By Will Vandervort.

Clemson held its last true practice of the spring on Wednesday as it prepares for its annual Orange & White Spring Game in Death Valley on Saturday.

The game will mark the 15th and final spring practice session of the spring for the Tigers as the game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free.

“I think this will be one of the most competitive spring games we have had,” said Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.

Swinney had his team go through a two-hour practice on Wednesday which included an hour of a situational scrimmage. The coaches had the first-team on offense and defenses go against the second team.

“This is the only practice in the spring where I have the first-team offense go against the second team defense and vice versa,” he said. “We are coming off a physical practice on Monday.

“I got what I expected.”

What he got was the first-team units dominating the scrimmage.

“It was good for them, though,” co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott said. “They did a couple of things and moved the ball a little bit. But they got their eyes opened a little bit. They have to be ready. Everybody is expecting them to be ready when they go in and that there is no drop off.”

Defense continues to shine. Safety T.J. Greene had the biggest play of the scrimmage when he scored on a 50-yard interception return. Defensive tackle Carlos Watkins had another blocked field goal, his fourth of the spring scrimmage sessions.

“We lead the nation in blocked field goals this spring,” Swinney said.

“We are getting some great effort from the defensive line, but at the same time we miss Kalon Davis and David Beasley as field goal protectors,” he continued. “We might have been the best in the nation at field goal protection the last four years and they were a big reason. We will have to work on that aspect of the game.”

Swinney mentioned kicker Ammon Lakip has been okay this spring, but the backup kickers have been very inconsistent and are not getting the ball up high enough.

Scott vs. Alexander. One of the best battles of the spring has been the Artavis Scott vs. Mackensie Alexander matchup. These two freshman All-Americans have been going at each hard in spring practice. Tonight we finally got the opportunity to speak with Scott.

“We are going out there and competing,” Scott said. “We are having fun and we are doing it in the sport we love to play. There is nothing different. We are having fun and competing. I know he is going to make me better like I am going to make him better.”

It will be an actual game. Like always, Swinney says the Orange and White Game on Saturday will be an actual game. The team will be spilt into four groups and the coaches will then select by groups of who they want.

This will take place on Thursday. The groups are already set.

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables and offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell will be the head coaches. They will flip to see who gets to pick first.

Swinney says Nick Schuessler will play quarterback for both teams on Saturday, while freshmen Kelly Bryant and Tucker Israel will be on opposite sides.

First timers. For the Tigers’ 15 new freshmen, Saturday will mark the first time they have played in crowds over 20,000 as Swinney hopes to see as many as 35,000 fans in Death Valley on Saturday. It will also be the first time a lot of the redshirt freshmen will play in front of a large crowd.

“It will be a good experience for a lot of the new players,” Swinney said. “You can say it is just a scrimmage, but the players will look up in the stands and see their parents and their grandparents, and they will want to perform well for them.

“It will also be an opportunity for many of them to play in front of a lot of people.”