ACC Football

Running back Tavien Feaster is the latest college athlete to enter the NCAA transfer portal. 

Per Matt Connolly of The State, Clemson confirmed Wednesday that the senior put his name in the portal.  

Feaster told Connolly he isn't 100 percent committed to transferring and could return to the Tigers in 2019. 

Feaster's decision to explore his options likely didn't surprise Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney. The running back had already told reporters prior to last year's Cotton Bowl against Notre Dame he hadn't made up his mind about returning to school next season. 

"As of right now, I'm undecided," he said. "I have to talk to coach Dabo Swinney about everything. That's really where everything is right now."

Swinney raved about Feaster's performance during practices leading up to Clemson's spring game on April 6. 

"I was very impressed to see him in the scrimmage the other day. Two great plays," the coach told reporters. "He just looks fast. He is focused. He has blinders on. He is locked in. I am really, really pleased with him."

Feaster was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school in 2016. He was a 4-star prospect and the top-ranked all-purpose back by 247Sports. 

In three college seasons, Feaster has served as a notable backup to Wayne Gallman and Travis Etienne. He's been productive when Swinney has used him, tallying 1,330 yards and 15 touchdowns on 222 carries. 

The Clemson Tigers' 2020 recruiting class scored a win Tuesday when stud defensive end Bryan Bresee committed to the football program. 

Bresee announced he chose the Tigers over Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson, Georgia and Penn State. 

#ALLIN lands another five-star as Bryan Bresee from Damascus, Md., picks #Clemson -- unbelievable run that is nowhere near finished.

— Adam Gorney (@adamgorney) April 23, 2019

Bresee has already made his name as a future college superstar at Damascus High School in Maryland. He is a 5-star recruit who is ranked as the No. 1 strong-side defensive end and No. 1 overall player in the 2020 class, per 247Sports composite rankings. 

Here is another clip of '20 DL @bryan_bresee w/ a well executed spin move during the 1-on-1 finals at the Baltimore UA Camp #Future50 #UAALLAMERICA pic.twitter.com/BUYqueS535

— Craig Haubert (@CraigHaubert) May 20, 2018

Already listed at 6'5" and 290 pounds, Bresee is physically ready to compete against offensive linemen at the college level. 

SB Nation's Alex Kirshner noted in a scouting report that Bresee has the versatility to play multiple positions in college:

"He could play three-technique defensive tackle if he wants to, but most colleges see him as a defensive end. At 6’5 and a little less than 300 pounds, his future is probably on the edge. He models his game after J.J. Watt, as do, like, 96 percent of high school defensive linemen. But he’s the closest thing you’ll find to the real thing in a high school setting."

Because of Bresee's upside and talent, it's hardly a surprise that he was being courted by some of the heaviest hitters in college football. The Tigers wound up landing the decisive haymaker that knocked out the competition.

Another year, another recruiting home run for Dabo Swinney and his coaching staff. 

Clemson is one of the few programs in the country that can compete with Alabama in terms of successful recruiting classes and when the games count. 

During his junior season at Damascus, Bresee explained to 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong what he saw from the Tigers during his visit to the campus.

"I think this last game (against South Carolina) really opened my eyes to them too," Bresee said. "I got to spend a lot of time with the coaches and everyone seems to like it and they have really good people."

Alabama is the only other school in the country that can match Clemson's recent track record of team success and developing players for the NFL. Bresee is the latest victory for Swinney, who isn't lacking for wins at this point in his career. 

Former Miami Hurricanes and Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt said Saturday he doesn't expect to make a return to the sideline after he announced his retirement in December.

Richt, who made an appearance to discuss being hired as an ACC Network studio analyst, said another coaching job is "not in the plans," per Andrea Adelson of ESPN.com.

"I'm really excited about this ACC Network opportunity," he said. "And I think I can help the fans enjoy the game more and understand the game more, and it allows me to keep staying involved with this game of football. And it also gives me time to see our grandchildren more and our own children. So right now, I'm mostly focused on that."

The 59-year-old Nebraska native played quarterback at Miami from 1978 through 1982. His coaching career, which spanned over three decades, began when he was a graduate assistant for the Florida State Seminoles in 1985.

