ESPN College Football

Our offseason spotlight series continues today with Clemson. A reminder: This series features individual players, position groups and coaches who really need to have big offseasons — starting this spring.

Spotlight: Offensive line.

2011 summary: The senior-laden group comprised of Phillip Price, Brandon Thomas, Dalton Freeman, Antoine McClain and Landon Walker fared remarkably well with a new offensive line coach, a new offensive coordinator, a first-year starting quarterback, and a new system. The Tigers paved the way for the nation’s No. 24 scoring offense at 33.57 points per game. They were integral in blocking for a 1,000-yard rusher (Andre Ellington), 1,000-yard receiver (Sammy Watkins) and 3,000-yard passer (Tajh Boyd).

The skinny: You can argue the defensive line needs an equally big offseason, but consider this: At this time in 2008, coming off of the 2007 season, Clemson ranked in the top 25 and had James Davis, C.J. Spiller, Cullen Harper and Aaron Kelly — all of whom were returning from fantastic seasons. The Tigers were a top-10 preseason pick, but had to replace four starters on the offensive line. Clemson finished 7-6 and midway through the season, Tommy Bowden was fired. Even with all of those outstanding skill position players returning, Clemson couldn’t get it done up front, and it was a major factor in the team’s implosion that year. This spring, the Tigers have to replace three starters up front, as Freeman and Thompson are the only two returning starters. The staff moved Tyler Shatley from defensive tackle to offensive guard. He’s a 6-foot-3, 295-pound redshirt junior who is a quick athlete and could play a role in 2012.

More in this series:

• Boston College

MIAMI -- Clemson left tackle Phillip Price is out of the game with a knee injury and won't return, according to an announcement here in the press box. Price is a redshirt senior. Brandon Thomas, a redshirt sophomore, is his backup.

One more day until takeoff for Charlotte!

• Uncertainty is the only certainty right now for Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas, who is preparing to fill in for injured starter Phillip Price, whose status is still in question.
• If Georgia Tech offers a scholarship, this Atlanta-based running back will accept it.
• A second player, running back D.J. Adams, has decided to leave Maryland's program.
• The awards are just beginning for BC linebacker Luke Kuechly.
• Can Clemson get back to being a linebacker factory?
• Former Miami receiver Aldarius Johnson has hired an agent and is working toward a second chance at playing again.
• Florida State kick returner Karlos Williams will probably miss the bowl game with a broken wrist.
• Logan Thomas is turning into a heckuva quarterback -- especially for a tight end.
• FSU and Miami need to worry -- Urban Meyer is back on the recruiting trail.
• Virginia Tech offensive lineman Blake DeChristopher has a lumberjack's beard and a prankster's personality.

There's only one game to watch in the ACC this week, but there are plenty of storylines within the game. Here’s a closer look at what to keep an eye on during the Dr Pepper ACC championship game on Saturday night:

1. The quarterbacks. They have been the focus leading up to this game, and they will be the difference-makers in the outcome of it. Clemson’s Tajh Boyd has struggled recently, throwing four touchdowns and seven interceptions since the eight-game winning streak ended, and Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas has accounted for 23 touchdowns and just two turnovers since the Hokies last lost to Clemson.

2. Third downs. Clemson’s defense hasn’t been stellar this year, but it’s been stingy on third downs. The Tigers are No. 1 in the ACC and No. 9 in the FBS in third-down defense, holding opponents to 31.52 percent. Virginia Tech, however, has converted 46.55 percent of its third downs this season, good for third in the ACC and No. 22 in the country. The last time these teams played, Virginia Tech was just 4-of-16 on third downs.

3. Clemson’s pass protection. The Tigers have allowed 11 sacks in the past two games, and Virginia Tech is No. 8 in the country and leads the ACC with 3.08 sacks per game. The absence of veteran left tackle Phillip Price, who has been out with an injury, hasn’t helped, and his status is still in question for Saturday. Boyd was sacked five times last week in the loss to South Carolina.

4. Turnovers. They have been an issue for Clemson over the past four weeks, with 12 in four games. It wasn’t the reason the Tigers lost to South Carolina, but they were major factors in the losses to NC State (four) and Georgia Tech (four). Virginia Tech enters the game leading the country in turnover margin. The Tigers were plus-nine in turnover margin in the season’s first eight games and minus-10 in the next four.

