Tigers rally around ‘great teammate’ Adam Randall after first career Clemson touchdown

CLEMSON – Like he did against App State,
Cade Clubman was finding ways for everyone to get offensive touches on Saturday.

One catch, in particular, meant everything to him.

With Clemson up by 38, the Tigers’ starting unit looked for a final punch to cap off a statement victory.

Klubnik rolled to his right and found Adam Randall in the end zone.

It was Randall’s first career touchdown for Clemson, and his teammates let him know what he had just achieved.

Klubnik and co. swarmed the junior receiver with pure jubilation. For Randall, the road to get to a moment like that has taken much patience.

As a freshman, Randall caught the eyes of everyone with some stellar practices in the spring. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury that held him out until the third game of the 2022 season. Even then, Randall’s action was limited.

His sophomore season showed promise, as he doubled his catch and yard totals. Everything appeared to be trending towards a special junior season.

Only the beginning of a supposed electric chapter came away with disappointment. Against Georgia, Randall struggled to create separation and had two back-breaking penalties that stalled drives and momentum for Clemson.

Losing the starting nod the following week looked to be another disappointing moment for the junior, but Dabo Swinney knew Randall had the right mindset.

“He is one of the best leaders on this team and one of the most talented players,” Swinney said. “He made mistakes in the first game, but he didn’t pout. He went out and played a great game against App State. He has had such a great attitude and is a great teammate.”

Swinney isn’t the only one who feels Randall deserved every bit of praise in the moment.

His quarterback felt strongly about Randall’s achievement. Klubnik also ensured the ball would find its way back to his receiver, hoping that he could cherish that item for a long time.

“Oh man, that was so fun,” Klubnik said. “That was one of my favorite moments of even being at Clemson. Adam’s been one of my best friends since I got here. He’s been my roommate my whole time, and he’s been working his butt off since he got here, and he’s been eager for that, and I’ve been so eager for him to have that moment. So, I kind of tagged that route on the goal line for him, and I knew that it’s one-on-one, and with any guy down there, he’s going to win. So just trusted in the preparation we’ve been doing for the last three years, but then I made sure I was going to get that ball for him because I needed that ball for him. It was special and a really cool moment.”

Despite Randall’s strong performance, the junior wideout will miss time with a broken bone in his foot, however. Swinney said that he hopes Randall can return for Virginia on October 19th.

As Randall mends an injury, he hopes more memorable moments are coming. He certainly has plenty of players and coaches alike ready to root for his return.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvRp3gzGPu8