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Entering the first open date of the season after a 49-0 win over The Citadel in the second game, Clemson's coaches discussed the importance of preparing for the six straight weekends of football that would come before the next break.

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In the moment it seemed a bit of a stretch to look at those six games as a truly rigorous grind. The two toughest tests, Oct. 10 against Miami and Nov. 7 at Notre Dame, were a month apart.

Otherwise it was a diet of weaklings that would allow the No. 1 team in the country to flex its muscles and build its depth.

Perhaps the area that would benefit most from this best laid plan was the offensive line.

Not just a second-team offensive line that was extraordinarily short on experience.

But a first-team offensive line that could use the rest.