By Kaila Burns-Heffner.

The 2014 football season put the Clemson offensive linemen through the wringer as injury and illness plagued the Tigers all year. Players were constantly being moved around to fill the void of the missing guys on the line. The combination of players that filled up the five positions seemed to be constantly changing, but all that should change for the 2015 season with the young depth that Clemson now possesses.

Last season’s misfortunate events allowed for some younger offensive linemen to get some experience going into the 2015 season, but with spring practice well underway, the players who were redshirted and the new enrollees have the chance to compete for the positions on the line.

The 2015 signing class brought in four new talented offensive linemen, Mitch Hyatt, Noah Green, Jake Fruhmorgen and Zach Giella, who will join the previously redshirted offensive tackle Justin Falcinelli and offensive guard Taylor Hearn. Spring practice will allow for these young linemen to compete and grow under the leadership of their more seasoned and veteran teammates.

“All of them know what to do already. It just speaks numbers for how we recruit and the people that we recruit. It’s going to be a fun year. We can’t wait,” said senior offensive guard Eric Mac Lain.

Mac Lain, who has been taking the first team reps at left guard so far in spring practice, believes the line wont have to deal with the changing of positions as much because there is noticeably more depth than there was in the previous season.

“As of now, I think there is going to be less movement than there was last year, just because we’re going to develop that young depth that we have now, so I doubt that we will be moving around too much,” he said.

With depth as less of a concern, Mac Lain has noticed an increase in the tempo in spring practice. He mentioned he has not seen the offense move as fast as it is since Chad Morris first arrived at Clemson in 2011. However, Mac Lain credits the coaching staff for making sure that they are going slow enough for the new players to learn the offense and that they are focusing on the certain aspects that they want to be good at.

“They are holding their own,” said Mac Lain on the newest members of the Clemson family. “ It’s so impressive, those guys should be in high school still, going to prom and going to pep rallies for basketball games. They’re just here competing and doing their best. It’s just amazing the talent we have on offensive line.”

Mac Lain is confident in the way that the offensive line is running so far in spring ball, and is ready to help lead the young talent into the coming season.

“There’s nothing that’s not right, the only thing is that we’re not in full pads yet,” he said. “We’re just getting better everyday. The coaches are going to coach you hard and you’ve just got to work on the things that they tell you about.”