Once every spring, the students and fans of NCAA teams get to witness what the football team has been working on during its off-season. They get to see how new players have adjusted and veteran players have progressed and, for Clemson fans, they got their first look at freshman Trevor Lawrence. His hype train has been at full speed since head coach Dabo Swinney recruited him. But the spring game doesn’t just showcase quarterbacks; other players made great strides this spring that should also be highlighted.

By far the best performance on either team was that of Orange wide receiver Tee Higgins. The true freshman shined a little last year, but he showed just why he was recruited during this game. During Lawrence’s second drive as quarterback, Higgins outmuscled and outran junior cornerback Mark Fields for a 50-yard receiving touchdown. 

“That was just a little play-action pass, a little pitch sweep, and I think Denzel (Johnson) did a nice job covering the tight end. That’s the first read on that, just a quick play-action yes or no. Denzel did an excellent job of taking him away and so he just went right back out … and put it up,” Swinney said. “If you put it up there high enough and with enough air, that No. 5’s got a chance to go get it.”

His instinct when going up for the ball is very similar to that of former Clemson standout Mike Williams. With Deon Cain having left for the NFL, Higgins can immediately assume the role of red zone threat. 

Higgins’ partner in crime Amari Rodgers also looked good. Rodgers primarily played the role of slot receiver, which he played sometimes last season as well as the position of kick returner. He started the game by returning the opening kickoff for nearly 40 yards and then quickly added a catch underneath to move the sticks. Rodgers’ play reminds fans of the shifty Artavis Scott who set the school record for career receptions. 

On the defensive side of the ball, the future was bright for the youngsters. Freshman defensive end Justin Foster was a monster in the middle recording two sacks for the game. The 255-pounder was a force from the edge pressuring Hunter Johnson and Trevor Lawrence for an entire quarter. 

The other team featured 2018 early enrollee Xavier Thomas who sacked opposing QB Chase Brice twice as well. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see both Thomas and Foster making plays this coming season at some point. Coach Brent Venables likes to rotate in the younger players for some snaps when he can, so don’t be shocked when they start making plays before starting. 

Players that struggled include quarterbacks Kelly Bryant and Chase Brice and cornerback Mark Fields. Fields was continually bullied by Clemson’s bevy of receivers as he struggled pressing them at the line and following through. Fields was injured for a good portion of last year and needs a little bit of live game time to get back up to speed. 

For being an ACC championship winning quarterback, Bryant certainly didn’t look the part. Most of his passes didn’t travel further than a few yards and he routinely missed open receivers downfield.

If he doesn’t improve on his vertical passes, Hunter Johnson may leapfrog him on the depth chart. 

Recruits were seen at the spring game including recent 5-star wide receiver commit Frank Ladson who was seen signing autographs before ever donning a uniform. 

“The consistency and sincerity displayed to us had made my decision easy, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity of a lifetime,” Ladson said.

Fans are a still a long way away from seeing any live game action, but it is encouraging to see where the program is headed.