Richt became a head coach for the first time in 2001 at Georgia. He guided the Bulldogs to a 145-51 record across 15 years, including a 9-5 mark in bowl games. The team's best result during his tenure came in 2007 when it finished 11-2 with a Sugar Bowl win that propelled the Bulldogs to No. 2 in the final Associated Press poll. Georgia finished 13-1 and No. 3 in 2002 and 12-2 and No. 5 in 2012.

Richt was fired by UGA following the 2015 season and hired by the Hurricanes less than a week later.

Miami went 26-13 under Richt but put together a lackluster 7-6 campaign in 2018 that included a 35-3 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in the Pinstripe Bowl.

The two-time SEC Coach of the Year (2002 and 2005) and 2017 ACC Coach of the Year said Saturday he "felt like Miami would be in better hands" with his retirement, per Adelson.

"It wasn't like I planned it," Richt said. "It wasn't like midseason or even a year in advance or whatever, but it came really when the season was over. I was thinking about the possibility of it and then, by the time the bowl game was finished, between myself and God and my wife, it was the right thing to do."

Manny Diaz, who was hired by the Temple Owls as head coach in mid-December after three years as the Canes' defensive coordinator, returned to the program after Richt's departure to become head coach.

The punter stands 6'4" and weighs a very un-punter-like 233 pounds. It's the kind of frame you typically see from a player tasked with inflicting pain or chasing quarterbacks, not booting footballs into the stratosphere.

Tattoos blanket his many muscles and bulges, from his arms to his chest to his torso to the sides of his head and even his nipples. These aren't just tattoos, either. Collectively, his body is more like a series of portraits weaved seamlessly together.        

Capping the distinct look is a fatherly mustache. Add in a neighborly Australian accent, and it was inevitable that 25-year-old Louis Hedley would cause heads to turn in the college football world when he introduced himself as a Miami Hurricane flashing the infamous "The U" hand gesture in this tweet on National Signing Day:

https://twitter.com/LouHedleyy/status/1092960130159673347

It wasn't meant to be an elaborate spectacle. Just a 3-star JUCO punting prospect making his decision official. Within a few hours, though, Hedley went viral and become an internet star.

Now, two months later, with spring football in full swing and Hedley's arrival on campus in late May fast approaching, the man behind the viral moment is about to become a real presence in the college football world—a redshirt sophomore punting for one of the country's most decorated programs.

When he debuts, it will be the culmination of a journey unlike any other in college football, and much bigger than the tweet that announced his arrival.

It's a journey filled with untold hours in the gym and the tattoo chair. A journey that has taken him from the top of a wobbly scaffold in an Australian desert to a tattoo shop in Bali, which he actually owned. A journey that saw him take a leap of faith and give up his former life, enrolling at City College of San Francisco with the hope of one day playing football professionally. A journey now headed for South Beach, with Hedley having only played American football for a few years.

"My goal is the NFL, and at the moment I don't really have a Plan B," Hedley tells Bleacher Report. "All my energy's going into this."

---

We begin in a small fishing town off the coast of Western Australia, with the waves of the Indian Ocean crashing up against the shore. It was here, in the small town of Leeman, that Hedley spent the early part of his life.

Hedley's father, Richie, was a cray fisherman by trade. And as a result, much of his early years were spent on, in or around the ocean. He had a love of Australian rules football from a young age, but because of Leeman's size, competitive sports leagues were often hard to come by. That changed when his father took a job in Perth, Australia. With more competitive leagues to join, Hedley's passion grew, and he began to set his sights on playing professionally.

In Australian rules football, Hedley was a fullback—a defensive position that allowed him regular opportunities to kick the ball and showcase the power of his leg.

As the pursuit of playing professionally began to consume him, Hedley's academics began to slip. As a senior, it became clear he wouldn't be able to graduate high school, so he dropped out and took a job as a scaffolder. 

"I pretty much lived in a harness way off the ground for seven years of my life," Hedley says. "It was all good fun, and it allowed me to stay fit while I worked. Plus, it was great money and I didn't have time to spend any of it."

As a scaffolder, Hedley traveled Western Australia erecting structures for projects. For one, he spent a year working on a gas and oil site at the Wheatstone natural gas plant in Onslow, Australia. Hedley would fly in for a month at a time and scaffold on the coastline, high above the distinct, bright red dirt the area is known for. Then he'd go home for a week, then back.

All the while, the collection of art on his body grew.

---

He got his first tattoo when he was 15 years old while on a visit to Hong Kong. It was his last name on his bicep. That eventually became a sleeve, and then another sleeve, and then spread to cover his torso and his neck and head and parts of his legs. He didn't plan to cover so much of his body, but each time he walked into a tattoo shop, he couldn't resist.

