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Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney names starting center against No. 1 Georgia
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- Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney names starting center against No. 1 Georgia
CLEMSON — Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney announced Wednesday offensive lineman Ryan Linthicum won the starting center battle.
The Tigers coach, who won't release Clemson's full depth chart until Saturday , revealed the news unintentionally when he was asked about the number of offensive lineman he feels comfortable playing in his final availability before Clemson's Week 1 game.
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"The only one that hasn't started is Linthicum," Swinney said. "He's (set) to get his first start."
The fourth-year player beat out Trent Howard and Harris Sewell for the position. Linthicum, who has played in only nine games through three seasons, will start his first collegiate game Saturday (noon, ET, ABC) vs. No. 1 Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The redshirt junior exited spring practices as the starter and remained in control during preseason practices. Linthicum's first test will be against the Bulldogs, a team that ranked ninth in total defense last year.
Clemson's projected starting offensive line will be Tristan Leigh (left tackle), Marcus Tate (left guard), Linthicum (center), Walker Parks (right guard) and Blake Miller (right tackle). Collin Sadler, Trent Howard and Harris Sewell are among the offensive lineman Swinney and offensive line coach Matt Luke feel the most comfortable behind the starting five.
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Linthicum is the second player Swinney has announced as a starter leading up to Saturday's game, joining freshman kicker Nolan Hauser .
MORE: What Clemson football's Cade Klubnik said to motivate Tigers ahead of facing No. 1 Georgia
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: Dabo Swinney announces starting center vs. Georgia
