At the start of the month, The Clemson Insider posed five key questions facing Clemson heading into fall camp. Now that camp is over, TCI is revisiting those questions to see where the Tigers are in finding the answers.
What does the QB depth look like?
The short answer? Much better than expected.
Taisun Phommachanh’s ruptured Achilles tendon created all sorts of uncertainty as to who would be D.J. Uiagalelei’s backup this season. After all, Phommachanh’s injury happened less than five months ago in Clemson’s spring game.
Yet Phommachanh was on the field for the Tigers’ first practice this month and hasn’t been limited much, at least from a physical standpoint. He’s been held out of tempo drills and some team periods at times, but he looked to be throwing on the run and getting more of his mobility back toward the end of camp.
Will Phommachanh travel and be available against Georgia in two weeks? Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott haven’t offered much in terms of a timetable for Phommachanh’s full return, saying only that they’re expecting him back sooner rather than later.
If not, sophomore walk-on Hunter Helms, who’s been getting second-team reps in practice when Phommachanh has been held out, would be the backup. But don’t rule out Phommachanh being ready in time for the trip to Charlotte, which would’ve been hard to believe five months ago.
Who will emerge as the featured back?
No one knows. At least coaches aren’t saying it publicly if they do.
All indications are that the competition to replace Travis Etienne atop the depth chart at running back has been heated. Swinney said early in camp that every back was still being considered for the job. Even Lyn-J Dixon and Kobe Pace, the two believed to have the best shot at it, have admitted there hasn’t been much separation.
If someone does emerge, it’s likely to be one of them. Dixon, who’s backed up Etienne the last couple of seasons, has the most experience as a senior while Pace is a talented sophomore that’s flashed in preseason scrimmages, including a powerful red-zone run in the first one where he pushed the pile for a touchdown, according to Elliott.
But true freshman Will Shipley has also rotated in with the ones at times and will have some sort of role within the offense given the kind of game-breaking speed the five-star signee possesses. Don’t be surprised if Clemson handles the carries by committee this fall.
Can Justyn Ross return to his old form?
It’s too early to adequately answer this question given Ross is barely a week into his return after getting full medical clearance and clearing COVID-19 protocols, but the early returns couldn’t be much better.
Ross participated in his first scrimmage Thursday and took what Swinney described as some “good hits” before popping right back up, a good sign for a player who’s less than eight months removed from corrective spinal fusion surgery. Swinney said Ross also turned in some explosive plays.
Simply put, Ross is one of college football’s top receivers and a first-round talent when he’s playing up to his capability. As Uiagalelei alluded to at one point during camp, Ross’ resume speaks for itself.
Clemson has plans to move Ross around to try to find all the mismatches they can for the 6-4, 205-pounder. So if Ross gets back anywhere close to being the kind of player he was as a freshman and sophomore, it completely changes the dynamic of Clemson’s offense and how teams have to go about trying to defend the Tigers.
Who will be the offensive line’s best five?
Jordan McFadden (left tackle), Will Putnam (right guard) and Walker Parks (right tackle) will be three of them, but things are still extremely fluid at the other two positions up front.
That’s primarily because the Tigers still aren’t sure which direction they want to go at center. The competition between Mason Trotter, Hunter Rayburn, Matt Bockhorst and Trent Howard continues, and Swinney didn’t rule out the possibility of it playing out all the way up until game week.
If Bockhorst ultimately wins that job, there will be another void to fill at left guard, where Bockhorst was the starter last season. Paul Tchio could slide in there as could Trotter or Rayburn if they lose out at center. Even true freshman Marcus Tate, who’s been taking some first-team reps at left guard when Bockhorst reps at center, is an option.
Swinney reiterated throughout camp that getting Clemson’s best five linemen on the field is the end game. If that means Bockhorst at center, so be it. But, for the benefit of chemistry and cohesion among the starting group, Clemson needs to make a decision sooner rather than later.
What is Fred Davis’ status with the team?
Davis was charged with reckless driving last month after Clemson police said the Tigers’ sophomore cornerback struck a mail carrier vehicle with his car and injured multiple people, a lapse in judgement that Swinney said is being handled with internal punishment.
Davis was not dismissed from the team, and he hasn’t missed any practice time (that we know of, at least). Could the misdemeanor charge cost him a game or two? Swinney declined to go into detail as to exactly what Davis’ punishment will entail, but that type of suspension is always possible.
But Davis is one of just six scholarship cornerbacks on the roster, so the depth at that position isn’t great to begin with, particularly when the Tigers play more than two corners at a time. It will be less of a concern if Davis doesn’t have to miss any game time, but if he does, keeping the group healthy will be crucial.
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