It would be easy for Troy Stellato to say to himself, here we go again.
Stellato, a former 4-star wide receiver recruit, never had much of a chance to make an impact on the Clemson offense until the 2023 season. The often-injured wideout has dealt with myriad injuries during his three years at Clemson, and with spring practice well underway, he is set to have yet another medical procedure that will have fans waiting with bated breath.
Stellato met with members of the media on Monday and assured everyone that this time is not like the rest, and he will be back sooner than later after having an upcoming procedure to clean up a mild labrum tear in his shoulder.
“Towards the end of the year last year I had a little, I have a little labrum tear in the posterior labrum,” Stellato explained. “It’s just a clean-up, something I have been dealing with toward the late half of last year. I wanted to get half a spring in to kind of get the slot down, I was planning on playing a lot of slot (receiver). Trying to learn it and be more flexible. Waiting to do (the procedure) seemed like the right thing to do because I will be back right before summer and fall camp.”
Troy Stellato
Troy suffered the injury during last season’s victory over North Carolina.
“When I came off the field it felt like my shoulder came out a little bit,” he said. “I had to deal with it for a couple of games but it’s manageable. If there was a game, I feel like I could play.”
Due to his previous injuries, Stellato has been limited or outright sidelined during every spring practice of his Clemson career. Even getting a few reps in this spring feels like a win for Troy, something he is happy to experience.
“Just getting reps. Getting coached out there. I feel like I’ve been hurt a lot,” he said. “Missed all of camp last year and all of last spring. Finally getting a real spring and being able to develop too on stuff I need to work on, it’s been huge for me. It’s good to be out there playing football too, rather than, obviously, on the side not doing much.”
Troy Stellato
Troy Stellato finally saw significant in-game snaps last season and rewarded the patience of Clemson’s coaches with needed productivity at the wide receiver position. Stellato ultimately finished the year with 38 catches for 321 yards and a touchdown. His best game came against Charleston Southern when he reeled in five receptions for 51 yards. A 37-yard game against Syracuse was also a high point for Troy, with his touchdown grab coming against the Orange.
Bing able to contribute, even with the nagging shoulder injury last in the year, was a huge confidence boost for Stellato.
“I felt like I could kind of, you know what I mean, push through a lot,” Stellato said. “It was getting painful doing treatment on it…but I didn’t really think about it. I was ready to go. It wasn’t too bad.”
A tough Florida kid from Ft. Lauderdale, Stellato never worried much about his personal health. When he was on the field, he played as hard as he could. Something he plans to continue doing this season because it is the only way he knows.
“The mindset is really the hunger I have,” he stated. “The injuries I had my first couple of years here, it developed, like a next level hunger that for football, honestly, I am just playing with that toughness and showing everyone, I am ready to go whenever. It’s been huge for me and my confidence playing with that toughness. The edge, it helps my game personally.”
Troy Stellato
Stellato vows to be healthy come fall practice, and from what he has seen through the first part of 2024 spring practice is a diverse and dynamic group of wide receivers than will help the Clemson offense return to dominant form this coming season.
Troy is happy to be part of that group and is looking forward to being back on the field soon.
“It’s huge,” he said. “I feel like last spring we didn’t have a lot of scholarship (wide receivers) at all. This spring we’re pretty much healthy. I feel like I’m building my relationship with Cade (Klubnik) more because last year I didn’t have a camp and didn’t have a spring. All of that matters. Building that chemistry and cohesion.”
Troy Stellato
Added Stellato, “I’m excited to get out there for the season.”
