Clemson spring game: Tigers to watch out for

Sammy Brown will be one to watch on Saturday.

by Ryan Kantor - Contributor - Thu Apr 04 07:00:03 GMT-04:00 2024

Now that the Clemson men's basketball team's historic NCAA tournament run has ended, we focus on the gridiron as the football team concludes spring practice with the annual Orange & White Spring Game.

While some suggest there’s not much to be learned from spring game observations, allow me to present evidence to the contrary. In last year’s Orange & White game, we saw three freshmen look like immediate contributors: TJ Parker, Peter Woods, and Khalil Barnes. All three became impact players on the Clemson defense.

We also saw the passing game struggle as Klubnik went 18-33 (.545) while Christopher Vizzina (“CV”) was just 3-9 (.333), with each throwing two interceptions. When fall came, we learned those struggles were no illusion as the passing game proved unreliable.

2023 wasn’t a banner year, but they ended on a five-game win streak that started with an upset win over Notre Dame and ended with a clutch final drive led mostly by the passing attack to beat Kentucky in the Gator Bowl. Now, can they take that momentum into a 2024 season with tough early season matchups with Georgia, NC State, and Florida State? I’ll be watching a couple of different things this spring game to give me a clue as to that answer.

Quarterback Play:

The game-winning drive against Kentucky was a “huge confidence booster,” according to offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. Now, can his offense, and specifically Klubnik, build on it? Last season, Klubnik sometimes didn’t see receivers and make decisions quickly enough. He was also prone to playing “hero ball” and going off script (e.g., running when the call is to hand-off) or taking excessive risks. Can he process quicker and make accurate, decisive throws? I certainly believe so, but seeing it in action on Saturday would be awfully nice.

Hunter Helms was the second-string quarterback last year because, as the spring game demonstrated, Vizzina needed more time to develop. Now CV is the second-string quarterback who will be called into critical moments if Klubnik is hurt. Is he ready? We’ve heard he is “pushing” Klubnik, and I hope we get a glimpse of it.

Ryan Linthicum:

Last season, Clemson returned four of five starters on the offensive line. Nevertheless, the position group was inconsistent at best. That resulted in a change at O-line coach. With Matt Luke joining the program and four of five starters returning once again, does the offensive line make major progress this time? One key factor in determining that will be how adeptly Clemson can replace Will Putnam.

Putnam started 49 games at Clemson, starting at center in 2022 and 2023. He wasn’t a superstar (he projects as a late NFL draft pick), but he was a steady veteran who played 3,564 snaps from scrimmage, the second-most in Clemson history. The most likely candidate to replace him is former 247Sports Composite 4-star Ryan Linthicum from Maryland. Linthicum will be a redshirt junior, however he only played 59 offensive snaps in 2023 and just 103 in his career. Clemson explored the portal for an O-lineman but missed on a few options. Can Linthicum make that a blessing in disguise? His readiness will play a big role in determining if the O-line improves or continues to be an inconsistent spot for the offense.

Freshmen Trio:

Last year, Woods, Parker, and Barnes popped in the spring game and showed they were ready to make an impact. In this spring game, I hope to see three freshmen show something similar. The first is WR Bryant Wesco. Wesco is one of two elite freshmen wide receivers joining the program, but the other, TJ Moore, is not an early enrollee and thus won’t play. That means all eyes are on Wesco. A true freshman, Tyler Brown, led Clemson in receiving last year (531 yards) and it could happen again. Tyler Brown and rising junior Antonio Williams give Clemson a good duo, but neither is a true outside over-the-top threat. Wesco could be an option for that role.

Linebacker Sammy Brown is one of the top freshmen in Clemson’s class, and with Jeremiah Trotter likely to be selected in the early rounds of the NFL draft, there are snaps available to be earned. Barrett Carter and Wade Woodaz ensure Clemson will be strong at linebacker, but if Sammy Brown makes an instant impact, the group could be elite.

Clemson made 62.5% of their field goal attempts last season. Obviously, that’s sub-optimal. They’re investing two scholarships in placekickers in 2024. One of those scholarships will go to freshman Nolan Hauser (pronounced HOO-zer). Awarding scholarships to high school kickers feels a little like playing the lottery, but since they’re playing, let’s see if the Tigers struck it rich with Hauser.