Clemson Transfer Linebacker Records Career Night in Florida State Victory

The Clemson Tigers picked up a win over the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday night that was aided by its defense, and some new faces helped carry the load on that side of the ball.

A transfer helped make a difference in the win, but it wasn’t a standout like Will Heldt making a big play, it was Alabama transfer Jeremiah Alexander, who’s seen limited snaps over the course of this season.

Saturday night was a career day for the linebacker, recording his first collegiate sack in the fourth quarter for the Tigers. In addition, he made a drive-saving play for the defense deep in Clemson territory, recovering a fumble from Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos to record the first turnover of the game.

Head coach Dabo Swinney commemorated Alexander for doing something that the defense has been needing to do over the last several games: get more turnovers, especially fumbles.

“The defense goes out there and gets a fumble recovery, and that’s really what we haven’t done, you know, as much this year, and for Jeremiah to come up with it,” Swinney said. “Jeremiah Alexander had a fumble recovery and a sack tonight, so to take it away . . I’m just really proud of how they competed.”

Behind the likes of Sammy Brown and Wade Woodaz in the linebacker room, Alexander has quietly collected tackles over the course of every game since Troy in Week 2. However, he picked up five in the win over the Seminoles, slowly becoming more of a presence on the defensive front for Tom Allen’s group.

Swinney says it’s from the belief in himself that has allowed him to be unleashed.

“Now, his attributes are starting to shine, because he’s not playing hesitant, because he can run, he’s physical, he’s a violent player,” the Clemson head coach said. “So, I think he’s just going to keep going, you know, he’s got another year, and he needs it.”

Alexander was a five-star recruit coming out of high school, according to 247Sports Composite attending the same school as Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods in Alabaster, Alabama. He was the top edge rusher in the class of 2022, also being the No. 1 player from the state of Alabama.

However, he chose the Crimson Tide over a plethora of top end schools, but did not play due to multiple factors, including injury. Alexander was also recruited to play as an edge rusher, but decided to make the switch to linebacker for his frame, therefore delaying his process.

“Well, he’s gaining confidence,” Swinney said. “Everybody knows that Jeremiah was a highly recruited guy coming out of high school, but he was an edge guy and, you know, but he was an edge guy and a linebacker body and, you know, he needed to make a move and so at Alabama, he made the move and started building some fundamentals and foundation playing line, but he really didn’t play, hardly, and then he got hurt.”

The Clemson head coach says the reason for Alexander’s play time, despite being highly touted coming out of high school, has just been the learning experience that he has had and the lack of gameplay that he’s received at the position.

While learning, he has gotten exponentially better.

“He just hadn’t had much game experience at backer, and then he comes here,” Swinney said. “So, learning, you know, kind of the terminology and the system and all that and just getting to where he’s not out there thinking, and he’s just gotten better and better and better and better.”

As Clemson heads into the final three games of the season, the defense will look to continue to stack performances, and that could fall on role players like Alexander, who would like to make a splash as the program sees a lot of change on the field next season.

Under the leadership of coach Ben Boulware, who was a linebacker for the Tigers from 2013-16, Swinney believes the best is yet to come.

“I’m just really proud of him because he’s one of the best kids I’ve ever met and been around, and I’m just proud of his progression,” he said. “Ben’s done a great job with him, but there’s more there. There’s more there, but you’re starting to see some of the fruits of his work that he’s put in.”