Clemson WR Tristan Smith Retells Process of Receiving Extra Year of Eligibility

It was a long road for the former junior-college standout, but Tristan Smith had an emotional story after the court made its decision.

Clemson receiver Tristan Smith (3) received an extra year of eligibility this June. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Until the middle of June, Clemson wideout Tristan Smith had to hold his breath as judges looked to determine if he could have an extra year of eligibility. 

Generally a calm, cool and collected player that brings the energy to the Tigers, nerves began to settle in during that week, which pushed the ruling back from the beginning of the week to Friday. This week, Smith had a chance to share his experience for when he was able to hear the good news of playing in the 2026 season. 

The fifth-year was visualizing himself playing next season throughout the spring, so he remained with the team and worked out at Clemson still. 

“I would say the process went really smoothly,” he said on Friday. “I had a lot of coaches; I had my lawyer, my agent, and I had all of them in my corner. Even while I was going through my court case, I was still lifting weights. I was doing everything with the team.”

At the end of the week, when the decision would be made, however, the uncertainty of the opportunity to play college football again settled in. So, Smith did something that some people typically do when they get stressed out over something. 

He slept on it.

“The judge told us we were going to get the news that Friday, but I was anxious the whole week,” he said. “I was nervous, I was scared, but that day came, and it was as soon as I got home, I took a nap during my free time.”

Smith had the positive news when he woke up, receiving an upbeat message from his lawyer, Darren Heitner. 

“I woke up to an email in my phone,” he said. “It was like, ‘Winners are going to win,’ from my lawyer, and I just broke down in tears.”

The extra year comes after Smith spent his first two seasons at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. While the receiver was forced out of the talks, he and Heitner fought towards getting that year back by suing in January, seeing it occur with former Oregon wideout Malik Benson, who attended Smith’s school and got the year. 

After transferring to Southeast Missouri State, the LaGrange, Ga., native went closer to home for his fourth year, joining a Clemson team that displayed its close-knit culture when Smith got the news that he would be returning in 2026. 

“As soon as I got that news, Coach Swinney called me,” he said. “He was the first one to call me, and every coach on the coaching staff called me. Every coach, all the players, all the coaching staff called me.”

Even while looking to tell his mother, Ericia, the news, she already knew about it, leading to an emotional call that had hear ring him first.

“But she was really excited,” Smith said. “The first thing she said was like she was going to bring the whole family to LSU. That was the first thing she said. So, that was a really good moment being with her.”

Smith now officially returns to a wide receiver room that features the likes of standouts T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr., and will have to compete with a trio of standout freshmen as well as other names to get reps. Players like Tyler Brown, Juju Preston and Cole Turner will also be competing, meaning every receiver will get better with the amount of quality in the room. 

Fortunately, for his belief that he would be back on a football field again, Smith never stopped working, and he will look to take advantage of that final year in 2026. 

“I would say during this process, really just focus on making myself better as a football player. Really just whatever happens, happens, at the end of the day.”