Several months ago, ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit expressed support for the Clemson football team’s self-imposed ban on engaging in social media commentary during the season.
“I love that,” Herbstreit said. “I think that just tells you about the collective focus that that program has.”
Apparently Herbstreit’s twin sons agree as well.
Jake and Tye Herbstreit plan to attend Clemson next year and try out for the football team as preferred walk-ons.
Jake is a 6-0, 175-pound defensive back while Tye is a 5-11, 160-pound wide receiver at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee.
Herbstreit, a former quarterback at Ohio State, is an admirer of Coach Dabo Swinney and the program he’s established as a perennial contender. The Tigers are 11-0, ranked No. 2 in the nation this season and will play for a fourth consecutive ACC title on Dec. 1 against Pittsburgh in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I’ve watched them go from being on the outside to in that upper tier, and not just the last couple of years,” said Herbstreit, a former quarterback at Ohio State. “It goes back to them beating LSU in the (Chick-fil-A) bowl game; from that point on, go back and look at the names of the schools they’ve beaten. And I think they’re still gaining momentum.”
And the impact of the Tigers’ annual social media hiatus shouldn’t be discounted.
“I have four boys,” Herbstreit said. “I have two that are in high school, two seniors that play, and a sophomore as well. I’m constantly talking to them about focusing on what matters most to them, especially during those months.
“It’s cool to hear that the (Clemson) players are setting that tone. Players are saying, ‘Hey, we want all distractions out of our way. We want to focus on winning football games.’ ”