"A lot of the time, I essentially walked into the studio and had a look through a book and chose something," Hedley says.

https://twitter.com/LouHedleyy/status/1103423568979800069

Some of the tattoos have special meaning—like the man and woman tattooed to the left and right of a beetle on his throat, which are for his grandfather and grandmother—but most don't. He says the ones that generate the most response are the UFO abducting the cow on his forearm—one of his personal favorites—or the tattoos on the sides of his head, above his ear, of a panda and the world being held by a giant hand.

Which was the most painful? When his chest was completed, the artist went over his nipples rather than go around. The general thought was that it would look better if he did. "It felt like I was getting electrocuted," he says.

In 2016, his love of tattoos became a business when he and a close friend became owners of Rosemarrie Tattoo in Bali, Indonesia. Having spent time surfing and exploring Bali, Hedley viewed the purchase as more of a way to escalate a personal interest than get rich. And yes, it meant more, cheaper opportunities to add ink to his body.

---

When Nathan Chapman first set eyes on Hedley, he wasn't sure what to think. The head punting coach at Prokick Australia—a kicking academy that has a top reputation for spotting and training punters before placing them in college football programs—saw Hedley and had the first impression countless others have.

"We had to ask if he had any sort of convictions or spent time inside," Chapman says. "Because if so, he wouldn't be able to get a visa or go to America."

For years, friends and Australian rules football teammates had been encouraging Hedley to explore a career in American football. And for years, while curious, he had dismissed the idea. His plan was to take all the money he'd saved scaffolding and travel Europe and perhaps the world.

Then just before he was planning to leave, he decided to at least explore the idea.

He had a successful tryout with Prokick, ditched the Europe plan, quit his job and moved from Perth to Melbourne in 2017 to begin training. Hedley earned the nickname "Breaking" from his Prokick coaches when he arrived—an allusion to his looking like he belonged on the TV show Breaking Bad.

In the past two years, Prokick has placed more than two dozen punters and kickers in Division I schools. Some of these alumni have since graduated to the NFL. And Chapman could see right away that Hedley had the ability and drive necessary to follow that path. But his academic situation complicated matters.

"This was going to be easy from the ability point of view," Chapman says. "We just hoped he had enough money to get to junior college to get his grades."

Knowing the cost of having a chance to kick at the level he desired, Hedley gathered all the money he could. He sold his stake in his tattoo shop. And then, having yet to field a snap during a live game or begin to fully grasp the nuances of American football, he traveled more than 9,000 miles and enrolled at City College of San Francisco.

---

For more than a decade, CCSF offensive line coach Eduardo Nuno has recruited players outside the country.

Born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, Nuno was once in a similar position. He credits football broadcasts for helping him learn English. Many years later, after going to high school in the United States, Nuno landed a football scholarship from University of Pacific. He experienced firsthand how football can change lives.

And there he was in the airport parking lot, waiting to pick up Hedley from San Francisco International Airport. But Hedley wasn't there. Going through customs, Hedley had been pulled aside for a closer, secondary inspection—"because of all the tattoos," Nuno says.

Eventually Hedley made it through the airport. But once he did, there was little time to acclimate himself to his new life. There was less than a month before the team's first game, and Hedley would have to learn the rules and rhythm of his new sport on the fly.

To save money, Hedley lived in a four-bedroom house with 11 housemates, including John Berard, who became his roommate and close friend as well as his long-snapper at CCSF.

"He's just a new breed of punter—I knew as soon as he hopped off the plane, a week into practice," Berard says. "He came in with his short shorts, his Australian style and tats all the way up to his head with a nose ring in.

"He definitely didn't really know anything about football. Besides tackling and that you wear pads."

The winds were a massive adjustment for Hedley, which impacted his performance early. He still managed to average nearly 40 yards per punt his first season, but he rarely had an opportunity to showcase a leg that can kick the ball upward of 60 yards.

Despite the less-than-gaudy statistics, college coaches flocked to see him. One of those visits had a direct impact not on Hedley but Berard. He caught Texas Tech's eye and is now enrolled there.

Hedley redshirted his sophomore year at CCSF to save a year of eligibility and focus on academics. Returning to class after almost a decade away was an adjustment at first, but he ended up earning a GPA well over 3.0.

