Will Putnam – Page 7 – Syndication Server

Putnam: ‘This is no time to quit’

To say Clemson is having a season it’s unaccustomed to would be an understatement. With their 27-17 loss at Pittsburgh over the weekend, the Tigers (4-3, 3-2 ACC) fell for the third time this season. It’s the first time since 2014 Clemson has lost …

To say Clemson is having a season it’s unaccustomed to would be an understatement.

With their 27-17 loss at Pittsburgh over the weekend, the Tigers (4-3, 3-2 ACC) fell for the third time this season. It’s the first time since 2014 Clemson has lost three games during the regular season.

Hopes of a seventh straight College Football Playoff appearance are dashed. Playing for another ACC title is a longshot, too. It’s only natural to wonder about the motivation for a team that’s used to playing meaningful games in the second half of the season. When Florida State (3-4, 2-2) visits Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Clemson will simply be trying to avoid dropping to .500 on the season.

Will Putnam said there’s still motivation for him beyond the wins and losses. But Clemson’s veteran offensive lineman admitted there’s some concern about other players mentally checking out amid a season that’s fallen well short of expectations.

“I think a lot of it kind of goes back to leading by example and showing guys through your actions that passion and all of that stuff by how you play the game,” Putnam said. “At the end of the day, we’re playing football. It’s not like the season is just over right now and we’re done. We still have, what is it, five more games to play. This is no time to quit right now. We’ve still got five games to play.

“I know a lot of guys in my segment of the line are in good spirits. They’re excited to get ready and go play a football game. But I think that kind of gets built out throughout the week in the message and the tone the staff kind of sets.”

As for Putnam’s motivation — and what he believes serves as incentive for other players, too — it’s simple, he said.

“We just love this game. We’re very passionate about it even though some things haven’t really gone our way. Obviously, yeah, we are disappointed about certain things and losing because that’s never what you want to do. I think the reason why we’re going to keep going and do the best we can is we’re passionate about this game. We’re passionate about this program and this university.

“Whether we’re playing (South Carolina) State or a national championship game, I’m personally just as excited to play either or. For me personally and I think a lot of guys on this team, it doesn’t really necessarily matter as much about getting excited to go play football because we always are.”

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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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‘Not much different than us’: Clemson, Syracuse set for clash of similar fortunes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Clemson’s record could be worse this season. It’s also oh so close to being better. And Clemson coach Dabo Swinney couldn’t help but notice the same thing about the Tigers’ upcoming opponent. That’s because, much like No. 25 …

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Clemson’s record could be worse this season. It’s also oh so close to being better.

And Clemson coach Dabo Swinney couldn’t help but notice the same thing about the Tigers’ upcoming opponent.

That’s because, much like No. 25 Clemson, Syracuse has been in its share of nail-biters through the first half of the season. While the Tigers’ two losses have come by a combined 13 points, including one in overtime, Syracuse’s three losses have been even tighter. One came on a field goal as time expired against Florida State while the Orange pushed unbeaten Wake Forest to the brink last week before losing by a field goal in overtime.

“They’re not much different than us,” Swinney said. “They’re two plays away from being 5-1.”

The teams are guaranteed to further impact their respective records differently Friday when the Atlantic Division foes renew their series with a 7 p.m. kick at the Carrier Dome. Clemson (3-2, 2-1 ACC) has won the last three meetings by an average of 26 points, but if the first half of the season has been any indication, the teams could be in for another white-knuckler this time around.

The Tigers’ offense continues to sputter, at least when it comes to scoring points. Clemson is averaging less than 15 points against FBS competition this season and has yet to score more than 19 in regulation in those games, though how the Tigers performed their last time out against Boston College has Clemson further believing it’s close to breaking out in that facet.

Clemson racked up 438 yards, including 231 on the ground. Both were the second-highest totals of the season. The Tigers are also coming off an open date that helped them get closer to full health. That includes right guard Will Putnam, who’s expected to return to the starting lineup after missing the Boston College game with a toe injury.

“We think we’re just right there,” quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei said. “The more we keep practicing and the more we keep playing, I think we’re just getting closer, closer and closer each and every time.”

The unit’s challenge this week is executing against one of the more disruptive defenses in the country. Syracuse (3-3, 0-2) leads the ACC in tackles for loss and sacks on a per-game basis out of a 3-3-5 base defense that often utilizes pre-snap movement among its front six to try to confuse opposing offenses as to where the pressure is coming from.

