By Will Vandervort (Contact / Staff Bio)
April 15, 2008 - 12:16 a.m. EST

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Rex Brown

Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper makes the calls at the line of scrimmage during the Orange and White spring game last Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Clemson. Harper threw for 142 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Orange team to a 16-7 win.

CLEMSON — The questions are still out there. Is the offensive line a problem? Who will be that run-stopper at linebacker? And can special teams finally be a group the team can count on, instead of the one that directly leads to a loss?

The Clemson Tigers concluded spring drills this past Saturday with the annual Orange and White Spring Game in Death Valley, and though some of those questions will not truly be answered until the Tigers’ season-opener against Alabama on Aug. 30, they head into the off-season feeling good about what was accomplished in the 14 practices the last five weeks.

“As far as the overall makeup of our team and our ability with some talented players to make progress throughout the course of the season, I feel good,” Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said.

And Bowden should feel good. Clemson’s young offensive linemen have shown progress throughout the spring and by mid-season, they should have the chance, barring any injuries, gel into a cohesive unit.

With a healthy James Davis and Jacoby Ford back in the mix, plus the emergence of Xavier Dye this spring, Clemson’s skill players make up the most talented group in the ACC and one of the best in the country.

The starting group on the defensive front was impressive all spring, while the second- and third-team units showed glimpses they could perhaps start anywhere in the ACC. With Da’Quan Bowers now in the mix, and some improvements by some of last year’s freshman – Miguel Chavis and Jarvis Jenkins – Clemson might have the most talented and deepest defensive line in the conference.

The secondary might be Clemson’s best group overall, with senior safeties Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemons leading the charge.

The linebackers are young and will have some growing pains, but guys like Josh Miller, Brandon Maye, Jeremy Campbell and true freshman Stanley Hunter really picked things up in the spring and showed that Clemson might not be as bad as once thought if Cortney Vincent isn’t able to come back.

Below are some of the five things learned this spring and what should be expected this fall.

1. Left tackle has some work to do.

Chris Hairston is ready to play at right tackle, but Cory Lambert is not at left tackle.

“We have one tackle ready to play right now,” Bowden said. “The other one needs a little more work, but he had made good progress this spring, and this is the best he has looked. He has been very consistent, but Chris is a little ahead of him right now as far as the tackle depth and then Landon (Walker) and (Jock) McKissic just got some work and Jamal Medlin got some work at some tackle and then we will take a look at our freshmen when they come in.

“We have been real pleased with Cory’s progress through the course of the spring, but he just has a ways to go. He has to continue to make some improvement for us if he is going to be a productive tackle at this level.”

2. Offensive line has a chance to be pretty good.

Though they have some talent and a lot of the young guys had a good spring, look for the offensive coaches to maybe simplify things this fall, especially for the Alabama game.

“There are some things we can do and we will come in with a good game plan to either minimize our protections or make our schemes a little more simple until they get a little more experience,” Bowden said. “They’re talented players and they will get better. I think it will be too much to be asking those guys to be at their peak performance before the Alabama game because a lot of them have never played. That would cause you some concern with a quality of an opponent like Alabama.

“You have to be smart in what you ask them to do from an assignment standpoint or a scheme standpoint.”

3. DaQuan Bowers will be productive for Clemson has a freshman.

The Bamberg standout recorded 7 tackles in Saturday’s spring game, including four for a loss as he showed glimpses of how much of a difference maker he might be on the defensive line.

“I don’t know if he is ahead of schedule because I don’t really have anything to compare him too. I have never really signed a guy that caliber coming in as a true freshman,” Bowden said. “So whether he is ahead or behind, I don’t really know, but we are pleased as to where he is. I thought he had a good spring and the effort was good, so hopefully he can have a good two-and-half weeks of class before finals come up being this is his first semester out of high school.

“I’m waiting to see what he does when he really knows what he is doing. He is just playing right now. He is very talented and obviously he can get a little stronger and a little quicker and faster… You know he is not a polished product as far as pass rushing technique. He has always overpowered everybody and now he is going to meet similar abilities physically where it takes a little more skill and technique. I’m anxious to see when he finally reaches that level and when he learns how to play the game. He will be fun to watch anyway next year because he is very talented and plays with good enthusiasm, and he is a real good guy.”

4. Clemson’s thinnest position heading into spring was at linebacker, but with the emergence of Hunter, Maye and a surprising spring from Jeremy Campbell, the Tigers might not be as thin at linebacker as they once thought.

“I’m anxious to see if we have a difference maker at that position like a Leroy Hill or some of the ones they have had here in the past like Levon Kirkland, Anthony Simmons and Jeff Davis,” Bowden said. “I’m anxious to see if some of these guys can reach that level or not, but I don’t know until they do it and they just have not done it.”

5. With 6 catches for 85 yards and a touchdown in the spring game, Xavier Dye has emerged as the next big thing at wide receiver for Clemson. Though he backs up All-ACC wideout Aaron Kelly, look for Dye’s numbers to dramatically increase in the fall.

“He is going to be in a position that if Aaron goes down, we will not have to increase other guys balls,” Bowden said. “Maybe we can continue our same offense with him stepping in and being a productive player.

“He is an awful big target. He has done pretty well. He has done well academically. He is one of those guys that are kind of the whole package as far as what he brings to the table off the field as opposed to on the field. We have been real pleased with his maturity.”