By Will Vandervort.

When he thinks about this year’s defensive line, Dan Brooks just smiles. Why wouldn’t he? Clemson returns a defensive line that has six players back that started at least three games in 2013, including consensus All-American defensive end Vic Beasley, senior defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and senior defensive end Corey Crawford.

“We feel good about that, but we will be crying a year from now because six guys will be gone all at one time,” Brooks joked. “But it has been a work in progress to build that (depth). Everywhere I have worked I have tried to build that depth because you have to have depth for the quality of competition so guys have to work to get to play.”

That has paid off big time at defensive tackle where the Tigers are as strong as anyone in the country. Besides Jarrett, Clemson returns seniors Josh Watson and DeShawn Williams as well as junior D.J. Reader and sophomore Carlos Watkins. Redshirt freshman Scott Pagano will also play a role in this year’s interior line.

[postvideo][/postvideo]

“Guys have to feel good about that guy coming in for them or they don’t want to come out of the game,” said Brooks, Clemson’s defensive tackles coach. “Then they will probably go longer than they should and over extend themselves. It is the same way with that guy coming in. He has to feel good that he can take that guys spot and hold up.

“So that’s where we have worked to get to. If we can get through camp healthy and that kind of thing, we would like to play at least ten defensive linemen in every game, five inside and five outside. Then you have your best players that are fresh enough in the fourth quarter to try and help you win the game.”

It wasn’t too long ago the Clemson defensive tackles were considered one of the weak links on a defense that was reeling following the 70-point embarrassment by West Virginia in the 2012 Orange Bowl.

In his position meeting with his defensive tackles, Brooks wrote that on his whiteboard as a way to motivate his unit.

“Mine did not take that too well when I wrote it on the board. We got told that we were the weak link,” he said.

What was once the weak link is now considered the strongest part of a defense that is supposed to be one of the best in the country this year.

“They have grown into it and I think they have accepted that role that they need to carry some weight,” Brooks said. “We did lose some good offensive people and we lost some good defensive people, but not up front.

“Everybody that played up front we have back so I think they have accepted that role.”