CHARLOTTE — Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke has one regret in his playing career – he never got the opportunity to play in Death Valley.
“The one game I always wanted to play at was at Death Valley,” he said while speaking with the media from ACC Football Kickoff at the Westin Hotel.
Van Dyke has been to Clemson twice, but in both cases, he was forced to watch the game from the sideline. In 2020, the Hurricanes came to Tiger Town, along with ESPN’s College GameDay Show, and the top-ranked Tigers beat No. 7 Miami, 42-17.
Last year, Van Dyke played in nine games, but was banged up or injured in six of them. He ended up having shoulder surgery and did not play Clemson in last year’s November 19 showdown at Death Valley.
The Tigers won the game 40-10.
“I have been there twice, and I have not stepped on the field,” Van Dyke said. “Once was when I was a freshman, and I did not play that year. Then last year, I was unable to play because of my injury. I wish I could have played, but we have them again at home, so I am excited for that game.”
With Van Dyke on the sideline, the Hurricanes managed just 98 total yards. Backup quarterbacks Jacurri Brown and Jake Garcia combined to throw for 68 yards on 9-of-18 passing, which included one interception. They were sacked five times and fumbled once.
Van Dyke says the Clemson defense, which returns eight starters, is one of the best units they will play this year.
“They have guys. Those two linebackers have a great skillset. They are fast and physical,” the Miami quarterback said. “They are great players, and their defensive line is always great too. Overall, their defense is always good. It is always a challenge to face them. You can see why they have been at the top of college football for at least a decade now.”
Want to join in on the discussion? 100% FREE! Interact with fellow Tiger fans and hear directly from publisher Zach Lentz, deputy editor Brad Senkiw, recruiting analyst Jason Priester and staff writer Will Vandervort on any subject. Click here to become a member of the ALL CLEMSON message board community today!
Do us a HUGE favor and like, subscribe and follow us on social media:
►LIKE us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allclemson
►SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/AllClemson
►FOLLOW All Clemson on Twitter:https://twitter.com/All_Clemson