When it comes to skill players, Clemson likely has more than any team in the country in 2019.
The Tigers will return the national championship game’s Most Valuable Player in quarterback Trevor Lawrence. They also bring back reigning ACC Player of the Year Travis Etienne and two of the fastest and more physical wide receivers in the country in Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross.
They also return running backs Tavien Feaster and Lyn-J Dixon, as well as wide receivers Amari Rodgers and Derion Kendrick. As if they needed them, they also brought in highly touted freshman receivers Joseph Ngata and Frank Ladson into the mix.
However, those are not the only positions where Clemson is in good shape. What a lot of people forget to talk about is the fact the Tigers also return four senior starters on the offensive line.
They’re not the sexy thing to talk about when describing the potential of Clemson’s offense, but they are perhaps the most important piece of it all.
“That is just the life of on an offensive lineman, I guess,” right guard Gage Cervenka said.
Cervenka is one of four seniors returning. All four have started for long stretches, including Cervenka who started the last nine games last season at guard. John Simpson will return to start at left guard, Tremayne Anchrum is back at right tackle and Sean Pollard, who has started at right tackle and guard in his career, will be the Tigers’ new starting center.
“If we are not getting yelled at and are kind of in the shadows, I guess that is a good thing,” Cervenka said. “If you are focusing on the offensive line, a lot of times it because they are not doing well. So, we are kind of doing are job and staying in the shadows. That is fine. We are out there and doing our thing and dominating the offensive line.”
The lone new starter on the offensive line is left tackle Jackson Carman, who backed up All-American Mitch Hyatt last year. The former 5-star talent from Fairfield, Ohio played in 13 games last season, while recording 209 snaps.
“I am very impressed with Jackson,” Cervenka said. “It was a little questionable how he was going to be coming in because he was the new guy of course. So, I did not know if he was going to be able to step into that kind of a role, but he has been phenomenal. I have been very proud of him and watched him as he has evolved as a player.
“I am very proud of what he is turning into. So, I am looking forward to seeing him play this season.”
Clemson will hold its first major scrimmage of the spring on Wednesday.
Move over Alabama, Clemson is the new King of College Football. In our new magazine “Little Ole Clemson”: The Best “Little” Dynasty Ever, we examine not just the 2018 team’s run to being “the best ever” but examine the last four seasons and how Dabo Swinney turned Clemson into the new dynasty of college football. We also take a look at the role former athletic director Terry Don Phillips played. We go behind the scenes at the Tigers’ run to a second national championship in three seasons and the previous three national championship runs. It also features stories on the Power Rangers, the 2018 senior class, high quality photos and much, much more.
We are pleased to announce that our latest magazine is ready for order. Get your order in today to make sure you get a copy of this collector’s edition.