Tag: K.J. Henry

Henry hyping up Clemson O-Line

Clemson’s defensive line has received plenty of hype throughout the offseason and to this point in fall camp. But defensive end K.J. Henry feels more people need to pay attention to the Tigers’ offensive line because of their depth, talent and …

Clemson’s defensive line has received plenty of hype throughout the offseason and to this point in fall camp.

But defensive end K.J. Henry feels more people need to pay attention to the Tigers’ offensive line because of their depth, talent and tenacity.

“I think what’s not been spoken about is a lot of depth on the offensive line as well. They are still trying to figure some things out and get that cohesion which is a lot different from an offensive perspective than a defensive perspective,” Henry said. “But the depth is there with a lot of guys, talent and young talent and a lot of guys who are experienced and really leading the way.”

Clemson returns three starters on the offensive line after the departure of center Cade Stewart and left tackle Jackson Carman.

But the Tigers still return plenty of experience in veteran guard Matt Bockhort who has also repped at center during camp including a start in the first scrimmage on Saturday. Will Putman also returns at left guard with a start in each game last season and redshirt junior Jordan McFadden is moving from right guard to left guard in place of Carman. They also return Hunter Rayburn and Walker Parks who bring plenty of snaps to the table.

“I think that’s something we’ve learned a lot from camp a lot of guys have grown who have been here for a couple of years and a lot of guys have come in and made an impact early you mix that with what we have on the offensive line with depth it’s great to see and great to compete against,” Henry said.

The offensive line faces a formidable opponent in practice every week in practice but Henry fells the two groups have readied each other for the season over the course of fall camp.

“The toughness, grit and fight is there and has been there since day one,” Henry said. “And that’s why each day we really have to come out and give it our all to be productive and available because these guys are pushing it and will have us ready just like we will have them ready. From a camp perspective they’ve definitely been getting it done.”

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Clemson’s best trash talker? It might be this defensive tackle

Ruke Orhorhoro may very well be Clemson’s best trash talker. Andrew Booth, Jr. made that bold claim and K.J. Henry didn’t exactly deny it. “Ruke’s one of one, for sure,” Henry said of the redshirt sophomore defensive tackle during Tuesday’s media …

Ruke Orhorhoro may very well be Clemson’s best trash talker.

Andrew Booth, Jr. made that bold claim and K.J. Henry didn’t exactly deny it.

“Ruke’s one of one, for sure,” Henry said of the redshirt sophomore defensive tackle during Tuesday’s media availability. “He’s definitely one of the best trash talkers and is definitely in the top-5 funniest guys. We got a lot of characters, a lot of comedians, but he’s definitely in the conversation for everybody, one of the best we got. He’s a pretty good football player too.”

Henry couldn’t contain himself.

With Orhorhoro scheduled to speak to the media directly after him, Henry cracked a smile and was laughing just as he was talking about what makes his teammate so funny.

According to Henry, it’s not about what Orhorhoro says, it’s what he does. A lot of the time, he’ll get the coaches involved too. 

“He keeps it lighthearted,” Henry added. “We love him.”

Orhorhoro likes cracking jokes with everybody. 

He hopes his humor can be a sense of relief or a blessing to those around him, whether it be his teammates or coaches.

“That’s just who I’ve been,” Orhorhoro said regarding his sense of humor. “I’m just a bubbly person. I love making people smile, it brightens my day. You never know what someone’s going through and if you make them smile, you could change the course of their day.”

Whatever comes to mind at the time is usually what Orhorhoro will say. He doesn’t give it much thought, he just blurts it out.

Orhorhoro has certainly helped give the locker room a looser feel to it. 

But when it’s time to get serious, you can expect Orhorhoro to be ready to go. 

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

These two offensive linemen are helping Clemson’s defensive front, too

Myles Murphy. Bryan Bresee. K.J. Henry. Xavier Thomas. Justin Foster. Justin Mascoll. Tyler Davis. Ruke Orhorhoro. Tre Williams. This list seemingly goes on and on. Those names, of course, make up a significant portion of a Clemson defensive line …

Myles Murphy. Bryan Bresee. K.J. Henry. Xavier Thomas. Justin Foster. Justin Mascoll. Tyler Davis. Ruke Orhorhoro. Tre Williams.

