Tag: Clemson defensive line

Cross-training across positions shows Clemson defensive line’s diversity

The possibilities are endless with enough creativity and talent.

The one thing about football is that the position groups are fairly rigid. Basketball players can play at the point guard one possession and, if they have the size, small forward the next. Same with soccer, hockey, and Lacrosse, to name a few (except for goalie/keeper, of course).

In football, an offensive lineman rarely makes a jump to a skill position or vice versa. However, cross-training within the position is becoming more popular. Defensive backs regularly train at corner, safety, and nickel; OL train at tackle, guard, center, and so on. Not only does it help players diversify their own talents, but it grants them a better understanding of the roles around them and how they fit together in the bigger picture.

The trick is having enough talent to do so without dipping in the quality of play, and Clemson has excelled at it, especially on the defensive line. During Dabo Swinney’s Media Outing, Clemson’s defensive run game coordinator, Nick Eason, commented on the subject. “That is the unique thing about choosing Clemson if you are a high school kid… We cross-train all of our defensive linemen to be able to play across the line, so Peter and a lot of our guys can play inside and outside,” said Eason.

Peter Woods is the player Eason is referring to. After losing Xavier Thomas and Justin Mascoll at defensive end, Woods, among others, will play some DE this season. “[Woods] is not the only one,” Eason said. “Payton Page can play outside and in, as well as Tre Williams, and as well as a lot of other defensive linemen that are big and athletic and can play inside and outside.”

The Tigers can cross-train at a high level because of how well they recruit the position. “I want athletic defensive linemen that can play across the line of scrimmage,” said Eason. “that is how we will kind of utilize [Woods]. That helps us anytime you can play multiple positions.”

Eason explained that defensive tackles moving outside will “be based on the opponent week-to-week,” so Woods will still have playing time on the inside. If Eason wanted, they could go a step forward and make decisions play-to-play. The possibilities[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”dW5kZWZpbmVk”][/anyclip-media] are endless with enough creativity and talent.

Goodwin says Parker is ‘well beyond his years’

True freshman defensive end T.J. Parker leads Clemson in sacks and is fifth in total tackles.

Coming into the 2023 season, all eyes were on five-star defensive tackle Peter Woods to be the standout player in the Tigers’ 2023 recruiting class. And while Woods has played well, another true freshman has emerged as a difference maker for the Tigers on the defensive line.

Through six games, defensive end T.J. Parker leads Clemson in sacks with four and has the fifth most total tackles on the team with 19.

While Parker is just a true freshman and isn’t technically a starter, he has cemented himself among the Tigers’ best pass rushers, earning praise from defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin on Monday.

“You knew early on, even in January coming in, that he was kind of well beyond his years as far as football, understanding his technique and just his work ethic,” Goodwin said of Parker. “Just the type of young man that he is, really high character, great family, all of the above. But every week, he seems to get better and better and better.”

Parker had the best game of his young career against Syracuse in Week 5 when he had five tackles and two sacks. The performance earned him ACC Player of the Week honors, and he joined Myles Murphy, Dexter Lawrence and Corico Wright as the only Clemson freshmen in the Dabo Swinney era to record two sacks in a single game.

“He still needs to clean up some alignment issues and doing some small things better. But for the most part, he’s been really productive,” Goodwin added. “Heavy-handed, providing some good pass rush force up front and just brings great energy and demeanor, as well, on game day. He really understands how offenses attack. I’m super excited about the second half, seeing where he continues to improve and grow.”

A four-star recruit coming out of high school, Parker has been playing behind Xavier Thomas and Justin Mascoll. That said, his youth and inexperience haven’t stopped him from seeing significant snaps.

Mascoll had high praise for Parker when speaking to the media on Sept. 26, saying that Parker is much further along than where he was as a freshman.

“He’s just a hard worker, and he competes every day,” Mascoll said. “He definitely pushes me and XT every day to be better, and I just appreciate him so much. He’s kind of he’s come a long way. I mean, he came in the spring, but he’s made a major stride in his game as far as being a great pass rusher and playing the run well. And just his knowledge of the game was growing. You could just tell he knows a lot of football.”

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Woods dishes on transition to Clemson, learning from veterans

Two veteran Clemson DTs have taken freshman Peter Woods under their wing.

Clemson’s coaches have raved about Peter Woods’ potential, but the true freshman defensive tackle is still soaking up everything he can from those around him.

Speaking to the media on Saturday for the first time since joining the Clemson program, Woods discussed how his first several months with the team went.

He said Tyler Davis and Ruke Orhorhoro, both of whom are returning for their fifth seasons, are the two players in the defensive tackles room who have been taking Woods under their wing the most.

