Offer from Clemson ‘would mean a lot’ to Georgia OL, younger brother of current Tiger

Among the standout prospects who participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp earlier this month was the younger brother of a current Clemson defensive lineman. South Gwinnett High School (Snellville, Ga.) offensive lineman Marcus Mascoll – a 6-foot-5, …

Among the standout prospects who participated in the Dabo Swinney Camp earlier this month was the younger brother of a current Clemson defensive lineman.

South Gwinnett High School (Snellville, Ga.) offensive lineman Marcus Mascoll – a 6-foot-5, 297-pound rising junior in the class of 2024 – worked out at the Swinney Camp on Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11.

“It was a very good camp,” Mascoll told The Clemson Insider. “Very tiring, of course… but it was a good experience. Got to talk to Coach TA (Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin). They gave me a lot of help and tips. This is my second year playing the (offensive line) position, so I’ve still got a lot to learn. But it was a good experience.”

Mascoll’s older brother, Justin, is of course a defensive end for the Tigers entering his redshirt senior season in 2022.

“He likes it up there,” Marcus said of his sibling. “It’s a very good place to be at, good atmosphere, and the fans are great. That’s one thing I learned about Clemson.”

This summer marked the younger Mascoll’s first time camping at Clemson.

“I’d say one-on-ones was really the highlight,” he said. “That’s what the coaches mainly wanted to see, how I would do against these older guys and these higher-ranked guys.”

Speaking of the coaches, Marcus had the chance to chat with Austin at the camp, and at the time he spoke with TCI, Marcus was expecting the Tigers’ offensive line coach to follow up and get back in touch with him to speak some more.

“We just talked about stuff I could work on, a lot of little stuff,” Marcus said of Austin. “Coach Ski (Clemson assistant coach Lemanski Hall) told me Coach Austin was supposed to text me at some point in time just to talk to me and stuff.”

Marcus hopes to draw interest from Clemson moving forward after being able to camp there and show the coaches what he can do.

“It would be a good feeling to know that I’m getting looked at by a school my brother attends,” he said. “A lot of people are watching me of course, just because I’m the younger brother of Justin.”

Although Marcus’s recruiting process is just getting started, he picked up his first offer from Pittsburgh in May, and UCF is another school looking at him. He visited UCF in April and was slated to camp at Georgia last week.

“I bring physicality,” he said, describing himself as an offensive lineman. “When I see that person in front of me, I’m going to dominate them, and I feel like I play fast. I’m new to the position, so there’s a lot of stuff I need to learn. But physicality is one of the main things I bring to the table.”

Marcus, who hopes to make it back to Clemson sooner than later, would love to earn an offer from the Tigers in the future and have the opportunity to follow in his brother’s footsteps to Tiger Town.

“An offer from Clemson would mean a lot,” he said. “That’s something my family would be pumped up about, my brother especially. It would be an honor, great feeling.”

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Looking to maximize potential, Clemson’s defensive line not resting on laurels

Clemson’s vaunted defensive line looked as advertised during the team’s spring game Saturday, though the group knows its suffocating performance came with a caveat. “That’s what I expect of us every time we take the field, but at the same time, we’d …

Clemson’s vaunted defensive line looked as advertised during the team’s spring game Saturday, though the group knows its suffocating performance came with a caveat.

“That’s what I expect of us every time we take the field, but at the same time, we’d be remiss to (not) notice some great offensive linemen we have were out (Saturday),” defensive end K.J. Henry said. “People on social media probably won’t even pay attention to stuff like that, but we know what it is.

“We know what we’ve got, and we know what we bring on both sides of the ball.”

The Tigers’ defensive front brought pressure – and a lot of it – during the Orange and White game. The unit had a more decisive edge than usual with Clemson running out much younger offensive lines between injuries and the decision to rest some veteran players, but with every defensive lineman on the two-deep back from last season — including a wealth of talent and experience on the edge — Clemson figures to once again be a handful for any offensive line it goes up against this fall.

The fight in the trenches Saturday was rarely fair. Clemson’s top two running backs (Will Shipley and Kobe Pace) weren’t available either, but those that were had little room to operate on a day when the defenses lived in the backfield. The teams combined for minus-35 yards rushing while the defenses were credited with 22 tackles for loss and 13 sacks in the White team’s 15-7 win.

Rising junior end Myles Murphy notched three of those sacks as part of his four tackles for loss. Xavier Thomas showed speed and explosion off the edge for four tackles while Henry got to the quarterback more often than anybody with 3.5 sacks.

