Swinney: D-line, CBs impress in fall camp

Morale seemed to be at a high mark around the Clemson Tigers practice facility on Monday, as the team opened its first day of practice with pads Monday leading up to the start of the 2019 season.

Head coach Dabo Swinney said he was pleased with the effort he saw on the field from his players, particularly gains he has seen on the defensive line and at the cornerback position.

“I’m super, super encouraged by what I’ve seen so far in these first few days, the energy, the tempo, the leadership, just an enthusiasm out here,” Swinney said after  practice. “The effort, the energy, the commitment to doing the little things the way you want them done. It’s been really good.”

He said he was most encouraged by improvement along the defensive line since the spring, noting that several players, including juniors Justin Foster and Isaiah Simmons and sophomore Jordan Williams, have stepped into leadership roles on the team.

“Those first three days of spring practice, it was like, wow, we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Swinney said about the defensive line. “We just look totally different. I’m so impressed and proud of the leadership of the defense. … Those guys have worked their tails off in this offseason from a mental standpoint.”

Swinney said that “across the board” the squad now looks like a “knowledgeable defense” compared to when the team practiced a few months ago.

“(The players are) much more coordinated, and guys are flying around, so I’m very encouraged by the work they put in when nobody’s watching,” Swinney said. “I say that all the time. That’s when you make your biggest gains is coming out of spring and that transformation, and that group has truly transformed physically and mentally since the last time I saw them on the field.”

Looking at other areas of the defense, Swinney said he was also impressed by the work of the cornerbacks and safeties, noting that he was particularly pleased with sophomore cornerback LeAnthony Williams.

“I don’t think he was very confident in himself, and I don’t think he was very committed to how he had to compete,” the coach said about Williams from last year. “... He’s just gotten more serious about it, and he’s an important part of that group.”

Fellow sophomore cornerback Mario Goodrich has also shown marked improvement, Swinney said.

“Mario is at another level from where he was last year,” Swinney said. “(It) looks like he’s been here a couple years. He looks confident. He’s playing fast. I’m super pleased with him.”

As for the safeties, Swinney said he felt confident that four Tigers, including junior Nolan Turner and sophomore Denzel Johnson, will be able to contribute at that spot.

“This time last year we were all crossing our fingers that Denzel and Nolan would come through for us, and wow, did those guys come through in a big way,” Swinney said. “We think we’ve got four guys that can start at safety without a doubt. So we’ve got a lot of versatility and a lot of flexibility with that back group.”

The Tigers have one more scheduled day of practice with shoulder pads only, and the team will then move to full pads Wednesday.