Monday Morning Reset: Clemson Roster Changes, Watson Mad, Hoops Hiatus
Well, the first week of no Clemson football was quite hectic.
Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Amari Rodgers, Jackson Carman and Cornell Powell all said goodbye. James Skalski and Darien Rencher said they're coming back, and Clemson men's basketball coach Brad Brownell said his team had to take a hiatus because of COVID-19.
Here's a look back at the top headlines from last week:
Tigers focus on roster management
Lawrence won't get past Jaguars, according to NFL analyst
Dabo Swinney signs another star-studded class
Brent Venables is struggling against elite offenses
Deshaun Watson could play hardball with Texans
What will this week hold? Clemson football will still likely be a major focus once again, but it won't be the only story. Here are five things to keep an eye on:
1. Who's next?: Not all of the football team's decisions have been made. Swinney and his staff are still awaiting word from junior cornerback Derion Kendrick, senior safety Nolan Turner, junior defensive end Xavier Thomas and injured receiver Justyn Ross on if they'll be back in 2021. The date to declare for the NFL draft is a week from Monday's national championship game.
2. When will men's basketball play again?: The Tigers already postponed last Saturday's game at North Carolina and Tuesday's contest at Syracuse. According to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, Brownell hopes the temporary pause will end and the team will begin practice again. Clemson (9-1, 3-1 ACC), off to a great start, is scheduled to host Virginia on Saturday, and maybe some postponement dates will be announced.
3. It's getting hot in Houston: The Texans' offseason was never going to be boring after finishing 4-12 and needing to replace their head coach and general manager, but after the latter position was filled, it greatly upset former Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, and now the star could force his way out of Houston. It's likely to get a lot uglier before this conflict is resolved, and it's hard to blame Watson for wanting out.
4. Olympic sports are back: For the first time since mid-November, sports other than football or basketball are happening again. Women's track & field competed this past Saturday, while both tennis teams and the men's golf team led by legendary coach Larry Penley in his 38th season plays in the Camp Creek Seminole Invitational this weekend.
5. Transfer portal: Clemson SI took a look at Dabo Swinney's stance on accepting transfers into the program, but the NCAA's portal never stops. Clemson lost Nyles Pinckney and Jordan Williams to the portal last week, and there could be other names looking to enter this week. However, the NCAA announced over the weekend that it has tabled the idea of allowing a free one-time transfer to football players, which could slow down decisions for non-graduates.
