Clowney, Taylor cause problems for youthful offense in spring
For freshman offensive lineman Brandon Shell, going up against Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney is unlike anything else.
“You’re going to see defensive ends, but I doubt you’re going to see defensive ends like them,” Shell said. “It’s a good experience.”
Along with getting quality experience, getting beat is one of the things that goes along with facing All-SEC lineman everyday, but for head coach Steve Spurrier, it has happened a little too much for his liking.
A lack of experience has been the culprit as T.J. Johnson is the only returning offensive lineman that has started three years. On the spring depth chart, there are two freshmen and a converted defensive lineman listed at the left tackle position.
For Johnson, the chance to be the leader of the line has come as a welcome opportunity.
“I look forward to the challenge,” Johnson said. “I feel like I’ve had a lot of experience so I’m able to talk to a lot of the younger guys. I’ve enjoyed it and I feel like I have embraced it well.”
With inexperience on both sides of him, Johnson will be looked upon to keep the line together when it comes time to go up against the cream of the crop in SEC defensive linemen.
“He kind of helps their demeanor by not letting them get too overly concerned with screw-ups,” said offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. “He gets them in the position that they need to be in and calms them down when they get frustrated. He has done a great job.”
Shell concurred by saying that Johnson “helps me to stay focused” and brings a positive approach, particularly when it comes to making mistakes.
“On days when I didn’t practice that well, he will just come over to me in the locker room and just tell me everything is going to be all right,” Shell said.
Along with Shell and Johnson, sophomore A.J. Cann is projected to take over the left guard spot, while on Johnson’s other side, junior Ronald Patrick and senior Kaleb Broome are competing for the right guard position. At right tackle, sophomore Mike Matulis is the projected starter after getting five starts there last year.
Elliott has been impressed with the way Broome has developed the last couple of weeks.
“In the last five or six practices, [Broome] has probably had some of the best practices I’ve seen him have,” Elliott said. “He’s really been aggressive and has been communicating. I’m very, very pleased.”
After the ugly start to the spring, players are starting to catch up to the defense.
“A lot of guys are doing a lot of good things,” Johnson said. “I like Brandon a lot. He’s done better than I expected. He’s doing everything that he is supposed to do and has picked up on the system quickly.”
During Shell’s redshirt year, Elliott made the decision to move him over to left tackle. While it wasn’t Shell’s primary position, Elliott says he has started to get used to it.
“I threw him in there; I wanted him to play left and learn it,” Elliott said. “But if it happens to be that he is a better right tackle then that’s what we’ll do.”
A positive for the line is the depth that is there this spring. Instead of rotating between five or six linemen, Elliott has the luxury of 10 or 11.
“This is the first time that we have had two solid o-line’s in the spring,” Elliot said. “So in that sense, it has been pretty good. It’s only going to continue to get better. The more guys you have, the more quality reps that they are going to get.”
With the season fast approaching, the young and inexperienced line is looking to grow up quickly in order to protect quarterback Connor Shaw and open up lanes for tailback Marcus Lattimore in the fall.
It won’t be an easy task, however, because, as Shell puts it, “this ain’t high school anymore; we’re going up against some good players.”