Orange Bowl Offers Glimpse Into Clemson's Future

Bowl games can be an audition for younger players and a springboard for guys who maybe aren't high on the depth chart, and Clemson has a key group that can standout against Tennessee.

There are many reasons why non-playoff bowl games are important and serve a great purpose. 

One of those will be on display Friday when the No. 7 Clemson Tigers take on the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers at 8 p.m. in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. 

The main storyline surrounding the Tigers right now is quarterback Cade Klubnik, a freshman who came off the bench to lead Clemson to an ACC title on Dec. 3 and earn the starting job for the bowl game. 

But there are other players in this contest who will help shape what the Tigers will look like in the 2023 season. Dabo Swinney and a few Tigers have hinted that several players who could go pro will return, although nothing is official. There are 27 newcomers in the newly signed recruiting class. 

This game, though, can be an audition for younger players and a springboard for guys who maybe aren't high on the depth chart. Here's a look at that key group:

Klubnik

The performance against UNC was incredibly impressive. Two three-and-outs into the game, Klubnik took over the offense from DJ Uiagalelei and led the team down the field for a scoring drive. From that moment on, it was Klubnik's team. He went on to complete 83.3% of his passes for 279 yards and one touchdown through the air and another on the ground with no interceptions. Tennessee isn't considered a top-level defense, but another strong performance in Miami would give Klubnik a ton of momentum heading into the offseason and could have national pundits talking about Clemson as a title contender. 

Wade Woodaz

When opportunity comes knocking, you have to take advantage of it. With starting linebacker Trenton Simpson out with an ankle injury, Woodaz steps in as a starter and a key defender in that hybrid role. He's a mix of safety and linebacker right now, so Clemson can line him up all over the field. He produced a career-high six tackles against the Tar Heels and will have a chance to make plenty of those against a Vols offense that will test his area of the field quite a bit. Woodaz might be dropping more into coverage in this game, and if he proves he can do it, Simpson's loss might not be felt as hard next season. 

Cole Turner

Another unlikely standout from the UNC game, the brother of former safety Nolan Turner became the first Clemson receiver to go over 100 yards in a game that night in Charlotte. It was his first real amount of playing time and he made the most of it. Turner was targeted four times in nine snaps. He caught three passes, and the true freshman can play Friday without losing his redshirt season. Clemson isn't super deep at receiver for this game. With E.J. Williams (transfer) and Beaux Collins (shoulder) out, Tuner will be one of the first receivers off the bench for starters Joseph Ngata, Antonio Williams and Adam Randall. Turner showed good chemistry with Klubnik once this year, and another breakout performance would ease the mind of fans who are looking to see this position become a strength again in 2023. 

Toriano Pride Jr.

Starting cornerback Sheridan Jones was a non-participant at Clemson's Wednesday practice. Two days before the game, that's not a good sign for his playing time. And while Andrew Mukuba, who plays safety and trains at cornerback, would likely move over as the starter, not having Jones around would boost Pride up the depth chart and likely put him on the field in key situations. The freshman corner has played 272 snaps, including 61 against NC State. He's made 17 tackles and three pass breakups on the season, and with Jones potentially moving on next season, Pride could use this game as a springboard to playing time in 2023. 

T.J. Dudley

Here's another linebacker with a chance at making an impact in this game. Veteran LaVonta Bentley transferred to Colorado earlier this month, leaving behind the No. 2 spot at WILL linebacker. There's a good chance Dudley sees significant snaps behind starter Barrett Carter. Dudley played well against UNC in limited action. The true freshman could surpass his career-high of 13 snaps in a single game easily against Tennessee. Clemson will use its bench at linebacker when it can to combat the Vols' tempo. 

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