Taking inventory: Cornerback

Clemson ended its season less than a week ago, but it’s never too early to look ahead. The Clemson Insider is taking some time to analyze how the Tigers performed at each position this season and where the Tigers stand with each entering the …

Clemson ended its season less than a week ago, but it’s never too early to look ahead.

The Clemson Insider is taking some time to analyze how the Tigers performed at each position this season and where the Tigers stand with each entering the offseason. Quarterback, running back, tight end, receiver, center, guard, offensive tackle, defensive tackle, defensive end and linebacker have already been assessed.

Next up is cornerback.

A quick note first: This is where things currently stand with Clemson’s personnel at corner. With the one-time transfer rule and recruiting still in full effect, things are always subject to change. This story will be updated as needed to reflect any future modifications at the position.

2021 in review

Clemson began the season with hopes that Andrew Booth could stay on the field long enough to become its lockdown corner. By the end of it, the Tigers had two that could claim that distinction.

Booth, who struggled with nagging injuries and inconsistency in his first two seasons with the program, put it all together this fall to turn in his best season in a Clemson uniform. The 6-foot, 200-pounder saw teams throw his way less and less over the course of the season but still finished with four pass breakups and a team-high three interceptions in 12 games. Booth still has eligibility left, but he’s boosted his stock to the point that he’s now widely considered to be a first-round pick in this year’s draft. So he’ll almost certainly make an early jump to the NFL.

Joining him will be Mario Goodrich, whose emergence gave Clemson two first-team all-ACC corners. Goodrich didn’t begin the season with as much hype as Booth, but the senior quietly morphed into a shutdown player on the opposite side. He finished sixth on the team in tackles, second in pass breakups (7) and had a pair of interceptions, including a decisive pick-six in the bowl game. He also forced a fumble late in that game that ultimately sealed Clemson’s win over Iowa State.

Goodrich will now head to the Senior Bowl to further showcase his skills for NFL scouts. The departures of Goodrich and Booth leave some sizable shoes to fill in the secondary, but there are still some experienced players at the position who could be primed to take on larger roles next season.

Sheridan Jones could be the leading candidate to step in as a starter next year after playing in all 13 games with three starts this season as a junior. Another backup, Fred Davis, has been with the program two years as a sophomore, and fellow sophomore Malcolm Greene is in line to return as the starting nickel.

But depth at corner for next season is a concern, something Clemson has started addressing in the current recruiting cycle.

Who’s leaving?

Booth, Goodrich

Who’s staying?

Greene, Jones, Davis, Nate Wiggins

Who’s joining?

Clemson has signed a pair of corners to its 2022 recruiting class in Mauldin High standout Jeadyn Lukus and East St. Louis High (Illinois) product Toriano Pride Jr. The Tigers could add another during the traditional signing period or through the transfer portal.

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Clemson vs. Pitt: Who has the edge?

No. 24 Clemson (4-2, 3-1 ACC) will stay on the road Saturday for a cross-division matchup with No. 23 Pittsburgh (5-1, 2-0). Kickoff from Heinz Field is set for 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN. Clemson’s offense vs. Pittsburgh’s …

Clemson’s offense vs. Pittsburgh’s defense: Name an area, and Clemson’s offense is probably struggling in it. And it doesn’t figure to get any easier against an attacking defense like Pitt’s.

While the Panthers’ high-flying offense is getting most of the headlines, the defense has quietly put together a solid season. Pitt is ranked in the top 35 nationally in points allowed (20 per game), yards allowed (319.3) and rush defense (100.2).

Pitt operates out of a 4-3 under head coach Pat Narduzzi, who came to the Panthers seven years after a successful stint as Michigan State’s defensive coordinator, One of Narduzzi’s trademarks is cover 4 (or quarters) coverage on the back end that can look like man since Narduzzi likes to play press coverage with his corners. That could create some isolated matchups in the passing game if the Tigers can occupy Pitt’s safeties, but that’s going to require Clemson to run the ball effectively.

