Tuesday Clemson Football Nuggets
Dabo Swinney just finished gathering with the media in advance of today's practice. As we told you yesterday, the practice schedule is a bit odd this week because of final exams.Practice is scheduled to begin just before 1 PM. New offensive line coach Matt Luke is scheduled to visit with us afterward.
OK, let's get to the most noteworthy stuff from Dabo's visit with us:
**** Said Luke and Chris Rumph are using bowl practices to get acclimated.
"There's a lot for them to learn too," he said in reference to all the terminology and speaking the language.
"Two really experienced, great coaches that I think just check every box for us. They're off to a great start. There's a lot of stuff going on for them too."
Said Luke told him "this was probably the only job he'd have taken."
**** Said Luke and Rumph are in charge of the OL and DE, respectively. There are people helping them translate. "But these are veteran guys."
Said Luke and Rumph are already "coaching them up."
**** Said they have no corners.
Top two would be Avieon Terrell and Shelton Lewis.
"I'm drafting guys. We have all kinds of people playing corners. We've gone to plan A, B, C. And I'm about to go to D just in case."
Sheridan Jones is done. His hips just can't handle it. Been battling migraines all year also. He just doesn't think he can do it.
Jeadyn Lukus and Branden Strozier both had surgery and are out.
Said Myles Oliver is cleared to play.
Khalil Barnes and Hamp Greene are in play at CB.
"You've got to be able to function. What if one of those guys rolls an ankle?"
Tink Kelley isn't quite 100 percent but he's a possible option come game time.
Said Will Shipley will go over there and play corner if they need him to do it.
**** I asked him if Hunter Helms' departure dictates exploring the portal for a QB this offseason. He said no.
"We like the guys we have. And we like who's coming."
Paul Tyson is going to stay. He has another year and will be a student coach. He'll be our Zeb Noland. God help us if we have to get to that point of the fourth quarterback.
"We're committed to Klubnik. We believe in him. He's our guy. He's got a lot of things he has to do in the offseason, for sure. But the game has slowed down for him. He makes elite plays and he's gotten better at cutting out some of those disaster plays. He's made great progress and we really believe in that kid. This kid is going to be a great winner here when he walks out of here."
"We're excited about Vizzina. And Trent Pearman ... if it wasn't for Trent we would probably have to go get another guy. But we really, really like Trent Pearman. ... This ain't no slouch, now. This kid can play. He's got savvy, he's got instincts, he's got moxie. He's a really, really good third-team QB."
Said they're trying to find a high-level preferred walk-on to compete.
If it weren't for Tyson and Pearman, they'd be looking for a QB in the portal.
**** On Shipley's future: "I'll let him tell y'all that. I won't steal his thunder either way."
Said he's playing in the bowl game for sure.
**** Said Barrett Carter has a chance to be a Top 15, Top 20 pick and he's not that this year.
"He's just one of those kids that wants to finish. If he got a first-round grade he wouldn't be here. He's excited and so are we."
**** On RJ Mickens: He's graduating. His intention is to go pro. Obviously we'd love for him to stay but I don't know if he's made that decision yet. He's maybe still trying to decide whether to go pro or come back another year.
**** Antonio Williams looks great. Good to see him bouncing around.
**** They think Brannon Spector will be good to go for the bowl game.
**** Said Lemanski Hall was just ready for the next step. Excited for him. He did a great job. He was ready for a different path.
**** On his decision to make a change at OL: First call was Luke. He wasn't planning on making a change. "I don't think like that during the season."
After some conversations and evaluations and meetings, just felt like we needed a different direction. Luke has had a lot of opportunities over the past year.
**** Reflecting on the soccer natty, Dabo said he went and visited with Terry Don Phillips a few weeks ago.
"They don't make them like that guy anymore," he said.
**** On this class: Said they need one more LB, and they feel really good about that. Also need another OL, and that's where they've been looking into the portal.
****New numbers for the bowl game: Jalyn Phillips No. 1; Shelton Lewis No. 2; Olsen Patt-Henry No. 11; Rob Billings No. 14.
