Streeter says this true freshman has ‘really settled in’

After an up-and-down performance in his first game at the collegiate level as a true freshman, Blake Miller looked more comfortable in Clemson’s 35-12 win over Furman Saturday. Miller wasn’t a player that particularly popped in his first home game …

After an up-and-down performance in his first game at the collegiate level as a true freshman, Blake Miller looked more comfortable in Clemson’s 35-12 win over Furman Saturday.

Miller wasn’t a player that particularly popped in his first home game as a Tiger, but generally speaking, that’s a good thing for an offensive lineman.

With that, during his media availability Monday, Brandon Streeter was asked by The Clemson Insider to assess Miller’s performance, now that Clemson’s offensive coordinator has had a chance to go back and watch the film.

“Much better,” Streeter replied. “Much better in his second game. I think he’s settled in. The more experience you get, the more settled in you’ll get and the more confidence you’ll have in getting out there and doing the right thing. Didn’t really have any mental busts, which he had a couple of in the first game. Really good to see that he’s still as physical as anybody out there. He’s just gonna continue to improve and get better.”

Miller is hard on himself and demonstrated as such when he spoke with reporters following his first game in a Clemson uniform. There were plenty of mistakes to clean up, and as Streeter indicated, Miller, for the most part, rectified some of the errors that are gonna come with playing in your very first game as a true freshman.

“He’s a pleaser,” Streeter said. “Man, he’s so intense and he’s so into it. And that’s what you want. You want a guy that’s gonna correct himself or be hard on himself so that he knows that he’s gonna out and outwork the next guy and find a way to get him better. That’s who Blake is and that’s what he’s shown the last couple of weeks.”

In Streeter’s view, that type of mindset isn’t uncommon for a first-year player, but Miller is just one of those freshmen who’s gotten it from the moment he’s stepped on campus.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Miller out to make steady strides following debut performance

Even if he had thought his collegiate debut was a roaring success, Blake Miller’s humble nature likely would not have let him admit it. But Clemson’s freshman offensive lineman was blunt with his personal assessment. “I’m not going to go out there …

“I’m not going to go out there and say I played great just because every day, every game and every practice, there’s things you need to improve,” Miller said. “I just look at the film and, good or bad, I just look at it as there are things I need to improve.”

Last week, Miller became the first Clemson true freshman since Mitch Hyatt in 2015 to start a season opener at offensive tackle. The 6-foot-6, 315-pounder got most of the first-team reps there until the Tigers began emptying their bench in garbage time during their 41-10 win over Georgia Tech.

Miller rose to the top of the depth chart at right tackle over the course of preseason camp as one of the Tigers’ five best linemen, moving junior Walker Parks inside to guard in the process. Playing against college players for the first time Monday, there were times when Miller held his own. There were also times when he showed his age.

Miller earned the starting job, coaches have said, with a combination of physical and mental maturity that’s rare for first-year offensive linemen. But Miller had some breakdowns in his technique against the Yellow Jackets that he didn’t show in preseason camp, something Clemson coach Dabo Swinney chalked up in part to first-game jitters.

“Next thing you know, you get outside some of your technique and fundamental things, but he’ll get better from it,” Swinney said. “No doubt about it. He did some good things, but definitely work to be done.”

Most of Miller’s struggles came in pass protection. On one third down late in the third quarter, Miller was beat off the line by Ayinde Eley. Miller tried to recover and push Tech’s edge rusher past D.J. Uiagalelei in the pocket, but it was too late. Eley grabbed Uiagalelei by the lower leg and appeared to be taking Clemson’s quarterback down for a sack before Uiagalelei spotted running back Will Shipley out of the corner of his eye and flipped him the ball just before falling to the turf.

Shipley turned the broken play into a 10-yard gain and a fresh set of downs, but the play stuck out to Miller for a different reason.

“Obviously not a good feeling at all,” Miller said of allowing the pressure on that play. “No offensive lineman wants that feeling ever.”