5. The all-purpose stars. This game will feature two of the nation’s top five leaders in all-purpose yardage in Virginia Tech’s Wilson and Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins. Watkins averages 174.55 yards per game to rank fourth in the nation, while Wilson is fifth at 173.58 yards per game. Watkins has 1,920 yards rushing/receiving and in kick returns in 11 games. He missed the NC State game due to injury. Wilson has 2,083 yards in 12 games for his 173.58 average. Both have a higher all-purpose average than Alabama Heisman candidate Trent Richardson, who averages 164.67 yards per game.

The Clemson team that will face Virginia Tech on Saturday in the Dr Pepper ACC championship game is not the same Clemson team that beat the Hokies 23-3 earlier this year.

That Clemson team was ranked No. 13 in the country and undefeated.

This Clemson team is ranked No. 20 and has lost three of its past four.

“I feel like ever since obviously Virginia Tech's only loss, ever since that game they've been -- the sky's the limit for them they've been doing nothing but great things,” said Clemson offensive lineman Landon Walker. “Every game they've played their offense has just gotten better every game.

“And it seems like we were going that way until about three weeks ago. Georgia Tech kind of was a downfall for us. We didn't play as good as we wanted to at Wake and obviously NC State and South Carolina. We haven't been ourselves the last three, four weeks.”

There is only one game left for Clemson to determine which team it wants to be, and it’s no mystery where the Tigers have come unraveled in the past month. It started with turnovers, as Clemson had 11 during a three-game span against Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and NC State. Turnovers, though, didn’t entirely explain the program’s third straight loss to rival South Carolina. Pass protection was a bigger factor, as quarterback Tajh Boyd was sacked five times. Three of those were the fault of the offensive line, which has allowed 11 sacks in two games and struggled without injured starter and senior left tackle Phillip Price, whose status is still questionable for Saturday.

“We're missing some plays, we're not protecting quite as well, and there's a combination of things, got a few guys that aren't playing quite as well as maybe they played earlier in the season,” coach Dabo Swinney said. “But big-picture wise, again, we certainly didn't finish the way we wanted to, but we did finish with the second-best record in this league, and we're 9-3, and we've earned the right to play for the league title, and that's what we're focusing on, these four quarters.”

Clemson’s most complete performance of the season remains its 23-3 win over Virginia Tech on Oct. 1. The defense hasn’t come anywhere near that kind of domination since, allowing an average of 35.5 points per game over the past six games. The only time one of Clemson’s opponents hasn’t scored more than 30 points during that span was in the win over Wake Forest, which lost 31-28 on a last-second field goal. The defense has also allowed an average of 420.3 total yards and 246 rushing yards in the three losses.

The focus, though, has been on Boyd, who earlier in the season had played his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation. Through the first eight games, Boyd had 24 touchdowns and three interceptions and the Tigers were undefeated. Since the win over North Carolina on Oct. 22 -- the last of the eight-game winning streak --Boyd has four touchdown passes to seven interceptions.

“I would say he's not playing with the confidence that he was at that time,” Swinney said. “I think just the pressure and the sacks, quarterback pressure and the sacks, have been a problem, and then the turnovers. You know, all of those things affect especially a young player. He's a first-year starter and everything was going perfect for him, and then all of a sudden he's had some mistakes, and he's got to fight his way through it. That's his part of the growing pains of having a young quarterback. It's disappointing, but we've got to do a good job this week of making sure we give him a chance and make sure our protection is shored up.”

That’s not going to be easy against a Virginia Tech defense that is No. 8 in the country with 3.08 sacks per game.

Clemson has a lot of work to do if it’s going to beat Virginia Tech twice this year, but if it does, the mistakes of the past four weeks will be overshadowed by the program’s first ACC title since 1991.

“One of our goals was to win the state championship and beating South Carolina,” tight end Dwayne Allen said. “But a bigger one, one that comes after that, is to win the ACC championship. And winning the championships, which is something that hasn't been done here in over 20 years, will wipe away the aches that we've been having with the taste of defeat the past couple of weeks.”

There’s only one championship left to win.

Remind me again ... how did Russell Wilson get away?

• NC State quarterback Mike Glennon knows you're going to compare him to Wilson. He's over it.
• Regardless of who lines up at quarterback for the Wolfpack, this season will shed a lot of light on which direction the program is headed under coach Tom O'Brien.
• Wake Forest will be hurting after losing its quarterback and the game to Syracuse in overtime last night.
• Bearded Virginia Tech offensive lineman Blake DeChristopher is back and ready to make a statement (not that the beard doesn't say it all).
• The father of Miami safety Ray-Ray Armstrong says he is considering appealing his son's punishment.
• Virginia has plans to add an indoor practice field, but how much will it help the program?
• Virginia Tech to the SEC? "Total poppycock."
• Georgia Tech didn't do everything right last night, but it was a promising start.
• Maryland has gone through a complete transformation since the last time the Terps took the field.
• Bigger plans could be in store for BC's tight ends.
• Troy will test Clemson's new left tackle, Phillip Price.
• Miami isn't scaling back defensively despite the suspensions of some key players.
• Is FSU ready to return to greatness?
• Duke will start the season with two key players sidelined.
• How the ACC fares this season could be determined by the league's new quarterbacks.

