How is Putnam doing in his transition to center?

With Mason Trotter out for most of the 2022 season due to an undisclosed reason, Hunter Rayburn having been medically disqualified because of neck/stinger issues, and Matt Bockhorst’s eligibility exhausted, Clemson is down its top three centers from …

Thus, the center position is currently a big question mark for the Tigers along the offensive line. Head coach Dabo Swinney said Clemson will actively monitor the transfer portal for an interior lineman, but in the meantime, Will Putnam, who started at guard last season, has moved to center this spring and perhaps beyond.

Following Wednesday’s practice, Swinney provided an update on how Putnam’s transition to the position is working out so far, particularly with his snaps.

“He’s doing great,” Swinney said. “In fact, I just told the team that I only noticed him one time today, and that is a great thing. He had one bad snap. Again, this guy’s never snapped, and now all of a sudden – it’s one thing to be in shorts, thud practice, it’s another thing when you’re going live and you’re running outside zone and you’ve got to snap and you’ve got to climb and step. It’s a different animal, and he’s really doing a good job. Really proud of him. But again, he had one low snap all day, and I think he had 30 reps live. So, he’s really doing a good job.”

Putnam, a multi-year starter at guard who has reclassified and will be a junior this season, has played 1,615 career snaps over 33 games (22 starts) in his career — but none at center.

However, Swinney has been pleased with how Putnam, a third-team all-ACC pick by Phil Steele in 2021, has taken to playing center.

“He’s worked hard at it, which doesn’t shock me,” Swinney said. “That’s just how he’s wired. That’s his DNA, and when he commits to something, he’s going to be to the extreme of it. Again, he’s reclassified, so he’s just going to be a junior. He’s played a lot of football. So, that’s been really, really good.”

Swinney also likes what he’s seen from redshirt sophomore Trent Howard at center this spring, and said redshirt freshman center Ryan Linthicum is coming along in his development as well.

“Trent Howard’s done a nice job,” Swinney said. “I’m pleased with where he is, and Linthicum’s still coming. So, we’re developing the type of depth there that we need.”

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Clemson’s offensive line starts spring still in need of solidifying

Clemson’s offensive line is set on the edges, but the interior is still in flux as the Tigers begin spring practice. The next five weeks will give Dabo Swinney and his staff a chance to start solidifying a unit that featured eight different starting …

Clemson’s offensive line is set on the edges, but the interior is still in flux as the Tigers begin spring practice.

The next five weeks will give Dabo Swinney and his staff a chance to start solidifying a unit that featured eight different starting lineups this past season primarily because of injuries and performance on the inside. There’s still a lot of work to do to get there for a line that’s experienced more attrition than expected this offseason.

Where the Tigers turn at center is the most pressing question after Swinney revealed Mason Trotter (unspecified) will miss the majority of the 2022 season, which comes on the heels of Hunter Rayburn’s medical disqualification. With Matt Bockhorst’s eligibility exhausted, the Tigers are down their top three centers from last season.

Third-year sophomore Trent Howard and freshman Ryan Linthicum suddenly find themselves at or near the top of the depth chart at the position this spring, but Will Putnam will join the competition, at least for now. Swinney said Clemson will actively monitor the transfer portal for an interior lineman. In the meantime, Putnam, who started at guard last season, is moving to center this spring and perhaps beyond.

Howard and Linthicum have combined to play just 81 snaps so far. Linthicum was one of the nation’s top center recruits coming out of Damascus (Maryland) High last year but redshirted after he “came in here just not ready and just a little overwhelmed,” Swinney said.

“Anxious to see him grow this spring and hopefully be ready by the time we play in September,” Swinney added.

As for Howard, Swinney said he would have been next in line at center last season if needed. The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder has played in just seven games his first two years with the program as a reserve, but Swinney said Howard provides flexibility up front.

