Clemson was back in Death Valley today for the first time in a long time. A few of the more notable takeaways from the Tigers' first full-scale scrimmage of camp:
-- The first-team offense and second-team defense owned the day today. Fred Davis and Joseph Charleston both stood out on that second-team defense. They both had interceptions, and here's what Dabo Swinney had to say about Davis:
"Nice interception. Long guy, gets his hands on the ball, excellent ball skills."
Four-star true freshman cornerback Fred Davis. (Clemson Athletics)
-- The first-team offense has so many guys out that the first question we had of Swinney today was, OK, who exactly is on the first-team offense?
Here are the guys who were out:
Travis Etienne (banged up the other day)
Amari Rodgers
Joseph Ngata (still going through acclimatization period)
Frank Ladson (still in contact-tracing protocol)
Ajou Ajou (tweaked his hamstring right at the beginning today)
On top of that, Blake Vinson is still out trying to get his knee feeling better. And the depth at OL, already in question, has been hit: Tayquon Johnson has been out with migraines. Mason Trotter and Kaleb Boateng are out due to contact-tracing protocol.
(The defense has suffered its own spate of injuries and attrition, as Paul will detail in a few moments below).
OK, so back to those front-line offensive guys today: Cornell Powell killed it, Swinney said. Had three touchdowns. Brannon Spector was also really good. And then Will Brown and Will Swinney spent time with the first group in the slot. E.J. Williams played with the second group.
Powell played first-team 9-man, and Williams backed him up.
"Cornell was the best player on the field today," Swinney said. "Awesome. He's a fifth-year senior. That's what it's all about."
Lyn-J Dixon had a really nice day running with the first-teamers.
"He is a special player and at a whole other level -- confidence, mentality, you name it."
-- Said Cade Stewart has done a great job with snaps so far.
"Cade got a ton of experience last year. He's a really, really good football player. He can play center and guard. He could also be a serviceable tackle if we needed him to be. Very strong, very smart."
-- Said Demarkcus Bowman and Kobe Pace are "like Thunder & Lightning all over again," referring to C.J. Spiller (Bowman) and James Davis (Pace).
-- Said Chez Mellusi is having a great camp. He suffered a shoulder injury a few days ago and has missed time.
-- Remains as confident as he was earlier in the week that the players are safest doing exactly what they're doing: Practicing football and existing in a virtual bubble within the football program.
"We can absolutely play safely. We can't keep everybody from getting the virus. ... The only way to do that is for everybody to sit in their house and never leave. I think what we've been doing is great."
-- Said he hasn't thought about the pre-game routine of riding the buses and running down the hill, but he acknowledged that the game-day atmosphere is going to look totally different.
"Everything will be mitigated -- fans, everything. But when we step between the lines it's football."
He joked about the pandemic-era irony of the phrase he's used for years: "Championships are won when the stands are empty."
"Literally they may be won this year when the stands are empty," he said.
FROM PAUL:
Defensive coordinator Brent Venables used the word “inconsistent” frequently in describing the defense’s play, both in scrimmages Saturday and Friday.
Part of that can reasonably be chalked up to assorted personnel absences.
Defensive end Justin Foster, linebacker Jamie Skalski, corner Mario Goodrich and reserve linebacker Kane Patterson all did not practice Saturday, Venables said, citing bumps and bruises as the reason.
“No one’s opted out,” he said.
Reserve defensive tackle Etinosa Reuben has also not practiced yet this camp, per Venables, while linebacker Baylon Spector has been “gimpy.”
“Lot of guys have to step up and be baptized early,” Venables said. “Really excited some young guys that flashed. We just have to improve some consistency and pre-snap, our communication. Too many offsides.
“We have the right kind of physical toughness. But we’re not anywhere where we need to be from a mental toughness standpoint.”
-- Sounds like one who has flashed this camp is freshman defensive lineman Bryan Bresee.
Bresee has worked at both defensive end and defensive tackle.
“He’s learned more than one spot,” Venables said, adding with a smile, “Just get on the shoulder of the offensive lineman.
“There are definitely some differences, but there are more similarities than not.”
**** Venables indicated the starting corner spot opposite Derion Kendrick remains up for grabs, as some “bad eyes and discipline” cost several of the candidates Saturday.
On Goodrich, who did not participate Saturday: “Mario has been a little inconsistent because he’s coming off surgery and he’s been a little sick. So he’s been snakebitten a little bit. He needs to play.”
**** The one guy Venables did rave about was linebacker Mike Jones, who has been slotted to replace Isaiah Simmons at strong-side linebacker and nickel.
“That’s his job,” Venables said.
**** Venables said the defensive line fared particularly well in short-yardage scrimmaging Friday.
Plenty more coming later today and tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
FROM THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Click HERE to check out all of our inventory, plus early summer DEALS on officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel!
