It's not often for a junior college player to record 18.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in a season. It's why the Clemson Tiger s went out to get Iowa Western Community College star Andy Burburija.
The defensive lineman enters his junior season with hopes to break through on the line to help replicate those numbers from a season ago, but it won't be as easy. Jumping from junior college to a Power Four school is a difficult task for any player.
But his motivation to be great goes beyond the football field. Burburija wants to make a strong first impression, like the impression that he had on Clemson when he visited in January.
"When I actually took my official visit, I was there, and I was blown away, like how loved I felt and I didn't expect that at all," he said on Friday, "because I took visits [to] other places and it wasn't anything like that."
Burburija knew about the program's history with national championships and ACC Championships while he was in the Midwest, but he actually had some help from a current player on the team recruiting him: tight end Christian Bentancur.
The two played together in middle school, and kept in touch throughout their high school days in Illinois. When Bentancur committed to Clemson, Burburija had a colleague that he knew and played with, helping make his decision.
Bentancur also gave his pitch to the defensive tackle when he was on his visit this past winter.
"When I visited Coach Swinney's house, he ended up getting on FaceTime with Christian," he said. "It was pretty cool, so it's a small world."
Although it was an exciting time for the Crystal Lake, Illinois, native, he had to get a "Welcome to Clemson" moment that occurred during spring ball. More coaches, higher-caliber players and more intense training led to long days in the Upstate to begin his time.
"I mean, the first couple weeks, I mean, they threw me right in with the wolves and it was grueling for sure," Burburija said. "Doubt starts to creep in, but then you kind of get in the zone, get acclimated with other players around you."
But the one thing that separated his junior college experience from his Clemson experience already was how closely connected the Tigers were, both on and off the field. Now, Burburija is using his work on the field to help get closer. It's why many players are speaking highly about the transfer going into 2026.
"It's a brotherhood here. It's not like other places," he said. "When I was at junior college, and then now here, it feels like an actual family. It was a tough process, and I needed to make sure, like, a first impression always matters."
Burburija has the opportunity to break through in the depth chart, one that lost both of its starters in DeMonte Capehart and Peter Woods, while having competition for the places at the top. Until then, it's a day-by-day basis for the junior to get where he wants to be.
The word he used to define his fall camp is "grounded", being able to work towards a goal of being a standout lineman on a top team in the country, while enjoying the new opportunity that he has in front of him.
"I think keeping me grounded, not taking stuff for granted," he said. "I mean, if you're in junior college, and it's a whole other world, like speaking right here in front of you guys, we had none of that, so just being grateful."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/clemson as How Junior College Standout Andy Burburija Found His Way to Clemson .
