Spotlight: Clemson’s offensive line

By Marc Hudgens  |   Wednesday, July 18, 2007  |  Comments( 6 )

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Just a few months ago, there was concern among Clemson fans regarding the Tigers' inexperienced offensive line. However, there appear to be many rays of hope to eliminate much of that doubt.

As it stands now, this is what Clemson's offensive line will look like this upcoming year:

Left guard - Barry Richardson (6-foot-7, 320-pound senior): Clearly the top lineman on the team, Richardson should be a high NFL draft pick next year. The only original starter from last season, he will take on the leadership role of the line.

Left tackle - Chris McDuffie (6-5, 330-pound senior): McDuffie started the last five games last season after Roman Fry got hurt during the Tigers' game against Georgia Tech. For being thrown into the mix like that, McDuffie did very well. Therefore, this season, expect quality work from this guy. Backing McDuffie up on the depth chart is Bobby Hutchinson, who also may be No. 2 to center Barry Humphries.

Center - Barry Humphries (6-3, 280-pound sophomore): The smallest and youngest of the starting linemen by two years, Humphries is the group's biggest question mark. He has big shoes to fill in taking over for now-St. Louis Rams center Dustin Fry, who was a vocal leader of the O-line last season. Humphries is well under the 300-pound mark, which is significant for the center position. However, with a bench press of 460, squat of 635 and a mind-boggling 38 reps of 225 on the bench, he's clearly the strongest player on the entire squad. Just to put this into perspective, that 38 reps would've been the third-highest in this past NFL combine's bench results among all offensive linemen in attendance.

ROG Brandon Pilgrim (6-6, 300-pound senior): Pilgrim also has big shoes to fill, replacing third-team All-American Nathan Bennett. Pilgrim has size, experience and versatility (he can play guard and tackle) on his side. Backing him up and hot on his heels is sophomore Thomas Austin, who competed fiercely with Pilgrim for the starting position and is able to play center if called upon.

Right tackle - Christian Capote (6-4, 295-pound senior): Like Humphries, Capote's under 300 pounds, but not by much. Two value meals per day at McDonald's should take care of that by the team's opener against Florida State. Nonetheless, he's reportedly done outstanding work during the offseason, exceeding expectations on all fronts. It will be interesting to see Capote in action against the stiff defenses that Florida State and Virginia Tech are predicted to have. Backing him up is Cory Lambert (6-6, 300-pound sophomore), who needs as much playing time as possible.

Helping the line out will be 6-5, 260-pound junior tight end Akeem Robinson, who is so versatile that he was considered for both the offensive and defensive lines. He's an excellent blocker and has great athleticism to be a terrific receiver in a pinch, much like predecessor Thomas Hunter, who did very well at Clemson. If one of the linemen goes down with an injury, Robinson will be a possible replacement. In the event that happens, sophomore Michael Palmer could fill Robinson's role at tight end.

Waiting impatiently to play are freshmen Mason Cloy (center), David Smith (tackle), four-star recruit Landon Walker (tackle) and Wilson Norris, who's already a beast coming into the program. One or more of them could get called to duty this season, but not to start.

Looking to the future, there will be a lot of seniors to replace in 2008. Humphries, Bobby Hutchinson, Lambert and Austin will return. Additionally, Clemson has the aforementioned freshmen (Cloy, Smith, Walker and Norris). Thus far, the Tigers have picked up a couple of commitments for '08 -- four-star guard A.J. Harmon of Louisville, Ga., who is going into his senior year of high school at 6-4, 308, and another guard, Matt Sanders (a 6-4, 293-pounder from Crestview, Fla.).

As for right now, the key to a successful offensive line seems to lie with Humphries. The lone non-senior is the smallest of the bunch, but he's the strongest overall. That said, if he meets or exceeds expectations, the current line will be just as good or better than last season's.

Got an idea or a topic that you would like to see explored? Tell us all about it by e-mailing us at feedback@realfootball365.com. Keep track of the Clemson Tigers at RealFootball365.com
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About Marc Hudgens

Marc Hudgens has been with RealFootball365 since 2007, covering college football, specifically Clemson and Oregon. He also writes for SouthernPigskin.com covering the ACC. He enjoys the acidic wit of Hunter S. Thompson, is a freelance graphic designer and has written several screenplays. He...
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CommentsComments: 6  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
jerry a marullo		01:19 AM
07/18/2007
good article.38 reps of 225?!? Tank Tyler only did 42 and his max was supposedly over 500 lbs.what are they feeding these kids?...
No.2
RazzMaTazz		03:06 AM
07/18/2007
Yeah... It seems like there is so much talent on the Clemson team. I just hope that the coaches don't let everyone down. Sports...
No.3
Phillip Martin		10:25 AM
07/18/2007
Coaching, coaching, coaching. After eight years, we shouldn't have any inexperienced players having to start, especially at QB....
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