Clemson Football

Three college athletes at Clemson University have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Two football players and one men's basketball player have contracted COVID-19, the school announced Friday. It conducted 169 tests for the virus on athletes on the football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams, as well as staff members who directly interact with those programs.

The school is not releasing the names of the students who tested positive.

Clemson required players who returned to campus to practice social distancing for two weeks before participating in the testing program, which began June 8.

The Tigers are preparing to begin voluntary workouts across multiple sports and are working to mitigate the risk involved with students practicing in larger groups.

Per Greg Hadley of The State, the school is only in Phase I of three for reopening, which includes limiting access to strength and conditioning activities, workouts of no more than 10 people—all wearing masks and standing six feet apart—unorganized individual access to outdoor facilities and the closing of team lounges.

Additionally, the school will clean and sanitize equipment at the start and end of each day as well as between each individual use.

In its statement announcing the test results, the Clemson athletic department explained the process for handling positive tests:

"When a student-athlete is diagnosed with COVID-19, DHEC [the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control] will be notified according to their guidelines as means to trace known contacts. Specific individuals will not be identified. [Clemson University Athletic Department] Sports Medicine will isolate the positive case and possible contacts. Individuals with symptoms and known exposure to a positive COVID-19 patient should self-quarantine or isolate and be further medically evaluated as soon as possible."

The NCAA is still on track to open the college football and basketball seasons without delay, though no decision has been made on if fans will be allowed to watch games in the stand or what the limits on maximum attendance will be.

Clemson's football season begins Sept. 3 against Georgia Tech. Fall sport athletes are expected to return to campus in mid-June.

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.

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:

Darien Rencher on meeting with Dabo: “My most impactful meeting in 4 years here. It was so authentic and real. … A lot of us want to vent, and for the first time, people want to listen. Coach Swinney, Kathleen, they wanted to listen and hear our hearts."

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 11, 2020

Darien Rencher says Clemson's team has cried together and laughed together. Says Dabo Swinney has made an effort to educate himself.

— Grace Raynor (@gmraynor) June 11, 2020

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

Dolphins DT Christian Wilkins comes to the defense of his former Clemson coach, Dabo Swinney, over some of recent criticisms of the coach. He also says Swinney may haven’t said all the right things but he can help him understand things better. (Via @MiamiDolphins) pic.twitter.com/EFAsEuvgza

— Will Manso (@WillManso) June 11, 2020

One thing I do know Coach Swinney has never been a racist or had any ill will towards any player. Best coach I’ve ever been around from a football perspective and personal perspective. He helped me become a man and grow from being a kid from Central South Carolina.

— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) June 10, 2020

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.

pic.twitter.com/dm5b46rFz1

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) June 1, 2020

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."

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:

One thing I do know Coach Swinney has never been a racist or had any ill will towards any player. Best coach I’ve ever been around from a football perspective and personal perspective. He helped me become a man and grow from being a kid from Central South Carolina.

— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) June 10, 2020

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:

https://twitter.com/Trevorlawrencee/status/1266456313493626883

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.

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 University still honors the name of slave owner John C. Calhoun on its buildings, signs, and in the name of its honors program. I am joining the voices of the students and faculty to restarted this petition to rename the Calhoun Honors College. https://t.co/1198BZ8FeS pic.twitter.com/xQmXmBPUeW

— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) June 8, 2020

Clemson University should not honor slave owner John C. Calhoun in any way. His name should be removed from all University property and programming. I am joining the students, faculty & DeAndre to restart this petition to rename the Calhoun Honors College.https://t.co/GdhtCZKFnZ

— Deshaun Watson (@deshaunwatson) June 9, 2020

"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.

Cap, you allowed a coach to call a player the N-word during practice with no repercussions. Not even a team apology. When we had the sit-in in front of sikes you suggested us players try to stay out of it to limit distractions. Stop protecting your brand, take a stand https://t.co/7gznXmyniI

— Tut (@_kinggtutt) June 2, 2020

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):

https://twitter.com/Matt_Fortuna/status/1270119445176946696

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:

dabo says he "would never" tell anyone they couldn't participate in the sikes sit-in. the question, though, was whether he discouraged them. dabo says he told the team to make sure they knew what they were getting into, because attendance resonates differently for his players.

— bomani (@bomani_jones) June 8, 2020

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.

It appears the tweet was deleted. Here you go. pic.twitter.com/wwcuEWZ8dh

— Elika Sadeghi (@elikasadeghi) June 6, 2020

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

Coach Swinney’s shirt, in any way, is not mocking the Black Lives Matter movement. He has been wearing the shirt for months in meetings.

— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) June 7, 2020

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:

Coach Swinney’s shirt, in any way, is not mocking the Black Lives Matter movement. He has been wearing the shirt for months in meetings.

— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) June 7, 2020

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

Also a lot going on that you don’t see bro, trust me. The whole team would say the same thing as well. https://t.co/rEltRyh0T5

— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) June 7, 2020

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 appears the tweet was deleted. Here you go. pic.twitter.com/wwcuEWZ8dh

— Elika Sadeghi (@elikasadeghi) June 6, 2020

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.

The football career of Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross is in doubt following news of congenital fusion in the sophomore's spine. However, Ross remains optimistic about his future. 

Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney told ESPN's David M. Hale an X-ray uncovered the condition after Ross suffered an injury during the team's final practice before the coronavirus pandemic forced team activities on hiatus. 

Ross will undergo surgery in Pittsburgh on Friday. Surgeon Dr. David Okonkwo told Swinney he's "optimistic" Ross will be able to return to the field, though the coach said he is "unaware" of any player playing again after this type of procedure.

The wide receiver seems to share his surgeon's outlook: 

Ain’t nothing in my life ever been easy .. this here ain’t nothing but a small bump on the road that’s gone make the story better .. I appreciate all the prayers and support .. im gone shock the world .. 💯 #GodGotMe #Free8💯 https://t.co/ofLE1Z73c3

— Justyn Ross (@_jross8) June 4, 2020

Ross burst onto the college scene with a stellar freshman season, notching 46 receptions for 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns as Clemson won its second championship in three years. 

In 2019, Ross became a top target of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, hauling in a team-high 66 catches—seven more than teammate Tee Higgins and nearly twice as many as anyone else on the team. Though he finished with 865 yards in his second season, Ross still added another eight touchdowns.

A four-star recruit out of Alabama, according to 247Sports.com, Ross was considered the No. 1 player in the state for the Class of 2018 and the No. 7 wideout in the country at the time of his commitment to Clemson. At 6'4", 205 lbs., the wideout held offers from Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State and Notre Dame before choosing the Tigers. 

"He feels perfectly fine," Swinney told Hale, "but doctors know he's at risk."

Swinney says if Ross is able to heal as expected, he'll need to decide between another year of college or testing his luck at the NFL combine.  

Former Clemson tight end D.J. Greenlee said Danny Pearman, an assistant coach, once used a racial slur during a practice.

Greenlee revealed the details of the exchange to Matt Connolly of The State:

"It was just a heated argument during practice, basically. Me and the coach got into it and I was speaking with one of my teammates. He heard me use the N-word basically, and basically tried to correct me by saying the N-word back. He wasn't saying that I was a N-word. It was, using the tone, in a word like, 'OK... I was talking to my teammate and you came over here.'"

Greenlee added that Pearman, who is white, later apologized for using the word.

"Yeah, it happened," he said. "It was a heated time or whatever. I spoke with him after practice. Coach Swinney explained to me what was going on. He said he was going to talk with coach Pearman. I don't know if he did. Coach Pearman apologized. This was three years ago."

Pearman also issued a statement and public apology Tuesday:

Statement from Clemson’s Danny Pearman: pic.twitter.com/uEwBcRZBmH

— Grace Raynor (@gmraynor) June 3, 2020

Pearman is currently the team's special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. Greenlee said he's since forgiven him.

"He apologized the rest of that season. He knew he was in the wrong," Greenlee said. "You can't hold a grudge against someone forever."

Greenlee commented on the matter after former Clemson walk-on receiver, Kanyon Tuttle, brought it up in response to a Twitter post from Clemson football and head coach Dabo Swinney talking about the killing of George Floyd and the protests happening around the U.S. calling for an end to police brutality:

Cap, you allowed a coach to call a player the N-word during practice with no repercussions. Not even a team apology. When we had the sit-in in front of sikes you suggested us players try to stay out of it to limit distractions. Stop protecting your brand, take a stand https://t.co/7gznXmyniI

— Tut (@_kinggtutt) June 2, 2020

Swinney has been critiqued in the past for his takes on social and racial issues. When Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the playing of the national anthem before San Francisco 49ers games in 2016 to protest police brutality and racial discrimination, Swinney spoke out against that form of protest.

"I don't think it's good to be a distraction to your team," he said, per Aaron Brenner of The Post and Courier. "I don't think it's good to use the team as a platform. I totally disagree with that. Not his protest. But I just think there's a right way to do things. I don't think two wrongs make a right. Never have, never will. I think it just creates more divisiveness, more division."

He also said at the time that "it's so easy to say we have a race problem, but we got a sin problem" and said of political activists, "some of these people need to move to another country."