That’s something the Tigers have done better with at times. Kobe Pace is averaging 6.3 yards a carry over the last two games, but can another starting five on the offensive line open up enough running lanes against an aggressive Pitt defense averaging more than seven tackles for loss?

And can Clemson simply make the plays that are there to be made? Because that’s been as big an issue as any. Missed blocking assignments (both up front and on the perimeter), dropped passes and penalties continue to plague an offense that just doesn’t have much room for error. It’s made any sort of rhythm virtually impossible for the Tigers’ offense to attain. Advantage: Pitt

Clemson’s defense vs. Pitt’s offense: This is the highly anticipated matchup. Only Coastal Carolina and Ohio State are scoring more points on average in the FBS than Pitt (48.3). Meanwhile, top-ranked Georgia is the only team giving up fewer points than Clemson (12.3).

Did the Tigers hint at how they plan to defend Kenny Pickett and the Panthers last week? Clemson played more odd fronts than they have all season against Syracuse, a strange strategy considering the Orange’s strengths running the ball. It appeared defensive coordinator Brent Venables was willing to give up a few chunk plays on the ground knowing Syracuse couldn’t consistently beat Clemson through the air out of that look.

That won’t be the case this week. Pitt has been pretty balanced with its play calls (244 rush, 223 pass), but the Panthers have been explosive and efficient when they’ve put the ball in the air. Pickett is completing right at 70% of his passes for an offense averaging 358 passing yards per game. Pickett’s averaging completion covers 13.5 yards.

Pitt often utilizes 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end), but the Panthers aren’t shy about putting four receivers on the field or even going empty. That’s why Clemson could opt to put more defensive backs on the field, but regardless how they do it, the Tigers will need to generate pressure to get Pickett out of his comfort zone.

Being as close to full strength as possible would also help Clemson, particularly at corner. Andrew Booth (hamstring) missed last week’s game while Fred Davis (ankle) has yet to suit up this month, but Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is optimistic about both playing Saturday. Advantage: Draw

Special teams: Clemson’s specialists continued to come up big against Syracuse. Will Spiers completed a pass for a first down on a fake punt to extend a drive late in the first half that ultimately finished in the end zone. He’s also averaging 42.2 yards per punt.

And B.T. Potter keeps connecting on field goals Clemson has needed to keep pulling out these white-knucklers. His 40-yarder in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference in Clemson’s three-point win. Halfway through the season, his lone miss is still that 58-yarder against South Carolina State that would’ve been a career-long.

Pitt hasn’t had to use its kicker much given the frequency with which it’s found the end zone, but Sam Scarlton is 4-for-4 on field goals. Kirk Christodoulou is averaging 41 yards per punt. The Panthers are averaging just 18.9 yards on kickoff returns and 4.4 yards on punt returns. Advantage: Clemson

Bottom line: Even if injuries don’t have Clemson playing at the same suffocating level it was early in the season, the Tigers’ defense has proven it’s good enough to keep them in every game. But even if Clemson is able to hold Pitt to half of its season scoring average, that would still put the Panthers’ point total in the mid-to-high 20s. Based on what the Tigers have shown offensively to this point, there’s no reason to think they can score that much.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 28, Clemson 17

Good news for Clemson’s secondary

Dabo Swinney updated the status of Clemson’s injured cornerbacks during his final media availability ahead of the Tigers’ game at Pittsburgh this weekend. Swinney on Wednesday said Andrew Booth and Fred Davis have “looked good” during practice this …

Dabo Swinney updated the status of Clemson’s injured cornerbacks during his final media availability ahead of the Tigers’ game at Pittsburgh this weekend.

Swinney on Wednesday said Andrew Booth and Fred Davis have “looked good” during practice this week and are still expected to play Saturday. Barring any setbacks before then, that means the 24th-ranked Tigers will have their top cover corner back against a Pitt offense averaging more than 350 passing yards per game.

