The Clemson Tigers will hold their annual spring game on Saturday, April 13. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET, and the game can be seen online on ESPN3.
2013 Clemson spring game TV schedule, roster battles and more
The Tigers will play their spring game on Saturday. Here’s how you can tune in, and what to watch for.
Joshua S. Kelly-US PRESSWIRE
The Tigers are coming off another fine season in 2012, but they ultimately fell short of repeating their 2011 ACC title.
On offense, the Tigers are losing their top rusher and receiver in Andre Ellington and DeAndre Hopkins, respectively. Normally that would be a huge cause for concern, but Clemson seems to have the pieces in place to move forward without a significant dip in production. The return of star quarterback Tajh Boyd makes the process much easier than it would be without him.
At running back, Roderick McDowell and D.J. Howard will fight it out to replace Ellington as first choice. McDowell was the team's third-leading rusher in 2012 behind Ellington and Boyd, and averaged over five yards per carry while scoring five touchdowns.
The team will miss Hopkins at receiver, but fellow burner Sammy Watkins is still around, and should pick up some of the slack. Martavis Bryant, Adam Humphries, and Charone Peake should all see their catches increase in 2013, but it's unclear who will step up as the second option behind Watkins.
On defense, it's still unclear who will take over for the departed Rashard Hall at safety. Hall was a major contributor last year, piling up 80 tackles, which was second on the team. The Tigers will also have to replace linebacker Tig Willard, who led the team with 86 tackles. Tony Steward looks to be the favorite to take Willard's place in the lineup, but the safety spot remains a mystery. The good news, though, is that so far in spring practice, the defense seems to be getting the upper hand on the offense.
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