“They rarely ever sit still,” Swinney said. “You’ve got to really do a good job of collecting movement, picking up the twists, passing things off and all of those things.”

Defensively, Clemson will have to contend with a run-heavy attack from Syracuse, which gets multiple players involved in a ground game averaging more than 240 yards. Running back Sean Tucker is the ACC’s leading rusher, but quarterback Garrett Shrader is a factor, too. The Mississippi State transfer, who’s put together back-to-back 100-yard games on the ground, is averaging more than 5 yards per carry and is second on the team only to Tucker in rushing touchdowns (8).

Shrader is completing just 57% of his passes, but Syracuse hasn’t needed that part of his game as much. The Orange are still averaging more than 31 points per game.

“We’re always going to try to throw the ball,” Syracuse coach Dino Babers said. “We need to be balanced on offense, and we’ll always work toward that. But until you get there, you need to do some things that are working.”

How well the Orange’s ground game works against Clemson remains to be seen. The Tigers have the ACC’s third-best rush defense, holding teams to 102 yards per game on the ground. There’s little doubt the Tigers will try to take away what Syracuse does best and make Shrader beat them with his arm.

“They’re really running the football,” Swinney said. “That’s what they’re doing.”

It’s a game within the game that could help make the difference, even if it’s not much of one.

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Swinney updates Putnam’s injury status

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on Tuesday updated the status of one of the Tigers’ starting offensive linemen who was injured a few weeks back. During his weekly press conference, Swinney said Will Putnam has practiced this week and continues to make …

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney on Tuesday updated the status of one of the Tigers’ starting offensive linemen who was injured a few weeks back.

During his weekly press conference, Swinney said Will Putnam has practiced this week and continues to make progress with his toe injury. Has it been enough for the Tigers’ right guard to return to the starting lineup against Syracuse on Friday?

“We’re confident and hopeful that he’ll be able to go,” Swinney said.

Putnam sustained the injury in the first quarter against North Carolina State on Sept. 25 but finished the game. Putnam missed the Tigers’ game against Boston College on Oct. 2. It wasn’t until after that game that Swinney revealed Putnam had been dealing with an injury that left his foot “black and blue” following the N.C. State game.

With Putnam out, Clemson slid Matt Bockhorst over from center to take his place and inserted Hunter Rayburn at center. Marcus Tate moved back into the starting role at left guard.

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Can Clemson’s running game build on breakout performance?

Clemson didn’t look like the same team running the ball against Boston College that it’s been for much of the season. That’s good news for the Tigers. After weeks of going virtually nowhere on the ground (not counting its meeting with a physically …

Clemson didn’t look like the same team running the ball against Boston College that it’s been for much of the season.

That’s good news for the Tigers.

After weeks of going virtually nowhere on the ground (not counting its meeting with a physically overmatched FCS opponent in South Carolina State), No. 25 Clemson (3-2, 2-1 ACC) finally found some consistency in the running game against the Eagles. The end result was the Tigers’ second 200-yard rushing game of the season.

After averaging 87.6 yards per game on the ground against its first three FBS opponents, the Tigers racked up 231 yards in their win over Boston College, which was allowing just 99.7 rushing yards coming in, a stat that ranked in the top 25 nationally. The S.C. State game (242) is the only one in which Clemson has rushed for more.

“We stopped the run and got the run game going,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “It was definitely the difference in the game.”

Clemson has dealt with attrition at running back throughout the season. First, it was senior Lyn-J Dixon deciding to leave the program three games in. Then freshman Will Shipley sustained a lower leg injury late against North Carolina State that will keep him out multiple games, but it was hard to tell against Boston College.

Kobe Pace had a career-high 125 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown that doubled as Clemson’s longest play from scrimmage this season. True freshman Phil Mafah got his first collegiate snaps because of that attrition and ripped off 58 yards on just eight carries. The Tigers averaged 5.8 yards per tote, easily the most against a team not named S.C. State.

Clemson will try to build on that performance its next time out Friday at Syracuse (3-3, 0-2). But to get a better idea of how the Tigers may try to go about doing that, it’s important to understand what led to the breakthrough against Boston College.

The first part of the equation isn’t complicated, Swinney said. The Tigers’ retooled offensive line tried a couple of different starting combinations through the first four weeks of the season and went with a third against the Eagles out of necessity. It was also the most effective one to date.

With right guard Will Putnam (toe) injured, the Tigers slid Matt Bockhorst over and inserted Hunter Rayburn into the starting lineup at center. Freshman Marcus Tate also got another start at left guard after being replaced by Paul Tchio there a week earlier.