This list seemingly goes on and on.

Those names, of course, make up a significant portion of a Clemson defensive line that’s not exactly starving for publicity, and for good reason. With seven of those linemen having started at least one game for the Tigers — five of them at defensive end — a Clemson defensive front that’s expected to be among the best in college football this season can simultaneously frustrate and benefit the offense it goes up against every day.

But Clemson coach Dabo Swinney would like to think the benefits go both ways.

Swinney said the personnel his defense has to routinely square off against has something to do with molding it into the unit it’s become, particularly up front. There are two offensive linemen, Swinney said, that help prepare Clemson’s defensive ends for anyone they might go against during the season.

“You’re not going to see a better offensive lineman in the country than Jordan McFadden nowhere, and (Walker) Parks is not far off,” Swinney said. “For our ends to have to go against those type of players, and for our ‘backers and our (defensive backs) and secondary guys to have to match up against the skill with the tight ends and the backs, it’s a challenge for our defense because there’s a lot going on.”

McFadden is a preseason first-team all-ACC selection at left tackle, a position he’s taking over following the departure of Cincinnati Bengals draft pick Jackson Carman. McFadden started every game at right tackle as a sophomore last season and could follow Carman’s footsteps into the NFL with another solid year.

Meanwhile, Parks is sliding into McFadden’s old spot on the right side. Parks was seemingly groomed for a full-time role up front last season when he appeared in 11 games en route to freshman All-America honors from ESPN. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder was a top-100 recruit nationally coming out of Douglass High School in Lexington, Kentucky.

But Henry, one of those ends that regularly sees the group up close and personal, said the depth of the offensive line should also be talked about. Matt Bockhorst and Will Putnam are back at guard with 63 games played between them, and while the Tigers are still searching for their next starting center, there are no shortage of options there with Mason Trotter, Hunter Rayburn, Trent Howard and Ryan Linthicum (and Bockhorst) vying for the job. Throw in youngsters like Paul Tchio, Marcus Tate, Dietrick Pennington and Tristan Leigh just to name a few, and the Tigers’ offensive front has plenty of bodies to help sharpen the defensive line, too.

“We’ve got some depth on the o-line as well,” Henry said. “It’s just been great to see and great to compete against.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

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 …

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 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.”

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

Swinney, Bresee have high expectations for D-Line

Following Monday’s practice at the practice fields behind the Allen Reeves Football Complex, Dabo Swinney said he would be disappointed if the depth of Clemson’s defensive line fails to benefit the team this season. “I’ll be disappointed if it’s not …

Following Monday’s practice at the practice fields behind the Allen Reeves Football Complex, Dabo Swinney said he would be disappointed if the depth of Clemson’s defensive line fails to benefit the team this season.

“I’ll be disappointed if it’s not because those guys have been young the last couple of years,” Swinney said. “Last year we could have been more of a veteran group, but Foster was out and (Xavier Thomas) was in and out and not the best version of himself. Myles (Murphy) was a true freshman.”

Lack of depth proved a hindrance for the Tigers last season, particularly in the season finale. But early in camp, the defensive line looks to be a seasoned unit rich with talent.

Clemson has five experienced defensive ends returning in Thomas, Justin Foster, K.J. Henry, Justin Mascoll and Murphy. On the interior line, it returns highly touted tackles in Bryan Bresee and Tyler Davis along with Tré Willimas, Ruke Ohorhoro and Darnell Jeffries behind them.

“But this group right here and where they are right now in every aspect, I’ll be very disappointed if they don’t play like I know they can,” Swinney said of the unit. “They’ve got the experience, they’re in great shape, you’ve got the kind of depth that you want, and they understand the run scheme and the pass scheme.”

Bresee noted that at times last season depth was an issue, not because the defensive line was worn down but because it was hard to stay fresh throughout the game. But this camp has a completely different feel for the sophomore tackle compared to his first fall camp.

