AUGUST CAMP: Monday Update & Freshmen Nuggets
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
Eight practices are in the books, and August camp rolls on this week in further preparation for Clemson's opening clash against Georgia.
In this feature, Tigerillustrated.com assesses which players have improved their stock through the first two weeks of workouts based on our conversations with sources as well as observations from practices.
Veteran defensive end Justin Foster appears to have returned to form after spending 2020 on the shelf. (Tigerillustrated.com)
We start with our installment on defense:
JUSTIN FOSTER
Make no mistake, Foster is the player Larry and I independently have heard the most glowing reviews for, day-in and day-out. Which would make his decision to unretire late in the spring a pretty big deal in the long haul.
Clemson's defensive line boasts elite talent in Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis. But Foster ties it together as the veteran who brings an edge on the practice field and weight room. Foster is a tough dude you don't mess with, and he's a worker -- and our sense is the coaching staff loves the tone he sets as such.
Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said last week that where Clemson fell off last year was consistent attention to detail on the little things -- partly a byproduct of having to use so many players who weren't ready but had to play because of injury or pandemic absences.
Foster is one they trust to be in the right position and give maximum as well as confident effort. His strength and ability against the run also project to be important assets against UGA's offensive style. -- PAUL
BARRETT CARTER
Recruiting hype and eyeball test are great and all. But it doesn't take coaches and, maybe more notably, returning players long to discern to what degree a newcomer can actually play. It's quickly apparent, and by our accounts, Carter is the first-year freshman who quickly passed that test in gaining immediate credibility.
Carter reads the game well, demonstrates the desired ball-hawking instincts, has ball skills and simply makes plays.
Every front-seven defender, and especially linebackers, reaches the point where system installation pushes him to full capacity mentally. That, along with the presence of Trenton Simpson as the starter, are reasons to pump the brakes on overestimating initial impact.
Barrett Carter has looked like five-star material at times this summer. (Tigerillustrated.com)
But Carter offers a different skill set at the SAM linebacker spot, and here's believing Venables is going to craft a specific role for him to get him on the field. -- PAUL
ANDREW BOOTH
The hope entering camp was that Booth, free of nagging injuries and other issues that kept him off the field for significant stretches last year, would blossom into the elite lockdown corner everyone believes he can be.
So far, so really, really good on that front. By all accounts, Booth is playing like and acting like the eraser-type presence that could help this defense return to the elite class it's enjoyed for so much of Brent Venables' tenure.
It's also worth noting that Booth exemplifies broader technical improvement of the cornerback group as a whole.
One common thread we've heard from coaches and others is that they're doing such a better job of technique and playing the ball in the air. After a handsy and grabby first day of camp brought the ire (and boxing gloves) from Dabo Swinney, it sounds as if Booth in particular and the group in general has made some notable strides from the loose and inconsistent fundamentals from last year.
"We're making a ton of plays on the ball, which has been encouraging," Venables said. "Making plays on the ball comes from positioning, it comes from good technique, it comes from anticipation, it comes from awareness, it comes from confidence. Those are tangible, transferrable skills that are showing up right now."
With Booth leading the way. -- LARRY
BRYAN BRESEE
One game in last year, it was natural to think Bresee was just going to wreck everything the way he wrecked Wake Forest on several plays that night.
But of course for a freshman, even as talented as this one, the more likely occurrence is a regression to the mean.
Bresee had a really good season. But now he's poised to have a great one as a result of a better grasp of his responsibilities and an improved feel for the technique that is demanded when you're playing inside at this level.
"It's really just the fundamentals and being detailed, really understanding not just the what but the how and the why," Venables said. "That comes with repetition and being consistent through that repetition and watching film. He's really fallen in love with all of the process that it takes to be a great player.
"Bryan has great self-awareness and is super humble. And he's a worker. That's a great recipe for improvement. That's what all it takes, but you've got to be willing to put in the sweat equity and he's done that. That group has. It's a hard working group. Tyler (Davis) brings out the best in everybody and Bryan does as well. Bryan's got a big personality, and he's the first one to lead the group. He's got that never-satisfied attitude."
Ruke Orhorhoro has worked in 14 career games. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Once upon a time these same things were said about some high-profile defensive linemen named Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence.
When you combine exquisite talent with supreme work ethic and drive, you got yourself something pretty special. Seems Bresee is well on his way to fitting right into that extraordinary category. -- LARRY
RUKE ORHORHORO
We could have gone a number of different directions with the final choice. Xavier Thomas stood out in Saturday's scrimmage, per contacts, and continues to garner praise amid his revitalization, so to speak. Lannden Zanders, Malcolm Greene, Andrew Mukuba, Mario Goodrich and Tre Williams all garnered consideration.
Orhorhoro warrants a place, though, because of Clemson's lack of established players at defensive tackle behind Bresee and Tyler Davis. Coaches felt he was coming on last fall before his knee injury, and he has picked up where he left off to emerge as a reserve the staff trusts and has comfort using. The redshirt sophomore is probably going to log at least 300 snaps this season, and the Tigers were in dire need of an insurance policy behind their starters where there wasn't considerable drop-off. -- PAUL
FROM THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Click HERE for more DEALS on officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel and gear!