It’s a group that’s struggled with sheer physicality as well as blocking assignments and communication at times with so many moving parts, but Swinney said none of that was an issue against the Eagles.

“The offensive line really played well,” Swinney said. “We didn’t have the critical errors. We didn’t have miscommunication. We weren’t turning guys that were supposed to be blocked loose. We really communicated well, targeted well and were very physical.”

Mafah echoed his coach’s sentiment when asked why he felt like the running game was more effective than it’s been for much of the season.

“As a team, we’ve just been talking about just really imposing our will on our opponent,” Mafah said. “Dabo is always talking about in practice that we need to bring that to the game field, and I just feel like the o-linemen and the offense, we just came with that intensity. I felt like the offensive line did a great job (last week), so I give a lot of props to them, (offensive line) coach (Robbie) Caldwell and our coaches for allowing us the opportunity to get that open.”

Clemson also made a point to get the backs out on the perimeter with stretch plays, pitches and options. Mafah’s longest run — a 26-yarder late in the first half — came on one of those stretch plays where he ran through an opening off tackle and wasn’t met by a Boston College defender until he was more than 5 yards past the line of scrimmage.

Mafah broke a couple of would-be tackles to help turn it into one of Clemson’s longest runs of the night, but Swinney said attacking the Eagles on the edge wasn’t necessarily about how Boston College was defending the Tigers. The stretch has been a staple of Clemson’s playbook this season, but Swinney again pointed to the group up front for the primary difference in its effectiveness this time around.

“We run the inside zone and the outside zone, but we just blocked it better the other night,” Swinney said. “When you block it well, good things happen. And we ran it well. Ran the right tracks. Again, we were able to get in rhythm and, all of a sudden, you start playing some complementary football as far as how you can complement plays and get in a rhythm as far as calling the plays.”

And, more heavily than he’s been all season, Clemson also got D.J. Uiagalelei involved in the running game again. The Tigers’ 6-foot-4, 247-pound quarterback had a season-high 12 carries for 50 yards, most of those coming on designed runs between the tackles. The Tigers also ran their share of zone reads, where Uiagalelei has the option to hand off or keep the ball based on how the defensive line plays it. Swinney said there were a couple of times where Uiagalelei could’ve likely picked up even more yards on the ground had he pulled the ball, but he largely made the right decisions to hand off to Pace and Mafah in those situations, Swinney added.

The Tigers’ success on the ground forced Boston College to commit an extra defender or two to the box and play more man coverage than Clemson has seen this season. Uiagalelei didn’t connect on any of those throws deep down the field, something Swinney said has to start happening if Clemson is going to make defenses pay for playing that way, but it’s largely up to the running game to keep giving the Tigers one-on-one matchups on the outside.

“We had to prove we can run the ball, and when you can do that, then you open things up in the passing game,” Swinney said.

As for which lineup the Tigers go with on the offensive line against Syracuse, that’s something that continues to be evaluated, Swinney said. Part of that depends on if Putnam is able to give it a go against the Orange, another defense ranked in the top 35 nationally in rushing yards allowed (114 per game).

If so, Clemson could move Bockhorst back to left guard, where he played last season, and keep Rayburn at center. Another option would be to stick with the same lineup as last week if Putnam has to miss another game.

Ultimately, the Tigers need the running game to continue doing its part if the offense is going to maximize its potential over the final seven games and help keep Clemson in the ACC title race.

“If the defense wants to give us a box to run on all day, we’ve got to do our best to run against it,” Rayburn said. “If they want to play a little light coverage and let us throw the ball, then let’s throw it. We’ve got to be ready for whatever defense we play and just take what they give us.”

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Rayburn staying ready wherever he’s needed up front

Hunter Rayburn has been waiting for an opportunity like the one he had last week for nearly three seasons. Clemson’s offensive lineman took full advantage of it. After spending much of his first two seasons in the program playing in mop-up duty up …

Hunter Rayburn has been waiting for an opportunity like the one he had last week for nearly three seasons.

Clemson’s offensive lineman took full advantage of it.

After spending much of his first two seasons in the program playing in mop-up duty up front, Rayburn got his first career start at center against Boston College. With right guard Will Putnam injured, Matt Bockhorst moved back to guard to fill in for him while Rayburn took over snapping duties, though Rayburn didn’t really care how his insertion into the starting lineup came about.

