Clemson Tigers Defensive Tackles Coach Sees Younger Players 'Elevating the Room'

On the Clemson Tigers’ defensive line, players like Peter Woods and DeMonte Capehart can serve as gamewreckers over the course of the game.

While the performances of the players on the line have stood out at times, associate head coach and Clemson’s defensive tackles coach, Nick Eason, says the production is coming from the competition below them, saying that the depth in the room is at a premium.

“There’s not a lot of drop in our depth,” Eason said on Tuesday. “When you have depth and when you have competition, it really elevates the room, and that’s why at defensive tackle, specifically, and at defensive end, guys have been playing really well. Because, if you don’t, there’s somebody behind you that can step in and take your place very quickly.”

This is where redshirt sophomore Stephiylan Green comes in, being a co-starter in Clemson’s loss to LSU in the opening week. Green finished with five tackles, propelling him into another co-start against Troy last week.

Eason says that he has focused on the finer details in his game, making a jump during this past offseason to see more time on the field.

“Just really proud of him,” he said. “He’s played some really high-level football. There’s always room for improvement, and it’s important that we stay hungry and humble as we strive for greatness.”

It’s not just Green that is making the room more competitive, it’s the entire unit. Freshman Amare Adams, who was a five-star recruit and the top prospect from the state of South Carolina last year, according to 247Sports, has improved the floor of the defensive tackles.

“He looks the part, and he works hard each and every day. But, he’s got to continue to develop and continue to know what to do, and that’s my job to get him ready as a coach and whatever that takes. Whether that means extra time after practice, extra meeting time and just doing the things necessary to make him an elite player that we expect him to be.

Eason says that it’s everybody who’s improving the room, not just the two standouts.

“Everybody talks about Peter Woods. They talk about Capehart, but that’s a testament to having guys like Stephylan Green, Amare Adams, Makhi Williams-Lee, Hevin Brown-Shuler and those younger guys, they elevate the room.”

The philosophy comes from Eason’s time in the NFL. Seeing time with the Tennessee Titans, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns, as well as being a player in the league, Eason constantly saw draft picks being selected at the same position to instantly install competition.

He has taken that to Clemson’s room, speaking about it since the freshmen entered the program on the first day.

“That’s one of the things I talk about when they first get here,” Eason said. “‘Hey, we are all going to be brothers outside this room, but when you step on this field, it’s your job to take that guy's position. You've got to create that environment and create that level of competition.’”

That defensive line will be on display at a premium as the Tigers face Georgia Tech in the team’s first away game this season. With the Yellow Jackets using a hard-nosed run offense to find success, it will be important for the unit to win in the trenches.

Kickoff is at noon from Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.