Camp Confidential: Day One

Clemson commit Chris Register with Dudley alum and Clemson great Jeff Davis

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Jun 05 18:21:21 GMT-04:00 2013

C LEMSON – The first session of Dabo Swinney Dabo Swinney
Head Coach
View Full Profile ’s high school football camp got underway Wednesday afternoon on the practice fields and in the indoor practice facility, and there were life lessons as well as football lessons learned.

Many of the big-name recruits won’t be in town until later this week or next week – I am hearing that there are over 900 campers registered for next week – and Clemson tight ends coach Danny PearmanDanny Pearman
Assistant Head Coach / Tight Ends
View Full Profile took the time to use every- day wisdom to teach football lessons.

“The last time I got into a fight, I got beat up because I didn’t swing first,” Pearman joked to his group. “That was in the eighth grade and that girl kicked my butt because I didn’t swing first. I stepped off the bus and she laid me out. So I learned from then on that I have to swing first.”

*Offensive coordinator Chad MorrisChad Morris
Offensive Coordinator / QBs
View Full Profile spent time with 2017 quarterback Jake Bentley out of Duncan (SC) Byrnes, the son of Byrnes head coach Bobby Bentley. Bobby Bentley was also there with his older son, Old Dominion commit Shuler Bentley.

Jake Bentley has an offer from Appalachian St. and his father told me that they are thinking an offer from North Carolina any day now. Clemson is also showing interest, and Morris spent time with Bentley watching and coaching on mechanics.

I asked Bobby Bentley – a pretty good coach and offensive coordinator in his own right – about bringing Jake to Clemson’s camp, and he said Morris was one of the main reasons.

“He is just a great coach,” he said. “But he is an even better person, and that is part of the reason I brought Jake. You know he is going to get great coaching, but from someone I really respect.”

*Out of the tight ends, 2014 tight end Nate Craft out of Brookwood (AL) Brookwood School passed the eye test and drew interest from Pearman. Craft has an offer from Jacksonville St., but with increased size (he is 195 now) could draw interest from bigger schools.

Another tight end that caught my eye was Harrison Moon Harrison Moon
Tight End
6-5, 240
Chattanooga, TN
View Full Profile , a 2015 tight end from Chattanooga (TN) Signal Mountain, who already has an offer from Vanderbilt.

*Speaking of passing the eye test – Alexander Stier is a 6-6, 300-pounder from Athens (GA) Prince Avenue Christian who was definitely the most noticeable of the offensive line group. He has an offer from Georgia St.

Offensive lineman Donell Stanley, the 2014 recruit out of Latta (SC) and one of the state’s top recruits, showed up for camp but didn’t participate in drills. He didn't work out but was there supporting several of his teammates who were up for the camp.

*Clemson linebacker commit Chris Register Chris Register
Outside Linebacker
6-4, 210
Greensboro, NC
View Full Profile – who committed last week – was on hand but didn’t participate in drills. Register was keeping a close eye on teammate Emmanuel Moseley, a 2014 defensive back prospect who runs a 4.35 40. Moseley just picked up an offer from East Carolina, but Register has told me in the past that he would love for Moseley to come to Clemson so the two could room together.

Defensive backs coach Mike ReedMike Reed
Defensive Backs Coach
View Full Profile spent a lot of time with Moseley, who is also drawing interest from Clemson, Tennessee and North Carolina.

*While watching the defensive backs, I wandered over to watch the defensive ends and noticed Dillon’s Jalen Washington. Washington’s father told me that his son –w ho is 6-3 – played a lot of defensive tackle last season and played at 270 pounds. However, he wants to play defensive end this season and is now down to 245 pounds. He was the most impressive of the group working with Marion HobbyMarion Hobby
Assistant Coach / Defensive Ends
View Full Profile . Washington hasn’t received an offer, but his father said plenty of schools are beginning to show interest.

*Speaking of Register – in the early part of the session, Register was greeted by Clemson great Jeff Davis, who attended the same high school as Register, Greensboro’s Dudley. Swinney walked by the pair and joked to Davis that Register was “the first recruit you’ve ever landed.”

*I ended up at the linebackers, and continue to like what I see out of Daniel’s Solomon Brown, whose dad played at Clemson. I watched Daniel play several times last season, and Brown always jumped out at me. The last time I spoke with the Daniel coaches, Maryland was beginning to show interest. The kid is just a great athlete and a playmaker. Because of his size (6-1, 190) I see him as more of a safety in college, but someone is going to get a steal.

Another linebacker getting a lot of looks Wednesday was Belton-Honea Path’s Eric Boggs, who got to spend time defensive coordinator Brent VenablesBrent Venables
Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
View Full Profile .

*And on a lighter note, Hobby asked one camper to give him five up-downs after a less-than-stellar attempt on the sled, and when Hobby turned back around, the camper was still struggling with the up-downs. Hobby looked at him shook his head, and said, “If it takes you that long to do up-downs, how long will it take you to get to the quarterback?”