Clemson Kicker Alex Spence Ready for His Time

Redshirt junior Alex Spence didn’t lose a wink of sleep after head coach Dabo Swinney called him one evening and told him he’d be the Tigers’ starting kicker moving forward.

Greg Huegel started the season as Clemson’s kicker, but tore his ACL at the end of a Wednesday practice during a two-minute drill.

Spence didn’t know how serious Huegel’s injury was until Swinney called him.

“It really didn’t sink in. It kind of felt like I was in a dream — like, there’s no way that actually happened,” Spence said Tuesday. “Coach Swinney called me later that night and I didn’t really have any time to comprehend it. I was just like, ‘OK, I guess I’ll just be ready to practice as a starter tomorrow.’ And then it kind of started sinking in more as the week went on.”

Spence has little game experience, but went 4-for-4 during a scrimmage. One of those kicks came from 51 yards out. Swinney mentioned earlier this week that Spence’s long in practice is 53 yards.

During the third quarter against Boston College, the score was tied 7-7 and fans in the stadium became anxious that it may come down to a kick in crunch time to give the Tigers a win. In fact, if it wasn’t for a great throw and catch to Diondre Overton on third-and-nine, Spence may have had to come in and make a 47-yarder to give Clemson a lead.

During those moments in crunch time, Spence can’t get too high or too low emotionally on the sideline.

“I’m used to being able to get real excited on the sidelines and cheer our teammates on and yell and stuff like that. I had to tone it down now. Calm down,” Spence continued. “That was a little different so I had some other specialists, I told them, ‘If I get too excited or anything, keep me calm. Tell me to calm down.’”

Going in to the primetime matchup in a hostile environment, Spence has started to think about making a huge kick on a big stage.

 “It’s starting to cross my mind a little bit,” Spence said. “Maybe in the hotel room Friday whenever we have a little bit of downtime, that I might actually have to go out there and do something special for the team. I feel like I’m ready to do that and as the weeks go on.”

If Clemson’s game against the Hokies came down do a game-winning field goal in the final moments, it would be nothing short of suspenseful.