Miller, who enrolled in January after signing with the Tigers in December, has been practicing with the team since the spring, so he said the speed of the college game isn’t an issue for him anymore. And practicing against arguably the top defensive line in college football on a daily basis makes for the best preparation he could ask for.

It was primarily inconsistent fundamentals in pass protection that got him in trouble at times against Tech. Asked if his run blocking is ahead of his pass protection at this point of his career, Miller kept his answer diplomatic, saying there’s not an aspect of his game that he doesn’t feel like needs to be honed. But Miller acknowledged it starts with his pass blocking sets.

“Just not opening my hips up and staying square with guys is something, it’s just something I’ve just drilled in my head this week that I’m not going to flip my hips,” Miller said. “I’m going to trust myself and be confident in my sets.”

Miller wasn’t expected to be perfect. Rarely are any college football players, let alone freshmen going through it for the first time. The goal for Miller is to gradually progress over the course of the season into the player he knows he can be.

His next chance to do that will come Saturday when Clemson hosts Furman in its home opener.

“I’m going to do my best in these coming practices, this coming week and these weeks forward to improve those things and, by the end of the year, be the best player I can be,” Miller said.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Miller explains why he chose Clemson, what set it apart

When he committed to Clemson on Oct. 28, 2020, Blake Miller became the first member of Clemson’s 2022 recruiting class to commit to the Tigers. The highly touted offensive lineman, who was a national top-150 prospect per Rivals, chose Clemson over …

When he committed to Clemson on Oct. 28, 2020, Blake Miller became the first member of Clemson’s 2022 recruiting class to commit to the Tigers.

The highly touted offensive lineman, who was a national top-150 prospect per Rivals, chose Clemson over Ohio State, Michigan, Auburn, Florida and numerous other prominent programs on his lengthy offer list.

Miller enrolled at Clemson in January, and reflecting on his college decision while meeting with the media Wednesday, the Strongsville (Ohio) High School product – who never missed a game in his prep career and did not allow a sack as a junior or senior in a total of 352 pass attempts as the starting left tackle – explained why he wanted to be a Tiger and what set Clemson apart during the recruiting process.

“Just coming here, the environment was so much better than any place I had ever seen,” Miller said. “It was just the care for the players, the development. But also, the D-line we had here, going against them in practice every day, it’d be very difficult not to get better.

“So, the environment was amazing, and just the way that Coach Swinney cares about his players. The trust and development is amazing, and I love that.”

Fast forward from when he pledged to Clemson to this past Monday night, Miller started at right tackle in the season opener against Georgia Tech, becoming only the third true freshman to start a season opener at offensive tackle for the Tigers since 1944 – joining Mitch Hyatt (2015) and Phil Prince (1944).

The 6-foot-6, 315-pounder played 69 snaps in the Tigers’ 41-10 victory over the Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

“I’d say it was definitely kind of surreal, being able to walk out there,” Miller said of the experience in his college debut. “Just a year ago, I was watching college football on TV, now I’m out there playing. So, it was definitely a surreal experience, really crazy. Definitely something I’ll never forget.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Swinney assesses Miller’s debut performance along offensive line

After rising to the top of depth chart during preseason camp, Blake Miller made his debut along Clemson’s offensive line Monday night. It came with mixed reviews from head coach Dabo Swinney. “He did OK. He’s got to be better,” Swinney said. “He …

After rising to the top of depth chart during preseason camp, Blake Miller made his debut along Clemson’s offensive line Monday night.

It came with mixed reviews from head coach Dabo Swinney.

“He did OK. He’s got to be better,” Swinney said. “He looked like a freshman at times.”

Miller became the Tigers’ first true freshman to start a season opener at offensive tackle since Mitch Hyatt did it in 2015. The 6-foot-6, 315-pounder took all of the reps at right tackle until Clemson began emptying its bench with the game in hand midway through the fourth quarter.

