CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Lemanski Hall says Clelin Ferrell is what a great football player looks like
Hall says Ferrell is what a great football player looks like

Lemanski Hall says Clelin Ferrell is what a great football player looks like


by - Correspondent -

SUNSET – Lemanski Hall is in his first season as Clemson’s defensive ends coach, and he knows he has something special.

Hall served the previous three years on Dabo Swinney’s staff as a defensive analyst. The NCAA approved a 10th full time assistant coach starting with the 2018 season and Hall is filling the role that opened when Marion Hobby left to go to the NFL after the 2016 season. Defensive tackles coach Todd Bates coached both positions last season.

Hall enters his first season as a full-time coach with players like Clelin Ferrell, Austin Bryant, Xavier Thomas, Xavier Kelly, KJ Henry, Richard Yeargin, and Logan Rudolph at his disposal. The following is an edited transcript of his interview with TigerNet at head coach Dabo Swinney’s media golf outing.

Clelin Ferrell

“I remember his redshirt freshman year. I would be in the weight room, and I would always see Clelin in the weight room, just always working on the little things. I would always go to coach (Swinney) and say this guy, he understands, he gets it. It hasn't stopped. He's always the first in and probably the last out. He's always trying to be a better player, always doing rehab, always trying to take care of his body. He always helps with our other guys, our young guys. Now we are able to see that this is what a great football player looks like. I've been pleased with him.”

How easy is it to roll that first and second group out there with all that confidence right now?

“So that's the good part. You wanna be able to play more guys. I don't wanna work Austin and Clelin out all year, I wanna be able to bring in more guys, but they have to earn their right to play. That's the challenge this fall, just to help with Xavier Kelly, Logan Rudolph, Xavier Thomas, KJ Henry, all those guys we have to help them to be ready to help our team.”

The development of Xavier Kelly

“He's doing well, he's gotten a lot stronger, he's making progress each and every year. Towards the spring he got much better. We just need to see the development throughout the fall and hopefully, he will get the opportunity to play in the fall.”

Development in KJ?

“Absolutely, I saw a lot in the spring, I've seen them in the summer doing workouts, I've just seen their bodies change and develop. They have made a 360-degree turn. I saw KJ just the other day. he's up to like 250 now, running well. Xavier is an explosive athlete, I expect those guys to help us a lot.

What did you see in the spring from the freshmen?

“The athleticism, the way they work, pass rush ability, the way they run, all the things we look for at a defensive end I saw this spring.”

Richard Yeargin

“So Richard has gained weight, he's gotten a lot bigger and stronger. It really just depends on when we start to practice how everything develops. I was pleased with everything I saw in the summer. I'm excited to see everything that happens in the fall and in fall camp.”

How rare is it to have guys like KJ that come in and are ready right away?

“Sure it is rare, but you know the thing is those guys have the option to redshirt. They learn how to study, they learn how to work. But when you have guys like that that are leading the group it helps to have young guys come in and watch, this is what it looks like to be a top player. I dont wanna forget to mention Justin Mascoll, who is also a great player. I look forward to seeing what those two can do this fall.”

Do you have two that are behind Austin and Clelin right now?

“I'm working on that. This spring it was Chris Register and Justin Foster. We are letting the team develop that depth chart. My goal is to get the team ready to play.”

Do you think Justin Foster is playing more freely and not thinking so much now?

“Yeah, that was a challenge for me, he's a smart guy and a lot of times he wanted to over think things. My challenge to him this spring was just to open up, just be a ballplayer. This spring he was able to do that, and that's what I wanna be able to help all of my guys, just play fast, see what you see, react to what you see, and just go out and make plays.”

Is there a guy we are overlooking in your position group?

“That's a good question, I don't think so. I think all of the guys have come and worked hard. Maybe Foster for you guys, because he's made such tremendous gains this spring.”

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