Camp Kool-Aid: Swinney gives update on injuries, depth chart after scrimmage

Uiagalelei (5) is the starter but Swinney wants to get Klubnik (2) playing time.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Aug 17 14:55:16 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON - Camp Kool-Aid had its second scrimmage of August inside Memorial Stadium Wednesday, and head coach Dabo Swinney had plenty of news and notes to pass along.

Swinney spoke with the media after the Tigers completed a two-hour scrimmage - the final scrimmage of fall camp - on a relatively cool day in South Carolina.

"Camp Kool-Aid. Unbelievable," Swinney said. "It was like 75 yesterday and it will be like 100 when we play Furman here in a few weeks. But anyway, it is what it is. Not very tough elements around here today. To be great, you have to have a little luck along the way, and they're off to a good start. They got a little lucky here in camp, but as coaches, we don't like it."

Swinney said he thought they got better in some areas today. The defense responded. He was disappointed in both the offense and defense in an overtime period. They mixed it up and had some good things.

*Toriano Pride and Nate Wiggins each had interceptions (off of Hunter Johnson and Cade Klubnik).

*He was pleased with the first group offensive line. Protection was decent.

*Nobody got hurt, which is a good thing. They held a few guys and are trending in the right direction. Swinney said they are as healthy as they have been in a long time.

Wide receiver EJ Williams was back at practice yesterday, but they held him today as a precaution. He will be back full-go on Thursday. Wide receiver Beaux Collins should be back next week.

*Running back Will Shipley was held out of the scrimmage due to a sore hamstring.

*Tight end Josh Sapp had a touchdown catch and has been doing impressive things every day.

*Thursday will be a tempo practice, and then they will give the players Friday and Saturday off before getting things cranked back up Sunday. They break camp next Wednesday when school starts, and after that, they will be back on the 20-hour rule. They will have another "live" session Monday and then they will get started on game prep.

*Tyler Venables is leading his group in production points in camp.

*Swinney said that quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is the unquestioned starter. He said both DJ and Cade had good plays today and both missed plays. Cade took a sack and needs to learn to get rid of it. DJ played clean procedurally and in his decision-making. They both made plays with their legs.

He said Uiagalelei is the starter "for sure" but still has to go out and play well. "Just like anybody else, you have to go play well. And we certainly hope to get Cade as many opportunities as we can. That is something we need to do, just like we wanted to get DJ in as often as we could in Trevor's last year. DJ is going to graduate in December, and he has big goals and aspirations and he knows what he needs to do and has to go do it. But DJ is the starter. He has earned that, and it's up to him to continue to earn it every week."

*He is starting to feel pretty good where they are on the OL. They will finalize personnel when they watch this tape and get started on game prep.

*When they get back on Sunday, they will start working on opponents - both Furman and Georgia Tech because they play Labor Day night and have a short week to prepare for Furman. Monday will be double work - Clemson and Furman -and then all Georgia Tech on Tuesday.

*He said Xavier Thomas (foot) will miss Georgia Tech, and then they will see where he stands.

*Swinney bragged on the tight ends. Called Davis Allen a "pro" and a "sold oak tree." Said Jake Briningstool has been awesome and called it the best "patch of Brinny that we've had." Sage Ennis has been tough and gritty and Luke Price will make a difference on the goal line and in short-yardage.