Clemson will open up fall camp on Aug. 4 with several questions that need to be addressed if it is going to win its first ACC Championship since 2011.
To me there are five keys that will be vital to the Tigers’ success in 2015. In this series I will provide a general rundown of each, identify its strength and weaknesses and pick the one player who is ready to have a breakout season.
Today, we will look at the defensive tackle positions, the No. 4 key to a successful season.
RUNDOWN
To me, the biggest loss in terms of personnel from last year’s team is Grady Jarrett. The now Atlanta Falcon was the rock of a defense that led the nation in 11 different categories and was in the top 10 in several others. Jarrett could do it all. He filled the lanes and made tackles. He penetrated inside and put pressure on the quarterback. He held lineman up and let his linebackers find the football. He caused fumbles, and more than anything he led his team.
Jarrett owned the locker room, and not just on defense. The team respected him and listened to him. That piece is now gone and that will be hard to replace.
The Tigers also lost DeShawn Williams and Josh Watson, two other good leaders in the trenches who worked their tails off for everything they got. Those three men will not be easy to replace, especially the experience. Between the three, they played in 145 games and started 73 of them the last four years.
The Good news for Clemson is the return of experienced backups such as D.J. Reader and Carlos Watkins.
Reader (6-2, 325) played in 12 games last season and started one, while recording 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and 10 quarterback pressures. Overall, he has played in 38 games in his three years at Clemson, including four starts. He has 70 career tackles, with 7.5 tackles behind the line and 4.5 sacks. He also has 18 career quarterback pressures. Reader is perhaps the most athletic of all the defensive tackles.
Watkins (6-3, 295) will be a redshirt junior, but he has played in each of the last three seasons. He has played in 23 games with one start and has 40 career tackles, including 4.5 tackles in the backfield. He missed a good part of the 2013 season after being injured in an automobile accident three games into the year.
The Tigers experience drops even more after Watkins. Redshirt sophomore Scott Pagano (6-3, 295) has a ton of potential, but he played in just four games last season. Roderick Byers (6-3, 290), who played in six games as a fullback / H-Back last year, has very limited experience as well on the defensive line.
True freshmen Albert Huggins (6-3, 280), who is also cross-training at defensive end, and Christian Wilkins (6-5, 305) are also expected to help out with depth. Both were highly recruited defensive linemen with Wilkins earning a five-star rating and Huggins a four-star. Huggins participated in spring drills after enrolling in January.
STRENGTHS: Everyone on this depth chart is big, strong, and quick, and has the potential to be an All-ACC performer.
WEAKNESSES: There isn’t much experience, and that could be problematic when the Tigers face a veteran offensive line that is equally as talented, lines such as Notre Dame’s and Georgia Tech’s come to mind.
BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Carlos Watkins. I remember Dan Brooks telling me last year that before Watkins got injured in 2013, he was perhaps the most talented defensive tackle he had in the whole bunch. They wanted to bring him back slowly last year so he could get used to doing things again and that seemed to pay off. In the spring, we were hearing Watkins was flying to the football and causing issues all over the place. I think this is the year we see Watkins step out and be the all-star they think he can be.
NEXT: Special Teams