Tuesday practice observations: Simmons, Muse and QBs

Tanner Muse and Isaiah Simmons will be a force in the secondary.

by TigerNet Staff - Aug 22, 2017, 3:29 PM

CLEMSON – With classes set to begin on Wednesday, Clemson held its final practice of fall camp Tuesday afternoon in Jervey Meadows.

The media was allowed to attend for a short 30 minutes and we have several observations to pass along before we meet with the players and coaches for post practice interviews.

*There were several players limited in Tuesday’s practice.

Shaq Smith and Kendall Joseph were both in yellow no-contact jerseys. Justin Foster, Marcus Edmond (groin), Trayvon Mullen and Trevion Thompson were all in green limited contact jerseys.

*The depth chart and starting spots and position battles are ever-changing, so as always don’t read too much into who was running with the first and second teams, but…

Tremayne Anchrum started at right tackle and Tavien Feaster ran out with the first group during the tempo period to begin practice.

Travis Etienne was the second running back out along with Sean Pollard at right tackle and T.J. Chase, Diondre Overton and Cornell Powell at wide receiver.

*CBS Sports’ college football expert and Notre Dame alum Aaron Taylor - made famous by his lugubrious comment - was back out at practice for the second straight day.

TigerNet spoke with Taylor yesterday and he said that Clemson looks stronger than ever on both lines of scrimmage and he doesn’t expect a drop-off from the Tigers. We’ve heard from several folks that the offensive line is as good as Clemson has had in quite some time. We will run a story from our conversations later this week.

*Senator Lindsey Graham was in attendance Tuesday afternoon.

*During some of the early drills we, of course, watched the quarterbacks.

Newly named starter Kelly Bryant was walking around and playing with that same swag we’ve seen all of fall camp. He’s just a step quicker than everyone else, looks like he’s in control and looks like he’s ready to be “the guy.”

Zerrick Cooper – the second team quarterback – also looked comfortable in drills, while it looked like Hunter Johnson still has work to do to in some of the running game drills.

However, when the quarterbacks started throwing the arm talent from Cooper and Johnson was showcased and it’s hard to deny that those guys can sling it.

Bryant will be the starter when Clemson takes the field on September 2nd, but the quarterback competition may last well into the season depending on how well each performs in an actual game.

Chase Brice – who Dabo Swinney said would redshirt – looks like he has a good grasp on the offense and is very comfortable no matter what play is called.

*I continue to be amazed at what an athletic freak Isaiah Simmons is. A video made the rounds on Snapchat over the weekend that showed Simmons beating Ray-Ray McCloud in a 60-yard race twice. That speed was evident Tuesday. Even if Simmons gets out of position, he has the stride and speed to make it up in a hurry.

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables has said that Simmons can play both nickel and safety, but wherever he winds up he’ll be a weapon.

The same thing goes for Tanner Muse.

Back when Clemson had 13 feet of safety with Jayron Kearse and T.J. Green, I thought that was the most impressive looking safety group I’d ever seen, but Muse and Simmons have the weight and strength to go with their height.