Redshirt Report: Bryton Constantin recaps recovery from torn ACL

Constantin hopes to be ready for 2020.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Feb 08 07:43:04 GMT-04:00 2020

Linebacker Bryton Constantin arrived on campus knowing he would have to redshirt the 2019 season after suffering a torn ACL in high school. His hope was that he would be recovered enough to play by late October and appear in a few games before the end of the season. Another torn ACL ended those hopes, but he’s on track to be ready by the start of fall practice in August.

Constantin is a former four-star prospect in the 2019 class who arrived on campus in June. He originally tore his ACL in February playing basketball, and he was eyeing a late October or early November date as a potential return to action. However, he tore the ACL again in September and was forced to miss the entire season.

Constantin was a unanimous four-star linebacker, and a Top 100 player according to Rivals.com, who listed him as No. 94 overall player, fifth-best inside linebacker and seventh-best player from Louisiana. He was ranked as the fourth-best inside linebacker in the nation by ESPN, who see him as No. 157-best overall player in the nation and 10th-best player from Louisiana. He was ranked No. 199 in the nation by 247Sports, he was the sixth-best inside linebacker and seventh-best player from Louisiana in their ratings.

He helped University Lab to state championships in 2017 and 2018 and had 104 tackles, including 23 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2017.

He sat down with TigerNet to discuss the season:

Recovery from surgery

“I’ve been doing really well though. I started running in Phoenix around the track the first time back at practice. I’m doing pretty well. The next stage is really doing therapy every day. I already went through (the injury comeback) once so it will be everything over again.”

Lessons from first injury comeback

“Truly just a mental game. The doctors in today’s world, I know they know what they’re doing when it comes to surgery. I’m not really worried about that. I’m worried about my mental game. A lot of people would expect me to fall off. Not really be up to date and be able to come back in play. I just want to let everyone know it’s the complete opposite. I’m going to stay engaged and around my teammates to feel like I’m a part -- so whenever I come back, it will be like I never left.”

Best parts of his game

“As much I really want to see that (showing best parts of game), I just want to be great, I’m just going to tell the Clemson fans that I’m going to do my best to be great and win national championships to come and can’t wait to you guys out there.”

Coach Brent Venables

“Coach V is a perfectionist. He’s a great guy and wants to be the best at what he does. Clearly he is the best at what he does. Day-in and day-out watching film and just preparing for the best teams in the country … You’ve got to get in and watch film and do it day-in and day-out and he does a great job with it.”

Role with the team during the rehab process

“I’m out there every day at practice either watching or inside working out. But whenever I’m out there watching, I’m definitely encouraging my teammates every time they make a good play I’m there for them -- and every time they do something bad, I’m still there for them. I’m just encouraging my teammates because I know it’s hard out here being a college athlete. I’m just there for them, anything they need basically.”