Clemson Football: Who’s joining the offensive line starting lineup?

Sep 24, 2022; Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, defensive tackle Etinosa Reuben (32), offensive lineman Tristan Leigh (70), and safety Jalyn Phillips (25) react after beating Wake Forest 51-45, at Truist Field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Saturday, September 24, 2022. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports /

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Dietrick Pennington

Don’t forget about the big guy.

Pennington was a 4-star in the 247 Composite. Dabo Swinney spoke often of him when he arrived at Clemson. He came in physically ready to play. He just didn’t get the chance.

Pennington was injured early in the 2021 season and missed most of the year, including the following spring practices. When he returned at the beginning of the 2022 season, his weight had gotten upwards of 360 pounds. Coach Swinney called it “good weight”, but the limited snaps he saw in 2022 indicated his injury had healed but he wasn’t in shape to play.

The good news for Pennington is that he appears to be healthy now and will be able to participate in spring practice and summer workouts. If he can get his weight down, he has a chance to be a comeback player.

He is strong and physical, which is exactly what Austin wants in his linemen. If the hype from Swinney is real, and Pennington steps up, he could be a no-brainer to step in at guard. That could be followed by Tate or Parks moving to tackle.

We will have to wait and see how Pennington looks when spring practice starts.

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