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Clemson redshirt freshman defensive back Corian Gipson entered the season as a depth piece at cornerback, expected to spend another year developing behind veterans. After logging just 14 defensive snaps across four games in 2024, his outlook shifted dramatically in early October when backup nickel Shelton Lewis decided to sit out the rest of the season with plans to transfer.
The Tigers suddenly needed help at nickel. Gipson was ready for the challenge.
“I started a couple of weeks ago, and I like it so far,” Gipson said Tuesday about the switch. “Just a variety of things. It’s safety, corner — there’s a lot of things you can do on the field. You’re everywhere around the ball.”
Cornerbacks coach Mike Reed praised Gipson’s mindset and willingness to adapt last month during the early stages of cross-training between corner and nickel.
“He’s accepted the challenge,” Reed said. “That’s one thing about Corian, he’s a fighter. He’s going to give you everything he’s got because he wants to compete. He wants to be out there.”
Reed added that Gipson’s natural tools make him a perfect fit for the position. “He has that skill set. He’s physical, strong. He’s fast. He’s smart. He’s got it all. He’s gonna be a very good one.”
Since Lewis’s departure following the Syracuse game, Gipson has gone from a spectator to a significant contributor. He’s logged 76 defensive snaps, including a season-high 26 in Clemson’s 24-10 win over Florida State on Saturday — a breakout performance that featured two pass breakups.
The highlight came late in the fourth quarter when Gipson’s sharp coverage and perfect timing led to a deflection that safety Ricardo Jones intercepted, sealing the game.
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Head coach Dabo Swinney had stated previously, after the SMU loss, that man-to-man coverage in the secondary needed to improve and that pass interference calls were often a result of defensive backs not turning their heads to locate the ball. Gipson’s technique on the key fourth-quarter play was exactly what the staff had been preaching.
“I mean, it was a textbook play from a technique standpoint, and for him to get his hand on it,” Swinney said in the postgame press conference. “But I thought that was a great play by Gip and it absolutely can do wonders for his confidence as he keeps moving in his career.”
Gipson, a former four-star recruit from Fort Worth, Texas, has endured his share of challenges. He tore his ACL early in his senior year at Lancaster High School, a setback that derailed his final season. His recent on-field success was especially meaningful considering how long it took to get back to full strength.
“I’ll say something I dreamed about my whole life, just making plays for a team I dreamed about playing for,” Gipson said. “So, it was a blessing just to make the plays, breaking off my left foot again.”
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound speedster now feels more confident and that belief stems from more than just being healthy. It’s also about the trust he’s earned from new defensive coordinator Tom Allen.
“Having a coach like Coach Allen, just coming in, he didn’t know too much," Gipson said. "So, he just gave me that confidence, talking to me, telling me that I’m ‘Him,’ I can be who I be, if I put the work in and do what I’m supposed to do. And myself just building up that confidence and not forgetting that it’s football.”
Clemson (4-5, 3-4 ACC) will look to build on the momentum from Saturday’s victory when it travels to Louisville (7-2, 4-2) for a Friday night matchup. Gipson’s emergence at nickel could prove critical as the Tigers aim to finish the season strong, with a young defender who’s turning potential into production.
