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Football notes from a busy Tuesday
Posted October 7, 2008
Well, the two-sport juggling act has begun - for now. Today we beat hacks did double duty. Clemson men's basketball coach Oliver Purnell held his annual golf outing/media day at the Madren Center (nice place!) and the football Tigers held their final practice in preparation for Thursday's huge game at Wake Forest. So, yeah, busy day.
I'll get to the hoops stuff later, but wanted to give you a couple of football nuggets first.
First off, sounds like Cory Lambert is making a solid transition from tackle to left guard, where he'll start Thursday night. The recent off week was huge, he said.
“That (off week) was definitely the thing that I needed,” he said. “There is a big difference from tackle to guard, and having those days definitely paid off, being able to learn the position, learn the steps, learn the calls and everything.”
Lambert credits teammates, including center Thomas Austin, for help in his transition. As he sees it, versatility can only help him and the rest of the line.
“I’m hoping what I’m doing well is allowing them to have trust in me, to do whatever I can to help them out,” Lambert said. “Whether it’s playing tackle, left tackle, right tackle, or guard, they can trust me in any position.”
Hairston is excited, too. He's returning to the starting lineup after a three-game absence following a knee injury sustained in a early-September moped wreck. And he's doing so in his hometown - Winston-Salem.
He wasn't recruited much out of high school - Clemson was his only D-I offer - so coming home for an ACC game is pretty sweet.
“I never thought I was going to have a chance to do that,” he said. “I figured if I had a chance to play at Wake Forest, it’d be playing for (North Carolina) A&T or somebody (like that). I never thought it’d be like this.”
One thing is for sure: he won’t be climbing aboard a moped anytime soon.
“For right now, the next 10-15 years, I don’t think I’ll be getting on another moped,” he said. “I might teach my kid to ride a moped, but I don’t know if that’d be a good idea. I’d tell him, I don’t know if you’d want to learn from me. I’m sure that’s not a good idea.”
“I never thought I was going to have a chance to do that,” he said. “I figured if I had a chance to play at Wake Forest, it’d be playing for (North Carolina) A&T or somebody (like that). I never thought it’d be like this.”
Hairston says his knee is getting “closer and closer” to 100 percent each day, although he’s still feeling some swelling and does extra stretches during warm-ups to compensate. One thing is for sure: he won’t be climbing aboard a moped anytime soon.
Speaking of injuries, here's Clemson's injury report for Thursday. Sounds like Rashaad Jackson and Barry Humphries are making progress, but neither will be available this week. Humphries could be back as soon as next week if his knee holds up, and defensive coordinator Vic Koenning said trainers have a schedule for Jackson (who suffered a torn knee tendon in August) which they are following. He could be back for the trip to Boston College Nov. 1.
Jamie Cumbie, DT, broken wrist, out
Rashaad Jackson, DT, knee, out
Barry Humphries, OG, knee, out
David Smith, OT, sprained ankle, out
Antwon Murchison, DT, hamstring, Probable
Jamarcus Grant, OT, shoulder, Probable
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