Dabo Swinney identifies where Corian Gipson stands out

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney recently shared where freshman defensive back Corian Gipson has stood out to him ahead of his first season.

While Swinney shared that confidence is an attribute that Gipson can improve on moving forward, he also pointed out that he’s got a lot of knowledge and athletic ability that should help him develop into a good player during his time at Clemson.

“He’s still getting his confidence but just his size and his ability to run,” Dabo Swinney said of Gipson. “I mean, he’s athletic. He’s a very conscientious kid. He’s tough. He understands the game.”

Corian Gipson is coming to Clemson as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2024, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the 12th-ranked cornerback overall in his recruiting cycle and he was the 94th-ranked player nationally. Gipson chose to go to Clemson over Texas, TCU, and several other schools.

Clemson lists Corian Gipson as six-foot-one and 180lbs. That size should give him excellent length to take advantage of as a defensive back.

“So, I think the biggest thing is just…it’s been since last year at this time since he was playing football,” Swinney said. “He got hurt early last year. So, just really getting his confidence where he can really trust it and go cut it loose but there’s a lot to like about him for sure.”

Unfortunately for Gipson, he suffered an ACL injury during his final season of high school. Now, coming off that injury, he’s adjusting to the college game while also working to get his confidence back on that knee. Thanks to that injury, he was also limited during Spring practice, adding to the challenges that come with transitioning to college.

Another skill that Gipson will bring Swinney and the Clemson defense is his excellent speed. Back in high school, Gipson ran track and field. That included being on the 4×200 relay team that finished second in the state of Texas during his sophomore year. He was also clocked running the 100 meters in 10.62 seconds.

Last season, Clemson had one of the best secondaries in the country. The Tigers finished the season eighth in passing yards allowed per game, giving up 173.2 yards per game. They also only gave up 13 passing touchdowns on the entire season. That helped Clemson finish the season eighth in total defense, giving up just 287.8 yards per game overall.

Corian Gipson will wear the number 12 during his time with the Clemson Tigers, as Dabo Swinney previously announced.