Miller was praised throughout the preseason for his strength, aggressiveness and mental ability to quickly pick up the offense, things that made him one of the Tigers’ best five linemen coming out of camp, according to coaches. Swinney said he was mainly disappointed in some flawed technique Miller played with, something the youngster didn’t show during preseason camp. Swinney chalked some of that up to first-game jitters.

“And the next thing you know, you get outside of some of your technique and fundamental things, but he’ll get better from it,” Swinney said. “No doubt about it. He did some good things, but definitely work to be done.”

Miller was part of a line that helped Clemson total 378 yards but averaged just 3 yards per carry. Tech also notched three sacks as part of five tackles for loss.

Miller remains atop the depth chart heading into Clemson’s home opener Saturday against Furman.

“Excited about coaching him up off this tape,” Swinney said. “Very conscientious kid. Got everything we need him to be. Just got to clean up some technical things and see if we can get that corrected this week.”

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

The good, the bad and the ugly from Clemson’s win over Georgia Tech

Clemson handled Georgia Tech for a season-opening win late Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. While the scoreboard may have been lopsided in the Tigers’ favor, not everything about Clemson’s performance was perfect. Here’s the good, the bad and …

Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly from the Tigers’ 41-10 win.

The good

Where else can you start but with a defense that looked as dominant as advertised? Led by what’s arguably the most talented defensive line in college football, Clemson’s defense set the tone for a suffocating night by notching an interception on Tech’s first offensive play, which, right on cue, was aided by K.J. Henry’s pressure on quarterback Jeff Sims.

Tech averaged just 7.1 yards per pass attempt. The yards per completion was even worse (4.5). Running the ball? Forget it (2.5 yards per carry). It all added up to just 3.6 yards per play for the Yellow Jackets, who finished with 238 total yards and found the end zone just once against Clemson’s defensive speed and athleticism.

Speaking of Henry, the Tigers’ fifth-year defensive end was arguably the best player on the field. Henry finished tied for the team lead with six tackles and had a sack as well as a team-best 2.5 tackles for loss. And, like the opening play of the game, there were countless other times Henry impacted Tech’s ability to execute its offense with effort that won’t show up on the stat sheet.

On offense, D.J. Uiagalelei settled in after a slow start, throwing with rhythm, timing and, most importantly, accuracy. The Tigers’ quarterback, who also ran for a 9-yard score, completed right at 60% of his passes (19 of 32), a rate that could’ve been even higher had he gotten more help (more on that in a minute). Uiagalelei eclipsed 208 passing yards (210), something he did just twice all of last season.

Freshman Cade Klubnik got his shot to operate the offense late in the fourth quarter and certainly looked the part of a blue-chip signee, quickly leading the Tigers on a 66-yard scoring drive. He went 4 of 6 passing on the drive, including a touchdown pass to Will Taylor.

Meanwhile, the special teams had a banner night. Clemson blocked two punts in a game for the first time since 2007, but head coach Dabo Swinney said his special-teams MVP was Aidan Swanson, who overcame a rough start to preseason camp to average 44 yards a punt, including a 51-yarder, in his first game as Will Spiers’ successor.

“You media that were at that first practice, I know y’all were probably pretty shocked,” Swinney said. “Y’all probably thought I was blowing smoke, but he really only had one bad day. Unfortunately, y’all were there. Maybe I should move the punt until the end of practice when y’all are gone.

“After that first day, Aidan has been great. And to be able to see him come out there tonight and have a game like he did, that’s going to be a great confidence-builder for him.”

The bad

Before Uiagalelei got in a better groove late, there were times he still looked indecisive. As a result, he took some sacks after holding on to the ball too long, which is one thing Swinney said Clemson can’t have at the quarterback position.

Another that Swinney has mentioned is turnovers, which Uiagalelei struggled with a season ago. The issue popped up again at the end of the Tigers’ second possession when Uiagalelei fumbled in the red zone, thwarting Clemson’s first real scoring threat.

