Clemson Turns Attention To 2020 Season Prep

Dabo Swinney said Wednesday that Clemson football will start "All-in" drills Feb. 12 and spring practice Feb. 26. The annual spring game is scheduled for April 4, so there's little time off after the longest season in school history.

Clemson wrapped up the longest season in school history about three weeks ago.

That 2019 campaign started in August. Preparation for 2020 gets started Feb. 12 with “All-in” drills. Then spring practice begins Feb. 26 and ends April 4 with the annual Orange and White spring game.

Whew. That’s not much rest for the Tigers.

“It’s kind of become our norm,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said during his National Signing Day press conference Wednesday. “We’re the last off (the field in January) and I don’t know if anybody is starting before (Feb. 26), but if we’re not the first we’re one of the first back on the field.

“I love that. We’re very blessed that we’ve had a lot of time to keep practicing, stay in basically football shape when you go as far as we did.”

The results speak for themselves. Despite a loss to LSU in the national championship game last month, Clemson has been to the title game four times and the College Football Playoff five times since the 2015 season.

This year, Swinney is excited about starting anew with another talented group. He acknowledged the roster could still change post-spring if some players decide to transfer after April 4.

But Clemson heads into this development phase with 42 juniors and seniors and 78 freshmen and sophomores.

Clemson brought in 15 early enrollees during practice for the LSU game, so all of them will go through spring drills.

“We’ve got a lot of guys eager to get at it,” Swinney said. “And that’s what we’re going to do.”

Some veterans who won’t be as readily available because of health issues include rising senior DT Nyles Pinckney, who’s rehabbing an ankle injury he suffered late last season.

Swinney said he’ll know more about his rehab schedule in a few weeks. He missed all of last spring with an injury as well.

Rising sophomore cornerback Andrew Booth had to have a knee cleaned up, Swinney said, after the season. Swinney said Booth played through it last fall, but he’ll be back to full strength at some point this spring.

Swinney said offensive lineman Blake Vinson, who suffered a patella injury last fall might not be “cut loose” to scrimmage in spring ball, but he thinks Vinson will get “significant football work” in practice.

“Hopefully he’ll be able to get back into the groove of football,” Swinney said. “We’re hopeful.”