Justyn Ross starred as a freshman in playoff. This Clemson receiver could do the same
Justyn Ross played well at times during the regular season of his freshman year at Clemson, but he never had a big breakout performance.
Entering the 2018 College Football Playoff, the most receiving yards Ross had in single a game was 103 against Georgia Southern. He didn’t reach 80 yards against Power 5 opponents.
And then the playoff arrived.
Ross caught 12 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns in CFP wins over Notre Dame and Alabama, leading the Tigers to their second national title in three years.
Two seasons later, a Phenix City High School (Alabama) teammate of Ross could be ready to shine in the playoff.
E.J. Williams has been getting more opportunities as the 2020 season progressed, and he had the best game of his young college career in the ACC championship win against Notre Dame. Williams caught four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown against the Irish, including a one-handed highlight grab.
Williams is a guy who has now earned the trust of Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott and the Tigers staff. He gives Clemson a No. 3 target to makes plays with the game on the line behind leading receivers Amari Rodgers and Cornell Powell.
And he could be pivotal to Clemson’s postseason success. The Tigers face Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.
“I think E.J. kind of grew up in front of the country’s eyes,” Elliott said Dec. 19 after the ACC title game. “We all knew what he’s capable of. It just was a matter of time, getting to a point of comfort to where you understand the entire scheme. E.J. is about all the right things, very comparable to a Justyn Ross with his skill set. But he loves to compete. He loves to play.”
It typically takes Clemson freshman receivers some time to master the ins and outs of the offense, and Williams was no different.
Williams early on in 2020 was thinking so much about where to be and what to do, Elliott said, instead of just going out and playing freely. Williams is at a point now where he has the offense down, and that is showing with his play.
“After you get a good flow of the season and get some more playing time, it’s just like high school, if you ask me,” Williams said. “Once you understand what you’re doing and you’re out there and you know what’s going to happen before the ball’s even snapped, it’s just like you’re out there having fun.”
Williams credits hard work and Clemson’s coaching staff for helping him get to this point.
From watching his former high school teammate Ross play as a freshman, Williams was aware that Clemson would give him opportunities in his first year if he earned them. And he has.
“They let you have a breakout season if you want to, if you’re putting in that work and if you’re improving at practice. Because I promise you, everything starts off with what you do on the practice field, and it just transfers over to the game,” Williams said. “I always knew I’ve got these abilities in me to make the type of plays I made out there last weekend. To keep doing it, I’ve got to continue working hard, just put in the work every day.”
With Ross (neck) out for the year and Joseph Ngata and Frank Ladson missing multiple games with injuries, Williams is playing a bigger role than he expected to as a freshman.
Williams has appeared in all 11 games, starting the last three. He is third in 2020 among Clemson’s receivers in catches with 19 for 261 yards and two touchdowns. And he could be set for an even bigger role in the playoff.
“I’d probably compare myself to like a Justin Jefferson,” Williams said, not lacking for confidence in comparing himself to the fourth-leading receiver in the NFL.
“Not that big, but fast and has got a lot of twitch. ... Not the biggest of receivers, but he’s always gonna get the job done.”
When is the Clemson and Ohio State football game?
Who: No. 2 Clemson (10-1) vs. No. 3 Ohio State (6-0)
Where: Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, at Mercedes-Benz Superdome
When: 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 1
TV: ESPN
——OTHER CFP GAME——
The Rose Bowl in Arlington, Texas, No. 1 Alabama (11-0) vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (10-1), 4 p.m. Jan. 1 on ESPN.
This story was originally published December 27, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Justyn Ross starred as a freshman in playoff. This Clemson receiver could do the same."
