Venables loves the maturity, discipline of his Clemson defense

Venables' defense has had a dominant camp.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Aug 21 08:00:07 GMT-04:00 2021

CLEMSON – Brent Venables’ defense has been dominant during August camp and he sees a group of players who have grown up over the last two seasons.

The Tigers boasted one of the nation’s top defensive groups in 2018, led by the Power Rangers and an assortment of stars across the board. Venables used Isaiah Simmons to perfection in 2019, and he saw a young group battle COVID and injuries in 2020. Now he’s seeing a mature group play clean football.

“It has been a good clean camp from a discipline standpoint and understanding just to be in a good competitive position,” Venables said after Thursday’s scrimmage. “A lot of pre-snap understanding. You see a bunch of young guys that have grown up and improved with their confidence, improved with their understanding, improved with their technique, just playing within the system, and letting the system help them.

“So, it has been very pleasing to see that discipline show up in live situations.”

Everyone knows that Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis will likely man the defensive tackle spots, but Venables has been pleased with backups Tré Williams, Ruke Orhorhoro, Etinosa Reuben and Darnell Jefferies.

“Those other guys have done really, really well and made improvement,” Venables said. “We just have to get them to be consistent every-day players, as far as showing up and being healthy and all of those little things that it takes to be a good player. But they have really matured and made a ton of improvement fundamentally, pad level and being physical.

“And they are athletic. Ruke, Tré and ET are very athletic guys. They got big bodies and they have some twitch to them, so they are playing within the system and playing with better pad level and fundamentals, that is the biggest thing we have seen from them.”

Venables also likes what he sees out of the corners, including Andrew Booth, Mario Goodrich, Sheridan Jones, Fred Davis, Malcolm Greene, and Nate Wiggins.

“Been super pleased with the corners… they’ve had a tremendous camp,” Venables said. “They’ve been ultra-consistent, great coverage – zone, man, run support, consistent. Showing up every day. Great fundamentals. Just excited to see that translate to the field. That might’ve been the most improvement from the spring to where we’re at now as far as position groups.”

The starting safeties are likely to be Nolan Turner and Lannden Zanders, but Andrew Mukuba, RJ Mickens, Tyler Venables, Ray Thornton, Jalyn Phillips and Joseph Charleston have all had good camps.

“The other guys have shown a great deal of consistency,” Venables said. “Lannden is better and healthy. He has a good feel and an understanding for things. That group has had a really good fall camp and has made improvement in their strength and their speed numbers and, again, just our overall understanding and consistency every day.

“Mukuba’s done well. Joseph Charleston. Ray Thornton. [Jalyn Phillips] has done well. Tyler [Venables]. R.J. [Mickens]. R.J. had shoulder surgery, so he missed time. Mukuba missed a little bit of working out and those types of things because of his broken forearm,” Venables said. “Tyler had a great summer. His testing numbers were as good as anybody in the secondary, whether it was in the weight room or running with the speed. Then the other guys have shown a great deal of consistency. That group’s had a really good fall camp. Made improvement in both their strength and speed numbers and overall understanding and consistency every day.”