2010 overall record: 6-7

2010 conference record: 4-4

Returning starters

Offense: 8, defense: 5, punter/kicker: 2

Top returners

WR DeAndre Hopkins, RT Landon Walker, DE Andre Branch, DT Brandon Thompson, P Dawson Zimmerman, RB Andre Ellington, WR Jaron Brown, C Dalton Freeman, OG Antoine McClain, TE Dwayne Allen, MLB Corico Hawkins, S Rashard Hall

Key losses

DE Da’Quan Bowers, DT Jarvis Jenkins, FS DeAndre McDaniel, CB Marcus Gilchrist, RB Jamie Harper, QB Kyle Parker, LT Chris Hairston

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Harper (760 yards)

Passing: Kyle Parker (2,213 yds)

Receiving: Hopkins* (637 yds)

Tackles: McDaniel (84)

Sacks: Bowers (15.5)

Interceptions: McDaniel (4)

Spring answers

1. Cole Stoudt is the backup quarterback. Until true freshmen Stoudt and Tony McNeal enrolled in January and arrived on campus, Tajh Boyd was the only scholarship quarterback on the roster. With Boyd the undisputed starter, the main competition was for his backup. Stoudt won the job over McNeal, who also played well and is a good runner, but Stoudt had the stronger arm.

2. Phillip Price will replace Chris Hairston at left tackle. The Tigers have four starters returning on the offensive line but big shoes to fill at left tackle, where Hairston was a three-year starter. Price, who joined the team as a walk-on tight end and moved to offensive line last year, beat Brandon Thomas for the job.

3. Players bought into the system. First-year offensive coordinator Chad Morris brought an up-tempo offense from Tulsa that is similar to what Auburn runs, and the players not only embraced it, they had fun with it this spring. Whether or not they can execute it on Saturdays? See below …

Fall questions

1. Execution of the offense. With a brand new scheme, a first-year starting quarterback and new offensive coordinator, the entire offense is a question mark heading into the fall. The Tigers also lost their leading rusher in Jamie Harper, who decided to leave early for a shot at the NFL. Can the Tigers get it together quickly enough to be a contender in the Atlantic Division again?

2. Will there be enough pressure on quarterbacks? With the departure of Bowers and his 15.5 sacks -- not to mention and 21 quarterback pressures -- the Tigers will have a lot of ground to make up. Bowers was a big reason Clemson was in top 20 in the nation in both scoring defense and total defense last year. With him gone, who’s going to step up and get after the quarterbacks? Malliciah Goodman and Andre Branch are expected to.

3. Will the Tigers find consistency in the kicking game? Clemson lost five games by a touchdown or less last year, including the overtime loss to Auburn, which slipped away with a missed field goal in overtime. Will Chandler Catanzaro pick up where he left off at the end of last season and show some consistency? He made six of his final seven field goals last year, but he also started slow this spring before finishing strong.

Clemson returns four starting offensive linemen this year, but the one replacement looms large as left tackle Chris Hairston had 23 career starts.

His replacement this spring? A former walk-on tight end.

Phillip Price, a fifth-year senior, came to Clemson as a tight end and has been on scholarship for three seasons, but he’s always been a role player. He wasn’t moved to the offensive line until last season, and enters this fall with a résumé that includes a total of 123 snaps over 29 games and one start.

“He was kind of a role guy for us, a short-yardage goal-line guy,” coach Dabo Swinney said. “We just felt like if he could pick up the weight, he could be a good tackle. He made the move last year, and really transitioned all last season and got some playing time and learned what to do.”

Price is up to 300 pounds but hasn’t lost his athleticism. Swinney said Price came into the spring with the mindset that he wasn’t going to let anybody beat him out, and he didn’t. Price earned the team’s most improved award this spring.

“Brandon Thomas is a guy that we had high expectations of, who’s backing him up right now, but he did not have as good a spring as we needed him to have," Swinney said. "He's a very talented young player but has not decided to be great yet. I'm very proud of Phillip and how he competed and really became a consistent player this spring. Hopefully that will carry over into the fall and he can fill that void that Chris Hairston left."