“From last year definitely. It was tough at times last year being three or four deep, it can be tough,” Bresee said. “So definitely just seeing it and everybody is getting it now and starting to understand everything and seeing guys come along is really cool to see.”

He’s excited to get on the field and showcase what he thinks possesses the potential to cement itself as the best d-line in the nation.

“It can be huge, and it can be everything. Just keeping guys fresh and ready to go on the field is going to be a huge advantage for us,” he said.

Time to get the latest Clemson apparel to show your Tiger pride. Order your officially licensed Clemson gear right here!

ACC Championship Game: Second-Quarter Analysis

For the first time this season, Notre Dame needs to seriously reconsider its game plan.

For the first time this season, Notre Dame needs to seriously reconsider its game plan. If it doesn’t, Clemson could pull away en route to an easy win the ACC Championship Game. Many hoped that the second quarter would be a rebound to a disappointing end to the first. Instead, things got worse, and the Irish trail, 24-3, at halftime.

Deep in Tigers territory, the Irish realized they would have to take chances early if it wanted to take back control. On fourth-and-3, Avery Davis couldn’t hold onto an Ian Book pass that he should have. The Tigers took the ball over, and Trevor Lawrence immediately completed a 21-yard pass to Cornell Powell. He only needed a few more plays to hit E.J. Williams for a 33-yard touchdown.

When Book returned to the field, he had as miserable a time on a football field as he has all season. On what turned out to be the Irish’s only series, he took back-to-back sacks from K.J. Henry and Derion Kendrick. Although Jay Bramblett had a 51-yard punt, it meant little to Lawrence, who led another solid drive and got to the Irish’s 10-yard line. The Notre Dame defense didn’t let him advance the ball any further, and it was happy to only allow a 27-yard field goal from B.T. Potter.

After another offensive drive that stalled out quickly, Bramblett punted it 47 yards to the Clemson 12. With time running out on the half, the Tigers used a series of runs and short passes to at least get into field-goal range before the half. The drive ended with a 44-yard touchdown run by Travis Etienne. It all happened in 1:49, putting the Irish in a deeper halftime hole than they might have anticipated.

Don’t lose faith yet, Irish fans. So many times this season, we’ve seen this team fall down and pick itself back up, making it stronger than it was before. If that holds true now, we’re about to see the best half of football it’s played all year. As the old saying goes, setbacks are setups for comebacks.

ACC Championship Game: Second-Quarter Analysis

For the first time this season, Notre Dame needs to seriously reconsider its game plan.

For the first time this season, Notre Dame needs to seriously reconsider its game plan. If it doesn’t, Clemson could pull away en route to an easy win the ACC Championship Game. Many hoped that the second quarter would be a rebound to a disappointing end to the first. Instead, things got worse, and the Irish trail, 24-3, at halftime.

Deep in Tigers territory, the Irish realized they would have to take chances early if it wanted to take back control. On fourth-and-3, Avery Davis couldn’t hold onto an Ian Book pass that he should have. The Tigers took the ball over, and Trevor Lawrence immediately completed a 21-yard pass to Cornell Powell. He only needed a few more plays to hit E.J. Williams for a 33-yard touchdown.

When Book returned to the field, he had as miserable a time on a football field as he has all season. On what turned out to be the Irish’s only series, he took back-to-back sacks from K.J. Henry and Derion Kendrick. Although Jay Bramblett had a 51-yard punt, it meant little to Lawrence, who led another solid drive and got to the Irish’s 10-yard line. The Notre Dame defense didn’t let him advance the ball any further, and it was happy to only allow a 27-yard field goal from B.T. Potter.

After another offensive drive that stalled out quickly, Bramblett punted it 47 yards to the Clemson 12. With time running out on the half, the Tigers used a series of runs and short passes to at least get into field-goal range before the half. The drive ended with a 44-yard touchdown run by Travis Etienne. It all happened in 1:49, putting the Irish in a deeper halftime hole than they might have anticipated.

Don’t lose faith yet, Irish fans. So many times this season, we’ve seen this team fall down and pick itself back up, making it stronger than it was before. If that holds true now, we’re about to see the best half of football it’s played all year. As the old saying goes, setbacks are setups for comebacks.