Skalski says coming back for sixth year was easy decision

Skalski had five tackles and a sack against Notre Dame. (Photo courtesy ACC)

by Zachary Wagner - Correspondent - Fri Feb 26 08:01:03 GMT-04:00 2021

There are six Clemson players who are returning to campus thanks to an NCAA waiver and they are a tight-knit group according to James Skalski.

“We all came in together, we’re pretty tight, and that’s pretty easy coming together as a group and looking at each other and being like ‘Hey, let’s go do this again.” Skalski told the media about his decision to come back for another year. “It wasn’t one guy pulling another guy over, no we communicate with each other and we’re on the same page.”

Skalski said his mind was pretty much made up about coming back for an unprecedented sixth year before the Tigers' loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

“There’s a lot of more that played a factor (into coming back) than that game,” Skalski said. “That game definitely did help though.”

Skalski said that some of those other factors had to do with his health and still having room to improve and grow as a player. The senior dealt with a groin injury for the latter part of October and the early part of November and missed the Tigers' first regular-season loss in over three years, a double-overtime loss at Notre Dame.

“I mainly came back because I feel like I didn’t get a full year of health, and I feel like I still have room to grow and just a lot of uncertainties with COVID," he said.

If the Georgia native had decided to take his talents elsewhere, he would have gone down as one of the most decorated Clemson Tigers in program history. A two-time National Champion, five-time ACC Champion and five straight trips to the College Football Playoffs. In Clemson’s ACC Championship Game win over Notre Dame last season, Skalski became the first player in conference history to appear in five conference championship games, a record he can break next year if the Tigers make it back to Charlotte.

“It’s crazy. I can remember growing up, and I’m a Georgia kid and watching the ACC Championship and wanting to win one of those," Skalski said. "Now I look up and see everything I wanted and I’m so thankful to be a part of it.”