Takeaways from the 2020 Clemson football depth chart release
The first depth chart for the 2020 Clemson football season was released this week as the Tigers prepare for game day this Saturday.
Clemson football will open up the 2020 season on the road against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in what promises to be an intriguing match-up for reasons not related to the football field.
The fact that Clemson is a 33-point favorite heading into the game won’t dampen the enthusiasm of Tiger fans around the country, though, as they prepare to see their team play a game for the first time in more than eight months.
Here’s a look at three takeaways from Clemson’s depth chart release:
Bryan Bresee is a monster
You don’t get listed as a starter as a freshman in Game 1 unless you are really talented. That’s the exact case with Bryan Bresee, who is listed as a co-starter with veterans Nyles Pinckney and Jordan Williams.
Bresee has stepped into the defense and challenged veterans who have garnered tons of playing time in the past already. That hasn’t stopped him from competing and making big-time plays in the middle of that defense.
We’re going to see a lot of Bresee this season and that can already be seen by the Week 1 depth chart.
DJ Uiagalelei has closed the gap, and potentially surpassed Taisun Phommachanh
There is one tiny word on this Week 1 depth chart that says all we need to know about the backup QB competition: ‘Or.’
Following spring and heading into camp, Taisun Phommachanh was listed as the second-string QB without an ‘or’ beside his name. That’s not the case any more.
The coaches have openly been saying that there is an intense competition going on at that position and one thing is for certain: DJ Uiagalelei has made up any ground that he was behind coming into the Clemson football program.
If Phommachanh is still the backup, it’s only by a hair and there is potential that the true-freshman has already surpassed him.
Lots of youth on that second-string OL
We knew who the starters on the offensive line were going to be heading into the season, but the second-string spots were completely up in the air.
It seems a lot of young linemen made an impression on the coaching staff.
Here’s a look at the backup OL:
- LT: Walker Parks
- LG: Paul Tchio
- C: Hunter Rayburn
- RG: Blake Vinson
- RT: Mitchell Mayes
Tayquon Johnson is also listed as the third-string at right guard. Of the guys listed, five of the six are either redshirt freshmen or true-freshmen. That’s an astounding amount of youth to fill the depth chart.
All of these guys are going to be counted upon this season to provide depth and maybe even start depending on how things go week-to-week.