Randall: Clemson Is ‘The Place I Want to Be’ Former WR Talks Transition to RB, Sticking with the Tigers
Adam Randall has been through a lot during his Clemson career, from dealing with injuries to having inconsistent playing time and now making a position switch.
So, why has the rising senior decided to stay with the Tigers all this time, instead of transferring elsewhere for a different opportunity at another school?
For Randall, the answer is simple – he says Clemson is “the place I want to be.”
“Other places are cool, they have their own perks,” he said following Monday’s practice. “But this is home for me, so why not stick it out?”
Following three seasons at wide receiver, Randall has transitioned to playing running back full-time this spring, and the position change is something he’s embraced.
“I wanted to do whatever I could to put myself in the best position to get to the next level,” he said. “When you’ve got guys like Coach Swinney and other guys that have been to the level that I want to be at, telling you that you could be great at another position, why not try it out?”
Randall debuted at running back in the Tigers’ loss to Texas in the College Football Playoff last season, and he did well enough at running back where the coaching staff decided to see how he’d do with a whole spring to learn the position.
Against the Longhorns, Randall ripped off a 41-yard run in the second quarter and finished the game as Clemson’s leading rusher with 44 yards on four carries.
A former four-star and national top-125 prospect from Myrtle Beach, the talented Randall naturally took to running back and “tried to make the most of it,” he said. He knew he could be good at it because of his experience running with the ball after the catch as a receiver.
This spring, Randall has focused on learning the finer details of his new position, especially things like footwork in the backfield and pass protection.
“I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to have this spring, just to kind of take it slow and break it down and continue to learn the details,” he said. “Running with the ball isn’t the most difficult part. But all the other aspects that people don’t see in the game is what I’ve been trying to learn.”
Randall, listed at 6-foot-2, said he might have added five pounds of muscle since moving to running back and now weighs around 230-32 pounds.
I’m trying to keep my speed up,” he said. “I always was a big receiver, so I really didn’t have to gain or lose any weight. But just trying to keep my speed at the same time.”
In his three seasons at Clemson, Randall has recorded 48 receptions for 533 yards and two touchdowns over 37 games (seven starts), including 16 catches for 155 yards and the two scores last season. Of course, he also became a hero in Clemson lore after returning a kickoff 41 yards in the final 30 seconds to help put the Tigers in position to win last year’s ACC Championship Game.
Prior to toting the rock in the playoff game against Texas, Randall hadn’t played running back since he was in little league.
“My dad was the coach, so I played running back, and it’s just kind of natural,” he said. “I’ve always been running with the ball, so it’s not really too much of a big difference. But just kind of being patient, slowing myself down, learning the details of the position has been the biggest thing that I’ve been working on this spring.”
