What Dabo Expects from This Fall
Friday was a sweltering hot day on the first day of Clemson football’s fall camp, and you could hear the song “The Boys Are Back in Town” as the players warmed up in the indoor practice facility. You could really tell all the players were hyped up and ready to get fall camp started. Before practice began Dabo had his Fall camp press conference and Clemson Sports Media was there to catch it all.
The Impact of Freshmen on the Team
One of the first statements Swinney made was “Looking forward to being on the field for the first time with our 14 summer freshmen that came in.” That tells me that he is excited about this 2023 freshman class. If you don’t know this class has guys like Peter Woods, T.J. Parker, Ronan Hanafin, Christopher Vizzina, Avieon Terrell, Noble Johnson, Harris Sewell, and many more. Dabo said about Harris Sewell “He is going to help us big time.”
When it came to the wide receiver room the first person you think of is Bueax Collins. Yes, he has been injured and we haven’t seen him much. But you still know he has talent but he just needs to go out there and prove it. “ we are going to have a really good wide receiver room and it all begins with Beaux, he’s a great leader he’s fast and strong and that shows why he could’ve gone anywhere in the country.” He continued by saying “If all receivers are healthy we will be just fine.”
Cade Klubnik: Rising Above Doubts
I think that everyone in Clemson knows what we have in Cade Klubnik, but the outside media is still doubting him. “Cade is a guy that is never satisfied, always striving, just a great leader, and that’s how he’s been since he’s been here,” said Dabo. If you ask me. I think that Cade got some great experience last year with 2 games at the end of the year. He shows what he is good at and where he needs to improve. Cade had a great day as he completed a pass to an outside receiver for about 15 yards. But pretty sure Cade would tell you there is still a lot of work to do.
Depth and Potential of the Offensive Line
Dabo also said that the offensive line will be a huge part of this season. The returning players are already great but with some new faces joining them, they can only get better. “We have 7 or 8 guys who will have a chance to earn one of the starting 5 positions,” said Dabo. This group is full of talent and they just need to work together and improve each day. During practice, they put in Blake Miller, Marcus Tate, Walker Parks, Tristan Leigh, and Will Putnam.
The Dynamism and Talent in the Running Back Room
Dabo also discussed the running back room this year, which has a lot of depth. That’s why we brought back big James Davis. If you remember he was “The Thunder” and C.J. Spiller who is the running back coach now was “The Lighting”. He said that Will Shipley & Phil Mafha could be that duo. Dabo adds ” They both will see the playing field and he is hoping for both of them to have big years”.
Clemson football’s fall camp has started off with a great deal of energy and excitement. Head coach Dabo Swinney seems confident in the abilities of his team, especially the incoming freshman class of 2023. With changes in their style of play, the emergence of key players like Peter Woods, and a focus on special teams, Clemson fans have reason to be excited about the upcoming season.
Practice Notes
- Hunter Helms took on the role of Clemson’s second-team quarterback during the Team Tempo drills.
- During one particular play in Team Tempo, Running back Dominque Thomas broke away for a long touchdown run while working with the second team.
- Keith Adams Jr. also had his moments with the second team, while freshman Jarvis Green took part in drills with the third team.
- On the offensive side, the first-team receivers included Adam Randall, Beaux Collins, and Antonio Williams, with Jake Briningstool holding the tight end position.
- Sage Ennis was seen as the second-team tight end, with Cole Turner, Tyler Brown, and Brannon Spector taking on the roles of wide receivers.
- On the third team, Johnson, Hanafin, and freshman Misun Kelley showcased their skills as wideouts.
- Freshman wide receiver Tyler Brown and Will Shipley were seen returning punts together in the special team’s drills.
