How Clemson signees and targets fared in Army All-American Bowl
By: Gavin Oliver January 6, 2018

The annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl took place on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The West team defeated the East, 17-16.

Eight Clemson signees and several Clemson targets played in the contest. Here is a look at how the players performed:

Five of Clemson’s eight participating signees started the game at their respective positions: quarterback Trevor Lawrence, wide receiver Derion Kendrick, defensive end Xavier Thomas, defensive tackle Josh Belk and kicker BT Potter.

Lawrence’s day got off to a rough start as he threw a pair of picks in the first quarter. However, the five-star from Cartersville, Ga., bounced back in the fourth quarter when he led the East on one of its two scoring drives in the game. Lawrence capped the drive with an outstanding 10-yard touchdown pass to Georgia running back signee James Cook, the younger sibling of former Florida State star and current Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook.

Lawrence completed 7-of-9 passes during the possession, including a highlight reel 22-yard throw to former Clemson receiver target Jordyn Adams, a North Carolina signee.

Lawrence finished 11-of-17 passing for 83 yards and the touchdown. He also showcased his sneaky athleticism with an 11-yard run.

Lawrence’s two interceptions in the game mark more than he threw in 12 games as a senior this past season (1). His second pick was largely a product of miscommunication between him and the intended receiver on a screen play. Clemson five-star cornerback target Brendan Radley-Hiles, who committed to Oklahoma during NBC’s broadcast of the game, made a nice pass deflection on a deep pass from Lawrence to force his first interception.

Kendrick caught two passes for 21 yards, including a long of 15. The four-star Clemson signee from Rock Hill, S.C., also logged a carry that went for 17 yards.

Clemson five-star offensive line signee Jackson Carman had the tough task of lining up against Michigan defensive end signee Aidan Hutchinson, who finished with a game-high two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.

On the defensive side of the ball, Clemson was represented by four-star defensive end Justin Mascoll, four-star defensive back Kyler McMichael, Thomas and Belk.

Belk and Mascoll each chipped in with a tackle, while Mascoll and Thomas were each credited with a quarterback hurry. McMichael flashed his skills with a pass breakup against Ole Miss quarterback signee Matt Corral.

Last but not least among the Clemson signees, Potter did his job well. The South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.) standout booted a 32-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to tie the game at 3-3. Potter also made his lone extra point attempt.

As for Clemson’s targets in the Army Bowl, there were several: Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage five-star cornerback Patrick Surtain, Cypress (Texas) Springs four-star safety Leon O’Neal, Shelby (N.C.) four-star linebacker Dax Hollifield and Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage five-star cornerback Tyson Campbell.

Hollifield paced the East team with two tackles, including one for loss, along with a pass breakup and quarterback hurry. Campbell led the East team in total tackles with four, while Surtain tallied a couple tackles. O’Neal registered three tackles, including one for loss, for the West squad.