“We have a lot of chemistry, and we know how to play with each other,” Murphy said. “We’re just playing well and know how to scheme against every offensive line we play against. We’re just doing a very good job.”

The group did it without the services of star defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (knee) and fellow interior lineman Tre Williams (shoulder, others), who missed the spring as they work their way back from injuries. But Henry and Murphy said there’s still work to do this summer in order for the unit to meet the lofty expectations placed on them considering everything it’s returning.

Thomas, Henry and fellow end Justin Mascoll are all fifth-year players who gave the Tigers a lift by deciding to return for one more season. Meanwhile, Murphy, the Tigers’ sack leader a season ago, and Bresee may be the team’s top prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft. Williams, Ruke Orhorhoro and Etinosa Reuben are all key cogs back on the interior of a line that helped Clemson finish in the top 15 nationally in sacks and tackles for loss last season, and former blue-chip recruits Payton Page and DeMonte Capehart could provide quality depth up front with larger roles this fall.

Henry said it makes for a lot of potential, but the group needs to put it all together once it’s whole again to become a consistently dominant force.

“It doesn’t mean nothing until we really put it out there,” Henry said. “The next step for us is just having a great summer and really developing, getting us healthy, getting us stronger, getting us faster and really honing in on our craft to be a great d-line this year. We’ve got to earn it, and we’re going to try to earn it each day in the summer.”

Murphy said that starts with focusing on the details, including everyone maintaining peak physical condition leading up to the start of fall camp in August.

“That’s the biggest thing for all of us,” Murphy said. “Staying moving. Don’t take an entire week off just not doing anything. Stay up, stay moving and stay active. Stay in shape.”

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‘Time for something new’: Clemson’s defensive line adopts different superhero identity

Four years later, Clemson’s defensive line is taking on different identities to fight offenses. In sticking with the superhero theme, K.J. Henry preferred to call it something else. “They showed us the ropes, so we know how to fight off crime,” …

Four years later, Clemson’s defensive line is taking on different identities to fight offenses. In sticking with the superhero theme, K.J. Henry preferred to call it something else.

“They showed us the ropes, so we know how to fight off crime,” Clemson’s veteran defensive end said. “We know how to do it the right way.”

They, of course, was a reference to the Power Rangers, the collective name adopted by college football’s most formidable defensive front. That group, which spearheaded the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense in helping Clemson capture its most recent national title in 2018, was headlined by future first-round draft picks Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins.

This year’s line, which again could be college football’s best in 2022, is calling itself The Avengers, a nod to Marvel Comics’ popular fictional team of superheroes. Henry admitted the idea came about after the group kept getting asked if it was going to take on an identity of its own.

“We felt like we had great excitement for the guys coming back,” Henry said. “A lot of hoorah for what we could do this year. Obviously we had a great example in the Power Rangers, but it’s time for something new. So that’s kind of what we came up with.”

The belief that this year’s defensive front could be just as formidable as what Clemson had a few years back is rooted in the fact that the Tigers are returning their entire two-deep up front on a defense that yielded the second-fewest points in the country. The Tigers also ranked in the top 15 nationally in sacks and tackles for loss.

And the group has its share of star power, too.

Clemson could have multiple defensive linemen taken early in the 2023 NFL Draft with end Myles Murphy and tackle Bryan Bresee the strongest first-round candidates. Murphy, a former five-star signee, led the Tigers in sacks and tackles for loss last season while Bresee, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2020 recruiting cycle, was a freshman All-American before a torn ACL cut his sophomore season short after four games.

Henry and fellow end Xavier Thomas, former blue-chip recruits themselves, also have next-level aspirations as does Bresee’s running mate on the interior, Tyler Davis, a three-year starter heading into his senior season. And while senior end Justin Mascoll doesn’t get as much fanfare, the 6-foot-4, 260-pounder, who’s started 11 games in his career, could also hear his name called during next year’s draft.

“We’ve got four guys at (defensive) end that, this time next year, are going to be getting ready to head off to the NFL,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “To know we’ve got all four of those guys back for one more year is a blessing. We’ve got a chance to be really, really special in that defensive line when we get everybody back together.”

