With Clemson missing some of its more veteran offensive linemen this spring as they recover from offseason procedures, the young bucks are getting plenty of work.

Redshirt freshmen Mason Wade and Ronan O’Connell took first-team reps on Monday, with true freshmen Brayden Jacobs, Gavin Blanchard, Rowan Byrne and Easton Ware working with the second group.

“Up front, those guys have gotten a ton of reps, those new o-linemen,” offensive coordinator Garrett Riley said after Monday’s practice. “They’ve gotten a million reps already, which is awesome.”

The way the underclassmen have responded has impressed the Tigers’ third-year offensive coordinator.

“Really all of those guys have stood out to me,” Riley added. “I have been kind of impressed with the grind they are in right now. Have they messed up? Of course. But they are a hungry young group.”

Clemson’s offensive line took a huge jump in Matt Luke’s first year leading the group. While the Tigers do return four starters up front, with some of those either out or limited this spring, it’s allowed Luke to give some of the younger players reps they likely wouldn’t have otherwise gotten.

Giving the youngsters those kinds of opportunities will not only help Clemson build some functional depth with second and even third-team players, but it also gives those guys some valuable experience that will ultimately pay off down the line.

“Early on, we are throwing a lot at them,” Riley said. They are getting a ton of reps right now. So, I think just handling the daily grind of it here early, and you’re getting a big sample size, that alone to me is a good sign. That these guys can handle it. They can grind through it. I have seen physicality with every single one of them. I don’t see a ton of timidness, like hesitation you would see from young o-linemen, where their head is spinning and everything is just going fast for them.”