Swinney Confident In Inexperienced Secondary

With so many departures in the Clemson secondary headed into 2020, Dabo Swinney will have to rely on some inexperienced players to step into those roles. However, the Tigers head coach loves the talent he has to work with.

Last season, one of the strengths of the Clemson defense was the secondary. The Tigers finished the season with the nation's fourth best pass defense, allowing just 172.3 yards per game. 

However, the Tigers lost both starting safeties, one of its backup safeties, as well as a starting corner. If they are to get that same kind of production in 2020, some of the younger players will have to step up. 

With spring practice well underway, head coach Dabo Swinney isn't overly concerned. While some of the more inexperienced players still have plenty to learn, he is extremely confident in their abilities.  

"I love our guys on the back end," Swinney said. "I think it's exciting. The safeties have a lot to learn. Just little things. Angles, and eyes on the right things, but we got the right guys, and that's all I can tell you. I think we hit on every one of those guys that we've signed. Every single one of them. Super encouraged."

Among the candidates for substantial roles at safety are a slew of second year players. Despite the inexperience, after a year in the system, Swinney has seen enough to know the ceiling is high at the position. 

"Lannden (Zanders) is, I think, going to be special," Swinney said. "Joseph Charleston, he's a big time talent. Ray Thornton has probably flashed as much as anybody this spring. Really impressed with what I've seen in Ray Thornton. Jalyn Phillips is a guy that brings a lot to the table as far as diversity with his play. So really encouraged."

Swinney has also liked what he has seen from the freshmen safeties early on. He says it's a solid group, and with more depth than the Tigers have had in the last couple of seasons.

"Obviously Mickens and Venables just got here, but you notice them," Swinney said. "It's easy to notice them. Elijah Turner, then we moved Ben Batson over there. We've got a really good group of guys, deep. A lot of special teams bodies."

At cornerback, Swinney says while they have been a little short on bodies so far, he is just as pleased with what they have there. It has also given some of the younger guys more opportunities, and they have taken advantage of them.

"And then corner has been the one position," Swinney said, "we're a little thin just with practice guys right now. We've got good guys, but hey, Fred (Davis), he's taken advantage of every rep he gets."

One of the injured corners is rising sophomore Andrew Booth Jr. Swinney is extremely confident that once he is fully healthy, he will be a player that they can r,come to rely on.

"So Booth's getting worked back into a little higher tempo," Swinney said. "So I'm super encouraged about that. He feels good. He got enough experience throughout last season, that when he gets back out there, especially just feeling a little bit better, I think he's going to do well."

Once everyone is healthy, Swinney thinks the sky is the limit for his secondary. And while there may be some inexperience, it is still a very talented secondary.

"So, it's a good group, man," Swinney said. "We've got a bunch of good guys and we'll get everybody healthy and we'll have a chance to a pretty special group. DK's doing a nice job."