ACC Football

The Clemson University Board of Trustees voted Friday to remove the name of slave owner John C. Calhoun, the seventh vice president of the United States, from its honors college after concerns were raised by former Tigers football players Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins. 

Matt Connolly of The State reported Calhoun Honors College will be renamed Clemson University Honors College. Board chairman E. Smyth McKissick commented on the decision:

"Board members have felt and feel that it is important to address this matter now rather than wait until July due to the recent events happening across our country. No one can watch what happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis and not be outraged. That terrible death and other incidents across our country reinforced that we all still have work to do, and that includes Clemson."

Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, was killed while in Minneapolis Police custody May 25. It has sparked worldwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality.

According to TMZ Sports, Clemson will also rename Tillman Hall, named after former South Carolina Governor Benjamin Tillman, "who openly mocked black people and defended lynching."

Watson and Hopkins posted on social media calling for the changes on Tuesday, with the Arizona Cardinals wide receiver saying Calhoun's continued presence on school buildings was why he didn't mention the school in his pregame introductions.

"I felt this oppressive figure during my time at Clemson and purposely do not mention the University's name before NFL games because of it," he wrote on Instagram.

Watson and Hopkins spent the past three seasons as teammates with the Houston Texans before the receiver's March trade to Arizona.

Current Clemson players Trevor Lawrence and Darien Rencher are scheduled to speak during an on-campus demonstration Saturday night.

Former Wake Forest wide receiver Matt James was announced Friday as the first black star of ABC's dating show The Bachelor.

James played for the Demon Deacons from 2011 through 2014.

Rachel Lindsay, the first black star of The Bachelorette, told AfterBuzz TV last week she was prepared to cut ties with the ABC franchise if it didn't choose a black star for The Bachelor.

Her comments came amid worldwide protests against racial injustice after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed while in Minneapolis police custody May 25.

ABC executive Rob Mills told Elizabeth Wagmeister of Variety that James' selection wasn't made because of Lindsay's comments or the country's current equality movement:

"It wasn't a response to that. We could have made this announcement earlier or later. Certainly no one is blind to what is happening in the world, so hopefully this announcement serves as a bit of optimism during a time that we can really use this. But I don't want this to look like we're patting ourselves on the back or taking a victory lap. We don't want this, in any way, to seem like a cure-all and seem like, 'Hey! Look what we did here!' We know this is a few grains of sand in a very big hourglass. It's taken a while to get where we are and we will continue to go further, and I acknowledge it may not be enough. In the last few years, I believe it's gotten better and with the announcement of Matt, I hope it keeps getting better. We are very excited about Matt."

The 28-year-old discussed being selected on Good Morning America:

He'll headline the 25th season of The Bachelor, which debuted in 2002. Producers are hoping the season can debut in January.

James, a 6'5", 220-pound North Carolina native, made 48 catches for 458 yards in four seasons at Wake.

Trevor Lawrence was among four Clemson players who addressed the recent criticism directed toward head coach Dabo Swinney on Thursday.

Lawrence, Darien Rencher, Cornell Powell and Mike Jones Jr. held a video call with reporters to discuss a peaceful demonstration they're helping to organize Saturday. The players talked about Swinney as well.

"I've had a lot to learn and it's been cool to learn from these guys," Lawrence said. "I think with Coach Swinney, it's easy to judge some things he does. But the biggest testament to who he is are the people around him every day and the glowing views we have of the person he is."

Rencher offered his thoughts:

Former Tigers stars Christian Wilkins and DeAndre Hopkins didn't participate in the call but have defended Swinney as well:

Rencher noted Swinney didn't have an easy upbringing but still remained insulated from certain struggles by virtue of his race:

"Coach Swinney came from a hard background. But at the same time, being black isn't circumstantial. You don't choose it. For him to acknowledge that even though you come from a hard place, if you're black, it's still harder -- that's something that just to have that conversation, to tune himself in to that reality. We shed tears as a team. For him to say he understands us and that black lives do matter and to rally around us ... he's doing everything he can to educate himself."

People across America have taken to the streets to demand reforms addressing police brutality and systemic racism following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis Police custody May 25.

Swinney had been critical of the protests sparked by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016. "Everything is so bad, and this world is falling apart," he said at the time. "Some of these people need to move to another country. Some of them need to move to another country."