“It’s the first time in a while we’ve got all six corners available,” Swinney said. “A good week for that to happen. That’s for sure.”

Booth, who started the first five games, was a late scratch against Syracuse last week because of a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Davis has been working his way back from an ankle sprain that’s caused him to miss the last handful of games.

That left Clemson with just four scholarship corners available against the Orange. Sheridan Jones got the start in Booth’s place last week while true freshman Nate Wiggins saw his most extended playing time of the season.

Swinney has some good news on the injury front

Slowly but surely, Clemson has been getting some of its injured players back in the fold. Head coach Dabo Swinney is optimistic that will continue this week. Swinney said during this weekly radio show Monday that a handful of players who have been …

Slowly but surely, Clemson has been getting some of its injured players back in the fold. Head coach Dabo Swinney is optimistic that will continue this week.

Swinney said during this weekly radio show Monday that a handful of players who have been nursing injuries are in line to return to action Saturday when the 24th-ranked Tigers (4-2, 3-1 ACC) head to Pittsburgh (5-1, 3-0). Among them is tight end Braden Galloway (concussion), whom Swinney said will be back after missing last week’s game against Syracuse.

Things are looking up for cornerbacks Andrew Booth and Fred Davis, too. Davis has missed a handful of games with a sprained ankle while Booth was a late scratch against Syracuse with a tight hamstring.

“We though (Booth) was going to be able to go last week, but he just didn’t feel confident with where he was,” Swinney said. “Hopefully he’ll be ready. And getting Fred back will be a big shot in the arm for us. … He’s off to a good start this week.”

Swinney said he’s hopeful that a full week of practice for offensive linemen Will Putnam and Walker Parks will help improve their performance Saturday. Swinney said both had practiced just a couple of times each in the two weeks leading up to the Syracuse game.

Swinney revealed earlier in the week that Parks sustained a concussion following Clemson’s win over Boston College on Oct. 2, but the sophomore right tackle hasn’t missed a game this season. Putnam missed the Boston College game with a foot injury before turning against Syracuse.

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Venables updates health status of Booth, Davis

During his media availability on Monday, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables updated the health status of junior cornerback Andrew Booth as well as sophomore corner Fred Davis. Booth was a “pregame scratch” and didn’t play in Friday night’s …

During his media availability on Monday, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables updated the health status of junior cornerback Andrew Booth as well as sophomore corner Fred Davis.

Booth was a “pregame scratch” and didn’t play in Friday night’s 17-14 win over Syracuse, and Venables said after the game that he had a hamstring strain.

Davis, meanwhile, has been recovering from a sprained ankle and has missed the Tigers’ last three contests.

“They’re all back this week,” Venables said Monday.

Venables was then asked how big of a boost it is for Clemson’s cornerback group to have Booth and Davis back in the fold.

“I don’t know. We’ll see how they practice, too,” Venables said. “But they’re more guys that can cover, and they have experience. So, obviously it’s a big deal. Now guys aren’t as strained physically. So, it helps from depth. It helps in a lot of ways. But hopefully they’ll come back and have a good week of practice and they’re healthy by game time. But it’s big.”

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Bye week comes at ‘good time’ as Clemson tries to get healthy

In speaking on the status of his team’s overall health, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney cracked a joke that might not be too far from the truth. “We had a team out there in yellow (during Monday’s practice) that could probably go win bowl games,” Swinney …

In speaking on the status of his team’s overall health, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney cracked a joke that might not be too far from the truth.

“We had a team out there in yellow (during Monday’s practice) that could probably go win bowl games,” Swinney quipped during his weekly radio appearance Monday night, referencing the jersey color designated for injured players who are held out of contact.

Clemson has two weeks to prepare for its next game at Syracuse, which won’t be played until Oct. 15. A critical part of that process for the Tigers will be using the extra time to get healed up after their injury list grew longer during their win over Boston College on Saturday.

