Clemson is set to host the annual Orange and White scrimmage on Saturday.
The rosters won’t be split like they have been in years past. Instead, the offense will be on one side, with the defense on the other. The scoring system will also be different (see the photo at the bottom).
While some things will certainly be different with this year’s spring game, at the core, it’s still a football scrimmage, and this will be the last time the Tigers practice until fall camp starts later this summer.
5 Things to Watch For
1. New Look Defense: The Clemson defense was downright dreadful at times a season ago, and Tom Allen was brought in to fix those issues. Allen has talked about his desire to simplify things and get the Tigers back to doing the little things right.
Allen has frequently been heard on the mic telling this defense that they are going to be the best tackling team in the country, an area this group sorely lacked in a season ago. Saturday gives us our first look at just how much progress has been made, and with the teams not being split, we should get a pretty good idea of where things stand at this point. Some of that might depend on who plays and who doesn’t, as many are expected to sit this one out or play minimal reps.
2. Adam Randall’s Move to Running Back: Coaches and players have raved about Randall throughout the spring. Having so much experience at receiver should help ease the transition, and we all saw in Austin last year that Randall has some potential. However, there are still questions, with the biggest one being where Randall is with his pass protection. It’s a critical aspect of playing the position. Get that down, and Randall is likely to see the field plenty next season.
3. First Look at the Transfers: Dabo Swinney made three big moves in the portal over the offseason and all three players are expected to contribute, particularly Will Heldt. The former Purdue defensive end is expected to start opposite T.J. Parker and his presence provides an immediate injection of talent into a defensive end room that struggled at times last season. Heldt should not only help the pass rush but also the run defense, as the Tigers weren’t very good at getting the edge set in 2024.
Tristan Smith is another intriguing addition. While he isn’t expected to beat out T.J. Moore, he does give Cade Klubnik another weapon at his disposal on the outside. His length should come in extremely handy in the red zone.
And where does Jeremiah Alexander fit in? We should have more of an idea about the former five-star after Saturday.
4. Punting Competition: This is a job that is wide open. Jack Smith has patiently waited his turn the past three years and if he is going to win it, now is the time. He has been battling with Robert Gunn and Will McCune, a walk-on who started his career at Charleston Southern.
Whoever comes out as the winner has to be better than what the Tigers got last year. And if no one takes advantage of the opportunity, maybe the staff will look to the portal.
5. Alcohol Sales Come to Death Valley: Speaking of things that are going to be different for this spring game, this might be the biggest of them all. The news of alcohol sales coming to campus has no doubt been met with mixed reviews. Maybe Saturday will help ease the concerns some are having. Either way, it’s here.
