Lateek Townsend was one of the defensive stars in Saturday’s scrimmage.  The sophomore has three sacks and caused problems for the Clemson offensive line coming off the edge.

“I just want to go out there and help the team however they need me,” said Townsend.

The linebackers are expected to be one of the strengths of the Clemson defense in 2012.  How has the linebacker core progressed over the last season?

“I feel like over a years time we have been working very hard as a whole and with coach Venables coming in and working with us as a whole we have gotten better at what he wants us to run,” said Townsend.

Hard work in the meeting room is translating to success on the field.

“We go into the locker room and we go into the meeting room and we sit down and it is basically like a class.  It is a teaching period.  We go into that teaching period and we sit down and get the schemes we need to run and we go over those schemes and go over those schemes and we speak it.  You have to be able to speak it.  If you can speak it you can play it.  That is the main thing.  We go into those rooms and we learn to speak it and see what we are doing and if you can speak it you can play it,” said Townsend.

Lateek isn’t concerned about the youth on the defensive line.

“I don’t look at them as young or old.  If they are able to learn it they are able to execute it on the field,” said Townsend.