“It was special. It’s something I prayed about and that I’ve dreamed out. Getting to go out there and play was awesome and really rewarding. I hate to see that for Put because Puts a great guy and a great player. But I tried to be ready for my opportunity.”

Putnam helped pave the way for Tigers’ second-best offensive output of the season in terms of total yards (438) and rushing yards, the latter being one of the unit’s most glaring weaknesses this season. The Tigers entered their game against Boston College 99th out of 130 FBS teams in rushing but racked up 231 yards on the ground in their 19-13 win.

Rayburn attributed the increased production on the ground to improved communication among the starting five.

“That’s the biggest part of any play,” Rayburn said. “If we’re not all the same page and one guy messes up, it can be a bust.”

Rayburn’s assignments came at the position he admitted to being most comfortable with up front. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound sophomore played 97 snaps over 10 games the previous two seasons with most of that playing time coming at guard and even tackle. Rayburn said that was largely out of necessity as injuries piled up at those spots.

Rayburn said he still reps at different positions during practice unless otherwise ordered by coaches. Before last week, though, his only game reps this season had come at guard.

But Rayburn was back at center against the Eagles, a position where he had competed with Bockhorst and fellow sophomore Mason Trotter during fall camp. As for his performance last week, Rayburn was satisfied with it outside of one low snap to D.J. Uiagalelei in the second half.

“I feel like I did all right,” Rayburn said. “That snap for sure could’ve been better. The ball, it was pretty wet. And my towel was pretty wet at that point. Other than that, I feel like I did all right.”

The way the line performed as a whole could prompt the coaching staff to keep Rayburn at center and move Bockhorst back to left guard, where he played last season, assuming Putnam is able to return for the Tigers’ next game Friday at Syracuse. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said all possible lineups up front would be evaluated before then.

“I was just just ready to play wherever they put me,” Rayburn said.

He’ll continue to stay that way going forward.

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Grading Clemson’s offense 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 offense through five games:

Quarterback

D.J. Uiagalelei entered this season with plenty of hype taking over the offense after Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall draft pick. It came not only from the fact Uiagalelei was a former five-star recruit himself but also because of his breakout performances against Boston College and Notre Dame in his spot starts last season. But the first half of this season has served as a jarring reminder that he’s still a young player figuring things out just seven starts into his college career.

In terms of pure arm talent, Uiagalelei may be the best Clemson has ever had during the Dabo Swinney era. There’s not a throw on the field the 6-foot-5, 247-pounder can’t make, but consistently finding the mark on those throws has been another story. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been efficient at times (65% completion rate in wins over South Carolina and Georgia Tech), but Uiagalelei is last in the ACC — and 105th nationally — with a completion percentage of 54.3% largely because of a lack of accuracy and touch on the intermediate-to-deep throws. To be fair, the lack of a consistent running game has kept the pressure on Uiagalelei on the receivers to constantly produce, but Clemson ran the ball as well as it has all season last week against Boston College, resulting in more man coverage on the outside. But Uiagalelei misfired on every deep shot and left some points on the field.

Uiagalelei has gradually been used more in the running game and has provided a spark there (21 carries for 113 yards the last two games combined). But as Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said, Uiagalelei simply has to start connecting with his receivers down the field when those opportunities are there if the offense is going to do its part in keeping Clemson in the ACC title race going forward. Grade: C

Running back

Not only are the Tigers feeling the impact of Travis Etienne’s loss, but there’s attrition that’s affecting the backfield as well. There’s not a back on the roster with the same kind of skill set as Etienne, and the one that might be the closest, true freshman Will Shipley, is out for the time being. Meanwhile, Clemson’s most experienced back, Lyn-J Dixon, isn’t around anymore either after choosing to leave the program three games into the season.

That’s left sophomore Kobe Pace and another true freshman, Phil Mafah, as the primary backs. Darien Rencher and Michel Dukes are also around, but they haven’t been used much outside of the South Carolina State game. The blocking in front of them has been iffy, but the youth has shown up with some missed holes and cutbacks. The pass protection has been solid for the most part, though, and Pace had a career game with 125 yards on 18 carries against Boston College. Mafah also had 58 yards on just eight carries in his collegiate debut, an encouraging sign for a running game that needs to get going. Grade: C+

Receivers and tight ends

Justyn Ross hasn’t made every play (there was that drop in overtime against North Carolina Stated before that strange last play), but Clemson’s top wideout has been solid in his return from spinal fusion surgery. He leads the Tigers with 23 receptions, three of those going for scores. And a healthy Joseph Ngata has flashed all of that potential coaches have been talking about in the former five-star recruit. Ngata has been the Tigers’ most explosive pass-catcher at 19.6 yards per reception.

