With the Clemson Tigers’ spring game now in the books, the long wait until fall camp begins is officially underway — and the chatter has already started.
Saturday’s spring game served as the last on-field glimpse of the Tigers until the fall, creating a light-hearted, celebratory atmosphere throughout the scrimmage. But not everyone suited up.
One noticeable absence was Ashton Hampton. The standout defensive back, who earned four starts as a freshman in 2024, was on the sidelines wearing a sling on his right shoulder. Hampton didn’t participate, raising questions given his strong performance this spring.
Hampton was a major recruiting win for Clemson, snagged directly from Florida State University High School in Tallahassee. As a freshman, he appeared in 14 games and made a significant impact — racking up 27 tackles (19 solo), half a tackle for loss, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), five pass breakups, and seven total passes defended.
Head coach Dabo Swinney addressed Hampton’s status after the game, confirming that the defensive back recently underwent shoulder surgery.
“He kind of re-injured himself,” Swinney explained. “We had to get him cleaned up. He’ll be back, ready to go.”
That timeline points to a return by the start of fall camp, where Hampton is expected to be a key figure in Clemson’s defensive plans.
Hampton’s return will be important as the Tigers look to build off a 10-4 season that ended with a first-round playoff loss to Texas in the newly expanded 12-team format.
The offseason has brought changes, most notably the addition of former Indiana head coach Tom Allen as Clemson’s new defensive coordinator. He’ll be tasked with revitalizing a defense that underwhelmed at times last season.
On the offensive side, the Tigers are anchored by their biggest weapon — quarterback Cade Klubnik. Now a legitimate Heisman candidate, Klubnik put together his best campaign yet, throwing for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns with just six interceptions. He also added 463 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground, giving Clemson a dynamic dual-threat presence under center heading into 2025.
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