Scrimmage Report: Clemson Offense Gives Defense All it Can Handle
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CLEMSON, S.C. — The Clemson Tigers held their first scrimmage of the 2022 fall camp inside Memorial Stadium on Saturday, and it gave Dabo Swinney a different feel than some of his previous years with the program.
"Usually, this scrimmage is a day the defense owns the day," Swinney said following the seventh practice of fall camp. "That's kind of been my history. That's probably the way it's been. That wasn't the case today. Honestly, I kind of saw that coming. It was very competitive."
Despite facing one of the best defenses in college football this year, at least on paper, Clemson's offense was able to create several big plays during the closed scrimmage. Swinney said there was a "40-something-yard" run on a 4th-and-1 that the defense didn't contain.
"A lot on tape we can teach from and get better from," Swinney said. "A week from tomorrow we're boarding a bus for Atlanta. We aren't ready to play today but I really think we're headed in the right direction. There were a lot of positive things I feel really good about what I'm seeing in a lot of areas. This is a group that will compete."
This was one of just two full scrimmages the Tigers get before opening up against Georgia Tech on Sept. 5, so Swinney treated Saturday like a preseason game.
"That's just what I was trying to create mentality-wise with headsets, ACC officials, everything," Swinney said. "Tried to call it as strict as we could call it."
Here are several notes coming out of the first scrimmage:
- Swinney said the defense did do a lot of really good things. Safeties Andrew Mukuba and R.J. Mickens both had interceptions. Defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart, who's looking for a more active role this season, had two sacks. Swinney indicated that reserve defensive linemen Cade Denhoff, Greg Williams and Kevin Swint also made plays in the backfield.
Swinney was "very encouraged" by what he saw from the offensive line, which Swinney said "won the day" in the trenches. "It was good to see. It's good for both sides.
Clemson went mostly good-on-good (first-team offense vs. first-team defense), but Swinney did mix in 1s vs. 2s one time.
The Tigers worked on midfield, red zone, 1st-and-9 on the 9-yard line, goal-line situations and short yardage. "We hit it all," Swinney said.
Swinney was pleased with how the running backs ran and that the receivers had just one drop all day. He said WRs Dacari Collins and Joseph Ngata both had a few big plays in the passing game.
Swinney was pleased with the quarterbacks and was impressed that DJ Uiagalelei and Cade Klubnik both had big runs and extended plays outside the pocket with their legs.
It wasn't all pretty. Swinney said they need to clean up several errors. There were a few false starts and a bad offsides penalty. A big play was negated when a player lined up wrong and forced an ineligible player downfield.
On special teams, Swinney really liked what he saw in the return game. However, he noted it's a "double-edged sword" because it meant there are some coverage issues to clean up.
He was "encouraged" by the punters, saying Aidan Swanson had his fourth consecutive good day. BT Potter was solid at kicker and freshman Robert Gunn is "very talented" but had his worst day Saturday.
Swinney also updated several injured players.
The Tigers get Sunday off before returning to the practice field Monday.
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