“I can’t even say how much I’ve learned from them,” Woods said. “Their effort at just trying to bring me along, being the young guy, and teaching me things that even they might have learned even later in their careers, speaks so much about their humility. I see them as my big brothers, and I just appreciate them.”

In Clemson’s spring game, Woods ran out with the first-team defense and finished with a team-high seven total tackles (one for loss) and a sack.

With his athleticism and 6-foot-2, 300-pound frame, Woods isn’t afraid to cross-train and play on the edge.

“I love my versatility; that’s something I pride myself in. I feel like I can play any position across the line, so why not do it? Given this talent that we have in this room, it might be convenient, or it might not, depending on how I perform overall and just how everything feels,” Woods said.

As far as how the Alabaster, Alabama, native has transitioned from high school to college, the 6-foot-2, 300-pound freshman acknowledged there’s a different level of competition at Clemson.

“Everybody says the speed of the game, and it sounds cliche, but it’s true,” Woods said of the difference. “You’re going against guys that are just as big as you or even better, so the speed of the game is going to be crazy. And just the competition, you’re always working and competing to get better. There’s no playing down to your competition because you’re always up there at a high level.”

With fourth-year defensive tackle Tré Williams expected to miss the early part of fall camp, Woods will have plenty of opportunities to throw his name in the mix for heavy snaps ahead of the Tigers’ season opener on Sept. 4.

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Tigers ‘stand very high’ for four-star DL prospect after Clemson visit

A 2025 defensive lineman hailing from the Palmetto State made the trip up to Clemson for the Tiger’s 40-10 win over Miami last Saturday in Memorial Stadium. The Clemson Insider caught up with the four-star following the visit to get the latest on …

A 2025 defensive lineman hailing from the Palmetto State made the trip up to Clemson for the Tiger’s 40-10 win over Miami last Saturday in Memorial Stadium. The Clemson Insider caught up with the four-star following the visit to get the latest on his recruitment.

Lake City (S.C.) High School’s Amare Adams visited Clemson following visits to Georgia, South Carolina and Florida State earlier this fall and had nothing but praise for head coach Dabo Swinney and his program.

“It was really nice,” Adams told TCI. “The family vibe and the love they have for their players. They spoke a lot about my future after football. Gave me something to think about.”

The 6-foot-6, 280-pound defensive lineman already sports offers from South Carolina, Florida State and Georgia and while Clemson stands very high at the moment for Adams, only time will tell which program rises to the top.

“All of them have things I like,” the four-star said. “I have a great relationship with the coaches at every school I visit. I guess in time I will start to see what’s best.”

During his time in Tiger Town, Adams experienced all that Clemson has to offer alongside his dad and a family friend, who is a long-time fan of the Tigers.

“My Dad was impressed with how much they spoke on academics,” Adams said. “He said they really care about your future and being a man. Also, he loves that their players aren’t ashamed to put God first.”

Adams was able to speak with multiple members of the Clemson coaching staff while in Death Valley including head coach Dabo Swinney, defensive tackles coach Nick Eason, defensive player development coach Kavell Conner and a few others.

“[They told] me how much they like me,” he said. “And to keep working in the classroom and on the field. How much Coach Swinney loves his players. How much of a family it really is. How coaches on staff are a lot of Clemson guys.”

As for where the Tigers stand after Adam’s visit, the South Carolina native says Clemson stands very high among his options, adding that an offer from Swinney and his staff would be “awesome”.

“They stand very high! I mean it would be awesome,” Adams said. “I am blessed to even be viewed at by them as a guy they could have there in a few years.”

Carter on defense’s plan against the Gamecocks

A key leader on Clemson’s defense this season, sophomore linebacker Barrett Carter, sat down with the media Monday ahead of what could be the most competitive rivalry game in recent years. South Carolina is coming off a shocking destruction over the …

A key leader on Clemson’s defense this season, sophomore linebacker Barrett Carter, sat down with the media Monday ahead of what could be the most competitive rivalry game in recent years. South Carolina is coming off a shocking destruction over the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers this past Saturday with a final score of 63-38. 

Quarterback Spencer Rattler had by far his best game of the season, throwing for 438 yards and six touchdowns while completing over 80 percent of his passes. Everything just seemed to be hitting for the Gamecocks’ offense last Saturday.

“They looked explosive,” Carter said. “They have good backs, good receivers, experienced offensive line, so they just look like they were connecting on all levels.”

Despite this, the defense’s focus going into this week is no different than any other game, and their preparation has not changed.

“We treat it like it’s any other game,” Carter said. “Obviously they’re our rival, but it’s just the next game. We’re not going to make this game too big, and we’re not going to make the game smaller than it is.”

“I’m sure they’re feeling good after that win, so we’re just going to try to put that to an end,” Carter added with a laugh.

Clemson also has a chance to make history this Saturday, being the first team to win the Palmetto Bowl eight years in a row.