One of those players, Will Taylor, won’t be back this season. The freshman receiver tore his ACL early in last week’s game and will undergo season-ending surgery, but Swinney voiced optimism that most if not all of Clemson’s other ailing players who could return this season will do so by next weekend.

“The open date is coming at a good time for us,” Swinney said. “We’re a M.A.S.H. unit. We’ve got a lot of guys that we’d have a hard time probably playing this week. I feel like we’ll be in good shape come Sunday.”

Receiver Justyn Ross and tight end Braden Galloway are both going through concussion protocol, Swinney said, after they took hits to the head and neck area early during last week’s game. Swinney said the decision to remove Ross from the game was more precautionary given his recent spinal fusion surgery, but he said he expects both to return to practice either at some point this week or early next week.

“Galloway I think was a little more concussed,” Swinney said. “Ross, he got hit right there in the head area. And obviously with his situation, (the medical staff) is going to be cautious with him. But he’s good. Looked great (Monday), so I feel good about that.”

Offensive lineman Will Putnam missed Saturday’s game with a toe injury, but Swinney said Monday the Tigers’ right guard is “a little better.” Swinney said he’s hopeful Putnam can start practicing again early next week.

Cornerbacks Malcolm Greene, Mario Goodrich and Fred Davis were also held out. It’s the second straight game Greene has missed at his nickel spot with a shoulder injury. Swinney said Greene still isn’t fully healthy but that he was ready to play Saturday if needed and has been practicing.

“(Greene) is one of the toughest kids we’ve got and definitely a guy we’ve got to get in there more,” Swinney said.

Goodrich, who started the first four games opposite Andrew Booth on the outside, is dealing with a groin injury while Davis has missed back-to-back games with a sprained ankle. Swinney said they’re in the same boat with receivers Frank Ladson Jr. (groin) and E.J. Williams (hand), who left Saturday’s game after getting banged up. Williams later returned.

“We anticipate all of those guys being able to go, but we’ll see where we are at the end of the week,” Swinney said.

Meanwhile, starting tight end Davis Allen was unavailable for most of last week’s game after being ejected for targeting in the first quarter. But since it happened during the first half, Allen won’t have to miss any time against Syracuse.

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The good, the bad and the ugly from Clemson’s heart-stopping win over Boston College

No. 19 Clemson got just enough offense and another late stand from its defense to pull out another nail-biter over Boston College late Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly from the Tigers’ 19-13 victory. The good …

The good

Where’s that running game been all season?

Outside of an opponent it was able to physically overwhelm (South Carolina State), Clemson hasn’t come close to racking up the kind of yards it did on the ground against the Eagles. The Tigers finished with 231 yards on 40 carries, or 5.8 yards per carry. Only against S.C. State (6.7) has Clemson ripped off more yards per tote this season.

A good chunk of that came on Kobe Pace’s 59-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter, Clemson’s longest play all season. But an offensive line that again had to shuffle things with right guard Will Putnam (toe) out got more consistent push at the point of attack, and the Tigers also got out on the edge some to rip off other runs of at least 10 yards. Freshman Phil Mafah, getting his first snaps of the season, had 58 yards on just seven carries, including 10- and 28-yarders. Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei again got involved in the running game, too, with two of his 12 rushes going for 14 and 15 yards.

Clemson also played its first turnover-free game while the defense had its most opportunistic performance off the season. The Tigers forced three turnovers, nearly matching its season total coming (4), and continued to come up clutch to minimize the Eagles’ damage when they threatened, holding Boston College to 13 points despite five of its possessions reaching Clemson’s 23-yard line or farther. None was more timely than K.J. Henry’s fumble recovery to turn the Eagles away in the red zone in the final minute.

But without B.T. Potter, none of it may have mattered. Clemson’s veteran kicker hadn’t gotten much work this season with the offense struggling the way it has at times, but Potter got four field-goal opportunities from various distances Saturday and connected on all of them to help push the Tigers over the top.

