CLEMSON, (S.C.) – The Clemson football team returned to practice Monday after a long layoff for spring break. Only a few players were not present due to class – senior linebacker Nick Watkins, senior offensive lineman Chris McDuffie, senior linebacker Tramaine Billie and junior wideout Rendrick Taylor who did actually show up for 20 minutes of workouts before departing.

One no-show could miss most of the week because of a hardship suffered over the break, red-shirt sophomore offensive lineman Jamarcus Grant, whose home in Mullins burned down.

"He's buying some clothes today. The NCAA has an immediate assistance fund, so he's buying clothing," Clemson head football coach Tommy Bowden said Monday evening. "I could have made him come, but he lost everything. He burned his leg throwing out some grease. It was a pretty big burn."

Grant was not seriously injured. His grandmother remains hospitalized. Grant has been living with his grandfather.

"We're hoping he won't be gone for more than a week," Bowden said. "That was very unfortunate. He lost everything."

After serving a suspension for week one of spring drills due to reasons related to academics, red-shirt sophomore running back Ray Ray McElrathbey returned to action.

"He's got the skills and talent to play. He has shown us already he can play the position and help us out," Bowden said of the converted defensive back. "We're going to scrimmage a little bit on Wednesday. He'll have some opportunities there to show us something."

The Clemson football team will practice on Wednesday, Friday and scrimmage on Saturday of this week. Bowden told reporters he may get in goal line work this week.

"It's going to be interesting to see our goal line offense versus our goal line defense," he said. "We had four defensive starters out today – Billie, Watkins, Michael Hamlin and Antonio Clay. (Goal line) is more toughness than anything. We're not scheming against one another. It's a toughness thing."

Bowden said the starting job at quarterback remains a four-man race entering the second stanza of spring workouts.

"We had planned it (this way) all along," said the ninth-year head coach. "We wanted to have a feel before the spring (break). It was really a three-man race with a question mark. Now it's a four-man race. I think we could throw him (Willy Korn) in a scrimmage and I think he could make the checks and throw it in the proximity."

The race at both kicker and punter also remains relatively open, though it's a scenario that is hardly a surprise to the Tiger coaching staff.

"With guys who have never played in a collegiate game before, I wouldn't expect them to perform as seasoned veterans," Bowden detailed. "It's not an expectation that they nail down a position solidly this spring. It would be good if they would. It's just hard to have a status right now with none of them having experience."

Red-shirt freshman Richard Jackson, a Parade All-American out of high school, is expected to win the starting job at kicker. Jimmy Maners, a walk-on from Rock Hill who was in contention for the No. 1 job at punter last season, is expected to win that job this fall.

*** Bowden said enthusiasm was "pretty good" at Monday's workout, and cited several notables for their performance and leadership – junior running back James Davis, junior defensive end Phillip Merling, sophomore cornerback Crezdon Butler, true freshman offensive tackle Landon Walker, junior defensive tackle Rashaad Jackson, sophomore linebacker Kevin Alexander and true freshman safety DeAndre McDaniel. Bowden said of McDaniel, "He looked good out there again today. He has jumped off the radar every day doing something good."

*** Fifth-year senior right tackle Chris Capote did not call in to notify the coaching staff he would be late for a Sunday team meeting, and as a result was moved to second-team Monday. Assuming the position at No. 1 right tackle was sophomore Cory Lambert.