Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell ever so slightly mentioned to the media on Monday how he has not made a decision on if he will leave Clemson after the 2018 season is over.
“I’m excited that I get a chance to be on it as senior,” he said. “I still haven’t made the decision on if I’m coming back or not. I’ve been honored by my coaches and my teammates. It will be a great thing to experience with the Clemson family and my family. I’m looking forward to it and can’t wait to hopefully get our 11th win against Duke.”
The redshirt junior, who has four family members in the military, also said he is looking forward to wearing the purple uniforms to show his appreciation for the troops.
“Oh man that means a lot to me,” Ferrell said. “My family is a big military family. My father, rest in peace to him, he was in the military. He fought in the Vietnam War. My mother, she was in Desert Storm.
“My brother was in Afghanistan. My brother was enlisted in the military too. It always holds dear to my heart. There’s a strong tradition of military in my family. I went to a military high school, so I kind of know the ins and outs of the basics of the military.
“It means a lot. I have a lot of respect for veterans and people that serve our country. Hopefully they can get a little bit of joy. Hopefully, in Afghanistan, he is watching our game Saturday and can take some time and enjoy it for a second.”
Clemson will play Duke this coming Saturday at 7 p.m., at Death Valley.
Ferrell on winning the division
“It’s huge. There was a lot of hype going into that game going against Boston College. The amount of adversity that we faced. At first returning that punt return. It was good to see us rally back and put on a really good performance. It’s a chance to send us to the ACC Championship game, so that’s good.”
Ferrell on Senior Day
“Senior day is a lot of emotions. I think this is one of the biggest senior classes that we’ve ever had. Obviously, I know this team is very very close. This will always be my favorite Swinney meeting. You get to have a meeting where the senior parent’s phone calls. The moms and dads call in and they leave a voicemail for their sons. They might say, ‘Hey, happy to see you the way you have progressed over these four years.’ It brings up a lot of emotions, but at the end of the day you have to block that out. It’s more so for the families. It’s always been for the families because it’s a special moment for them. The parents get to see you grow up in the four years. You’re not a little boy anymore, you’re a grown man.”
Ferrell compares this year’s team to the 2016 team
“We are the most talented by far since I’ve been here. We don’t have as much hype as the team that won it all. The team that won it all was expected to win. This year we have a little bit of ups and downs. We had a rough start to the season. I feel this is the closest team since I’ve been here and that has made it the most fun.”