While other players might have had a more relaxing spring break, Clemson cornerback Trayvon Mullen was working.

The sophomore said he went back to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., his hometown, over the break and continued to stay in practice mode as he worked out every day while on break. The hard work paid off because he was ready to perform when the Tigers got back to work on Monday, while some of his teammates were dragging a little bit.

“Everybody was not so fresh, but I think everybody knew what to do,” Mullen said after Monday’s practice. “We will come back and get after on Wednesday.”

“It is really up to you. It is just on if you have been working over spring break or not,” he continued.

For Mullen he worked out and thus stayed in practice mode. This is a big year for the 6-foot-2, 185-pound corner as he tries to become the Tigers’ new starter on the boundary side of the field.

“Just going back to last year with me working, playing hard and learning the system, I felt like coming into this spring I would be more prepared and ready to take advantage of the opportunity to get to go out there and play,” he said.

Mullen has worked his way into playing with the ones the majority of the time this spring on the boundary, though the battle between himself, Ryan Carter, Mark Fields and K’Von Wallace is far from being settled.

“I know the system. It helps having that edge and knowing what to do so you can play fast,” Mullen said. “I’m working on my press technique, staying square and working on the fundamentals and my positioning with the receiver.”

The sophomore says he has worked a lot on his one-on-one drills in man coverage. He said he is able to focus more on those things because he has a better understanding of the principals of the coverages they are in, what position he is supposed to be in and what leverage he is supposed to have and the technique he is supposed to use.

“Personally, I feel like you have to be physical. You have to be aggressive,” Mullen said about playing boundary corner. “I feel like more action happens in the boundary. I feel like you have to be able to tackle and be physical. You have to be aggressive and just be able to play.”

And he also has to be ready, and considering how he spent his spring break, that is not an issue for Mullen.

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