Storylines to Follow as Clemson Begins Spring Practice
Clemson is set to begin spring practice on Wednesday with Dabo Swinney's team looking to begin their quest to reclaim the spot atop the ACC standings.
The Tigers return a ton of talent from a team that went 10-3 last season, but at the same time will have to replace some key starters.
5 Storylines to Follow This Spring
1. It All Starts at Quarterback: Clemson's offense struggled mightily in 2021 with DJ Uiagalelei failing to live up to the lofty expectations in place due in part to his spectacular play as a freshman. While there were absolutely issues outside of inconsistent quarterback play, there is no doubt that the Tigers must be better at the most important position on the field.
Uiagalelei has been working out at the 3D Quarterback Camp in Texas and appears to have shed some weight in an effort to rebound from the disappointing season that saw him throw more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (9). Freshman Cade Klubnik and graduate transfer Hunter Johnson, both former 5-star recruits, give Clemson an immediate influx of talent, which should make for more competition this spring.
2. Questions at Center: With injury issues forcing Hunter Rayburn to step away from the game and questions surrounding the availability of Mason Trotter, Clemson has some legitimate questions regarding who starts at center. Sophomore Ryan Linthicum is coming off a redshirt season and it's fair to question if he is ready to make a significant contribution in just his second season with the program. While Linthicum was arguably the top center in the country coming out of high school, it's an extremely difficult position to master at the collegiate level, and it takes some players multiple years. The next few weeks should give a better idea of where Linthicum is in his development.
The only other player with experience is redshirt sophomore, Trent Howard. However, that experience is severely limited, as Howard appeared in just three games last season, registering just 53 snaps. It's very likely that next season's starter isn't even on the roster at this time. It's no secret that the coaching staff has been looking for a player in the transfer portal who could come in and start immediately, being that stopgap until Linthicum is more developed.
3. Who Starts at Corner? Spring practice begins with Clemson having to replace both starting cornerbacks from last season as first-team All-ACC players Andrew Booth Jr. and Mario Goodrich are headed to the NFL. Senior Sheridan Jones is the most experienced of the group, having started three games in 2021 and logging over 400 snaps. The Tigers also have former blue-chip talents Fred Davis, Malcolm Greene and Nate Wiggins back. Freshmen Toriano Pride and Jeadyn Lukus, both highly-rated coming out of high school, should both get some opportunities as well.
4. Replacing James Skalski and Baylon Spector: With Skalski and Spector no longer around, the Tigers are losing 11 years of experience at linebacker and that isn't easily replaced. Junior Trenton Simpson does return, though and the two-year starter should provide some valuable leadership in a room full of talented players, but short on experience.
Redshirt junior LaVonta Bentley has patiently waited his turn and gained some valuable experience last season playing in place of an injured Spector at the WILL. Keith Maguire, another redshirt junior, has also gotten some experience at the MIKE playing behind Skalski the past couple of seasons. However, it might be hard keeping sophomores Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. off the field. Both are extremely talented and give the Tigers the kind of athleticism at the position that they've not had in recent seasons.
5. A Revamped, Re-Energized Coaching Staff: Clemson enters the spring with two new coordinators, as well as a few new position coaches. For the first time in a decade, someone other than Brent Venables will be running the defense, as Wes Goodwin will now take the reins, with help from Mickey Conn. Clemson has routinely fielded one of the best defensive units in the nation under Venables and expectations will be extremely high.
Nick Eason replaces Todd Bates, who left to join Venables in Oklahoma, and the early returns have all been positive. One thing is absolutely certain, and that is Eason will have one of the most talented groups of defensive tackles in the country to work with.
On the other side of the ball, Brandon Streeter takes over for the departed Tony Elliott, bringing a fresh perspective to an offense that many felt had gotten stale in recent seasons. With new tight ends coach Kyle Richardson now serving as the passing game coordinator, it will be interesting to see if any new concepts are added to the passing game. During his time as a high school head coach at Northwestern, Richardson's teams featured some high-powered passing attacks using the air raid offense.
The Tigers also have a new offensive line coach, as Thomas Austin replaces Robbie Caldwell, who now serves in an administrative role. Austin served in the same role with Georgia State, before coming back to Clemson prior to the 2021 season as a member of the support staff. With Austin having already been on staff for more than a year, the hope is transition will be fairly seamless.
The Tigers will begin spring practices on March 2, and are among the favorites to win the national title according to Fanduel at +1000.
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