But Clemson’s most glaring offensive struggle was the running game, which produced just 3 yards per carry. Shipley was Clemson’s leading rusher with just 42 yards on 10 carries as there wasn’t a ton of room for the running backs or Uiagalelei, whose number was often called on designed runs, to operate. Clemson’s longest run of the night covered just 12 yards.

The Tigers’ retooled offensive line didn’t get a ton of push up front, and there were plenty of times Blake Miller looked like a true freshman making his first career start at right tackle. There’s potential for the line to be better than it was a season ago, particularly if it can stay relatively healthy, but Monday showed the group is still very much a work in progress.

The ugly

Clemson’s coaches are still high on Joseph Ngata’s potential. Beaux Collins and E.J. Williams are back healthy. And, according to coaches, Brannon Spector, back from his one-year hiatus, has shown since the spring the kind of speed and short-area quickness that Clemson needs in the slot.

Yet Clemson’s top receivers were largely invisible in the opener.

Collins had a toe-tapping, 6-yard touchdown catch in the back of the end zone late in the second quarter, but that was easily the highlight of the night for a group that wasn’t heavily involved, though it wasn’t always for a lack of trying. Collins, Ngata and Williams combined for just five catches for 69 yards, and Spector’s lone touch of the night came when he scooped up a blocked punt in the second quarter.

There were also multiple drops, including one each by Collins and Williams on well-placed balls by Uiagalelei that stalled Clemson’s first drive of the fourth quarter when the Tigers had just a two-score lead. Even tight end Davis Allen, who later hauled in Uiagalelei’s longest completion of 29 yards with a leaping catch along the sideline, failed to catch what would’ve been a touchdown from Uiagalelei on a ball that hit him in the hands at the goal line.

“Any time you miss a throw, you miss a throw or you miss a drop, yeah, that’s something you’d like to have back,” offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter said. “Guys are going to make mistakes, but guys are going to respond. We’re just looking for growth now as we move forward.”

True freshman Antonio Williams was Clemson’s leading receiver with four catches, a number matched by running back Kobe Pace. Clemson needs far more out of its wideouts if the offense is going to take a sizable step forward this season.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Five Clemson players to keep an eye on against Georgia Tech

Clemson football is finally here, and as you watch the game on Monday night, keep an eye on these players to make an impact against Georgia Tech.

Clemson will play its first game of the 2022 season on Monday, as the Tigers face off against Georgia Tech at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Coming off a 10-3 season in 2021, head coach Dabo Swinney and the Tigers will look to return to the College Football Playoff after missing it last season for the first time since the 2014-2015 season.

The first step in reaching that pedestal is defeating the Yellow Jackets.

Unlike in years past, Clemson struggled against Georgia Tech in 2021 when the Tigers came away with a 14-8 victory.

Clemson is a 23.5-point favorite to win this year’s matchup, according to Tipico Sportsbook, but as with any college football team in week one, there is a lot of uncertainty and questions for Clemson.

That being said, here are five players on the Tigers’ roster that spectators should watch closely against the Yellow Jackets.

Clemson’s official depth chart for the Georgia Tech game

Clemson’s first depth chart for their matchup against Georgia Tech has been released.

As game day fast approaches, Clemson football released its depth chart Tuesday for their Labor Day opener against Georgia Tech.

The hype surrounding freshman tackle Blake Miller was reassured as Miller is officially listed as the Tigers’ starting right tackle for Monday’s opener, with previous starter Walker Parks shifting over to start at right guard. He will be the first true freshman to get the start at offensive tackles for the Tigers since Mitch Hyatt back in 2015.

At wide receiver, it looks like the Tigers still have some decisions to be made. Two receivers that have been dealing with injuries in camp, E.J. Williams and Beaux Collins, were listed as co-starters.

Co-starters look to be an early trend for the Tigers as on defense; there are multiple units listed with co-starters.

