A whole host of Alabama fans were convinced that star Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods was going to enter the Transfer Portal.
For a hot minute on social media, there were numerous posts made by Alabama fans sharing a rumor — which was posted several times by an account on X — that Peter Woods, a former 5-star DT and Alabama native, was looking to come back home.
Woods, who chose Clemson over Alabama in his high school recruiting process, spent a lot of 2024 injured and, though he officially missed three games, it was clear he was battling through those lower-body injuries for much of the season, even after he returned. He sustained a leg injury against App State in the second game of the season.
Woods took to the podium following Clemson's spring practice and he was asked about the rumors of him transferring to Alabama. In his comments, Woods said that he immediately began to focus on 2025 once the 2024 season came to an end and at no point did he consider transferring. He also shared that he believes the 2025 version of the Tigers has a chance to win a national title.
Peter Woods says the rumors about him and Alabama in the transfer portal were just rumors. He was just focused on Clemson and trying to win a national championship.
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) March 29, 2025
Woods on those title hopes: "If that's not the feeling on your team, what are you in it for?"
As Woods and the Tigers continue preparing for the 2025 season, they've got a new defensive coordinator at the helm in Tom Allen, and it's clear that he's making a difference. Woods talked about how Allen is holding the defense more accountable and that the energy on the practice field has been higher than in years past.
Perhaps the most noteworthy news from Woods' time with the media was the weight that he has lost. He entered last season weighing around 320 pounds, which he admitted he believes was too heavy. After his injury, Woods said he probably weighed closer to 330 pounds. Now, he has lost more than 20 pounds and it's clear looking at him that he is back in his ideal weight range and playing shape, which is great news for the Tigers.
Though Clemson's defense was lackluster — particularly against the run last season — there are reasons to believe that Allen can turn things around in Tiger Town this time around. He inherits a talented unit with Woods, DeMonte Capehart, and T.J. Parker, and Clemson went and added one of the top edge-rushers in the Transfer Portal in Will Heldt (Purdue).
It will be interesting to see how things come together, but it really looks like Peter Woods could be setting himself up for a big year.