Bresee will be limited this spring as he continues to work his way back from two injuries – the 6-5, 300-pounder also had offseason shoulder surgery – as will backup tackle Tre Williams (shoulder), leaving most of the reps on the interior to Davis, Ruke Orhorhoro, Etinosa Reubuen, Payton Page and DeMonte Capehart for now. With Bresee injured, Orhorhoro started the final nine games this past season and finished with 42 tackles and eight tackles for loss.

Clemson has nine defensive linemen back from last year’s team that have started at least one game, seven of those with multiple starts. The Tigers ranked seventh nationally against the run (96.3 yards allowed per game), ninth in sacks (3.23) and 15th in tackles for loss (7.1).

As for the specific Avengers identities each lineman will be adopting, Henry said he’s Captain America. He said he’d leave it to his teammates to reveal their characters, which seemed to happen via social media Wednesday night in response to Henry’s tweet asking the group to assemble.

Most of the linemen’s responses can be seen in the Twitter thread below:

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE 🗣 pic.twitter.com/6xRecm2Pcl

— KJ Henry (@thekjhenry) March 3, 2022

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One area in which Clemson’s defensive line could top 2018 group

As far as defensive lines go, the group Clemson tormented opponents with during its most recent national championship run set the bar high. Affectionately known as the Power Rangers, the Tigers’ front four in 2018 was one of the best in college …

As far as defensive lines go, the group Clemson tormented opponents with during its most recent national championship run set the bar high.

Affectionately known as the Power Rangers, the Tigers’ front four in 2018 was one of the best in college football’s modern era. The group, headlined by Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins, led the charge for a defense that topped the country in points allowed (13.1 per game) and also ranked in the top 5 nationally in total defense, rush defense, tackles for loss and sacks. Ferrell, Lawrence and Wilkins were each selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft while the other starter up front, Thomas Austin, was a fourth-round pick that year.

Yet Clemson coach Dabo Swinney believes there’s one area in which his current defensive line could have that group beat.

“We’re going to have a little more depth than maybe we had in ‘18,” Swinney said. “I think the front-line guys, we’ve got some similarities. But this group has got a chance to have deeper, experienced depth.”

Swinney has good reason for that opinion.

Much like that 2018 season, Clemson’s No. 2 scoring defense this past season was spearheaded by arguably the top defensive line in the ACC. And that was with Tigers playing most of the season without star defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (torn ACL).

Clemson finished seventh nationally in total yards allowed and eighth against the run. The Tigers also ranked ninth in sacks (3.2) and 15th in tackles for loss (7.1), both of which ranked in the top 4 in the ACC. And Clemson has virtually every significant contributor back up front.

As expected, sack leader Myles Murphy and Bresee, both sophomores, are returning for what could be their third and final seasons at Clemson. They’ll be joined by Tyler Davis, KJ Henry and Xavier Thomas, who may have been the biggest surprise with his decision to return for a sixth year.

Ruke Orhorhoro was more than serviceable filling in on the interior of the line alongside Davis. His 42 tackles were second-most among Clemson’s defensive linemen this past season, and he added eight tackles for loss. With a healthy Bresee set to slide back into the starting lineup this fall, that will move Orhorhoro back to being a backup.

With Henry, Orhohoro, Etinosa Reuben (or Tre Williams) and Justin Mascoll also back in the fold, Clemson is keeping its entire two-deep along the defensive line intact. Nine defensive linemen on the current roster have started at least one game at Clemson.

That’s not including sophomore defensive end Kevin Swint, who played in 10 games as a reserve this past season, or defensive tackles Payton Page and Demonte Capehart, who got their feet wet as freshmen. Freshmen defensive ends Cade Denhoff and Zaire Patterson are coming off redshirt seasons, and Clemson recently added another lineman to the crop in the 2022 recruiting cycle with the signing of Lanett (Alabama) four-star defensive tackle Caden Story.

“We’ve got a great group,” Swinney said. “This has got a chance to be as good as we’ve ever had in the defensive line if they will work and do what they need to do to play and perform at the level they’re capable of.”

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Taking inventory: Defensive end

Clemson still has a bowl game left to play this season, but it’s never too early to look ahead. With the regular season in the books, TCI is taking some time to analyze how the Tigers performed at each position this fall and where the Tigers stand …

Clemson still has a bowl game left to play this season, but it’s never too early to look ahead.

With the regular season in the books, TCI is taking some time to analyze how the Tigers performed at each position this fall and where the Tigers stand with each as the offseason quickly approaches. Quarterback, running back, tight end, receiver, center, guard and offensive tackle have already been assessed.

Now we’ll take a look at the defensive side of the ball starting with the defensive ends.

