Jason Priester/All Clemson
Playmaker Antonio Williams to Make Rivalry Debut for Tigers
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Antonio Williams will play in the Palmetto Bowl for the first time in his career Saturday at noon.
But it won't be for the team that resides 15 minutes from his hometown of Irmo. The freshman receiver debuts in the rivalry wearing orange and playing in front of the home crowd at Memorial Stadium.
Despite looking like a potential Gamecock commit in the summer of 2021, when several recruiting analysts made crystal ball predictions of him to South Carolina, Williams is a full-fledged Clemson Tiger and has become quarterback DJ Uiagalelei's most trusted target from the receiver room.
"He does a really good job of getting open, getting separation," Uiagalelei said about Williams. "He's a threat. He's a tough guy to cover one-on-one, even in zone (coverage). And he just has a really good feel for the game. He's a smart player and he's an athlete. He does a really good job out there."
It didn't take long for Williams to find a significant role for the Tigers. That might not have been the case had he stayed home and played at South Carolina. Williams leads Clemson with 47 receptions for 506 yards.
He's caught two touchdowns and has hauled in 14 passes in the last two games, but it's how he handles himself that's impressed the Tigers.
"I think of a guy that there's no stage too big, too bright for him," Clemson offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said. "He's been in a lot of scenarios now that we've been through 11 games. He hasn't really wavered in any of those situations. I'm excited for him and proud of him for what he's been able to do. A lot of it comes down to poise. Especially as a young kid, that's hard to do."
The slot receiver will get a chance to have an impact against the Gamecocks, who certainly wanted Williams on their team. But despite head coach Shane Beamer making Williams a recruiting priority, Williams decided to accept Clemson's late scholarship offer.
"I didn't get my first offer until I think my junior year, so I was kind of late and all that, but, Clemson was my last offer, so it took a while," Williams said earlier this season. "I was kind of waiting on it. I didn't know it was gonna happen, but I'm glad they offered me and probably the best decision I've made in my life."
It's certainly worked out for him thus far, and he'll be a player the Gamecock defense will have to account for on every snap.
"He has confidence in himself and you can see it by the way he plays and he just does a good job of just being him...not letting anything get to him," Uiagalelei said. "Doesn't matter if he makes a mistake, he just lets it roll right off his shoulder. He just keeps playing, keeps playing his game."
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