In a conference call earlier this month, he told reporters, "That was probably a harsh statement, for sure." He had added that in light of the recent demonstrations, he had wanted to listen to others before weighing in.

Swinney faced further scrutiny, though, after former player Kanyon Tuttle said a member of the Clemson coaching staff said the N-word during practice and kept his job. Tuttle also said Swinney encouraged players not to attend an anti-racism sit-in Clemson students staged in 2016.

Assistant coach Danny Pearman acknowledged he said the racist slur but that he wasn't directing it toward any player.

In a nearly 14-minute video message, Swinney defended his handling of the Pearman situation and refuted the notion he instructed players to stay away from the Sikes Hall sit-in.

"I wholeheartedly support Black Lives Matter," Swinney said. "In fact, I don't quite think that's adequate enough. I think black lives significantly and equally matter."

Recent discussions with his players led Syracuse head coach Dino Babers to issue a formal statement on the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and racial injustice across the country. 

Babers posted the statement on Twitter on Wednesday, writing, "I understand the disappointment expressed by members of the Syracuse Football Family and the Orange community for my delay in speaking out":

He explained the impact of a call he had with Syracuse players who wanted him to speak up.

"How important it was for them for me to get out there and say something, it brought me to tears," Babers said, per ESPN's David M. Hale. "It's hard to let family down."

The killings of Floyd, Taylor and Arbery have served as a tipping point for Americans who previously raised concerns about police brutality and systemic racism. Demonstrations have sprung up across the country to demand meaningful reforms.

Babers said the development has provided him with a level of optimism about the future: "Our generation didn't get it done. We got it moving but we didn't get it done. But this generation, the young people, with the older generation now on top of all that energy, they've got a chance to get it done. I'm excited about what they could do, and I'm with them." 

With social activism becoming more prevalent, college athletes have shown a better understanding of the power they can collectively wield.

Iowa placed strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle on administrative leave after former players recounted racist remarks they said he had made in the past. Doyle denied the allegations.

The problems extend beyond Doyle, with USA Today's Dan Wolken writing that almost 50 Hawkeyes players "have come forward to describe a program that left them feeling bullied, belittled and stripped of their identity by an unreasonable demand to conform."

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney also posted a nearly 14-minute statement to address a number of allegations of racism that had arisen around the program. Most notably, former player Kanyon Tuttle had said a Tigers assistant coach kept his job despite using the N-word in front of the players.

Clemson assistant coach Danny Pearman confirmed he said the racist slur but that it wasn't directed at any specific players. 

On June 4, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell issued an apology for mischaracterizing the level of outreach he had made to Seminoles players to speak about the ongoing situation:

Norvell initially told The Athletic's Tashan Reed he spoke with each player individually. Defensive tackle Marvin Wilson disputed that narrative and added "me and my teammates as a whole are outraged and we will not be working out until further notice."

Wilson followed up to say he and his teammates were encouraged after holding a meeting with Norvell to resolve the matter.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins defended Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney in a Twitter post Wednesday.

Hopkins, who played for the Tigers from 2010 through 2012, said Swinney isn't a racist and helped him "become a man" during his time in college:

Swinney has faced questions about his response to a 2017 practice incident between former Clemson tight end D.J. Greenlee and assistant coach Danny Pearman.

Last week, Greenlee told Matt Connolly of The State that Pearman repeated a racial slur he'd used during a conversation with fellow tight end Milan Richard about a practice mistake.

"[Milan] was asking me what happened. 'What's coach getting on to you about?'" Greenlee said. "I was just like, 'Man, I got the [N-word] that came in my gap.' I was talking to my teammate. That was all that was said. Then the next thing you know coach Pearman starts coming over there. He was repeating what I just said. He's like, '[N-word] this, [N-word] that. The [N-word] wasn't there.'"

He added: "He wasn't saying that I was a N-word."

Pearman apologized for the incident, and Swinney commented on allegations he didn't respond to the issue seriously enough when it first occurred as part of a video statement last week:

"I would fire a coach immediately if he called a player an N-word. No questions asked. That did not happen. Absolutely did not happen. It has not happened. Coach Pearman was correcting D.J., and another player was talking to D.J., or D.J. was yelling at the player, and D.J. said something he probably shouldn't have said. He said, 'I blocked the wrong f--king N-word,' and Coach Pearman thought he was saying it to him, and he's mad, and he reacted, and in correcting him, he repeated the phrase.