Here are highlights from Thursday's practices, as provided by the sports information directors:

CLEMSON

Practices are getting more and more physical at Clemson. After two days of working in helmets and shorts, the Tigers added shoulder pads to their uniform on Thursday for an early evening practice. On Saturday the team will be in full pads for the first time.

The Tigers got through the workout in good health as no injuries were reported. There were a few players who pulled up with cramps late in the practice due to the humid weather conditions, but fewer players had the problem than the previous night.

Swinney says: “We had another good day," coach Dabo Swinney said. "We are getting more and more physical as we work our way to the first day in pads on Saturday. There are some mistakes out there, but we have had a good tempo on both sides of the ball and that is good to see. I loved the spirit we have shown so far.”

On the wide receivers: “I know that is the big question on offense, but I am not concerned. It is very close in terms of the competition for playing time. They have all had great moments so far. You want a highly competitive situation and that is what it has been.

“Xavier Dye and Terrence Ashe have had the most experience among the returning guys, but they have been mostly backups. I hope to have several guys involved at that position.”

On the offensive line: “I feel good about the first six, the question is who will be seven, eight and nine [players on the second team]. Matt Sanders has been around and has played well. Phillip Price has looked good and is now up to 298 pounds. We also look for Brandon Thomas to make progress. Kalon Davis has made a big change physically since he came here in January. I think he is going to be a terrific player.”

Schedule: The Tigers return to the practice fields on Friday and Saturday evening and will take Sunday off. The first two-a-day session is Monday. All practices are closed to the public. Fan Appreciation Day is Sunday, Aug. 22.

FLORIDA STATE

First-year coach Jimbo Fisher was greeted by photographers chronicling the historic moment as he crossed under the arched entrance to the Al Dunlap Practice Fields -- the first time since August 1976 that the Seminoles began a preseason with a new head coach.

“It was a good moment, but you had to put it behind you and go coach,” said Fisher.

In all, 103 Seminoles took the field in 90-degree heat, under cloudless skies for the session that ran just over two hours.

“Everyone was excited,” said senior quarterback Christian Ponder, who lined up alongside nine returning starters on offense. “Everyone’s ready to start the year off. There was a little anxiety in the beginning and it was a little warm, but guys pushed, worked hard and were excited. Finally the season has started. … It’s going to be a long camp but we’re going to do a lot of work to get better.”

Highlights: Ponder connected on a couple perfectly thrown deep balls to sophomore wide receiver Rodney Smith during 7-on-7 drills. Freshman wide receivers Christian Green and Kenny Shaw and junior Bert Reed, and freshman tight end Will Tye, all left impressions with catches in traffic. Ochuko Jenije, sophomore cornerback Greg Reid and junior safety Terrance Parks came up with hustling pass break-ups, while freshman safety Chad Abram collected an interception.

Comebacks: Offensive tackles Antwane Greenlee and safety Avis Commack returned to action on the field after recovering from significant injuries.

Schedule: The Seminoles will practice again Friday at 6 p.m.

WAKE FOREST

The Demon Deacons practiced for more than two-and-a-half hours at the Doc Martin Football Practice Complex on Thursday night. The Deacons ran through a number of standard blocking and passing drills with a good dose of emphasis on the fundamentals.

“What I was impressed with was the enthusiasm of the players and, especially, the enthusiasm of the coaching staff,” said coach Jim Grobe. “You can tell that Coach [Ethan] Reeve and his [strength and conditioning] staff did a tremendous job of getting the guys in shape.”

On the defense: “What we’ve got more than anything is an enthusiastic group that is excited about playing defense,” said Grobe. “We have better overall team speed on defense. There’s some young guys but it’s a pretty physical unit, they like to mix it up. They like to get 11 guys around the football. They do all the things that coaches enjoy seeing on defense. I think if the group will come together and not give up big plays, and be more aggressive in taking the ball away from people. But this can be a pretty good defensive football team.”

On offensive guard Joe Looney: “He’s the most enthusiastic guy on the football team,” said Grobe. “He’s an Aaron Curry-type at offensive guard, as far as his attitude. As far as a guy who plays as well as Curry, I can’t tell you that. But he’s a guy who bounces to practice, likes to practice, loves to play on Saturday, lives for football and is liked by everybody on the team. He’s one of our favorite guys because he’s just such a good person. One of the main reasons he got on the field right away (as a freshman) is because of his enthusiasm. He’s just so pumped up all the time. It doesn’t matter where you see him, if you see him at breakfast at 6:30 in the morning or you’ve finished up a late night practice, he’s bouncing around. He’s enjoying life.”

Schedule: Wake Forest will practice in shells again on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Deacons will practice at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.