The Batman Message That Stuck
When Tristan Smith stood at the podium this week, the conversation quickly turned to… Batman. Yes, Batman.
Clemson’s wide receiver cracked a smile when asked about a video Coach Dabo Swinney showed the team, a scene where Batman gets trapped in a cave, battling amnesia, and has to remember who he is in order to escape. Smith admitted he didn’t quite know which version of Batman it came from, “I ain’t never seen that part,” he laughed but the message stuck. So much so, he wrote it down in his notebook to revisit later.
“It really just goes with remembering who we are,” Smith said. “We’re a great team. We’ve had some adversity at the beginning, but it’s not about how you start. It’s about how you finish.”
Finding Confidence Through Big Moments
That belief has carried into Clemson’s recent bounce back, and Tristan Smith himself is starting to become more of a factor in the Tigers’ offense. His snaps have increased, and he’s made some eye-catching plays from a gritty, extra-effort grab against Syracuse to a high-pointed jump ball against UNC. But for Smith, it’s not about individual highlights.
“I just practice like I’m a starter, like I’m the first overall pick,” he said. “So when my time comes, I’m ready. Every single time I try to make a play that helps the team win.”
After his big Syracuse catch, Tristan Smith said the reaction wasn’t just about finally getting his “first big one”, it was knowing his play set up a touchdown the very next snap. “I was more fired up about us scoring than about my catch,” he said.
And he had a front-row seat to another highlight: the trick-play double pass that opened the UNC game. Smith laughed recalling how he told TJ Moore in warmups, “Man, you gotta score on this first play.” When Moore actually did, sprinting down the sideline after Antonio Williams threw him the ball, Smith was the first to try to greet him coming off the field. “That just set the tone,” Smith said. “I knew right then, yeah, we gotta roll now.”
Studying the Game: NFL Stars and College Teammates
Part of Tristan Smith’s growth comes from how he studies the game. Unlike some young receivers who only look to the NFL, Smith pays close attention to both college and pro wideouts. He enjoys watching stars like Justin Jefferson and DeAndre Hopkins for their smooth route running and ability to win one-on-one battles, but he also likes to learn from quicker, smaller receivers who make defenders miss in space.
“I’m already tall, so I know I can be that jump-ball guy,” Smith explained. “But I want to add that twitchiness, that shiftiness too. That’s why I watch those short, fast guys.”
At the college level, he studies players much closer to home: his own teammates. He rattled off names like TJ Moore, Antonio Williams, and Bryant Wesco Jr., the same guys he competes with every day in practice. “Watching them make plays makes you want to go make a play too,” he said. “It’s a competition every day.”
Tristan Smith Bonding With QB1
Off the field, Smith’s connection with quarterback Cade Klubnik continues to grow. He lit up telling a story about getting a random text from Klubnik the night before: “Out of nowhere, he just texted me, ‘I love you, man.’”
“That just resonates with me,” Smith said.
Why Clemson Feels Like Home
That closeness extends beyond football. For Smith, Clemson has become more than just a program, it’s a place where he feels at home. “Everybody knows my journey, from where I started to now,” he said. “My love for Clemson is the same as the first day I visited. They don’t just care about you as a player, they develop you as a man. Nobody’s going to play football forever, and that’s important to me.”
Tristan Smith admits he didn’t even grow up a Clemson fan. In fact, the first time he played with them was by accident on NCAA Football as a kid, clicking the Tigers too quickly while setting up a game. “Which is kind of crazy,” he laughed, “cuz I’m here now.”
Looking Ahead
As for the present, the Tigers turn their attention to Boston College, a team Smith called “disciplined, tough, and physical.” But he and his teammates are leaning into the Batman message, that reminder of who they are.
“We don’t play to a record,” Smith said. “Just try to play to the standard, which is best here.”
