Hall wants to expand defensive end rotation for now, later

Clemson relied heavily on a four-man rotation at defensive end last season. Given the talent level there, the Tigers could lean toward doing more of the same next season. But Lemanski Hall would like to have even more quality depth at the position …

Clemson relied heavily on a four-man rotation at defensive end last season. Given the talent level there, the Tigers could lean toward doing more of the same next season.

But Lemanski Hall would like to have even more quality depth at the position come the fall. His reasoning has as much to do with the future as it does the present.

Myles Murphy, Xavier Thomas, K.J. Henry and Justin Mascoll make up arguably the ACC’s best collection of seasoned talent at the position, and the group was utilized like it a season ago. The foursome combined to log 1,566 snaps, or 85.7% of those played by Clemson’s ends. Murphy, perhaps the most talented of the group, led the Tigers in sacks (7) and tackles for loss (14). Thomas had 5.5 tackles for loss with a whopping 17 quarterback hurries while Henry added 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

But all of them could be off to the NFL next year. Thomas, Henry and Mascoll are seniors who chose to use their COVID years to extend their stay at Clemson while Murphy, a rising junior, is running neck and neck with fellow defensive lineman Bryan Bresee as the team’s top prospect for the 2023 draft.

Hall, who’s starting his fifth year coaching the position at Clemson, isn’t counting on any of them still being on the Tigers’ roster this time a year from now, so he said he’d like to start preparing for the mass attrition sooner rather than later by adding two more ends to the rotation.

“I want to make it six. I do,” Hall said. “For my position, I’m losing four guys next year. And in order for that to work, I’ve got to get the young guys some reps. That’s my mentality going in.”

Hall said he’s not going to play more guys just to play them, though, adding other players are going to have to earn the right to force him to go three-deep at each end spot. But two converted linebackers are giving him something to think about.

If Clemson played a game this week, Hall said he’d also be comfortable putting rising juniors Kevin Swint and Greg Williams on the field. Swint played in 10 games as a reserve end last season while Williams appeared in just four, but Hall has purposefully held his top four ends out of practice at times this spring to simply get a closer look at how Swint, Williams and some of the Tigers’ younger linemen handle more significant reps.

Swint and Williams have run with the first-team defense when that’s happened, and Hall said both have done “a great job” with those reps. Hall said the duo has also done more to earn his trust through 13 spring practices.

“I’ve got to be able to trust that you’re going to do what you’re supposed to do,” Hall said. “Are you going to play the technique that’s called? Are you going to play the defense that we call? I feel like I can trust Greg and Kevin.”

Hall said Swint, who is cross-training at both ends spots, is up to nearly 245 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame, which has helped as he adapts to the physicality of his new position. As for Williams, who also drew praise from head coach Dabo Swinney earlier this spring, Hall said the 6-foot-4, 260-pounder has “embraced being a defensive end.”

“Now it’s about, hey, let’s put it all together,” Hall said of Williams. “Let’s work on your get-off. Let’s work on your steps. Let’s work on hand placement. Let’s get in the playbook. And he’s another guy that’s done a really good job.”

Hall said all of the ends will get a chance to play in Saturday’s spring game, though the bulk of the reps are likely to go to the younger players. He’d like nothing more than the group to continue giving him reasons to expand the rotation heading into next season.

“I’m not going to put a guy in there that can’t get it done because then I’m jeopardizing the team, and I don’t ever want to do that,” Hall said. “But I would love to go in with six guys and just see what happens.”

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help.  #SaveNicks