Spring football always comes with a renewed sense of opportunity for college programs around the country. At Clemson, that opportunity is even more prevalent for certain players at certain positions.
The Tigers are going through the spring in better shape from a health standpoint than when they ended the 2021 season with roughly 30 scholarship players unavailable for the Cheez-It Bowl because of various injuries. Still, Clemson is waiting on some key contributors to fully recover, which has opened the door for players further down the depth chart to get some significant reps this month.
Start at running back, where the Tigers’ top two rushers a season ago, Will Shipley and Kobe Pace, are spectators this spring as they work their way back from leg and toe injuries, respectively. With three other scholarship backs that began last season on the roster no longer around, that’s vaulted Phil Mafah to the top of the depth chart for now.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney had hoped to redshirt the 6-foot-1. 225-pounder last season, but Mafah got 68 carries after injuries and other attrition pressed him into action. He ended his true freshman season as the Tigers’ No. 3 back.
“Mafah’s the man,” Swinney said. “It’s going to be an opportunity for him to get a ton of work.”
The same applies to another rising sophomore, Jake Briningstool, who’s going through his second spring at Clemson as the No. 1 tight end. That’s because Davis Allen (shoulder) and Sage Ennis (knee) are still rehabbing following surgeries this offseason. Briningstool has been limited some during the spring, too, after sustaining a hip pointer recently, but Swinney said last week he’s hopeful Briningstool won’t be out too long.
“Brini gets to be the guy,” Swinney said, “and what a special talent he is for us.”
In the secondary, safety Tyler Venables (hip) and cornerback Malcolm Greene (shoulder) are likely to miss all of the spring rehabbing following their operations. Even with veteran safety Nolan Turner also out of eligibility, the Tigers still have a good dose of experience back at the position in R.J. Mickens, Jalyn Phillips, Andrew Mukuba and Landen Zannders, who’s still limited this spring after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury.
With Greene out, rising sophomore Barrett Carter is getting a majority of the first-team reps at the sam/nickel position, something that would’ve happened anyway with fellow linebacker Trenton Simpson making the move to the strong side this offseason. Greene can also play the outside corner spot.
Sheridan Jones, Nate Wiggins and Fred Davis may be getting most of the first-team reps, but Greene’s absence is getting true freshmen Toriano Pride and Jeadyn Lukus some work behind them.
“We’ve got a lot of options,” Swinney said of the secondary. “Probably more than we’ve had in a while.”
Most of Clemson’s receivers, including Joseph Ngata, are back in the fold this spring after the position was decimated by injuries at the end of last season. But E.J. Williams (knee) and Will Taylor (knee), who’s currently with the baseball team, aren’t going through spring drills.
That’s created an opportunity in the slot for Brannon Spector, who has impressed in the eight practices since his return. The brother of former Clemson linebacker Baylon Spector, Spector caught 16 passes in 2020 before missing all of last season dealing with injuries and COVID-19 complications.
“Spec looks great,” Swinney said. “You forget how fast he is and how explosive he is.”
Swinney said all of the players working their way back from injuries should be full go by the time fall camp rolls around in August. In the meantime, others are getting more reps than initially expected.
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