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
Eight practices are in the books, and August camp rolls on this week in further preparation for Clemson's opening clash against Georgia.
In this feature, Tigerillustrated.com assesses which players have improved their stock through the first two weeks of workouts based on our conversations with sources as well as observations from practices.
Veteran defensive end Justin Foster appears to have returned to form after spending 2020 on the shelf. (Tigerillustrated.com)
We start with our installment on defense:
JUSTIN FOSTER
Make no mistake, Foster is the player Larry and I independently have heard the most glowing reviews for, day-in and day-out. Which would make his decision to unretire late in the spring a pretty big deal in the long haul.
Clemson's defensive line boasts elite talent in Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis. But Foster ties it together as the veteran who brings an edge on the practice field and weight room. Foster is a tough dude you don't mess with, and he's a worker -- and our sense is the coaching staff loves the tone he sets as such.
Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said last week that where Clemson fell off last year was consistent attention to detail on the little things -- partly a byproduct of having to use so many players who weren't ready but had to play because of injury or pandemic absences.
Foster is one they trust to be in the right position and give maximum as well as confident effort. His strength and ability against the run also project to be important assets against UGA's offensive style. -- PAUL
BARRETT CARTER
Recruiting hype and eyeball test are great and all. But it doesn't take coaches and, maybe more notably, returning players long to discern to what degree a newcomer can actually play. It's quickly apparent, and by our accounts, Carter is the first-year freshman who quickly passed that test in gaining immediate credibility.
Carter reads the game well, demonstrates the desired ball-hawking instincts, has ball skills and simply makes plays.
Every front-seven defender, and especially linebackers, reaches the point where system installation pushes him to full capacity mentally. That, along with the presence of Trenton Simpson as the starter, are reasons to pump the brakes on overestimating initial impact.
Barrett Carter has looked like five-star material at times this summer. (Tigerillustrated.com)
But Carter offers a different skill set at the SAM linebacker spot, and here's believing Venables is going to craft a specific role for him to get him on the field. -- PAUL
ANDREW BOOTH
The hope entering camp was that Booth, free of nagging injuries and other issues that kept him off the field for significant stretches last year, would blossom into the elite lockdown corner everyone believes he can be.
So far, so really, really good on that front. By all accounts, Booth is playing like and acting like the eraser-type presence that could help this defense return to the elite class it's enjoyed for so much of Brent Venables' tenure.
It's also worth noting that Booth exemplifies broader technical improvement of the cornerback group as a whole.
One common thread we've heard from coaches and others is that they're doing such a better job of technique and playing the ball in the air. After a handsy and grabby first day of camp brought the ire (and boxing gloves) from Dabo Swinney, it sounds as if Booth in particular and the group in general has made some notable strides from the loose and inconsistent fundamentals from last year.
"We're making a ton of plays on the ball, which has been encouraging," Venables said. "Making plays on the ball comes from positioning, it comes from good technique, it comes from anticipation, it comes from awareness, it comes from confidence. Those are tangible, transferrable skills that are showing up right now."
With Booth leading the way. -- LARRY
BRYAN BRESEE
One game in last year, it was natural to think Bresee was just going to wreck everything the way he wrecked Wake Forest on several plays that night.
But of course for a freshman, even as talented as this one, the more likely occurrence is a regression to the mean.
Bresee had a really good season. But now he's poised to have a great one as a result of a better grasp of his responsibilities and an improved feel for the technique that is demanded when you're playing inside at this level.
"It's really just the fundamentals and being detailed, really understanding not just the what but the how and the why," Venables said. "That comes with repetition and being consistent through that repetition and watching film. He's really fallen in love with all of the process that it takes to be a great player.
"Bryan has great self-awareness and is super humble. And he's a worker. That's a great recipe for improvement. That's what all it takes, but you've got to be willing to put in the sweat equity and he's done that. That group has. It's a hard working group. Tyler (Davis) brings out the best in everybody and Bryan does as well. Bryan's got a big personality, and he's the first one to lead the group. He's got that never-satisfied attitude."
Ruke Orhorhoro has worked in 14 career games. (Tigerillustrated.com)
Once upon a time these same things were said about some high-profile defensive linemen named Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence.
When you combine exquisite talent with supreme work ethic and drive, you got yourself something pretty special. Seems Bresee is well on his way to fitting right into that extraordinary category. -- LARRY
RUKE ORHORHORO
We could have gone a number of different directions with the final choice. Xavier Thomas stood out in Saturday's scrimmage, per contacts, and continues to garner praise amid his revitalization, so to speak. Lannden Zanders, Malcolm Greene, Andrew Mukuba, Mario Goodrich and Tre Williams all garnered consideration.
Orhorhoro warrants a place, though, because of Clemson's lack of established players at defensive tackle behind Bresee and Tyler Davis. Coaches felt he was coming on last fall before his knee injury, and he has picked up where he left off to emerge as a reserve the staff trusts and has comfort using. The redshirt sophomore is probably going to log at least 300 snaps this season, and the Tigers were in dire need of an insurance policy behind their starters where there wasn't considerable drop-off. -- PAUL
FROM THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Click HERE for more DEALS on officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel and gear!
