In an essential bounce-back win for the Tigers against a formidable Virginia Tech team, true freshman linebacker Sammy Brown shone.
Last weekend, the linebacker recorded a team-high eight tackles — 2.5 for loss — and one sack against the Hokies in his first career start. Since then, Brown received the Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Week award, ACC Linebacker of the Week award and ACC Rookie of the Week award, all of which speak to his ability — something he has yet to scratch the surface of — according to defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin.
“The game is starting to slow down for him,” Goodwin said on Tuesday. “Every week he’s gotten better and better, and obviously, the sky’s the limit for him, but just it’s a credit to who he is as a young man, and his preparation habits and his love for the game of football.”
“(I see) the same thing you guys see: a guy flying around, being productive (and) who loves to play the game,” he added. “He loves the process. Loves football. I mean, he just shows up every day with the right mindset. Seen the guy gain his confidence on a week-by-week basis.”
However, Brown’s success against Virginia Tech is not the extent of his impact at Clemson thus far. Brown led the team in tackles with nine, had two special teams stops during the Tigers’ unprecedented 66-20 win over App State and had 3.5 tackles for loss against North Carolina State earlier this season. This was the most by a Tiger since linebacker Barrett Carter against Louisville in November 2022.
The Commerce, Georgia, native has been on campus since the spring semester began, leaving Jefferson High School a few months early to start learning Goodwin’s schemes. In the 11 months that the freshman has been in Tigertown, Goodwin has enjoyed Brown’s progression.
“Outside of quarterback, linebackers (are) maybe the hardest position on the field to play as a young, young, young player,” Goodwin said. “It’s just a lot to process…We’ve seen him getting better and better every week, looking back since he got here in January.”
It’s no longer a question of whether or not Brown has earned his spot on the roster but rather a matter of what he deserves as a player who’s consistently stepped up to the plate. Given the true freshman’s development over the last couple of months, it’s only a matter of time before he becomes an integral part of Clemson’s starting lineup in seasons to come.
When asked if getting the best players on the field is a need for the Tigers’ upcoming matchup against Pittsburgh, Goodwin believes “most definitely.”
“Definitely want to get our playmakers involved in certain ways and stuff,” Goodwin said, “so we’ll see how all that unfolds this week.”
Kickoff will be at noon at Acrisure Stadium between the Tigers and Panthers.