-- The first-team offense and second-team defense owned the day today. Fred Davis and Joseph Charleston both stood out on that second-team defense. They both had interceptions, and here's what Dabo Swinney had to say about Davis:
"Nice interception. Long guy, gets his hands on the ball, excellent ball skills."
Four-star true freshman cornerback Fred Davis. (Clemson Athletics)
-- The first-team offense has so many guys out that the first question we had of Swinney today was, OK, who exactly is on the first-team offense?
Here are the guys who were out:
Travis Etienne (banged up the other day)
Amari Rodgers
Joseph Ngata (still going through acclimatization period)
Frank Ladson (still in contact-tracing protocol)
Ajou Ajou (tweaked his hamstring right at the beginning today)
On top of that, Blake Vinson is still out trying to get his knee feeling better. And the depth at OL, already in question, has been hit: Tayquon Johnson has been out with migraines. Mason Trotter and Kaleb Boateng are out due to contact-tracing protocol.
(The defense has suffered its own spate of injuries and attrition, as Paul will detail in a few moments below).
OK, so back to those front-line offensive guys today: Cornell Powell killed it, Swinney said. Had three touchdowns. Brannon Spector was also really good. And then Will Brown and Will Swinney spent time with the first group in the slot. E.J. Williams played with the second group.
Powell played first-team 9-man, and Williams backed him up.
"Cornell was the best player on the field today," Swinney said. "Awesome. He's a fifth-year senior. That's what it's all about."
Lyn-J Dixon had a really nice day running with the first-teamers.
"He is a special player and at a whole other level -- confidence, mentality, you name it."
-- Said Cade Stewart has done a great job with snaps so far.
"Cade got a ton of experience last year. He's a really, really good football player. He can play center and guard. He could also be a serviceable tackle if we needed him to be. Very strong, very smart."
-- Said Demarkcus Bowman and Kobe Pace are "like Thunder & Lightning all over again," referring to C.J. Spiller (Bowman) and James Davis (Pace).
-- Said Chez Mellusi is having a great camp. He suffered a shoulder injury a few days ago and has missed time.
-- Remains as confident as he was earlier in the week that the players are safest doing exactly what they're doing: Practicing football and existing in a virtual bubble within the football program.
"We can absolutely play safely. We can't keep everybody from getting the virus. ... The only way to do that is for everybody to sit in their house and never leave. I think what we've been doing is great."
-- Said he hasn't thought about the pre-game routine of riding the buses and running down the hill, but he acknowledged that the game-day atmosphere is going to look totally different.
"Everything will be mitigated -- fans, everything. But when we step between the lines it's football."
He joked about the pandemic-era irony of the phrase he's used for years: "Championships are won when the stands are empty."
"Literally they may be won this year when the stands are empty," he said.
FROM PAUL:
Defensive coordinator Brent Venables used the word “inconsistent” frequently in describing the defense’s play, both in scrimmages Saturday and Friday.
Part of that can reasonably be chalked up to assorted personnel absences.
Defensive end Justin Foster, linebacker Jamie Skalski, corner Mario Goodrich and reserve linebacker Kane Patterson all did not practice Saturday, Venables said, citing bumps and bruises as the reason.
“No one’s opted out,” he said.
Reserve defensive tackle Etinosa Reuben has also not practiced yet this camp, per Venables, while linebacker Baylon Spector has been “gimpy.”
“Lot of guys have to step up and be baptized early,” Venables said. “Really excited some young guys that flashed. We just have to improve some consistency and pre-snap, our communication. Too many offsides.
“We have the right kind of physical toughness. But we’re not anywhere where we need to be from a mental toughness standpoint.”
-- Sounds like one who has flashed this camp is freshman defensive lineman Bryan Bresee.
Bresee has worked at both defensive end and defensive tackle.
“He’s learned more than one spot,” Venables said, adding with a smile, “Just get on the shoulder of the offensive lineman.
“There are definitely some differences, but there are more similarities than not.”
**** Venables indicated the starting corner spot opposite Derion Kendrick remains up for grabs, as some “bad eyes and discipline” cost several of the candidates Saturday.
On Goodrich, who did not participate Saturday: “Mario has been a little inconsistent because he’s coming off surgery and he’s been a little sick. So he’s been snakebitten a little bit. He needs to play.”
**** The one guy Venables did rave about was linebacker Mike Jones, who has been slotted to replace Isaiah Simmons at strong-side linebacker and nickel.
“That’s his job,” Venables said.
**** Venables said the defensive line fared particularly well in short-yardage scrimmaging Friday.
Plenty more coming later today and tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
FROM THE TIGER FAN SHOP: Click HERE to check out all of our inventory, plus early summer DEALS on officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel!