The bad

The reason Clemson had to rely so heavily on Potter for most of its points was because the offense often stalled out after putting together promising drives. Clemson racked up 438 yards of offense and made four trips inside Boston College’s 25, but the scoreboard didn’t necessarily reflect that simply because the Tigers didn’t finish drives in the end zone.

Potter’s field goals came at the end of all four of those possessions, including one where the Tigers got all the way to Boston College’s 2 after marching 94 yards on 10 plays early in the second quarter.

More misses from Uiagalelei in the passing game contributed to that. Clemson’s effectiveness running the ball finally forced Boston College to commit extra defenders to the box and play more man coverage on the back end, giving Clemson more opportunities to strike down the field than it’s had much of the season. But Uiagalelei routinely overthrew his receivers on those deep balls as he continues to search for consistent accuracy and touch in the passing game.

The shot plays are something Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Uiagalelei is going to have to start hitting if the Tigers expect to maximize their offensive potential this season. The sophomore quarterback finished 13 of 28 through the air for 207 yards, his second straight game completing less than half of his passes.

“Just a little off, but it’ll come,” Swinney said. “Same guy who threw for almost 500 (yards) against Notre Dame last year, so it’s in there. Just got to keep rolling.”

The ugly

The injury bug continued to take a massive bite out of the Tigers. Putnam and cornerback Fred Davis, who missed his second straight game with a bum ankle, were ruled out before the game. And once it started, the hits kept coming.

Receiver Justyn Ross left the game in the first half after taking a hit to the head, Swinney said, and didn’t return. Freshman receiver Will Taylor, who doubles as the Tigers’ punt return, was injured early and watched the rest of the game from the sideline with ice on his knee. Fellow receivers Frank Ladson Jr. and E.J. Williams, who had already been dealing with a torn thumb ligament, were also banged up.

So were tight ends Davis Allen and Braden Galloway, forcing seldom-used Sage Ennis and Jaelyn Lae into action at that position. Another cornerback, Mario Goodrich, was also held out because of an unspecified injury he sustained the previous week against North Carolina State.

Swinney didn’t have many updates afterward on the players who were injured during the game, but Clemson’s bye week couldn’t be coming at a better time for an ailing team before the Tigers head to Syracuse on Oct. 15. They were already dealing with the losses of defensive tackles Tyler Davis (bicep surgery) and Bryan Bresee (torn ACL) as well as running back Will Shipley (lower leg), which are longer-term injuries and, in Bresee’s case, season-ending.

“It was crazy,” Swinney said. “Like a M.A.S.H. unit going on. … The biggest thing is just the health of our guys.”

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Revisiting 5 key questions for Clemson coming out of fall camp

At the start of the month, The Clemson Insider posed five key questions facing Clemson heading into fall camp. Now that camp is over, TCI is revisiting those questions to see where the Tigers are in finding the answers. What does the QB depth look …

What does the QB depth look like?

The short answer? Much better than expected.

Taisun Phommachanh’s ruptured Achilles tendon created all sorts of uncertainty as to who would be D.J. Uiagalelei’s backup this season. After all, Phommachanh’s injury happened less than five months ago in Clemson’s spring game.

Yet Phommachanh was on the field for the Tigers’ first practice this month and hasn’t been limited much, at least from a physical standpoint. He’s been held out of tempo drills and some team periods at times, but he looked to be throwing on the run and getting more of his mobility back toward the end of camp.

Will Phommachanh travel and be available against Georgia in two weeks? Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott haven’t offered much in terms of a timetable for Phommachanh’s full return, saying only that they’re expecting him back sooner rather than later.

If not, sophomore walk-on Hunter Helms, who’s been getting second-team reps in practice when Phommachanh has been held out, would be the backup. But don’t rule out Phommachanh being ready in time for the trip to Charlotte, which would’ve been hard to believe five months ago.

Who will emerge as the featured back?

No one knows. At least coaches aren’t saying it publicly if they do.

