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There hasn’t been a Clemson position group given a finer-toothed comb in recent years than the offensive line. And some of that scrutiny has been warranted.

Yet as we look ahead to forecasting how the Tigers will fare up front this season, the initial inclination is that the answer falls right where all the other offensive line arguments have tended to settle: In the middle ground.

When Alabama beat Clemson in the 2017 semifinals, the offensive line and Kelly Bryant were the two most prevalent public scapegoats. One year later, the narrative was how the offensive line owned the Tide’s vaunted defensive linemen in the national championship blowout.