Dabo Swinney likes where Clemson is as spring practice winds down

Clemson held its second and final scrimmage of the spring on Wednesday — 10 days before the Tigers hold their annual spring game.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney liked what he saw from his squad, before his team gets another extended break for Easter.

The Tigers now have a week off and will hold one final practice on April 12, before the spring game on April 15.

With the majority of Clemson’s spring practices complete, Swinney feels good about where his team is.

“Probably, honestly, our best day as a team all spring. Just really competitive,” Swinney said of Wednesday’s scrimmage. “Not a lot of crap with procedure penalties, jumping offsides. Had ACC refs out here today. It was a very clean scrimmage and very competitive on both sides.”

As a coach, you don’t want to see either side dominate a scrimmage. Swinney was pleased that Wednesday’s workout was fairly even between the offense and defense.

He is hopeful that the spring game will be more of the same but acknowledged that you can’t tell a ton from a spring game.

“That’s a rule for the rest of your life – don’t let the spring game create too much excitement or too much disappointment. It’s an intrasquad type scrimmage. Your team’s split up,” Swinney said. “But man, what an opportunity for guys to grow.”

Clemson should have several players back for the spring game who have missed time this spring.

Offensive lineman Mitchell Mayes tweaked his knee and missed a couple of weeks earlier in the spring but is good to go for the spring game. Defensive linemen Justin Mascoll, DeMonte Capehart and Caden Story are also back after missing time earlier in the spring with injuries.

Receivers Beaux Collins and Adam Randall, defensive backs Sheridan Jones and Jalyn Phillips and offensive lineman Marcus Tate aren’t fully cleared yet but are close and should be able to go through workouts this summer.

“We’re starting to get a few guys that are banged up back,” Swinney said.

Clemson has leaders emerging

In addition to improving on the field this spring, Dabo Swinney also believes that Clemson has developed more leadership.

The Tigers lacked leadership at times last season, but younger players have taken on more of a leadership role this spring.

Swinney mentioned Antonio Williams and Cade Klubnik in particular as a couple of guys that he’s happy with from a leadership standpoint.

“Pleased with what we’ve been able to get done this spring. We look like a team that’s improved,” Swinney said. “Starting to see a little bit of leadership emerge from some young guys. When we put it all together, this has a chance to be a really good team that has a chance to compete at the highest level.”