By Will Vandervort.
Midway through last week, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney learned he will be without right tackle Joe Gore for at least two games, including this coming Saturday’s game against Louisville, after the redshirt junior had surgery for appendicitis.
On Sunday, he learned he will now be without the services of reserve center Jay Guillermo, who is expected to miss the next three to five weeks after breaking his foot in Clemson’s 41-0 victory over NC State on Saturday.
Swinney said in his Sunday teleconference that the injury is the same one cornerback Garry Peters suffered last year which forced him to miss two games.
“Obviously, (Peters) is a lighter guy than Guillermo, but hopefully we will get him back sooner rather than later,” the Tigers’ head coach said.
But it will not be this coming week against the Cardinals, which means Reid Webster, who Swinney has classified as the “Jack of all trades,” earlier this year will move to backup center behind Ryan Norton. He will still have to play some at right guard with Gore and Kalon Davis over at right tackle, but when the second team needs to work he will be out there snapping the ball.
“Reid is a starter for us so from a practice standpoint we will be a little challenged because obviously Reid can’t get all the ones and then go get all the twos at center and get all those snaps. He can’t take that many reps in practice and be ready to go on game day,” Swinney said. “So we have to be smart there.”
Tyrone Crowder will play the backup right guard position when Webster is at center. He could also see some time at center as well.
“Crowder has to play a little better. He did just okay yesterday,” Swinney said. “He got significant snaps and he is a guy that needs to play a little better for us. I think the more experience he gets, he will, but I think the game is a little too fast for him right now, but we are going to keep bringing him along.”
Redshirt freshman Zach Riggs will also be moved up and will get some work at the center position.
“He is a guy we think in time – and we don’t think he is ready to be a great player right now – he has a chance to be a good solid center for us,” Swinney said.
As for the injuries at weakside linebacker, where Tony Steward as a hamstring injury and Ben Boulware has a concussion, Swinney believes they will be okay this week. Though it is day-to-day, he feels Steward will be ready to play next Saturday and of course Boulware will have to be cleared before he is expected to play.
If Boulware and Steward cannot go, then Kellen Jones will get the start or be the backup at the weakside position. B.J. Goodson, who Swinney says is getting better and better each week will be the backup middle backer as well as work the strong side of the field.
Backup Quarterback Cole Stoudt has an AC join sprain in his left (non-throwing) shoulder and will be expected to play on Saturday. They hope to get cornerback Martin Jenkins back this week, while wide receiver Charone Peake will be day-to-day as he still tries to get back after having inflammation in his surgically prepared knee the last two weeks.
The Louisville at Clemson game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will be televised by ESPNU.