Game-changer and game-wrecker: Peter Woods describes his teammate DeMonte Capehart

Capehart made several plays against Notre Dame last season.

David Hood - Senior Writer - Monday, August 05 2024

CLEMSON – Clemson’s bio of DeMonte Capehart says that he emerged down the stretch in 2023 as one of Clemson's most physical and most destructive interior linemen. Physical and destructive? Peter Woods agrees with that assessment.

Capehart was a force for the Tigers late in the season as Clemson posted a five-game winning streak. He recorded two tackles, including 1.5 for loss, vs. No. 12 Notre Dame, added two tackles (one for loss) with one sack vs. Georgia Tech, earning team defensive player of the game, was credited with one tackle and a pass breakup vs. No. 20 North Carolina, and made one tackle at South Carolina and in the Gator Bowl vs. Kentucky.

But stats don’t tell the entire story—his disruptive play in the middle allows linebackers and defensive ends the freedom to make plays. Woods said he has happily watched—and helped—Capehart take his game to the next level.

“He’s definitely one of those guys who you really, you have to show him, and he soaks it up perfectly fine,” Woods said. "Just wait until you see him on the 31st (season opener). It’s going to be crazy. It is going to be crazy. He's definitely soaking everything up. It's going to be crazy for sure.”

Capehart was asked about a video from last season that shows him bulldozing North Carolina’s center, and he not only said he didn’t remember the play, he didn’t want to take credit for it, either.

“Our strength staff at Clemson is second to none in the country,” Capehart said. “It’s the best in the country. I feel like if we show up every day, we put the work in, then you're going to see results and I guess those are results you get. We have a great defensive staff, so give credit to them. I believe they're the best in the country, and Coach Wes (Wes Goodwin) is a genius and whatever he calls, I have a hundred percent belief in it. Whatever comes out of it, that's what we're going to get.”

Capehart said he’s hungry for more.

“I'm always willing to get better, and I show up every day. I'm not satisfied,” he said. “I show up with a hungry mindset every day. I want to be better.”

Woods then agreed with the description of Capehart as a disruptive force in the middle of the line.

“He's a game-changer, game-wrecker, whatever you want to call it,” Woods said. “He has something that you really can't teach: the heavy-handedness of a defensive lineman that everybody desires. Like, even me. I'm like 'golly.' Like, even accidentally. He was one of those kids that even when he was little he was running and knocking everything over. That's DeMonte.

"The way that translates to the football field: He's a gamer. A game-changer. He can truly, this year, tear up games. Like, literally. And that's what we're starting to see out there. Just the way that he's locked in and really committed to wanting to do that every single down, every single play, of every single game. Y'all going to see."