Clemson’s senior open receiver, Cornell Powell, turned 23 last week. But it wasn’t about ice cream and cake in practice.
Away from there.
When it comes to candles that mean achievement, well, Clemson’s coaches just don’t need it to explode; they were still pushing him, that is, forcefully, in fact, to show more adulthood and leadership as an example.
“Cornell was a challenge,” said Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott. “On Tuesday he was challenged by Array through (coach Dabo) Swinney. “
Not that they don’t do it in Powell, that’s what they do.
Powell came to Clemson as one of the most productive newbies to sign up for a pipeline that continues to send open receivers to play in the NFL. At JHRose High School in Greenville, North Carolina, it was ranked as the fourth most productive prospect in the state and was fundamentally unstoppable.
In his senior year, he averaged 25 yards consisting of receptions and scored 25 landings in 65 receptions. He returned four kick-offs and three landing clearings. At the Carolinas All-Star Shrine Bowl at Gibbs Stadium at Wofford College Campus in Spartanburg, he had a landing landing and amassed 203 yards in 4 pugging returns.
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But in his first four years at Clemson, adding a rare season of red T-shirts as a healthy junior, he just didn’t click on Powell. He entered this season with 40 trapped in his school career and last week’s game opposite Boston College with 14 attractive receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns this season.
There was more chance of exploding and the training staff were determined to bring it up.
“He’s a guy that we knew had a lot of skills,” Elliott said. “We have to keep pushing him to be at his all-time high week after week . . . Coach just hard, hard. All of our guys are. But the coach (Swinney) was making it a point to get on him and demand situations from him: every game is At a hundred and fifty kilometers an hour, as fast as possible. We see it in him all the time, and then there are some games where it might not be 100%. “
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What happened on Saturday, the day after Powell’s birthday, was a career game: Eleven scored 11 goals in the last quarter for 105 yards. He did not score a landing and was not chosen as the game’s most valuable player, however, there was no bigger move as Clemson recovered to 18 numbers for a 34-28 victory in freshman quarterback DJUiagalelei, who is there. like Trevor Lawrence, after positive for COVID-19.
“I feel like we’re going to do whatever it takes for the team to win,” Powell said. “We have a wonderful player for DJet that we’re just looking to make it less difficult for him on Saturday. necessary. “
Two other open receivers, Frank Ladson and Joseph Ngata, are reportedly not factors due to injury. Much of the burden would fall on Amari Rodgers, an NFL prospect to which each and every defense game plan, and Powell, the NFL – Skill Level at which no defense focuses.
Powell said he was not disappointed to have been attacked by Clemson’s coaches in the previous week, which is a sign of his developing maturity.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve been challenged to be as productive as I can be,” he said. “I don’t take it personally. Every day I promise to come here and improve by 1% is running or block running or whatever I can do to help myself and help make this team better on Saturday. “
Powell will be very busy this week at 7:30 p. m. fits saturday in Notre-Dame, fourth.
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“It’s your time, ” said Elliott about Powell. ” I was waiting your turn. He fought in safe situations. He faced some sadness in which the boys might have beaten him. . . I’m proud of Cornell and his answer.
“The challenge of the striker is to get him to bring intensity every day. When he does, chemistry and team spirit with field marshals continue and give us another weapon. “
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Powell’s functionality Saturday was for Clemson (7-0, adding 6-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference games) remaining undefeated.
“He just grew up, ” said Swinney. ” When he got hit here, he thought it was going to be a little less difficult than it was. Array had a lot to learn . . . He had to fight and compete and paint to seize this opportunity. “I’m proud of him because he gave himself up to him. It’s wonderful to see you.
“He had the most productive camp (preseason). It was wonderful in the camp. He had a feeling of depression towards him because he knows this is his chance to play, and not just to play, but to prove that he can be an elite player. It is a very subtle and evolved rally and has learned to use its skills. He’s a big, strong kid. It’s wonderful to see him end up in some games like he did last week. It was wonderful, it certainly means awesome. “