By Hale McGranahan.

For Clemson recruitniks, the excitement that usually accompanies the month of January has been been relatively non-existent.

Aside from the flip by Juwan Briscoe, occasional question about the status of Ray Ray McCloud and pursuit of Albert Huggins and Christian Wilkins, it’s been a quiet close to the 2015 recruiting cycle. There are a couple of reasons why, for the most part, it’s been pretty tame for the last couple of weeks.

First, the obvious: Clemson welcomed 15 of its signees onto campus last week when class began, leaving nine commitments scheduled to sign and fax letters of intent in February. Of the 24 pledges to the 2015 class, 22 were made before the Tigers played a single down of football during the 2014 season.

Because those 20-something guys already told Dabo Swinney they wanted to play football at Clemson, there are a limited amount of spots still available.

Just how little space is available? Even if Clemson misses out on Mark Fields and Denzel Johnson all 85 scholarship spots for this fall are already accounted for, assuming the remaining commitments enroll this summer and none of the players already on the team don’t leave school early.

But, less than three weeks before Signing Day, things are about to heat back up. Thursday marks the opening of the contact period, which runs through the end of the month. College coaches are now permitted to conduct off campus visits and evaluations and host prospects on campus for official and unofficial visits.

Before Clemson’s official visit weekend kicks off on Friday, the staff will hit the road to see some of their most coveted prospects.

Dabo Swinney and Mike Reed will head to the Charlotte area on Thursday for an in-home visit with Tanner Muse. Though TCI has not confirmed, it’s probably safe to assume that Reed will make a stop by Hough High School on Thursday or Friday to see Fields, who’s scheduled to take his official to Clemson this weekend.

Tony Elliott will head down to Tampa, Florida to see Deon Cain and Ray Ray McCloud. Cain will take his official visit to Clemson this weekend. McCloud, who was once thought to be a mid-year enrollee, took his official visit to Clemson in the fall.

One of the first stops for Brent Venables will be AC Flora High School in Columbia to see Johnson, who could be poised for an uptick in recruiting interest over the next couple of weeks. Johnson told TCI on Wednesday that he was hoping to wait until Signing Day before announcing his decision.

Venables is also expected to head up to Virginia on Thursday for a stop by Benedictine School in Richmond, Virginia, to check in on Clelin Ferrell.

Clemson’s newest addition to the staff, quarterback coach Brandon Streeter, will head to Jonesboro High School in Georgia on Friday to see Zerrick Cooper. Another 2016 commitment, J.C. Chalk, is expecting to see Danny Pearman on Tuesday.

Per NCAA rules, coaches are permitted to have six in-person, off-campus contacts before the end of the month. Until then, TCI will continue to track where the Clemson staff is headed. It should be a fun ride, even if there aren’t many twists and turns.