CLEMSON — The question comes up quite often. If running backs James Davis or C.J. Spiller were to go down with an injury whom do the Clemson Tigers have as a legitimate replacement?

Well, that’s what the Clemson coaching staff is trying to figure out. When running back Demerick Chancellor decided to transfer at the end of last season, Clemson coach Tommy Bowden moved Ray Ray McElrathbey from defensive back to running back during bowl practice.

When the Tigers failed to land a scholarship athlete at that position on signing day, McElrathbey worked the entire spring at that position. McElrathbey had a solid spring, gaining praises from Bowden, Davis and Spiller.

The Tigers seemed content with McElrathbey as the third-team running back, but when the rising sophomore partially tore his ACL during volunteer workouts this summer, the Clemson coaching staff found itself in a perplexing situation.

“He is the only back in a knee brace so that jumps out at you,” Bowden said. “That makes him look a little different. When skill guys wear those knee braces it is very uncomfortable and it is really out of their environment.”

Bowden was so uncomfortable that he moved Sadat Chambers from his safety position to running back on the opening day of practice. Though McElrathbey is practicing, he is only at 80 percent recovered from arthroscopic knee surgery in July.

McElrathbey, who gained national recognition last year after his adoption of his 12-year-old little brother Fahmarr, injured his knee when a teammate fell on top of it during one-on-one drills.

“I’m not totally sure that’s why (Sadat) was moved. That’s more of a question for Coach Bowden,” McElrathbey said. “I just have to continue to play and do what I have to do.”

Chambers, who played running back and quarterback at Central Pageland High School, gives Clemson another option while McElrathbey tries to get back to 100 percent.

“Right now (Sadat) looks real good and we have been real pleased with him,” Bowden said. “He has some natural instincts with him and we have been real pleased with his move.”

Chambers was the Class AA Back of the Year in South Carolina at Pageland as a junior and a senior. He rushed for over 1,000 yards his junior year, while leading Central Pageland to a State Championship.

“The scrimmages will tell a little bit more and the games will too, but right now we have to kind of see what kind of vision he has and how he handles collisions,” Bowden said. “He is a combination of C.J. and James. He is a fairly thick guy so I say he is a combination of those two.”

When McElrathbey returns to full strength, it should give Clemson’s backup position just as much competition as its two starters.

“Competition excites and motivates (McElrathbey) and it should,” Bowden said. “He knows he has to battle because in the spring Sadat wasn’t there so it’s going to be a little tougher now.”

Full pads. Clemson will work for just two hours this morning, but it should be an intense workout. The Tigers will deploy full pads for the first time during fall camp.

NCAA rules do not allow schools to implement full pads until day five of fall practice. Bowden said there is mixed emotions from his team about going to full pads. Though they are looking forward to finally getting to hit, they aren’t happy about adding the extra pads during the middle of this current heat wave.

“Practice is so long and it is so hot that they are not real eager to put some pads on,” he said. “They are kind of excited about taking pads off. For now on we are going to add more. Thursday will be kind of exciting because it is finals so we are only going to be able to block a little bit of time.

“We will not be out here very long at all on Wednesday and that’s the first day of pads so there will be a little more enthusiasm because of the short practice and the fact that pads will be on for the first time.”

Young guns. Bowden has been pleased with what he has seen from freshmen receivers Brandon Clear and Xavier Dye in practice. He is hoping those two can carry that productivity into Saturdays this fall.

“Clear and Dye we will have to see how they do with practice retention and all that,” Bowden said. “I feel good about our depth, but we need one to jump out and be a Spiller or Davis at that position. That’s something we haven’t had there.”

-To get more news on Clemson football, please visit Will Vandervort’s blog at http://www.upstatetoday.com/weblogs/tiger-tracks/