“Of course we’re trying to get the win by any means,” Carter said, “but the fact that we could make history means there is always a little bit more to it.”

A native of Suwanee, Georgia, Carter did not grow up knowing the intensity of the Clemson-Carolina rivalry game. However, after traveling down to Williams-Brice Stadium last year, Carter now knows just what this rivalry means to the people of South Carolina. 

“When you get there and you’re going out for warmups and people are throwing stuff at you, you see a bunch of stuff in the facility, whole walls dedicated to the rivalry,” Carter said. “I didn’t really think it was that intense, but after last year, that really opened eyes and now I know that this is the real deal and it’s serious.”

In the game against Tennessee, Rattler looked very comfortable in the pocket. As a leader on the defense, Carter is focused on making sure that does not repeat this Saturday.

“I think really it was just better execution,” Carter said. “I think he looked very comfortable, so I think that is going to be an emphasis, just try to basically make it as stressful as possible as we can for him because when he is comfortable he is very dangerous.”

Greene says defense ‘took a great step in getting ahead’ during bye week

Clemson junior cornerback Malcolm Greene spoke to the media this past Monday about the strides the Tigers’ defense made during a much-needed bye week. It’s not a secret that Clemson’s defense has had its ups and downs throughout this season. …

Clemson junior cornerback Malcolm Greene spoke to the media this past Monday about the strides the Tigers’ defense made during a much-needed bye week. 

It’s not a secret that Clemson’s defense has had its ups and downs throughout this season. Everyone says defense wins games, but Clemson’s defense has had to nurse injuries throughout the first half of the season and couldn’t seem to catch a break. 

Two key players on the defensive line, Bryan Bresee and Xavier Thomas, have been in and out of rotation over the course of the season. 

One of the Tigers’ starting linebackers, Barrett Carter, did not play against Syracuse due to a concussion. However, this past Monday, defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin said Carter is “progressing back” and he hadn’t seen Carter have any setbacks.

Things are looking up for Clemson’s defense with no one in the locker room dealing with significant long-lasting injuries.

Greene reflected on the team’s current injury situation compared to previous years, and feels optimistic heading into the final stretch of the season. 

“It feels great. This is the best… I feel like everybody is at a great spot at this point in the season and I feel like it is going to pay great dividends for us this season,” Greene said Monday. “Having this many guys being able to go out there in practice and in games, and getting in those reps that we need going into this long stretch, is big.”

During the bye week, Greene feels like they made a lot of progress in areas on the defense that teams had been taking advantage of. 

“I feel like during the off week we definitely were good and very productive, we took a great step in getting ahead, developing our depth and making sure that we’re clean on all of our little things that we slipped up on in the past,” Greene said. “All of our little areas that a lot of teams could strike, we took great strides in cleaning those things up…and getting ready for our next opponent.”

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!

Davis named Bednarik Award semifinalist

Congrats to the Clemson defender who was named a semifinalist for the prestigious award on Tuesday.

Via Clemson Athletic Communications:

The Maxwell Football Club announced today that Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis has been named as one of 20 semifinalists for the 2022 Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the nation’s outstanding defensive player of the year. More information from the Maxwell Football Club is included below.

Maxwell Football Club Executive Director, Mark Wolpert, announced the 2022 semifinalists for the 86th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The respective lists include a field of 20 candidates for the Maxwell and 20 candidates for the Bednarik Award as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee. The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed statistical and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts have been added to the selection committee and have participated in the process. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete football reference in the country.

A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes representatives from 6 conferences and 1 independent school, with the PAC-12 and SEC boasting 5 candidates each and the Big Ten notching 4 spots. Bryce Young (Alabama), CJ Stroud (Ohio State) and Bijan Robinson (Texas) join the list for the second consecutive year with the remaining candidates all being first-time semifinalists.

On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces, with Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) being the lone Bednarik Award semifinalist returnee. Seven different conferences are represented, led by seven student-athletes from the Big Ten and five from the SEC.

Last season, the Maxwell Award was presented to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and the Bednarik Award went to Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Davis was selected with the No.10 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and Young is completing his junior season for the Crimson Tide.

Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday Nov. 2 and will close on Nov. 20. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 22 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with the player’s school, position and class designated.

The winners of the 86th Maxwell Award and the 28th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be broadcast live on ESPN on December 8, 2022. The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards will take place at the 86th Maxwell Awards Gala which will be held in March 2023.  Questions regarding the Maxwell and Bednarik semifinalist lists can be directed to: Mark Wolpert – mwolpert@maxwellfootballclub.org or Rich Cirminiello – rcirminiello@maxwellfootballclub.org.

