With Mason Trotter out for most of the 2022 season due to an undisclosed reason, Hunter Rayburn having been medically disqualified because of neck/stinger issues, and Matt Bockhorst’s eligibility exhausted, Clemson is down its top three centers from last season.
Thus, the center position is currently a big question mark for the Tigers along the offensive line. Head coach Dabo Swinney said Clemson will actively monitor the transfer portal for an interior lineman, but in the meantime, Will Putnam, who started at guard last season, has moved to center this spring and perhaps beyond.
Following Wednesday’s practice, Swinney provided an update on how Putnam’s transition to the position is working out so far, particularly with his snaps.
“He’s doing great,” Swinney said. “In fact, I just told the team that I only noticed him one time today, and that is a great thing. He had one bad snap. Again, this guy’s never snapped, and now all of a sudden – it’s one thing to be in shorts, thud practice, it’s another thing when you’re going live and you’re running outside zone and you’ve got to snap and you’ve got to climb and step. It’s a different animal, and he’s really doing a good job. Really proud of him. But again, he had one low snap all day, and I think he had 30 reps live. So, he’s really doing a good job.”
Putnam, a multi-year starter at guard who has reclassified and will be a junior this season, has played 1,615 career snaps over 33 games (22 starts) in his career — but none at center.
However, Swinney has been pleased with how Putnam, a third-team all-ACC pick by Phil Steele in 2021, has taken to playing center.
“He’s worked hard at it, which doesn’t shock me,” Swinney said. “That’s just how he’s wired. That’s his DNA, and when he commits to something, he’s going to be to the extreme of it. Again, he’s reclassified, so he’s just going to be a junior. He’s played a lot of football. So, that’s been really, really good.”
Swinney also likes what he’s seen from redshirt sophomore Trent Howard at center this spring, and said redshirt freshman center Ryan Linthicum is coming along in his development as well.
“Trent Howard’s done a nice job,” Swinney said. “I’m pleased with where he is, and Linthicum’s still coming. So, we’re developing the type of depth there that we need.”
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