Dabo Swinney says transfer wide receiver was a guy that they 'really needed'

USA Today

06-04-2025

Dabo Swinney says transfer wide receiver was a guy that they 'really needed'
Clemson closed out spring practice Saturday with the annual Orange and White Spring Game, and the name that stood out most under the Memorial Stadium lights was one Tigers fans are just getting to know.
Tristan Smith, a junior wide receiver who transferred from Southeast Missouri State this offseason, delivered the kind of breakout moment that could set the tone for his Clemson career. The 6-foot-5 wideout caught five passes for 137 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown that put his length and speed on full display. It was exactly the type of performance coaches had hoped for from one of the program's most important offseason additions.
'He's never played in front of a crowd like that probably,' Dabo Swinney said after the game. 'Spending his first couple of years at a junior college and then obviously at SEMO. So it's a big deal. His confidence will grow.'
Smith arrived as a bit of an unknown, but he's quickly earning trust behind the scenes. 'We had to kind of get him going,' Swinney said. 'He's the new guy, and it's been a lot of pressure on him, so for him to go out and do what he did today, that will really boost his confidence.'
More importantly, he's fitting in well with a wide receiver room that Swinney believes has six players who could start. 'He just puts his head down. He's a humble kid that doesn't say much. He just works,' Swinney said. 'From what I saw on tape, I was like, 'This is the guy. This is what we need,' and he's just come in and bought in.'
Smith's spring game performance was a strong sign that he could quickly carve out a big role for an offense looking to continue reestablishing its explosiveness through the air.
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