The leap from the FCS to a top-five program is a daunting one, and for a moment on the first day of fall camp, senior transfer Tristan Smith felt the weight of it.
After what he called a "rough day" filled with nerves, the former Southeast Missouri State star shook it off. Now, with the season opener just one week away, he's not just fitting in—he's standing out.
Head coach Dabo Swinney has been raving about the 6-foot-5 receiver, noting after a recent scrimmage that Smith was making "one-handed catches" and using his massive frame to haul in touchdown grabs in the end zone.