With Tanner Muse and Isaiah Simmons announcing on Monday they will return to Clemson to play one more season, we can now turn our attention to next year, sort of.
Granted, like anywhere, there might be a player or two that could transfer to another school, and the tight end situation at Clemson is still very much up in the air.
Starter Garrett Williams said it will be a few more weeks before he decides on whether he will leave the program to purpose a career in the military or come back for his senior season. He is still torn on what to do. Williams has already graduated from Clemson.
The Tigers, who are just a week removed from winning their second national championship in three years, are hopeful the appeal of Braden Galloway will be overturned. Galloway, along with offensive lineman Zach Giella, is facing a year long suspension for failing a drug test that tested positive for a performance enhancing drug called Ostarine.
Clemson and the two players deny they took anything to their knowledge that would have caused a positive result. Clemson is still investigating what the two could have taken to cause the PED—which was a very low reading—to come up in their system.
So, what could the Tigers look like when they begin spring practice?
The offense returns nine players who started at least half the season last year, including National Championship MVP Trevor Lawrence at quarterback and ACC Player of the Year Travis Etienne at running back.
The Tigers also return four starters on the offensive line as well as Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross and Amari Rodgers at wide receiver.
On the defensive side, the Tigers lose all four of their down linemen, which was expected, as well as linebackers Tre Lamar and Kendall Joseph. However, Clemson is still loaded with talent up front and will be led by future superstar defensive end Xavier Thomas. Nyles Pinckney and Jordan Williams should be the starters in the middle, with talented players behind them.
At linebacker Shaq Smith is ready to step in for Joseph while Chad Smith and Jamie Skalski will battle it out for the starting spot at middle linebacker.
Simmons returns to the SAM/nickel spot. He is perhaps the best athlete on the entire team. Simmons led the Tigers in tackles last year with 89.
Muse and fellow senior K’Von Wallace will start at the two safety spots, while A.J. Terrell is back at cornerback. With those four back, plus experience players in Nolan Turner, Denzel Johnson and Kyler McMichael, Clemson should be in good shape on the back end of Brent Venables defense.
Projected two-deep spring depth chart
OFFENSE
LT: Jackson Carman
Blake Vinson
LG: John Simpson
Matt Bockhorst
C: Gage Cervenka
Cade Stewart
RG: Sean Pollard
Cade Stewart
RT: Tremayne Anchrum
Chandler Reeves
TE: J.C. Chalk
HB: Garrett Williams
WR (boundary): Tee Higgins
Justyn Ross
QB: Trevor Lawrence
Chase Brice
RB: Travis Etienne
Tavien Feaster
WR (Slot): Derion Kendrick
T.J. Chase
WR (Field): Amari Rodgers
Cornell Powell
DEFENSE
DE: Justin Foster
K.J. Henry
DT: Nyles Pinckney
Darnell Jefferies
DT: Jordan Williams
Xavier Kelly
DE: Xavier Thomas
Logan Rudolph or Justin Mascoll
SAM: Isaiah Simmons
Mike Jones
MLB: Chad Smith
James Skalski
WLB: Shaq Smith
Baylon Spector
CB (boundary): A.J. Terrell
Mario Goodrich
SS: K’Von Wallace
Nolan Turner
FS: Tanner Muse
Denzel Johnson
CB (field): Kyler McMichael
LeAnthony Williams
Note: Bold indicates projected starter