Three Players To Watch Ahead of Clemson vs. Duke

The Clemson Tigers will look to get back to winning ways on Saturday afternoon at home, facing the Duke Blue Devils in an ACC affair.

Clemson has shown emphasis on finishing the season strong, needing to win at least three of its last five games to make a bowl game for the 21st straight season.

Especially with the team looking towards its future over the next several games, here are some players to watch ahead of the matchup for Clemson.

Tristan Smith

Viewers have seen the small pockets of highlights that wide receiver Tristan Smith has brought in his first season as a transfer, and now he will get the chance to compete with a starting role on Saturday.

After the season-ending neck injury to star Bryant Wesco Jr., head coach Dabo Swinney said that Smith would get a lot more touches as the team’s deep threat, and the Southeast Missouri State transfer even made his mark immediately after Wesco went out.

Smith scored his first touchdown as a Tiger against SMU on Oct. 18, with quarterback Christopher Vizzina giving him a jump ball that he was able to haul in for a 23-yard touchdown.

The 6-foot-5 transfer was also named as a captain ahead of Saturday’s matchup, adding more potential buzz that he will receive a lot more production in this game.

Swinney also mentioned that Cole Turner would also serve as a deep threat receiver on the sidelines, but it will be Smith’s frame that ends up being the bigger factor. Having almost a four inch advantage over the Duke secondary, don’t be surprised if you see more jump balls at Memorial Stadium.

Gideon Davidson

Clemson’s highly-touted running back hasn’t been a game wrecker just yet, but promises from press conferences show that Davidson may be seeing more snaps as the season continues to go on.

When offensive coordinator Garrett Riley spoke to the media this week, he hinted about more of the running backs receiving more production, especially with starter Adam Randall graduating at the end of the season.

“We’ve got guys that can help us, so we just got to let them do it and let them play and have to go through, if it’s growing pains or whatever it is,” Riley said, “like we’re just going to have to do that because, ultimately, it’s going to help our team.”

Davidson has seen more snaps as the season has gone on, and that could be raised even more as the season continues. Duke is ranked 11th in the ACC in run defense, averaging 130 yards per game on the ground, making it a potential coming-out party if the Tigers can find success on that side of the game.

Clemson will need to have a balanced offense if it wants to win on Saturday, and the run game will need to be used. So, why not throw in a little spark?

Ashton Hampton

Hampton plays opposite standout cornerback Avieon Terrell in the secondary, but despite a slower start, he’s been able to get better as the season has progressed.

It’s caught the eye of head coach Dabo Swinney, who says that Hampton has been playing “at a high level” for the team over the last several weeks.

“He’s kind of really settled in, and he’s playing with a lot of confidence, so it’s been good,” Swinney said.

Duke will throw the ball a lot on Saturday, meaning a lot of the share will be coming Hampton’s way. The Blue Devils lead the ACC in passing yards per game, and being able to stop that attack led by quarterback Darian Mensah will be key to Clemson’s success.

Hampton is coming off a performance of two pass deflections and two breakups against SMU, including a tackle for a loss at the line of scrimmage as well.

Especially with how frequently Duke will move the ball through the air, a lot of eyes will be on the sophomore to continue to get better with each game. If he continues to do so, the Tigers could have a great chance of defending home turf with a win.