He also became obsessed with the weight room during that sophomore year away from football. Already large and muscular, Hedley worked out three hours a day. His strength was so atypical that he began working alongside the offensive linemen.

The combination of focused weight training and a healthy dose of American food—his personal favorite being Wingstop—brought Hedley up to nearly 250 pounds.

After receiving interest from several Power Five programs, Hedley signed with Miami on Feb. 6. A few hours later, his face and supersized, tattooed body was everywhere.

"I thought we were just barely scratching the surface of what he can do because, my goodness, is he special physically," Nuno says. "I think his best football is obviously still way in front of him."

---

At the moment, Hedley is back in Australia preparing. He's trimmed down from 250 pounds to a leaner but still powerful 233 pounds. Since he's back home, he's working with Prokick—still trying to absorb as much punting information as he can.

He's also enjoying his 1-year-old son, Loki, who changed his outlook on life. While he made up his mind to pursue his degree and American football before Loki was born, fatherhood has only increased his drive.

"Everything I do is for that boy," Hedley says. "It gets me up every morning. It's a huge motivation for me, and I hope that maybe one day I can achieve my goal and he can watch me do it."

When he arrives in Miami in late May, he will once again have to adapt to a new routine. The allure of South Beach and a storied football program trying to find itself once again unquestionably played into Hedley's decision. As did the fact that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson played for the Hurricanes—an icon of his growing up.

Hedley's second viral bout came in early April, when he announced he was wearing No. 94 in Johnson's honor. The Rock responded by showing Hedley love to his more than 13 million Twitter followers.

https://twitter.com/LouHedleyy/status/1114212006670639105

"The Rock was my hero growing up," Hedley says. "To think he knows who I am now is really cool. I just hope I get to meet him some day."

With all the attention he's received, the question now is how Hedley will perform on a stage unlike anything he's ever been on. Physically, he will be one of the most impressive punters in the nation—if not one of the most athletic to ever play—but he still has so much to learn.

"He's got an NFL leg, so it's really about what Miami decides to do with him," Chapman says. "But bigger than that, here is a guy who spent two-and-a-half years turning it around and spending a whole heap of money to do so—so much so that if it didn't work out, he would be out on his arse."

It's been a journey no one could have predicted. When this colossal, tattooed Australian punter takes South Beach, the ACC and America by storm, it will have been worth every up and down and twist and viral moment along the way.

              

Adam Kramer covers college football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @KegsnEggs.

The White Team scored a 30-10 victory over the Orange Team as the reigning national champion Clemson Tigers held their 2019 spring game Saturday at Memorial Stadium in South Carolina.

Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence, a top preseason contender for the Heisman Trophy, completed 19 of his 34 throws for 232 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Orange Team. He compiled 30 touchdowns and just four interceptions across 15 appearances as a true freshman in 2018.

Although Lawrence is locked in to the starting job, Chase Brice continued to showcase why Clemson's offense would remain in capable hands should the Heisman candidate suffer an injury. The backup QB had several impressive throws as part of a 165-yard, one-touchdown day for the White Team.

Brice led two scoring drives in the opening half. The first ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Braden Galloway, and Darien Rencher capped the second with a nine-yard TD run.

Justyn Ross provided the best play of the opening 30 minutes with a remarkable catch, though:

Come for Justyn Ross’ catch. Stay for Christian Wilkins’ reaction https://t.co/hVJJF8j4uo

— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) April 6, 2019

The Orange Team's only trip to the end zone before the halftime championship ring ceremony was a six-yard touchdown catch by Tee Higgins from Lawrence.

Trevor Lawrence to Tee Higgins TD pass again shows how hard it is to account for all Clemson skill guys. Even when half of them are on another team in April.

— @sapakoff (@Sapakoff) April 6, 2019

Clemson then put its new title rings on display:

They said it couldn't be done.

Best Ever 💍🐅#ALLIN pic.twitter.com/uWI3OCuftL

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) April 6, 2019

The second half was mostly an opportunity for the Tigers' projected reserves to improve their places on the depth chart when fall practices get underway.

Lawrence did return for one final drive late in the fourth quarter, but it resulted in an A.J. Terrell interception at the goal line to clinch the victory for the White Team.

Trevor Lawrence now riding a one-game losing streak at Clemson as the White wins 30-10 over the Orange in the spring game. Coach Todd Bates looks like he won the Super Bowl. @CoachToddBates

Swinney joked, "White team made a statement."

