The dog days of summer are over for Clemson.
The Tigers have shifted from the grind of fall camp to game preparation for their season-opening clash with Georgia, which is looming Saturday at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. But we’ve learned some things about Clemson over the last three weeks.
Here’s what we know about the Tigers — and what we think we know — heading into game week.
Justyn Ross has shown few signs of rust in his return to the field
This we know based on our intel. Ross said he’s feeling the best he’s ever felt coming back from the corrective spinal fusion operation he underwent last summer. It’s only natural to be concerned about being tackled and taking hits again after an injury like that, but it hasn’t been much of an issue to this point. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Ross hopped right back up after taking some good licks during the Tigers’ second fall scrimmage (he didn’t participate in the first one) and made his share of usual big plays. During Clemson’s mock game over the weekend, Ross caught at least one long touchdown pass from D.J. Uiagalelei, another sign the Tigers’ top wideout hasn’t missed much of a beat despite not playing in a game in more than a year.
Matt Bockhorst may lead the pack in the center competition
We don’t know for sure that Bockhorst will be Clemson’s starting center against Georgia, but given the way things are trending, this writer would be surprised if the senior offensive lineman doesn’t make the move Saturday. Bockhorst got a lot of first-team reps at center in the two camp scrimmages and was the first center on the field with the ones in the Beanie Bowl. And, if we’re being real, you don’t start cross-training your starting left guard in the spring if you’re not at least seriously considering a move like this. Whether or not Bockhorst stays at center all season remains to be seen, but chances are good he’ll be there for Game 1 considering the caliber of opponent the Tigers are starting with.
Clemson will handle the running game by committee
This is a fact. At least it will be to start the season. The competition between Lyn-J Dixon, Kobe Pace and true freshman Will Shipley has been so tight that all three have continued rotating with the first-team offense, and Swinney said he doesn’t care at this point which one takes the field first with Clemson’s offense Saturday. Pace got a bulk of the first-team reps in the Beanie Bowl, which could be an indication of who that might be. But this could turn into a situation where the hot hand or a certain matchup dictates who gets the most carries from one week to the next. Don’t forget about veteran Darien Rencher and another freshman, Phil Mafah, either. Speaking of Shipley…
Will Shipley is not going to redshirt
Big fact. Swinney said recently he’s still evaluating some true freshmen that are “on the bubble” as far as whether or not they’re going to redshirt this season (which they can do as long as they don’t play in more than four games), but Shipley isn’t one of them. The fact the five-star signee was already getting some first-team reps during the first week of camp was a giveaway. Simply put, Shipley is too dynamic of an athlete, and it’s clear he will have a role within the Tigers’ offense. To what extent is still unclear, but with the kind of speed he possesses, you can bet Clemson will work to get Shipley the ball in space against linebackers and defensive backs and see what happens. He could also help out as a kick/punt returner.
Nolan Turner may be questionable for the opener
We don’t know this for sure, but it certainly appears Clemson’s veteran safety is still dealing with an unspecified injury. Turner has been in a yellow practice jersey (no contact) multiple times over the last couple of weeks and watched the Beanie Bowl from the sideline in street clothes. Maybe the coaching staff knows what it has in Turner and wanted to get a look at some other safeties, but linebacker James Skalski, another sixth-year senior, participated. The most likely scenarios are that Turner has made enough progress that the coaching staff simply doesn’t want to run the risk of reaggravation this close to the game or the injury is still bothering him enough that he may not go in the opener.
Xavier Thomas is close to regaining his starting job
It certainly appears that way. The wealth of depth that Clemson has at the defensive end position allows the Tigers to rotate constantly there, but Thomas was the starting defensive end opposite Myles Murphy in the Beanie Bowl. And given the reviews the senior has gotten from coaches and teammates during the preseason, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see that same starting tandem against Georgia. The most notable development in Thomas working to return to his normal, explosive self off the edge has been his weight loss. He’s dropped 30 pounds since the start of the offseason and looks more like the disruptive force that was a freshman All-American in 2018 and a regular starter in 2019.
Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!
