Eason on Clemson’s D-Tackles: ‘We Are Loaded Up Front’

Looking Ahead to Spring Practice: Defensive Tackles

CLEMSON, S.C. — Nick Eason feels like a lucky man.

Why?

Not only is he getting to coach at his alma mater, but he is going to be able to coach one of the best defensive tackle units in college football.

“We are loaded up front, especially at the defensive tackle position,” Eason said earlier this month. “We just have to keep them healthy. If those guys stay healthy, we will be the number one defensive line in the country.”

Staying healthy will be important, but the Tigers are so deep with quality depth at defensive tackle they likely would still be okay if they did lose a player or two to injury. They proved that last year when Bryan Bresee went down with a torn ACL in Week 4 and Tyler Davis missed four games with an injury.

Even with Bresee missing most of the year and Davis out for four games, Clemson led the ACC and ranked second nationally in scoring (14.8 points/game). It led the ACC in total defense (305.5 yds/game) and ranked eighth nationally. It also finished second against the run (96.3 yds/game) in the conference and ranked seventh nationally overall.

Thanks to guys like Ruke Orhorhoro and Etinosa Reuben, to name a few, opponents averaged just 2.85 yards per carry, which ranked seventh nationally. The Tigers also led the ACC in yards per play allowed (4.44 yds/play), which ranked third nationally.

“I am really excited. I inherited a really good defensive line. I am excited to get to work with those guys,” Eason said.

Besides Bresee, Davis, Orhorhoro and Reuben, Eason will also have Tre Williams, DeMonte Capehart and Payton Page to work with. Bresee is likely not to practice in the spring, while Davis and Williams are likely to be held back some, too.

That means Orhorhoro, Reuben, Capehart and Page should get the bulk of the reps. Also, in the summer, the Tigers will add freshman Caden Story (6-4, 275) to the group.

But before he gets into coaching his new players, Eason had one more thing to do.

“This initial stage of getting here, is just to get to know them as people. I talked about it earlier,” he said. “That is what is most important. Hearing their stories, knowing their family situations, where they come from. Those things are important. Then we will get into ball next because, like I said earlier, players do not care how much you know until they know how much you care about them as men.

“So, it is really about establishing that relationship with them for me. I played in the NFL. I played here at Clemson at a high level. I coached in the NFL. I have coached on the collegiate level for a year now. So, I have a lot of resources and knowledge within my mind to share with them, but they have to know I care about them first. That has been more important. They seem to be really excited about me being here and I am excited to have an opportunity to coach such great men.”

Clemson will begin spring practices on Wednesday.