Grisham has 'no doubt' that Wide Receiver U will be back this season

Tyler Grisham says his group is hungry.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Thu Jul 28 08:00:06 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – Tyler Grisham knows last season’s production from his wide receivers didn’t live up to the lofty expectations at Clemson, but he has no doubts that 2022 will be better.

Inconsistency at quarterback, issues along the offensive line, and injuries and inconsistency at wide receiver all played a part in the Tigers’ dismal offensive showing in 2021. Considering Clemson’s reputation as Wide Receiver U, the lack of production from the wideouts was particularly galling for Grisham, who spoke with a former wide receivers coach about how to get over that hump.

That former wide receivers coach? Head coach Dabo Swinney.

“Yeah, it’s good to have him around. We had some one-on-one conversations,” Grisham said. "After the season, he was even talking to my wife and encouraging her. Like if Tyler can live through that, he can live through anything."

Grisham is determined that 2022 will be better.

"I'm hungry; our guys are hungry to show what we're about and to live up to that standard at Clemson and what we've done all those years,” he said. "You'll see it this year, there's no doubt in my mind."

Joseph Ngata, Justyn Ross, EJ Williams, Will Taylor, Brannon Spector, and Troy Stellato all missed time due to injury last season, and talented freshman Adam Randall tore his ACL during the spring. However, Randall is expected to be back at some point this season.

"People are comparing him to Amari Rodgers' work ethic to get back. When Adam got injured, I happened to be in the receivers room and he was on the phone with Amari, who was giving him advice. 'I would always be doing something extra on the side' is what Amari said,” Grisham said. “To tear your ACL your first spring as a freshman, that's really challenging. And he was doing really well too. It's frustrating as a coach because you want him to come in and contribute. And we thought he could. Man, he was lights out. I think the main thing is just to stay encouraged.

"When fall camp begins, it's going to be hard watching his teammates out there. Right now, he's in good spirits. He helped us out with the ladies' clinic and his mom, Wanda, was there. He's ahead of schedule; that's what I'll say about his recovery. They rave about him down there. They have to pull him back because he wants to do more. Want to make sure he does it safely and progresses the way he needs to."

Another healthy body is Ngata, who is the healthiest he’s been since he arrived on campus from California as a freshman.

"He had a phenomenal winter, and he maintained that through the entire spring,” Grisham said of Ngata. “I'm hearing great things about him this summer, especially leadership and his ability to show up day in and day out and compete and do so at 100 percent, full speed."

Stellato is another one that simply needs to stay on the field.

"Troy finished the spring really well. The thing for him is just staying healthy,” Grisham said. “It's going to take extra for him to stay healthy, he's got to think like a pro in that aspect."

Freshman wide receiver Antonio Williams will get a chance to shine this fall.

“Guys are raving about him, both on offense and defense. When you have your defensive guys talking about a receiver-- they don't want to give a receiver much praise, those DBs,” he said. "So whenever you can get that, especially about a freshman, that's pretty awesome. He knew there was a need for someone like him in our offense after losing Amari a couple of seasons ago. He's done exceptionally well from what I've heard this summer."

Sophomore Beaux Collins will play all over the field, and Grisham detailed what he wants to see out of Collins.

"I think just dominance. Being a guy that we can put to the field, to the boundary, and if we need him in the slot, we can put him there,” Grisham said. "He's going to play everywhere. I think for him retaining all that information, but also being a no-doubt, one-on-one guy. Like I see one-on-one, I'm giving him a shot more times than not. Same thing with Ngata. We need guys that will go win those 50-50s. I think sheer dominance is needed out there this season. That's what Beaux expects too. He's hard on himself, man.

"He expects excellence. Sometimes I have to talk him off the ledge a little bit."