— Clemson Sports (@ClemsonSports) April 6, 2019

Sheridan Jones capped the win with a pick-six off Ben Batson with 1:04 left in the contest.

Excited to see how Clemson will develop Sheridan Jones at a position that is kind of wide open in terms of playing time. We've heard about him this spring, but I feel like he could be one to take an even bigger step this summer.

— Grace Raynor (@gmraynor) April 6, 2019

Looking ahead, Clemson is expected to find itself in title contention once again in the fall. In fact, the Tigers are listed as the early favorite (7-4 odds) ahead of the Alabama Crimson Tide (9-4), Georgia Bulldogs (7-1) and Ohio State Buckeyes (9-1), per Vegas Insider.

Clemson opens the regular season Aug. 29 at home when it takes on the rival Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Memorial Stadium.

Expectations are as high as they have ever been for the Clemson Tigers going into the 2019 college football season. 

After winning the national championship in dominant fashion, Dabo Swinney's Tigers are trying to extend their reign atop the sport with Trevor Lawrence in his second year under center. 

Clemson is favored to win the national championship at +200 (bet $100 to win $200), and Lawrence is the Heisman Trophy favorite at +275, per Oddschecker.

While the Tigers have a key piece in Lawrence returning, they have plenty of spots on the depth chart to fill, and Saturday's spring game will give them a chance to look at players set for breakout seasons in 2019.

                                              

2019 Clemson Spring Game Info

Date: Saturday, April 6

Start Time: 2:30 p.m. ET 

TV: ESPN2

Live Stream: Watch ESPN or ESPN app 

                  

After battling with Kelly Bryant for the starting gig under center last spring, Lawrence is in full command of the top spot on the depth chart.

The leadership of the sophomore signal-caller will be relied upon as the Tigers build up their depth after experiencing losses at a few key positions. 

Unfortunately, Lawrence will be without one of his top targets after wide receiver Amari Rodgers suffered a torn ACL during spring practice. 

In 2018, he recorded 575 receiving yards on 55 receptions and produced four touchdowns through the air. 

Saturday's spring game presents an early opportunity for a few players to fill the void left by Rodgers. 

Diondre Overton is one of the wideouts preaching the next-man-up mentality at the position, as he told Matt Connolly of The State. 

"It's a tough task but I had to have the mindset of a couple of guys go down, next guy up," he said. "I've got to be ready, learn, study, put the time in and be ready when my name is called." 

Overton, Cornell Powell and T.J. Chase will be fighting for snaps in the slot role, which is depleted with Rodgers injured and Hunter Renfrow graduated. 

Overton isn't a typical slot receiver with his 205-pound frame, but he's impressed the coaching staff, as co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott noted, per Scott Keepfer of the Greenville News.

"Diondre Overton has been a pleasant surprise," Elliott said. "He jumped in there Day 1. He seized an opportunity. Between him, Cornell and T.J. we'll see who becomes the guy, but I'll tell you what, for a bigger guy he (Overton) has made the transition seamlessly so far." 

While Rodgers' injury opened an unexpected hole on offense, the Tigers have been preparing to fill the gaps on the defensive line for most of the offseason. 

With Austin Bryant, Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell and Dexter Lawrence off to the NFL, the Tigers have to replace all four starting spots on the defensive line. 

It's far from an easy task for defensive coordinator Brent Venables, but the Tigers have plenty of talent at the position. 

Xavier Thomas, KJ Henry and Logan Rudolph are among the starting candidates on the edge, while Jordan Williams and Nyles Pinckney are the favorites to start on the inside, but the pair of defensive tackles are recovering from injuries.

That means we'll see plenty of inexperience at defensive tackle Saturday, and that comes with tempering expectations for now, as Venables told The Athletic's Grace Raynor. 

He said: "As a staff, we had to be very intentional meeting that group where they're at, not expecting them to meet us where we're at, where we finished (in 2018), whether that's having to go a little bit slower or be a little more patient, be a little more encouraging." 

Although the Tigers will be young on the interior, it's hard to feel bad for them since they have plenty of returners at other positions, such as linebacker Isaiah Simmons and safety Tanner Muse. 

The growing pains will show Saturday in the first competitive action for some defensive linemen, but come fall, there will be plenty of trust in the unit to get the job done and help complete the Clemson roster in its quest to repeat as national champion. 