“He’s a very smart, savvy football player that can play guard and center,” Swinney said. “He’s very athletic and knows the game. He’s a guy that nobody really talks much about here, but he’s a good football player.”

Putnam’s move leaves a vacancy at right guard. Swinney said Mitchell Mayes, a backup tackle this past season, will slide over to rep there during team periods this spring. Redshirt freshman Dietrick Pennington, who missed last season with a torn ACL, will also “get a bunch of reps” at guard.

“I know he’s excited about it and will do a good job for us,” Swinney said of Mayes, who’s played in 12 games for the Tigers.

Beyond a need for it, Swinney said repping Mayes inside this spring will allow true freshmen Collin Sadler and Blake Miller to stay at tackle for now. Clemson’s lone linemen signees in the 2022 recruiting class, Sadler and Miller are both mid-year enrollees who are helping with depth behind Jordan McFadden and Walker Parks, who are firmly entrenched as the Tigers’ starting tackles.

“Let them settle in a bit before we overwhelm them too much,” Swinney said.

Swinney said rising sophomore Marcus Tate will stay at left guard for the time being but will continue cross-training at left tackle.

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More attrition at center — and Clemson’s plan to address it

The attrition in the middle of Clemson’s offensive line continues heading into the spring, which will force the Tigers to explore more outside options up front. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said interior offensive lineman Mason Trotter won’t …

The attrition in the middle of Clemson’s offensive line continues heading into the spring, which will force the Tigers to explore more outside options up front.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said interior offensive lineman Mason Trotter won’t participate this spring and is “probably going to be out for most of the season” after missing the Tigers’ bowl game for unspecified reasons. Swinney declined to specify a reason for Trotter’s absence before Clemson’s first spring practice Wednesday, though he said it’s not a legal matter and that Trotter is still with the team.

“In good standing. Great kid,” Swinney said of Trotter. “Unfortunately, probably not going to be available for most of the season.”

The news comes after Clemson lost Hunter Rayburn, who ended the season as the starting center, had his playing career come to an end because of a medical disqualification. Matt Bockhorst, who started games at center and guard last season, also exhausted his eligibility this past season.

Trotter, who started multiple games at center and guard last season, was the only player on the roster heading into the spring with starting experience at center. Swinney said guard Will Putnam will move over this spring to help with the depth at the position.

Redshirt freshman Ryan Linthicum and redshirt sophomore Trent Howard are the only other centers that will go through the spring.

Swinney said it only adds to the importance of those players having a good spring, but the Tigers’ next starter at the position may not be on the roster. Clemson was already active in the transfer portal looking for interior offensive linemen during the offseason, and Swinney admitted that will continue through the spring and into the summer as the Tigers search for at least one more experienced option in the middle of the offensive.

Asked if bringing in multiple transfer linemen is a possibility, Swinney said he wasn’t sure. But he didn’t rule it out.

“We need to probably look at all measures to at least get a guy,” Swinney said.

What the end of Rayburn’s playing career means for Clemson’s offensive line

Clemson appeared to be heading into the spring with four of its five starting offensive linemen from last season back in the fold. That was before news broke Thursday that Hunter Rayburn will be hanging up his cleats after neck stingers resulted in …

Clemson appeared to be heading into the spring with four of its five starting offensive linemen from last season back in the fold.

That was before news broke Thursday that Hunter Rayburn will be hanging up his cleats after neck stingers resulted in a medical disqualification for the redshirt sophomore. Rayburn will remain involved with the program as a student coach, but his unavailability as a player may be the biggest blow for an offensive line that had its issues at times a season ago, particularly on the interior.

Matt Bockhorst’s career as a Tiger is also over, but Clemson got some significant work at left guard for others this past season. Even before the fifth-year senior tore his ACL against Pittsburgh in late October, true freshman Marcus Tate started four games at that spot with Bockhorst starting the season at center. Tate ended the season with eight starts at left guard and is the presumed starter there heading into next season, joining left tackle Jordan McFadden, right tackle Walker Parks and right guard Will Putnam as starters up front.