All indications are that the competition to replace Travis Etienne atop the depth chart at running back has been heated. Swinney said early in camp that every back was still being considered for the job. Even Lyn-J Dixon and Kobe Pace, the two believed to have the best shot at it, have admitted there hasn’t been much separation.

If someone does emerge, it’s likely to be one of them. Dixon, who’s backed up Etienne the last couple of seasons, has the most experience as a senior while Pace is a talented sophomore that’s flashed in preseason scrimmages, including a powerful red-zone run in the first one where he pushed the pile for a touchdown, according to Elliott.

But true freshman Will Shipley has also rotated in with the ones at times and will have some sort of role within the offense given the kind of game-breaking speed the five-star signee possesses. Don’t be surprised if Clemson handles the carries by committee this fall.

Can Justyn Ross return to his old form?

It’s too early to adequately answer this question given Ross is barely a week into his return after getting full medical clearance and clearing COVID-19 protocols, but the early returns couldn’t be much better.

Ross participated in his first scrimmage Thursday and took what Swinney described as some “good hits” before popping right back up, a good sign for a player who’s less than eight months removed from corrective spinal fusion surgery. Swinney said Ross also turned in some explosive plays.

Simply put, Ross is one of college football’s top receivers and a first-round talent when he’s playing up to his capability. As Uiagalelei alluded to at one point during camp, Ross’ resume speaks for itself.

Clemson has plans to move Ross around to try to find all the mismatches they can for the 6-4, 205-pounder. So if Ross gets back anywhere close to being the kind of player he was as a freshman and sophomore, it completely changes the dynamic of Clemson’s offense and how teams have to go about trying to defend the Tigers.

Who will be the offensive line’s best five?

Jordan McFadden (left tackle), Will Putnam (right guard) and Walker Parks (right tackle) will be three of them, but things are still extremely fluid at the other two positions up front.

That’s primarily because the Tigers still aren’t sure which direction they want to go at center. The competition between Mason Trotter, Hunter Rayburn, Matt Bockhorst and Trent Howard continues, and Swinney didn’t rule out the possibility of it playing out all the way up until game week.

If Bockhorst ultimately wins that job, there will be another void to fill at left guard, where Bockhorst was the starter last season. Paul Tchio could slide in there as could Trotter or Rayburn if they lose out at center. Even true freshman Marcus Tate, who’s been taking some first-team reps at left guard when Bockhorst reps at center, is an option.

Swinney reiterated throughout camp that getting Clemson’s best five linemen on the field is the end game. If that means Bockhorst at center, so be it. But, for the benefit of chemistry and cohesion among the starting group, Clemson needs to make a decision sooner rather than later.

What is Fred Davis’ status with the team?

Davis was charged with reckless driving last month after Clemson police said the Tigers’ sophomore cornerback struck a mail carrier vehicle with his car and injured multiple people, a lapse in judgement that Swinney said is being handled with internal punishment.

Davis was not dismissed from the team, and he hasn’t missed any practice time (that we know of, at least). Could the misdemeanor charge cost him a game or two? Swinney declined to go into detail as to exactly what Davis’ punishment will entail, but that type of suspension is always possible.

But Davis is one of just six scholarship cornerbacks on the roster, so the depth at that position isn’t great to begin with, particularly when the Tigers play more than two corners at a time. It will be less of a concern if Davis doesn’t have to miss any game time, but if he does, keeping the group healthy will be crucial.

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Clemson CB Fred Davis will face ‘a lot of consequences’ for involvement in car wreck

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Fred Davis will face “a lot of consequences” for his involvement in a car wreck late last month that resulted in a reckless driving charge for the Tigers’ cornerback. Swinney didn’t elaborate on what exactly Davis’ …

Swinney didn’t elaborate on what exactly Davis’ punishment would be, referring only to university discipline protocols in place for misdemeanor charges, but Clemson is handling it internally. Swinney said Davis’ punishment has already started and will continue for a while but declined to offer much more than that on Davis’ status with the team ahead of the Tigers’ first practice of fall camp Friday.

