By Will Vandervort (Contact / Staff Bio)
February 20, 2008 - 12:15 a.m. EST

CLEMSON — When a team has to replace two senior tackles on the offensive line, it sometimes has to take a chance.

When spring football practice starts for the Clemson Tigers on March 8, defensive tackle Jock McKissic will be that chance.

McKissic will move over to the offensive line, where he will be expected to challenge Cory Lambert for the starting position at left tackle. Clemson has to replace All-American Barry Richardson at the positioned he owned for the last four years.

“We will take a shot at it,” offensive line coach Brad Scott said Tuesday.

McKissic’s move comes thanks to the Tigers’ added depth on the defensive line, and McKissic’s eagerness to get on the field more often.

“If it doesn’t work out, then we will move him back to defense,” Scott said. “But I think for his future, I think it is best for him to be on our side of the ball, and for helping our football team, he might be able to give us some added depth.

“Obviously, he is moving over here to try and earn a starting position, but that’s something he has to go and do. I’m going to give him that opportunity.”

Scott said McKissic (6-foot-6, 295) has the athletic ability to come in and compete with Cory Lambert for the left tackle position.

“Competition is the best friend a coach can have. If I can create a little more competition then I know I’m going to get a lot more out of these guys,” Scott said.

McKissic has lettered the last three years on the defensive line where he recorded 50 career tackles and 4.5 tackles for a loss. He played a career-high 418 plays in 2006, but with the emergence of Dorell Scott, Jamie Cumbie, Miguel Chavis and Jarvis Jenkins up front his production dropped to 244 plays this year.

“We have been able to improve our defensive line to where now we need more depth on the offensive side of the football and Jock is a long-armed, athletic guy that might just be the perfect guy we are looking for to maybe play that tackle position,” Scott said. “Now he doesn’t know any offense and he will be a lot like (Chris) McDuffie when we got him from defense.”

McDuffie, also a former defensive tackle, moved over to offense in 2005 and started the last 18 games at left guard for the Tigers. Scott feels McKissic can be just as productive at tackle as McDuffie was at guard once he gets the offense down.

“There is a little training process involved, and a lot more discipline, and when I say that I’m talking about snap count and having to be more patient,” Scott said. “He just can’t turn himself loose like he can as a defensive lineman.

“There is a transition these guys have to go through. Jock has a great attitude about it and some of the other players are working with him right now.”

McKissic’s most memorable play on defense came against South Carolina in 2006. That’s when he intercepted a Blake Mitchell pass that had been swatted by defensive end Gaines Adams inside the Clemson 10-yard line. McKissic took the interception and rumbled 82-yards for a touchdown.

McKissic’s move to left tackle allows Scott to move David Smith inside to help out at guard. Chris Hairston and Landon Walker are expected to challenge at the right tackle position. In all, Clemson has to replace three starters along the offensive line.

Scott feels McKissic will primarily work at left tackle, but if he learns the offense well enough, he could see some work at right tackle too.

“After I work with Jock a little bit then I will find out, and I might have to play him on the right side,” Scott said. “If he can learn to play on the left side, and I think he is athletic enough to do that, certainly we gain an advantage there.”