But with Rayburn’s playing career at Clemson cut short, that means the Tigers are losing their top two centers from last season. Rayburn, who played in 19 games in three seasons, made his first six starts this past season and ended it as the starting center.

It leaves fellow sophomore Mason Trotter as the only player on the roster that’s started a game at center. Trotter started the most games among the trio at the position last season (5), though that was primarily because of injuries and other attrition that kept the door revolving on the interior of the line for much of the season.

As far as in-house candidates go, the 6-foot-2, 285-pound Trotter finds himself as the most experienced option at the position, though that’s not saying a lot given he’s only got seven career starts to his name. Trent Howard and redshirt freshman Ryan Linthicum, a former blue-chip recruit, figure to factor more prominently into the competition this spring, too.

Clemson could also ratchet up its search for a starting center in the transfer portal, which is where an option currently outside of the program would likely come from at this point given the timing of Rayburn’s departure. Both the early and traditional signing periods for the 2022 recruiting cycle have come and gone without the Tigers inking any interior offensive linemen.

With the majority of high school prospects already signed to their school of choice, the transfer portal is a more viable option if Clemson coach Dabo Swinney isn’t comfortable with what he’s already got on the roster, which, based on the Tigers’ involvement in the portal already, could be the case. Former Clemson and Northwestern quarterback Hunter Johnson is the only transfer the Tigers have signed in the 2022 class, but Clemson has also offered multiple interior offensive linemen in the portal, an indication Swinney may have already known about Rayburn’s situation.

A portal addition would also help bring more experience to a position that’s suddenly a darker shade of green. Decisions, decisions for Swinney and his coaching staff at one of the most important spots up front.

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Taking inventory: Center

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 and receiver have already been assessed.

Next up is the center position along the offensive line

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

This fall was one of musical chairs for the Tigers’ offensive line with plenty of movement in the middle.

Clemson knew it would begin the season with a new center following the departure of fifth-year senior Cade Stewart. What the Tigers didn’t know is that they’d end up repping three different players at the position.

Matt Bockhorst got the first crack at it, sliding over from left guard to start the first four games in the middle of the offensive line. But with the group struggling early on, Clemson moved the fifth-year senior back to his more natural position and tried sophomore Hunter Rayburn at center. It worked to the benefit of the Tigers, who racked up 438 total yards and 231 yards rushing against Boston College on Oct. 2 – season-highs for both against an FBS opponent at the time.

But Clemson had to shuffle things again the next week with Rayburn going through COVID-19 protocols. Rather than move Bockhorst back to center, the Tigers turned to another sophomore, Mason Trotter, who started the next three games there. With right guard Will Putnam banged up in early November, Clemson then moved Trotter to his spot and re-inserted Rayburn at center for two more games.

More injuries up front created more mixing and matching, and Trotter ended the regular season as the starting center with Rayburn at guard. Redshirt freshman Trent Howard and true freshman Ryan Linthicum are also at the position, though they combined to play in just five games during the regular season with Bockhorst, Rayburn and Trotter logging nearly all of the game reps.

Linthicum, a top-150 prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle, is in line to redshirt, but he could take on a bigger role next season. Clemson could also scour the transfer portal for help along the offensive line, but the Tigers got some of their younger players plenty of experience at a key spot along the offensive line this season.

Who’s leaving?

Bockhorst

Who’s staying?

Rayburn (center or guard), Trotter (center or guard), Howard, Linthicum

Who’s joining?

No one as of now. Clemson inked two offensive linemen during the early signing period, but neither projects as a center.

One of nation’s top QBs feels wanted by the Tigers

Clemson continues its pursuit of one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in the 2023 recruiting class. Both Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter and defensive tackles coach/recruiting coordinator Todd Bates has paid visits to Briarwood Christian …

Clemson continues its pursuit of one of the nation’s top quarterbacks in the 2023 recruiting class.