Here’s a full look at Clemson’s depth chart for their opening game against Georgia Tech (8 p.m./ESPN):

Handful of true freshmen crack Clemson’s initial two-deep

A handful of first-year players have appeared on Clemson’s initial two-deep, some a bit more surprising than others. The Tigers released their first depth chart of the season Tuesday in advance of their Labor Day opener against Georgia Tech in …

A handful of first-year players have appeared on Clemson’s initial two-deep, some a bit more surprising than others.

The Tigers released their first depth chart of the season Tuesday in advance of their Labor Day opener against Georgia Tech in Atlanta. As expected, Cade Klubnik was listed as D.J. Uiagalelei’s backup while Blake Miller was listed as the starting right tackle, kicking Walker Parks inside to right guard.

Clemson’s latest five-star quarterback signee, Klubnik has been No. 2 on the depth chart since arriving on campus in January and will get some playing time regardless of how Uiagalelei performs in front of him. Meanwhile, Miller began making a real surge toward the top of the depth chart midway through preseason camp, and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter confirmed the 6-foot-6, 315-pounder had earned the starting job before the depth chart was released.

“(Miller) came in and really understands the game, which is really hard to do at offensive line,” Streeter said then. “There are so many moving parts, it’s hard to do that at a young age. A lot of times, it takes a little bit longer for those guys. And then he brings a toughness every single day. There’s no question at all that he is one of the toughest guys we’ve got. He’s really strong, too. All of those things combined, he’s doing some good stuff.”

The other true freshmen to appear on the two-deep were receiver Antonio Williams, offensive linemen Collin Sadler and linebacker Wade Woodaz. Williams was listed as Brannon Spector’s backup in the slot while Sadler is behind Marcus Tate at left guard. Woodaz, who surged up the depth chart during camp after arriving on campus this summer, is with the twos at the Sam linebacker position in Clemson’s base defense.

“He’s got great length and speed,” Goodwin recently said of Woodaz. “He runs really well. Can change directions for that size. Really smart. Really savvy. … You can utilize him in various ways.”

As for Williams, the in-state product, who starred at Dutch Fork High School during his prep career, was a late pickup for Clemson in its 2022 recruiting class and also didn’t report to campus until the summer. But receivers coach Tyler Grisham said during the spring that Williams possessed a skill set that would allow for him to compete for immediate playing time.

Williams, who was praised by head coach Dabo Swinney for his play in Clemson’s final camp scrimmage, was also listed as the second-team punt returner behind Will Taylor.

“Antonio is going to help us,” Swinney said.

Taylor was among those competing with Williams in the slot during camp. Another freshman, Cole Turner, also repped there while junior E.J. Williams has also lined up there at times, but E.J. Williams was listed as an outside receiver on the depth chart. Swinney has said he would like to redshirt Turner this season if possible.

Antonio Williams’ speed and short-area quickness have helped set him apart at the position where past Clemson receivers such as Hunter Renfrow and Amari Rodgers thrived.

“Any time you have a guy in the slot that can make guys miss, it does nothing but make you better,” Streeter said. “That’s a big part of our offense. Get the ball to them in space, and let’s see what they can do with it.”

Sadler, another in-state signee out of Greenville Senior High, beat out redshirt freshman Dietrick Pennington among others for a spot on the two-deep along the offensive line. Like Miller, Sadler was an early enrollee who went through the spring and got significant reps at guard during the spring game.

“Those two guys are great,” offensive line coach Thomas Austin said during the spring in reference to Sadler and Miller. “Not just great players, but they check every box; phenomenal people, great students, great families. That’s the prototype. If you’re looking for what you want to recruit moving forward, you want more Collin Sadlers and Blake Millers.”

Dear Old Clemson has loaded up the online store with items like Myles Murphy signed cards and many items from our event for Clemson softball.

For McFadden, cohesion ‘the best I’ve felt’ along Clemson’s offensive line

Jordan McFadden is entering his third season as a starter at Clemson and fifth overall, so he’s been part of plenty of offensive lines during his time with the Tigers. None have given him a stronger sense of chemistry than this one. “This is the …

Jordan McFadden is entering his third season as a starter at Clemson and fifth overall, so he’s been part of plenty of offensive lines during his time with the Tigers.

