Clemson’s season ended with a familiar sense of frustration in the Bronx, and for Sammy Brown, it’s hard to sugarcoat the issues.
In the loss to Penn State, Brown was outstanding on the field, recording a team-high 14 tackles while playing severely shorthanded. Despite their efforts, Clemson couldn’t find enough consistency to stay in the playoff hunt.
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“Honestly, I didn’t think we deserved to win,” Brown said. “We didn’t make enough plays in any area. Offense, defense or special teams. Credit to Penn State. They came to play and we didn’t make enough plays.”
The defense struggled for most of the afternoon, allowing just six points for much of the game. But Clemson once again struggled to combine that effort with any sustained offensive rhythm. When the fourth quarter rolled around, the imbalance finally caught up with the Tigers and Penn State fell behind.
“One day the defense is going to make a difference, and one day the offense is going to make a difference,” Brown said. “Some days, neither works. It’s just one of those days, it’s just one of those years.”
With the season officially over, Brown has turned his attention to what’s next. With several veteran leaders gone, he understands the responsibility will now shift to players like him to set the tone.
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“What we did this year clearly wasn’t enough,” Brown said. “When we come back next year, we’ve set a bar and we have to push it even higher.”
Brown said the biggest changes going forward have to be mental. If Clemson hopes to have a different outcome next season, confidence, execution and leadership will all need to improve.
“At the end of the day, you actually have to go out and perform, perform,” Brown said. “I know without a doubt that the guys we have in this locker room can do that.”
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown on ‘One of a Year, 2025 Season’