Clemson player watching USC football camp was asked to leave. Here’s what happened
A Clemson football player appeared as a spectator at South Carolina camp on Thursday before being asked to leave.
Former Dutch Fork High School standout receiver Antonio Williams, a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class who enrolled at Clemson this summer, went to the Gamecocks’ practice facility to watch his alma mater play in a 7-on-7 camp event.
A handful of South Carolina players who were in attendance and unhappy with Williams’ presence asked head coach Shane Beamer if the Clemson player could be asked to leave, a team source told The State. Beamer and Williams had a brief and cordial conversation, the source said, and Williams departed the facility without issue.
Beamer later briefed both Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and Dutch Fork head coach Tom Knotts on the matter, per the team source.
South Carolina’s camps and 7-on-7 passing events allow for spectators, though most in attendance are parents, supporters and other high school coaches. Current Gamecock players also are regulars at the camps, either in a working or support role, or just looking on.
Williams was in attendance at the camp, which started around 8 a.m., for least two hours, based on The State’s observations.
Murphy Holloway — Williams’ stepfather and former Dutch Fork and Ole Miss basketball standout — commented on Tweet by The State that acknowledged the Clemson receiver was in attendance at USC’s event: “They kicked my son out of the facility today when he was watching DF play. It’s all love tho.”
Holloway himself was briefly a Gamecock, transferring to Darrin Horn’s USC basketball team before leaving the program after a year and before he was eligible to play.
Williams was a major recruiting target for South Carolina during the 2022 recruiting cycle and South Carolina was among the first schools to offer him following his junior season.
Clemson wasn’t among Williams’ final six schools list that he released on Sept. 10. The Tigers offered Williams on Nov. 20 and he announced his pledge to Swinney and Clemson over South Carolina, Ole Miss and Auburn three weeks later.
This story was originally published June 24, 2022 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Clemson player watching USC football camp was asked to leave. Here’s what happened."
