Ian Schieffelin 'trending in the right direction' in switch to football for Dabo Swinney

Dabo Swinney likes what he sees out of Ian Schieffelin as he transitions from the basketball court to the football field. The former Clemson power forward is trying his hand at playing tight end for Swinney this upcoming season after exhausting his basketball eligibility.

The Tigers have just started practicing with pads on in fall camp, which Swinney believed would tell him a lot about Schieffelin’s toughness. So far, the coach has been nothing but impressed.

“He’s trending in the right direction,” Swinney said. “I’m really pleased with him. I knew we just had to get to pads. You know he’s an athlete, you know all that stuff, but how’s he gonna take to the pads? He just looks like he’s a natural. We got some technique things to clean up — playing a little lower and stuff like that — but he’s physical.

“It just comes natural to him. He’s willing, he’s not afraid and he’s really improved. He’s getting better every day. I’m very pleased with his progress.”

Schieffelin averaged 8.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game across a four-year basketball career at Clemson and was a starter each of the past three seasons. Now he’ll hope to find similar success on the football field.

It’s still unclear at this point exactly where Schieffelin will mix in on the depth chart. Olsen Patt-Henry is the projected starter, returning for his third season.

However, the positive reviews from Swinney suggest that Schieffelin could have a chance to get some reps for Clemson this season. He stands 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds according to the Tigers’ website, so he should be a physically imposing presence.

Schieffelin isn’t completely without football experience, having played four years at Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. He played both quarterback and tight end then, but considering the step up in competition and the lengthy time away from the field, he has a lot of work to do.

It sounds like he’s well on his way to contributing in some capacity, but exactly how much remains to be seen. The season opener on Aug. 30 against LSU will give us an idea of exactly how much he could play, as Clemson opens the season with a challenging opponent right off the bat.

“Honestly, I still haven’t found my archetype,” Schieffelin said. “I’m just trying to learn basic plays, basic blocking, basic footwork. Just taking it day-by-day and embracing the journey. It’s not going to be easy, but I’m having a fun time doing it.”