A quick note first: This is where things currently stand with Clemson’s personnel at defensive end. 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

The edges of Clemson’s defensive front had arguably the most quality depth of any position on the roster heading into the season. While the Tigers lost some of it along the way, the group didn’t disappoint.

Myles Murphy, Xavier Thomas, K.J. Henry, Justin Mascoll and Justin Foster had all started at least one game at defensive end entering the season, and that blend of talent and experience showed up with Murphy and Thomas leading the way. A former five-star recruit, Murphy has followed up his freshman All-America campaign with a stronger sophomore season, leading the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense with seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss en route to second-team All-ACC honors.

He also had 10 quarterback hurries during the regular season, which ranks third on the team behind linebacker James Skalski and Thomas, who has bounced back from a disappointing 2020 season. Thomas, who’s started nine of the 11 games he’s played, leads the team with 15 hurries to go with 3.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and 26 tackles, giving Clemson one of the top edge tandems in the ACC when healthy.

That hasn’t always been the case. Thomas dealt with a hamstring injury late in the regular season that sidelined him for Clemson’s most recent game against South Carolina. Meanwhile, Foster underwent back surgery that ended his season after just five games while Mascoll has missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury, further cutting into the depth at the position.

But Henry did a serviceable filling in as a starter. Another former blue-chip recruit, the fourth-year junior has started three games and combined for six tackles and 1.5 sacks in the final two games of the regular season. Thomas hasn’t been limited during bowl practice and looks primed to return to the starting lineup for the bowl game.

Will it be the last game in a Clemson uniform for the veterans the Tigers have at the position?

Barring a transfer, Murphy, who’s not yet draft-eligible, will be returning. Sixth-year senior Regan Upshaw is out of eligibility while Henry, Thomas, Mascoll and Foster have all been a part of Clemson’s program for at least four seasons but could decide to use the COVID year granted by the NCAA last season to return, though the odds of all four doing that aren’t in Clemson’s favor.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney suggested recently he still doesn’t know what they’re going to decide to do, adding he’ll keep scholarships open for them just in case. He should have their answers after the bowl game if not sooner.

But even if some of them decide to move on, the Tigers still have some depth at the position, albeit largely unproven.

Sophomore Kevin Swint filled out the rotation, flashing some of his potential in limited action. He finished the regular season with nine tackles, three tackles for loss and a hurry in nine games. Third-year sophomore Greg Williams has played in four games as a reserve. There’s also freshmen Cade Denhoff and Zaire Patterson, a pair of highly touted ends in Clemson’s 2021 recruiting class who are in line to redshirt.

Who’s leaving?

Upshaw, Thomas (maybe), Henry (maybe), Mascoll (maybe), Foster (maybe)

Who’s staying?

Murphy, Thomas (maybe), Henry (maybe), Mascoll (maybe), Foster (maybe), Swint, Williams, Denhoff, Patterson

Who’s joining?

Nobody as of now

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‘Playing our best football’ has Clemson streaking into bowl season with another goal in sight

The good news for Clemson is the Tigers don’t play for roughly another month. The bad news for Clemson is the Tigers don’t play for roughly another month. Clemson put a bow on the regular season by pitching a shutout against its in-state rival …

The good news for Clemson is the Tigers don’t play for roughly another month. The bad news for Clemson is the Tigers don’t play for roughly another month.

Clemson put a bow on the regular season by pitching a shutout against its in-state rival Saturday. Not only was it the Tigers’ seventh straight win over South Carolina, but it was Clemson’s fifth straight win this season, continuing its late-season surge.

The Tigers (9-3, 6-2 ACC) polished off a perfect November with its two best performances of the season. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney called the Tigers’ 21-point victory over a Wake Forest team then ranked in the top 10 — one in which they set season-highs in rushing yards (333) and total offense (543) while holding the Demon Deacons to a little more than half of their season scoring average — their most complete effort of the season at the time. The Tigers followed that up by scoring at least 30 points for the fifth straight game against a Carolina defense that hadn’t allowed more than 17 points at its home stadium all season.

Clemson also held the Gamecocks to 3.3 yards per play in its first shutout in the series since 1989.

“That was Clemson football (Saturday),” Swinney added. “We’re playing our best football.”

The Tigers have come a long way since that rough 2-2 start in September, one in which Clemson failed to reach the end zone against Georgia in the opener and mustered just 14 points in regulation against Georgia Tech (win) and North Carolina State (loss in double overtime). With an offense that continued to struggle finding rhythm or explosive plays in its first season without Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, things looked bleak.

