Trotter steps up in sudden first career start

Trotter suffered an injury in the lead-up to the Georgia opener.

by Zachary Wagner - Correspondent - Mon Oct 18 18:17:31 GMT-04:00 2021

Mason Trotter did not have the start to the season that many expected. All during spring and fall camps, the redshirt sophomore offensive linemen was posed and ready to be on the field to start the game against Georgia in Charlotte. Trotter was expected to start at either center or a guard position and contribute to the Clemson offense from the start.

Then, came the injury. During a walk-through prior to the opening game of the season, Trotter broke his hand and was sidelined for the first five games of the season. This past week, the Sunday practice in the short week was his first day back of not having the club on to give him enough movement to where he could start snapping again.

After appearing in nine games in reserve last year, Trotter was missed along the offensive line early this season. The Roebuck, South Carolina native made his season debut for the Tigers last Friday against Syracuse and played 77 snaps at the center position in Clemson's 17-14 win over the Orange. Trotter got the start after starter Hunter Rayburn entered COVID protocol prior to the game.

While the injury was a setback to Trotter, he is ready to come back and show Clemson fans why he was in the preseason mix for the starting center position.

“It was pretty disappointing because I knew I was going to get a chance to go out there and prove myself,” said Trotter. “Everything happens for a reason, and I just took it like that. I told myself I was going to work myself back and try to get here.”

Trotter said he was not expecting to get the start until he was told so on Friday, but once he learned that he would be going out there with the first team to start the game, he was ready for his moment.

“I wasn’t really expecting it, because it was the day of,” Trotter said. “I didn’t really know what to think, and I told myself ‘I guess it’s time to go.’ It all happens for a reason and I knew I was ready because I always prepare like I’m going to have to go out there and play and step up.”

Trotter said finding out that he was starting so suddenly had some perks to it.

“It has its benefits because I wasn’t having to think about it all week and worry,” said Trotter. “I just had to take that day, and go do what I had to do.”

“I was pleased with my performance, overall I think I did good,” Trotter said of his game versus Syracuse. “Obviously the (one errant) snaps didn’t go how I wanted and there were some plays here and there that I was disappointed with. But overall, I think I did good. That’s always what they preach, next play. You can’t sit there and think about the bad plays because that’s just going to mess up the next play. Everyone was very encouraging and said not to worry about it and that’s just what I had to do.”

Trotter lines up next to his former high school teammate on the offensive line in left tackle Jordan McFadden. Trotter said that McFadden has been a great role model and always a shoulder to lean on and a voice to learn from.

“It’s great having Jordan (McFadden) here,” Trotter said. “He’s shown me the way a lot of the time because he’s come from the same program. We grew up playing little league together. Having him there by my side and showing me what’s going on is a really big help. Transitioning from high school to college, he was always there to help me and show me what to do to be successful here.”

With Rayburn set to miss this week's game up in Pittsburgh, Trotter will most likely have snapping duties once again. Clemson and Pitt will kick off from Heinz Field at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon (ESPN).