Both Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter and defensive tackles coach/recruiting coordinator Todd Bates has paid visits to Briarwood Christian (Birmingham, Ala.) to check in on four-star quarterback Christopher Vizzina.

“Just that they’re super interested,” Vizzina told The Clemson Insider regarding what he’s been hearing from Clemson as of late. “Obviously, I’m either No. 1 or No. 2 on their board. So, I know that they’re super interested. I feel like they do want me. That’s a good feeling.”

What does that mean to Vizzina?

“It means a lot,” he said. “Coach Bates, he’s the one that’s really been recruiting me since my freshman year. Now, Coach Streeter has kind of taken over, but it means a lot for both of them to want to hear how I am as a person and they’ve really built a relationship with me the past couple of years. Whenever I get to see them, off-campus or at Clemson, they’re always easy to talk to. I feel like I can connect really well with both of them.”

TCI talked with Vizzina before Tony Elliott accepted the head coaching job at the University of Virginia. But at the time of the conversation, it was reasonable to conclude that Elliott would be moving on from Clemson to go be a head coach at another ACC school.

Vizzina had high praise for Elliott, with who he was beginning to develop a relationship as well.

“First off, I only got to meet Coach Elliott two times,” Vizzina said. “I have a lot of respect for him as a person. When I went to camp there, when we took a break we were talking about just Christianity and God. That meant a lot to me and that’s what earned my respect for Coach Elliott and he’s a great coach.”

It sure sounds like Vizzina would be more than comfortable if Streeter is named Clemson’s next offensive coordinator, which seems like a very real possibility at the moment.

“If Coach Streeter ends up getting promoted to offensive coordinator, he’s earned it,” he said. “I think he’s earned it as a person, and I think he’s a great coach. I think that anybody that gets to play for him, it’s a privilege to get to play for him. He’s a great person. If that happens for him, I’d be really happy for him.”

Streeter hasn’t let up in his pursuit of Vizzina. He’s recruiting him just as hard as he did, even before Vizzina earned his coveted Clemson offer — that, of course, came prior to the Tigers’ 48-27 win over Wake Forest on Nov. 20.

“He was recruiting me like an offered kid like I had been offered for years,” Vizzina said. “In the back of my head, I was always like ‘Man, I want a Clemson offer. I want this to be an option.’ Now that it is, he’s still recruiting me the same way. He’s still recruiting me hard. I really love that about him.”

As for Vizzina’s junior campaign, Briarwood Christain was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, losing at the hands of the eventual state champions.

Just like that, he has one season left as a high school quarterback.

“It’s flown by,” he said of his high school career. “I started as a freshman and I’ve been through three senior classes and have had special relationships with all those seniors. Now, it’s like I’m practicing for my senior year and it feels like it flew by. I’m gonna be working all offseason. I wish we were still playing, but I’m still gonna keep going to work and we’re gonna have a great offseason and I’m gonna have a good senior year.”

Right now, Vizzina is currently playing basketball for Briarwood. He has a lot of passion for the sport, but he has a little more time now to devote attention to his recruitment.

That includes conversing with Streeter. They’ll talk about how Vizzina’s basketball season is going or the two will get on a call together.

“He’s trying to get me up for the Junior Day — I’m not sure when the date is — but I’m pretty sure I’m gonna be able to make it,” Vizzina said.

Is he looking forward to getting up to The Valley again?

“Absolutely,” he added. “I know how special [Clemson] is. Every time I’ve been to Clemson, the coaches have had attention on me, but they got to give other people attention too. I know that Clemson Junior Day’s are invite-only, so I know Coach Streeter’s gonna be able to spend a lot of time with me and all the other coaches too.”

He’ll do his best to see his former teammate and current Clemson Tiger, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Trent Howard, who he jokingly referred to as his “bodyguard.”