Significant attrition, particularly along the offensive line and at receiver, didn’t help. Slowly but surely, though, with the help of a much-improved running game, the Tigers’ offense began to score some points.

Clemson cracked the 20-point mark in regulation against an FBS opponent for the first time in a win over Florida State on Oct. 30. The next week, the Tigers put up 30 in a six-point win at Louisville. Since scoring just 17 in its most recent loss at Pittsburgh on Oct. 23, Clemson has averaged 36.4 points, a significant jump from the 20 it averaged through the first seven games.

With the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense on the other side of the ball, it’s all helped the Tigers win seven of their last eight games, which has kept another goal within reach. Clemson’s streak of consecutive ACC championships will end at seven this season, but the Tigers still have a shot at a 10-win season. The last time Clemson didn’t finish a season with double-digit wins? 2010.

Swinney recently made the argument that, should his team pull it off, this one would be as good as any of the others considering the circumstances.

“It just shows the heart of this team,” quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei said. “That we have this no-quit attitude and we just come out each and every week, prepare and come out and fight.”

The question now is where will the Tigers go bowling? The Gator Bowl is their most likely landing spot, but the postseason destination — and exactly how long Clemson will have to wait before taking the field again — won’t be official until it’s announced Sunday.

Just as much of an unknown for Clemson is who all will be available to play? Because if there’s a benefit to the extended time off for the Tigers, it’s more time to try to nurse some of their ailing players back to health before the final game of the season.

“I think the biggest thing is probably getting healthier,” Uiagalelei said.

Uiagalelei has played through a sprained knee and a banged-up index finger on his throwing hand the last two games, but it’s the group of receivers at his disposal that could use the recovery time the most. Clemson has played some if not all of the second half of the season without its top four receivers because of various injuries.

Frank Ladson Jr. (groin) won’t play again this season. As for Justyn Ross, Joseph Ngata and E.J. Williams, that remains to be seen. Ngata (foot) has missed the last three games, but Swinney said last week the Tigers’ second-leading receiver is “definitely better” and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Ngata playing in the bowl game. Williams recently sustained a leg injury unrelated to the knee injury he dealt with earlier in the season and has missed the last two games as a result.

Meanwhile, Ross, who aggravated the stress fracture in his foot against Connecticut on Nov. 13, had surgery last week. Swinney said it was a “clean” operation for the Tigers’ star wideout, who still leads Clemson in receptions (46) and receiving yards (514) despite not playing the better part of the last three games.

Ross, a fourth-year junior, has already decided to declare for the NFL Draft once the season is over. It’s hard to envision a player with those aspirations that will be roughly a month removed from surgery risking further injury in a non-College Football Playoff bowl, though Swinney didn’t completely rule it out.

On the other side of the ball, starting defensive end Xavier Thomas (hamstring) and one of Clemson’s top backups at the position, Justin Mascoll (undisclosed), have missed the last couple of games. Following Saturday’s game, Thomas indicated on social media that he intends to play in the bowl game.

The Tigers will take all the help they can get as they try to keep their momentum going into the offseason by accomplishing one last goal — one that seemed far-fetched just a couple of months ago.

“First and foremost, I think it speaks to the foundational principles that Coach Swinney has laid with this program about effort, toughness, never quit, belief in self, playing 60 minutes and believing in your teammates even when the outside says not to,” offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “And then the young men believing in those foundational principles, going to work, being able to block out the noise and focus on what was most important, and that’s playing for the love of their brothers, the love of their university and the love of their team.”

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Grading Clemson’s defense through the first half of the season

Clemson won’t officially hit the halfway point on its 12-game regular season until after its game at Syracuse next week, but it’s close enough. With an open date to take a step back and evaluate where the Tigers are as a team, TCI is handing out …

Let’s hand out some grades for each position on defense through five games:

Defensive line

The front was expected to be the strength of the defense coming into the season given the mix of talent and depth the Tigers had there. Both have taken a hit because of some significant injuries, but the line is still holding its own.

Not many defenses would be able to lose both starting defensive tackles and keep rolling the way Clemson’s has. First, it was Tyler Davis who had to have surgery on his bicep that will keep him out until November. Then it was Bryan Bresee, who went down with a torn ACL against North Carolina State. Ruke Orhorhoro and Tre Williams have now become starters on the interior, and the Tigers have developed some depth with Darnell Jefferies, Etinosa Reubun and true freshman Payton Page having to be part of the rotation, too.