"And [Pearman] said, 'We don't say we blocked the wrong f--king N-word.' And he repeated it. He shouldn't have done that. There's no excuse for even saying that. But there is a big difference. He did not call someone an N-word."

Meanwhile, Hopkins and fellow Clemson alum Deshaun Watson have petitioned the school to remove the name of slave owner John C. Calhoun from buildings. Hopkins commented on the situation on Instagram:

"As we watch everything happening in the world, I want to bring up something that has been bothering me for a long time in my community. Clemson University still honors the name of well known slave owner and pro-slavery politician John C. Calhoun on its buildings, signs and in the name of its honors program. I felt this oppressive figure during my time at Clemson and purposely do not mention the University's name before NFL games because of it. I am joining the voices of the students and faculty who have restarted this petition to rename the Calhoun Honors College. I urge all Clemson students, football players, and alumni to join us, so the next generation of young Black leaders can be proud of the institution they graduate from. Now is the time for change."

The comments come amid worldwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality after George Floyd was killed while in Minneapolis Police custody May 25.

Hopkins and Watson were teammates with the Houston Texans for the past three seasons prior to the receiver's trade to the Cardinals in March.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Darien Rencher are expected to speak during an on-campus demonstration Saturday at Bowman Field amid worldwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality after George Floyd was killed while in Minneapolis Police custody May 25.

Zoe Nicholson of the Greenville News reported Wednesday the peaceful protest is expected to include a march through downtown Clemson, South Carolina. Clemson city administer Andy Blondeau said the event is expected to attract at least 2,000 people.

"[Tigers head coach] Dabo [Swinney] is going to be introducing Trevor Lawrence and Darien Rencher, who are going to be the primary speakers, from what I understand," Blondeau told the city's economic development advisory committee.

Clemson Athletics spokesperson Jeff Kallin told Nicholson the event is not sponsored by the university. That said, school police will monitor the protest.

"As a university, we're gathering details on how to best support the event," Clemson student affairs communications director Philip Sikes told the Greenville News.

Lawrence is among the numerous athletes who've used their platform to discuss racial inequality since Floyd's death:

Meanwhile, Tigers assistant coach Danny Pearman issued an apology last week after details from an incident involving former Clemson tight end tight end D.J. Greenlee where he used a racial slur became public, per ESPN's David M. Hale.

"Three years ago on the practice field, I made a grave mistake involving D.J. Greenlee. I repeated a racial slur I overheard when trying to stop the word from being used on the practice field," Pearman said. "What I overheard, I had no right to repeat."

Swinney defended his initial response to the situation Monday.

"There wasn't anything swept under the rug," he said. "There wasn't some dirty secret. We handled it head-on. Forgiveness and grace is important. It's important for any of us, but I've known Danny Pearman for 30 years, and Danny Pearman is a good man. He's had incredible relationships with his players. This was totally out of character, but we dealt with it, and we moved on."

Saturday's event is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. local time.

It's unclear how many other members of the Tigers roster are expected to attend. The team recently began voluntary workouts after receiving NCAA clearance to return to campus amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A Florida State spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that "at least one football player" tested positive for COVID-19, according to Wayne McGahee III off the Tallahassee Democrat.

"Players and staff members began testing for the coronavirus on May 20 in preparation for voluntary workouts resuming," McGahee relayed. "FSU began voluntary workouts June 1."

The NCAA Division I Council announced May 20 that basketball and football student-athletes would be allowed to participate in on-campus voluntary activities beginning June 1.

Earlier Tuesday, three of 60 University of Central Florida football players who had returned to campus were announced as having tested positive for COVID-19:

Positive COVID-19 cases were on the rise in Florida last week:

Identities of players who tested positive cannot be revealed because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

The 2020 college football season is still scheduled to begin Aug. 29 despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd reported Monday that the NCAA is preparing to give programs at least six weeks to prepare, with team workouts proposed to begin July 13. 

Former Clemson Tigers wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and quarterback Deshaun Watson want their alma mater to distance itself from slave owner John C. Calhoun.

