Tigers Prepare for Full Contact Drills

Bowden will be watching the progress of new position players like Tye Hill closely.

by Dan Scott - Correspondent - Mon Mar 03 22:44:15 GMT-04:00 2003

CLEMSON - About the only thing Tommy Bowden knows for sure after two days of spring practice is that the wide receivers are looking good.

That's because in the absence of a receivers coach - a position left vacant when Rick Stockstill left the Clemson staff for the offensive coordinator post at East Carolina - Bowden has spent every minute of the first two workouts with the wideouts.

But when position workouts give way to more team work beginning Wednesday, the fifth-year head coach figures to get a better grasp of how his squad is performing.

"I've watched the wideouts a lot closer since I've been coaching them, so I know the guys who did better today than (Saturday)," Bowden said. "I haven't seen defense at all. But there will be a little more happening Wednesday when we go through some specific drills, get some contact and go see it on film."

Oh by the way. Wednesday is the first day in full pads.

"We'll do a little more contact. There will be pretty good enthusiasm."

Among the many things Bowden and his staff will watch for will be how much - and how quickly - players at new positions improve.

Tye Hill (tailback to cornerback) and David Dunham (linebacker to fullback) are just two of several players tackling new positions this spring. None will come under more public scrutiny than Hill, whose promise as a running back had fans salivating by the end of last season.

But Bowden warned Monday that the transformation process will not be a short one.

"It will be into the spring and on into two-a-days (August)," he said. "Your taking a tailback and moving him to corner. As long as he's making some kind of progress...He's talented, enthusiastic and is a tough guy. I think he'll do well.

"There is a learning curve when you go from one side of the ball to the other. Especially in the secondary."

Clemson will practice in full pads Wednesday and Friday, then hold its first spring scrimmage Saturday morning.

Dan Scott covers Clemson University for the Florence Morning News. He also hosts SportsTalk from 9 a.m.-Noon, Monday-Friday, on WCCP-Fm, 104.9. Click here for Dan Scott's SportsTalk discussion board.