AUGUST CAMP: Sunday Update
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
In just over two weeks, Clemson's reconstituted coaching staff will take the field for its first game together. This weekend, we give our impressions thus far of the Dabo 2.0 staff. Offense came first, and now defense.
It feels kind of odd to be talking about someone other than Wes Goodwin when that's the guy who's charged with doing what was thought impossible: Replace Brent Venables and the all-around impact he brought to Clemson up to and beyond the perennially stellar defenses.
But Nick Eason has been that much of a force in the seven months back at his alma mater after leaving Auburn to replace Todd Bates.
Former Clemson defensive lineman Nick Eason has made quite a splash as a first-year defensive tackles coach and before ever coaching his first game in Clemson. (Tigerillustrated.com)
The guy's recruiting pop has been well-documented. He can work any room he's in and leave everyone in it marveling at the guy's mix of wisdom, humor and self-deprecation.
And that commanding presence extends to the practice fields. One of the common sights during spring practice and August camp was seeing him working heavily -- and authoritatively -- with the entire defensive line on hand placement and technique on pass rush.
We have polled various folks about Eason's NFL expertise and how much it's meant to a group of future NFL players as they try to further refine their games here in 2022.
The reviews have been glowing. This was the method to Swinney's thinking when Bates left for Oklahoma and he quickly set out to find someone with an NFL background.
"It's been a huge improvement using his NFL knowledge coming down," Myles Murphy said. "He is really working on the little things, whether it be timing, hand placement, eyes -- a lot of stuff that people on the outside looking in don't see and don't really recognize that are very important. Whether it's your footsteps, or whether my eyes are on the tackle's hands, how the tackle is setting.
"He's really teaching us the game and making sure that we understand pass rushing and playing the run. It's been great having him here."
Eason's presence will surely pay dividends when a lot of these guys are interviewing with NFL personnel later on. But there are some immediate fruits also, and we're about to see them unveiled. -- LARRY WILLIAMS
Yeah, we're accustomed to seeing the boxing gloves come out on Clemson's defense.
But only because Dabo Swinney began making the cornerbacks wear them in order to decrease the amount of grabbing they might grow accustomed to doing.
Now a practice doesn't go by where Eason doesn't wear padded flat gloves to work hand quickness and technique with the defensive ends and his tackles alike.
When Swinney promoted Goodwin and gave Mickey Conn an extra title, the moves were understandably questioned by many -- and certainly plenty outside the program. Neither carried the credibility externally.
First-year defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin has picked up numerous major endorsements from figures outside of Clemson's football program, from other college coaches past and present to NFL coaches. (Tigerillustrated.com)
The changes triggered initial pause by numerous players as well.
In observing practices this camp, I think the biggest thing you'd notice is that ... there isn't a big difference from before.
Yeah, there's absolutely a contrast in Venables' presence on a practice field to that of Goodwin.
But drill intensity, player buy-in, all the football stuff -- you get the sense that the leaders such as Trenton Simpson, Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis and others have given their nod of approval in credibility, and that was no small offseason step. -- PAUL STRELOW
MARKED DOWN officially-licensed CLEMSON gear at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
By: Larry Williams & Paul Strelow
In just over two weeks, Clemson's reconstituted coaching staff will take the field for its first game together. This weekend, we give our impressions thus far of the Dabo 2.0 staff. Offense came first, and now defense.
It feels kind of odd to be talking about someone other than Wes Goodwin when that's the guy who's charged with doing what was thought impossible: Replace Brent Venables and the all-around impact he brought to Clemson up to and beyond the perennially stellar defenses.
But Nick Eason has been that much of a force in the seven months back at his alma mater after leaving Auburn to replace Todd Bates.
Former Clemson defensive lineman Nick Eason has made quite a splash as a first-year defensive tackles coach and before ever coaching his first game in Clemson. (Tigerillustrated.com)
The guy's recruiting pop has been well-documented. He can work any room he's in and leave everyone in it marveling at the guy's mix of wisdom, humor and self-deprecation.
And that commanding presence extends to the practice fields. One of the common sights during spring practice and August camp was seeing him working heavily -- and authoritatively -- with the entire defensive line on hand placement and technique on pass rush.
We have polled various folks about Eason's NFL expertise and how much it's meant to a group of future NFL players as they try to further refine their games here in 2022.
The reviews have been glowing. This was the method to Swinney's thinking when Bates left for Oklahoma and he quickly set out to find someone with an NFL background.
"It's been a huge improvement using his NFL knowledge coming down," Myles Murphy said. "He is really working on the little things, whether it be timing, hand placement, eyes -- a lot of stuff that people on the outside looking in don't see and don't really recognize that are very important. Whether it's your footsteps, or whether my eyes are on the tackle's hands, how the tackle is setting.
"He's really teaching us the game and making sure that we understand pass rushing and playing the run. It's been great having him here."
Eason's presence will surely pay dividends when a lot of these guys are interviewing with NFL personnel later on. But there are some immediate fruits also, and we're about to see them unveiled. -- LARRY WILLIAMS
Yeah, we're accustomed to seeing the boxing gloves come out on Clemson's defense.
But only because Dabo Swinney began making the cornerbacks wear them in order to decrease the amount of grabbing they might grow accustomed to doing.
Now a practice doesn't go by where Eason doesn't wear padded flat gloves to work hand quickness and technique with the defensive ends and his tackles alike.
When Swinney promoted Goodwin and gave Mickey Conn an extra title, the moves were understandably questioned by many -- and certainly plenty outside the program. Neither carried the credibility externally.
First-year defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin has picked up numerous major endorsements from figures outside of Clemson's football program, from other college coaches past and present to NFL coaches. (Tigerillustrated.com)
The changes triggered initial pause by numerous players as well.
In observing practices this camp, I think the biggest thing you'd notice is that ... there isn't a big difference from before.
Yeah, there's absolutely a contrast in Venables' presence on a practice field to that of Goodwin.
But drill intensity, player buy-in, all the football stuff -- you get the sense that the leaders such as Trenton Simpson, Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis and others have given their nod of approval in credibility, and that was no small offseason step. -- PAUL STRELOW
MARKED DOWN officially-licensed CLEMSON gear at The Tiger Fan Shop HERE!
