Everything Clemson football's T.J. Parker, Peter Woods said at ACC Kickoff 2025

USA Today

24-07-2025

One of the biggest strengths for the Clemson Tigers entering the 2025 college football season is at defensive line, anchored by end T.J. Parker and tackle Peter Woods.
Parker and Woods enter their junior seasons as two of the top defensive linemen in the country, and with good reason. Parker played in all 14 games a year ago and had 57 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, and a team-high 11 sacks and six forced fumbles. He's made his way onto various preseason watch lists like Walter Camp's All-American team and USA TODAY Sports' All-ACC team.
Woods dealt with some injuries but played in 11 games and finished with 28 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks and a forced fumble. Like Parker, he's been a frequent name on preseason watch lists and is an early favorite to be selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Both Parker and Woods, along with coach Dabo Swinney and quarterback Cade Klubnik spoke to reporters from the podium at ACC Kickoff Thursday in Charlotte. Here's everything the Tigers' defensive line duo said at the ACC's annual media days event.
Select quotes have been highlighted for emphasis.
T.J. Parker on Clemson 'drought' at Defensive Player of the Year
Parker was asked about the standard Clemson has set through the years in the front seven, particularly at defensive line, and what it would mean to be Defensive Player of the Year.
"To be honest with you, I never really put no thought into it. If I handle my season well and how I need to get the team, and we consistently win it, it will take care of itself. I don't really get into too much of that. I just let the work show."
Parker on new defensive coordinator Tom Allen, motivation entering 2025 after loss to Texas in CFP
"Obviously we didn't get the job done against Texas, and that kind of stunk right there. For me, I'm always big on getting better and that was the first thing we talked about with Coach Allen when we sat down and had a conversation, what I did wrong in that game, what I could have done better, and here's what we're going to do going forward.
"For him, from day one, it's about passion. I need to be coached as hard as possible, and you can get in my face and tell me what it is and tell me what to do, and he's been that way since day one. For me, that builds a lot of confidence in my game and also looking forward. I'm just so happy to have him on the team, and it's going to be a great season."
T.J. Parker on excitement level, expectations entering 2025
"For me, I'm just excited for the new defense: play fast, free and physical. I'm looking forward to having a better season than I did last year. Obviously, to see Coach Allen have a first-round caliber defensive end (Abdul Carter), have the season he had, I can see myself recreating something like that, even better, but just being my own person. So I'm super excited about that."
Parker raves about Tom Allen's leadership style, what he's gotten from new defensive coordinator
"Man, I could rave on and on about Coach Allen, man. He demands excellence from us, you know what I'm saying? He demands a lot more accountability than we've ever seen before, whether that's in the classroom or on the field. If we don't reach our goals for every practice, we're doing up-downs and things like that. You just see that he really cares.
"Obviously, with him having the head coaching experience and the coordinator experience that he's had for a long time, he knows and has seen it all. Just that belief that we've had in him and the trust, we've seen a lot of change during spring ball and now transitioning into summer going into the season. I'm just super excited to see it all come together."
Peter Woods on his potential entering 2025, playing both end and tackle positions
"I'm super excited. I just love the game. I'm just going to do whatever it takes to put my team in the best position to win. So if it's inside, outside, off the ball, if I'm throwing the ball, it don't really matter. Whatever coach asks me to do, I'm going to get it done to the best of my ability. That's really all it is. That's your job. You got that. (laughter) I'm going to get it done, though."
Woods on how Dabo Swinney helps prepare players, blocking out outside distractions and offseason hype
"As you can see, we come up here and we have a lot of the same answers, but I don't think it's getting us prepared for the media. It's just a cultural thing. We share a lot of the same core values and a lot of the same principles, and that's what makes us Clemson.
"I think we're able and we're blessed to be in a position where we're able to voice that, to you guys and all the other different outlets. I think it just starts with the culture. Coach Swinney sets the tone, and as leaders of the team, we come out and we enforce that. So I think that kind of comes out in the media, and that's why our answers are kind of similar."
Woods on his relationship with defensive tackles coach Nick Eason
"It's great. I feel the best I've ever felt. Coach Eason, at the least, he's been a great coach to me. He's been kind of a father figure in the facility for me, helping me develop holistically and as a man and just kind of teaching me the game. He's done it on every level and every way imaginable you can think of. On the college level, coached on the college level, played in the NFL, coached on the NFL level. So just being grateful to be able to learn from a guy like Coach Eason is something that I hold to a very high regard since I've been in high school."
Woods on the mental preparation for LSU, opponents trying to 'out-physical' Clemson
"Just like Cade said, just put your head down and do the work. I mean, it's football. I don't think there's an opponent we're going against that's not going to try to out-physical us. We just have to be confident in the work we put in in the off-season. I've said this probably 15 times, you only get to play 16 games. Maybe at max, you get to play 16. That's the national championship at 16. So of the 349 days, you've got to figure out what it is that you need to do to get better and how to get the results you want. I believe our result is going to show based on how we work."
Peter Woods recalls decision to play for Clemson, Dabo Swinney after growing up an Alabama fan
"This is actually, like, a funny question. I did not really know that I was coming to Clemson until the day that I committed, to be honest. It was just kind of, like, an overwhelming feeling that you just kind of get when you're in the building and around the people. It's just something that I always tell people, like, to even understand you've got to go see it for yourself, to be honest. It's truly special.
"I guess it's really no secret I grew up an Alabama fan, Alabama-Auburn (rivalry), in Alabama my whole life. It was just something, a feeling on me that I couldn't pass up to come play for Coach Swinney. I believed in him. I believed in his vision. I believed in the guys that I came in with, and it's just been special from there.
"I think that the biggest thing for me was just coming in, and me and Cade and T.J., Cade's first year starting with me and T.J.'s first year playing. Now we're here looking at our third year being kind of like the starters and we've been together this whole time. I think that kind of solidifies the decision I made, knowing that I came to a place that's about family and principles and just sticking together."
Clemson football schedule 2025
All times Eastern.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.