FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — When Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney addresses the media this morning as part of the Capital One Orange Bowl Coaches Press Conference, I am sure these words will come out of his mouth, “Next man up.”
In case you have not heard, Swinney suspended three players from Thursday’s game against No. 4 Oklahoma. Tight end Jay McCullough, kicker Ammon Lakip and wide receiver Deon Cain were all escorted back to Clemson before practice on Tuesday. All three failed a drug test.
So who will be the next man up?
Kicker Greg Huegel obviously becomes the man at kicker. He is already the Tigers’ starting kicker, connecting on 22 of 25 field goals. Lakip, who was suspended early this year for three games after a June arrest for DUI and cocaine possession, has handled kickoffs since his return to the team, while recently handling extra points as well.
Lakip was 1-for-1 on field goal attempts and made all seven of his extra point attempt as well. Of his 73 kickoffs, 28 went for touchbacks, while 35 landed at the goal line.
Huegel has struggled with kickoffs as only four of his 22 kicks went for touchbacks and just 12 reached the goal line. The redshirt freshman has also struggled with extra points as he has missed five of his 54 attempts.
This is the second straight year McCullough has been suspended from the bowl game. He did not play in last year’s Russell Athletic Bowl due to a suspension for violation of team rules. He actually missed the last four games of the 2014 season because of the suspension.
This year the tight end was suspended for the season opener due to academic issues, but he played in the last 12 games, recording 98 snaps. In all, McCullough has played in 30 games in his Clemson career, while starting two. Though he did not catch a pass this season, he has 11 career receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown.
McCullough was a reserve tight end listed behind freshman Garrett Williams on the two-deep chart. Redshirt freshman Cannon Smith will move up to replace McCullough as an extra blocking tight end. Smith has played in all 13 games, though most of it as a special teams player. He has been a part of just 23 scrimmage snaps this year.
Perhaps the biggest loss of the three is Cain. The freshman, who has averaged 17.1 yards per catch, has really come on for the Tigers the last half of the season, while emerging as one of Deshaun Watson’s biggest deep threats. Cain caught 34 passes for 582 yards and scored five touchdowns. He had 67-yard receptions against Georgia Tech and Boston College, while catching a 55-yard touchdown pass against South Carolina.
This is the second time Cain has been suspended. He was suspended for the Miami game on Oct. 24 as well. He made the trip to the game that afternoon and dressed, but he did not play.
Who will replace Cain?
Trevion Thompson will fall in behind Charone Peake at the boundary wide receiver position to replace Cain. Thompson has just 10 catches for 115 yards this season, but his 24-yard reception against South Carolina on a key third down play allowed Clemson to clinch the win.
Germone Hopper will also move over and help in the boundary as well, which means Ray Ray McCloud will be Artavis Scott’s backup on the field side. Hopper will also be the backup receiver in the slot behind Hunter Renfrow.
Hopper has 21 catches for 317 yards and one touchdown, while McCloud has 26 catches for 238 yards and one touchdown as well.