Spring practice primer: Tigers get back on the field Monday with new offense

We'll get a first look at Garrett Riley on the practice fields next week.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sat Mar 04 07:00:14 GMT-04:00 2023

It’s been 64 days since Clemson limped out of Miami Gardens after losing to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl, but a new season beckons with the start of spring practice.

The Tigers will return to the practice field for the first time since Dec. 29th, the last walkthrough before the Orange Bowl, on Monday afternoon for the official start to the spring. There have been mat drills and conditioning workouts, we’ve had National Signing Day and the addition of new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley.

But nothing beats football on the field, even if it is “just” spring practice.

We will have an interview session with head coach Dabo Swinney Monday afternoon around 3 pm, and then the media will be allowed to watch the first five or so sessions of practice. We will be brought back after practice for interviews with select players.

We will be allowed to watch the first part of practice Tuesday, and post-practice interviews will include defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin and select players. Wednesday will follow the same format, with tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Kyle Richardson and select players available for interviews.

Friday will be our last availability of the week, with defensive tackles coach and defensive run game coordinator Nick Eason and select players available for interviews.

What will we be watching? All eyes will be on Riley: how does he run a practice? How does he work with the quarterbacks? What is his coaching style? How do the players react to his coaching? How quickly will the offensive players pick up the Air Raid (or at Clemson’s version of it) offense?

There aren’t a ton of position battles to watch, even though it will be fun to watch the progression of quarterback Christopher Vizzina. Running back and tight end seem to be set, even though the Tigers need to find a left tackle to replace Jordan McFadden.

The wide receivers will bear watching – who is ready to step in and be a starter? The wide receiver position has been an issue for a few years now, and there isn’t a lot of experience back this season. The juniors are Brannon Spector (RS), Will Taylor and Beaux Collins, the sophomores are Troy Stellato (RS), Adam Randall, and Antonio Williams, and the freshmen are Cole Turner (RS), Ronan Hanafin, Noble Johnson, Tyler Brown, and Misun Kelley. Hanafin, Brown, and Kelley won’t here until the summer.

Williams led that unit last season and is poised to take another step, and you would assume that Collins will step back into a starting role. Has Randall completely recovered? Has Stellato recovered? Will Cole Turner be the surprise and launch himself into major playing time?

All to be determined.

Defensively, there are again not a lot of questions. Yes, we need to know if defensive ends like Zaire Patterson, Cade Denhoff, and Greg Williams are ready to be contributors. Who will be in the group of backup linebackers? Can the secondary stay healthy? Can the corners be better?

On special teams, Robert Gunn stands as the heir apparent to BT Potter while Aidan Swanson will have to hold off Jack Smith.

The good news? It all starts Monday and at least a few of those questions will begin to be answered.