Clemson played 11 different offensive linemen in the blowout win over North Carolina, allowing some of the younger players on the roster to get some live game reps.
However, one of the true freshmen who did not see the field was Gavin Blanchard, and on Tuesday, Dabo Swinney revealed that it was by design.
“The only guy we held was Gavin, and that was intentional,” the head coach said. “Really high on him, but saving his four games as long as we can. Don’t want to put him in there in a situation like that.”
Blanchard was a late addition to the Tigers’ 2025 recruiting class.