But nobody else still on the roster has caught a touchdown this season. Tight end Davis Allen is Clemson’s third-leading receiver, and the Tigers haven’t utilized their tight ends a ton in the passing game. Braden Galloway, known more as Clemson’s receiving tight end, has just four catches for 14 yards, and he’s now dealing with concussion. Receivers Frank Ladson (groin) and E.J. Williams (hand/knee) are also dealing with injuries. Blocking on the perimeter has been spotty, too.

Uiagalelei’s inaccuracy at times has played a factor. So has the way defenses have played the Tigers. But Clemson has struggled to get other receivers involved, something that needs to change going forward. Grade: B-

Offensive line

Tackles Jordan McFadden and Walker Parks have been solid on the edges, but it’s been a rough go for Clemson’s retooled group as a whole through five games. With two new starters joining three returning starters — two of which (McFadden and Matt Bockhorst) are transitioning to different positions than they played last season — Clemson has yet to settle on a five it’s comfortable with. The Tigers have already tried three different starting combinations up front, but missed assignments and a lack of push in the running game have plagued the unit.

Clemson ranks 117th nationally in total offense and 83rd in rushing at 146 yards per game, a number that was below 127 on average before last week. The line had perhaps its best performance against Boston College, paving the way for 231 rushing yards and 438 total yards. With Will Putnam injured, the Tigers found maybe their best interior combination with Bockhorst moving back to guard and Hunter Rayburn repping at center.

Bockhorst could go back to left guard (where he played last season) when Putnam returns to the starting lineup on the right side, something Swinney is hopeful will happen when the Tigers return to action at Syracuse. There’s some time to evaluate that with that game not being played until Oct. 15, but the line improved its grade with its latest performance. Grade: C-

Overall

With some new players at key positions, Clemson’s offense has looked borderline dysfunctional at times, performing far below the standard set by many of the Tigers’ offenses over the last decade. Was Boston College a turning-the-corner moment? The offensive line needs to settle on its best five, the running game needs more consistency and Uiagalelei and his receivers need to make plays when they’re there through the air. There’s loads of talent and potential. Now it’s a matter of putting it all together. Grade: C

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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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Swinney ‘very encouraged’ by offensive line play in win over BC

Clemson’s offensive line has been a work in progress, to say the least. The unit had largely struggled coming into Saturday’s game against Boston College and turned in their best performance of the season during Clemson’s 19-13 victory. “We really …

Clemson’s offensive line has been a work in progress, to say the least.

The unit had largely struggled coming into Saturday’s game against Boston College and turned in their best performance of the season during Clemson’s 19-13 victory.

“We really played well up front,” Dabo Swinney told reporters Monday. “I can’t tell you how proud I was of those guys.”

Leading into this past Saturday’s game, Swinney indicated that Clemson was considering everything in terms of reshuffling things upfront. Instead of pulling a starter from the lineup due to poor play, Will Putnam did not suit up due to a toe injury.

With Putnam sidelined, Clemson reinserted Marcus Tate back into the starting lineup, shifted Matt Bockhorst to right guard and placed Hunter Rayburn at center.

While everyone graded out quite well, Clemson will likely have another different starting combination upfront against Syracuse. Swinney described Putnam as “a little better” and that he’s hopeful that by Sunday, he’ll be able to start practicing again.

While it came at the expense of an unfortunate injury, Clemson’s decision to make a change at center and move Bockhorst back to his natural position of guard, paid off immensely.

“Rayburn man, I was super proud of him,” Swinney said. “He did have that one little series down in the red zone, critical. We had the pick play, that was just a bad play by E.J. (Williams) and then we jumped offsides, and then we had the bad snap. It was like bam, bam, bam, right there in a row. But man, Rayburn played really well. I was super, super proud of him. He had a couple of plays where he got on the edge a little bit, but he was physical. The first time for him to go in there and play that amount of snaps and manage it.”

“Rayburn really did a nice job, really pleased with him,” he added. “I think that’ll be huge for his confidence to have that amount of experience.”

Bockhorst came into the season as Clemson’s most experienced offensive lineman, but the team’s vocal leader’s move to the center position has been inconsistent at best. He turned in his best performance of the season against Boston College.

