Elliott looking for 'quality depth'

The coaching staff is still pushing the 2019 team to show that there is no drop-off, regardless of who is on the field.

CLEMSON — The time for playing games, figuratively, has come and gone for the 2019 Clemson Tigers. Now, the time has come to prepare for their opening game of the season against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

But even though the camp portion of practice has ended, the time for building the team is still an ongoing process. And the coaching staff is still pushing the 2019 team to show that there is no drop-off, regardless of who is on the field.

"One thing we pride ourselves on in the past is having quality depth, and it can't drop off," co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Tony Elliott said. "It doesn't matter if you're the first one to run out there or the second one. The standard is the same."

One area in which the Tigers are trying to build that "quality depth" is, first, at the running back position, where — after starting running back Travis Etienne and backup running back Lyn-J Dixon — Elliott is still looking for a third-string back. 

"(I'm) trying to figure that out," he said. "The young guys (Chez Mellusi and Michel  Dukes), I think they came in and started fast, and then they're realizing what college football is all about. They were into that second week of camp, and a lot of live snaps and the installation hadn't stopped. Things were starting to pile up."

Even with three-star Dukes and four-star Mellusi eager to take the reigns of the No. 3 spot, a relatively unknown player, Darian Rencher, has seemingly caught Elliott's eye.

Rencher, originally a walk-on who enters 2019 having recorded 24 carries for 103 yards in 10 career games, is also competing for the coveted spot.

"I tell you what, I've been pleased with Rencher," Elliott said. "Rencher's a guy that he just has to accept his role and understand that when he goes in there, just be yourself. You've seen flashes of him making some plays. He's a very, very reliable guy. Very trustworthy in pass protection. The biggest thing for him is just trying not to do too much, play within his game, and he'll have a chance to compete for that spot."

The second place where the Tigers are hoping to build some depth is at the tight end position.

After the departure of Garrett Williams for the military, the suspension of Braden Galloway after he tested positive for a banned substance before the playoffs last season and an injury to true freshman Davis Allen that kept him sidelined for fall camp, Elliott is pleased with the progress that true freshman Jaelyn Lay, who went through spring practice, and Luke Price, who transitioned to tight end during the 2019 offseason, have made this fall.

"I tell you what, I've been really pleased with Jaelyn," Elliott said. "You know, Jaelyn is a completely different guy from the spring. You can tell now that he's a lot more confident. He's catching the ball well. He's started to understand all of the different fits in the run game. So, I've been really impressed with him this camp. Luke Price is a guy that can fill a role for us at that position. He's caught the ball really well this fall camp."

Even though, with less than a week remaining before the Tigers' opening game, decisions have to be made about who will play, who will redshirt — and who will play but still redshirt as a result of the new redshirt rules implemented last season — Elliott is keeping his focus solely on who can help the Tigers this season.

"Me personally, I haven't been a guy that looks ahead to next season," Elliott said. "We got to focus on what's best for this team because we're not guaranteed next season. I know, especially at my position, I'm looking at what's the need? Is the guy ready? Then, what's best for him in his future? ... But I'm not going to give it very much consideration going forward. It's really on this year's team. Can they help us now?"

Carman's standout fall 

Offensive lineman Jackson Carman, a sophomore, who saw action as a reserve left tackle in 2018 and enters 2019 having played 209 snaps over 13 career games, drew the praise of Elliott when asked which offensive lineman helped himself the most during fall camp.

"Jackson Carman. No doubt Jackson Carman. I mean, Jackson Carman was a guy that we knew coming in the door had physically the gifts — had to grow up and mature a little bit. He kind of went through that spell early on when he got here, but he's a completely different guy. Highly, highly intelligent. Very smart football player, and now it looks like he's bought into the way we operate here and that's what it is. When you buy-in, then you have a chance to be successful, and he's really, really helped himself."

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