Meanwhile, the Tigers still have their numbers intact at end. Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas (10 tackles for loss and six sacks) have been terrors off the edge while K.J. Henry, Justin Mascoll and Justin Foster (who’s also slid inside some) are there as well. Clemson has ranked in the top 30 nationally in points allowed, yards allowed and rush defense all season, and the front four is a big reason why. Grade: A

Linebackers

Clemson began the season with a strong blend of experience, athleticism and high football IQ at the second level of its defense. The first five weeks have shown the Tigers have more quality depth than they may have initially thought, too.

Super senior James Skalski and Baylon Spector, a fifth-year player, lead the Tigers in tackles with 80 combined stops. Skalski, whom the Tigers consider the heart and soul of the defense, showed his knowledge and instincts in a big way when he snuffed out Georgia Tech’s goal-line shovel pass late in that game to help preserve the victory. Spector has quietly been a productive player on the weakside.

If there’s a weakness for Skalski and Spector, it’s pass coverage. But sophomore Trenton Simpson helps there. The sophomore strong-side ‘backer has shown the physicality to play in the box and the speed to run with tight ends when needed. And then there’s LaVonta Bentley, a backup who hasn’t played like one when filling in for Skalski and Spector, who have been slowed by injuries at times. Bentley is fourth on the team with 24 tackles and has three tackles for loss. Grade: A-

Secondary

Andrew Booth and Mario Goodrich have answered most of the questions about Clemson’s cornerbacks coming into the season. Both have not only played well in coverage, but they’ve been some of the ACC’s top tackling corners when attacking the line of scrimmage. Booth is the Tigers’ third-leading tackler (26 stops) while Goodrich is right behind him (23).

Goodrich has produced his stats in four games after not playing last week against Boston College with a groin injury, forcing Sheridan Jones into a starting role. Jones had seven tackles in that game.

Sixth-year senior Nolan Turner is holding down one safety spot while true freshman Andrew Mukuba has been a revelation for the Tigers at the other. Mukuba is tied with Goodrich in tackles and leads the team with four pass breakups. But there’s depth at the safety position, too, with Jalyn Phillips, Joseph Charleston and R.J. Mickens, who has two of the Tigers’ five interceptions.

The group hasn’t been perfect. Boston College threw for more than 300 yards last week. But the Tigers are still in the top 50 nationally in passing yards allowed (203 per game), and they’ve done it without nickel Malcolm Greene (shoulder injury) for the last two games. Grade: B+

Overall

Even with the attrition, the defense has been one of the ACC’s best and has carried Clemson while the offense gets things figured out. The Tigers have yet to allow more than 14 points in regulation, though depth will be something to watch going forward if injuries continue to mount. There isn’t a glaring weakness at any level of the defense. Grade: A

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Defensive line meets expectations in Clemson’s first scrimmage

As Myles Murphy assessed how Clemson’s defensive line performed Saturday, the Tigers’ defensive end rattled off a long list of players that impressed him. Once he was done, nearly every first- and second-teamer had been mentioned. “Everybody stood …

“Everybody stood out today,” said Murphy, a freshman All-American a season ago. “Got in the backfield, kind of just retraced the entire offensive line into the backfield and got pressure on the quarterback.”

It seemed fitting given just how interchangeable the Tigers are becoming at one of the deepest and most talented positions on their roster.

Clemson returns every starter along the defensive line, seven linemen in all who have started at least one game and five ends that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he considers starters, so it’s no secret the Tigers expect to have one of the nation’s most formidable defensive fronts this fall.

The group got its first live reps over the weekend during the Tigers’ first scrimmage of fall camp, one in which the defense got the better of the offense inside Clemson’s indoor practice facility. Regardless of which personnel groupings it had on the field, the line set the tone for the defense’s performance as expected, Swinney said.

“I was super, super impressed with those guys (Saturday),” Swinney said. “What I was hoping I would see is no dropoff, and it didn’t matter really how I ran the scrimmage as far as the groups, I didn’t see any dropoff. I thought those guys really all played well.

“We created some pressure. Some (tackles for loss). Some sacks. I thought both groups played to the standard that we talked about. That’s fun to see defensively.”