                   

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

Clemson spent the entire 2018 season hearing that Alabama was the greatest college football team ever. Then the Tigers throttled the Tide in the national championship game.

Clemson decided to immortalize its 2018 team as the "best ever." TMZ Sports obtained images of the championship rings given to Tigers players Wednesday. The rings are inscribed with the phrase "best ever" and the 44-16 score of Clemson's beatdown of Alabama:

Clemson's Epic National Championship Rings Include Alabama Shade https://t.co/SoNMx1Iz0n

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) April 4, 2019

The two trophies on the front of the ring represent the program's two College Football Playoff wins, both of which have come against Alabama.

Alabama rampaged through the regular season in 2018 while Clemson was considered a solid but less dominant team. But the Tigers systematically dismantled Nick Saban and Co., continuing a series that's seen the two programs meet each of the last four seasons in the Playoff—three times in the title game.

He's the perfect candidate. The player who could make the move and take the money and begin a paradigm shift that would change the way college football does business.

"That's crazy to even think about," says Clemson receiver Justyn Ross.

But for this star freshman—a player too young for the NFL, too good for college football and too aware of what can happen in this world to rely on opportunity—this couldn't be more real.

The XFL will begin its reincarnation next spring with more integrity and less theatrics—and $500 million in the bank. The league says it will draw its talent pool from college football and even sign players straight out of high school.

That's where Ross and other NCAA underclassmen, who aren't available to the NFL because of its longstanding draft rule, come into the picture.

To be eligible for the NFL draft, a player must be three years removed from his graduating high school class, and currently most of those who can't apply for early entry are trudging through wasted earning years. But for how long? Those players can now sign with the XFL and make more money in one spring than the value of a five-year college scholarship—and still eventually get drafted by the NFL.

XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck sent a letter last year to agents informing them the XFL could pay as much as $200,000 a year for elite players.

"The XFL isn't paying that premium salary for NFL castoffs or guys that have been cut," one agent tells Bleacher Report. "They're aiming directly at college football players."

Players like Ross.

Ross arrived at Clemson as the nation's hottest wide receiver recruit. His speed and his 6'4", 205-pound frame made him a critical recruit for both Alabama and Auburn, but neither could keep him at home. And then after a slow start at Clemson, his impact was staggering. 

It was more than just being a deep threat for star quarterback Trevor Lawrence. His big-play skill after the catch and ability to high-point 50-50 balls already have him among the elite at the position. At 19 years old.

"He can be as good as he wants to be," says Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott. "As good as anyone we've had."

Think about that: Sammy Watkins, Mike Williams, DeAndre Hopkins. All first-round NFL picks. And no one from that group was close to Ross' bloated 21.7 yards per catch last season—a number that was nine yards per catch better than Hopkins' freshman season, seven better than Watkins' and six better than Williams'.

One NFL scout told Bleacher Report that Ross was "one of the two best players on the field" in January's College Football Playoff National Championship Game, in which he had six catches for 153 yards and a touchdown (after having six catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns in the semifinal). As a freshman. Lawrence, a future first overall pick, was the only better pro prospect.

So what's left to accomplish?

Thus the XFL question.

---

The question is posed, and Ross reveals what many in college and pro football already believe. "There are guys right now in college football that would take that money and run," he says.

Asked if he'd be tempted, Ross says: "Yes and no. Because if you automatically go to a league out of high school, eventually you can get your college education. But at least being on that scholarship for one year, it will give you the idea of how important it is and why you should come back and get your education.

"I'd probably…"

He stops here because, well, the money is tempting, and the idea of playing and not getting paid isn't too appealing. And because…

"Wait," he says. "My mom wouldn't let me do that, anyway. … She'd kill me!"

"He's right about that," Charay Franklin says with a laugh.

Franklin didn't go through all she did for her son to be tempted by short-term gain and ignore long-term value. Pregnant at 15, she had Justyn at 16 and two years later—after graduating high school in Phenix City, Alabama—joined the Navy to give him a better life.

Weeks after completing basic training, 9/11 happened, and the world changed for everyone—including a two-and-a-half-year-old toddler whose mother began the first of four 18-month deployments over the next 15 years that would shape who and what he is and has become.

Franklin didn't go through all of that, didn't miss years of her son's life and birthdays and football and basketball games and his recruitment, to do anything other than stick to the plan: graduate in three years from Clemson and then go to the NFL.

