Swinney and Austin discuss Clemson’s left tackle competition
Clemson’s coaches aren’t committing to a starter at left tackle heading into fall camp.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, head coach Dabo Swinney gave no firm timeline on when the team will announce a starting left tackle.
“I hope we have a long time before we decide because I hope it’s that competitive; I think it’s going to be,” Swinney said.
While Swinney didn’t assure any one specific player will start, he expressed his confidence in a redshirt sophomore to block Cade Klubnik’s blindside.
“If you told me Tristan Leigh was going to start for us at left tackle right now, I’m sleeping just fine. I got no problem with that,” Swinney said. “That guy, he’s a winner, and he cares. It’s amazing the transformation that has happened in him.”
As a true freshman in 2021, Leigh played 20 snaps while redshirting. Standing at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, he played 50 snaps last season as a reserve.
Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin was also non-committal and said the team could play multiple players early on in the year. But Austin did say that Leigh “pulled away a little bit” since the end of last season and has a slight advantage over redshirt freshman Collin Sadler.
“Nothin Collin didn’t do well; it’s just Tristan had a really good spring,” Austin said. “Those guys both have different skill sets and bring different things to the table.”
Jordan McFadden was the Tigers’ starting left tackle for the past two seasons before he left for the NFL.
Now, Clemson needs to find his replacement. And, ultimately, it will come down to who the best five is, Swinney said, even if that means shifting some of last year’s starters around to different spots.
“There are so many scenarios that could play out,” Swinney added. “But I will say this, regardless of how it all shakes as far as who will run out there Labor Day night, as far as the first five, I think this will be a year so different from years past. I think you’ll see us play probably 10 guys a game, minimum.”
If Clemson stays the course from last season, Marcus Tate will start at left guard, Will Putnam will start at center, Walker Parks will start at right guard and Blake Miller will start at right tackle.
At that point, the Tigers would just need to determine who runs out with the first team at the left tackle position.
