Clemson’s tight end room is in a different place heading into fall camp.
The personnel at the position is largely the same. Braden Galloway has moved on after four years in the program, but every other scholarship player at the position that was on last year’s roster is back. And, most importantly, they’re available.
This spring, the tight end room was significantly thinned out with Davis Allen and Sage Ennis recovering from shoulder and knee injuries, respectively. That left sophomore Jake Briningstool, sixth-year senior Luke Price and some walk-ons to get all of the reps at the position.
Four months later, tight ends coach Kyle Richardson said the group is whole again.
“It’s going to be eight guys in that tight end room and they’re all going to be in fall camp,” said Richardson, who will also serve as the Tigers’ passing-game coordinator this season.
Richardson said his objective now is to figure out each best fits into the offense, particularly the top four of Allen, Ennis, Briningstool and Price.
Allen, Clemson’s top draft prospect at the position, is beginning his first season atop the depth chart after taking over that spot last season after Galloway sustained a season-ending injury. The 6-foot-6, 250-pounder finished third on the team in receptions last season (28) and tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions (3).
Ennis, a third-year sophomore, could take on his biggest role yet as the No. 2 option at the position, though he’ll have to hold off a former top-100 recruit in Briningstool, perhaps the best pure receiving tight end on the roster at 6-6 and 235 pounds, for that spot on the depth chart. Meanwhile, Price, a former walk-on linebacker, is the “grandpa” in the room, Richardson said, who’s played in 25 career games.
“You’ve got those four guys that have got all kinds of different levels of experience, and all four of those guys bring something different to the table,” Richardson said. “And what we have to do as coaches is find ways to mix and match their strengths in order to make our offense go. And that’s kind of my job is to go through fall camp.”
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