If the XFL plan were in place a year ago, though, the decision might have been a lot tougher. Two games into his freshman year, Ross was ready for a change of scenery.

He wasn't playing, he didn't feel wanted, and he wanted out. Then again, other players in similar situations won't have Charay Franklin on the other end of a 2 a.m. come-to-Jesus phone call.

"He wanted to come home. He told me, 'Mom, I can go to Chattahoochee Valley Community College and they'll give me a basketball scholarship,'" Franklin says. "I told him you're not going anywhere. You're going to stick it out and work hard and when your time comes, you're going to show everyone what you're all about."

---

At that point, it wasn't up for debate. Franklin said stay, and her son did.

"He has a strong mom, a great mom," says Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, who lived much of his childhood and young adult life with a strong single mother who shaped his life.

When you're a single mother and your life is consumed by making your son's life better, you're not taking no for an answer. And this wasn't the first time for Franklin.

When she was in Kuwait for her last deployment during Ross' junior year, she figured out a way to watch his high school football games. Her deployments when Ross was two and six were harder because it was the early age of internet communications, and if communications were down, she'd go weeks without emails to and from her son and her mother Annette, who was with him.

But this was different. There was a time change, and she'd have to forgo sleep for football. So she stood outside the barracks at 3 a.m. and had her friends show his games on Facebook Live.

She eventually missed much of her son's hotly contested recruitment between Alabama, Auburn and Clemson, but her parameters for his decision were simple: The school has to be within a six-hour-drive radius of Phenix City. And the three-year college plan.

The terms were non-negotiable.

So when his career at Clemson started out slowly and he wanted to leave, it's not really surprising that coming home to Phenix City wasn't an option. Why in the world would the idea of cashing in on his athletic ability with a new football league before graduating from Clemson be any different?

But understand this: These scenarios of diminished playing time and leaving school unfold all over the country at every FBS school. Elite recruits don't play early, and then they transfer.

And without his mother's guidance, Ross might have bolted—like so many do.

Listen to Ross talk about his first two weeks during the 2018 season, and insert any elite recruit at any major college football program—and understand the idea of the XFL poaching those players from the college talent pool isn't as far-fetched as it seems.

"I was losing confidence at first. I wasn't playing as much as I wanted to," Ross says. "I asked my mom, 'Did they really want me like they said they wanted me? Or were they selling me a dream?' I wasn't trusting the process. I was ready to play, but I realized I had a lot more learning to do before they could put me out there to play on this type of stage."

He's asked, "So can you see how other players, who may not have the support system you do, could be tempted by the XFL?"

"If [the XFL] is offering that kind of money, that's hard for an 18- or 19-year-old to turn down," Ross says. "If you really need that money, oh yeah, go do that. Something could happen. You can get hurt. Anything can happen. You have to take care of yourself because it can be over just like that."

That, more than anything, is the elephant in the room for college football. The sport gives athletes an average of $5,000 per year in full cost-of-attendance stipends, a pittance in comparison to the billions in combined annual revenue of the Power Five conferences.

The NCAA, too, is holding out on allowing student-athletes to market their name, image and likeness (the case is working its way through courts).

"It all depends on the viability of the XFL," one Power Five coach tells Bleacher Report. "All it takes is a couple of big-name guys to take that money, and others will follow. Once that happens, how does the NCAA respond? Do we continue to allow talented young players to leave, or do we up the ante with stipends or allow them to market themselves or both?"

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There is no one and nothing more important in Ross' life than his mother. Not football, not some plan that prioritizes earning money over earning a degree.

"She is my inspiration," he says. "What she went through for me, what she has done for me in my life, I just can't even explain how important she is."

He's asked, "Do you remember when you were 15 and 16 and what you were doing?"

"Yeah, I was playing basketball and football and doing kid things. Didn't have to care about anything," he responds.

He's told, "Now imagine her being that age and being pregnant."

"I've never really thought about it like that," he says. "She changed her life for me. If she decides to do something different…man, I'm not here."

If she didn't step in last fall, Ross wouldn't be where he is now, either. Those 1,000 yards receiving and nine touchdowns and an unthinkable 21.7 yards per catch wouldn't have been part of Clemson's run to its second national title in three seasons.

In fact, Clemson's national title likely wouldn't have even happened, and Lawrence's rapid development might have taken another season. Ross would have been more concerned with mid-range jump shots at Chattahoochee Junior College.

