Happy Thanksgiving from Clemson Sports Talk
It has been a long season and the weeks have passed by in a blink. The twelfth week of Clemson football concludes Saturday as the ACC Championship and bowl season approaches.
Prior to the season's end, and before every bowl game imaginable can be played, let's take a look back at who Clemson should be thankful for on this holiday.
Offense - Travis Etienne
Entering the season, question marks surrounded Clemson's offense. The Tigers lost so many offensive weapons from the 2016 National Championship team; it would undoubtedly be difficult to be as successful in 2017.
Everyone knew that Kelly Bryant had Deon Cain and Hunter Renfrow, in the downfield passing game, but who would he hand the ball off to out of the backfield?
With a handful of names to choose from entering the season, the pecking order seemed to be set by seniority.
CJ Fuller, Adam Choice, Tavien Feaster, and Travis Etienne all got touches and opportunities to prove themselves during in-game action.
But one stood out.
The fourth-string, true freshman from Louisiana, Etienne created the most buzz.
Etienne, a recruit that had never even visited campus, became the story of the early season after ripping off three runs of over 50 yards in the first three games of the year.
Initially, seen as a "closer" for Clemson at running back, Etienne quickly earned more carries. Fast forward a few months, and now the freshman shares first-team reps and is setting Clemson freshman records.
With his second rushing touchdown against The Citadel, Etienne broke CJ Spiller's freshman rushing touchdown record with his 11th of the season.
For the year Etienne has 679 yards on 88 carries, an average of 7.7 yards per rush.
Nobody, including the coaching staff, expected Etienne to commit to the Tigers, but everyone is thankful that he did.
Defense - Austin Bryant
Last season, Austin Bryant was expected to have a big year at defensive end, but an injury kept him on the sidelines and allowed versatile big man Christian Wilkins to move to defensive end for most of the 2016 season.
Bryant played sparingly last year, but with him healthy, Clemson's defensive line might be better than last season.
Wilkins moved back inside to Carlos Watkins' old spot, alongside Dexter Lawrence. Clelin Ferrell and Bryant control the edge upfront giving Clemson a strong, athletic, and versatile defensive line.
Bryant returned, in a new jersey (#7), with the same menacing style of play that we saw late in his freshman season where he filled in admirably for an injured Shaq Lawson in the College Football Playoffs.
The junior from Pavo, Georgia entered 2017 with just 35 total tackles and four sacks, but it didn't take him long to get "up to speed."
Bryant played a significant role in Clemson's victory over Auburn in September with seven total tackles including four sacks on Jarrett Stidham that sealed the 14-6 win.
Already exceeding his combined season totals from both 2015 and 2016, defensive coordinator Brent Venables should be very appreciative of Bryant's 44 total tackles and 7.5 sacks for the Tigers this season.
Bryant has given Clemson's opponents another name to fear on the defensive line; something Tiger fans are quite thankful for.
Honorable Mention: Justin Falcinelli
Normally when the media is talking about a player its probably because of something great they've done, or a critical mistake that they've made. The only exception to that rule might be the offensive line and more specifically, the center.
If nobody is talking about Falcinelli, that's probably a good thing.
One of the most overlooked pieces of last year's team was Jay Guillermo. A two-time All-ACC player, Coach Swinney and Deshaun Watson could count on a good snap from Guillermo.
Falcinelli has stepped into huge shoes and filled them perfectly.
While overlooked on the stat sheet, Falcinelli undoubtedly is appreciated by Dabo Swinney, Robbie Caldwell, and Kellly Bryant. The redshirt junior has done a tremendous job, and few people probably recognize how large of a role Falcinelli plays.
Don't believe me? Let him snap a few over Kelly Braynt's head, and you might get the picture.
Etienne, Bryant, and Falcinelli have all been huge parts of Clemson's success in 2017 and have helped make Clemson one of the top teams in the nation this season.
While Clemson gives thanks, we at Clemson Sports Talk want to thank you for your continued support of our brand.
Happy Thanksgiving, Clemson Tiger Nation.