Hopkins and Watson tweeted they are joining students and faculty members who are using a petition to call on Clemson to remove Calhoun's name from its buildings, signs and more:

"Clemson's Honors College was founded in 1962, but Calhoun's name was not added until 1981," the petition reads. "To change the name of the college, therefore, is not to 'erase history'; rather, it is to acknowledge that our understanding of history has evolved. To maintain the name, on the other hand, is to convey Clemson University's continued indifference toward a history of institutional racism and state-sanctioned violence against Black life."

TMZ Sports provided additional context, noting Calhoun was the vice president of the United States from 1825 through 1832 and consistently advocated for slavery, going as far as to call it a "positive good" for black people.

Clemson was built on the grounds of Calhoun's former plantation, where he owned 70 to 80 slaves.

That the petition noted changing the name would acknowledge a change in the "understanding of history" is notable as nationwide protests against racism and police brutality since the May 25 killing of George Floyd have dominated headlines.

They have already helped spark some change, including Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's decision to remove a famous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from Richmond, Virginia's Monument Avenue, per Alan Suderman and Sarah Rankin of the Associated Press.

Joel Shannon of USA Today reported the U.S. Marine Corps also ordered all public displays of the Confederate flag removed across the country.

Hopkins played at Clemson from 2010 through 2012 before he was a first-round pick of the Houston Texans. The four-time Pro Bowler is now one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

Watson played at Clemson from 2014 through 2016 before he was also selected in the first round by the Texans. He led the Tigers to the College Football Playoff national championship in the 2016 season.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney issued a nearly 14-minute statement Monday addressing a number of stories surrounding the Tigers' football program last week. 

"This past week, it has hurt," Swinney said, per Grace Raynor of The Athletic. "It has been hurtful to see the pain in my players. To hear it in their voices. I know they're hurting and they have pain for what's going on in this country and this world. And it's also hurtful to see our program be attacked."

Former player Kanyon Tuttle said that Swinney failed to adequately address an incident in which an assistant coach used the N-word and attempted to dissuade players from participating in a sit-in against racism in 2016.

Clemson assistant coach Danny Pearman acknowledged he used a slur during practice three years ago and said he had apologized to D.J. Greenlee, then a tight end at the time.

Swinney discussed the encounter and said he would "fire a coach immediately if he called a player the N-word." He then attempted to provide more context behind Pearman's comment to Greenlee (h/t The Athletic's Matt Fortuna):

Regarding the Sikes Hall sit-in, Swinney said some players participated in the demonstration and added he "would never tell someone that they could not go participate in something they believe in, or exercise their basic right."

ESPN's Bomani Jones thought the coach still left something unclear:

Swinney received some criticism over the weekend for wearing a shirt that read "Football Matters," which was seen as inappropriate and misguided given what's going on in the United States. Numerous Americans have participated in protests and demonstrations supporting the Black Lives Matter movement following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.

Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence came to his coach's defense:

Swinney said he has worn the shirt for years and that he viewed it as "an attack on my character" that people would think he was mocking the Black Lives Matter slogan.

"I wholeheartedly support Black Lives Matter," he said. "In fact, I don't quite think that's adequate enough. I think black lives significantly and equally matter."

Although Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has been criticized for wearing a "Football Matters" shirt, quarterback Trevor Lawrence defended him Sunday morning:

Lawrence also claimed his team would back him up after Swinney was called "tone deaf" for wearing the shirt:

The controversy began when a picture surfaced Saturday of the coach wearing the T-shirt, which could be seen as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

It comes as protests continue nationwide against police brutality and racial injustice.

Swinney chose not to speak out immediately after an unarmed black man, George Floyd, was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis. Several days after other college coaches released statements, the Clemson coach spoke to the media, via Grace Raynor of The Athletic.

"Sometimes it's better to listen than to speak. It's not about trying to speak first or something like that," Swinney said. "I spent the last week listening."

Lawrence was one of the first athletes to come forward, showing support for those protesting.

"I'm siding with my brothers that deal, and continuously deal, with things I will never experience," he wrote on Twitter. "The injustice is clear.. and so is the hate. It can no longer be explained away. If you're still 'explaining' it - check your heart and ask why."

As John Taylor of NBC Sports noted, "Football Matters" is also an initiative created by the National Football Foundation.