Tigers Today: 'Remarkable' Andrew Mukuba impressing Brent Venables

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‘Remarkable’ Andrew Mukuba impressing Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables

Andrew Mukuba earned the start in his first career game with Clemson. The Tigers coaching staff raved about the freshman safety throughout the spring and summer, and he showed why Saturday against Georgia.

The 6-foot, 185-pound freshman played in 60 snaps, the second most of any Clemson defender. Most importantly, he looked comfortable and finished with eight tackles and a pass breakup. The performance earned him a spot on On3’s list of top freshmen in Week 1.

And while the honor shows his potential, defensive coordinator Brent Venables is just impressed by the type of person Mukuba is.

“He’s easy to pull for, such a remarkable young guy,” he said earlier this week. “He kind of epitomizes what we want all of our program to be about but trying to get our players to think the right way and have the right perspective, thankfulness, appreciation and see the positive opposed to the negative. And let anything that’s been bad that he’s gone through growing up or seeing family members go through, that he’s allowed that to fuel him instead of destroy him or define him. He’s let it develop him.

“But what a great fit because he’s the reason we get a kid out of Austin, Texas. The way we’re able to get a guy like that out of Austin, he’s looking for the right things. He’s made of the right stuff in regards to his values. He’s about his business, just a great son, brother, uncle. Just a good young guy, great teammate. Super humble, hard working. How many times he’s said thank you, just gone out his way to say ‘thank you, coach.’ He’s done it to a lot of people since he’s been here: ‘thank you for bringing me, thank you for believing in me.’ Like who does that when they’re 18 years old.”

the No. 43 overall prospect and No. 2 safety in the 2021 On300 is turning into one of Clemson’s favorite players.

Baseball signing class finishes in top 25

Clemson’s 2021 signing class was rated No. 23 in the nation by Baseball America on Wednesday. The 19 newcomers that comprise the class are already with the team.

Clemson was one of seven ACC schools that had a top-25 rating by Baseball America, joining Miami (7), Duke (9), NC State (11), Wake Forest (13), Florida State (19) and Louisville (20).

Will Taylor, who is also a member of the Tiger football team, was the lone newcomer who was drafted in July. He was selected in the 19th round by the Texas Rangers.

The No. 23 rating marks the seventh year in a row Clemson has had at least one top-25 signing class rating.

2022 OL Collin Sadler is locked in with Clemson, recruiting a big name

It’s been an impressive start for Collin Sadler in his final season of high school.

Sadler and his teammates at Greenville High School are off to a 3-0 start, winning two of those by one possession. Greenville’s most recent victory came against the Jeadyn Lukus-led Mauldin Mavericks, a game Clemson Sports was on hand for.

ClemsonSports.com senior recruiting reporter Joseph Hastings caught up with Sadler to talk Clemson and the elite prospect he is helping recruit.

Dabo Swinney updates Tigers injuries, talks defense, running backs

Clemson has had good news and bad news this week in regards to injuries. First, we’ll start with the good news.

After Dabo Swinney orginally said Sunday night that receiver E.J. Williams will be out 4-to-6 weeks, he provided an update on Tuesday, stating that Williams will try to play through the thumb injury, which was expected to sideline him through Clemson’s bye week in early October.

Williams will practice this week with his thumb wrapped and in a splint and see how it goes. Swinney is unsure at this point if he will for sure be able to play through the injury.

But the Tigers will be without multiple members of the secondary this weekend against S.C. State. Click here to learn more.

Counting down

• Clemson at South Carolina: 81 days

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