Veterans stepping up to lead Clemson defense seeking next step as group

Sheridan Jones says the veterans have spoke up and are leading the way in a search for improvement.

by Ariana Pensy - Correspondent - Thu Oct 20 07:00:05 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON - Fourth-year cornerback Sheridan Jones, resembling the rest of the Clemson defense so far, has struggled with injury this year. Jones and a number of other defensive teammates are back now, however, but it took some time for Jones to return.

“(I) just had to be smart, take it day by day before I came back,” Jones said. “Playing the sport of football, you’re never 100% physically.”

He has dealt with a few stingers this season, which is what took him out of the Louisiana Tech game in Week 3 and then held him out the next three games. Jones came back against the Seminoles this past Saturday, recording a season-high of four tackles. He attributed his comeback and current health to the training staff at Clemson.

“We have a great training staff. They make sure everything is well. They make sure my body’s feeling well, getting treatment everyday, so I can be able to make plays on Saturday,” said Jones.

The defense as a whole didn’t play at its best going against Florida State, allowing 14 points in the final quarter and 28 total for the game. That was the most points the Tigers have allowed the Seminoles to score since playing them in 2016, when the Seminoles were ranked No. 12 in the country. The Tigers also gave up the most rushing yards they have allowed this season with 206.

“I feel like we just need to finish strong. We were up 20 and we just have to finish the game,” he said. “We knew that we didn’t finish the game well, but our veterans stepped up and spoke up.”

Jones described that the veterans emphasized that they did in fact win the game and they just need to keep the energy up, despite a poor finish. They will need to bring that energy against division rival Syracuse this coming Saturday (12 p.m./ABC).

In the series history, Clemson has won eight out of the ten times they have played each other. Last year marked the first time Clemson entered the matchup unranked. However, this year will mark the first time Syracuse enters the game ranked. The mentality is the same for Clemson in either situation.

“We have just to play our game plan, let the plays come to us,” Jones said. “They definitely move (Oronde Gadsden II) around; he’s got a pretty good game versus NC State. (He’s a) big guy, strong. We just have to go out there and just play our technique and allow the plays to come to us. That’s how we’ll win this game.”

Gadsden II is the leading receiver for the Orange, and has the second-most receiving yards out of all of the receivers in the ACC with 507 yards. Syracuse is also coming into the game with a strong quarterback in junior Garrett Shrader. Shrader has a completion percentage of 69.7% this season, an increase from 52.6% last season. This combination, in addition to their dynamic running back Sean Tucker, pose a great threat to Clemson’s defense.