Keith Maguire has been biding his time behind James Skalski for the last couple of seasons. Now the Clemson linebacker has a shot to vault to the top of the depth chart, though Skalski’s old job isn’t going to be handed to him.
But Maguire knows there’s far more opportunity at the second level of the defense than at any other point in his collegiate career.
“When (Skalski and Baylon Spector) left, you knew both spots were open,” Maguire said. “And from Day 1, everyone has been trying to compete, put their best foot forward and trying to earn that spot.”
Maguire is among them. While Trenton Simpson is in line to be Spector’s successor at Will linebacker, Maguire enters his fourth season with the program as one of the two leading candidates to take over for Skalski at Mike ‘backer, though he’s trying to fend off rising sophomore Jeremiah Trotter Jr. to be the starter when Clemson opens the season on Labor Day night against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Maguire also knows he’s set to get the most meaningful reps of his career this season regardless of what his designation is on the depth chart considering there wasn’t much separation to be had between himself and Trotter during preseason camp. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said there will likely be a rotation at the position, voicing confidence in both players’ ability to get the job done.
“We know there’s going to be a lot of playing time going around this year, more than years past, so we’re all trying to grade 100 every practice,” Maguire said. “If we don’t, we all learn from each other’s mistakes. It’s moreso competitive as a group and as linebackers trying to be the best coordination as opposed to really just going against each other.”
Knowing more reps were likely to come his way this fall, Maguire said his primary focus in his preparation since the spring has been mastering the playbook. He said he started to truly understand the complexities of Brent Venables’ defense toward the end of last season. Now that Venables’ right-hand man, Wesley Goodwin, has largely kept the operation the same since taking over as defensive coordinator, Maguire said he feels “the best I’ve felt” in the playbook since signing with Clemson in 2019.
“I’m still working on it obviously, but the goal is to know it as well as coach,” Maguire said. “That’s just something I’ve kind of been working on since I’ve been here. But more specifically, this spring and summer, I’ve really been able to understand a lot more and learn a lot quicker.”
But it’s not just the X’s and O’s where Maguire has focused on filling in for Skalski, who spent six years in Clemson’s program. Skalski was a multi-year starter and a two-time team captain who was widely considered the heart and soul of the Tigers’ defense while manning the middle.
Add in the departure of Spector, who’s now in training camp with the Buffalo Bills, and Clemson simultaneously lost 11 years of linebacking experience. Not to mention a wealth of veteran leadership, a role Maguire said he’s been itching to expand for himself.
“I was a junior last year, and I still felt like I was a freshman sometimes because Skalski and Spector were here for so long,” he said. “But when they left, you realize that you’ve got to step up in taking that lead. … I’ve kind of been waiting for them to, not to leave, but to have my opportunity to help lead the room. And I’ve loved it. It’s been fun.”
The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder has 33 tackles and an interception in 28 career games to this point, statistics that figure to increase significantly this fall. But if Maguire wants to claim the starting job, he believes his physical talent is only part of the interview.
“I just think going out there every day and competing with myself,” Maguire said. “I think that if I do the best I can, I think I’ll put myself in a good position to be there. Just going out there every day with an expectation of what to do and what to expect when I’m out there on the field.
“If I do that, I think that will give me the best shot to go out there and win the job.”
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