Clemson’s comeback win over North Carolina did more than put another mark in the victory column. It also put Nolan Hauser and Will Heldt in the ACC spotlight.
The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Monday that Hauser was named ACC Specialist of the Week and Heldt earned ACC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week after their roles in Clemson’s 28-20 win on Saturday.
Hauser keeps stacking honors at a pace few Clemson kickers have reached. The placekicker landed his second straight Specialist of the Week award and the fourth of his career, tying David Richardson for the most such selections in Clemson history. Against North Carolina, he was perfect: 3-for-3 on field goals and 1-for-1 on PATs, good for 10 points in an eight-point victory.
His season start has been spotless, too. Hauser is now 9-for-9 on field goals, which puts him alone atop the nation in makes this season.
That also matches B.T. Potter’s 2022 start for the second-most consecutive field goals to open a season without a miss by a Clemson kicker since 1980, with only Chandler Catanzaro’s 12 in 2012 standing ahead of it.
Heldt’s recognition came with a little more history attached. He picked up his first career ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honor, sharing it with Duke’s Kevin O’Connor, after posting 2.0 sacks against North Carolina for the second week in a row.
That made Heldt the first Clemson player to record 2.0 sacks in consecutive games since All-American Jeremiah Trotter Jr. did it against South Carolina and North Carolina in 2022. He’s also one of just three players nationally to register 2.0 or more sacks in multiple games this season.
The honors give Clemson three ACC weekly awards this season, pushing the program’s total to 595 since 1968.
Now the Tigers turn to Cal, with a Friday night ACC matchup set for Sept. 25.
Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
In Other News...
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For a Clemson staff that has already seen its share of recruiting shakeups in recent classes, that kind of attention is enough to keep the pressure on. Simmons is still lined up to be around the Tigers soon, with an Oct. 3 home game against Miami on his schedule, but Floridas persistence means this one is hardly settled just because a commitment is in place. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Can Count On Nolan Hauser While The Offense Figures It Out
While Clemson works through the early-season questions on offense, Nolan Hauser has given the Tigers something they can trust without hesitation. The placekicker has become a steady source of points and a quiet stabilizer for the team, especially in games where field position and finishing drives have mattered as much as big plays. His recent work has been a big part of Clemson's wins, with important points coming against Georgia Southern and North Carolina.
What stands out most is the range of his reliability. Hauser has hit 12 straight field goals from 40 yards or longer going back to last year, and he has not missed in more than a year. For a team still sorting out its rhythm on offense, that kind of consistency changes the way games feel in the fourth quarter, and it gives Clemson an edge in the special teams battle while the rest of the operation keeps finding its footing. [Read more 🡒]