“Bockhorst was our player of the game,” Swinney said. ‘He was just outstanding. He and Kobe (Pace). Bock was tremendous, by far his best game. (He was) physical, and did a great job of helping Rayburn.”

Overall, Swinney was impressed with what the entire unit was able to do up front all game. Clemson was finally able to run the ball efficiently and effectively. The Tigers gained 231 rushing yards on 40 carries, while D.J. Uiagalelei had ample time in the pocket.

“The whole group really played well. There was a lot of things on tape that was really good to see, that I’m very encouraged by,” Swinney added. “Marcus Tate looked like he took a step forward as well. The game slowed down just a little bit for him. (Jordan) McFadden has been solid as they come all year. The same thing with Walker (Parks), I thought he did a heck of a job for us too.”

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On Putnam’s injury and the offensive line situation going forward

Dabo Swinney remained tightlipped about the injury to one of Clemson’s starting offensive lineman throughout the week. The Tigers’ coach never mentioned Will Putnam’s toe injury leading up to Clemson’s game against Boston College. And Swinney wasn’t …

Dabo Swinney remained tightlipped about the injury to one of Clemson’s starting offensive lineman throughout the week.

The Tigers’ coach never mentioned Will Putnam’s toe injury leading up to Clemson’s game against Boston College. And Swinney wasn’t asked about it given the fact Putnam started and played the whole game last week against North Carolina State just like he usually does at right guard.

But following Clemson’s 19-13 win over the Eagles late Saturday night at Memorial Stadium — a game the Tigers had to play without Putnam — Swinney revealed Putnam sustained the injury on the first series of Clemson’s loss to N.C. State. Yet Putnam never said a word about it despite his foot being “as black and blue as it could be” after that game, Swinney said.

“He couldn’t even walk hardly on Sunday,” Swinney said. “The whole bottom of his foot was black and blue, so he paid the price for it this week.”

Clemson had already made one change on the offensive line against N.C. State, inserting Paul Tchio at left guard in place of freshman Marcus Tate against. Leading up to the Boston College game, Swinney said he was “considering everything” when asked if he was contemplating any other changes to one of the more maligned position groups amid the Tigers’ sluggish start to the season offensively, but Putnam’s injury forced his hand.

With Putnam unavailable, Clemson slid center Matt Bockhorst over to fill in at right guard and plugged Hunter Rayburn in at center. Rayburn competed with Bockhorst throughout fall camp for the starting center job, but his only game reps before Saturday had come at guard. The Tigers also reinserted Tate into the starting lineup at left guard.

The shakeup helped Clemson turn in its best rushing performance of the season against an FBS opponent. The Tigers, which came in ranked 99th nationally in rushing, racked up 231 of their 438 yards on the ground, finishing just 11 yards shy of their top rushing performance through five games (242 against FCS member South Carolina State).

Aided by a 59-yard touchdown run from Kobe Pace — Clemson’s longest play from scrimmage this season, the Tigers averaged 5.8 yards per carry, getting as much push up front as they have all season.

“I thought (Rayburn) did a nice job, and I thought Bock did a great job, moving him over there to right guard with Putnam out,” Swinney said. “On the field, it looked like him and (right tackle) Walker (Parks) did a nice job on some double teams.

“Proud of Rayburn. He’s a young player, and that’s a big moment for him. So hopefully that’s something he can grow from with some confidence. And same thing with Tate.”

The question is, what does the offensive line look like once Putnam returns, particularly on the interior?

Swinney said he expects Putnam to be available again at some point this season, and it could be in time for Clemson’s next game at Syracuse on Oct. 15. An open date before then will give the 6-foot-4, 305-pound junior an extra week to rest, but whenever Putnam returns, he’ll slide back in as the starting right guard.

“Putnam has actually been very consistent for us,” Swinney said. “He’s played well.”

As for which direction the Tigers go at center and left guard, that’s less unclear. Bockhorst started the first four games at center but started every game last season at left guard. The fifth-year senior is also a far more experienced player than Tate and Tchio, who’ve combined for five career starts.

Might Clemson move Bockhorst back to his his more familiar left guard spot once Putnam returns and keep Rayburn at center? Swinney said the Tigers have some time to evaluate all of that.

“It’s nice that we’ll have more experience and a little bit more experienced options as we figure out how we’re going to go, so we’ll look at everything,” he said. “We’ve got an open date to figure out several things that we’re going to have to do from a personnel standpoint to give ourselves a good chance moving forward.”

Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!