The Clemson Tigers are putting their final preparations in place for their season opener against Kent State this weekend, and while their depth chart is mostly in order after fall camp, there are still a number of battles that will extend into the season. In some cases, a starter has already been named but still have to secure their spot on the field. With that in mind, here are three position battles worth watching for Clemson:
1) Quarterback
Head coach Dabo Swinney named Kelly Bryant the starting quarterback last week, but his spot is far from secure. The junior spent the last two seasons as Deshaun Watson's backup and was the safe choice for the Tigers. However, freshman Hunter Johnson - the No. 1 quarterback in the 2017 recruiting class - is the most talented signal-caller on the roster.
This could turn into a situation similar to 2014, when Cole Stoudt was named the opening day starter in 2014 before Watson eventually took over after a few games. With big games looming against Auburn and Louisville following the Kent State matchup, Bryant is in danger of getting pulled if he doesn't perform well.
2) Running back
C.J. Fuller is set to start on Saturday, yet he's far from the only back that will see significant playing time. Tavien Feaster and Adam Choice will both see a solid workload, as will freshman Travis Etienne. Like quarterback, there's a big difference between running backs having success in practice vs. in a game. The Tigers won't know which back is the most effective until they see them on the field. Expect to see a four-man rotation for the first few games until one of these guys separate themselves.
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3) Right tackle
Tremayne Anchrum and Sean Pollard are still battling for this starting job, and even after one is named, both will see a lot of playing time against the Golden Flashes. Anchrum appears to have the leg up right now and should get first crack at the job on Saturday. It appears to be his to lose at this point - but anything can happen in live game action.
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