Maxwell Award Semifinalists

First Name Last Name School Position Year
Bryce Young Alabama QB JR
Jahmyr Gibbs Alabama RB JR
Brock Bowers Georgia TE SO
Chase Brown Illinois RB JR
Blake Corum Michigan RB JR
Drake Maye North Carolina QB RS-FR
Michael Mayer Notre Dame TE JR
CJ Stroud Ohio State QB JR
Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State WR SO
Bo Nix Oregon QB SR
Israel Abanikanda Pittsburgh RB JR
Max Duggan TCU QB SR
Hendon Hooker Tennessee QB RS-SR
Jalin Hyatt Tennessee WR JR
Bijan Robinson Texas RB JR
DeWayne McBride UAB RB JR
Zach Charbonnet UCLA RB SR
Caleb Williams USC QB SO
Cam Rising Utah QB JR
Michael Penix Jr. Washington QB JR

 

Chuck Bednarik Award Semifinalists

First Name Last Name School Position Year
Will Anderson Jr. Alabama LB JR
Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama CB SO
Drew Sanders Arkansas LB JR
Ivan Pace Jr. Cincinnati LB SR
Tyler Davis Clemson DT SR
Christopher Smith Georgia S SR
Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois DT SO
Devon Witherspoon Illinois CB JR
Jack Campbell Iowa LB SR
Felix Anudike-Uzomah Kansas State DE JR
Mike Morris Michigan DE SR
Emmanuel Forbes Mississippi State CB JR
Tommy Eichenberg Ohio State LB SR
Jason Henderson Old Dominion LB SO
Joey Porter Jr. Penn State CB RS-JR
Calijah Kancey Pitt DT RS-JR
Tyree Wilson Texas Tech LB SR
Tuli Tuipulotu USC DT JR
Clark Phillips III Utah CB SO
John Torchio Wisconsin S SR

ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, Montage Mountain Resort, Ivy Rehab, The Buccini Pollin Group, the Edward T. Coombs Foundation and the Run Around Inc. To learn more about our story visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

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College GameDay announces guest picker for Clemson vs. NC State

Wilkins becomes the first former Clemson player to be named the guest picker for ESPN’s College GameDay on Clemson’s campus.

College GameDay finally revealed who will be the Week 5 guest picker tomorrow morning for the ESPN broadcast on Bowman Field in Clemson.

Former Clemson defensive tackle and 2x National Champion Christian Wilkins will be representing the Tigers as the honorary guest picker alongside Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Rece Davis, David Pollack and Lee Corso on College GameDay on Saturday.

The current Miami Dolphin becomes the first former Clemson player to land the gig in the five times College GameDay has made the trip. Previously Bill Murray, Eric Church, Jim Cantore, Eric Stonestreet and Alex Rodriguez have all made appearances as the guest picker when Clemson played host to the popular pregame show on five separate occasions.

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Halftime Report: No. 4 Clemson 14, Georgia Tech 3

Clemson holds the lead 14-3 at the half over Georgia Tech.

After the first half of Clemson’s matchup against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Tigers came away with the 14-3 lead, but not without some struggles.

Clemson started off Monday night’s contest with a bang thanks to safety Andrew Mukuba’s pick off of Georgia Tech’s Jeff Sims in the first offensive play of the game. The Tigers were unable to convert though and struggled to make it happen offensively for the majority of the first half.

Will Shipley finally got Clemson on the board in the second. After a huge blocked punt by former walk-on Carson Donnelly on special teams that was recovered by wide receiver Brannon Spector for 15 yards, Shipley later returned the ball for a one-yard rushing touchdown to give the Tigers the 7-0 lead with 10 minutes to go.

Fourth-ranked Clemson struck yet again in the second quarter this time with a 6-yard connection between quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei and wide receiver Beaux Collins to extend the lead to 14-0. The Yellow Jackets responded with Jude Kelley’s 45-yard field goal for a score of 14-3 at the half.

Though Clemson had its struggles on the offensive front, the Tigers defense so far has been lights out from the get-go. First-year defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin’s defense recorded 47 total tackles, 7 for a loss, one interception and one pass breakup.

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3 Defensive Keys for a Clemson win vs. Georgia Tech

Three keys to defensive success for Clemson’s opener against Georgia Tech.

With kickoff just hours away, Clemson’s defense will take the field for the first time this season and under a new coordinator in Wes Goodwin.

The Tigers return six players with starting experience on the defensive front in Bryan Bresee, Myles Murphy, Tyler Davis, K.J. Henry, Justin Mascoll, and an injured Xavier Thomas along with a talented backfield in linebacker Trenton Simpson, cornerback Sheridan Jones, and safeties Tyler Venables and Andrew Mukuba.

Expectations remain high for this talented group as many expect this year’s defense to be one of, if not the best defensive units in program history, drawing comparisons to the historic 2014 and 2018 defenses this preseason.

Here are three defensive keys for the Tigers against Georgia Tech.