Clemson defensive starter will be limited during spring practice
Dexter Lawrence started 12 games in 2017 and recorded 39 tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, but Clemson’s monster defensive tackle was never truly healthy during his sophomore season.
The Tigers will limit Lawrence this spring and use the time to try to help Lawrence get back to 100 percent from a foot and ankle injury that bothered him throughout last year.
“Just the healing of his ankle and foot and all that stuff, just kind of getting his full range of motion back. He was never really able to fully get everything 100 percent last year … He was coming off the surgery there, so just really trying to be cautious with him, cause he’s the best he’s been since probably his freshman year right now,” Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said Wednesday. “ He’s made great strides. He’s running well.”
Defensive end Richard Yeargin, who missed the 2017 season with a neck injury, will be limited during the spring and will not take part in contact drills.
“Richard Yeargin and Dexter Lawrence will both be in green, what we call green, all spring,” Swinney said. “So they’ll do all the position work. They’ll do all their team separate type stuff, but we’ll hold them out of all competitive work. Both of them doing well, but that’s how we’ll handle them.”
Clemson has several other players banged up for the spring, including kicker Greg Huegel, who suffered a torn ACL during last season.
“Huegel, he’s doing great, but he’s still out right now but doing great rehabbing his knee,” Swinney said of the former Blythewood High standout.
Freshman tight end Braden Galloway, who enrolled in January, recently had a screw inserted into his foot and is making progress.
“Hopefully, with Braden, he’ll be able to do some stuff after we get back from (spring) break. So we’ll see how it goes. He’s doing well,” Swinney said.
Swinney is also hopeful that offensive lineman Zach Giella will be able to participate in some drills during the spring.
Walk-on tight end Cole Renfrow, walk-on defensive end James Edwards and walk-on safety Alex Dalton are still rehabbing from knee injuries.
RETURNING TO ACTION
Tight end Garrett Williams is back healthy after suffering a torn ACL last spring and missing all of the 2017 season.
Williams was competing for the starting tight end job before going down. Swinney expects Williams to contribute this season.
“Garrett’s ready to go. He’s had a great offseason. He’s gonna make a difference for us,” Swinney said. “He brings a mindset that’s hard to coach. So I’m really glad he came back, and we’ve got him back for two years. We got a redshirt out of him.”
Defensive end Logan Rudolph is also back healthy after redshirting last season with a shoulder injury.
This story was originally published February 28, 2018 at 8:46 PM with the headline "Clemson defensive starter will be limited during spring practice."