Additional DTs will Move Outside for Clemson

CLEMSON — Clemson’s run game coordinator Nick Eason surprised the media Tuesday at Dabo Swinney’s Media Outing at the Allen Reeves Football Complex.

Eason indicated there could be more than just Peter Woods moving to the outside this football season. If you recall, Woods and Caden Story were moved to defensive end in the spring to help bring experience depth to the position that lost Xavier Thomas and Justin Mascoll.

“He is not the only one,” Eason said. “Payton Page can play outside and in, as well as Tre Williams, and as well as a lot of other defensive linemen that are big and athletic and can play inside and outside.

“Schematically, we have kind of created where they can kind of move across the line of scrimmage.”

Eason says Clemson’s ability to recruit athletic defensive linemen help them when it comes to cross training so many players. It allows them to have multiple defensive fronts.

“That is the unique thing about choosing Clemson if you are a high school kid,” Clemson’s defensive tackles coach said. “Peter is going to lineup across the line of scrimmage. We cross train all of our defensive linemen to be able to play across the line, so Peter and a lot of our guys can play inside and outside.

“So, you can use them in multiple different ways and anytime you have to key on a player like Peter Woods, we have to choose to be really, really good, you have to have a lot of versatility. A lot of our guys do, but Peter obviously helps us outside and inside. You will see him lineup in a number of situations, as well as all of our defensive linemen. I want athletic defensive linemen that can play across the line of scrimmage and that is how we will kind of utilize him. That helps us anytime you can play multiple positions.”

As for the percentage of times Woods will play inside and outside, Eason said they really do not know that answer until game week gets here.

“I think that is going to be based on the opponent week-to-week,” he said. “So, he has been trained and prepared for that throughout the spring and so I can’t foresee what percentages of where he is going to be most of the time or not. That is going to be a kind of week-to-week thing, day-to-day.”

Clemson begins fall camp on Aug. 2.