By Will Vandervort.

Jeff Scott really likes the way the offense has performed through Clemson’s first seven days of the spring. The Tigers got back on the practice fields Monday after taking the last 11 days off for spring break.

“I really like the spirit and the competition. The guys are a fun group to coach right now,” said Scott, Clemson’s co-offensive coordinator.

Scott and head coach Dabo Swinney said there were no real conditioning issues after the layoff. In fact, Swinney says he was impressed with the overall leadership of his senior class.

“There is not as many seniors this year, but all indications is that this is a very serious group of leaders that I think understand their role and the importance of their role,” Swinney said. “They have done some things on their own that I have been pretty impressed with.”

Several of the guys stayed back at Clemson instead of heading to Florida or back home. Swinney said he doesn’t mind his players taking a break because that is what spring break is designed for but he also understands some of his players like to take the extra time off from practice to get do other things that will have them both mentally and physically ready when they get back.

“They don’t want to have to start over so that is one of the things we challenged them with, make sure you are doing some things both mentally and physically even though you are not grinding like you do with school and practice and all of that, just carving out a little bit of time during your off time to stay sharp. I think a lot of guys did a nice job of doing that.”

Trevion is coming on. One guy who has done a nice job of that is wide receiver Trevion Thompson. Through the first seven practices Scott said he is one guy that he is really proud of.

“He is a guy that kind of gets forgotten about a little bit,” Scott said. “At that position we have been fortunate a little bit to have guys that have come in and have played as freshmen. For Trevion the situation was a little bit different because we had good numbers.

“We knew he was going to be a good player, but I would say he is a little bit further ahead than where maybe some of us expected him to be. That’s critical in the nine-man position where Mike Williams is. As a coach, the thing that you get excited about is seeing a guy like Mike Williams making a play and then two plays later there is Trevion going the other way making another great play. Depth is important obviously and as you go through a long season, you have to have more than those front three guys.”

Scott says Germone Hopper has also had really good practice and has the “consistent focus” to be a great player.

Peake looks good. Charone Peake scored three touchdowns during passing drills on Monday. Scott says the senior is in the best shape he has been in—both mentally and physically—since he has been here.

“He never got healthy last year,” Scott said. “We were trying to get him back and trying to get him back and he would have a setback. But he had very good seven days and he is moving around and really is playing all three positions.”

Young linemen have come to work. Scott says usually as a coach he wants to talk about his seniors or his upperclassmen and how they are kind of setting the tempo for the offensive line, but he says the four true freshmen—Mitch Hyatt, Jake Fruhmorgen, Noah Green and Zach Giella—and the four guys who are second year players—Maverick Morris, Justin Falcinelli, Taylor Hearn and Tyrone Crowder—are a corps he has never seen in his time at Clemson.

“I’m not talking about just ability because they are very talented ability wise, but just they are hungry, have great work ethic, there is no drama and they have high character,” he said. “Then all of sudden it transform to some of the older guys too.

“The offensive line is a very tough position and with all that being said we will kind of see where those guys are when we have our first scrimmage on Wednesday. But I’m very, very pleased with that whole group of young offensive linemen.”