Time for the latest edition of Ask TCI.  Each week we will take questions on the message board The Rock.

Each weekend we will run our Ask TCI feature with answers to some of the questions asked by the Clemson Insiders.  Make sure to get your questions in next week.

Question – How has Carlos Watkins been progressing? Will he become a major player this year on the DL this year?

TCI – Carlos is making progress this spring.  We have heard some good things about his progress.  He is part of a seven man rotation right now at defensive tackle.  The depth at defensive tackle is outstanding right now.

Grady Jarrett has been talked about a lot this spring.  He really seems to be making a more.  We have also heard some good things from coach Venables about D.J. Reader.  Even though he has been splitting time with baseball he is making some gains this spring.

Question – Tankersley said he was gonna retake the ACT. Do you know if he has already?

TCI – Tankersley is set  to retake the ACT again this month.  We probably won’t know more on his situation until later this spring/early summer.

Question – Can you predict what the 3-Deep at RB will be at mid-season? Will Hot Rod hold the #1 spot all year?

TCI – Great question.  Hot Rod will be the No. 1 guy coming out of the spring.  Zac Brooks is making a push this spring.  Of course Gallman and Dye arrive this summer.

Right now if we had to predict what the depth chart will look like this fall it will be running back by committee to start.  We would  expect Dye to make a push once he arrives as well as Gallman.

My mid-season the depth chart could have Dye near the top with Hot Rod and Brooks also getting significant snaps.

D.J. is one we will be watching in the fall.  He has the talent as he showed his freshman year to see significant time.  He needs to be able to stay healthy and play at a high level more consistently.

Question – How will things shake out this year at DE? Expectations for a red-shirt or not for Ebo?

TCI – This spring Crawford and Beasley have made a lot of noise.  Beasley is on his way to becoming a dominant player.

One the other side Barnes has been sharing playing time with Lawson and Ogundeko.  It is too early to make a call on whether Ebo will red-shirt.  In a perfect world he would be able to red-shirt.  He has the physical tools to be a very good one at Clemson.  Right now he is a little raw and like a sponge soaking up everything he can from the staff.

Question – Any chance we add any more basketball players to frontcourt before next season??

TCI – Absolutely.  The staff is hard at work on the trail trying to find the best big man they can add.

Question – Will we see more press coverage from the corners this season? If we do, is it because Reed/Venables favors it and Harbison didn’t for some reason?

TCI – Coach Brownell will certainly need to show improvement next season.  We don’t think his job would necessarily be in jeopardy if the Tigers don’t make the NCAA Tourney but they will need to be much more competitive than this year’s squad and be “in the conversation”.

It will also depend on other factors such as does attendance continue to drop, are there more transfers and other intangibles.

Question – What true freshmen do you expect to start next season for the football team? Or do you expect any to start immediately? I’m including EE’s in this discussion as well.

TCI – We would expect to see Alexander starting at some point at corner.  It may not be immediately.  He certainly has the talent to start.  It will depend how quickly he learns the defense.  

Leggett has been one of the surprises this spring.  He could certainly make a push to start at some point if he continues to progress, especially when the Tigers run sets with multiple tight ends.

Kearse is another freshman that could push for a starting role this season.  He could play safety or the hybrid role played by Blanks last season.

As we mentioned earlier Dye could push for a starting role at some point this season if he progresses as we expect.