“Trent was my left tackle my freshman year,” Vizzina said. “He was the one, who really protected me and he was a senior. He’s really helped me with [my recruitment] since my freshman year. We still talk all the time.”

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Clemson’s depth along the offensive line is becoming dire

As the hits to Clemson’s offensive line continue to mount, the depth at that position is becoming dire. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Tuesday that backup lineman Paul Tchio has decided to enter the transfer portal, making for the latest defection …

As the hits to Clemson’s offensive line continue to mount, the depth at that position is becoming dire.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Tuesday that backup lineman Paul Tchio has decided to enter the transfer portal, making for the latest defection among a position group that’s been decimated by attrition up and down the depth chart. Swinney then uttered the harsh reality facing the unit.

“We’ve got what we’ve got,” he said. “Can’t ship anybody in here right now.”

Tchio started at guard against North Carolina State on Sept. 25 but had logged just seven snaps since after not playing against Louisville last week. With Tchio gone, that’s now five offensive linemen that were either significant contributors or in line to be this season that have been lost to season-ending injuries or a transfer.

It started in the preseason when Tayquon Johnson (pectoral injury) and John Williams (knee) had season-ending surgeries. Freshman Dietrick Pennington, whom Swinney pegged as a potential “difference maker” for the Tigers up front, then tore his ACL in September. Fifth-year senior Matt Bockhorst did the same against Pitt last month.

That in part has forced Clemson to start six different combinations along the line through its first nine games, and it appears Will Putnam will miss a second straight game Saturday when UConn visits Memorial Stadium because of an ankle injury. Putnam, who also didn’t play against Boston College on Oct. 2 because of an unrelated foot injury, is “a lot better and improving,” Swinney said, but coaches would like to hold him out if possible to give him more time to heal up.

But there aren’t a ton of available bodies left up front.

Mason Trotter, who had started the previous three games at center, moved over to fill in at right guard against Louisville in Putnam’s absence. That put Hunter Rayburn back in the starting lineup along with Jordan McFadden, Walker Parks and freshman Marcus Tate, who was reinserted as the starting left guard two games ago following Bockhorst’s injury.

The Tigers’ options are limited to the point that true freshmen Tristan Leigh and Ryan Linthicum, whom Clemson planned on redshirting this season, have been elevated from the scout team. Leigh and Linthicum made up the second-team offensive line during Monday’s practice along with redshirt freshmen Bryn Tucker and Trent Howard and sophomore Mitchell Mayes, Swinney said. Those five have combined to play just 102 offensive snaps this season.

“We’ve moved those guys up, and we’ll just keep rolling with what we’ve got,” Swinney said. “We’ve developed a lot of versatility in that offensive line. That’s for sure. We’ve got a lot of guys that can play multiple positions.”

Leigh, a former five-star signee, and Linthicum have only played in one game apiece so far, so with the NCAA’s four-game redshirt rule, they would still be able to play in three more games this season and maintain a year of eligibility. With Clemson having at least four games left (three regular-season games and a bowl game as well as an outside shot at the ACC title game), Swinney hinted at them only being used in an emergency situation.

At this point, though, Swinney isn’t ruling anything out the rest of the way.

“I’ve never had a year like this,” Swinney said.

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Despite injuries, Swinney says OL is ‘much better’ from a depth standpoint this season

Clemson’s offensive line depth was delivered another blow. Dabo Swinney announced that true freshman Dietrick Pennington tore his ACL and that he’ll miss the remainder of the season. That marks the third backup offensive lineman that Clemson has now …

Clemson’s offensive line depth was delivered another blow.

Dabo Swinney announced that true freshman Dietrick Pennington tore his ACL and that he’ll miss the remainder of the season. That marks the third backup offensive lineman that Clemson has now lost to a season-ending injury.

The Tigers have also lost John Williams (knee) and Tayquon Johnson (torn pectoral muscle), who were both injured during camp. Though, Swinney said there is a possibility that Johnson could return for postseason play.

