16 Seconds was all that stood between the Clemson Tigers and overtime in the ACC Championship game.
A game in which a 17 point 4th quarter lead was squandered to the 8th ranked SMU Mustangs.
SMU Quarterback Kevin Jennings had just put his stamp on the ACC Championship game, leading his team all the way back from a disastrous start.
Overtime seemed inevitable. Until it wasn’t.
Momentum was completely with SMU, seemingly having figured out the Clemson defense, consistently keeping them on their toes. Not only did overtime seem inevitable, a SMU victory, in that figurative overtime, did as well.
Until Adam Randall took the ensuing kickoff 40+ yards and put the Tigers in shouting distance of a field goal opportunity.
A huge throw from Cade Klubnik to Antonio Williams to the left hash was perfect. The extra effort by Williams gave the Tigers four more crucial yards.
Offensive Line Coach Matt Luke reportedly asked Dabo Swinney if (freshman kicker) Nolan Hauser had enough leg for the 56-yard attempt staring him in the face. Coach Swinney replied with a smirk and something to the effect of, “we’re going to find out.”
Hauser nailed that 56-yard kick to give Clemson another Atlantic Coast Conference Championship win and a place in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. That part we know for sure.
But did you know that Holden Caspersen snapped a perfect spiral to Clay Swinney who caught it, placed it, laces out, for Hauser’s strong leg to make the 4th longest kick in Clemson history?
If fans were honest, they probably know Swinney, heck, it’s 8 straight years a Swinney has been the placeholder for the Tigers. But did you know his first name was Clay?
Did you realize there was someone named Caspersen that was rated a top 10 long snapper in the nation coming out of Roswell, Georgia?
Point being, Coach Swinney tells anyone who will listen, that no one will know who the long-snapper or the holder are unless something bad happens.
Well the trio is anonymous no more.
Thanks to a new episode of the “Two Right Turns Podcast,” a Clemson Football production, recently had the three key members of the kicking unit to give a sneak peek into who they are, as well as what went into one of the biggest kicks in Clemson history.
Peeking behind the curtain a little bit, Caspersen was asked about what he was thinking before the big kick, he said, “In the moment I remember sitting on the bench and Clay (Swinney) came up to me and said, ‘hey get ready’ and I said, ‘yeah, I’ll be ready for overtime.’ and then saw Adam (Randall) return the kick and thought we’re gonna have a shot at this.”
Swinney and Caspersen then went on to do their normal routine on the sideline. Three or four good reps to get prepared as per usual.
Hauser on the other hand was alone in his element, “I’m kind of by myself, but I think Coach Swinney says it best when he says ‘preparation breeds confidence’ and you’ve prepared your whole life for this one moment. You go out there with confidence and have trust in yourself. You’ve done the work and it’s time to put your work on full display.”
Hauser added that after his normal process, he walks to the sideline to wait for a Swinney nod, or wink and then “it’s go time.”
Most people know that Nolan Hauser has had 6 kicks blocked this season (leading the nation), but did you realize that he only missed one kick that got past the line of scrimmage?
Don’t laugh, it’s true.
Clemson had one more blocked kick than this season’s national laughingstock, the Florida State Seminoles (6 to 5). There was a rather big sample size that understandably had fans worried going into the 56 yard game winner.
And then “The Wink” as it has come to be known on social media, happens. The ABC cameras caught the young Hauser seemingly looking right at the camera and winking at it followed by a slight nod with a noticeable smile.
“I ran on the field, confident, I’m like ‘I’m gonna bang this through’ and Coach Swinney looks at me…and says ‘Hauser, put it through’…and so I gave him a little head-nod wink. I was so confident, and that (obviously) shows it…I like to show people that I’m confident and not tense.”
The fans noticed.
One of the best things that Clemson Football put out on social media was the collection of fan reactions, at the game, at a couple of downtown bars, in basements, etc.
All three of these guys were fans of Clemson before adorning the paw on Saturdays, but not sure they realized just how much weight they had on their shoulders of all of Clemson Nation during that final 3 seconds.
They were asked if the after watching the compilation of fan reactions changes their view of their jobs as a unit. Hauser immediately said, “that gave me chills.”
“It’s what you do it for” Hauser added, “and you can do this to people, and play this game that you love and give people this joy, it’s incredible. Seeing how happy you made people by doing your job, it’s just…I’m so blessed to (have this) opportunity. It definitely changes my whole view on the job.”
Ironically, the message to the team the entire week, according to Clay Swinney was, “an apple tree doesn’t get to eat an apple, a pear tree doesn’t get to eat a pear. Your fruits and talents are for other people to enjoy and it’s just crazy watching that (fan reaction compilation) and going out there and Holden throw a perfect snap and Nolan kicking it 56 yards, and Cade and everyone doing their part, their talents bring so much joy to people. Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”
The season is not complete yet. Clemson fans are hoping for a deep playoff run. One thing is for certain. It will a long time before the Nolan Hauser kick (and wink) will be forgotten in Clemson lore. Also likely a long time before the trio of Swinney, Caspersen and Hauser will be forgotten either.
This unit is anonymous no more…but this time, for all the right reasons.
