Troy Stellato brings toughness as difference maker in Clemson offense

Stellato scored his second career touchdown in win at Wake Forest.

Grayson Mann - Staff Writer - Monday, October 14 2024

CLEMSON - Appreciate every moment.

Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney says Troy Stellato treats every snap like it could be his last.

Stellato is no stranger to long-term injuries, having missed significant time with an ACL tear and labrum surgery. He also dealt with hamstring and heel injuries early in his career.

The road to playing time hasn’t been easy, but he battled to get back on the gridiron.

He found his way onto the field in 2023, having played 12 games and starting six. He recorded 38 receptions for 321 yards and a touchdown.

Now entering 2024, he’s found his footing in a receiving room that’s risen in talent.

What may separate the junior from the rest of the pack is his willingness to make contact, his finding the right spot in the zones, and his acceptance that he could be popped for yardage.

Swinney has noticed this within his veteran receiver and saw that toughness on display against Wake Forest.

Against the Demon Deacons, Stellato recorded six catches and a career-high 72 yards. Many will see the stat line as a sign of the junior’s growth, but Swinney sees his demeanor as the ultimate takeaway his guy is trending in the right direction.

“I just think he really values being able to play, and he's one of these guys that gets banged up, but he's still somehow finding a way to keep going,” Swinney said. “I mean, he's a tough kid, he's a tough competitor. He's certainly got skills for sure. He can make contested catches, but I'm proud of him, and I'm really happy for him because, again, he's been through a lot. So it's good to see him having some success and being able to make a big difference for us.”

With the offseason additions of T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco, the Clemson receiving room became rather crowded, with plenty of talent vying for playing time.

Still, Stellato has embraced that “junkyard dog” attitude, scraping for reps every chance he gets.

Swinney believes his performance against Wake Forest is a reflection of that depth within the receiving corps.

“Troy's working hard,” Swinney said. “I mean, again, he's taken advantage of his opportunity and been a difference maker and it's just a reflection of the depth that we have at that position and the amount of guys that are contributing.”

Stellato's journey wasn’t as simple as recovering from injuries; he also took time off the field to mature.

Swinney said that the young receiver had a choice to make. Much like the persona Stellato has molded on the field, he chose to take the bumps in stride.

“I'd say he was running real hot and just had a lot of growing and maturing to do. I think that it just was harder than he thought when he first got to college,” Swinney said. “All that goes into it, not just playing football, but just everything from a program standpoint, including commitment, accountability, school, and all the stuff that you have to do, and then you throw in the injuries. I mean, he's had just an incredible amount of injuries for a couple of years, but he's just, he's pushed through, and when you overcome, you become.

“I mean, you have to overcome something to become something, and he's overcome adversity, challenges, setbacks, because you all of us have things that we deal with in life, but you have to choose to keep going, and he's chose to keep going.”

Stellato certainly has pushed forward, and he’s seeing the fruits of his labor.

As the season begins to take shape, he will look to establish his role within the receiving room. The bumps and bruises of a long season will accumulate, but Stellato continues to embrace that side of football.

It was once all he knew, but now, he’s using that grit to give Clemson added toughness to a dynamic offense.