Ask TCI
By: rmacrae@bellsouth.net August 2, 2015

It is 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 long before Cannon Smith is moved to tackle?

TCI:  If you have read some of the comments on The Rock over the past few weeks you know we have metnioned that as a possibility.  It will ultimately depend on how comfortable the staff is with the development of the other young tackles.  With the loss of Battle there are obviously some questions at tackle.

Smith got some good reviews from the staff during the spring at tight end where he got significant snaps due to all of the injuries and McCullough’s suspension.

If the staff decides to make the move we will likely hear about it during camp.

Question: Obviously the most important position to keep healthy on offense is Deshaun Watson and on defense probably Mac Alexander. With the exception of these two who is the one player that we cannot afford to lose?

TCI:  With the loss of Isaish Battle we would have to say the other player the Tigers can’t afford to lose is Joe Gore.  The depth issues and experience at tackle has been well documented.

Gore is ready to make that step to becoming a very dependable tackle.  The team needs him to do just that this season.  If Gore went down with injury it would be a huge loss this season.

Question: Which player from the second and third string do you see making the biggest jump and being a starter by the time we are in the playoffs?
 
TCI:  There are a number of guys that will likely start out on the second team but end up starters by the end of the season.  One name some may not expect is true freshman Mark Fields.  Fields will be hard to keep off the field at corner.
Flipping Fields from South Carolina will prove to be a great thing for the Tigers going forward and a bad thing for the team in the middle of the state.  Fields could also see time on returns due to his excellent speed.
We expect him to have a great chance to be starting opposite of Alexander by the end of the season.

Question – Any sense from the coaches on how the 2016 recruiting looks from their inside perspective? Are they smiling inside or playing a good poker face?

TCI – The staff is very pleased with the 2016, especially after such a strong 2015 class.  The 2016 class won’t be ranked as highly because it is smaller, but the staff is doing a great job of filling the top needs for the class.  The linebacker class is outstanding and that was one of the big needs for 2016.

Now there is a long way to go until National Signing Day so there is still plenty of work to do.  The opinions of the class will be different if Feaster, Cooper or others sign elsewhere.

Questions – Any word on Lakip and his prep or situation? Does it look likely he will be back? 

TCI – Coach Swinney has already decided the punishment for Lakip and told Ammon how long his suspension will be.  The punishment will be announced once Lakip is back in school later this month.

So yes, unless something changes he will be back.  The only question is how many games he will miss.

Question – Will Clemson be able to increase the pay out to players to try and keep up with the secheaters. How long will this take for us to up the payout? Thanks.

TCI – If you saw our reporting earlier this week you know that Alabama has already changed their COA for the original amount.  We checked with Clemson this week to see if there were any plans to change the amount they will provide this season.  The answer we received was no, the amount has not changed for the Tigers.

Clemson feels they are positioned okay right now.

We expect to see changes from a number of schools as this moves forward.  At some point Clemson may need to react.  One thing to keep in mind is that the Miscellaneous amount has to be the same for the athletes as it is for the other students that get that amount.

Question – Knowing what you have heard from Feaster, do you get the sense he really is wavering on the Tennessee vs Clemson front and the only reason he is still saying Clemson is due to his mom? 

TCI – We got a lot of information on Feaster this week.  We will likely have more in Monday’s Insider Report.

For now we will just say that Feaster told Hale Wednesday that he is still committed to Clemson, but the Clemson staff has some work to do to keep his commitment firm.

Question – With the crowded RB spot is fuller a likely candidate to move to DB, also with Feaster coming in Gallman, Dye and Choice coming back(isn’t Brooks graduating) will there be enough carries to keep everyone happy?

TCI – We haven’t heard of any moves at this time.  We do believe that Fuller still could end up moving to defensive back at some point.  As you mentioned once Choice is back at 100 percent and if Feaster does sign with the Tigers the backfield will be very crowded next season.

It will be difficult to keep everyone happy next season if Feaster is on the roster.  Some of the guys that will see significant carries this year, will see that number cut dramatically in 2016.  That will be a great problem for the staff to have however.

Brooks will have another season of eligibility left for 2016, but as you said he should be a graduate by that time.  If so he could transfer if he decided to without having to sit out a year.