Clemson Kicker Finding Groove in Fall Camp

After battling inconsistency in 2024 and stumbling out of the gate in this year’s fall camp, Clemson Tigers kicker Nolan Hauser is finally settling into a rhythm as the 2025 season nears. His late-camp surge could steady a special-teams unit that needs reliability.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hauser struggled with consistency during the 2024 season.
  • The kicker opened the 2025 fall camp on a shaky note.
  • Recent practices show him “beginning to find rhythm.”
  • The update arrives less than two weeks before Clemson’s season opener.
  • Story first appeared in Sports Illustrated on Aug. 18, 2025.

A Season Removed from Struggles
The Clemson Tigers went searching for stability at place-kicker last fall, and Nolan Hauser’s uneven 2024 campaign left special-teams questions lingering into the offseason.

Early Camp Jitters
Those questions only grew louder when, according to Sports Illustrated, Hauser “had a rough start to fall camp” this August. Mis-hits in the opening sessions suggested that last season’s inconsistency might still be haunting the sophomore’s right leg.

Rhythm Rediscovered
Then came the turnaround. “After inconsistencies in 2024 and a rough start to fall camp, Clemson Tigers kicker Nolan Hauser is beginning to find rhythm as the season approaches,” the report notes. Coaches have watched his form stabilize and his confidence return—critical developments with the opener fast approaching.

Why It Matters
In the high-stakes cauldron of ACC football, a single swing of a kicker’s leg can decide a season. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, quarterback Cade Klubnik and a defense anchored by TJ Parker and Peter Woods may grab headlines, but Hauser’s accuracy could spell the difference between playoff hopes and heartbreak.

Countdown to Kickoff
The Tigers have only days left to lock in their depth chart. For now, the arrow on Nolan Hauser is pointing up—a welcome sight for anyone on the sideline wearing orange.