As second-ranked Clemson gets closer to its season-opening tussle down on the Plains in Auburn, Alabama, the Tigers are still trying to get a feel on who will be their starting cornerback on the boundary side of the field.

If the two teams were playing tomorrow, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says the starter will be either Mark Fields or Ryan Carter.

“Just battling with Mark and Ryan Carter and we’re trying to work (Marcus) Edmond back in there as well,” Swinney said. “Trayvon (Mullen) is a guy that has really competed well. I thought he had a really good day today.

“Probably going in, it will probably be Mark or Carter, right now. We still have two more weeks of practice, prep, game planning, detailing and all of that type of stuff. We will see who ends up starting the game, but I think both of those guys will play a lot.”

Swinney would like to see Fields show a little more consistency in practice if the sophomore is to beat out Carter for the starting job.

“It’s details and consistency with his technique, and he has to go do it on the game field,” the Clemson coach said. “I think that is the next step. I think Carter is a guy that has been around. He is a veteran guy and he has played a lot. He has some confidence to him. He is a much more mature football player than he has ever been, and that he should be.

“I think that is going to be a battle that will kind of continue on.”

So what is the next step for Fields?

“Going in and doing it in games on a consistent basis,” Swinney said. “He is going to get that opportunity because he has earned it.”

Carter and Fields both played last season. Carter, a redshirt junior, played in 14 games and started two, while recording 20 tackles and breaking up two passes.

Fields played sparingly in 13 games last year, and only recorded three tackles.

Swinney said both players are similar in the sense they are both physical players. However, Fields (5-10, 195) is an inch taller and weighs 20 pounds more than Carter (5-9, 175).

“Mark might be a little faster, long speed, while Carter is pretty explosive in the lateral movement. I think Carter, right now, is a little bit better tackler. But, again, he is a little more confident in some of those things,” Swinney said. “He has played a lot. He has played nickel, dime, he has played safety. He has played a lot of ball. You don’t really realize it, but he has been exposed to a lot more.

“I’m very pleased with Mark. I think Mark has done a great job and I think we are in good shape. I think those guys are going to have a great year. I really do.”

Swinney says his corners are going to a good job this season, and he said when we all look back at the end of the year we will all see what a good year they had.