“This is not of his character,” Swinney said. “I’m incredibly disappointed in his decision making. A poor decision. He’s going to deal with a lot of consequences for that.”

Davis’ punishment stems from an auto accident that left multiple people injured on July 21. He turned himself into Clemson police shortly thereafter and was charged with reckless driving after being accused of striking a mail truck and severely injuring the carrier while driving on U.S. 123 in Clemson.

According to police, Davis was driving 115 miles per hour at the time of the accident — 60 miles per hour above the posted speed limit. Davis isn’t believed to have sustained any significant injuries from the accident.

Before the accident, Davis was listed as a co-starter on the pre-camp depth chart. The Tigers still have some depth at the position with Andrew Booth, Sheridan Jones, Mario Goodrich and Malcolm Greene having all started multiple games, but it’s not quite as plentiful as it was seven months ago.

Derion Kendrick, a two-year starter at cornerback, was dismissed from the team in February and has since landed at Georgia, Clemson’s opening opponent. For the time being, true freshman Nate Wiggins is the Tigers’ fifth corner.

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5 key questions for Clemson heading into fall camp

Football season is officially here. Clemson will open fall camp Friday. Having been a part of the College Football Playoff six straight seasons with that many consecutive ACC titles, the expectation for the Tigers once again this fall is to be a …

Football season is officially here.

Clemson will open fall camp Friday. Having been a part of the College Football Playoff six straight seasons with that many consecutive ACC titles, the expectation for the Tigers once again this fall is to be a national championship contender.

But when you lose a No. 1 overall draft pick at quarteback and the ACC’s all-time leading rusher as part of the usual roster attrition that occurs from one season to the next, there are some questions that need to be answered. And that’s where Clemson finds itself.

Here are five pressing questions the Tigers need to answer over the next four weeks before that marquee opener against Georgia on Sept. 4.

What does the QB depth look like?

Here’s what we know about Clemson’s quarterback situation: D.J. Uiagalelei is the guy.

Any concerns about who would succeed Trevor Lawerence were put to bed by Uiagalelei’s small but impressive sampling last season when he filled in for Lawrence against Boston College and Notre Dame during the regular season. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder looked like anything but a true freshman, introducing his poise and rocket arm to the college football world with 781 passing yards and four passing touchdowns (with no interceptions) in those two starts.

Third-year sophomore Taisun Phommachanh is the backup when fully healthy, but he’s not there. At least not yet.

The good news is the outlook for Phommachanh is much better than expected after he tore his Achilles during Clemson’s spring game, which created doubt as to whether he would be available at all this fall. But Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said last month Phommachanh’s recovery has been “phenomenal” and that he’ll be back at some point this season, though Swinney didn’t offer a timetable as to when exactly that might be.

The best-case scenario would be Phommachanh returning at some point during fall camp. But if that doesn’t happen, the Tigers will need another backup for the time being.

Clemson has three other quarterbacks on the roster after losing signee and Pittsburgh Pirates draft pick Bubba Chandler to professional baseball, though only one, redshirt freshman walk-on Hunter Helms, has thrown a pass in a college game. Signee Will Taylor and another walk-on, Billy Wiles, are true freshmen.

Keeping Uiagalelei upright has to be Clemson’s top priority given the situation behind him. But the Tigers also need a contingency plan if Phommachanh is going to remain out for an extended period of time.

Who will emerge as the featured back?

It’s going to be weird for coaches, players and fans not seeing Travis Etienne toting the rock or catching passes out of the backfield for the Tigers this fall. Etienne spent four years at Clemson becoming the ACC’s all-time leader in rushing and scoring before joining Lawrence with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

So who’s up next at running back?

Lyn-J Dixon figures to finally get his shot at being the Tigers’ workhorse after serving as Etienne’s primary backup the last three seasons. The senior has made the most of his opportunities, averaging 6.5 yards on his 208 career carries, but he’s far from alone on the Tigers’ pre-camp depth chart.

