Why Jackson Carman chose Clemson over Ohio State, now facing home-state Buckeyes
When five-star offensive lineman Jackson Carman signed with Clemson over in-state power Ohio State for the class of 2018, he knew there would be some backlash from Buckeyes fans.
Still, Carman was confident in his decision and didn’t care what outsiders thought.
“If you’ve been somewhere your whole life and you have an opportunity to go travel the world, see what more is out there, that was definitely my mindset,” Carman said this week ahead of Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl.
Carman is from Fairfield, Ohio, about 100 miles from Columbus and Ohio State’s campus. He was the state of Ohio’s top recruit in the class and had the Buckeyes high on his list throughout the recruiting process.
“I liked them. They were a great school, great program, great fan base. Great network. They have tons of alumni and all of that stuff. An amazing program,” Carman said. “You can’t really say anything wrong about Ohio State. (Clemson was) just where I felt better at.”
Carman built relationships with Clemson’s coaching staff during the recruiting process, chose the Tigers and is having an incredible career through his first almost two seasons.
He received playing time as a freshman in 2018 before moving into a starting left tackle role this season and earning All-ACC honors. Carman had high expectations for his Clemson experience when he chose the Tigers, and Clemson has more than lived up to the hype.
“It’s not what I envisioned. It’s actually way more incredible than I thought it was going to be,” Carman said. “Coach Swinney does a great job of providing that environment for people to grow and flourish. And just the way we go about doing things, it’s just great. I couldn’t have dreamed I’d be in the position I am right now, starting for a national championship team going into a game undefeated. It’s crazy.”
One position Carman did know he could find himself in is facing his in-state school Ohio State. Clemson and OSU are two of the top programs in the country, so when Carman signed he thought it was possible — if not likely — the two teams would face off at some point.
Lots of eyes will be on Carman during Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl as he has the task of trying to slow down arguably the best defensive player in the country in Chase Young. The Ohio State defensive end leads the nation in sacks with 16.5 and will line up opposite Carman and Clemson right tackle Tremayne Anchrum in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
It’s a matchup many are pointing to as one of the keys to this game, and it’s one Carman believes the Tigers are ready for.
“For any competitor going against another competitor that you know is well respected in his field, for anybody that would be a normal concern,” Carman said. “Just the way that we prepare here and the countless hours of film we watch and how we eat, what we practice against every day, I feel like our whole o-line is comfortable against anything. It’s not just going to be me blocking him. It’s us versus them, so I feel good about it.”
When is the Fiesta Bowl?
Who: Clemson (13-0) vs. Ohio State (13-0)
Where: PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28
TV: ESPN
Early line: Clemson by 2
