Swinney says Tigers are vastly improved on offensive and defensive lines |
Clemson struggled on the offensive line and was inconsistent with its defensive line play in 2020, but head coach
Dabo Swinney thinks the Tigers are vastly improved along both lines of scrimmage.
Clemson has to replace left tackle Jackson Carman and center Cade Stewart along the offensive line. Walker Parks was seen working out at right tackle Monday, while incumbent right tackle Jordan McFadden was working out at left tackle. Swinney said it’s too early to read anything into the position switch. "No, ain't nobody found a home -- we're cross-training everybody," Swinney said after Monday’s practice. "We got guys cross-training all over the place. We have to come out of spring with the type of (offensive line) depth we didn't have last spring. Last fall camp, we came out of it with six guys we thought could play winning football for us. We were lucky the top-five guys pretty much stayed healthy. "We are way ahead now than this time last year on the offensive line and it's not even close. I'm excited about that. I do think we can come out of this fall camp with hopefully 10 or 11 guys. Part of that is experimenting, cross-training, and developing different types of chemistry and roles. At the end of the day, you want to get your five best on the field. And then your sixth, seventh, and so on. We are in that process now. But nobody has found a home." The Tigers also look to be improved along the defensive line. Starting defensive end Myles Murphy and starting defensive tackles Tyler Davis and Bryan Bresee return, while defensive end KJ Henry (out this spring with surgery) will battle Justin Mascoll for the starting job opposite Murphy. Add in depth across the board – defensive tackles like Darnell Jefferies, DeMonte Capehart, Tré Williams, Ruke Orhorhoro, and Etinosa Reuben and defensive ends like Xavier Thomas, Cade Denhoff, Greg Williams, and Kevin Swint – and the Tigers look to be in great shape with a line that didn’t lose any starters. "We were an inconsistent bunch last year for sure, whether it be guys available to play, depth, inexperience, whatever it was," Swinney said. "But man, I love that group. We took a few bumps and bruises along the way... man Bryan Bresee is so much better now than he was at any point last year. Same thing with Myles Murphy. Two freshmen that really played well for us last year as true freshmen. People don't understand how hard that is to do. "K.J. Henry, we're getting him back healthy. Justin Mascoll, the experience he got last year will pay huge dividends for him. Ruke Orhorhoro is a guy that I think can be a great player here. Tyler Davis going into his junior year, he's got the knowledge and the experience. Excited about what I've seen out of Darnell Jefferies. Love what I've seen from Cade Denhoff, Greg Williams and his development. Getting Xavier Thomas back and really locked in on what he needs to do.” Thomas enters 2021 credited with 85 career tackles (22.5 for loss), 9.0 sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 857 snaps over 34 games (nine starts). He played in seven games in 2020 and was credited with 11 tackles (4.0 for loss), 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in only 119 snaps over seven games (one start). Swinney loves what he has seen out of Thomas. "Xavier still has some improving to do but he's feeling good about his conditioning. He's very engaged. He's showing up every day. He's got goals and he's keeping them at the front of his mind,” Swinney said. “It's a really good group of guys. If we stay healthy, I think we have a chance to have the type of group that we've become accustomed to around here."
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