Dixon is listed as a co-starter with sophomore Kobe Pace, a bigger back at 215 pounds. Pace got his feet wet last season with 18 carries in nine games. He also caught a touchdown pass.

There’s also heralded freshman Will Shipley, one of the gems of Clemson’s 2021 recruiting class. Dixon and Pace have the edge on Shipley in the experience department, but Shipley impressed this spring as an early enrollee. The five-star recruit is likely to carve out some sort of role, which could include returning kicks.

Darien Rencher, Michel Dukes Jr. and another freshman, Phil Mafah, are also in the running back room. Dixon may have a head start on being the guy, but there’s plenty of competition.

Can Justyn Ross return to his old form?

No player’s return has been more anticipated this offseason than Ross.

After two seasons at Clemson, the former blue-chip recruit was being billed as the Tigers’ next first-round talent at receiver, and for good reason. Ross burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2018 by leading the team in receiving yards and followed that up by catching a team-best 66 passes as a sophomore. A big play seemingly waiting to happen, Ross already has 17 career touchdown receptions.

Ross didn’t add to any of those numbers a season ago after undergoing corrective congenital spine fusion surgery last summer that threatened his playing career, but Ross was eventually cleared for non-contact drills and is on the cusp of a full return. Swinney said late last month that Ross hadn’t yet received full medical clearance but was optimistic that would happen soon.

Assuming that happens, Ross is expected to again be the Tigers’ go-to receiver even if he’s slowly worked back into the mix. But he’s not the only one Clemson is hoping can return to his old form.

Joseph Ngata and Frank Ladson Jr. enter camp healthy after dealing with various injuries that slowed them down a season ago. Ngata, another former five-star signee, caught just seven passes last season after catching 17 for 240 yards and three scores as a freshman in 2019. Ladson had his most productive season with the Tigers last season with three of his 18 catches going for touchdowns, but he was limited to just four starts.

Who will be the offensive line’s best five?

At this point, Jordan McFadden (who’s going from right tackle to left), Matt Bockhorst and Will Putnam are veterans along the offensive line. But who will join them in the starting five?

Clemson needs a new starting right tackle with McFadden switching sides. Former top-100 recruit Walker Parks is at the top of the depth chart there after playing nine games as a freshman, but another second-year player, Mitchell Mayes, will be competing with him at that spot.

And which direction do the Tigers go at center? It’s an underappreciated but vital position up front that requires brains and brawn, and Clemson will be starting over there with either Hunter Rayburn or Mason Trotter. Vying to take over for the departed Cade Stewart, Rayburn and Trotter aren’t completely green — they’ve combined for 290 career snaps — but neither sophomore has started a game.

Veteran offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell likes to cross-train his guys, so don’t be surprised if some linemen (particularly the younger ones) move around at times. The Tigers will need to find the right combination quickly with one of the most formidable defensive fronts they’ll see all season awaiting against Georgia.

What is Fred Davis’ status with the team?

Pre-camp depth charts aren’t everything, but Davis was listed as a co-starter at cornerback. That was before he was charged with reckless driving earlier this week after local police said Davis was going 115 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone before striking a mail carrier vehicle and injuring the driver.

Clemson announced afterward that Davis is still part of the football program but that he would face “internal discipline” as a result of the incident. The school didn’t specify what the discipline would entail.

The Tigers have some depth at corner. Andrew Booth finished second on the team in pass breakups last season while Sheridan Jones, Mario Goodrich and Malcolm Greene all started multiple games a season ago, but if Davis’ punishment extends into the season, that would leave just five scholarship players — one of them being true freshman Nate Wiggins — for those two spots for the time being.

Clemson already lost one corner earlier this offseason with the dismissal of Derion Kendrick, who’s now at Georgia. Swinney is expected to address Davis’ situation before Friday’s practice, but the Tigers don’t need any more attrition at corner if they want to keep that depth intact.

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