Thursday Practice Notes: Swinney details competition at cornerback, offensive line |
David Hood
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- Thursday, August 08 2024
CLEMSON – August camp is all about the grind, and some of Clemson’s younger players are thriving.
Head coach Dabo Swinney met with the media Tuesday and discussed where he sees his team, less than two weeks before the Tigers start preparations for the opener against Georgia. “Just grinding through camp. Guys have shown up. Really of the six days, probably only one that I feel like we didn't really bring it like I wanted us, but other than that they've come out and competed each and every day,” Swinney said. “So still just a lot to do, a lot to improve on, but they're putting the work in.” On if Cade Klubnik’s added weight will pay dividends. “I think that's to be determined. We're not going to tackle him in football in fall camp practice. So I mean I definitely think he's bigger, stronger and all that stuff. Obviously, he's just more experienced and just has more confidence to him out there. But I think that part of the game will show more as he plays the season, and I think that'll show up a little bit more, hopefully maybe, whether it's finishing with the ball and not getting the ball knocked out or maybe breaking some tackles or pulling away. Those are the type of things I think where you see hopefully some of his strength show up as opposed to where he was last year at this time.” The competition at cornerback “They're all competing. It's a good group all across the board, top to bottom. I like the group, the young guys that have joined us, that's a really good group of young talent rolling in here. Nice to get. Obviously, Tavoy Feagin was out there this spring, but now you have Corian Gipson out there. He wasn't able to go this spring and then Ashton Hampton coming in here. He's a guy that you notice every day as well. So that's three new guys that are in the mix to go along with those other guys. So, it's a good competitive group. Branden Strozier was another guy that wasn't able to do some things in the spring that now is getting back out there. So, we like the personnel we have.” “He's had a couple of really good days in a row. Made a couple of really nice throws today. A couple of very accurate deep balls. I was really pleased. I mean, like I said, he's had two really good days, so just got to keep going. All of them. I mean, I'm pleased with all those guys. I mean, they're doing a nice job. Paul's getting his work where he needs to get his work, so he'd be ready for us as our fourth guy if needed. But a ton of reps going to those first three guys and they all are very, very functional in what we need them to do. So I like their attitude and demeanors, they're coming to work every day.” On offensive lineman Ian Reed “He's working with our twos right now at tackle. He's not where he needs to be. I mean, he's a kid that missed, he was in the hospital for a month last year, so he missed basically all last year and was very limited. But I will say this about Ian. Ian, he is a very committed kid. He's super talented. He's got all the tools, big, he's strong, he's a good athlete, but he just hadn't played football in a while. I mean, he's healthy and so he just keeps showing up every day. But what I like, he really believes in himself. And if you got that and you have talent, the rest will come for you. But still a little fast for him. But he's a guy that we just keep bringing that water every day, just keep pouring it on him, and hopefully, one of these days, good stuff is going to happen.” Harris Sewell at center “Getting better and better every day. He's working guard and center and got good competition right there. That's going to be a good battle. We're getting some good depth. I really feel good about our three centers right there, but it gets better and better. And this spring was the first time that he really had to do that. And now, as we go through camp, and it's every single day, and you're seeing a lot of looks, and you're making a lot of calls and stuff, and he's, he's really gotten better with his snaps. I don't even notice him, and honestly, last spring, it was just the first two or three days that I noticed him because he just wasn't as consistent with his snaps, and he really kind of picked it up.” On why there is a different feeling in camp “I think how we finished last year and what they went through, got a lot of guys back and I think we all get shaped by what we go through. And there's a bunch of kids on this team that finished well last year. I think they carried that into the offseason. And I think there's just really good leadership, a lot of experienced guys that have really taken upon themselves to lead. And so it's definitely a close team for sure. And that's how we've won around here. Having a group of guys that will line up and play together and you have a chance to do a lot when you play together. Everybody, one heartbeat with a singleness of purpose. And these guys have bought into that, and hopefully, when the season's all said and done, we'll be able to look back and say, yeah, that close team, that was a difference for us.”
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