Playing time breakdown: Freshmen make instant impact in opener

Frank Ladson made the most of his one target with a touchdown catch.

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Mon Sep 02 11:51:05 GMT-05:00 2019

Openers are usually good for clearing the bench and gaining experience and the No. 1 Tigers were able to do so versus an ACC opponent in Georgia Tech last week.

Clemson mixed in 90 players total and all but three of the scholarship true freshmen healthy enough to play.

Grabbing the top grade of a defensive tackle per Dabo Swinney, true freshman Tyler Davis started and played the most snaps of the interior D-line group (27), totaling four stops (0.5 for loss).

Freshman receiver Frank Ladson Jr. (12 snaps) hauled in a 21-yard TD catch in his one target, while Joseph Ngata tallied the fourth-most snaps of the receiver group (31) and made his biggest impact as a starting kick returner (2 for 50 yards).

In the quality production per snap category, Lyn-J Dixon saw 15 plays and received a carry on eight of them for 64 yards and a TD and had a catch for 22 yards too.

Clemson snaps breakdown: Georgia Tech

(Players' snaps assigned positionally by place on the depth chart; the initial participation report is provided by Clemson and represents all non-special teams snaps; season totals in parentheses; this breakdown notes all depth chart contributors and select scholarship players)

Offense (35)

Quarterback (3): Trevor Lawrence 52, Chase Brice 19, Taisun Phommachanh 11.

Running Back (5): Travis Etienne 32, Lyn-J Dixon 15, Michel Dukes 13, Chez Mellusi 11, Darien Rencher 8.

Wide Receiver (9): Tee Higgins 37, Justyn Ross 37, Diondre Overton 33, Joe Ngata 31, Cornell Powell 22, T.J. Chase 17, Frank Ladson Jr. 12, Brannon Spector 12, Will Swinney 12.

Tight end (5): JC Chalk 33, JL Banks 14, Davis Allen 13, Jaelyn Lay 10, Luke Price 10,

Offensive Line (14): Tremayne Anchrum 48, Sean Pollard 47, John Simpson 45, Jackson Carman 44, Matt Bockhorst 42, Jordan McFadden 41, Gage Cervenka 41, Blake Vinson 26, Chandler Reeves 25, Cade Stewart 16, Will Putnam 16, Hunter Rayburn 10, Kaleb Boateng 4, Mason Trotter 4.

Defense (30)

Defensive End (5): K.J. Henry 28, Justin Mascoll 27, Logan Rudolph 25, Xavier Thomas 24, Justin Foster 23.

Defensive Tackle (6): Tyler Davis 27, Jordan Williams 27, Nyles Pinckney 23, Xavier Kelly 21, Darnell Jefferies 18, Ruke Orhorhoro 8,

Linebacker (7) Isaiah Simmons 50, James Skalski 45, Chad Smith 38, Baylon Spector 23, Jake Venables 19, Mike Jones Jr. 11, Keith Maguire 3.

DB (CB/S/NB - 13): A.J. Terrell 41, Derion Kendrick 38, Tanner Muse 34, Denzel Johnson 33, Nolan Turner 29, K’Von Wallace 28, Mario Goodrich 22, Sheridan Jones 11, Andrew Booth 9, LeAnthony Williams 6, Joseph Charleston 3, Jalyn Phillips 3, Lannden Zanders 3.

Special teams-only**: QB Ben Batson, LB LaVonta Bentley, LB Kane Patterson, S Ray Thornton.

Did not play (non-true freshmen): CB Brian Dawkins Jr., WR Amari Rodgers%.

True freshmen participation*: DT Tyler Davis (1), CB Sheridan Jones (1), LB LaVonta Bentley (1), CB Andrew Booth (1), S Joseph Charleston (1), WR Frank Ladson Jr., LB Keith Maguire (1), RB Chez Mellusi (1), RB Michel Dukes (1), DL Ruke Orhorhoro (1), LB Kane Patterson (1), DB Jalyn Phillips (1), OL Will Putnam (1), OL Hunter Rayburn (1), DB Ray Thornton (1), OL Mason Trotter (1), S Lannden Zanders (1), LB Bryton Constantin% (0), DT Tayquon Johnson (0), DL Etinosa Reuben (0), DE Greg Williams (0), P Aidan Swanson (0).

* Scholarship

** Non-specialists

% Out recovering from injury