Monday Insider

Clemson doesn’t get told “no” by many receivers it truly chases, and the Tigers went hard after four-star Trey Quinn.

Quinn – who coincidentally comes from a half-hour drive from Etienne – eventually succumbed to the local tug, only to transfer to SMU and former Clemson coordinator Chad Morris last May.

“I think if I had a message for any recruit coming out of high school, it’s to find that one school that you feel comfortable with that they’re going to be there with you through thick and thin, regardless of the outcome on Saturday,” Quinn later told a reporter. “I think that’s what I found the second time around.”

Let’s just say we have reason to believe that tale resonated.

Etienne competed at LSU’s camp in July and was not offered. It had already nabbed one in-state running back early (hometown three-star Clyde Edwards-Helaire) and had its eye on Mississippi five-star Cam Akers. Furthermore, Etienne was said to not be the kind of power back idealized in its offense, and a la Clemson instate target Bryan Edwards last cycle, he was told LSU would be interested in him as a safety.

Then, when Ed Orgeron got the interim tag in September, LSU still didn’t offer for months. Not until immediately after Akers chose Florida State, which Etienne certainly noted.

There’s always the natural assumption the instate flagship and dream school will have the deciding pull because of emotions, family can come watch, et cetera.

But as we’ve witnessed with Edwards (South Carolina) or when the Gamecocks came back late on receivers Quinshad Davis (UNC) and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (Stanford), that prospect and his family can conversely be less forgiving to the loved one so close who hurt their feelings.

By the end of his recruitment, Etienne told people he wanted to go out-of-state.

And along came the hottest program in the country.

Clemson’s timing was pretty impeccable. Co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott had established contact earlier, but the push began with communication the day before the national championship.

The Tigers felt confident in their chances in the days before his Tennessee official visit, after which he revealed a cancellation of his Texas A&M visit in favor of a Clemson trip.

It didn’t take long into Etienne’s official visit more than a week ago before both he and his parents had seen and heard all they needed. Sold.

LSU predictably moved quickly and fervently to play the proximity and local prestige cards.

Subsequent reports elsewhere were indeed accurate that Etienne was essentially a done deal.

Just not to LSU.

Etienne announced for Clemson on Thursday night, and Elliott came back for an in-home Friday night as long since planned. An LSU official visit would not materialize.

As Etienne tweeted out before revealing his announcement date, he would indeed dare to be different.