excitements
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Tom Allen on defending a Lane Kiffin offense, players stepping up in camp
- Clemson expects Lane Kiffin's rebuilt LSU offense to emphasize tempo, the run game and RPOs, and Tom Allen said 19 new offensive two-deep players make first-drive diagnosis and in-game adjustment especially important.
- Allen's priority against LSU's mobile quarterback is to keep him in the pocket and tackle reliably when he escapes because of his ability to create on designed or broken plays.
- Clemson's defensive tackles remain a by-committee group without an established leader, with Amare Adams returning from injury and Markus Strong, Champ Thompson and Devarrick Woods among the candidates to emerge.
- Edge defenders London Merritt and Darien Mayo made notable offseason gains, with Allen saying Merritt exceeded expectations and Mayo transformed himself physically.
- Elliot Washington II led Clemson in takeaways during both spring and fall camp, while Corey Myrick, Jerome Carter III, Donovan Starr and Ashton Hampton all showed developmental progress in the secondary.
defenseschematicsgame_breakdowncoachingqbdldepth_chartinjuriesconcernspracticeexcitementsdb
Brown Adds Lombardi Award Watch List Selection
- The Lombardi Award Committee announced today that linebacker Sammy Brown has been named as one of 54 players on the watch list for the Lombardi Award, presented to the nation's top lineman or linebacker.
- Additional information from award organizers is included below.
- Visit the 2026 Preseason Honors hub for more preseason accolades garnered by Clemson.
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The “QB Questions & Coaching Changes” Edition
- ### Top Actionable Intel
- Clemson's spring-game takeaway was QB clarity more than spring-game statistics: Christopher Vizzina came out as QB1 and Tate Reynolds moved clearly into QB2 territory.
- The host cautioned not to overreact to the spring game because multiple players were out and the game was not televised, but the QB hierarchy appears meaningful.
- Dabo Swinney's comments suggest Brock Bradley may need to decide whether to stay at QB or move into a different role because he is talented but currently limited in the passing game.
- ### Team / Position Notes
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