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Five position battles Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney must address during spring practice
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- Five position battles Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney must address during spring practice
CLEMSON — Clemson football begins its spring practices Friday.
The Tigers look for a second consecutive trip to the CFP after ending their three-year drought last season. They suffered a first-round exit but are returning every end-of-year starter with eligibility remaining, including quarterback Cade Klubnik , for 2025.
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Still, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and his staff must address key starting and depth issues to return to repeat as ACC champion and return to the CFP.
Here are five position battles that Clemson must address during spring practices:
Who will become Clemson football 's No. 1 running back?
Clemson did not have to worry about who would lead its running backs room last year with workhouse Phil Mafah leading the way. Still, when Mafah was limited by a shoulder injury late in the season, its lack of depth showed.
With Mafah's eligibility expired, Clemson will need to find a new starter. The candidates include Jay Haynes , Keith Adams Jr., Jarvis Green , David Eziomume, wide receiver Adam Randall and 2025 signee Gideon Davidson .
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Haynes emerged as a candidate last year, but he suffered an ACL tear in the ACC championship in December. Randall, who Swinney said will receive snaps at running back, broke off a 41-yard run vs. Texas in the first round of the CFP. Green scored a receiving touchdown in the third quarter.
Adams is entering his fourth season, and Eziomume can be a contributor after redshirting as a freshman. Davidson can provide an immediate impact, too, with Swinney calling him the best running back in the 2025 recruiting cycle.
Who will play alongside Khalil Barnes at free safety?
R.J. Mickens was a staple for Clemson at free safety, making at least two starts in the past four seasons and starting in every game except one in 2024. With his eligibility expiring, Clemson will need someone to step up.
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Tyler Venables is back for his sixth season and can vie for the role. Kylon Griffin, who was listed as a co-starter at strong safety last season, could make the transition to free safety. Ricardo Jones, whom Swinney was high on as a freshman last season, can emerge with strong practices, too.
MORE: Dabo Swinney, Clemson football had $19 million profit in 2024. So why did athletics lose money?
Who will be Clemson's No. 3 linebacker behind Wade Woodaz , Sammy Brown ?
Clemson will have one of the top linebacker duos in the ACC with Wade Woodaz returning for his fourth season and Sammy Brown entering Year 2 after earning freshman All-America honors. However, Clemson must figure out the depth behind them, especially when it plays three linebackers against heavy personnel.
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Kobe McCloud is the most experienced player for that spot, entering his fourth season, but he is coming off a season-ending knee injury. Dee Crayton and Jamal Anderson both enter their third season with the Tigers and will need a solid spring to increase their playing time.
Alabama transfer Jeremiah Alexander, who recorded eight tackles over three seasons with the Crimson Tide, could compete for No. 3 linebacker, but where he plays for Clemson is to be determined.
Will Harris Sewell or Collin Sadler start at left guard?
Clemson is returning four of its starting offensive lineman from 2024, needing only to replace left guard Marcus Tate. When Tate missed time last season, Harris Sewell and Collin Sadler filled in for him, and both performed well.
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Sadler suffered a lower-leg injury early in the 2024 season that limited him to two games. Sewell started in three games last season, two at left guard and one at right guard. Both battled for starting offensive line roles last spring practice and will do so again this year.
Will Olsen Patt-Henry become Clemson's starting tight end?
Jake Briningstool rewrote Clemson's history books with his performance during his four-year career. With his eligibility expiring, Olsen Patt-Henry is in line for the starting role.
Patt-Henry had nine receptions for 121 yards with three touchdowns in 2024. A boom in playing time will increase his production, but there are capable players behind him who could challenge him for the starting role.
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Josh Sapp is entering his fourth season, and he recorded six catches for 63 yards last season. Markus Dixon is entering his third season after not recording an offensive statistic in his career, and Christian Bentancur, whom Swinney was high on during his freshman season, could battle for playing time.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: 5 position battles Tigers must address during spring
