Swinney Loving Clemson's Options for 'Big Nickel' This Season

The depth in the Clemson Tigers linebacker room is impressing Dabo Swinney to the point where he things they have strong depth for 'big nickel'

Clemson has two or three options for big nickel in Swinney's mind | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The offseason has really helped Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney build confidence in what he has in the linebacker room. 

Depth has gotten deep enough that he believes that two or three of them are capable are stepping up and playing “big nickel.”

“We got a lot of options,” Swinney said on Thursday. “That’s another position we’ve gone from, you know, to me, that was a question mark going into spring for me as far as, is our depth going to develop like it needs to? And, man, they really have.” 

Linebackers he quickly named as options include Wade Woodaz, Jamal Anderson and Jeremiah Alexander. 

All three are upperclassmen. Alexander brings his experience over from Alabama, where he played for three seasons before transferring to Clemson. Anderson has only started one game in his career, but has seen action in 27 games over two seasons so far. 

Woodaz finished last season tied for fourth in sacks on the team with fellow linebacker Peter Woods. 

In total, Swinney believes six linebackers can make an impact for Clemson this upcoming season. 

One linebacker he went out of his way to highlight was Kobe McCloud. He wants to make sure he’s back on everyone’s radar after missing most of last season with a knee injury. 

“You forget Kobe’s a really good player,” he said. “He’s just one of them guys, like I said, he plays beyond his attributes. He’s a very good football player. He’s smart. He’s savvy, and that really helps him.” 

What matters to Swinney is that while McCloud doesn’t necessarily have the measurables, he still goes beyond what’s expected. That’s why he believes they have options that they do. 

“You love guys like that. He’s an instinctive guy. He’s tough. He loves to play. So, it’s a good group. They’ve really developed some nice depth at linebacker.” 

McCloud has played in 15 total games over three seasons. He’s made 18 total tackles with 3 1/2 of them for loss. 

Clemson’s season is quickly approaching, with kickoff in week one just two weeks away. They take on the fellow Tigers program, LSU, on home field. It will be the first time these two schools will face off since they went head-to-head in the National Championship in January 2020. 

Swinney’s Tigers are coming off a season where they won the ACC title and made the newly expanded College Football Playoff.