With Xavier Thomas and Justin Foster back in the fold — both seniors opted to return to Clemson for another season — the Tigers can go two- and sometimes three-deep with experience at defensive end and have rotated accordingly throughout camp. Thomas, Foster, Murphy, Justin Mascoll and K.J. Henry have bounced back and forth between the ones and twos and continued to do so in the scrimmage.

Senior Tyler Davis and sophomore Bryan Bresee, another freshman All-American, are entrenched as the top interior linemen. Swinney also mentioned fellow defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro for his performance in the scrimmage, noting Orhoro, who’s spent most of camp getting second-team reps, is at a point in his development where “he shows up” every time he’s on the field.

Clemson seems to be building more depth on the inside even with some defensive tackles unavailable for the time being. Redshirt freshman DeMonte Capehart and sophomore Etinosa Reuben were held out of the scrimmage with undisclosed injuries, but Tre Williams and Darnell Jeffries made their presence felt in the scrimmage while true freshman Payton Page also got some reps.

Orhorhoro and Williams are both healthy again after injuries derailed their seasons early a year ago. Swinney referred to Williams’ performance Saturday as “awesome.”

“It was good to see Tre get in there and make some plays,” Swinney said. “Darnell had a nice play.”

Clemson will need to solidify more of that depth on the interior, but the weekend scrimmage went a long way in confirming the Tigers don’t have too many concerns when it comes to their defensive line.

“We’ve got a lot of talented guys there,” Swinney said, “and I like the chemistry I’m seeing from that group.”

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Mascoll poised for breakout year

After Day 3 of fall camp on Monday at the practice fields behind the Allen Reeves Football complex defensive tackle Bryan Bresee noted that in his view Justin Mascoll was ready for a breakout year this season. “I’m going to go with Justin Mascoll he …

“I’m going to go with Justin Mascoll he was really good all spring and even now and this he’s worked hard in the weight room and running this offseason so I think he’ll have a breakout year,” Bresee said.

“He was really good last year but just brought things to a different level this year. Everything leveled up in his game and off the field stuff just looks really good to me.”

Mascoll played in all 12 games last season and started in nine at defensive end. The junior defensive tackle recorded 29 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery in 2020.

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables also noticed the next level play of Mascoll through the first four days of camp and is excited to see what he bring to the field in full pads later this week.

“The thing about Justin is that he always plays so hard, he’s physical and he loves to compete,” Venables said after Tuesday’s practice. “Justin has done a lot of nice things and I expect a good year from him. He loves to come to practice so he brings the best out of other guys.”

Venables noted the qualities that make Mascoll a great competitor on the practice field.

“Justin has a great work ethic, loves to practice, loves to compete,” Venables said. “He’s a great example of what development looks like and he’s put in the work and got length and size, toughness, effort, he’s explosive, a very physical player and he’s a humble guy. He’s always ready for his opportunity.”

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There’s no avoiding great expectations for Clemson’s deep, talented defensive line

Lemanski Hall wasn’t about to put the cart before the horse. Asked during the football program’s local media day how long into the season he thought it would take for Clemson’s defensive line to be able to call itself Power Rangers 2.0, the Tigers’ …

Lemanski Hall wasn’t about to put the cart before the horse.

Asked during the football program’s local media day how long into the season he thought it would take for Clemson’s defensive line to be able to call itself Power Rangers 2.0, the Tigers’ defensive ends coach didn’t do much more than chuckle at the inquiry.

“They’ve got to get permission from those guys first to be able to do that,” Hall said.

Of course, the Power Rangers is an affectionate reference to one of the best defensive fronts to ever don the purple and orange. Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence and Austin Bryant wreaked havoc on opposing offenses during Clemson’s most recent national championship run in 2018. Headliners of a defense that finished top 5 nationally in points and yards allowed that season, all of them were drafted the following year, three of them within the first 17 picks.

But one thing this year’s group is embracing are the lofty expectations that have come with as much raw talent and perhaps even more depth up front than Clemson had three years ago. The combination of the two may be the best it’s been for the Tigers since, which has made comparisons between this version of Clemson’s defensive line and that one inevitable.

“We hear it often,” Hall said. “To me, the focus is there’s a high expectation with that group, and we’ve got to live up to that expectation. You can’t try to go out and do something you’re not comfortable doing. We’ve got to focus in on the little things and be who we are.”

Just how deep is Clemson up front heading into the new season? Not only are the Tigers returning all four starting linemen in coordinator Brent Venable’s defense, but Clemson has seven linemen that have started at least one game.

