an impressive freshman campaign for the Tigers. There were hopes that he would take another step in 2023. Things started fine but injuries ultimately sidelined Williams for most of the season. Even when he returned, his momentum had been interrupted.
I heard no hints from staff or insiders that anything had been amiss for Williams during his preparation for the 2023 season. Still, this summer we are hearing that he is taking a more urgent approach to physical readiness.
Riley says Antonio Williams “looks different” physically and is excited about him. Says Cole Turner might be the fastest guy on the team. (We’ve heard that before.)
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) July 16, 2024
Dabo Swinney later echoed Garrett Riley’s observations on Williams.
Dabo Swinney says WR Antonio Williams has been "relentless" this offseason. "If I had to pick one guy on this team who's transformed himself, it's Antonio ... He has grown and matured -- who he is today compared to when he got here, it's not even close"
— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) July 16, 2024
Williams appears determined to not allow another season to be taken away from him. The days of the COVID fifth-year senior are coming to an end. When players lose a season to injury, they can become quite motivated to not let it happen again, but they can’t go back in time.
A new dedication to physical readiness this summer could indicate that maybe Williams wasn't doing everything he could to be ready last year.
Hopefully, Clemson’s sophomores are paying attention, because their success will likely dictate how Clemson will play this year.
Tyler Brown, TJ Parker, Peter Woods, Khalil Barnes, Avieon Terrell, Shelton Lewis – six guys who are going to be true sophomores who will probably be starting or a major part of the rotation at their positions. Two more – Jarvis Green and Jay Haynes – could work their way into the running back rotation. Harris Sewell will be competing for the starting center job this fall. Even if he doesn't win it, he will be a key second-stringer at both center and guard.
We saw their talent on the field last season, but expectations are usually conservative for true freshmen. Additionally, no one will be surprised by them this year – there is plenty of game film to watch and dissect.
Success for Clemson in 2024 will depend on how hungry these players will be. Hopefully, they are observing how Williams stepped up his preparation following a sophomore slump.