Spring Game Observations |
Spring Game Observations
Other than the extreme windy conditions and the back-up place kicker, Saturday couldn't have gone much better. Maybe the most impressive thing I noticed Saturday was the record crowd. Some schools don't draw 50,500 for a regular season game. At Clemson, we jam 50,500 in for a cold spring game. The next best news of the day was the injury front. Unlike a few years ago, Clemson emerged from the game without any serious injuries. This team will now end the semester academically and head into an important summer healthy. Barring anything this summer, this team should be very healthy entering fall camp in August. Deshaun Watson played briefly, but he dazzled in his only spring game. We all know he is the best player in the country. We didn't need another terrific performance to tell us that. I may have been the only person impressed with Kelly Bryant. He made some mistakes, but I thought he looked better than we have seen him do far. He was more fluid and more accurate, especially early. If he can make one more jump this fall, I think he will be an excellent quarterback when called upon. Let's also remember Saturday was a tough day to throw the ball because of the wind. Nick Schuessler looked good again this spring, but I think Kelly will continue to win the backup job in August. The running backs all ran hard and were effective. I thought Choice made a big move this spring. Gallman is the man here, but Choice gives you a good second back. The wide outs were once again impressive and just think how good they will be this fall when Mike Williams and Deon Cain are back full time. I liked the offensive line. There is depth and talent there. This is a strength heading into the fall. It is rare to find a spring game where you see two lines do not have many issues. Usually, you see major breakdowns in spring games because of the lack of depth. On defense, I concentrated on the newcomers. Dexter Lawrence is a beast. I just don't see how you can handle him up front. The staff says Nyles Pinckney reminds them of Grady Jarrett, and that is spot on. I watched Tre Lamar and Shaq Smith a lot. Lamar is as good looking a linebacker as Clemson has signed since Ashley Sheppard. He is inexperienced but looks the part. In the secondary I watched Tanner Muse more than anyone else, and I am encouraged by his upside. I thought Jadar Johnson and Van Smith showed why they are the starters. Denzel Johnson has some nice upside but also showed some inconsistency. The corners had their moments of both good and bad, but that shouldn't be a surprise. Finally, it was a great recruiting day. The staff had a bunch of top talent in town for unofficial visits and so far the results have been raved reviews. In summary, Saturday couldn't have been much better. It was a good ending to a good spring. I will also add that I have never seen this much talent on the field at one time. August can't get here soon enough. 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Kyle Walker, Summer and Joel Johnson, Nicole O'Donnell, James O. Johnson, Joy Pruett and family, Bill Schmidt, Jack Bailey, Gardner Family, Charles Turner, Kathy Bartholomew, Ray Sanders, David and Robin Blocker, J.R. Ray, Kenneth Kowe, Lauren Sielicki, Jenna Phipps, Mark Lawrence, Jonathan and Jacki Sullins, Peter Laboy, Kat and Carlisle Jones, Elizabeth Galloway and family, Anita McDonald, Willard Harryman, Liz Surratt, Molly Senn, Jackie Shearer, Richard Sellers, Tim Drisdelle, Susan and Mike Brown, Julie Goodman Marshall, Willard and Dorothy Harryman, Justin Jernigan, Jack Cunningham, Mia Daughtery, Tee Senn, Skylar, Joseph Thomas, Mrs. Nelis, Sean Rowell, George Parker, Levon Kirkland and family, Catherine Sewell, Randy Davenport, David Vaughn, Keith Dalton, B.T., Bill Hilbig, Rita Elrod Hammond and family, Jim McKeller, Tony Alewine, Sharon Storck, Dick Baird, Richard Bagnal, Dustin and Brittany Peurifoy, Jan Allan, Josh Cox, Gregg and Sylvia Lewis, Travis Hamrick, Kaki Harmon, Jammie McKellar and babies, Karen Edwards, Jackson Lindsey, Cathy Hutson Gregg, Kristin Heckman, Jennifer Johnson, Jay Johnson, Lyndsie Johnson, Emily Davis, Hayes Davis, Judy Towe, Johnny Towe, Ken Brown, Elaine Brown, Rhonda Thompson, Tim Davis, Jacob Greinke, Jack Finley, Richard and Clara Crawford, Zach and Griffin Johnson, Israel, Frankie Allen, Bobby Allen, the Wessinger family, the Parsons family, Todd Price and family, Rosemary A Flynn, Dr. Mickey Shealy family, Mr. Gillespie, Bobbi Nicholson, Dr. Matt Stower, Tyler Kemmerlin, Parks Hutto, Patrick DeStefano, Robert Summerville, Michelle Richey, Julie Moore, Ashley Fitch, Drew Moyer, Kevin Anderson, Lyn Price, John Robert Smith, Allison Williams, Nicholas Wickiser, Lena Wright, Elizabeth Bruner, Bobbi Simpson, Hammond Family, Elaine G. Duvall, Addison Grace, Bennie Cunningham, Kevin Orcutt, Alan Finley, Keith Wells, Steve Byrd, Jessica Hernandez, Wayne Mullins, Rita Alexander, Tony Osterman, family and friends of Gary Cooper, Tonya Gibson, Mary Carmen Harman, Derk Denton, Tim Vacek, Mike Vacek, Jerry Brown, Phil Compton, Alma Jean Sullivan, Lindsey Motley, Riley Cook, Dwayne Wood, Eileen Thomas, Larry Nimmons and Family, and our great country and the men and women in uniform that protect and serve it every day, plus their families.The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency
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