"He has just begun reaching his potential," Lawrence says of Ross. "A guy his size and his speed. Some of the things he does on the field athletically just make you shake your head."

Ross arrived at Clemson last summer and went through his first fall camp while trying to break into a deep wide receiver corps. In the first week of practice, former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant threw a fade to Ross, who leaped over two defenders, twisted his body and made a highlight catch.

"We knew what we had," Elliott says. "But when you see that stuff from a freshman in the first couple of practices, yeah, that gets you excited."

Four months later, Ross had his best game of the season in the biggest game of the season.

And by the end of the 2019 season, he'll be at the top of the list for the XFL.

Not that it matters.

"I think you just have to be patient," Ross says. "Just have more sense of your life after football. You can go to [the XFL] and do the numbers. You can get your endorsements and your money that you can fall back on after your career, but that's not happening for everyone. You're going to need something else to fall back on.

"Besides, my mom isn't going to let me leave college without my degree."

There's no debate about that.

Clemson receiver Amari Rodgers will "likely" miss the 2019 season after suffering a torn ACL in Monday's practice, according to Scott Keepfer of the Greenville News.

He tweeted his thoughts on the injury Tuesday:

God gives his toughest soldiers the toughest tasks.. I’ll be back better than ever, believe that💯🙏🏾 https://t.co/eKexryUXn2

— Amari Rodgers3️⃣ (@arodgers_3) March 26, 2019

Rodgers was carted off the practice field Monday and an MRI revealed that he would require surgery.

The rising junior is coming off an impressive year for the Tigers, totaling 55 catches for 575 yards and four touchdowns. Only Tee Higgins had more receptions for the squad, which won the national championship with a 15-0 record.

Rodgers was also the primary punt returner with 299 return yards and a score.

The Tennessee native was initially a 4-star recruit, considered the 16th-best receiver in his class by 247Sports.

Unfortunately, Clemson might be without a key player who likely would have been a go-to option in the slot for Trevor Lawrence.

The good news is there is still plenty of depth returning at the position, with Higgins, Justyn Ross and Derion Kendrick capable of putting up big numbers in the upcoming season.

The Clemson Tigers have hit a bump in their road to defending their national title as wide receiver Amari Rodgers has been diagnosed with a torn ACL, per Matt Fortuna of The Athletic. 

Earlier Tuesday, Fortuna relayed that Clemson feared Rodgers tore his ACL during practice Monday. Rodgers' MRI on Tuesday confirmed those fears. 

Rodgers caught two balls for 30 yards, including a 26-yard reception, in Clemson's 44-16 national championship victory over Alabama. In 15 games as a sophomore last season, Rodgers racked up 55 catches for 575 yards and four touchdowns as well as 39 returns for 299 yards and a touchdown. 

His sophomore season was a vast improvement over just 19 catches for 123 yards and no touchdowns across 12 games in 2017.

Following news of his injury, Rodgers tweeted: "God gives his toughest soldiers the toughest tasks.. I'll be back better than ever, believe that." Justyn Ross, a Clemson sophomore wideout, also took to Twitter: 

Small thing to a Giant .. we got you bro 💯💙 https://t.co/Xx2OCYIENG

— Justyn Ross (@_jross8) March 26, 2019

Clemson has been dubbed Wide Receiver U behind the three-pronged attack of Rodgers, Ross and junior Tee Higgins. That nickname dates back to when DeAndre Hopkins (Houston Texans) and Sammy Watkins (Kansas City Chiefs) were dominating in Death Valley. 

On the heels of quarterback Trevor Lawrence's breakout freshman season, expectations are mountainous for him and this receiving corps.  

While Higgins and Ross became the highlight reels throughout Clemson's College Football Playoff run, Rodgers provides an entirely different skill set for this offense that is just as crucial. 

Hunter Renfrow's departure for the NFL draft made him next in line as the primary slot receiver at 5'10" and 215 pounds to balance out Higgins and Ross, who are both 6'4". 

Rodgers' production will undoubtedly be missed. However, Clemson doesn't have the Wide Receiver U reputation for nothing. On Monday night, according to Larry Williams of Rivals' Tiger Illustrated, head coach Dabo Swinney dubbed receivers Joseph Ngata and Frank Ladson "as ready as any freshmen we've had come through here."

Once Rodgers fully recovers, this group will be even more dangerous than before.