CLEMSON — Clemson football began preseason practice Thursday, 30 days before its Aug. 31 season opener vs. Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
This is coach Dabo Swinney‘s 16th season as coach, and the Tigers look to return to the College Football Playoff after a three-year absence.
The first seven periods of Clemson’s first preseason practice were open for media viewing. Here’s what we observed:
Clemson football five-star receiver TJ Moore debuts
The Florida native was the most anticipated Tiger player to see since he didn’t join the team until the summer. Moore, who weighed in at 190 pounds, ran crisp routes during receiver drills.
“He’s a great ball-skill guy,” Swinney said prior to the practice. “He’s a finisher on the ball.”
Wide receivers coach Tyler Grisham corrected Moore on an in-breaking route, and the freshman redid it to the coach’s satisfaction. Moore joined four-star Bryant Wesco Jr. as the only two wide receivers in Clemson’s 2024 class. They look to help the Tigers’ passing attack that ranked last in the ACC in passing yards per attempt with 6.3.
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Clemson football’s Caden Story practices following arrest
Story took the field and ran drills with the Tigers. He was charged with possession of marijuana on July 21. At ACC Kickoff, Swinney said the team would handle the sophomore’s situation internally.
The Alabama native looks to make an impact after appearing in 11 games with no starts for Clemson and recording one tackle over two seasons. He received a notable position change during spring practice, switching from defensive tackle to end. He aims to carve out a role on the Tigers’ loaded defensive line.
Clemson football, Wes Goodwin begin work on nickel defense
In the final open period, the linebackers and defensive backs got together and began working on their nickel package. The group showed a 4-2-5 look, meaning four linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs.
Defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin ran this style last season, and it paid dividends, helping the team rank eighth in total defense. It appears the third-year assistant’s defense will continue using this package in 2024.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: TJ Moore debut, Caden Story status, practice opens
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