4 Things We Learned: Observations From Clemson's First Full Pads Practice

Here are the four things that stood out to us, as the 2021 Clemson Tigers put on the pads for the first time.

The Clemson Tigers were in full pads for the first time during fall camp. And even though it was a special teams and instruction-heavy media session, there were still some key takeaways.

The Tigers have turned the page:

As Dabo Swinney alluded to Wednesday night, the Tigers have really started camp now that full pads are on.

Swinney gathered the team before the start of practice and told them, "Football is not played in shorts and helmets, it is played with pads on.” He added that the time for talk is over and the outside noise about the UGA game is just that...noise. He also stated that this is the time to not just "talk about it, but be about it."

Tackling is a priority:

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables followed Swinney with about a ten-minute explanation of how to tackle and the rules surrounding the targeting rule, tackling the quarterback and the importance of "seeing what you hit."

This is a priority every year, but after the ejections of linebacker James Skalski the last two years in the playoffs there is a sense of urgency surrounding the proper way to tackle.

WRs get an upgrade:

After spending the first four practices in yellow jerseys, wide receivers Troy Stellato and Beau Collins were upgraded to green and went through all of the non-contact drills with the team.

Eyes on Ladson:

In total there were at least 10 NFL teams in attendance, but the Eagles and the Titans were focused on one player—Frank Ladson.

While the team was doing special teams work, Ladson was working on the sidelines and the scouts from those two teams filling up their respective notebooks as he worked.