“That’s three big losses for us on the OL,” Swinney said during his media availability Tuesday. “John Williams was a guy who was really going to help us this year. Obviously, he’s been out with his knee now since camp and then we lost Tayquon. [He] was really going to help us. That’s three guys we were really counting on being contributors for us. So, disappointed with that, but we have to keep moving forward and hopefully get those guys better sooner than later.”

Swinney was asked about his evaluation of Clemson’s depth on the offensive line (6-9) based on what he’s seen in practice and in the second half of the Tigers’ 49-3 win over South Carolina State this past Saturday.

“Like I said, I hate that we lost John early, but at least it was in camp and we had a lot of time in camp to get the other guys a ton of work,” he said. “Tayquon same thing. Tayquon would’ve really come in here, he really would’ve been a guy to help us. I think he made it one day and he was out.

“Deitrick is a real blow. I think he was on his way to really, really becoming a very consistent contributor for us and a big-time depth guy.”

Swinney was able to spin some positives out of it, though. Clemson will be getting Mason Trotter back. His right hand will be clubbed up and he’ll have to play the guard position, rather than center. However, Swinney described the redshirt sophomore as a “very functional player.”

While the loss of Pennington is a big blow, Swinney was encouraged by what he saw out of his backups against S.C. State.

“As far as our backup guys, I thought Mitchell Mayes played really, really well this past week in his first significant time,” he said. “He did a really nice job. He’s had a really good camp. The arrow’s up by his name. [Paul] Tchio has made a lot of progress. Tchio can really do it. He’s just still developing consistency in his game, but I feel good about him.

“We really like Trent Howard. He’s still developing physically. We got four years left in a guy that I think is going to be a very good player. Understands the game. He went in and did a nice job snapping the ball for us and just communicating and directing traffic. He’s a savvy, high football I.Q. guy. And then [Hunter] Rayburn, he’s a little bit of a putty guy right now, playing center, playing guard, playing tackle. He’s a big athlete and so he brings some really good things to the group.”

Swinney was happy to get some of the backups in with the starting offensive line, getting them some experience in a game that got out of hand rather quickly.

Clemson wants to continue to build its offensive line depth because the Tigers really didn’t have beyond five guys that they could trust last season.

“We’re a lot better than we were this time last year, I can tell you that,” Swinney added. “From a depth standpoint, we’re a lot better. We’re getting worse though with losing Dietrick, that’s for sure, but between Trotter, Tchio, Mayes and Howard and Rayburn, I think we got a good little group coming on right there.”

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Swinney updates the battle at center

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided an update on the competition at the center position following Tuesday’s practice. Swinney said after Saturday’s scrimmage that redshirt sophomore Mason Trotter, redshirt sophomore Hunter Rayburn and senior …

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney provided an update on the competition at the center position following Tuesday’s practice.

Swinney said after Saturday’s scrimmage that redshirt sophomore Mason Trotter, redshirt sophomore Hunter Rayburn and senior graduate Matt Bockhorst have all been sharing first-team reps during fall camp, and said after Tuesday’s practice that “all of them have done some good things.”

“The biggest thing is consistency,” he added. “I think all of them physically can get the job done, and I think all three mentally can get the job done. But consistency with our snaps, that’s the area we’ve got to make some strides in. You’ve got to be 100 percent, 99.99999 percent when it comes to the C-Q exchange. So, that’s an area that I think we’ve got to clean up as we really hone in coming out of camp here. But all those guys have done a good job.”

After Tuesday’s practice, Swinney also mentioned redshirt freshman Trent Howard, saying he has shown the most consistency as far as snapping the football.

“Trent Howard has done a really good job, really pleased with him,” Swinney said. “He’s probably the most consistent when it comes to just the C-Q exchange part.

“But I think mentally and physically we’ve got some guys that can get the job done, but still need a little more consistency there.”

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