Defensive Player Development |
Defensive Player Development
Yesterday we wrote about seven players on offense that have improved since fall camp. Here is a look at six players on defense and one special teams player that have made moves this fall: When Kevin Dodd first arrived at Clemson, Brent Venables said he had no clue how to play the game. Venables said he was as undeveloped as any player he has ever coached. Coming into this season, Dodd had never started a game and was a veteran of only 219 plays where he totaled 21 tackles. This season Dodd has played 426 plays with 54 tackles. He is second on the team in tackles for loss and sacks with 10 and 4.5, respectively. He has nine quarterback pressures. Dodd has made huge plays this season including great technique on Notre Dame's failed two-point play. Austin Bryant came in with high expectations as a four-star recruit, but it is tough for a true freshman to make this kind of impact. Bryant's role continues to increase. He missed a couple of games with an injury, but he played a big part in Clemson's pass rush against Florida State. We knew Reader missed the first six games. What we didn't know was how he would play when he returned. Reader has played a bigger role each week. In his first game back against Miami, he played 17 snaps and made seven tackles. At NC State, he played 28 plays. This past week against FSU he had his first start and had five tackles in 30 plays. Reader is a massive body that gives the Tigers an NFL talent at defensive tackle. This is a great example of player development. B.J. Goodson came to Clemson and played behind five-star linebackers like Stephone Anthony and Tony Steward for three years. He did start six games last season but had only played 311 snaps in his career coming into his senior season. This year he is second in the team in tackles with 86 and leads the team in first hits with 66. Cordrea Tankersley Cordrea Tankersley had never started a game until this season and was considered a question mark entering the season. He has now started all nine games and has 32 tackles in 501 plays. Some thought the corner opposite Mackensie Alexander would be picked on this season, but Tankersley has been an All-Conference type of player. He leads the Tigers with three interceptions and is a physical tackler. Adrian Baker played in only four games last season and had only one tackle. He now has two starts and has played 127 plays. Baker played very well in his start against Miami, but his marquee moment came this past weekend. With FSU driving to go up 14-0, Baker came up with his first career interception. If Alexander goes pro, Baker could have an inside track on a starting spot in his final two seasons. When fall camp opened, I had no idea who he was or how to pronounce his name. However, we now know this freshman kicker who is 15-of-17 on field goals this season. Huegel has made ten in a row and is 13-for-13 in ACC games this season. This is another example of a player who we didn't know we could count on in fall camp but has made huge strides as the season progressed. Prayer List The prayer list is a medium for our community to recognize those that are in need. If you would like to add someone to the list, please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com. Please let me know when it is appropriate to remove a person off the list. Those who need our prayers include: Jo Ann Bachman, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got Igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard, Gillespie and his family, Jim S., Daniel Rosborough, the Huffman family, Nancy Winkler, John Reeve, Vinnie Brock, Kaitlyn L., Susan Miller, Joyce Harley, Steve Proveaux, Jeffrey Greene, the Hutto family, Sherl Drawdy, Caleb Kennedy, Teresa O'Connor, Matt Jacobs, Perrin Seigler, Candee Massee, Lindsey Jordan, Sam Catoe, Tyler Felch, the Nicolopulos family, "the Jacksonville, FL guys," Kim Sims, the Coyle family, Ryleigh Tedder, Steve Lee, Kelly Trakas, Jimmy Moore, the Thomas V. family, Emary Claire Young, Kitty Bowers, Julie Locke, the Scheider family, Lauren Kittles' family, Frank Gentry, Stacey McKeown, Dale Childs, Larry Lentz, Jr., Carl Sharperson, Scott Hannon, William Perry, Tyler Swaney, Lillian, Mark Feit, David Frame, the family of Matthew M. Watson, the Dowis family, Alan Putnam, the Olivers, Lee Tate, Ronnie Abrams, Eddie Greene, the Jackson family, Bill Vader, Jim Taylor, Tina DeWitt, Rock Horne, Bobby Wayne Thomas, Emma and Danielle Carothers, Robert Ditty, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Smith, Millie Heatley, Lynn Martin and family, Michael Pinson, Jake David family, Angie Crowley, Ira, Mike Tolson, Poly Wells, Dr. Muriel Bishop, Jack Cunningham, Emily Jefford Meister, Aaron Clackum, Pat James, Cortney Moore, William Moore, Angelia and Savannah Anderson, Scott Johns, Frank Carroll, Brandon Thompson, Alvin Sammons, Georgine McAlhaney, Glen Davis, Mike Price, Aaron Knight, Danielle Johnston and family, Nicholas Abrams, Lana Kuykendall, Gary, Gary G., William Huggins, Jim Bennett, Chantz Fowler, Ethel McElveen, Michele Gurganus, William Gentry, Lewis Usher and Tanya Sanders, Shon Cooper, Nick Collins, Amanda Peake, Chip Turner, Nick Collins, Allen Steen, the Sturkey family, the Lance family, Nick Chrisley's family, Allison Williams, Lt. Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, J.R. Ray, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Jonathan and Jacki Sullins, Peter Laboy, Kat and Carlisle Jones, Elizabeth Galloway and family, Anita McDonald, Willard Harryman, Liz Surratt, Molly Senn, Jackie Shearer, Richard Sellers, Tim Drisdelle, Susan and Mike Brown, Julie Goodman Marshall, Willard and Dorothy Harryman, Justin Jernigan, Jack Cunningham, Mia Daughtery, Tee Senn, Bob Garrett, Skylar, Joseph Thomas, Mrs. Nelis, Sean Rowell, George Parker, Levon Kirkland and family, Catherine Sewell, Randy Davenport, David Vaughn, Keith Dalton, B.T., Bill Hilbig, Rita Elrod Hammond and family, Jim McKeller, Tony Alewine, Sharon Storck, Dick Baird, Richard Bagnal, Dustin and Brittany Peurifoy, Jan Allan, Josh Cox, Gregg and Sylvia Lewis, Travis Hamrick, Kaki Harmon, Jammie McKellar and babies, Karen Edwards, Jackson Lindsey, Cathy Hutson Gregg, Kristin Heckman, Jennifer Johnson, Jay Johnson, Lyndsie Johnson, Emily Davis, Hayes Davis, Judy Towe, Johnny Towe, Ken Brown, Elaine Brown, Rhonda Thompson, Tim Davis, Jacob Greinke, Jack Finley, Richard and Clara Crawford, Zach and Griffin Johnson, Israel, Frankie Allen, Bobby Allen, the Wessinger family, the Parsons family, Todd Price and family, Rosemary A Flynn, Dr. Mickey Shealy family, Mr. Gillespie, Bobbi Nicholson, Dr. Matt Stower, Tyler Kemmerlin, Parks Hutto, Patrick DeStefano, Robert Summerville, Wendell Harrington, Michelle Richey, Julie Moore, Ashley Fitch, Drew Moyer, Kevin Anderson, Lyn Price, John Robert Smith, Allison Williams, Nicholas Wickiser, Lena Wright, Donna Springs, Elizabeth Bruner, Bobbi Simpson, Hammond Family, Elaine G. Duvall, Addison Grace, Bennie Cunningham, Kevin Orcutt, Alan Finley, Keith Wells, Steve Byrd, Jessica Hernandez, Wayne Mullins, Rita Alexander, Tony Osterman, family and friends of Gary Cooper, Tonya Gibson, Mary Carmen Harman and our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day, plus their families. The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency
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