5 Clemson Storylines as Orange Bowl Prep Begins

Clemson kicks off its preparation for the Dec. 30 Orange Bowl on Tuesday afternoon.

The No. 7 Tigers (11-2) take on the No. 6 Tennessee (10-2) at Hard Rock Stadium on that Friday at 8 p.m.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney will meet with the media on Tuesday, as will select players. With much to accomplish this month, here are five Clemson storylines to follow:

1. New QB: With DJ Uiagalelei getting benched in the ACC Championship Game and then entering the NCAA transfer portal, this is now true freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik's team. He had a great performance against UNC, but now the opponent has film and three weeks to prepare. But there should be a different vibe at practice Tuesday. It'll be interesting to see how the offense responds to him and how he leads.

Klubnik looked very comfortable against the Tar Heels but not as much against Syracuse and Notre Dame. He had thrown just 22 career passes before tossing 24 in Charlotte earlier this month, so it's not a given that he's going to replicate his previous outing. However, it's a transition that likely needed to happen earlier, and now the Tigers can move forward with Klubnik taking control of the offense and seeing where it goes.

2. Team attrition: This isn't your grandpa's college football. Or your dad's. Or yours. Or maybe not even a young child's. It depends on when they were born. This new era of the game requires two specific questions of all players, whether or not they're eligible for the NFL draft or have three years remaining: "Are you going to be here next season and are you playing in the bowl game?" It's a harsh reality of the game for some to understand. With the NCAA transfer portal and NIL opportunities abound, it has to be asked, and players shouldn't be offended by it.

So don't get frustrated if every player the Tigers trot out in front of the media this month has to answer it. That's just part of the game now. Who Clemson loses to the pros. who still might enter the portal and who could opt out of the bowl game will be big stories from now until all of those windows close.

3. Instant additions: The Tigers won't just be losing players this month (nine are already in the portal). They'll actually gain many as well. College football's early signing period begins Dec. 21. Clemson has 23 commitments for the 2023 recruiting class at this time. Many of them will sign next week, and possibly a dozen new faces will arrive on campus as early enrollees this month. They won't be eligible to compete until next season, but they'll get an early taste of Clemson football.

Incoming quarterback Chris Vizzina will be one of the most heralded names, and we'll see if he can compete with Klubnik in the spring and fall of 2023. Swinney will speak with the media next week after much of the class is delivered next Wednesday. It's still taking some time to get used to, but early signing day is one of the most important ones on the calendar, including in the wild month of December.

4. Vaunted Vols: Swinney has already talked up Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel and the high-scoring Vols offense in a couple of bowl press conferences, but the questions will continue to roll in about how the Tigers plan on trying to contain a scoring attack ranked No. 1 nationally. Now, it won't be the same offense since QB Hendon Hooker is out with a knee injury and Cedric Tillman opting out of the bowl game, but there are key pieces still on the roster.

Don't sleep on the run game. The Vols rank 25th nationally in yards per carry, and their big offensive line is a great matchup for Clemson's defensive front. The Tigers have to believe they'll score some points with Klubnik at the helm and the UT defense being ranked 85th in yards allowed per game. This will be a motivated team with an excited fan base, though, as the Vols haven't played in a big-time bowl game in nearly two decades.

5. Growing up: One of the perks of extending a season and playing in a bowl game is to get the younger players, especially those who haven't seen a ton of action during the regular season, more work in practice and potentially increased playing time in the final game of the year. It can be a springboard for some guys to get reps and prepare to play.

For Clemson, it's a great opportunity to look into the future. Not only did Klubnik shine in the ACC title game, but so did true freshman Cole Turner, who's set to redshirt but can play another game this year while saving his eligibility. Turner was the first Clemson receiver to record 100 yards in a game in 2022. Clemson might also want to involve freshman WR Adam Randall more in the game plan, expand linebacker/safety Wade Woodaz's role and see if linebacker T.J. Dudley is ready for more snaps. Also, the Tigers get a better look in practice at offensive linemen Tristan Leigh and Collin Sadler as the coaching staff begins making personnel decisions and looks harder into the transfer portal.

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