Built for the Moment: How Lifting and Coaching Prepared Grant Wise for His First Start
Clemson freshman offensive lineman Grant Wise arrived on campus expecting to play center. After spending much of his first season providing depth at guard, the 6-foot-4, 300-pounder finally got his opportunity Saturday in one of the ACC's most challenging road environments.
With starting center Harris Sewell sidelined by an ankle injury, Wise made his first career start and played all 68 offensive snaps in Clemson's 18-13 victory over Syracuse inside the JMA Wireless Dome.
The true freshman from Pace High School in Pace, Florida, helped the Tigers overcome the absence of their veteran center while contributing to a rushing attack that produced 162 yards.
“I can’t say enough about Grant Wise,” head coach Dabo Swinney said after the game. “He competed his butt off. It’s a true freshman coming on the road, playing center in an environment like this. It’s really, really loud, and I’m really proud of him and how he managed the game.”
Although Wise had appeared briefly at guard earlier this season, he explained Tuesday that moving to center was less of an adjustment than some might have expected.
"I'd say it wasn't really a transition," Wise said. "I came to Clemson to play center. I worked at center mostly in the spring. I'd say, I had to transition to guard at the beginning of the season to help out wherever I was needed."
Playing center runs in the family. Wise's father, Ty, was a three-year starter and two-time captain at Miami from 1996-99, earning first-team All-Big East honors before becoming an assistant coach and strength coach at Pace.
Wise played three seasons under longtime Pace coach Kent Smith before finishing his high school career under Smith's son, Vance, who called the 247Sports No. 241 overall prospect in the 2026 class the best player in school history.
Wise credited his father and both coaches for their influence.
"I think they've affected me in different ways. Obviously, my dad working with me for the longest time. That was huge," he said. "But then also kind of getting a different perspective and just getting to learn from some just great role models that have really been huge for me in just so many ways that it's hard to kind of explain."
His older brother, Ty Wise Jr., also played center at Pace and won a state weightlifting championship, inspiring Grant to pursue the sport and eventually break several of his brother's school records.
As a junior, Wise captured Florida state championships in both Olympic and traditional weightlifting classifications. His accomplishments included a 295-pound snatch, which remains a record in his weight class, a 365-pound clean and jerk, and a maximum bench press of 440 pounds.
Wise said the weightlifting background helped him as an offensive lineman and in his transition to college football.
"I think being stronger coming in definitely helped," he noted. "It helps me kind of not have to focus on it as much. Obviously, I have to keep developing and getting stronger, but I could kind of focus more on the mental side of the game, kind of having an advantage coming in a little bit with the strength."
That strength allowed Wise to devote more attention to learning the offense. While it also provided a solid foundation, his training at Clemson has become more football-specific, emphasizing movements designed to improve his performance on the field rather than in weightlifting competitions.
Saturday's start provided Wise an opportunity to put that preparation into practice while gaining valuable game experience. Swinney acknowledged that neither Wise nor sophomore Gavin Blanchard, who stepped in at guard for injured starter Elyjah Thurmon, was likely perfect on Saturday.
Asked how he handles a missed assignment or unsuccessful rep, Wise explained the importance of learning from mistakes.
"I'd say just you either win or you learn. You either win the rep or there's something from the rep that you can learn and get better at."
With Sewell recovering from a tightrope surgical procedure and his earliest possible return coming Nov. 20 at Duke, Wise is expected to make his second consecutive start Saturday when Clemson (6–3, 4–2 ACC) hosts Georgia Tech (2–7, 1–5 ACC).