None have given him a stronger sense of chemistry than this one.

“This is the best I’ve felt since I’ve been here personally about cohesiveness,” McFadden said.

That was a glaring issue last year when injuries and ineffectiveness made for a musical chair of sorts up front. The Tigers started eight different offensive line combinations in 13 games and had three different starting centers, which factored into the offense’s dropoff as a whole.

Clemson didn’t rank better than 82nd in the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards, points or passing offense. After giving up seven sacks in the season opener against Georgia, the Tigers only allowed 14 sacks in the final 12 games and found more consistency in the running game later in the season to finish a respectable 58th nationally in rushing yards.

Still, stability or not, McFadden said the line’s subpar performance overall has been a source of motivation for the unit heading into this season.

“I definitely think everybody has a chip on their shoulder,” he said. “It’s not so much us reading what everybody else is saying, but knowing what we’re capable of and knowing we didn’t perform to that standard of play here every game last season was disappointing. Everybody was just ready to get to work and ready to kind of show the country what we can do Sept. 5.”

Yet it’s that continuity, at least during the preseason, that has McFadden believing the group is capable of a rebound. The senior from Spartanburg is one of four starters back up front, though there have been some tweaks to the formation.

Senior Will Putnam is taking over at center after starting the last two seasons at right guard. Meanwhile, true freshman Blake Miller has soared to the top of the depth chart at right tackle for the time being, bumping junior Walker Parks inside to guard. Marcus Tate is back with a year of experience under his belt at left guard after starting eight games there last season.

But the majority of the group has been repping together since the spring. Miller, who’s in line to be the first true freshman to start a season opener at tackle for Clemson since 2015, has consistently repped with the first team since midway through preseason camp.

For a position where working in unison is key, that cohesion has drastically helped the line improve its communication, which McFadden said was “amazing” during camp.

“Last year, there was so much going on with injuries and everything, it was hard to get a set five out there the first couple of games,” McFadden said. “Just not being comfortable with everybody, but we’ve pretty much had the same five the whole camp. Moved a couple of people around, but me and Marcus are more comfortable with a year playing together and different things like that.

“I think, everybody, we’re just more cohesive, which makes a big difference in the o-line.”

Dear Old Clemson has added to the store posters signed by all 20 members of Clemson’s 2022 football class.

Freshman lineman a frontrunner to start against Georgia Tech

Clemson’s starting offensive line personnel has begun to solidify.

Clemson could roll out with a freshman lineman starting on offense against Georgia Tech.

According to offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, if Clemson were to play this week, Blake Miller would start at right tackle.

At 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, Miller has impressed Streeter since he first arrived in the spring and reminds the coaches of a former Tiger who started as a freshman in 2015.

“It’s very, very much like a Mitch Hyatt type of deal,” Streeter said. “(Miller) came in and really understands the game, which is really hard to do at offensive line. There are so many moving parts, it’s hard to do that at a young age. A lot of times, it takes a little bit longer for those guys. He brings a toughness every single day. There’s no question at all that he is one of the toughest guys we’ve got. He’s really strong, too. All of those things combined, he’s doing some good stuff.”

Coming out of Strongsville High School (Strongsville, Ohio), Miller was a four-star recruit and the No. 16 offensive tackle in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.

While there is no official depth chart yet, Clemson’s starting offensive line from left to right now figures to be Jordan McFadden, Marcus Tate, Will Putnam, Walker Parks and Miller.

“We’re never always settled until the very, very last week maybe, but we feel pretty good about some of our guys that have been repping with those ones and also some of those guys with the twos as well,” Streeter said. “Feel really good mentally about where they are.”

[mm-video type=video id=01gb60qj20tjgx63mrz0 playlist_id=01fvdd1xkgcx6zr5s5 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gb60qj20tjgx63mrz0/01gb60qj20tjgx63mrz0-283c83b090b339c3a1e105ec1d49d233.jpg][listicle id=4688]