Burning questions for Clemson's defense heading into August camp

TJ Parker and a group of young standouts look to take another step this season.

TigerNet Staff - Wednesday, July 31 2024

Talking season is nearly over.

The big weigh-in is scheduled for later today, and the first practice of the 2024 August camp is Thursday afternoon. Most of the questions center on Clemson’s offense, and we covered many of those questions on Tuesday.

The defense is a little different. It is expected to be good again this season and features several key returners. The unit expects another jump in success this season.

Not only does this group have high expectations for themselves, but there’s also fuel ready to be ignited for 2024.

Just ask Barrett Carter, who told the media in Charlotte at the ACC Kickoff that this defense was “keeping receipts,” adding the group has seen all the chatter.

Heading into the start of camp, the defense won’t be under the same microscope as the offense, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have some questions.

Here is what we are looking for.

How much of a leap can Peter Woods/TJ Parker make?

Clemson held plenty of freshman talent in 2023.

TJ Parker and Peter Woods certainly were not secrets who became surprises. They were some of the highest-ranked prospects in the country at the time of their commitments.

Both linemen received Freshman All-American honors and collected some other records along the way. Parker broke Myles Murphy’s true freshman mark of 12.0 tackles for loss with 12.5. Woods led the team in quarterback pressures with ten, adding 27 tackles in 12 games.

The freshman duo joined a defensive line group highlighting Ruke Orhorhoro, Tyler Davis, Justin Mascoll, and Xavier Thomas. Three of those four were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Entering year two, the Parker/Woods pairing will become not only the face of the defensive line but also some of the most recognizable faces in 2024.

With Woods shifting to defensive end, he and Parker will rush opposite each other, providing nightmarish matchups for opposing tackles.

Woods didn’t waste any time making an impact at his new spot in the spring, with defensive ends coach Chris Rumph adding plenty of buzz to the position change.

“We tried in the spring and he went through playing defensive end in the spring,” Rumph said. “I thought he had a really, really good spring. It was pretty cool. Ask the offensive guys how he was trying to run the ball his way. He's been really good, and we were trying to put him in a position where he could be successful and help the defense.”

Behind the teachings of Rumph and Nick Eason, Parker and Woods are in pretty good hands.

A lot more will be asked of this duo, but if you ask anyone on this staff, they feel pretty confident this group is up for the challenge.

Can this unit continue to create turnovers?

If there were a word to describe Clemson’s 2023 season, it would be turnovers.

The offense couldn’t stop coughing up the ball, while the defense excelled at forcing the issue on the other side.

Clemson’s offense was tied for 105th in the country in turnovers lost, pairing them with schools like Charlotte and Iowa. The defense was a different story, despite playing two games less than some of the other top ten teams, tying for first place in the country with Cal and Bowling Green in forced turnovers.

Similar to the defenders he organizes on his chess board, defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin hopes the production on the defense can continue to grow.

“I want to improve upon it (turnovers forced), so no, that was awesome,” Goodwin said. “You get what you emphasize, which was a big emphasis last year, but this year as well. So, hopefully, that comes to fruition as well. I'd like to break that. We tied it, but I'd love to break the school record for defensive touchdowns in the season.”

What can we expect from Sammy Brown?

During one of the early spring practices, a former Clemson linebacker watched Sammy Brown run through drills and said to no one in particular, “They won’t be able to keep him off the field.”

Indeed, Brown is that rare mix of size and speed with generous helpings of athleticism. In high school, he punted, played running back, played linebacker, and rarely came off the field. The Tigers won’t need that much from him. And it’s not a question of if Brown will play. It’s a question of when.

Early in the Tigers’ spring game – on the first offensive play for the Orange – Brown rushed off the edge, used his speed to beat the left tackle and sacked Cade Klubnik for a six-yard loss. Brown shined all day, with a game-high-tying eight tackles (six solo), a tackle for loss and a sack for the White team in its 27-12 loss to the Orange squad.

“I mean, he’s a natural,” head coach Dabo Swinney said of Brown’s performance.

The coaches will be cautious because Brown is still learning the playbook and getting used to the game's speed.

“You’ve got to remember, this kid played every snap almost, both sides of the ball,” Swinney said. “So now, he’s getting exposed to a lot more defensively, and we’ve kept him at one spot all spring, really trying to just hone him in. I mean, he’s got the speed and the talent to really play wherever, but we’re just trying to really build a good foundation for him.

“I know he’s glad that he was able to come in early and get a lot of this learning curve cut down a little bit, so now he can go attack the summer and fall camp, and hopefully by September, he can be in a position to help us.”

What can we expect from the young corners?

Who will start for the Tigers at corner? Last season, the Tigers had a luxury with Nate Wiggins and Sheridan Jones. Jones missed time, however, and Wiggins declared for the draft, leaving plenty of playing time late for Avieon Terrell and Shelton Lewis. How good are the younger players? Toriano Pride saw the writing on the wall and transferred to Missouri.

You have to figure that Lewis and Terrell will battle with veteran Jeadyn Lukus for the privilege to start.

Tavoy Feagin, Corian Gipson, Branden Strozier, Myles Oliver, and Ashton Hampton will provide depth. This group gets early tests - Georgia in game one, Joey Aguilar and App St. in week two, and Grayson McCall and NC State come calling in the third game. That’s not an easy first three weeks. In fact, it’s hard.

But Terrell will be one of the league’s best corners in 2024—count on it—and will anchor the defense's back end.