The majority of that depth is on the edges, where Clemson has starting-caliber defensive ends littered on its three-deep heading into fall camp. The Tigers got a boost there with Justin Foster’s decision to return for another season after he initially announced his retirement from football once he missed all of last season with a bout of COVID-19, bringing back with him 39 games worth of experience.

“I was leaping for joy because I know the type of young man this guy is,” said Todd Bates, who’s entering his fifth season coaching the Tigers’ interior defensive linemen. “He’s a rock-solid guy who’s going to be where he’s supposed to be and doing what he’s supposed to do. … We’re thrilled to have him back.”

Foster, an all-ACC honorable mention in 2019, and former five-star signee Myles Murphy are listed at the top of the depth chart for now, but Clemson has the “or” designation peppered throughout that position, a good indication of how the coaching staff feels about the caliber of players it has there. Xavier Thomas brings nine career sacks into his senior season, the most of anybody on the Tigers’ roster, while junior K.J. Henry is also back in the fold.

So is Justin Mascoll, who took advantage of some of the attrition at the position last season by posting 29 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss in the first nine starts of his career. Hall mentioned the 6-foot-3, 255-pound junior as someone he expects to take a major step in his development as he works to become a more complete edge defender.

“I see Justin Mascoll just really taking off and having an awesome year doing the little things right,” Hall said. “I’m excited to see his progression as well.

“I don’t want to categorize him and put him as he’s just a run defender. He can rush the passer as well, but that’s where we’ve got to get better is in the pass rush with him. But physicality, man, just coming out of his hips on contact, that’s what you want. He does it better than anyone. Just need to get more consistent.”

Of course, the Tigers are counting on a natural step forward from youngsters like Murphy and defensive tackle Ben Bresee, who were among the most productive freshmen linemen in the country last season. Bresee, the nation’s No. 1 prospect in the 2020 recruiting cycle, returns to anchor the interior of the line along with junior Tyler Davis, who started all seven games he played last season and has started 20 of the 22 he’s played in his career.

Murphy had a team-high 12 tackles for loss last season while Bresee was just as disruptive on the inside en route to ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Bresee flashed his quick-twitch playmaking ability by recording 6.5 tackles for loss. Four of those were sacks, which tied him for second-most on the team.

“You can’t have a much better year than he had as a freshman, but he has really been working hard and had a great spring,” Bates said of Bresee. “Really starting to take it to another level. That’s what we’ve challenged him on is to max out his abilities and to get better in the run game and not just focus on pass rush.”

With Bresee and Davis entrenched as Clemson’s top two interior linemen heading into camp, the stiffest competition will be for the third spot on the depth chart there. Ruke Orhorhoro, Tre Williams, Darnell Jeffries and Etinosa Reuben are just some of the interior linemen that have been in the program for at least a year, and true freshman Payton Page has worked himself into good enough shape to where he could potentially be a contributor this season.

Page, a mid-year enrollee, arrived on campus around 380 pounds. Since then, he’s lost more than 40 pounds, Bates said.

“It could be a number of guys,” Bates said, referencing the candidates to be the third defensive tackle. “We’re looking forward to camp. It’ll sort itself out.”

Clemson added two more blue-chip pieces to the mix in edge signees Cade Denhoff and Zaire Patterson, so the Tigers have no shortage of options up and down their defensive front. But the unit isn’t exactly overconfident heading into a new season.

The group took some lumps last season and ended it with a dud in Clemson’s 49-28 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinals, allowing the Buckeyes to rack up a whopping 639 yards with more than 250 of those coming on the ground.

Bates said that performance served as a piece of humble pie that’s left a sour taste in the mouth of the collective group all offseason.

“Humble pie is the best kind of pie,” Bates said. “Sometimes you’ve got to get that chip back on your shoulder. Regardless of who tells you you’re great, you’ve got to come hungry every day, come humble every day to go out and work hard.”

As productive as some of the Tigers’ newcomers were up front last season, it was still baptism by fire for those going through their first season of college football. Bates said the biggest difference between last year and now is maturity for the unit as a whole. Everyone in line to be a significant contributor up front has experience and knows what to expect this time around.

And for a unit that, at least on paper, has the look of one of the nation’s best, expectations are about as high as they’ve ever been.

“We do have the luxury of some guys that have played a lot of football,” Hall said. “Now it’s just a matter of let’s utilize the depth that we have and get guys to play fast, play free and don’t think. Go out, execute and be productive.”

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