Clemson Football

The Ones Who Stayed: Clemson’s Unusual Retention and the Urgency It Created

The ones who stayed are ready to finish what they started in Tiger Town.
By Lawton Swann
August 19, 2025
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Photo by Ken Ruinard - USA TODAY Sports

On a rainy August night in Clemson, South Carolina, several players crowd around a weathered dining table in an off-campus apartment. The overhead light flickers faintly, casting shadows over takeout containers and half-empty Gatorade bottles. Phones buzz with group texts—film room reminders, lifting schedules, and a familiar message from Khalil Barnes: "Y’all good for dinner tomorrow? Bring your appetite."

The music's paused. The laughter lingers.

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The Ones Who Stayed: Clemson’s Unusual Retention and the Urgency It Created

2,818 Views | 0 Replies | Last: 3 mo ago by Lawton Swann
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