Latest on facility updates for Clemson football, including new tunnel at Death Valley

The Clemson football team will use a new tunnel to on game days in 2023 and beyond.

Construction is currently underway for a new tunnel behind the goal post in the west end zone that is being built for the team to come in and out of for pregame warmups, at halftime and postgame.

The tunnel leads directly to new locker rooms, which are currently being built.

These renovations are a part of the Phase II renovations to Memorial Stadium.

Phase I renovations were completed last offseason and included a new videoboard, renovations to the Masters Club of the west end zone and more.

“The whole bottom level of the West End Zone, which is gameday locker room, there’s going to be a new tunnel cut that’s coming out right behind the goal post on the west side of the stadium,” Clemson AD Graham Neff recently said. “The team’s still going to ride the buses and go down the hill, but from going in and out at halftime and end of the game there’s going to be a new tunnel there. That’s coming into a new locker room in the bottom level of the West End zone.”

Some seats are being removed to create space for the new tunnel, but there will actually be a few extra seats added on that side of the stadium as the other tunnels that have been used in the past are shrinking.

Visiting teams will still use the same tunnel in one corner of the end zone, while the tunnel in the other corner of the end zone will still be used for recruiting and other functions — they will just be more narrow. The Clemson team will use the new tunnel behind the goal post.

Clemson is also improving the Tiger Walk experience on game days as part of the Phase II renovations.

The improvements include trees being added to the area and an improved path for the team to get off the buses and be greeted by fans on the way into the stadium.

“Tiger walk is an important thing. It’s important for IPTAY and tailgating and that gameday experience,” Neff said. “But from a football standpoint, too, with the team and recruiting. The prominence of Tiger Walk is really important.”

In addition to improvements coming in and around Memorial Stadium, they could also be coming to the indoor facility and the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex soon.

Nothing has been approved yet, but Neff indicated that they are being discussed.

“We need to look at some locker room renovation as well at Reeves,” Neff said. “We’re going to do some work at the indoor facility, maybe change the turf, videoboards, things like that.”

Construction is expected to continue at Memorial Stadium throughout the spring and summer, and renovations should be completed in August of this year — ahead of the 2023 season.

As for on the field, Clemson is slated to start spring practice on March 6. The spring game is scheduled for April 15 at Memorial Stadium. The Tigers will open the 2023 season on Sept. 4 at Duke.