Clemson’s Travis Blanks enters camp with ‘no limitations’

Brent Venables saw enough out of four-star prospect Travis Blanks to start him eight times in a debut 2012 season.

The Tallahassee product earned second-team freshman All-America honors with 51 tackles and eight passes defended. He capped that rookie campaign with his first interception in the Tigers’ Chick-fil-A Bowl win over LSU.

The past two years have been an exercise in patience, however, seeing struggles in a move from nickelback to safety and then suffering a torn ACL late in 2013. He opted for a redshirt after sitting out that spring and then reinjured his knee in bowl practice last December – missing another spring.

Venables says Blanks is healthy and back to work in ’15, where he could line up at linebacker or the secondary per the Tigers’ head coach.

“He’s doing everything. He has no limitations,” Venables said. “He’s way ahead of schedule. Sometimes coaches use that and say that and it sounds real good, but in reality it’s not the truth. But I think, functionally, I do think he’ll continue to improve. He’s had no limitations.

“He’s been doing squats and cleans and change of direction and one-on-ones and skills and drills and 7-on-7s and team stuff. He loves it.”

While off the field of late, the junior has been vocal around the gridiron and in the meeting room – something needed on a defense losing so many seniors.

“It’s been unfortunate he’s gotten some setbacks,” Venables said. “Love the example he has set the example for all of us, fighting through adversity and not making excuses and not feeling bad for himself. He’s a guy that’s just come to work with a great attitude and willingness to sow the right seeds with teammates and valuing and recognizing and respecting the group that we lost.

“He’s going to stand at the front of the line on his own two feet, willing to do his part to fill that void.”

How does that leadership show?

“He cares about this program,” Venables said. “He cares about his teammates. He cares about us coaches. He loves to work. He loves to work. Sometimes you get those con-artists who have all the right answers, but when it’s time to work, they’re hit or miss. … He’s a guy standing tall, taking responsibility, good or bad.

“He loves it. He loves the grind. He loves the teammates. He loves being in a leadership role. He’s been different since he’s gotten here.”

That is invaluable in reloading the chemistry defensively.

“Travis and Ben (Boulware) are great vocal leaders,” Venables said. “They really care. They wear it on the sleeve. You got to have a couple of those guys, emotionally. A guy like Grady (Jarrett) and DeShawn Williams wore it on the sleeve. They also worked and led by example. That’s what you love as coaches. When you have that, guys can play above their ability.”